Hewlett Family Dental Blog

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Halloween  is upon us, which for most children means bags of free candy and a chance to build a stockpile of sweets for the winter. No surprise, Halloween can also present parents with a variety of health and safety challenges. It’s OK to eat that candy on Halloween but it’s important to have a plan! Here's how you can help your family stay "mouth healthy" on Halloween and year-round. Time It Right Eat Halloween candy (and other sugary foods) with meals or shortly after mealtime. Saliva production increases during meals. This helps cancel out acids produced by bacteria in your mouth and rinse away food particles. Stay Away from Sweet Snacks Snacking can increase your risk of cavities, and it’s double the trouble if you keep grabbing sugary treats from the candy bowl. Snacking on candy throughout the day is not ideal for your dental health or diet. Choose Candy Carefully Avoid hard candy and other sweets that stay in your mouth for a long ti...

When you’re pregnant, you do everything you can to help prepare for a healthy baby. Maintaining good oral hygiene  while you’re pregnant is an important part of your overall health. Many expecting women have questions like “Can I go to the dentist when pregnant?” and “Are my teeth affected during pregnancy?”  Dental Care & Pregnancy According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, dental health is an important part of overall health during pregnancy and throughout your lifespan. Be assured that the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of oral conditions are safe during pregnancy. Should you have to have a dental procedure completed while you’re pregnant, local anesthesia (lidocaine with and without epinephrine) is also safe while you’re pregnant.  X-Rays & Pregnancy According to the American Dental Association (ADA) current guidelines say that it is more risky for a pregnant woman to postpone dental treatment than to have treatment c...

When Wisdom Teeth Don't Hurt Many people often ask if they need to remove wisdom teeth that don't hurt. Keeping your wisdom teeth will require more care when it comes to brushing and flossing those hard to reach areas. So, if your dentist feels they are correctly aligned, there won't be problems biting or chewing, and feels you will be able to clean and floss those teeth, he may tell you to keep them. Your dentist will look at not just your short-term care but your long-term care as well and will talk to you about all options.   Wisdom Teeth Telling You it's Time to Come Out Visible signs that you or your dentist will detect include decay, misalignment, and partial eruption. All of these have grave effects on the teeth. Other signs to look for include: ●    Swollen gum tissue ●    Slight pain in the teeth region ●    Gum disease ●    Tumors ●    Prolonged tooth decay ●   ...

Many people can experience canker sores triggered by certain foods, such as acidic fruits and vegetables: strawberries, pineapples, oranges, apples, lemons, figs, and tomatoes.  Pain caused by canker sores generally lasts only a couple of days, and the sore itself should heal in about a week or two. Helpful ways to speed up the healing process: Use an over-the-counter gel medication or patch. The gel is applied directly on top of the canker sore to prevent further irritation.  You can also use a medicated mouth rinse found at drugstores which will clean the area, relieve pain, and help to stop infection.  A salt rinse solution is a more natural alternative to a medicated mouth rinse but should not be an exclusive replacement if a medicated mouth rinse is necessary. Practice good oral hygiene by brushing twice daily and use a soft bristled brush to prevent canker sores from becoming infected. Avoid certain foods which are very acidic, salty, or spicy, hot...

Nitrous oxide has been around for decades, but some patients don’t realize it’s still a great option for dental patients and procedures. Nitrous oxide provides conscious sedation at times when full sedation isn’t required, but a local anesthetic isn’t quite enough. It’s one of the safest and most effective ways to get through challenging dental situations. What Is Nitrous Oxide? Nitrous oxide is a colorless, odorless gas that has been used in dentistry for over a century. The gas is administered via a small mask that fits over the nose and is inhaled by the patient. It’s also known as laughing gas because of the sense of relaxation and even euphoria it can create in patients. Because of its many advantages and overall lack of side effects, nitrous oxide is the most commonly used gas-form anesthetic in the world, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). Why Is Dental Sedation Needed? Sedation is a key part of any dental practice, allowing dentists to perform needed w...

Although losing a crown not a serious emergency, many patients experience a disconcerting sensation when their crowns are not in place. If your dental crown came off, don’t panic, but do call to make an appointment right away. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to put it back in place and alleviate your pain before you are able to see the dentist. What Do I Do if My Crown Fell Off? When your crown pops off, immediately get it out of your mouth, or find it (if it is in your food, on the floor, in the sink, etc.). You don’t want to swallow it, because, although it would probably pass without a problem, you would not be able to reattach it, and would need to have a new crown fitted.  Call and schedule an appointment to get the crown reattached.   Let the office staff know that your crown came off and give details. They will try to get you in as soon as possible (within a week at most). DO NOT use super glue/dental adhesive/cement  These substances...

If you suffer from sensitive teeth, you already know the frustration of having a type of pain that is hard to deal with. Because tooth sensitivity is sometimes unpredictable, you can't necessarily take medication to ward off the pain like you could if you just felt a headache coming on. However, there is still something you can do about sensitive teeth. Use the following tips to help put your sensitivity and pain problems with your teeth behind you! Use the Right Toothbrush : Select a toothbrush made just for sensitive teeth, or the softest bristles possible. This helps you avoid putting any extra pressure on your teeth or gums. Use Sensitive Toothpaste: There are several good options for toothpastes made just for sensitive teeth today. Usually, toothpaste formulated for sensitive teeth will be fluoridated and use a non-abrasive formula. The toothpaste will help with the pain usually associated with brushing and flossing if you use it regularly. Avoid Trigger Foods: Yo...

