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Lasers: A “Groovy” Tool for Dentists

At Family Dental Health, we take pride in staying ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest and greatest in dental treatments and technologies. That’s why we think dental “lasers” are truly smashing. And if you’re worried about paying one million dollars, rest assured laser treatments are more accessible and affordable than ever. Austin Powers jokes aside, we’re here to tell you how lasers work in dentistry and how they can benefit your smile—and make for a more comfortable dental experience!

How do dental lasers work?

Advanced laser technology has been one of the most important improvements in modern medicine and dentistry, allowing us to hang up our other tools while providing treatments that are less invasive, more comfortable, and with healthier results than ever before.

All lasers work by creating energy in the form of light, but the precise function in dentistry depends on the type of procedure. With surgical and other types of restorative dental treatments, the laser functions as a cutting device, replacing sharp dental tools, or as a vaporizer of diseased or decayed tissue—leaving healthy tissue intact. For teeth whitening, the laser functions as a heat source to speed up and enhance the effects of bleaching agents.

No Fear Here

One of the greatest things about dental lasers is they are great for patients with any level of dental anxiety. They eliminate the sharp tools, so you don’t have to hear or feel the scraping on your teeth, or the sounds and vibrations of the dental drill. Lasers create a calmer, more relaxed dental experience that can eliminate dental anxiety for many patients. 

Laser Cleanings

Don’t you just love good teeth cleaning? No? While some folks do enjoy that fresh-from-the-dentist clean feeling, most don’t enjoy the cleaning itself. Lasers can help with that! Rather than using sharp tools to scrape plaque and tartar off your teeth and around the gum line, low-level lasers target and disintegrate plaque and tartar buildup without the invasive techniques. Where traditional cleanings can irritate the gum tissue, causing bleeding, swelling, and pain, laser cleanings leave healthy tissue alone, so you can have a more comfortable cleaning.

Laser Gum Disease Treatment

Similarly, we can also use lasers to provide periodontal therapy or gum disease treatment. Where a laser cleaning focuses mostly on the visible crown portion of the tooth and buildup along the gum line, periodontal therapy goes deeper—under the gum line, removing plaque and tartar while targeting and killing the infection and leaving healthy tissue intact. 

Traditional gum disease treatments involve sharp tools and invasive techniques like scaling and root planing, gum grafting, and gum surgery—and these techniques only treat the physical symptoms of the disease. Laser periodontal therapy, however, gets to the root cause of the problem—treating the infection at the bacterial level and creating a healthier environment for the gums to reattach to. Laser gum disease treatments are more comfortable, more conservative, and garner healthier results so you don’t have to treat and retreat.

Tooth Decay & Root Canals

If you have a cavity or an infected tooth, lasers can help with that, too! Lasers can be used to remove areas of decay from within a tooth and prepare the surrounding enamel for a tooth-colored filling to be placed. If your tooth is infected and you’re in need of a root canal, lasers can help us carefully and conservatively remove the infection and save the tooth.

Biopsies & Lesions

Lesions and tissue abnormalities in the mouth are serious business, so it’s a good thing we’ve got laser technology on our side! Lasers can be used for biopsies, which involve taking a small sample of tissue from the mouth so that it can be screened for oral cancer. Laser biopsies are less invasive and more comfortable than traditional biopsies. Lasers can also be used to remove lesions in the mouth and treat canker sores. What a relief!

Teeth Whitening

By far the most popular cosmetic dental treatment, teeth whitening can be assisted by our trusty dental lasers to speed up the in-office bleaching process. First, we apply a special peroxide bleaching solution, which is then activated further by the laser light which heats up and speeds up the whitening power to full throttle, so you can leave with a dazzling smile after a single visit.

