Dental Sealants vs. Cavities

Posted February 5, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

Protecting your children’s teeth from trouble, like cavities, is similar to protecting your own teeth. Brushing and flossing them every day helps remove the bacteria responsible for cavities, and attending a checkup every six months (at least) ensures that your smile stays healthy. Like your teeth, Dr. Stewart can tell when your children’s teeth are especially in danger, and has the tools necessary to strengthen them against cavities that could irreversibly damage them.

Look Out for Cavities

A cavity, another name for tooth decay, is an infection that slowly eats away at your tooth’s main structure, called dentin. To reach dentin, bacteria have to bypass the enamel that surrounds and protects it. When you eat, some microbes convert the sugar in your food or beverage into acid that attacks enamel. Frequent snacking and infrequent hygiene create ideal conditions for bacterial acid to compromise enamel, eroding it until holes develop that allow bacteria through. Not long afterwards, a cavity will develop from the infection if it isn’t treated quickly.

What is a Sealant?

Dental sealants are exactly what they sound like; they’re small plastic seals that are spread over the chewing surfaces of teeth, usually molars, to protect them from bacteria and acid. The resin is applied in liquid form so that it molds into the grooves between the tooth’s cusps. Once hardened, the plastic sealant can withstand the normal pressures of biting, chewing, and brushing teeth.

Other Ways to Fight Cavities

Good hygiene and protective measures, like dental sealants and fluoride applications, go a long way to prevent the formation of cavities, but they aren’t a guarantee that tooth decay won’t develop. If Dr. Stewart notices a cavity during your child’s checkup, then he’ll consult with you and your child to determine the best method for treating it. If it’s a primary tooth (or baby tooth), then the cavity may compromise the permanent tooth underneath if not treated.

About Your Livonia Children’s Dentist:

As a highly experienced children’s dentist, Dr. Stewart has helped many young patients prepare for a lifetime of healthy, beautiful smiles. James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

What’s Different About Children’s Dentistry?

Posted February 4, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

Have you ever wondered why there’s sometimes a distinction between general dentistry and children’s dentistry? After all, aren’t all teeth made from the same material and susceptible to the same things? They are, but as children’s teeth and jaws change to form their permanent smiles, certain considerations can affect their proper growth. As a dedicated general and children’s dentist, Dr. James Stewart is well-versed in issues associated with children’s dental health, and how treating such issues can influence the future of their smiles. (more…)

Sleep Well, Protect Your Heart

Posted January 30, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

February is American Heart Month, when more-than-usual attention is drawn to the brevity and prevalence of cardiovascular issues, and the lifestyle choices that affect your risks for heart disease. The many issues that influence your heart health include your diet and level of exercise, but also your quality of sleep, which might be drastically affected if you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffer from sleep apnea. (more…)

The Inverse Relationship Between Snoring & Sleep

Posted January 29, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

In mathematics, an inverse relationship describes a situation where one variable increase as the other decreases. Snoring and sleep share a similar relationship; the more you snore, the less likely you and your partner will sleep soundly through the night. The sound can keep your partner awake, and snoring may indicate a disorder that deprives you of restful sleep, as well. Snoring results from an airway obstruction that makes breathing difficult. True to the relationship, extreme snoring can deprive you of sleep altogether, a condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. (more…)

Why Dental Implants Could Be Your Smile’s Best Friend

Posted January 28, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

Your teeth rely on each other in a number of ways, and when you lose one, replacing it should be your top priority. Much of modern dentistry revolves around how your teeth relate the rest of your oral/maxillofacial structures, and devising optimal ways to replace the permanent teeth you’ve lost. With the advent of dental implants, your Livonia dentist, Dr. James Stewart, can help restore more of your lost teeth’s functions than was previously possible. The prosthetic root devices are surgically inserted into your jawbone where your missing teeth once rested. After your jawbone fuses to the implant and heals, Dr. Stewart can complete the restoration with a lifelike dental crown (or other prosthesis, depending on how many teeth you’ve lost). (more…)

