Healthy Smiles Family Dental

Tooth decay is a common problem, especially among children and older people. Regular brushing and flossing is essential to preventing it, but their are supplementary measures people can take, too. At Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem, we offer our patients dental sealants for added protection. Our back teeth, the premolars and molars, are especially vulnerable to decay. Food debris can accumulate in the indentations between their pointy bits, which are called cusps. There, oral bacteria will feed and produce acid, causing demineralization of the enamel. This could lead to the formation of cavities, and if the decay gets bad enough, an infection could spread to the dental pulp. Sealants are invisible plastic shields on the teeth. After a dental cleaning, the patient is given a local anesthetic and the premolars and molars are etched with a mild acid to increase their surface area. The sealant is then painted on in liquid form and hardened with a blue light. By the next day, the pat...

Gum disease isn’t just a matter of a little swelling. It’s an infection that could spread elsewhere in the body and cause a lot of pain. But it is treatable, and the earlier people seek intervention, the better. At Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem, we help patients recover from gum abscesses, but we need people to know when to come see us. The early stage of gum disease is gingivitis. If allowed to progress, it becomes periodontitis, in which the walls of the gum pocket recede from around the root of a tooth. Abscesses are pockets filled with pus, a fluid made up of infectious bacteria, dead tissue, and acid. When an abscess forms near the gum line in a person with gingivitis, it is called a gingival abscess, and when it forms in the gum pocket of someone with periodontitis, it is a periodontal abscess. An abscess will cause persistent pain, a bad taste, and may prevent the patient from fully opening their mouth. It may also induce fever, as bacteria enters the bloodstream. We ca...

If you’ve suffered from missing or damaged teeth, you may have considered implant-supported crowns to replace them. But if you also have diabetes, you may wonder whether implants are safe for you. People with diabetes are especially vulnerable to tooth loss, so we at Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem want them to be able to make informed decisions about their treatment. We thought it would be a good idea to pass along a review of the research into diabetes and implant survival . People with diabetes may suffer blood vessel damage. This not only makes them more vulnerable to gum inflammation, it also means they take longer to recover from injuries. Doctors historically feared that people with diabetes would have higher rates of short-term implant failure because they would not be able to recover from the incisions made to place the implant posts. But although the research found that it takes longer in diabetic patients for their implants to integrate with their jaw bones, as long a...

Tooth extractions are ideally rare, but when they are necessary, we at Healthy Smiles Family Dental see our patients through safely. Many adolescents need to have their wisdom teeth removed to prevent alignment problems, and extractions are sometimes done on teeth with pulp infections after root canal treatment has proven unsuccessful. But in emergency situations, tooth extractions may not be preplanned, which is why we want our patients to be familiar with how to prevent a dry socket. A simple extraction is one in which the tooth is wiggled loose until it can be pulled out with pliers. A complex extraction is one requiring an incision to be made into the gum tissue. Dry sockets are likelier to result from complex extractions. When a tooth is removed, a blood clot ordinarily forms to seal off the socket, protecting it from pathogens and keeping moisture locked inside. A clot may have more difficulty forming over a surgical incision, or it may come loose more easily. Prior to the extrac...

Tooth extractions are ideally rare, but when they are necessary, we at Healthy Smiles Family Dental see our patients through safely. Many adolescents need to have their wisdom teeth removed to prevent alignment problems, and extractions are sometimes done on teeth with pulp infections after root canal treatment has proven unsuccessful. But in emergency situations, tooth extractions may not be preplanned, which is why we want our patients to be familiar with how to prevent a dry socket. A simple extraction is one in which the tooth is wiggled loose until it can be pulled out with pliers. A complex extraction is one requiring an incision to be made into the gum tissue. Dry sockets are likelier to result from complex extractions. When a tooth is removed, a blood clot ordinarily forms to seal off the socket, protecting it from pathogens and keeping moisture locked inside. A clot may have more difficulty forming over a surgical incision, or it may come loose more easily. Prior to the extrac...

