What’s Causing My Bad Breath?

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Bad breath can be a big problem, especially if it doesn’t go away when you brush your teeth. Bad breath can impact your personal relationships and can affect your confidence. As your dentist in Owensboro & Beaver Dam, KY, we’re here to help. If you’re affected by bad breath, we can help you identify the source of the problem, and we can present solutions. Here’s what you need to know.

Causes of Bad Breath

There are many reasons that people experience bad breath, including the following:

  • Periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is an infection in the gums caused by a buildup of bacteria on the teeth and below the surface of the gums.
  • Poor oral hygiene. Failure to brush well can cause a buildup of bacteria in the mouth. This is often one of the causes of periodontal disease.
  • Dry mouth. Saliva helps clean the mouth and wash away food particles and bacteria. If you have dry mouth, whether it’s caused by smoking, medication or for other reasons, you’re likely to experience bad breath.
  • Food particles. Food you eat gets into the blood stream. This is one of the reasons that food can be detected on your breath long after you’ve finished your meal. You may also be able to smell that food if you ate but failed to clean your teeth well after.

How to Prevent Bad Breath

Preventing bad breath starts with maintaining good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice daily and floss once daily. See the dentist for a dental checkup and cleaning every six months.

Have Bad Breath? See Your Dentist Today

You don’t have to live with bad breath. With proper dental care and by maintaining good oral hygiene, you can combat this problem. Call Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to make an appointment for dental examination services in Owensboro & Beaver Dam, KY.

Sources

https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/bad-breath/foods-that-cause-bad-breath-how-to-battle-bad-breath

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bad-breath/symptoms-causes/syc-20350922

Dental Implants or a Bridge? Which One is Right for Me?

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When you’re missing one or more teeth, it’s important to fill the gap. Installing a prosthetic tooth can prevent your other teeth from shifting, and also makes chewing easier. There are multiple types of prosthetic teeth available, including implants and dental bridges.

What’s a dental implant?

A dental implant in Owensboro and Beaver Dam KY is a type of prosthetic tooth that fills in a gap where there used to be a tooth. Dental implants look like natural teeth, and function like them as well. Dental implants are even fused to the jaw, just like your natural teeth. Dental implants are color matched to the teeth around them, so it’s virtually impossible to tell the difference between an implant and the other teeth.

What’s a dental bridge? 

A dental bridge is a prosthetic tooth that is held in place by an attached dental crown. The dental bridge sits on the gum, and unlike a dental implant, is not fused with the jaw bone. A dental bridge looks a lot like a natural tooth, and most people would not be able to tell the difference between a bridge and the other teeth in the mouth. Like dental implants, bridges are color matched to the other teeth.

How to Pick the Right Dental Appliance

The right type of dental appliance depends on what tooth is missing, your budget and other factors. Your dentist in Owensboro and Beaver Dam KY can help you decide which type of appliance is right for you. To learn more about dental bridges and crowns, contact Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry to make an appointment.

Can You Replace a Permanent Tooth?

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If you lose a permanent tooth, either due to decay or due to physical trauma, it’s normal to have a strong reaction to the event. If you’re wondering if you canreplace a permanent tooth in Owensboro, KY, we’ll look at the options you have and why finding the right dentist can help you preserve your oral health.

What You Should Know 

The first thing that you should know is that there is no way to reattach a permanent tooth back to its original position. However, there are steps you can take to replace your real tooth with an artificial one.

Option One: A Bridge 

A bridge is a replacement tooth that doesn’t require you to get an implant. Instead of using the jaw bone to cement the tooth in place, the artificial tooth is held in place by the surrounding teeth. As long as each tooth on either side is sturdy, a dentist can help you replace the permanent tooth so your other teeth won’t slide or shift to fill in the gap.

Option Two: An Implant 

An implant will embed a metal post into your jawbone, meaning your jaw will need to be strong enough to handle the pressure. Once the post fuses to the bone, a dentist will attach a permanent tooth to the implant. Implants are typically the preferred treatment for mostdentists in Owensboro, KY, though not everyone will be eligible for the procedure.

Dentists in Owensboro

If you have questions about replacing a tooth, Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry can help. Whether you need a crown, dentures, bridge, or implant, there are a variety of ways to make your mouth whole again. Contact us for additional information about the best options for you.

Can a Lisp Be Caused by Dental Problems?

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Many youngsters lisp, and whether you think it’s a lovely quality or something to be concerned about, you need to know what’s causing it. If your child is on the verge of starting pre-school, this dilemma might become much more complicated. So you’ve come to the right place to find out if a lisp can be caused by dental problems.

4 Types of Lisp

There are four basic types of lisp that occur when making an s or z sound:

  • Interdental/Frontal Lisp

This is when the tongue protrudes between the top and bottom front teeth.

  • Dentalized Lisp

This is when the tongue pushes against the back of the front teeth.

  • Lateral Lisp

This is where air flows around instead of over the tongue.

  • Palatal Lisp

This is where the tongue makes contact with the palate.

