Spillman Family Dental Blog

Gum disease is an unpleasant experience at any age, but it becomes more common after the age of sixty. While receding gums are the dental ailment most frequently found in older patients, other gum-related issues are also prevalent among that age group. However, these issues are often caused more by many years of poor oral hygiene than age. Here are a few common gum issues among seniors along with a few ways they can be treated.

Despite the bad reputation they get from cartoons and movies, modern root canals are painless procedures that can save a tooth from extraction. They are necessary when the pulp at the center of a tooth becomes infected, and they are often the best way to get rid of the miserable pain that comes with a toothache. Here’s how long a root canal can take as well as some information about the recovery.

A toothache is an incredibly unpleasant experience. It is typically accompanied by sharp, throbbing, miserable pain that can easily disrupt day-to-day activities. If you’ve been suffering through a toothache for a while only to find that it suddenly stops, you might think that the problem has resolved itself. Unfortunately, it is far more likely that you should be even more concerned at that point. Here’s why your toothache might have vanished and why this means you have even more reason to see your emergency dentist.

Your teeth are supposed to last for a lifetime, but 120 million people are living with tooth loss. Cavities are a leading cause of missing teeth, which affects 92% of adults. Although brushing and flossing are effective at keeping decay at bay, fluoride is equally important for strong and healthy teeth. Here’s how you can harness the power of nature’s cavity fighter to combat tooth decay.

(more…)

If you’re struggling with tooth loss, then you know all too well the effects it has on simple oral tasks. That’s why, to help restore your ability to chew and speak properly, you might be considering getting dental implants to rebuild your smile. However, if it’s been years since you’ve lost your pearly whites, can you still be eligible for the treatment? Keep reading to learn if it’s possible to wait too long to replace missing teeth with dental implants and what your dentist can do to help you.

In the United States, 75% of adults experience some level of dental fear or anxiety. This apprehension often stems from concerns about sounds, dental tools, or the dental environment, making it challenging for them to receive the necessary care to prevent oral health issues. Fortunately, dental sedation provides a solution. There are various types of sedation available, with nitrous oxide being one of the most popular choices. If you haven’t experienced this type of dental sedation before, you might be wondering if it will put you to sleep. Keep reading to find out the answer to this question and how nitrous oxide sedation works.

Do you suffer from consistent tooth sensitivity? This irritating oral health issue can occur when simply enjoying an ice cream cone or drinking a warm mug of tea. While it may seem like it’s just impacting you, having sensitive teeth is not an uncommon occurrence. A survey of dental offices discovered that approximately one in eight people suffer from tooth sensitivity. Fortunately, there may be a simple solution for you: desensitizing toothpaste! Read on to learn about this helpful dental product and how to pick the best one for your smile.

Dental implants are the most durable tooth replacement option that there is, with over 95% of them remaining successful at 20 years, and many of them lasting as long as 30 when cared for well.

For the most part, maintaining your dental implants includes a lot of things that you would expect—brushing them twice a day, flossing around them to break up plaque, and using mouthwash to stave off infection.

However, there are also plenty of ways that a balanced diet can support the strength of your dental implants. Here are some foods that may be helpful if you’re trying to get your dental implants to last.

If you have ever had one or more missing teeth, you know how devastating it can be. Not only does it affect your confidence to freely smile, but everyday functionality such as eating and speaking, becomes more difficult. Fortunately, dental implants have restored the smile of millions of people, granting them all the benefits a complete set of teeth provides. This restoration is so reliable, it has a 95% success rate but there are a small number of people who experience a loose implant. Read on to learn the reasons why and how to get your renewed smile back on track.

So, maybe you’re planning to get sedation dentistry. If so, you’re making a good choice – the option can make specific procedures smoother and more comfortable. That said, you may want to learn more about it first. Doing so would help confirm if sedation is right for you. It’s a good thing, then, that your local Rockwall dentist is here to help. To that end, here are the answers to four common questions about sedation dentistry.