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We’re not talking post-holiday “I can’t eat another bite” discomfort. No, we’re here to talk about the discomfort caused by bite pain.

Usually, our teeth and jaws work so harmoniously that we don’t even think about biting and chewing. But when a sharp jolt or a dull ache accompanies any sort of pressure on your tooth, it’s time to call Blue Spruce Dental. Let’s look at a few of the possible causes.

• Tooth Decay

When a cavity reaches below the enamel and into the dentin, the middle part of the tooth, you might feel discomfort and sensitivity. If a cavity reaches the inner pulp, which contains the tooth’s blood supply and nerves, it’s not only very painful, it can lead to a serious infection called an abscess.

Root canal treatment can help save a tooth when decay has reached the pulp, but prevention is always the best option! Good dental hygiene, regular checkups, and prompt treatment of small cavities will help prevent deep cavities from forming.

• Damaged Dental Filling

A loose or damaged filling can be uncomfortable. Even worse, bacteria can get under a damaged filling where your toothbrush and floss can’t reach, causing decay which can eventually reach the pulp if undetected.

During your regular checkups, Dr. Timm will look for any signs of decay around and under your fillings, and will find any fillings which need replacing. If you notice a loose filling, or suffer discomfort when you bite down on a filling, don’t wait until your next checkup to visit our Michigan Center, MI office.

• Malocclusion

When your teeth and jaws aren’t aligned properly, you can’t bite comfortably. And that can be just one of the troubles caused by a malocclusion, or poor bite. Alignment problems can include difficulty eating, speaking, and sleeping, tooth damage, headaches and jaw pain, and facial asymmetry.

If your bite pain is the result of tooth and/or jaw misalignment, we can refer you to an orthodontist to evaluate the way your teeth and jaws are working together.

• Bruxism (Tooth Grinding)

Your jaws can provide more than 20 pounds of pressure to your teeth when you need to chew food. When you grind your teeth, your jaws can produce hundreds of pounds of pressure on your teeth all night long. It’s no wonder you wake up with tooth or jaw pain. Over time, nightly grinding will damage enamel and can chip and even crack teeth.

Your dentist can create a custom-made nightguard that will protect your teeth from grinding pressure—relieving tooth and jaw pain, preventing more serious damage, and giving you a better night’s sleep!

• Cracked Tooth

A cracked cusp or a crack in your tooth needs to be treated as soon as possible. Some cracks can be treated by Dr. Timm, some might require a referral to an endodontist or an oral surgeon, and some cracked teeth are so badly damaged that they require extraction.

A painful cracked tooth can be obvious after a trauma, or it might not be obvious at all. So whenever you suffer dental trauma, call our office immediately for instructions. Speedy medical attention might be the difference between a repaired tooth and a lost tooth. (And save yourself from avoidable trauma by wearing your mouthguard whenever it’s appropriate!)

• Infection/Abscess

When the pulp inside a tooth is infected or inflamed, the result can be a painful abscess. Abscesses are pockets of pus caused by bacterial infection. An abscess isn’t just painful, it’s dangerous, because it can cause bone loss around the tooth and further infection if it’s not treated promptly.

Continuous severe pain, a swelling in the gums near your tooth, redness, fever, chills, a bad taste in your mouth, or bad breath can all be signs of a tooth abscess. See your dentist as soon as possible if you have any symptoms of an abscess. Your dentist may recommend a root canal procedure or refer you to an endodontist for root canal treatment or endodontic surgery.

Pain is an important signal that something is wrong, and you need to get to the root of the problem. Conditions which cause you pain often become more serious over time. For your comfort and your health, make an appointment at our Michigan Center, MI office right away whenever you hesitate to take another bite.

Act One: Those 20 adorable baby teeth which begin arriving when you’re about six months old and are probably gone by the time you’re twelve.

Act Two: The 32 (if you have all your wisdom teeth!) adult teeth which start showing up around the age of six, and need to last the rest of your lifetime. Unless there’s an . . .

Act Three: Where science has discovered a way to repair damaged teeth or create replacements for lost teeth that would look and function just like our original teeth.

Sounds like science fiction, doesn’t it?

In biological terms, of course, we’re not there yet. But teams of scientists around the world have been working toward just this goal—the ability to repair a tooth with its own biological material or even grow a new tooth when an adult tooth is seriously damaged or lost.

Because the pulp—the living tissue inside each tooth—contains dental stem cells, some researchers are studying whether these cells can be used to regenerate the living pulp inside a damaged tooth. Even more exciting, there’s research being done into the possibility of using these stem cells to rebuild an entire tooth—pulp, dentin, and hard enamel exterior. Because the supply of usable dental stem calls is quite small, and process of guiding these cells to create all the varied parts of the tooth is quite complex, this research is in its early stages.

In other studies, scientists have focused on tooth regeneration by studying the teeth of other species. Mice, for example, have front teeth with open roots. This allows these teeth to keep growing up as they wear down, because stem cells inside mouse gums are always working to create new tissue. Even though our teeth are not exactly comparable (no open roots in human teeth!), finding out just how this tissue regeneration works in mice and other animals might help find an answer for human tooth regeneration.