Braces make everything a million times harder. It doesn’t have to with flossing. There are a variety of dental products that help you floss. Drs. Xu and Thomas recommend flossing daily, especially when you have braces. It’s the only way to clean your teeth and avoid cavities. That’s why Healthy Smiles Family Dental has put together this brief guide for flossing with braces. Learn more by contacting our office in Salem, OR.   Flossing and brushing are always a necessity. You’re supposed to floss every day. Braces shouldn’t hinder your dental routine. Invest in a Floss Threader. This is a handheld dental device that directs the floss under the wire. You can then grab the floss and use it normally. Do this for each of your teeth. Floss picks are another viable option. This is a small two-pronged device with floss between it. They are thin enough to fit under your wire. Place the prong between the two teeth to apply the floss.   The other important aspect of flossing with braces is the tec...

It’s normal to have a dry mouth before standing up to report during a big meeting, or when you’re about to get down on one knee to propose. It becomes an issue when it’s happening all the time. If your mouth constantly feels dry, you’re always thirsty, or you can’t even eat or speak, contact Healthy Smiles Family Dental. Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas can help. You may be suffering from a condition known as Dry Mouth or Xerostomia.   It may seem strange, but your mouth needs saliva. It’s crucial for eating and speaking. Your saliva also keeps your mouth clean and free of bacteria. When left untreated, dry mouth lowers your quality of life while heightening your risk of dental problems. Your first appointment is meant to detect the cause of your dryness. Let the staff know of any medications that you take. There are over 500 medications known to cause dryness. Even allergy medication can be responsible. Certain autoimmune disorders, like Sjögren's syndrome, also put you at risk. This di...

Taking care of your teeth is always important! It’s not something that goes away with age. As you age, your dental needs shift. There are oral health concerns that weren’t present before. Many of these issues stem from aging. Your teeth are bones, and all bones weaken with age. Past the age of sixty, your risk for periodontal (gum) disease, teeth extraction, and tooth decay increase. That’s why it’s important to schedule an appointment with Healthy Smiles Family Dental. Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas provide professional and friendly dental care. Learn more at our office in Salem, OR.   You should never take your dental health for granted. Your teeth are a necessary and important part of your life. Keeping them healthy keeps your whole body healthy. Many older patients struggle with brushing. Your Salem dentists have a few pieces of advice. First, purchase an electric toothbrush. These are easier to use while providing thorough brushing. Electric toothbrushes are great for patients who str...

If you’re an adult and you discover a loose tooth, make an appointment with Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas immediately. They can save you a visit from the Tooth Fairy with a simple procedure called Periodontal Splinting. Your Salem, OR, dentist attaches your weaker teeth to your stronger ones. This creates stability and evens them out. A visit to Healthy Smiles Family Dental can determine whether this looseness is caused by periodontal disease, misalignment, or injury.   Having a tooth extracted is an unpleasant situation for any patient. It is avoided with periodontal splinting. It saves you time and money, without any sort of recovery process. Temporary and permanent splinting are the available types. The cause of the looseness plays a part in which works best for you. For facial injuries or short-term solutions, invest in a temporary splint. These are available in intra-coronal and extra-coronal. They differ in how they attach to the teeth. An intra-coronal splint requires a channel on ...

Baby teeth, by nature, aren’t as strong as their adult teeth counterparts. This means they’re much more susceptible to dental decay. Hence why children often get more cavities than adults. This doesn’t mean that parents shouldn’t take care of their children's baby teeth. Learning good dental habits now will follow them into adulthood. So when your infant experiences a phenomenon called Baby Bottle Tooth Decay, schedule an appointment with Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas right away. Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem, OR, offers pediatric dentistry services.   Like all cavities, they are formed by an accumulation of bacteria within the mouth. Sugary substances left on the teeth attract hordes of bacteria. This right here is the biggest cause of baby bottle tooth decay. The culprit is found right in your child's bottle. The American Dental Association recommends parents only fill bottles with breast milk, milk, or formula. Avoid giving beverages that are high in sugar. This include...

