Q&A: Why do silver fillings fall out?

The average amalgam or silver filling lasts about 10 years according to research studies.  Although I have seen amalgam (silver) fillings lasts up to 25 years in practice.  The amalgam filling material is not bonded to the tooth.  The amalgam filling is closely adapted to the walls of the remaining tooth structure but leaves microscopic gaps.  As the amalgam filling corrodes around the edges, decay may develop in these areas.

In addition to the amalgam filling corroding, it may also expand as it ages causing further breakdown of your tooth with cracks. Some cracks can be minor but others can destroy the tooth and result in tooth loss.

It is your dentist’s responsibility to check your teeth and let you know when any restorations need replacement.

Fluoride. Is it safe? Should I use it? How much?

There’s been plenty of talk around fluoride lately, between the EPA’s recent lowering of fluoride limits in water and claims that too much fluoride can cause spots on children’s teeth.

Here’s the deal.

The condition some children develop, in which spots appear on their teeth, most likely comes from when a child continuously swallows toothpaste.  The condition is very rare, is not harmful, and is usually only visible to dentists.  In most cases, a non-dentist wouldn’t be able to see the spots.

The pros far outweigh the cons.

The American Dental Association states that water fluoridation “has dramatically improved the oral health of tens of millions of Americans,” and is “the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay.”

In a recently released study by the ADC, scientists concluded that fluoride gel or varnish, when applied at least every six months for 4 minutes or more, is effective in preventing tooth decay and cavities in school-aged children.  Further, the ADC recommends fluoride supplements for children with a high risk of tooth decay, who do not have adequate access to water with fluoride.  Another recent study concluded that infant formulas reconstituted with fluoridated drinking water were okay, with some exceptions (please talk to your dentist for guidance).

So as with anything, you can have too much of a good thing, but fluoridated drinking water, fluoride toothpaste, and professional fluoride treatments are all excellent means of preventing tooth decay and cavities in children, which means healthier teeth and gums as adults.

Why Preventative Dentistry is So Important

Today, there’s a trend towards prevention in all aspects of the healthcare industry.  Though drugs are important and often quite necessary, prevention is better if at all possible.  Rather than have open heart surgery, one might prefer to cut down on saturated fats, for example, in order to save quality of life, lifespan, and a great deal of money.

Likewise, preventative dental care is crucial to maintaining strong, healthy teeth that last you a lifetime.  Keeping your original teeth in great working order is certainly preferable to costly surgery, drugs, dentures, or implants – though again, these things are sometimes necessary, and can be very effective.

If you don’t take care of your teeth, you should know that poor oral health is linked to diabetes, stroke, low-birth weight or premature birth, and heart and lung disease.

So how do you ensure your teeth will be around as long as you?  We’ve mentioned these three things before, but they bear repeating.

1. Floss and brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.

2. Limit your snacking – particularly on sugary items.

3. Visit your dentist regularly.

If you consistently abide by these three rules of oral care, you’ll be rewarded with a healthy white smile.

How Often Should I Go to the Dentist… and Why?

First of all, no two people, and no two patients, are the same.  So the frequency with which you’ll want to see the dentist varies, depending on your health, age, and other factors.  But the American Dental Association recommends the average person with healthy teeth visit his or her dentist once every six months.

Here are a few factors to consider, though.

First, it is crucial that children see the dentist no less frequently than twice a year.  Children’s teeth are still growing, and they are losing baby teeth.  Your dentist needs to access whether your child’s teeth are growing properly and if your child will need braces.  It is also important to create good dental hygiene habits in children early on, and bi-yearly visits to the dentist instill an important routine in children’s minds, as well as educate them on proper brushing and flossing techniques that will benefit them over their lifetime.

Second, a cleaning at the dentist is very different from what you can do at home.  What you get at the dental office is a deep cleaning, to remove plaque and tarter you can’t remove with regular tooth brushing.  You also receive a full dental exam that can include x-rays to check for abnormalities, cavity detection before small problems turn into bigger ones, and a check for signs of gum disease, decay or oral cancer.

Third, depending on how consistent and thorough you are with your dental hygiene, you may need to see the dentist more than twice a year.