Right now, these scientific goals are just that—goals for a future day. But in the meantime, your quality of life doesn’t need to suffer when you lose an adult tooth. You can enjoy a third act right now with dental implants.

Cosmetic concerns aren’t the only reasons why you want your complete smile restored in the event of a lost tooth. A missing tooth can lead to many unpleasant consequences:

• Speaking and eating can become more difficult.
• Lack of stimulation from biting and chewing can cause the bone beneath the lost tooth to shrink.
• Other teeth can shift to fill the gap left behind, which can affect tooth, bite, and jaw alignment.
• Loss of teeth can lead to loss of confidence.

Unlike dentures or bridges, dental implants are designed to function just like your natural teeth.

The post, or base, of each implant fuses with the bone in your jaw, acting as a “root” for the implant. Once the post has fused with the bone around it, a crown designed to match your other teeth in shape and color is secured to the post. You can eat, speak, brush, floss, keep your bone healthy, and smile confidently just as you did before.

Will biological replacements be ready for your third act in the near future? Probably not. But that’s not to say this will never be possible! In the meantime, take care of your teeth with daily brushing and flossing, eat a dental-healthy diet, and visiting our Michigan Center, MI office as recommended.

You do your best to keep your teeth intact and in place—but if you lose one through trauma or decay, talk to Dr. Timm about an implant. Because in any stage of life, the most important result is the happy ending a healthy and confident smile brings you!

Have you ever noticed your attention being instantly drawn to peoples’ teeth when they smile at you? Some people have dull and yellowing teeth, while others have teeth that appear bright white. Everyone’s teeth naturally dull over time because of aging and the contact your teeth have with staining foods, such as chocolate and coffee. However, teeth-whitening treatments can help you keep your teeth white for life.

Get Regular Treatments

The effects of teeth whitening or bleaching treatments are only temporary, so regular treatments at Blue Spruce Dental are necessary to keep your teeth white for life. Bleaching too frequently, though, can wear away your tooth enamel. The effects of in-office bleaching can last for several months to a year, while you may need to repeat your use of at-home bleaching kits every few months to maintain your white teeth. Whitening toothpastes do not contain bleach, so you can use them daily. The American Dental Association suggests asking your dentist for advice on which treatment is best for you.

Have Realistic Expectations

Not everyone’s teeth can be turned bright white, according to the American Dental Association. Your teeth may naturally be a light yellowish color that lends itself well to teeth-whitening procedures, but bleach is not likely to be effective for grayish teeth. Brownish teeth fall somewhere in between.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Your teeth whitening efforts will not be as effective if your teeth are in poor health. Visible fillings, implants, or bridges that are metallic stand out against the white color you want to achieve. You can help prevent tooth decay and reduce your risk of needing these unsightly treatments by maintaining a good oral hygiene routine. In addition to brushing your teeth twice a day to remove dirt and potential staining agents, the actions below can promote a healthy mouth.

• Floss every day
• Visit Blue Spruce Dental regularly
• Rinse your mouth with water after each meal and snack
• Limit sugary and starchy foods and beverages, especially between meals

Here we are in the middle of the hottest time of the year. Yes, it’s the dog days of summer. But, wait—just what are “the dog days of summer,” anyway?

The ancient Greeks and Romans coined this term for the longest, warmest days near the end of summer when Sirius, the Dog Star, shone in the night sky. And it’s a Sirius (we couldn’t resist!) reminder that while we need to look after our own dental health during sizzling summer days, it’s essential to look out for our pets, too.

• Brushing Regularly

Sure, it’s summer, but relaxed, casual days shouldn’t mean relaxed, casual dental care.

The leading cause of tooth loss in dogs is gum disease. When plaque builds up around the gum line, it irritates gum tissue, causing inflammation. After a time, the gums pull away from the teeth, leaving pockets that become infected. Infection destroys bone tissue, leaving your poor pet with loose or missing teeth.

It’s a good idea to train your dog from puppyhood to let you brush or clean their teeth. Your vet can show you the best techniques.

Use special handled brushes or finger brushes to comfortably reach your dog’s teeth, and use pastes made just for dogs to protect your pet from swallowing the cleaners and abrasives we humans spit out after brushing. There are also single use dental wipes if your pup is no fan of the brush. If your pooch protests, talk to your vet for the best ways to keep your furry pal’s teeth and gums clean and healthy.

When it comes to preventive dental care, we humans have something in common with our best friends—gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in people, too!

Don’t let the lazy days of summer lead to lazy dental care. Brush at least twice a day for at least two minutes each time and floss once a day to keep bacteria and plaque from accumulating. A professional cleaning at our Michigan Center, MI dental office will get the plaque you might have missed, remove tartar buildup, and let you know if there are areas you might be missing.

While you’re looking out for your best friend in these dog days, look out for yourself, too! Dental hygiene, proper hydration, a healthy diet—and regular professional checkups and cleanings for you both—will make sure you and your bestie will enjoy the dog days of summer with paws-itively beautiful smiles.