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What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Accidents are never planned and rarely anticipated, but good dental care is always ready and available 24/7. Like all medical emergencies, dental emergencies require quality care, and fast! Here’s what to do if you think you have a dental emergency on your hands.

What is a Dental Emergency?

If you are in a lot of pain or have experienced trauma that puts your oral health at risk, you should seek emergency dental treatment immediately. Sports impact, chewing hard food, using teeth as scissors, and infections can all cause a dental emergency.

Pain and swelling, discoloration of gums or teeth, or a broken or knocked-out tooth should send you to the dentist immediately. Dental emergencies can lead to complicated health issues if left untreated.

What to Do in a Dental Emergency

In any dental emergency, call Portland dentist Dr. David Case and make an appointment right away. Even if the office is closed, our dentists are on call and available to help. At the same time, clean and treat your wound as much as you can while at home to preserve the tooth and tissues.

Here are some specific care instructions:

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Dental Sealants Keep Cavities at Bay

A trip to the dentist should be a pleasant experience. That’s what we want for our kids: happy associations with that twice-annual visit to Dr. Case. Nothing ruins the good feeling at a dental visit faster than the dreaded words, “I found a cavity.” A cavity in a baby tooth is bad news, but not the end of the world. A cavity in a newly erupted permanent tooth is more cause for concern.

So what is a cavity? How do they form? And, what can we do to keep them from ever getting started?

What is a Cavity?

Simply, a cavity, also known as dental caries, is a hole in the tooth enamel. A tooth has an outer layer of hard enamel surrounding an inner layer of dentin, which covers the tooth pulp, which contains blood vessels and a nerve. A cavity forms when the enamel is weakened then fails and no longer covers the dentin.

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Dental Crowns 101

Sometimes in life, you just need a do-over. That’s precisely what dental crowns are—a new start for your tooth.

Teeth are important players in your life! They’re not only the first responders for your digestive tract, but they can make a great first impression – so you deserve a beautiful, fully-functioning set. If your teeth need a real makeover, a crown might be just the thing you need.

A crown is a custom-made shell that fits perfectly over your natural tooth. Crowns look and act exactly like your original tooth – but better. Crowns restore broken and badly decayed or discolored teeth. Crowns also top off dental implants and build dental bridges.

 Dr. Case, Portland dentist at Family Dental Health shares what you need to know about getting a crown.

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Dental Implants – A Security System for Your Smile

Your mouth is an intelligent system made to work with every piece doing its part. When you’re missing a tooth, the empty spaces are more than unsightly; they can be dangerous. Your other teeth, your gums, and even the bones in your face rely on you having a full smile.

Enter: dental implants. Thanks to improved technology, you can replace a single tooth or a whole row of teeth quickly and effectively. Dental implants can improve your overall oral health and are now considered the gold standard in tooth replacement technology.

Dr. Case at Family Dental Health in Portland offers professional placement and restoration of dental implants[LINK], so let us tell you more about them and how they can help protect your greatest asset and secure your smile!

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Oral Cancer – Prevention & Early Detection

Cancer is always a scary word—but it doesn’t have to be the last word. Equipped with good information and the best doctors, you can feel empowered to navigate whatever stands before you or your loved one.

Oral cancer is common, affecting approximately 50,000 Americans every year. If you have more questions about oral cancer, read more below from Dr. Case at Family Dental Health in Portland.

Signs of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is most common among people ages 41-60, and men are at a greater risk of developing it than women. Oral cancer can affect your tongue, cheeks, lips, sinuses, throat, teeth, gums, and roof of the mouth or below your tongue.

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Is Fluoride Safe for Kids?

At Family Dental Health, we know that Portland parents work hard to prioritize their child’s health and happiness—you can count on us to do the same! The smiles of your children are a contagious expression of delight, and our role as their oral healthcare provider is to protect those precious pearly whites.

That’s why we fill Portland parents in on the ways we can help prevent their child from experiencing the pain of cavities. Fluoride treatments are a quick way to strengthen teeth and keep decay-causing bugs away.

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Senior Dentistry: Embrace Healthy Aging

Someone once said, “Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.” How true!  While it can be frustrating to watch your health change as you age, you don’t have to accept poor oral health and tooth loss as just an inevitable part of the aging process. Your oral health is just as important now as it has ever been, and it has a great deal to do with your overall health and wellness. When it comes to senior dentistry and oral health, Dr. Case shares the top concerns you may have, and how to address them.

Gum Disease

A shocking 70% of adults over 65 years of age have gum disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among seniors. Gum disease is your body’s way of trying to kill germs that infect and inflame gum tissues.  Chronic exposure to inflammation in the body quadruples your chance of developing Alzheimer’s later in life, according to the American Dental Association.

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To Be or Not to Be Sugar-Free: The Facts About Artificial Sweeteners

Originally created for people unable to consume regular sugars, alternative and artificial sweeteners have become extremely popular in Portland in all kinds of different products. From chewing gum to diet soda, Dr. Case wants you to know which of these options are best for your dental and general health – so here are the facts about a few of the most common sweeteners.

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Breastfeeding & Dental Work

If you’re a new mom or about to be one, you’re likely already used to putting your needs second to the needs of this beautiful new little person in your life – but maintaining good oral hygiene is still important for keeping you and your baby in tiptop shape.

If something happens and you need dental work, it shouldn’t prevent you from breastfeeding regularly or from seeking the treatment you need. Dr. Case is an experienced dentist in Portland and can explain how prioritizing your own health needs is safe and important during this stage of a woman’s life.

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Teeth Grinding, Clenching & Bruxism

There is a good chance you have heard Dr. David Case or someone else at Family Dental Health mention the term ‘bruxism’ and discuss the problems it can cause for your oral health. At the office, we talk about a lot of technical dental stuff that doesn’t necessarily concern our Portland patients, but bruxism is something we definitely want you to know about. Stress and bruxism go hand in hand, and we are going to tell you exactly what that means and how it affects your health.

Alright, we know you are on the edge of your seat! What is bruxism and why does it concern you? Well, how often do you find yourself clenching your jaw or notice others doing just that? Bruxism is a common condition characterized by jaw clenching and the grinding of teeth. It is perfectly normal to clench your jaw and grind your teeth from time to time, but it can be very damaging if it gets to be a regular habit. The biggest issue with bruxism is that people are rarely aware that they suffer from this condition, and left unchecked, it can cause a number of painful and inconvenient side effects.

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