Oral Health Questions Answered by a Dentist in Laurel

As a dentist in Laurel, we work with patients of all ages and our focus is always on keeping families in excellent oral health.  We want your teeth and gums to be healthy so that you can maintain a mouth full of natural teeth for as long as possible.  While we can replace missing teeth, your natural teeth provide additional stimulation to the jaw and help to preserve your bone structure.  Keeping your teeth intact is always the best option, so long as they are healthy.  For that reason, we recommend that you have your teeth cleaned at least once per year and preferably twice.  During these appointments, we will also discuss ways that you can keep your mouth healthy and will answer any additional questions that you may have.  In the meantime, here are answers to some questions that we are asked on a regular basis.

Can dry mouth hurt me?

Potentially.  Dry mouth is a common condition that many of our elderly patients suffer from. The biggest complaint people have is that their breath smells stale because of it. You can help to combat the condition by drinking more water.  However, since dry mouth means that you aren't producing enough saliva, your risk of getting cavities or gum disease also goes up.  That means that you need to visit a Dentist in Laurel more frequently to ensure that your teeth and gums are in good health.

Are red and white bumps a sign of anything?

We are always looking for signs of oral cancer.  This type of cancer is not frequently discussed in the conversation.  However, it kills one person every hour.  If you smoke or have the HPV virus your risk for getting it goes up significantly.  For these reasons, early detection is important, and red and white bumps are one common sign.  Rough patches and hard lumps are as well so pay attention to how your mouth looks and feels then call us if anything is out of the ordinary.

Why do most people get a toothache?

A toothache is most commonly caused by a simple cavity.  You should call our office at the first sign of discomfort so that we can remove the decayed portion of your tooth and use a filling to restore the tooth structure.  Another cause for a toothache is when the dental pulp in your tooth becomes infected.  This can be incredibly uncomfortable and lead to the need for a root canal.  In both scenarios, we can treat your tooth in short order and restore it so that you can eat like normal and feel comfortable again.

The area where I have a filling is starting to be uncomfortable, what should I do?

If you have gotten a filling in the past and it no longer feels secure, you should schedule a dental exam.  As a dentist in Laurel, we see a lot of patients that need to have a filling replaced because the tooth experienced additional decay.