Welcome to Our Practice

Q: Does sugar cause cavities?

A: Plaque forms on your teeth daily. When sugar combines with the bacteria in plaque it produces acids that damage the enamel on your teeth. Although decreasing sugar intake will help, it is impossible to avoid sugar completely as it is naturally found in many of our foods, including fruits and vegetables. In order to maintain healthy teeth and gums you must brush and floss daily using good techniques to ensure the best results.

Q: How does fluoride help my teeth?

A: Tooth enamel is hard but also has microscopic pores in it. Sugar combines with the bacteria in plaque, which forms on your teeth daily, to produce acids that seep into the enamel's pores. This causes the enamel to demineralize and become weak, contributing to the formation of cavities. Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by slowing the breakdown of enamel and speeding up the natural remineralization process. This keeps your teeth strong and healthy. Fluoride also fights cavities by reducing the amount of acids that are produced by plaque.

Q: Are X-rays safe?

A: You are already exposed to low levels of radiation from the environment on a daily basis. This is caused by natural sources of radioactive substances in the earth, the sun and from naturally occurring radiation in our bodies. This is commonly referred to as background radiation. The amount of radiation you receive during a single x-ray is equivalent to a few days of background radiation. In addition to the low levels of radiation used, we target the x-ray machine only at those areas we need to review in order to ensure that you have healthy teeth. We also cover the remainder of your body with a lead apron providing you with additional protection.

Q: How common is gum disease?

A: It is the most common dental problem, and it can progress quite painlessly until you have a serious problem. The end result is bone loss and the loss of teeth. Even though you may brush and floss regularly, regular visits to the dentist will help detect gum disease in the early stages.

Q: Why do I have bad breath?

A: Many people suffer from bad breath; in fact, 40% of the population has problems with bad breath at some time in their lives. Some reasons for bad breath may be:

poor dental hygiene
eating certain foods, such as garlic or onions
smoking
chewing tobacco
diseases, such as cancer or diabetes
dry mouth (often called morning breath)

You can help reduce the incidence of bad breath by brushing and flossing each day to remove plaque. By avoiding certain foods you can also eliminate a lot of bad breath problems. If you wear a denture or removable partial denture, it is important to clean it thoroughly everyday and remove it at night so your mouth tissues can restore themselves daily. If a bad breath problem persists then let us know and we will try to discover what the problem is and recommend a treatment.