Tooth Sensitivity ‐ Part 3

Dental Sensitivity can be caused by many factors, including these ten examples:

1. Over‐brushing or aggressive brushing: If you brush too forcefully, with a side‐to side technique or with too hard a brush, the enamel may be thinned and the area around the gum‐line is most often affected. If you previously were flexing your muscles while brushing, save that for the gym or beach! Effective brushing is more of a gentle cleansing massage in small circular motions rather than a forceful scrubbing approach. Dr. Landry personally uses and recommends an electric toothbrush with soft bristles, like Sonicare.

2. Abrasive toothpaste: Even more than a hard or medium bristle toothbrush, studies show an abrasive toothpaste can increase abrasion wear on the teeth and cause sensitivity. “Whitening toothpastes” are the most abrasive. Instead, Dr. Landry recommends patients with tooth wear or sensitivity to use an ADA-approved “Sensitivity toothpaste” since these are the most non-abrasive, gentle type available.

3. Periodontal Disease and Gingival Recession: Periodontal disease causes a reduction in the bone height. The gum tissue follows the reduced bone and shrinks back, exposing the sensitive root surface which is not protected by enamel.

4. Poor oral hygiene: This can lead to cavities and/or plaque and tartar build‐up, resulting in gum disease and recession.

5. Clenching and grinding your teeth: This can cause tooth sensitivity due to the constant force being exerted on your teeth. Regularly grinding your teeth can also wear down the enamel on your teeth and expose your dentin.

6. Medical conditions: Bulimia and acid reflux (GERD), for instance, can cause acid to collect in the mouth and erode enamel, resulting in sensitive teeth. If certain medical conditions are uncontrolled and combined with the bruxism grinding habit, enamel and dentin erosion can quickly become severe.

7. Medications: Certain medications, such as asthma inhalers, can cause high acidity levels to occur in the mouth and result in tooth surface erosion.

8. Acidic food: Food with high acid content, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, pickles and tea, can cause enamel erosion with regular consumption.

9. Teeth whitening: Sensitivity is one of the possible side effects of whitening. Proactive preventative steps can be taken prior to whitening to minimize or eliminate sensitivity. However, if someone does experience short-term sensitivity from whitening, this will clear up soon after the whitening has ended.

10. Bad habits: Using your teeth as tools or biting down on objects (i.e., pencils) can wear down your tooth enamel and cause your dentin to be exposed.

To schedule a visit in Seville, OH to discuss your sensitive teeth or other dental concerns, we welcome you to call our office today at (330) 769-4470! For more helpful dental advice, please like us at Joseph G. Landry II, DDS, FAGD on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Tooth Sensitivity ‐ Part 2 ‐ Common Causes

This week we take a look at many of the common causes of tooth sensitivity.

1. Trauma – If your tooth has been injured or damage it may become sensitive to even slight pressure. Oftentimes an injury will cause your tooth to "bruise" or crack and cause you to have pain or tenderness when chewing or biting. There are times when getting your teeth cleaned can cause your teeth to be sensitive due to these things as well. Usually a toothpaste designed to treat sensitivity will reverse this sensitivity.

2. Uneven Bite – If you have a bite where your teeth are not aligned and meet too soon or with too much force it can cause you to have pain or sensitivity. An uneven bite can be caused by habits like thumb-sucking, loss of jaw bone, or a tooth being extracted. An adjustment to your bit will usually reverse this source of tooth sensitivity.


3. Dental Decay – Sensitivity to hot or cold, sweets, or acidic food can develop in a tooth if decayed because bacteria have access to the nerve of the tooth. Removal of the decay and a filling is required to solve this issue. If the decay is not addressed quickly, the tooth nerve may be irreversibly damaged from the bacterial presence and either a root canal therapy or extraction of the tooth may be needed.

4. Dental Infection ‐ Extreme sensitivity can occur if there is infection in the tooth. Treatment is needed to clear up the infection or it can not only lead to extreme pain, but serious health issues.