Mr. Powers could have benefited from dental lasers, himself, don’t you think? If you’d like to learn more about laser dentistry and how it can make for a healthier mouth and a more comfortable dental experience, we would love to speak with you. Contact your Portland dentist, Dr. David Case at Family Dental Health today to schedule a visit. We would love to help make your smile… groovy baby! Yeah!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Silver Diamine Fluoride: An Affordable Filling Alternative

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is an antibiotic topical liquid solution brushed onto teeth to halt the progression of tooth decay. Research has shown the effectiveness of SDF in cavity prevention and arrest, and it has been used safely and successfully worldwide with patients of all age groups. Family Dental Health uses silver diamine fluoride to help our patients alleviate and battle tooth decay in a noninvasive, affordable way. Read on to learn more about SDF and what it can do for you or your child’s oral health!

What is Silver Diamine Fluoride?

Silver diamine fluoride combines fluoride to promote mineralization, silver to act as a microbial, and ammonia to stabilize the high-concentration solution—so the silver kills bacteria while fluoride prevents further breakdown of the tooth structure. Since it is applied topically with a brush, it requires minimal disruption of the natural tooth—meaning no drills or fillings! Future dental restoration will almost always be necessary, even following SDF treatment, but it can drastically reduce the severity of damage and postpone the need for more extensive dental work.

What Does SDF Do?

SDF has been used worldwide for more than 80 years, particularly in Japan and China. In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared SDF for the treatment of sensitive teeth in adults 21 and older, and it is marketed under the brand name Advantage Arrest™ in the United States. 

SDF can accomplish the following:

• Relieves hypersensitivity in teeth
• Inhibits bacterial growth on teeth
• Hardens teeth, making them more resistant to acid erosion and abrasion
• Stops cavity growth
• Prevents new lesions on teeth where it’s been applied
• Stains areas of dentin and enamel that are not sound, providing important clinical feedback to the dentist for a more effective plan of action for treatment

When is SDF a Good Choice?

SDF is effective for use in teeth with healthy pulp that is free of infection and necrosis (which means localized, irreversible death of living tissue). Because it is a noninvasive treatment, but it does stain the teeth where it’s applied, it is a good choice for children, people with disabilities, people who cannot tolerate conventional dental methods or those who have limited access to dental care and traditional restorative treatment for dental decay.

Since SDF has been used successfully overseas for decades, there is plenty of research to back its safe and effective use for children—dentists now treat pediatric patients “off-label” with SDF with positive results and positive experiences in the dental chair. It is a good stopgap measure for kids with baby teeth, and it can be used to treat primary teeth as well, both for cavity arrest and prevention as well as to combat sensitive teeth.

If you are interested in SDF treatment for yourself or your child, Dr. David Case and our dental team in Portland would love to talk more with you about it. Contact us today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Baby Teeth: Folklore & Traditions Around the World

What parents do with their children’s baby teeth varies from family to family. Some save them, some throw them away, some make a craft project or a keepsake from them. Recent research is even exploring the possibility of having parents store their children’s baby teeth to preserve mesenchymal stem cell content in the event the child develops cancer or certain other illnesses in their future. Just for fun, Family Dental Health wants to discuss some history of baby tooth traditions around the world. 

Baby Teeth Rituals Throughout History

Every human culture in documented history included rituals around the disposal of a child’s lost baby teeth. Researchers in the early 20th century summarized them to include:

• The tooth was thrown into the sun or between the legs
• The tooth was thrown onto or over the roof of a house, often while saying a prayer or singing a song to some individual or animal
• The tooth was placed in a mouse hole near the hearth or offered to another animal
• The tooth was hidden where animals could not get at it
• The tooth was placed on a wall
• The tooth was “planted” in a tree, garden, or field, with the idea a new tooth would then grow in the child’s mouth to replace it
• The tooth was thrown into a fire to prevent a witch or other malevolent force from cursing or gaining any power over the child
• The tooth was swallowed by the mother, the child, or an animal

The most commonly practiced ritual—recorded from Mexico to Russia to New Zealand—was to offer the lost baby tooth as a sacrifice to a mouse (or rat) with the hope the child’s adult teeth would be as strong as the rodent’s, usually accompanied by a prayer or song. 

Another strong-toothed animal could be substituted for mice or rats according to research, which revealed similar ceremonies that incorporated cats, squirrels, beavers, or dogs—but the mouse remained the most common by far.