If it’s been a while since you last had a filling done, you may be surprised at the new options available. Read on to see how fillings used to be, as well as what’s available today. Mercury Fillings The original standard of dental fillings involved squeezing a mold of a metal alloy called dental amalgam. This amalgam contains predominantly silver, hence the common name of silver fillings, but also up to 50 percent mercury. This led to many health concerns, as mercury is toxic even in small quantities. Despite the mercury in a cured filling not being available as free mercury, and thus having a small risk of entering the patient’s general system, the other concern is that amalgam fillings require undercutting. This is the removal of extra tooth matter to create a better position for the filling to stay within. However, some dentists note that amalgam fillings are stronger than the more popular composite and are still a worthwhile choice for back teeth. Tooth-Colored...

WHY IS FLUORIDE IMPORTANT? Did you know dental cavities are the most common disease in children and adults worldwide? Fluoride is one of the best and safest ways we can prevent cavities for children and adults alike. Here’s how fluoride works. Your mouth contains bacteria that feed on the sugars in the foods we eat and the beverages we drink. This produces acid that can wear away the hard, outer shell of your tooth (enamel). This can lead to cavities. Fluoride protects teeth by making the your teeth stronger and more resistant to acid. It not only reduces the risk of cavities, it can even help reverse early signs of decay. Due to its success in preventing cavities, fluoride in water was named a top public health achievement in the 20th century. WHY IS FLUORIDE ADDED TO TOOTHPASTE? Fluoride in the mouth (in the saliva and dental plaque) is an effective way to prevent tooth decay. The health benefits of fluoride are: •Fewer cavities and less severe cavities. •Less need ...

SENTINEL NEWS By Abby Walker Friday, July 20, 2018 Shelbyville, KY Millions of Americans do not have access to dental insurance, but one Shelby dentist is helping offset costs with his new dental membership plan. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, more than 108 million Americans did not have dental insurance in 2012. Children from families that lack dental insurance are three times more likely to have dental needs than children with public or private insurance. Lack of dental insurance among children is even more common than lack of medical insurance – for each child without medical insurance there are at least 2.6 children without dental insurance. Dental visits are much more difficult to afford for those without dental insurance –costs can easily add up to hundreds of dollars. Because of this, people without dental insurance often fail to get dental care. But Dr. Mark Hewlett of Hewlett Family Dental is trying to make dental services more accessible to e...

Some people think that flossing is only necessary if there is food stuck in their teeth, but damage will happen just from the tarter and bacteria that live between your teeth. 5 Reasons Why You Need To Floss A toothbrush will never be able to properly reach between your teeth or the base of the teeth   where it meets the gums.  Even if your teeth look good on the surface because you brush regularly, having plaque build-up between the teeth can cause cavities and discoloration. These parts of the tooth that cannot be reached by a toothbrush are closer to the root, so cavities that form there may affect the health of the whole tooth more adversely than surface cavities. If you don’t floss regularly, your gums are more likely to bleed.  Bleeding gums allow bacteria into your blood stream. The human mouth is full of bacteria, which is why if a human is bit by another human, the wound will never be stitched up. That same type of bacteria lives in your own mouth, ...

Bruxism is the technical name for teeth grinding, clenching the jaw, that sometimes happens to people as they sleep or concentrate.   It can happen while sleeping or while awake; consciously or without knowing it; to adults as well as to children. It’s more common than many imagine… and, thankfully, it’s also easy to treat. Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw is more than nervous habits to be ignored; such acts can mean serious problems for oral health, including excessive tooth wear and/or the development of Temporomandibular joint – or TMJ – syndrome. One of the simplest and best solutions is to see a dental professional about wearing a custom-made mouthguard specifically designed to reduce teeth grinding. Causes and Effects of Bruxism The primary causes of bruxism are stress and anxiety. At first, a person may be conscious of doing this (if they’re awake), but over time, the physical activity itself becomes a habit. Once the clenching and grinding are automatic,...

The toothbrush is an essential tool that is used for the care of our teeth. Have you ever missed brushing your teeth for one day? Have you ever considered what it would be like without the toothbrush? Like many common household items, we give little thought about the origins or the trials and tribulations these products went through to arrive at their modern form. The toothbrush is no exception. Simple Sticks All the way back to around 3500 BC, Egyptians and Babylonians chewed on sticks.  What else did they have to do all day, back before the Internet?  But it turns out that these sticks actually served a purpose.  By chewing on one end until the fibers formed a small make-shift brush, people could clean the surfaces of their teeth. Then people discovered Miswak, an herbal chewing stick with healing and antiseptic qualities.  In fact, studies prove that Miswak is superior to the present day toothbrush, and many people prefer it even today!  Curiou...

Most people hear the word root canal and panic.  With today’s state of the art equipment and improved local anesthetic devices, and some knowledge, a root canal does not have to cause panic. Root canals are a very common procedure.  Why do I need a root canal? There are several reasons why your dentist may suggest a root canal: •An infection in your tooth that has reached the nerves •A deep cavity that cannot be filled because the pulp and nerves are also effected •Injury to the tooth •A deep cracked tooth •Broken tooth •Repeated fillings of the effective tooth What is a root canal? A root canal is a dental procedure that is used to prevent the loss of a tooth and relieve pain. Inside your teeth is pulp which consists of soft tissue blood, connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. When the pulp becomes infected, swollen or diseased a root canal is necessary to save your tooth. During a root canal, your dentist will remove the infected pulp. The tooth...