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Scrubbing Your Teeth with Snacks | Issaquah Dentist

Keeping our teeth clean and healthy is important, not only to our dental health, but also our overall health. But this doesn’t mean you need to constantly brush your teeth. While brushing after each meal would be advantageous, not all of us have a toothbrush available at all times. Fortunately, there are loads of snacks you can nosh on that will do a good job in between brushings.

Carrots are full of fiber and help keep teeth clean by scrubbing the plaque off as you eat. Due to the fact that they’re not a juicy vegetable, they stimulate saliva production. This naturally cleans your teeth by rinsing your mouth as you eat. Additionally, carrots are full of B vitamins, which are essential in fighting gingivitis.

Leafy greens are high in fiber and low in calories, so not only are they good for your body, but they’re also great for your teeth. Kale and spinach contain calcium, which helps strengthen your teeth and B vitamins, which like we mentioned with carrots, help fight gingivitis! The fiber in both kale and spinach help scrub away plaque and food debris as you eat them.

You’ve heard the old saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away‘, well it also keeps the plaque at bay! Not only does the fiber in an apple help clean your teeth, but they also fight bad breath. They scrub away plaque and debris and the acidity of an apple helps kill the bad bacteria that encourages bad breath.

Keep choosing healthy snacks and you’ll keep the plaque away, making your overall oral health even better. Give our office a call today to schedule your next exam, we look forward to hearing from you soon!

For more information about snacks that brighten our smiles, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Your Teeth May Hurt Following a Root Canal | Issaquah Dentist

You’re at the dentist and you find out that you need a root canal. But what happens after the root canal? What if it still hurts? Understanding the reasons can help you figure out what to do.

A root canal is a surgical procedure. Some pain or discomfort is normal after this type of procedure. There are some things that will subside with a little aftercare.

  • Inflammation and swelling. It is possible that the surrounding tissue and nerves can become inflamed after a root canal. This can cause some discomfort for a few days.
  • Collateral damage. During the procedure, the instruments may cause a little damage to tissue around the site of the root canal.
  • High temporary filling. It is possible the temporary filling is not smoothed down enough creating a high or rough spot that is sensitive to touch.

There are also times when the pain is related to something else. Pain for these reasons will require a return to the dentist for more treatment.

  • Infection in the bone. It is possible for the infection to include some of the bone along with the tooth and the root canal may not have cleaned out this infection.
  • Excess cement or air on the root tip. This is a result of the way the root canal was done.
  • Missed canal. Your troth has more than one root canal. It is possible to miss a canal during this procedure.

Pain is a sign that something is wrong. If you have pain after a root canal, you should not ignore it. You need to figure out what the cause is, so you know what to do about it.

For more information about root canals, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Why Does My Wisdom Tooth Hurt So Much? | Issaquah Dentist

When a baby is teething, parents work hard to soothe their pain. As an adult, we experience teeth growing again. Sometime during our teen and young adult years, your wisdom teeth will come in. For some people there is no pain, while others experience pain like they’ve never imagined. Here are the reasons why wisdom teeth hurt:

Eruption. The top of your gums is full of nerves. When wisdom teeth erupt through the skin, they are breaking those nerves and the result is pain. The tooth does not grow at a very fast speed. That means the pain can last for a lot longer than anyone wants until the tooth is fully grown.

Impaction. There are times when the tooth grows at the wrong angle. It gets stuck in the gum and is then an impacted wisdom tooth. This is another type of pain people feel. The pain from an impacted wisdom tooth is felt in many places. It can affect the area of impaction, the teeth surrounding the impaction, the gums and the jaw.

Infection. It is possible for the wisdom tooth to have an infection. Like any other infection of the teeth or gums, the infected wisdom tooth cause pain.

Pain from a wisdom tooth is normal and something that plenty of people deal with. The good news is that there are things to do about the pain. Over-the-counter medications can help manage the pain until the tooth grows in.

