Healthy Smiles Family Dental

Shining teeth can do wonders for your self-confidence. But if your teeth are discolored due to internal factors, getting them examined may also be crucial to your health. We provide a wide range of dental services at Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem, so no matter what is causing your tooth discoloration, we can help. Extrinsic stains are those caused by something such as smoke or dark liquid affecting the outer layer of your teeth. Intrinsic stains are those affecting the pulp or dentin. Some intrinsic stains are benign. Teeth may look brown if a person was exposed to large amounts of fluoride in their youth, or they may look black if they were exposed to certain antibiotics. But if an intrinsic stain develops later in life, it almost certainly means the patient has a pulp infection. Inflammation in the pulp chamber will cause a tooth to look black, purple, or red. It will often be accompanied by sensitivity and a bad taste. If a pulp infection is not treated, it may develop into ...

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...

If you had an early-stage dental infection, would you be able to recognize it? We’re committed to preventive care at Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem. As part of our effort, we want each of our patients to understand what a white spot lesion signifies and what they need to do if they develop one. As the first sign of tooth decay, white spot lesions are also known as “incipient lesions.” They are spots on the surfaces of teeth that appear unnaturally white and chalky and are usually found near the gum line or the sides of teeth. White spots are caused by enamel having lost minerals, but not enough to form a cavity. The teeth naturally produce a film which sugar and the bacteria that feed on it get trapped in. As bacteria eat, they excrete acid, which erodes the enamel. The more food is available, the more bacteria multiply, and the more acid is produced. It only takes about a month for white spots to develop. Patients should take them as a sign they need to improve their brushing, ...

Were you aware of the harm acid reflux does to teeth? At Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem, we treat a variety of dental problems, but we want patients suffering from acidic corrosion to understand how to take preventive measures. Acid reflux is commonly called “heartburn,” but that’s not an accurate description of what’s happening. When people swallow, a sphincter between the stomach and esophagus is supposed to open and shut, but when it gets stuck open, acid escapes.  A person who suffers from acid reflux more than twice a week is said to have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). People with GERD have increased tooth sensitivity due to the acid wearing away on the enamel that protects teeth’s nerves. The upper back teeth are the first to be affected. Acid reflux causes them to take on a distinctive glazed appearance before pits begin to develop in the enamel. GERD can often be traced back to smoking or dietary factors. People can reduce their risk of getting it by avoiding la...