Ever Heard of the Tooth MOUSE?

In many countries around the world, children still believe in the Tooth Mouse. Spain, Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Mexico put lost teeth under pillows, expecting money or gifts left by “El Ratoncito Perez” or several variations that translate to “mouse who collects teeth.” 

Kids in Argentina leave their teeth in a glass instead, still expecting a visit by a magical, thirsty rodent who leaves a treasure while they sleep. In France and Switzerland, La Petit Souris (“Little Mouse”) is the name of the rodent that whisks away discarded baby teeth for cash or candy. 

In South Africa, the tooth is left in a slipper for the Tooth Mouse, who leaves a gift behind. Other countries who offer their baby teeth to the Tooth Mouse during the night expect nothing in return but the guarantee of a strong, healthy new tooth in their future.

Where Did the Tooth Fairy Come From?

Researchers believe modern-day “tooth fairy” customs—observed by the United States, Canada, England, Australia, and Denmark—combine the “tooth mouse” myth with the idea of a “good fairy”—a concept from English children’s literature and expanded on by media like Disney movies. 

The motif of relationships and financial exchanges between people and benevolent fairies has been around for many years, but the idea of a tooth fairy has likely persisted as a source of comfort to kids who could be a little scared by losing their teeth. (We understand that fear here at Family Dental Health!)

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s… A Tooth?

In Greece, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, and China, children throw their baby teeth on the roof when they fall out. Kids in Greece wait for a mouse or pig to retrieve it, young Sri Lankans await a squirrel, while in India, anticipation is for the return of a sparrow bearing a new tooth. Cherokee Indian children throw the tooth on the roof, repeating, “Beaver, put a new tooth in my jaw!” four times.

In parts of Africa, children throw lost upper teeth on the roof and bury lost lower teeth in the ground. The reverse is true in East Asia, where lower teeth are thrown on the roof and upper teeth are buried, thrown on the ground, or hidden under the bed. 

In some Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt, kids are encouraged to toss their teeth up toward the sky. Brazilian children throw teeth outside for birds, who they believe will only take them if they are clean, while kids in El Salvador expect a rabbit to swipe their tooth, regardless of its cleanliness.

Give a Dog a Tooth

Throughout Central Asia, baby teeth might be put into fat and fed to a dog with the wish that the child’s replacement tooth will be as strong as the dog’s. If there is no dog available, the teeth are buried near a tree so that the new tooth will have strong roots. Some Alaskan tribes also feed baby teeth to a dog with similar intentions.

Family Jewels

Some Central American countries fashion jewelry from lost baby teeth, a tradition said to originate from ancient Viking customs where articles belonging to children were regarded as powerful, good luck, and sometimes carried into battle.

…Or a Family Tree

The children of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation tribe of Canada give lost teeth to their mother or grandmother, who place the tooth in a tree. The family then dances around the tree together to encourage the tooth to grow in as straight as the trunk.

Food for thought, huh? Contact Family Dental Health in Portland today so we can take the best care of your little one’s baby teeth… we’ll let you decide what to do with them when they fall out!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or  treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Why Does My Jaw Hurt?

If your jaw clicks when it opens, or you can’t fully open it, or you have pain in your face and trouble chewing, then you’re among the 15% of Americans who have chronic jaw pain.

Your jaw joint is called the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. The name comes from the jaw’s role to connect your temporal bone in the skull with your mandible bone. Some people experience short-term pain that goes away with ice and over-the-counter medicine. But if you have chronic jaw pain or you can’t open your mouth, you might have a temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and it’s important to see your dentist right away to find relief.

Dr. David Case, Portland dentist explains more below about the causes and treatments of jaw pain.

Different Kinds of Jaw Pain

Pain in your jaw can feel different depending on what’s going on. In order to best understand what’s causing your pain, try to notice when you specifically feel the pain and what specifically it feels like. 

Do you have tightness, soreness, or clicking? Is the pain shooting sharp or a dull ache? Some jaw problems can also cause pain in your face, head, neck or shoulders. Many patients who have chronic migraines don’t realize it’s actually a dysfunction of their bite and TMJ. It’s important to see a dentist and explain what you’re feeling so that they can offer the best treatment options.