Extraction is also an effective treatment for impacted teeth. The key is to get the help of our dental professionals when you have painful wisdom teeth. They’ll be able to advise on the next steps.

For more information about wisdom teeth, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Do All Wisdom Teeth Require Removal? | Issaquah Dentist

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are a set of four teeth that appear after the initial growth of the permanent teeth. This is why they are called “wisdom” teeth colloquially; they appear in our wiser years. They are routinely removed by dentists, as they can often be the cause of oral health issues.

Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?

Our prehistoric ancestors had larger jaws than we do, and room to accommodate the extra set of teeth that we dub “wisdom teeth”, today. A mutation in the gene MYH16 may be responsible for having caused changes in the size of some of our ancestors’ jaws.

Why Are Wisdom Teeth Removed?

As a result of these evolutionary changes, many modern humans have smaller jaws, and the growth of the extra teeth can cause dental crowding (the other teeth are slowly pushed forward, and with nowhere to go, become crooked near the front of the mouth). They can also be hard to reach when brushing and flossing, resulting in decay and cavities.

Wisdom teeth may also cause issues with the bite, leading to jaw discomfort. In some cases, wisdom teeth do not fully grow in, but remain impacted within the gums. This causes extreme discomfort, swelling, and even bleeding.

When Can Wisdom Teeth NOT Be Removed?

Some people have space in their mouths for wisdom teeth. If there is space in the mouth, and the extra teeth grow in fully, without impaction, do not compromise the health of a patient’s bite, and can be easily reached during daily cleaning, there is no need for removal.

The decision whether or not to remove wisdom teeth is one that must be made with the help of our dentists. There are many factors to take into account, all of which our dentists are aware of, and able to discuss with our patients. We will be able to assess whether it is in your best interest to have your wisdom teeth removed.

For more information about wisdom teeth, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Common Foods that Darken Teeth | Issaquah Dentists

If you want to keep your teeth white, brushing regularly and using a tooth-whitening toothpaste aren’t the only things you have to do. You also have to watch what you eat and drink. What does eating and drinking have to do with your teeth staying white?

What many people don’t realize is that some food and drinks have compounds in them that cause your teeth to stain. These compounds are called chromagens and they are what make some foods and beverages very colorful. Another tooth staining compound is called tannin, and this gives beverages a brown color. What’s crucial to understand is that acids in food and drink play an important role. Acids wear down the enamel on your teeth which makes it easier for the staining to occur.

What Should I Look Out For?

You can probably guess that coffee and tea contain tannins, but you may not know what other food and beverages to avoid. Colas is damaging not only because of their color, but also because of the acids in them. The combination is brutal for your teeth. While on the subject of beverages, you should also know that red wine is one of the most common tooth-staining beverages.

Yes, it tastes good, but it isn’t good if you want white teeth. Dark-colored fruit juices can also stain your teeth. Look out for grape, cranberry, and blueberry juices, particularly if you have had your teeth whitened. You may find that you just wasted your money.

When it comes to food there are many culprits out there. Tomato-based sauces, healthy though they are, will stain your teeth. Spices such as curry can stain your teeth. Soy sauce makes your Chinese food have a little extra kick, but it also kicks I the staining factor. Beetroot and most berries are also likely to stain your teeth.

Aside from rinsing your mouth after eating or drinking these substances or stimulating saliva production after eating them, your only other option is avoidance. Give us a call and we can discuss it at your next appointment.

For more information about foods that darken teeth, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Why Does a Taste Bud Swell So Much if You Accidentally Bite It? | Issaquah Dentist

When you look at your tongue you may notice that there are bumps on it. These are known as papillae and they help with taste, hence the name “taste buds.” Sometimes these will grow enlarged. There are numerous reasons for this.

Why taste buds swell. Sometimes if you accidentally bite your tongue in the wrong way you can cause your taste buds to swell. This is because the nerve receptors in this area of your mouth are especially sensitive. They can also become inflamed or irritated occasionally. Usually this happens when you have a virus in your body though.

