Diet and Dental Erosion at Ardas Family Dental

Whether you’re suffering from a dental infection or mechanical damage to your teeth, we’re happy to help you at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, Colorado. Our team of experienced dental professionals will provide you with comfortable fillings and fluoride treatments to protect your teeth from further damage. But once you’re home, you’ll need to know how to protect your own teeth, so we thought it would be a good idea to examine some of the ways our diets contribute to dental erosion and decay.

 

Tooth decay is the result of an infection in the tooth’s outer layer, the enamel. Certain species of oral bacteria produce acid as a by-product of their cellular respiration, and the acid gets trapped in a sticky matrix of bacteria and the teeth’s biological film. The bacteria is able to quickly break down simple sugars, and they can also digest starch if it is left on the teeth for long enough.

 

But teeth can also suffer from direct exposure to acid. Citric juice and soft drinks have a large amount of acid as well as simple sugar, and citric juice is often used as a flavoring in sour candy and energy gel. Citric acid can also trigger acid reflux from the stomach, as can alcohol, onions, garlic, and red meat. Besides reducing our intake of these foods, we can also combat acidic erosion by making sure we are properly hydrated. Water not only washes away acid and sugar, but also helps us to produce more saliva, somewhat balancing acid’s chemical effect. We can also produce more saliva by chewing sugarfree gum, which will remove food debris. And as always, brushing and flossing will remove bacteria, the food debris they consume, and the acid they produce.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Treating TMD and Toothaches at Ardas Family Dental

Amid all the extra stress people are under, many have noticed that they’ve developed pain in their jaws, necks, and teeth. If you’re one of them, you may be suffering from temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD. Besides being painful, this disorder may lead you to crack your teeth, or at least make it difficult for you to speak or chew. At Ardas Family Dental, we help patients suffering from TMD to find personalized solutions, but first, let’s take a closer look at what contributes to it.

The temporomandibular joints are the place on either side of our head where the lower jaw (the mandible) connects to the rest of the skull. Each temporomandibular joint needs to be able to exert a great deal of force, but be able to move freely in every direction. When people are under stress, they tend to clench their jaws, and during their sleep, they may grind their teeth together, which is a habit called bruxism. The pressure generated by bruxism can inflame the temporomandibular joints, causing them to become stiff and painful. It can also wear down tooth enamel, push teeth into new positions, or cause them to break completely.

Sometimes, a rheumatoid condition could be contributing to TMD, and patients who are under severe stress may need psychological counseling. But a dentist can help by providing patients with custom-fitted night guards. These oral appliances will comfortably keep the jaws separate, preventing the teeth from grinding together. We can also provide patients with partial crowns and other restorations for teeth that have already suffered damage and help them determine whether orthodontic therapy is needed.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Do You Need Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Wisdom teeth are the third and final molars to develop in the mouth between the ages of 17-22. For a very lucky few, these teeth come in with no problems: fully through the gums and properly aligned. Oftentimes though, wisdom teeth come in misaligned or impacted. This is where the complications lie and the need for their removal is vital. Dr. Roopi Kattaura at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, Colorado, provides wisdom teeth removal for her patients.

 

Dr. Kattaura recommends that you not wait too long to get your wisdom teeth removed, since infection can easily set in. The younger you are, the easier the procedure will be since the wisdom teeth roots aren’t fully developed by that time. This will also help with a quicker recovery time. 

 

Before making any decisions to extract wisdom teeth, Dr. Kattaura will first examine your mouth and take an X-ray. Under the care of Dr. Kattaura and her expert team, you and your family will rest easy knowing that you are in safe hands throughout your visit. We understand that wisdom teeth extraction may sound scary, but it’s best to have them removed to avoid headaches, constant pain in the back of the mouth, and/or damage to the surrounding teeth.

 

Do you think it’s time to have your wisdom teeth removed? We are happy to address any questions or concerns you may have. Ardas Family Dental is located at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, in Parker, CO 80134. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit ardasfamilydental.com or call the office at 720-459-8420.