No one enjoys getting a tooth removed. It is often painful and requires a longer recovery time. At Healthy Smiles Family Dental, Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas provide patients with a type of extraction known as Sectioning. The tooth is broken into multiple pieces and then removed. It’s easier for everyone! To learn more, contact our office in Salem, OR.   Sectioning is used in these three situations: wisdom teeth, pediatric extraction, and multi-faceted or unique teeth. Each one requires this procedure for similar yet different reasons; they all require the extra care that only your Salem, OR, dentists can provide. The most common sectioning procedure is wisdom teeth removal. Your wisdom teeth are the last set of molars to come in. They are naturally very large. This makes them difficult to remove. Breaking them up is the only way to get them out. Uniquely shaped or multi-rooted teeth are much sturdier than normal. They also can’t be removed without sectioning. Lastly, one of the biggest ...

Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem, OR, offers Bone Grafting consultations and procedures to our patients. Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas recommend bone grafting for patients interested in receiving dental implants. If your jawbone isn't strong enough to support the implants, a bone graft is necessary. It strengthens your jaw by replacing weakened areas with other tissue matter. To learn more, contact our office.   Teeth are meant to be in a complete set. Like a puzzle, when one piece is missing the whole thing falls apart. When a tooth is missing, the bone underneath deteriorates. Your Salem dentists will take an x-ray of your jaw. This provides insight into the weakened areas. Drs. Xu or Thomas acquire the bone material either from a tissue bank or another area of your mouth. The procedure is then scheduled.   At the procedure, general anesthesia is administered. Your Salem dentist cuts along the jawbone in the selected area. The bone graft is inserted and held in place using eith...

Do you always seem to have tartar and bleeding gums despite your best effort at brushing? It may be time for you to look into getting an electric toothbrush. Healthy Smiles Family Dental treats patients with all kinds of needs. We’re happy to guide our struggling patients toward hygiene products that might improve their oral health. The old model manual toothbrushes are highly effective at preventing tooth decay when they are used correctly. They need to be used twice a day for two minutes at a time, and the patient needs to pay enough attention to cover every tooth surface. Electric toothbrushes are particularly useful for people with physical disabilities or difficulty focusing. They make tens of thousands of brushstrokes per minute, contrasting with the dozens made by manual toothbrushes, and can be used more quickly and with fewer hand motions. Electric toothbrushes could create a risk of overbrushing, but many of them now come with smartphone apps to prevent that. A user would not...

Usually losing a baby tooth is an exciting developmental milestone. But what happens when one just never falls out? Healthy Smiles Family Dental is a trusted provider of tooth extractions to the Salem community. We can help when an adult still retains some of their baby, or deciduous, teeth. Normally, the roots of baby teeth dissolve as the adult tooth makes its way toward the gum line. This is why the deciduous tooth's crown pops out shortly before the adult tooth emerges. But sometimes, the teeth are extremely misaligned, and the adult tooth doesn’t come in at the right angle to push the baby tooth out. This tends to happen more often to the central lower incisors. There are also a few cases in which an adult tooth never develops or pushes through, which is likelier to happen to the upper lateral incisors and canines. Having both baby teeth and adult teeth often leads to overcrowding. The jumbled teeth are also difficult to keep clean. If the baby tooth root isn’t attached to the...

Do you feel a shooting pain in your teeth when you bite into a frozen treat? Don’t let that ruin your summer. We provide general dental care at Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem to keep our patient’s teeth comfortable as well as beautiful. If your teeth are overly sensitive, it could indicate a problem with their enamel. Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, while the pulp inside each tooth contains blood and a nerve. Between the pulp and enamel is a substance called dentin. This substance is a yellow-gray color and can be seen when enamel is thin. It is made up of tiny tubes, making heat easily transferable through it. Without sufficient enamel, dentin is vulnerable to sudden changes in heat that will be felt in the pulp. It is common for teeth to be sensitive immediately after whitening. Enamel can also be broken down through mechanical damage. But in most cases, enamel erosion is due to acid from infectious bacteria or acid reflux. Drinks such as sodas and citrus ju...

