Healthy Smiles Family Dental

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 ...