Treating swollen taste buds. Usually, it’s unnecessary to treat your taste buds if they become enlarged. However, if they stay enlarged for more than 7 – 10 days you should definitely give our office a call. We will bring you in for an appointment so that we can look at the size, color, and location of the swelling.

You most definitely want to schedule an appointment any time you have unusual bleeding, pain, or growth in your mouth. These are things that we’ll want to immediately take care of for you.

Preventing swollen taste buds. It’s important for you to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing twice daily. Make sure you brush your tongue when doing so. When you’re participating in sports, make sure you’re wearing a mouth guard. Additionally, you should avoid smoking and chewing on things that aren’t food. Sometimes you will still experience swollen taste buds.

When this happens, try rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater and drinking plenty of water. Monitor how well your swollen taste buds are healing for you and when or if you have any concerns, make sure you set up an appointment to visit our office so we can look at them for you.

For more information about taste buds, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Can You Eat Regular Foods Following Getting Sealants? | Issaquah Dentist

Dental sealants help to protect your teeth from cavities. They do this by creating a barrier between the enamel and plaque, which is full of bacteria.

The molars have small grooves within the surface that can trap plaque and food particle, and since your toothbrush can’t remove them completely, they can get stuck there for a long time. Dental sealants can help, and after a relatively simple procedure, you’ll be able to start eating and drinking right away.

What to expect after dental sealants

After we’ve finished sealing your teeth, you can eat, drink, play, or work. There won’t be any restrictions. It may feel strange to bite into something at first due to the new sealant, but this sensation should go away in a few days. Soon, you won’t even know that you have the sealant. Regular dental appointments are still essential after your teeth are sealed.

Some patients believe that once they have sealants that their teeth are virtually immune to decay and other issues. That simply isn’t the case. You still need to brush and floss regularly, and regular appointments in our office allow us to check how your sealant is doing. Sealants don’t last forever, but they can effectively seal teeth for 10 years, and they can be replaced easily if they are damaged or chipped.

Foods to avoid

While they aren’t specific to dental sealants, there are some foods that you should avoid in order to maintain good oral health. These are foods that are especially sticky, hard, and chewy, including caramel, taffy, jawbreakers, hard candy, chewing gum, and gummy bears.

Are you interested in dental sealants for either yourself or your child? If so, contact our office today to learn more about your options. We will discuss the pros and cons of dental sealants to help you decide if they are right for you.

For more information about dental sealants, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

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Is It Important to Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly? | Issaquah Dentist

Once you buy a toothbrush you haven’t made a lifelong investment. According to the American Dental Association (ADA) you need to replace your toothbrush once every three months. If its bristles become frayed, you will need to replace your toothbrush even sooner.

Why You Need to Replace Your Toothbrush

Unfortunately, the bristles on your toothbrush don’t kill the bacteria that’s in your mouth or keep you from getting sick. In fact, things like the flu virus, strep virus, yeast fungus, staph bacteria, and E. coli can live on your toothbrush and make you sick (which is why you should change your toothbrush after you’re done being sick with any of these things).

What Happens if You Don’t Change Your Toothbrush

When you don’t change your toothbrush frequently enough, you could actually get sick from using your toothbrush. Fortunately, this is unlikely to happen, but it’s still a disgusting possibility – one that should encourage you to replace your toothbrush as often as recommended.

In fact, researchers have found that even though bacteria do hang out on your toothbrush, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be re-infected with the same illness a second time. Instead, it’s more likely that you’ll develop another type of virus from it.

How to Choose a New Toothbrush

Once you’re ready to choose a new toothbrush, you’ll want to make sure you choose one that will fit your needs – not just any toothbrush will do because they’re not all made the same. You want a toothbrush head that’s a half-inch wide and one-inch tall, so you can reach all the areas of your mouth.

Make sure it has soft bristles so it’s both comfortable and safe to use. It’s also a good idea to make sure that it’s recommended by the ADA. You can learn more about your toothbrush by giving our office a call today.

For more information about toothbrushes, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.