Want Stronger Teeth? Drink Milk

Posted January 23, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

Brushing and flossing your teeth every day helps keep them clean, but strength is also a deciding factor in your teeth’s longevity. Your teeth are continuously subjected to incredible amounts of bite pressure, and are constantly under attack by harmful, infectious oral bacteria. While some foods exacerbate the attacks against your teeth, others are highly beneficial to your oral health and help strengthen your teeth’s protection against the forces that threaten them. Milk and other dairy products, which contain ample amounts of tooth enamel-building calcium, can help keep your teeth strong by supplying them with essential minerals. (more…)

For the Jaw That Doesn’t Fit Quite Right

Posted January 22, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

Your bite’s balance can be a tricky thing to gauge. As the most visually dominant part of your smile, teeth are typically noticeable when they’re crooked, and can be detected and treated before the imbalance damages any of your mouth’s components. If your jaw’s joints are damaged or crooked, however, you might not notice by simply looking at yourself in the mirror. Since your jaw’s two joints move simultaneously, balance is especially important to those joints and the muscles that surround them. (more…)

From Whispers to Screams—The Language of Toothaches

Posted January 21, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

Your body speaks to you. Stub your toe on a table leg or bedpost, and your nerves will scream at you to stop walking. Eat too much, or too quickly, and your stomach will warn you to be more careful next time. Likewise, your teeth may have something interesting to tell you from time to time, although you may have to listen closely at first. Although you can walk off the pain of a stubbed toe and outlast the discomfort of an upset stomach, ignoring your teeth’s messages won’t make them go away. In fact, they’ll only grow louder, shouting for help until you treat them, or until they’re lost forever. (more…)

Dental Hygiene Essentials

Posted January 16, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

It’s called a medicine cabinet, but you probably keep more than just pills in the small compartment above your bathroom sink. Depending on whose cabinet you look into, you might find hairbrushes and salon products, deodorant, contact lens cases and cleaners, and hopefully, all the tools you need to keep your teeth, gums, and breath fresh and healthy. While dental care differs from patient to patient, the tenets of good dental hygiene remain the same for everyone, and when you’re at your sink, you should always have access to your dental hygiene essentials.

Dental Health Staples

A Toothbrush That Suits You

No toothbrush is created equal, and while manual brushes typically hold their own against their mechanical counterparts, some patients might benefit more from a brush that does most of the work for them. If you have arthritis, an injury, or another medical condition that makes daily brushing difficult, then a mechanical brush can help you effectively remove bacteria, plaque, and food debris from your teeth without straining yourself.

A Toothpaste That Helps You

While toothpaste’s main purpose is to clean your teeth, some brands contain ingredients that help strengthen them, as well. Fluoride is a popular toothpaste and mouthrinse additive because the mineral bonds to and strengthens the surface of your tooth enamel—the highly-mineralized layer that surrounds and protects your teeth from bacteria.

A Dental Floss That Works for You

The concept of floss seems simple; use a thin string of material to work plaque and food deposits out from between your teeth. Some floss is made from silk or Teflon to pass easily between teeth, but might not grab the particles from between your teeth as you lift it out. Dr. Stewart can recommend an effective floss to add to your medicine cabinet to help ensure you make the most of your flossing routine.

A Mouthrinse That Empowers You

Like toothpaste and floss, mouthrinse comes in a variety of forms, with a variety of ingredients that provide a variety of benefits depending on your specific needs. Cosmetic mouthrinse is bought over-the-counter, and helps freshen your breath and rinse away hard-to-reach particles after brushing and flossing your teeth. If your dental health can use some help, Dr. Stewart might suggest a specific, therapeutic mouthrinse, such as antibacterial rinse that targets harmful oral bacteria.

About Your Livonia Dentist:

Our philosophy is that excellent dental begins with developing a relationship with the patient. James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

FAQs About Modern Dental Bridges

Posted January 15, 2014 by Dr. Stewart

A dental bridge is a permanent dental prosthetic that replaces a lost tooth, or a few adjacent lost teeth. As a restorative treatment, a dental bridge can help you regain the ability to bite and chew properly. With a mouth full of teeth, you can also smile confidently again. Deciding if a dental bridge is right for you depends on a number of factors, including how many teeth you’ve lost, the current state of your dental health, Dr. Stewart’s recommendations, and your own personal preferences. (more…)