Causes of Jaw Pain 

Your jaw has multiple parts that work together. The temporal bone and mandible bone join together with a piece of cartilage and a shock-absorbing disk. Pain often results from the cartilage being worn down or the disk being dislodged.

Causes of jaw pain include:

• Arthritis that inflames your joints
• Genetics that cause your connective tissues (jaw cartilage) to wear down
• Injury that dislodges the disk or just hurts your jaw
• Clenching or grinding your teeth that puts stress your jaw and muscles (bruxism)
• Headache or migraine that radiates pain down into your jaw (jaw pain can also cause headaches and create a bad cycle of pain)
• Periodontal disease or gum disease
• TMJ or temporomandibular joint dysfunction

Treating Jaw Pain

Only a professional medical provider can diagnose and treat TMD. Fixing your pain and treating it, in the long run, will all depend on what’s exactly causing the problem. If you’re suffering, we would love to help you. We will give you a full examination including watching and listening while you move your jaw and open your mouth. Sometimes dental x-rays and bite analysis are necessary to learn more.

To treat jaw pain, your Portland dentist might recommend:

• Physical therapy
• Avoiding chewing gum
• A custom night guard or mouthguard
• Stretching and massaging the muscle
• Pain medication or anti-inflammatory drugs
• Orthodontics or restorative dentistry to correct bite alignment
• Counseling to relieve the stress that might be causing you to clench your teeth
• Corrective surgery performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon

If you have jaw pain or any other oral health questions, make an appointment at Family Dental Health today! Your oral health is key to taking care of yourself and enjoying your life.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

5 Natural Ways to Sleep Better

We think fondly of it, we all want it – why is it so hard to find? We’re talking about sleep, of course. A poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that 60% of adults report having trouble sleeping almost every night, with 63% saying their sleep needs are not being met. 

Like water, a healthy diet, and breathing, sleep is essential to support every part of your health. Sleep is when our bodies rest, repair, and run a lot of self-maintenance. Studies show that not getting enough sleep can harm your memory, your heart health, your immune system, and make you gain excess weight.

Sometimes sleep loss is a real medical issue that needs to be treated by a doctor (your Portland dentist can help with sleep apnea). But if you’re just dealing with the common troubles of settling down and enjoying your sleep, we’ve got sleep tips that are all easy to incorporate into your life…starting tonight! 

Set the Tone

Think of everything you do to set the right tone for a dinner party or even a study session. Every event needs some preparation. You can do a lot of little things to immediately make your environment more conducive for sleeping:

• Turn your phone off
• Dim the lights
• Clean up if it will make you feel better
• Light a candle
• Use blackout shades to keep out any remaining sun or street light
• Lower the air conditioning to 65-68 degrees 
• Write a to-do list for the morning so you can stop thinking about ongoing tasks and let your mind rest

Make the Time

When it comes to sleep, timing is everything. Yes, you need to find about 8 hours each night when you can actually close your eyes. But just as important is the hour you spend before going to bed, as well as the time you wake up. If you want to sleep better:

• Start winding down at the same time each night. 
• Try to be in bed with lights out at the same time each night.
• Wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. 

Doing this naturally guides your circadian rhythm—the important hormones that direct your body clock for sleeping and waking over 24 hours. This will teach your body to expect sleep at a certain time and to actually be ready for it.

Establish a Routine

Harness the power of psychology and classical conditioning. Remember Pavlov’s dogs? Use the same stimulus to trigger your mind and body that it’s bedtime each night. For many children, even the first line of their bedtime song will trigger a yawn. You can trigger sleepiness for yourself by lighting the same candle, playing the same song, brushing and flossing your teeth and putting your pajamas on in the same order each night.

Herbal Supplements & Aromatherapy

There’s a lot to be learned about the power of herbs and aromatherapy when it comes to aiding a healthy lifestyle. Consider taking melatonin—a naturally occurring hormone that balances sleep; magnesium—a mineral that can calm your nerves and muscles; or valerian—an herb that helps you fall asleep faster and deeper. These are completely safe and natural supplements you can take regularly to help with sleep.

