For the Jaw That Doesn’t Fit Quite Right

jaw pain reliefYour 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

stethoscope and toothYour 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

young woman brushing teeth at the sinkIt’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

dental bridge and prostheticA 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…)

Time to Come Clean About Root Canal Therapy

surprised beautiful girlTruth be told, the fear of root canal treatment, or RCT, can be a good thing. If you dread hearing that you need one, then you might strive harder to keep your teeth clean and infection-free. Unfortunately, misconceptions about root canal treatment typically have the opposite effect. Rather than motivating patients towards better hygiene, their apprehension often causes them to neglect the only treatment that can save their severely infected teeth. (more…)

Signs That Something Isn’t Right

red warning exclamationA lot of patients are genuinely surprised when told that their dental health is in serious trouble. You might suspect something’s wrong if your tooth hurts, but perhaps didn’t expect to learn that the tooth is so infected, it may be lost if not treated promptly. Such surprises are unfortunate for a number of reasons, the first being that most dental issues are preventable with a good hygiene routine. Another reason is because dental troubles typically offer a variety of warnings as they develop and progress, only becoming dire when neglected long enough to mature. Instead of waiting to visit your Livonia dentist until your mouth is in obvious trouble, you can look for the less-conspicuous warnings that might tell you something is wrong. (more…)

Got a Dental Emergency? Don’t Panic

dental health iconThough ignorance may be bliss in some instances, that certainly isn’t the occasion when it comes to your dental health. Knowing how to care for your teeth is important to…well, caring for your teeth, and knowing what to do in the face of a dental emergency can mean the difference between saving a tooth and having to replace it. Merging modern technology and dentistry with an impressive array of experience, Livonia dentist , Dr. Stewart, can help you get through most dental emergencies calmly, and with an improved chance of preserving your healthy smile. To further improve your odds, he also offers a few tips for effectively handling common emergency situations. (more…)

Reintroducing the Dental Crown

tooth character waving hiWith the number of issues that can affect the health and appearance of your teeth, dental crowns are an invaluable restoration for many patients with afflicted smiles. As one of the oldest forms of restorative dentistry, a dental crown is a lifelike replica of a tooth’s top portion, or crown, and can be placed over the tooth to conceal its blemishes and improve its function. Livonia dentist , Dr. James Stewart, often utilizes dental crowns for a wide variety of purposes, from cosmetic improvements to saving damaged teeth from destruction or the need for extraction. (more…)

Don’t Gamble with Gum Disease (Hint: You’ll Lose)

hand rolling the diceLife is full of chances, and unfortunately, your oral and overall health is included. For instance, gum disease is largely controllable with good hygiene, but even if you carefully brush and floss your teeth every day, you face the chance of missing a spot or two of dental plaque. Given time, plaque may have the chance to harden into tartar, which is too strong for your toothbrush and can protect the germs in your mouth while they go about their destructive work. As your Livonia dentist explains, you can avoid gambling with gum disease and other destructive dental diseases by not giving them a fair chance to develop.   (more…)

The Gift of a Good Night’s Sleep

couple sleeping peacefullyMany people don’t realize how precious sleep is until they’re deprived of it. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder that affects approximately 18 million Americans, can deprive you of quality sleep even while you remain unconscious and unaware of your condition. As a Livonia dentist with years of experience in obstructive sleep apnea medicine, Dr. James Stewart has helped many patients of all ages find the rest that their minds and bodies need through effective OSA treatment. (more…)