Meadowlark Dental Care Blog

Happy Halloween! Halloween, a sugarpalooza, is a lot of kids' favorite time of the year! Sugar galore, fun costumes, and more sugar are the hallmark traits of this holiday. With sugar abounding, how can your teeth even stand a chance to stay healthy? Here are a few tricks for the treats to help prevent extra trips to the dentist this season: 1. Avoid sticky or hard candies.  Any candy that is going to stay on your teeth for an extended period of time is the worst type you can have for your teeth. Sticky candies are harder to get off your teeth so all of that sugar gets extra time to feed cavity-causing bacteria. Hard candies can do the same thing if they are sucked on, but also have an additional draw back in that they are the cause of many a broken tooth when attempted to be chewed. If these are your favorite kind of candies, just make sure that you brush right after eating them and never chew hard candies. 2. Don't snack on candy. The more often you snack on s...

Pregnancy can be an exciting time. Along with the changes in your body, your mouth may also experience some new and possibly not so exciting changes. It is important to recognize if these changes happen so that you and your mouth can stay healthy. One change you may experience while pregnant is bleeding and sensitive gums when you brush or floss. This is typically due to inflammation in your gums because of hormonal changes. This condition is known as pregnancy gingivitis and is a precursor to more serious periodontal  disease. Luckily, pregnancy gingivitis can be treated effectively with regular dental cleanings. Your dentist may suggest extra cleanings based on severity. Believe it or not, your teeth may also be more vulnerable to cavities . Morning sickness and diet changes contribute to this. Make sure to practice good hygiene at home to help prevent tooth decay. Brush twice per day for two minutes and floss once a day. If morning sickness is an issue or if brushing sets...

Happy Independence Day! Nothing says summer more than celebrating our freedom with fireworks and ice cream! For those of you who just cringed at that sentence, it may be because the thought of having something cold hit your teeth sends preliminary phantom pains into the nerves of your teeth. If that's the case, you probably have sensitive teeth. There are a few different reasons why you might have sensitive teeth, but the good news is you can treat it!  Possible Causes: Cavities Gum Recession (Exposed Roots) Worn Enamel Fractured Teeth The treatment depends on the cause, so it is important to discuss with your dentist your sensitivity issues. The fix may be as easy as switching toothpaste! When worn enamel is the culprit, using a toothpaste targeted towards sensitivity can help with symptoms. I personally recommend Sensodyne brand. Sensitive toothpastes work because they contain potassium nitrate which calms your tooth's nerves and help...

Taking good care of your teeth is important. Brushing and flossing are a must, but what if you brush twice a day for two minutes and floss everyday and STILL are getting cavities? If that is the case, it may be time to look at your diet. Start by looking at your sugar intake. The worst kind of sugar (for your teeth) is whatever is going to have consistent exposure to them. Soda and sticky candies are usually the worst because they are typically sipped throughout the day or they stick to your teeth. They are destructive to your tooth's enamel. The enamel of your tooth is important because it is the hard exterior that protects the softer inside of your tooth that surrounds the nerve. When sugars are either left on your teeth or are constantly exposed to your teeth, they weaken your enamel and the sugar combined with bacteria that is found in your mouth start to eat away at your tooth causing decay. Sugar is delicious, and I am just as guilty as the next of having a "...