Similarly, using lavender, vetiver, or sandalwood oil can calm your body and induce better sleep. Try diffusing oil into the air or put drops on your pillow. Some supplements and methods will work better for you than others and they all do different things to the body. So talk with your doctor before taking any new herbs or supplements.

Meditate & Read

How you spend the hour before bed can do a lot to help you sleep better. According to the National Sleep Foundation, watching television or looking at any screen before bed can seriously hurt your chances of a good night’s rest. Instead, try reading something in actual paper and ink. It doesn’t have to be hard literature; even a magazine or light read is better than a screen and social media. Whatever you read is bound to make for a better conversation-starter throughout the week, too.

This might be especially difficult for people who feel they have to work on their computers late into the night. If that’s you, remember that you’re only human and you’ll be more productive the next day if you get the sleep you need. 

You can also try meditating, praying, or remembering things for which you’re grateful before you fall asleep. Your brain needs time to cool down and relax before totally shutting off and sleeping. This can help end the cycle of thoughts and worries that prevent many folks from finding restful sleep.

Sleep Help from the Dentist

As a professional healthcare provider, Family Dental Health wishes all of our patients the most optimal health and wellness, including quality sleep! In some cases, oral health issues such as TMJ, grinding and clenching (bruxism), or sleep apnea might be physical barriers keeping you from getting enough sleep. Your dentist can help you address and treat these issues.

If you are looking for a Portland dentist to help with these or any oral health needs, make an appointment at our office Family Dental Health today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

No Tradesies: Packing Mouth-Healthy Lunches for Kiddos

Breakfast is always being touted as the most important meal of the day—and for good reason! It’s important for families to kickstart their day with nutrients that will help them power through school, work, socializing, sports, homework… does anyone else feel exhausted just thinking about it all? 

The right foods in your child’s lunch can help boost their energy and keep those brains, bodies, and mouths going all day! Alternatively, lunches full of sugary, sticky, acidic foods and beverages can accelerate tooth decay and cause your child to feel sluggish both physically and mentally.

Dr. David Case of Family Dental Health loves to share ideas on what to include in your child’s lunch to keep their smile safe and their health optimal… and perhaps what to leave out and have as an occasional treat for good behavior. 

But First, Hydration

About 65% of a child’s body is made up of water (60% for adult men, 55% for adult women), and it’s important for this balance to be maintained. Water is the best choice for hydrating for the following reasons:

• Water tends to be neutral instead of acidic or alkaline, which makes it safe for the teeth.
• It helps prevent dry mouth (xerostomia), which creates a breeding ground for dangerous, decay and gum disease-causing bacteria.
• Being adequately hydrated helps aid proper digestion.
• Water regulates body temperature.
• It helps deliver oxygen throughout the body.
• Keeps joints lubricated and is a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord.
• Flushes waste from the body, mostly through urine.

Encourage your child to keep their mouth and body healthy by sending them to school with a refillable water bottle rather than a bottle of juice or soda.

Now for the Flavor

You probably guessed that Family Dental Health would recommend fruits and veggies, right? There are so many tasty options, and their vitamin and mineral content makes them an excellent choice for both oral and overall health. Our favorites are:

• Apples 

• Oranges

• Limes

• Kiwis

• Cantaloupe

• Papaya

• Strawberries

Each of these fruits contains vitamin C, which can help kill bacteria and promote a healthy supply of collagen in the gums. We do suggest your child waits for at least 30 minutes to brush their teeth after eating fruits because the citric acid combined with brushing can weaken tooth enamel and cause erosion. (Everyone should wait 30 minutes to brush their teeth after eating, but especially with highly sugary or acidic foods and drinks.)