5. Dentinal Sensitivity – The most common cause of tooth sensitivity is exposed dentin. Dentin (the inner layer of your tooth) becomes exposed when your enamel has become too worn down. Maintaining a healthy layer of enamel will protect you from this cause of tooth sensitivity.

Teeth can become sensitive for various reasons, including trauma, tooth wear or dental disease. The first step in treating a sensitive tooth or teeth is to determine the cause. If you have sensitivity, we will be happy to help you find solutions at Landry Family Dentistry in Seville, OH! Please feel free to contact us to make an appointment if you are dealing with Tooth Sensitivity or any other dental care issues.  Stay tuned to our next blog, where we will continue to rev
iew some of the many factors that cause Dentinal Sensitivity.

Tooth Sensitivity ‐ Part 1

It is approximated that nearly 50% of all adults in the United States suffer, to some degree, from tooth sensitivity. This suffering is serious for some and just beginning for others, but should be checked on regardless. The reason you should have this checked on is that tooth sensitivity can be a sign of a more serious dental condition like intense grinding of your teeth, loss of enamel due to acid, trauma, and more. There is a wide range of treatment for tooth sensitivity that Dr. Landry can take advantage of to treat your condition. Regardless of how severe or long-lasting, you should take tooth sensitivity as a sign to visit Dr. Landry.

You may experience tooth sensitivity when:

- Eating something hot or cold
- Eating something sweet or sour
- Pressure on your teeth
- When biting down on something hard or chewy

The Landry Family Dentistry Team in Seville, Ohio, truly enjoys helping our patients from Medina, Summit, and Wayne Counties reduce and eliminate tooth sensitivity, as well as solving other smile concerns. Please call (330) 769-4470 if we can help you as well! Stay tuned for our next blog, where we will review some of the common causes of tooth sensitivity.

Root Canal

Why Dentists Do Root Canals

Root canals get a bad reputation, but their criticism is typically not warranted. Nowadays, root canals can be as comfortable as getting a tooth filled. If your dentist recommends a root canal, otherwise known as endodontics, it is for a good reason: to save your tooth. If you would benefit from a root canal, it is either because you are experiencing pain in the first place, the x-ray of the tooth shows it is infected with an abscess, or trauma to the tooth has occurred. A root canal will make things better in the long run. Ohio dentist Dr. Joseph G. Landry II can save your infected tooth with a root canal. 

A Closer Look at Tooth Pulp

If you are experiencing severe tooth pain, it's likely because the pulp is infected. The pulp is found in the center of the tooth. It contains tissues and blood vessels that provide nourishment for the tooth. When the pulp is damaged from a large cavity, bacteria spread and cause an infection. Dr. Landry likes to describe the process of a root canal to patients by asking them to imagine a tooth like a writing pen, with the outside of the pen representing the tooth root and the ink cartridge inside like the pulp with the nerve and blood vessels. A root canal therapy is like when an empty ink cartridge (the dying or dead nerve) is removed and replaced with a new ink cartridge (the sterile, sealed material that is placed after the canal is disinfected). 

Why is a Root Canal Needed?

If you develop an infection, a root canal is needed to clean out the infection and should be done as soon as possible. Otherwise, you can develop the following issues:

• Inflammation that spreads outside of the mouth and throughout various parts of the body, including the neck, face or head.
• Drainage issues. The infection may create a hole, called a fistula, and the draining pus could seep into your cheeks, gums, and throat.
• Bone loss, which could lead to the extraction of the tooth

Save Your Infected Tooth with a Root Canal

Dr. Joseph G. Landry II is an Ohio dentist who is trained to comfortably perform root canal treatment in order to remove bacteria from an infected tooth, utilizing rotary endodontic instruments and state-of-the-art technology and materials. Conveniently located in Seville, Ohio at Exit 2 off Highway 76/224, Dr. Landry serves patients of all ages from Medina, Wadsworth, Westfield Center, Lodi, Creston, and other surrounding areas of Medina, Summit, and Wayne Counties. If you've suffered tooth pain for too long, get relief by calling (330) 769-4470.