Note that both the interdental/frontal and dentalized lisps are very common in youngsters up to four years of age and sometimes up to seven years of age.

What Causes Lisps?

Sometimes kids naturally outgrow a lisp. But if a lisp persists, it is time to contact a dentist in Owensboro, KY to see if there are underlying causes. They may include:

  • Underbite
  • Overbite
  • Open bite
  • Tongue tie
  • Tongue thrust
  • Delayed muscular development in the tongue

Often, a simple dental exam will result in a firm diagnosis of the problem. If your child needs orthodontics in Beaver Dam, KY, Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry can help. Make sure you see your dentist right away so the issue can be resolved.

The fact of the matter is, a lisp can not only be caused by dental problems; dental and oral issues are the most common reasons behind a lisp. For more information and help with your child’s lisp, contact Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry in Owensboro, KY.

Options to Pay For Dental Care

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When you urgently need dental care in Owensboro, KY but don’t have the means to pay for it right now, there are a few options available to you. The following options are readily available to people of all ages and in all walks of life.

Care Credit

Care Credit is a special credit card that you can apply for when you have a dental or medical need that you’re unable to pay for at the time. The difference between Care Credit and a regular credit card is that you can only use Care Credit for dental and medical bills. In order to qualify, you must meet the minimum credit requirements. The amount of credit that you’re offered will depend upon your credit history. Note that the dentist has no relationship with Care Credit company and cannot influence the credit decision.

Increased Credit Limit

If you have a regular credit card but it’s maxed out or you just don’t have enough available credit on it to pay for your dental care, there’s an option. Most credit card companies are willing to consider increasing your credit limit for special circumstances, including for things like dental care. All you need to do is telephone your credit card company and speak to a representative. Explain to them what’s going on and ask them to increase your credit limit. If they agree, the credit limit increase is usually effective immediately.

Dental Insurance Rider

If you have dental care that you can’t pay for out-of-pocket, but you have regular health insurance, you may be able to get a dental insurance rider. Dental insurance companies such as Delta Dental associate themselves with all the major insurance companies. You can call a dental insurance company directly to ask about this, or talk with your employer’s human resources person to find out more.

Your dentist in Owensboro, KY can help if you need paperwork showing the estimated cost of dental care that you are planning to get. Please contact us if you need more information about that.

My Mercury Filling Fell Out: What Now?

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Mercury was used almost exclusively for decades in tooth fillings. Dental professionals now know how toxic mercury is and it is rarely—if ever—used in fillings. There are so many more effective and safer alternatives that it doesn’t make sense to use mercury. If you have an undamaged tooth filling with mercury, most experts agree that you shouldn’t do anything. It’s the mercury vapors that are dangerous, and those vapors are only released when the mercury is cracked or disturbed, such as when the mercury filling is removed. But what if your mercury filling falls out?

Contact Your Dentist Right Away

If your mercury filling has come out, contact your Owensboro, KY dentist right away. No matter what condition the filling is in, or the tooth, you’ll need immediate treatment.

Store the Filling

If you know where the mercury filling is, store it securely in a sealed plastic bag. Don’t finger it or lay it on any surface in your home. You don’t want to accidentally spread any toxicity from the mercury.

Care For Your Tooth

If your tooth is painful or sensitive after the loss of the filling, use your judgment for self-care until you can get into your Beaver Dam, KY dentist for tooth restoration. Consider taking an over-the-counter pain reliever in combination with an over-the-counter numbing agent. These types of numbing agents are very effective and can keep you comfortable until you’re able to see the dentist.

Avoid Chewing on the Tooth

In the meantime, avoid chewing on the tooth with the lost filling. You have no way of knowing how much mercury is still in the tooth cavity, whether vapors are being released or how food debris may further damage the tooth.

Above all, don’t panic. Once you visit your Beaver Dam, KY dentist, they will be able to assess the situation and offer a safe treatment.

Emergency Dental Supplies to Keep on Hand

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You can always rely on your Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY dentist to take care of you in emergency situations. But between the time you experience the emergency and the time it takes to get to the dentist, there are some things you can do it help yourself, too. Following are the essential emergency dental supplies you should always keep on hand.

Numbing Ointment

Tooth pain can be absolutely excruciating. For nearly instant relief, use a numbing ointment on the affected area. Many people use a cotton swab to apply it. Within a few seconds, it should start working and give you relief until you can get to the dentist.

Over-the-counter Pain Medication

It’s a good idea to keep acetaminophen and ibuprofen in the house to assist with the pain from a dental emergency. Follow label instructions and never take more than the recommended dose.

Gauze

In cases of bleeding—and a knocked-out tooth can result in a lot of blood loss—you’ll want to have sterile gauze on hand. You can fold the gauze over on itself to pack the area where the tooth came out. Apply dental pressure to control bleeding. Keep replacing with clean gauze as it gets soiled.

Dental Mirror

A dental mirror is a small mirror on an angled metal stick. This will allow you to see way back inside your mouth, much like a dentist can. A dental mirror may help you to assess what the problem is with a molar or an area of sensitive gum tissue so that you can explain it over the phone to your dentist.