Veggie Time

They may not be your child’s favorite, but veggies are full of goodness for mouth and body health. The following choices naturally scrape away plaque that can build up between meals or be missed when your child brushes:

• Carrots

• Celery

• Cauliflower

• Green beans

• Snap peas

• Spinach

• Cucumber

Sandwiches & Snacks

If you’ve been wondering: “What about protein?” we’ve got you covered. We recommend using whole grain wheat bread and enamel-building meats like chicken and turkey. Including cheese will help your child get calcium, vitamin D, and phosphate, too. You can also go with the classic PB & J! 

Hard-boiled eggs are another good source of protein. For more fiber, folic acid, iron, vitamin E, potassium, and zinc, add nuts like almonds, cashews, and walnuts, as well as sunflower and pumpkin seeds!

We know it can be a bit more difficult if you have picky eaters at home, but these foundations are good to keep in mind. At Family Dental Health, we love to find recipes that some of these ingredients can hide in, ensuring our young ones get the health benefits without even knowing it!

A proper diet will go a long way toward keeping your child’s smile healthy, but it’s still important to bring them in for thorough, gentle cleanings and cavity prevention methods. We love seeing their smiling faces, too, so contact Family Dental Health today to schedule an appointment!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Dental Insurance Trends

Above any other medical need, people are more likely to skip seeing the dentist because they can’t afford it.

Many people choose not to buy dental insurance because it’s an added cost without a lot of perceived value. For some reason, people simply feel more comfortable taking this risk because they don’t fully understand the consequences of oral health problems. But it’s a risk indeed. You can develop a facial or oral injury just as easily as any other injury and oral infections and diseases are just as common—if not more common—as any other. 

Beyond the critical events of oral injury or infection, preventive dental care (aka your regular cleanings and check-ups) is crucial for catching problems before they become dangerous. Seeing the dentist regularly can help you address a surprising number of overall health and wellness issues.

Still, dentists understand that medical costs are rising, the world of insurance is often a mystery, and sometimes you’re just at a loss. Dr. Case, Portland dentist explains more below about the current trends in dental insurance and what they mean for you.

Forgoing Dental Insurance

Of all the reasons adults avoid the dentist, 40% say it’s because of cost, followed closely by the 33%  who don’t think they need dental care. You can see where this is going—there’s almost no reason someone would pay for a service they think is expensive and unnecessary.

A lot of people seek dental treatments without dental insurance to help cover it. In 2013, the numbers ranged from 12% of children to 61% of senior citizens. Insurance may seem like a luxury but when you need it, it becomes essential. If you can make any changes to your monthly budget to allow room for dental insurance, it might be one of the best ways you take care of yourself and your family. No one wants to be stuck with a cracked tooth, gum infection, or jaw pain while also wondering how you’re going to pay for treatment.

Children’s Dental Insurance

Government-mandated insurance through the Affordable Care Act does not include dental coverage, except in the case of children. This is for good reason—children are vulnerable and they’re growing at such a fast rate. Catching a health problem and treating it promptly is essential for a lifetime of health and wellness. 

It’s also important that children develop good oral health habits early that they’ll stick to the rest of their life. Search HealthCare.Gov, or talk with a caseworker if you have one, to learn about your options for enrolling children in free or discounted dental insurance.

Increased PPOs & Decreasing Payments

PPO plans (Preferred Provider Organization), which are more expensive, are becoming far and away more popular, making up 80% of all dental plans. But dental insurance plans are actually paying dentists slightly less per patient than they have in the past. 

Consumerism

With or without dental insurance, more people are shopping around for the best rate before making a dental appointment. Following the recession, people care more than ever about understanding what they are paying for when they buy any goods or services.

Dental Plans Need to Stay Current

Research shows that, over time, dental insurance is actually the best “bang for your buck.” To help patients get even more out of their dental coverage, some plans are offering a rollover of funds if you don’t use all of your yearly benefits. Some plans allow for important preventative and diagnostic services without it going against yearly maximums.

Flexible Payment Plans

Your dentist wants you to be healthy and will do whatever we can to increase your access to good oral health care. If you’re avoiding dental treatment because you don’t have insurance and/or you’re afraid of the cost, talk honestly with your Portland dentist. Dentists are humans, too, and we understand life circumstances especially in regards to health and finances. 

