National Toothache Day is on February 9, 2020. While toothaches are certainly nothing to celebrate, it is important to be reminded about their existence – and how important it is to try and avoid an aching tooth at all costs. Your Johns Creek dentist sees this day as an opportunity to highlight good oral health habits, so you never face a toothache.
5 Ways to Have Healthier Teeth
There are plenty of things you do every day that impact your oral health. Some habits are good ones, others are not. If possible, adopt as many of the following habits as possible:
- Brush for two minutes, twice a day – Many people are efficient brushers. They vigorously run their brush over their teeth and consider the job done. Quality brushing is key, so take your time and get every tooth.
- Brush better, not harder – You can’t make up for lost brushing time by brushing harder, you’ll merely make yourself more susceptible to gum recession.
- Floss daily – Taking a generous piece of floss to your teeth every night allows you to unstick food and bacteria that have built-up between the teeth and threatened cavities.
- Drink water – All beverages bathe your teeth, but water is the only one that doesn’t bathe them in sugar or caffeine or artificial coloring. Water isn’t enough to keep your teeth clean or take the place of brushing, but it is necessary to help maintain a healthy smile.
- See your dentist – You should visit your Johns Creek dentist every six months for an exam and professional teeth cleaning. This ensures that your teeth get a good brushing and flossing, and a thorough once-over from your dentist, who looks for suspicious areas, oral cancer, cracks, chips, and potential cavities or gum disease.
4 Ways to Fix a Toothache
Depending on the severity of your toothache and the cause of it, the repair for the problem can vary.
- Tooth-colored filling – If you have a cavity, you need a filling. Most small- to medium-sized cavities are treated with white fillings. This composite material is safer than silver fillings, plus it is natural-looking and blends in with the rest of your smile so no one ever has to know you had dental work done.
- Porcelain crown – When a filling is very large and a good deal of the tooth needs to be cleared away to thoroughly remove decay, a porcelain crown may be the best way to cover the tooth, stabilize it, and keep it from further compromise. A partial crown, also known as an onlay, may also be an option.
- Root canal therapy – Also known as endodontic therapy, root canal therapy is needed when the roots of a tooth are infected. This treatment helps save the tooth and prevent the need for tooth extraction. Your dentist will completely clean out the tooth’s roots, fill them, and add a porcelain crown to the treated tooth to protect it from further infection.
- Extraction – If a tooth is so badly infected that even a root canal isn’t enough to save it, an extraction may be necessary. Your Johns Creek dentist takes every measure to keep a natural tooth because it is so important for you to have all your teeth to keep your smile strong. After a tooth extraction area has healed, a dental implant is very likely to be recommended.
Avoid toothaches! Take good care of your smile with help from Hello Family Dentistry in Johns Creek. Schedule an appointment with us today.
