In order to communicate with clarity, in a way that's considerate of your time, we've compiled this list of frequently asked questions and answers about dental health. If you have further questions, please feel free to [ contact us ].

Click on a question below:

• What causes tooth decay (cavities)?
• Why is it important to fix baby teeth that have decay?
• Should my child wear a mouthguard while playing sports?
• What are silver fillings and what alternatives are available?
• What is a crown or cap?
• What are porcelain veneers?
• My gums bleed when I brush my teeth, what should I do?
• What causes gum disease?
• What causes bad breath?
• What is root planning and why is it done?
• Does bleaching damage my teeth?
• What are dental implants?

It is strongly recommended that children wear a mouthguard while playing any contact sport. It is always better to prevent an injury than to repair one. The earlier a child begins to wear the mouthguard, the easier it is to become comfortable and continue to wear it as they get older.

Mercury fillings, euphemistically called "silver" or "amalgam" fillings, have been used in dentistry since the Civil War era. They are an amalgam of 50% mercury, mixed with silver, copper, tin and other metals. Mercury fillings were invented as a cheap alternative to gold. Because they are easy to place and inexpensive, mercury fillings have been widely used for 150 years.

Mercury fillings saved many teeth from extraction and they provided great service to the dental field for a long time. But today's materials are far superior and look like real teeth, allowing dentists to provide true restorations.

There are outstanding alternatives to mercury fillings. For small cavities, tooth colored, composite resin fillings are excellent. For larger problems, there are options such as reinforced porcelain or resin inlays, onlays and crowns that are custom fabricated in a dental laboratory. These materials are beautiful and can be bonded to a tooth so the final result is as strong as the natural tooth.

Porcelain veneers, alternatively termed dental veneers or dental porcelain laminates, are wafer-thin shells of porcelain that are bonded onto the front side of teeth so to create a cosmetic improvement for a tooth. Porcelain veneers are routinely used by dentists as a way to make cosmetic changes for teeth that are discolored, worn, chipped, or misaligned.

Bleeding gums is never a good sign! However, the condition may or may not require professional attention, depending on the source of the problem. Bleeding gums can be caused by improper, rough, ‘scrubbing’ instead of gentle, circular brushing motions; using a hard-bristled tooth brush instead of a soft one; plaque and/or tartar build-up below the gum line; or gum sensitivity due to gingivitis or periodontal disease.

If your problem persists despite correct brushing and flossing methods, or occurs every time you brush, it's likely to be the result of some level of gum disease, and we recommend you set up an evaluation appointment with one of our doctors. We specialize in helping patients arrest and successfully treat all stages of gum disease, through the use of our excellent non-surgical gum care procedures.

Gum disease is caused by the bacteria that are normally in the mouth. The types of bacteria may vary with some patients having more types that are associated with aggressive gum disease. The bacteria then accumulate where the gums meet the teeth. The gums normally form a "ditch" or "sulcus" that goes completely around the tooth like a "cuff on a shirt goes around your wrist". Once the bacteria cause the gums to become infected, the gums detach from the teeth.

If the gum disease is not treated early enough, the patient will lose their teeth and their body will have been flooded by diseased products (biological molecules) which were generated by the diseased gum tissues.

What you eat affects the air you exhale. Certain foods, such as garlic and onions, contribute to objectionable breath odor. Once the food is absorbed into the bloodstream, it is transferred to the lungs, where it is expelled. Brushing, flossing and mouthwash will only mask the odor temporarily. Odors continue until the body eliminates the food. Dieters may develop unpleasant breath from infrequent eating.

If you don't brush and floss daily, particles of food remain in the mouth, collecting bacteria, which can cause bad breath. Food that collects between the teeth, on the tongue and around the gums can rot, leaving an unpleasant odor. Dentures that are not cleaned properly can also harbor odor-causing bacteria and food particles.

Root planing involves smoothing the root surfaces of your teeth with thin curettes so gum tissue can more firmly reattach to roots that are clean and smooth to prevent tooth loss and sensitivity problems. The procedure makes it more difficult for plaque to accumulate along the root surfaces.

Root Planing is done to remove tartar and hard crusty calculus, that is loaded with bacteria, around and BELOW the gum line. A professional polishing or prophy removes only the soft sticky plaque that is above the gum line. It is a method of treating gum disease when pockets are formed around the teeth have a measurement of greater than 3mm.

No. When carbamide peroxide is the active whitening solutions. When it contacts water, hydrogen peroxide is released which whitens the teeth. Bleaching does not soften, dematerialize or weaken the teeth.

A dental implant is used in restorative dentistry. There are several types. The most widely accepted and successful is the osseointegrated implant, based on the discovery by Professor Branemarke that titanium could be successfully incorporated into bone when osteocytes grow on and into the rough surface of the implanted titanium. This forms a structural and functional connection between the living bone and the implant.