www.dentistsevilleoh.com

The Importance of Deep Cleanings

Everyone puts great importance into keeping up with their oral hygiene, but many of our patients in Seville, Medina, Wadsworth, Westfield Center and Lodi are not aware of what lies beneath the gum line. Although teeth appear small, they are actually much larger than people realize. When periodontal disease begins, regular cleanings are not enough to fully restore your teeth and gums to a healthy state. When your gums develop inflammation from gum disease, deep cleanings are necessary and important.

As a dental professional my patients often ask me what a deep cleaning consists of. A deep cleaning is made up of two parts: scaling and root planing. Scaling is the process or removing tartar and bacteria that may be trapped beneath the gum line in your roots and pockets of your gum tissue. Next, planing smoothes your roots and eliminate the areas where bacteria thrives in your mouth. This two step process will aid your gums in healing and let your gum pockets shrink back closer to normal size. Dr. Landry can also use medications to further your healing process.

Like diabetes and hypertension, periodontitis can never be healed. Once you have it, you have it. This is why having oral wellness visits with Dr. Landry and maintain good oral health habits at home is so important.

Periodontitis is an extremely quiet disease, meaning it does not show many symptoms or sings. Periodontitis can lead to many health issues, deteriorate your gum, roots, and bone, lead to an increased build up of bacteria and tartar, and eventually cause issues like tooth loss. For these reasons it is important to have your gums checked at your oral wellness visits. Once you have contracted periodontitis it is important to have it treated on a regular basis in order to limit the damage that it causes.


For additional information on this topic, visit Oral-B’s website. If you would like to schedule an appointment to visit Dr. Landry and have your gums check please contact us at our office in Seville, OH.

Junk Food and Your Oral Health

Your oral health is more connected to your overall health than many may think. At the office of Joseph G. Landry II. DDS it’s very important to us that we help our patients in Seville, Medina, and Wadsworth live healthy lives. While a little junk food is fine as an occasional treat, too much of these foods can cause problems to your oral health which can ultimately impact your entire body.

Ingesting too much sugar can not only cause cavities, but also increases your risk for gum disease. Gum disease can both weaken your bone structure and cause an inflammatory response that may raise your risk of heart disease and other inflammatory conditions.

Excess sugar (sometimes in the form of corn syrup) is everywhere these days; in all kinds of junk foods, candies and soft drinks. And even the sugar-free diet soft drinks still contain high acid levels that can harm your teeth. The best way to stay healthy is to limit how much of these foods you eat.

To learn more about promoting good oral health, visit the American Dental Association at: http://www.ada.org, and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Brushing Your Tongue Is Important

Good dental hygiene is important, and that's why brushing the tongue is just as important as brushing the teeth. Like dental cavities, bacteria in the mouth can cause gum disease, gingivitis, tooth decay and bad breath.

A toothbrush is the best tool to clean 

your tongue and prevent bad breath.

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, can have a negative impact on your daily lifestyle and routine. A clean tongue can prevent halitosis and other foul odors in the mouth.

The best tool to use in order to clean your teeth is a toothbrush. This is because your toothbrush has the ability to break up bacteria on your tongue and prevent stinky breath. Brushing your tongue will also remove bacterias and acid out of your mouth and reduce your chances of contracting other health disorders like cavities and periodontitis.

Effective Tongue-Brushing Skills:

1. Brush the tongue regularly.
2. When brushing the teeth, use short back-and-forth strokes to gently brush the inside and outside of each tooth, as well as the chewing surface of each tooth.
3. Rinse thoroughly and use mouthwash if desired.

At Dr. Joseph G. Landry's dental office in Seville, Ohio, we recommend brushing your tongue every time you brush your teeth, preventing odor-causing bacteria from lingering on your tongue. Dr. Landry also recommends flossing to prevent halitosis.