The Problems with Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the last to emerge in the dental arch, around the ages 17 to 21 years, making their appearance in the realm of the later teen years bordering into early adulthood. With enough space left in the arch, assuming the jaws have reached their full growth, there should be no problem for wisdom teeth coming in. However, these molars are notorious troublemakers for a lot of young people.

For you, even if enough space is left and complete jaw growth is achieved, these teeth may still present problems in more ways than one. Even if perfectly erupted, they are the most difficult to access by brushing or flossing. As such, they are the first to show signs of cavities and decay, if seen early at all.

Usually, your wisdom teeth would be growing in the wrong position, or are partially erupted, or are impacted. Any one of these situations make them difficult to clean, can lead to cavities and decay, can put pressure on adjacent teeth, or damage the roots of its neighbor or the bones of the jaw. Your dentist will have to recommend removal. In addition, if you feel pain and there is infection during eruption, there is gingivitis, or this tooth is going to compromise your normal bite or your normal alignment – the tooth has to come off.

Painless Wisdom Tooth Extraction in Bellevue

Come to Overlake Dental in Bellevue and experience painless wisdom extraction. Even if you decide to keep your molars, let him monitor your progress with regular visits.

Understanding Why Gums Recede

Our gums are the often overlooked structures in our mouth as we really put more emphasis in the care of our pearly whites. We regard our perfectly white and aligned teeth as signs of health. Then one day we noticed some teeth looking quite different, like they have elongated. It’s not your teeth that’s having issues, it’s your gums. You’re starting to have receding gums.

Your gums are soft but firm tissues that surround each tooth and keep them in place in their bony arches. They hug your teeth up to what is called the gum line, that separates much of the crown from the root of the teeth. They are rich in nerve and blood supply, and carry that pinkish color if healthy. Now, if they start to recede, you’ll notice that they are somewhat pulled back, exposing more teeth, thus, appearing longer.

Apart from that, how do you know your gums are receding? Receding gums are most likely accompanied with thin gum tissue, and one of the first symptoms is sensitivity during brushing or taking cold drinks, or there may be bleeding while brushing, flossing, or biting on hard food. Other symptoms are red, swollen, or tender gums or other pain in your mouth, or teeth that might be loose or separating. You might notice pus between your teeth and gums, or a sore, a foul odor. And when you bite, your teeth might not be occluding well as before. If you are wearing partial dentures, they don’t seem to fit well anymore.

What might be causing receding gums?

For one, you might be brushing too hard; hard brushing doesn’t mean you’re cleaning your teeth better. Just look at your brush and you might notice the bristles are already frayed, and it’s not even an old toothbrush. Brushing hard can hurt your gums and shrink the gum line. Another is teeth grinding. You might not be aware that you’re tooth grinding while asleep and that may cause undue pressure on tooth surfaces, ligaments and gum tissue as well.

Gum disease is another cause of receding gums, and it might be the foremost cause. Periodontal disease, if untreated, can cause the gums and supporting bone structure to deteriorate. This can lead to gum recession or even tooth loss. You might want to know that gum disease can run in families.

Treating Receding Gums? Visit Overlake Dental in Bellevue

If you see these symptoms, come see your Bellevue dentist right away. Don’t delay for these issues are treatable. Save the health of your teeth and gums by regularly dental visitations.

Clean and Healthy Mouth

There are many ways you can tailor your diet to foster a clean and healthy mouth. A tooth-friendly diet means more than just avoiding excess refined sugar, like those in candy and soda, there are also many nutrients that are important for your teeth and gums.

Nutrients for Oral Health

If you are looking for more ways to encourage strong teeth, make sure that you are getting enough of the following in your diet:

• Calcium: You need calcium to rebuild tooth and bone structure. Get calcium from dairy products, meat, and and certain fruits and vegetables.
• Vitamin D: You need vitamin D to absorb calcium. You get this vitamin from modest exposure to the sun, or from certain fortified foods.
• Vitamin C: A lack of vitamin C encourages tooth decay and gum disease. You can get ample vitamin C from fruit and certain vegetables.
• Fiber and Whole Grains: High fiber foods like grains, vegetables, and fruits can scrub at your teeth as you chew.

Talk to our Bellevue dentists at Overlake Dental to learn more about tooth-friendly eating habits.

Child’s Loose Tooth

When your child’s primary teeth begin to come loose and their permanent teeth erupt beneath them, it can be an uncomfortable experience. Many are tempted to go in and pluck the loose tooth out, in an effort to keep their child from swallowing a tooth when it comes out by itself. But is this a good idea?

The first thing to realize is that your child’s mouth is very delicate. Pulling out a tooth can do a lot of damage to the surrounding gum tissues. It’s not worthwhile to do this strictly to avoid swallowing a tooth, since a primary tooth can pass safely through your child’s system. In general, it is best to let a tooth come out when it is ready. You can always contact Overlake Dental for us to take a look and pull out the loose tooth.

Of course, sometimes a primary tooth can overstay its welcome. If it fails to come out soon enough, it can cause the permanent tooth to come in crooked. Should the permanent tooth start to appear under the primary tooth, it may be time to talk to our Bellevue dentist.

When is the last time you went to the dentist?

Far too many people will postpone their regular dental visits far longer than they ought to. They might feel completely healthy and, with the stresses of work, school, and other concerns plaguing their lives, it may not seem like a high priority to get your teeth cleaned every six months. What are the chances that you actually have a dental problem, after all?

Unfortunately, the answer is probably not as favorable as you think. Professional estimates tell us that as much as 90% of people in the United States are suffering from some sort of oral problem. Such problems may come in the form of tooth decay, gum disease, or possibly even oral cancer. This issue would not be so bad, were it not for the fact that a far smaller group of people are even aware that they have a problem.

Prevention is Key

You don’t want to be one of the blissfully ignorant. The longer you go without proper dental care, the worse your problem will get. Call our Bellevue dentist right away to get the care you need and deserve.