Did you know that good oral health could protect you from Alzheimer’s disease? That’s the conclusion of break-through scientific studies published in the last year. We provide patients with regular cleanings at Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem, but we hope our patients will come see us whenever they notice the signs of gingivitis. The bacteria that cause it could become a big problem. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a species of bacteria that causes gum disease. It excretes toxins called gingipains as a means of defending itself against white blood cells. These toxins are common, but are found in especially high levels in the brains and spinal fluid of people who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Testing on animals confirmed that the gingipains from oral bacteria that affects their species trigger the production of neural plaque. Another study found that P. gingivalis is able to travel from the mouth to the brain in humans. Scientists caution that gum disease is probably not the ...

Cleaning your teeth and gums is important, but what about your tongue? Your tongue is often ignored in your daily dental routine. That’s why Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas of Healthy Smiles Family Dental recommend Tongue Cleaners/Scrapers. These cleaning apparatuses are sold at most supermarkets and grocery stores. Use them to scrape bacteria and coatings off of your tongue. To learn more, contact our office in Salem, OR.   Tongue cleaners are an inexpensive and critical investment. They’re easy to buy and use! Start off by placing the tongue cleaner at the back of your tongue. Slowly scrape it forward down the tongue. Rinse off the device after every full rotation. Clean out your mouth too. Do this for as many times as necessary.   The main benefit of using a tongue cleaner is removing tongue coatings. A coating on your tongue can be caused by yeast infections, dry mouth, smoking, medications, and poor oral hygiene. Dead cells and bacteria make up the coating. Removing the coating improve...

Mouthwash is a great addition to your oral hygiene routine. Only by using mouthwash can you fully clean certain areas of your mouth. Not only does it eliminate bad breath, but it keeps your mouth healthy! Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas of Healthy Smiles Family Dental recommend mouthwash not as a replacement for brushing and flossing, but as a supplement. Contact our office in Salem, OR, to learn more dental health tips.   Mouthwash comes in two types: therapeutic and cosmetic. Cosmetic is used for getting rid of and preventing bad breath. Therapeutic provides benefits in combating gingivitis, cavities, and plaque buildup. Each mouthwash has its own added bonuses, so pay attention to the packaging when buying.   Follow these general mouthwash use instructions: -Pour the recommended dosage into your mouth. -Vigorously swish the mouthwash around your closed mouth. Try to be thorough, reaching every area. Do this for around 30 seconds. -Spit into the sink when done. Never swallow the mouthwash...

Patients commonly mistake flossing as being an optional hygiene practice. In reality, flossing is just as important as brushing. Drs. Na Xu and Mark Thomas hear many reasons why patients aren’t flossing at their bi-annual checkups. Don’t be one of them! That’s why Healthy Smiles Family Dental, located in Salem, OR, is providing this flossing guide and some tips.   The majority of the patients treated at your Salem dental office never learned to floss properly. Proper technique makes all the difference in your teeth. First, remove around 18 inches of floss from the packet. Twirl one end around each of your middle fingers. One finger will control the clean floss, the other the dirty floss. Next, hold the floss taut and carefully move it between your teeth. Wrap the floss around one of the two teeth in a “C” shape. Move the floss up and down, rubbing between the teeth. Repeat this for all of your teeth.   One of the biggest dental mistakes possible is not flossing daily. Only through flos...

If you have a fear of going to the dentist, you might suffer from dental phobia. Dental phobia is a fear of going to the dentist and having people work on your teeth. An estimated 9% to 15% of people avoid going to the dentist due to dental phobia. It is important to get your teeth cleaned twice a year to maintain good dental hygiene. Our doctors at healthy Smiles Family Dental encourages our patients who suffer from dental phobia have a greater chance of developing gum disease and tooth decay. To ease your mind, we will talk with you about any concerns or fears you have. Some signs that you might have dental phobia include tense or nervousness, sleepless nights before the dentist, and the thought of the dentist makes you feel sick. Don’t forget to call us before your appointment to discuss your fears and concerns at the dentist. Our staff will do everything we can to accommodate you so you feel comfortable and safe at the dentist. Healthy Smiles Family Dental is located in Salem, OR. ...