My advice is to ask your dentist how often he or she recommends you – specifically you – visit the dentist.  You may get away with less frequent visits, or you may need more frequent visits.  Even if your insurance does not cover more than two visits per year, if you are an at-risk patient, you will save money in the long run by paying the minimal fees for the proper amount of checkups needed to keep your mouth – and yourself – healthy.

Keep Your Smile Sparkling During the Holidays!

You want your smile to be beautiful all year round, of course.  Especially during the holidays, nothing says festive like a sparkling, healthy smile!  Yet the holidays can pose some of the biggest threats to keeping your teeth white and healthy.

During the holidays we tend to eat more candy and sweets in the form of cakes, pies and other desserts, which can cause tooth decay and other problems.  Holiday cocktails and red wine flow freely, potentially staining our teeth.  To make matters more precarious for our mouths, the holidays are so busy that in our rush we may be tempted to skip important steps like flossing, or cut down on the amount of time we spend brushing our teeth.

Ideally, we would steer clear of all of these sweets and drinks that aren't good for our teeth.  Realistically, we all indulge a little during the holidays!  With the inevitable in mind, we have a couple of tips for how to keep your smile healthy during the holidays.

The first thing to consider is the condition your teeth are in now.  If you have a history of weak or breaking teeth; you have fillings, crowns or bridges; or you have metal braces, you will want to be that much more careful about what you eat.  Each year around the holidays, we notice an increase in loose or pulled out crowns and bridges.  Try to avoid excessively sticky, chewy, or hard candies, such as taffy, peanut brittle, candy canes or caramels.  Instead have peanut butter cups, chocolate kisses, and fruit.  Floss and brush as soon as you can after eating.

When sipping a cocktail, don't crunch on the ice after your drink is gone, especially if your teeth are already prone to chipping.  Chose white over red wine if you don't have a strong preference for red; otherwise try to brush your teeth immediately afterwards. A small travel toothbrush is a great idea.

Follow these tips and you'll be taking good care of your teeth and gums, which means you'll be a healthier, happier you during and after the holidays!

Ten Tips for Maintaining a Beautiful Smile

It’s our very first blog post here at Crabapple Dental, and we thought we’d start with a few pieces of expert advice for a beautiful, healthy smile.

Ten Tips for Maintaining a Beautiful Smile.

1. When we say a healthy smile, we mean it.  Few people seem to realize just how connected to your physical health your teeth and gums are. Just as you wouldn’t want disease in your skin, heart, or other body parts and organs, you don’t want disease in your mouth.  If your gums bleed, that’s periodontal disease, and you should see a dentist immediately.

2. Get a Waterpik.  We know those were popular in the 1970s, but they actually really work to prevent bad breath and cavities.  Each tooth has a pocket of saliva surrounding it.  A Waterpik washes away that saliva each day, so it can be replaced with fresh saliva.  Just rinsing your mouth with mouthwash won’t work as well.

3. You are what you eat, and your teeth absolutely reflect your eating habits.  So limit sugar, which causes cavities.  Eat vitamin- and calcium-rich leafy greens. Stop drinking soda. You may as well soak your teeth in acid.

4. Proper oral hygiene requires ten minutes of brushing and flossing every day.  The average adult spends two or three minutes total, and kids spend even less.  So reevaluate the time you allot to brushing your teeth.

5. Floss every day. Period. Flossing has such an enormous impact on your dental and overall health, it makes no sense to consider it optional.

6. Replace your toothbrush every two to three months.  The bristles get worn over time, rendering them less effective, and sometimes just having a brand new toothbrush in a fun color can invite you to brush your teeth!

7. Buy a travel toothbrush. Keep it in your purse. Take a few minutes after lunch and brush your teeth.

8. Using baking soda in place of your toothpaste every so often can help remove stains. Don’t overuse though, or else you risk removing enamel.

9. Brush your tongue, the roof of your mouth, and the insides of your cheeks. Bacteria collects there as well as on your teeth and gums, yet many people skip these places.  Brushing your entire mouth reduces bacteria and keeps your breath fresh and clean.

10. Visit your dentist at least twice a year – the recommended minimum for patients with healthy teeth and gums.