Some flexible payment options we can discuss together are:

• Discounted services for paying upfront, before the treatment
• Interest-free payment plans
• Splitting up the treatment over time (when appropriate) so you don’t have to pay for it all at once
• Cheaper alternatives: many dental procedures have cheaper (though sometimes less desirable) ways of treating a problem. Your doctor can tell you what the most affordable route of treatment is.

If you need dental care, whether you have insurance or not, come see us at Family Dental Health. We’re a contemporary practice that can meet you where you are and offer caring, professional services. Make an appointment today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Lemon Juice – The Good, The Bad, & The Sour

In a great tale of opposites, lemon juice can be both acidic and basic, or alkaline. Read on to find out why people are talking about this, and what it means for your oral and overall health.

What Is pH & Why Does It Matter?

Drinking lemon juice (usually diluted in a glass of water or added to a cup of tea) is a beloved health tonic among fans of natural medicine. Potential benefits include lower cholesterol, lower inflammation in the body, and increased metabolism and energy. Lemon also contains high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C that boost your immune system. 

On a scale of 0-14, a pH of 7 is neutral (pure water) while numbers below 7 are acidic (unhealthy), while numbers above 7 are basic or alkaline (healthy). Believers in holistic health blame many ailments on the body’s pH being too low or too acidic. Increasing your body’s pH is called “alkalizing.”

Lemon juice in its natural state is acidic with a pH of about 2, but once metabolized it actually becomes alkaline with a pH well above 7. So, outside the body, anyone can see that lemon juice is very acidic. However, once fully digested, its effect is proven to be alkalizing with many health benefits. So how does lemon juice or a daily glass of lemon water affect the health of your mouth and teeth?

Acidity & Oral Health

The bottom line here is that any time you encounter lemon juice, it’s likely to be in its acidic state. Lemons contain citric acid, which is corrosive and damaging to tooth enamel. It’s not until the lemon juice has been fully digested and metabolized that it becomes alkaline. So, it’s important to ingest lemon juice sparingly, assuming the acid can and will eventually affect your tooth enamel. 

Signs Tooth Enamel is Damaged:

Discoloration – The white enamel may wear out and look yellow because of exposed dentin. 

Transparency – Clearness in enamel means it’s not as strong.

Sensitivity – Enamel protects the dentin and deeper layers. When enamel is damaged, your teeth will be more sensitive to hot and cold. 

When it comes to deciding between lemon water and plain water, use your best judgment. A glass of lemon juice diluted in water is certainly not as damaging as sucking juice straight from a lemon wedge. (Now, if you added a load of sugar to that lemon water to make lemonade, you have a new and different problem for dental health!) 

If you’d like to make a refreshing glass of lemon water part of your daily routine, give it a try! You may notice some of the many health benefits and alkalizing effects on your overall health. We do suggest you wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth so as not to agitate your enamel even more with both the brushing motion and acid present in your mouth. Ingesting lemon juice is not recommended if you have acid indigestion or mouth ulcers.

Always consult with your Portland dentist for more personalized support for all things health and wellness. For more information, or to get a checkup on the current state of your enamel, contact Dr. Case at Family Dental Health to make an appointment.

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Why Do We Have Baby Teeth?

Baby teeth, also called deciduous, primary, milk, or lacteal teeth, have many different purposes. Dr. Case at Family Dental Health is asked about the purpose of baby teeth often. So what’s the answer?

Tiny Teeth for Tiny Mouths

Child-sized mouths are not large enough to accommodate a full set of adult teeth, so the primary teeth become placeholders in the jaw, saving spaces for adult teeth to grow in as they begin to surface from under the gums. Baby teeth usually begin to erupt around 6 months of age, but may begin forming in the womb even before birth!

By the age of 3 years, children should have all 20 of their baby teeth, which remain in the mouth for the bulk of childhood—roughly 8-10 years. The presence of baby teeth allows children to eat solid foods and helps as they learn to speak clearly and quickly. 

