Healthy Smiles Family Dental

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...

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...