When you have a dental emergency, contact your dentist right away. If you end up needing a tooth extraction in Beaver Dam, KY or something else, your dentist will be able to treat you accordingly.

Why Are My Teeth Shifting?

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There’s a common belief that adult teeth should not shift. But natural teeth shift slightly during the entire lifetime. If you’ve noticed gaps or changes in the way your teeth align, it’s likely that this is just a normal part of life. However, if you notice that the teeth shifting is more severe, that your bite alignment is changing, or that some teeth are also becoming loose, this is not something you should ignore.

Your Owensboro, KY Dentist Monitors Shifting of Teeth

Although your dentist in Owensboro, KY may not come right out and say it, each time you have a dentist visit, they are monitoring your teeth for shifting. Normal amounts of teeth shifting won’t be cause for treatment. But if your dentist sees extreme shifting going on, they will certainly bring it up and talk to you about potential problems.

Natural Reasons For Noticeable Teeth Shifting

Sometimes, even benign reasons can cause more noticeable shifting of teeth. These include:

  • Recent removal of orthodontics, when teeth are subtly moving into a more permanent position
  • Loss of tooth, where abutting teeth move closer together to fill in the gap
  • Wisdom teeth removal, where the natural teeth move ever so slightly apart to make use of the extra space

Problematic Reasons For Noticeable Teeth Shifting

There are other, more serious reasons why your teeth may be shifting, too. These include:

  • Advancing periodontal disease, where teeth and gums are succumbing to bacterial infection
  • Bone loss in the jaw, where the connection between the tooth root and the jaw is becoming tenuous due to bone degeneration
  • Teeth grinding, an unconscious movement that places excessive stress on teeth, gums and jaw

If you get routine preventative care in Owensboro, KY, you don’t have anything to worry about. Your dentist will ensure that your teeth and gums are as healthy as possible!

Why Is Follow-Up Dental Care So Important After a Tooth Extraction?

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There are several reasons your dentist in Owensboro, KY, may wish to see you after a tooth extraction. Initially, they may want to make sure you’re healing properly and not having issues with infection. You may also have stitches that need to be removed. More importantly, however, your dentist needs to discuss techniques to prevent bone loss.

Bone loss happens when you lose a tooth and put nothing in its place to fill the hole. Over time, the bone beneath the gum in this area will recede, leaving a large dip you can easily feel with your tongue. This dip worsens over time, and may cause a host of problems, including the following:

Gaps Between Teeth

As bone loss worsens, the teeth surrounding the empty space may shift and begin to spread out from one another. The result could leave you with an unsightly gap where you once had none. A tooth gap may not be a serious issue, but it does affect the appearance of your smile and possibly your self-esteem.

Open Bite

An open bite is more serious because it prevents your upper and lower teeth from coming together at the front of your mouth. It may be difficult to speak clearly with an open bite. It’s also more difficult to eat, bite, and chew. Your risk of choking is greater with an open bite, and something so simple as eating a sandwich may feel impossible.

Facial Deformity

Over time, if left untreated, dental bone loss can lead to facial deformity. The structure of your face may change, making you appear much older than your biological age. It’s important to follow up with your dentist after a tooth extraction if you wish to maintain a youthful appearance. In most instances, simple dental implant surgery is the solution.

For more information on dental implants in Ownensboro, KY, call Travis Wilson, D.M.D. today to schedule a consultation.

3 Myths About Visiting the Dentist 

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There are many common myths that people have about visiting the dentist. Most myths come from an unrealistic fear of the dentist. And most of those fears stem from avoiding the dentist, which only exaggerates imagined scenarios. The more you visit your dentist in Owensboro, the more you’ll see that these myths have no basis in reality. Following are some of the most common myths about dental visits.

1. Dentists Enjoy Using the Drill

Dental drills are only used when significant tooth decay is found and needs to be removed. The drill enables the dentist to “drill out” the decay and clean up the sides and edges so that a clean surface can be created in which to accept the filling material. Dentists don’t particularly enjoy drilling teeth, insomuch that it means there is bad decay happening. But a drill is a useful tool that helps the patient’s tooth from being completely destroyed from decay.

2. The Dentist is Going to Pull All My Teeth

A dentist’s main objective is to save natural teeth. There are more tools and technological advances available today than ever before. Your dentist in Owensboro would rather use those tools and techniques to save your natural teeth than to have to pull a tooth. And, in a worse case scenario when a tooth can’t be saved, a dentist will never pull a tooth without discussing it with the patient beforehand.

3. A Dental Visit is Only Needed for a Toothache or Damaged Tooth

This is a very harmful myth, because it keeps people from visiting the dentist as frequently as they should. In fact, you should have a dental exam at a minimum every six months. If you do this, dental work can be largely preventative, and you may never need extensive dental restoration work. However, when you only visit the dentist is dire circumstances, extensive work may be needed.

Don’t let false myths about dentists keep you from getting the dental services you need for optimal oral health. Visit us soon and see for yourself just how pleasant a dental visit can truly be.