They Grow Up So Fast

The first adult tooth erupts where the baby teeth have been lost around 6 years of age. By age 13, all permanent adult teeth—except wisdom teeth which tend to emerge between the ages of 17 and 21 years—will have taken up residence in the mouth.

Baby teeth are even more prone to cavities than adult teeth because small children lack the dexterity and knowledge to properly care for them. Statistics estimate that more than 50% of kids will be affected by tooth decay before the age of five years. So baby teeth can be very useful tools to educate kids about the importance of good oral hygiene. Premature baby tooth loss can allow permanent teeth to shift into available space in the jaw, causing improper placement and causing further dental problems down the road. 

Poor dental hygiene in childhood can lead to difficulty speaking and eating, infection, pain, and can affect their overall appearance and self-esteem. Baby teeth will be gone for good by age 12 or 13, but good dental hygiene habits formed in childhood will last a lifetime. 

If you have any questions about your child’s baby teeth or would like to schedule a hygiene appointment for your little one, please give us a call and schedule an appointment today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

What Happens in Your Mouth While You Sleep?

Ah, nighttime… the end of the day, the ceasing of work, and hopefully a good night’s sleep. But did you know things are still happening in your mouth all night long, even if you’re blissfully unaware of it?  Portland dentist Dr. Case, sheds some light on the world of your mouth and everything going on inside of it while you catch some zzz’s.

Dry Mouth

You produce much less saliva overnight than you do during the day—your body’s way of minimizing the risk of choking. This leads to the common occurrence of dry mouth. Dry mouth can be a bit uncomfortable and lead to more cavities and bad breath. It’s perfectly fine and normal to have less saliva at night but to take care of your oral health, it’s important that you brush and floss before going to bed. 

Saliva usually rinses away the food debris that can stick around and cause plaque and bad breath, so it’s a good idea to head to bed with a blank canvas. Keeping a glass of water by your bed can relieve the pain in your mouth and throat from dry mouth.

Bruxism

If you wake up with a headache or jaw pain, or your teeth are noticeably ground down and fractured, you might have bruxism. Also known as teeth grinding, bruxism is an extremely common way that everyday stress gets expressed through the body. People grind their teeth for all sorts of reasons, such as:

• Abnormal bite or crooked teeth
• Sleep disorders
• Missing teeth
• Alcohol and tobacco use
  

You can prevent the side effects of bruxism by wearing a nightguard while you sleep.

Sleep Apnea & Snoring

Sleep apnea occurs when your breath is irregular or temporarily stops while you sleep. Sleep apnea can cause snoring, but not all cases are identical. Some cases of sleep apnea are a problem with your brain and its ability to regulate the vital function of breathing. 

Otherwise, sleep apnea can be caused by physical blockages of the airway such as:

• Large tonsils
• Collapsed soft tissues in your throat
• Allergies clogging your sinuses

Being an older, overweight male increases your chances of developing sleep apnea. Whatever the cause of your sleep apnea, talk to your dentist or doctor. Sleep apnea can cause a host of other health issues such as fatigue, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, and depression.

Solutions for sleep apnea include:

• Changing your sleep position
• A Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) device
• Oral appliances that keep the airway open
• Surgery to fix oral tissues and aid airflow

Morning Breath

Sadly, not everyone wants to have that Hollywood-worthy morning kiss with their partner when they first wake up. Bad breath (or halitosis) tends to be worse in the morning and it can be really unpleasant. Normal oral bacteria become more active overnight, eating and digesting proteins found in your mouth. 

Bacteria produce a sulfur gas while they digest that can smell like rotten eggs. Normally, saliva washes bacteria away and neutralizes the smell, but you make less saliva overnight, so the smell can really build up. This is why it’s essential that you brush, floss, and only drink water right before falling asleep.

Oral Health & Sleep

Did you know that regular visits to the dentist will improve your overall health and well-being, and can even improve your quality of sleep? If you’re looking for a medical professional to help you feel better across the board—with a beautiful smile to boot—come see us at Family Dental Health! Make an appointment to address any concerns and start taking care of your oral health today.

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.