Dentist in Sterling Heights MI Archives | Sterling Heights Dentist, Dr. Farhat of Dental 1 Care

What is a Dead Tooth?

September 19, 2018 by sterlingheightsdentalcare Leave a Comment

What is a Dead Tooth?

What is a dead tooth and what can you do about it?

A tooth is considered dead when there is no more blood flowing into its most vital parts: the nerves and blood vessels, connective tissue and nerves that make up its pulp.

A dead tooth won’t necessarily rest in peace. In some cases, it can haunt you – as it can cause the following issues:

Pain: The site can still harbor bacteria, causing pus buildup. This buildup, coupled with the remaining dead nerves, can place pressure on the periodontal membrane.
Infection: The situation above can lead to infection and inflammation. Left untreated, the bacterial infection can spread to nearby teeth. It can also penetrate deeper into the root and jawbone.
Abscess: Our friends at Laurich Dentistry said that the infection can turn into an abscess, causing swelling, immense pain, bad taste and bad odor in the mouth. Pimples on the gums and side of the mouth can also most likely occur.
Complications: Infection in the teeth, especially when left unattended, leads to other dental problems. Complications can affect not just the mouth but also other parts of the body.
Discoloration: The enamel of a dead tooth can darken, turning yellow, gray and eventually black over time.

What to do if a tooth dies

If you suspect your tooth is dying or dead, go to your dentist in Sterling Heights immediately. Pay the visit even if you are not experiencing pain. Immediate detection and treatment are important as these will protect the site from further infection.

Your dentist will check the site and may use an X-ray to further investigate its current state. Depending on the extent of the damage, your dentist may recommend either root canal or extraction.

Root canal therapy is often the first option as its objective is to save the tooth. The procedure will allow your dentist to remove all decaying and remaining pulp and clear all infection within and around the tooth.

After the tooth’s interior has been cleaned and disinfected, the site will be filled and sealed. To improve the tooth’s aesthetics, whitening treatment, crowns or veneers are usually recommended.

Meanwhile, if the entire tooth structure cannot be saved, then tooth extraction will be the only solution. The extracted tooth can be replaced with a fixed bridge, implant or denture.

Preventing the death of a tooth

The most common causes of tooth death are tooth decay and physical trauma.

To prevent tooth decay, establishing good dental habits is of utmost importance. Commit to lifelong dental care including practicing proper brushing and flossing, avoiding smoking, alcohol and too many sweets, and visiting your dentist regularly.

To prevent injuries in the mouth, the use of mouthguards when playing highly active sports is a must. If the trauma is a result of an accident or an unexpected incident, then make sure to call your trusted Sterling Heights dentist immediately to increase the chances of saving the tooth.

The Oral Health Benefits of Kissing

July 23, 2018 by dental1admin Leave a Comment

Explore the Health Benefits of Kissing

Great news for couples and, well… motivation for single people actively looking for their significant other: The oral health benefits of kissing extend way beyond the pleasure centers of the human brain.

What, exactly, does this mean? Kissing, like all other things you do, affects your overall health and well-being.

In fact, your Dentist in Sterling Heights, MI, is on hand to help you (and the rest of us mere mortals) understand and appreciate the fine art of kissing.

The Oral Health Benefits of Kissing

Of course, as already previously mentioned, kissing is a pleasurable way of expressing affection and love for your significant other. It’s a great way to bond with each other, and to start and end the day for married couples, and those who are seriously dating.

But did you know about the actual health (physical and emotional) benefits of kissing? If not, well, here they are:

It’s a light workout on its own. Though it may never take the place of your daily jog or Zumba workout, a passionate kiss can burn about 8-16 calories. Not too bad for a kiss, right?

It helps reduce hypertension. Dilated blood vessels mean lower blood pressure – and that’s exactly what kissing does. So if you are hypertensive, make sure you get your daily dose of it!

Kissing helps fight cavities.

Kissing activates saliva production in your mouth, thereby helping wash away plaque or clean up your teeth to a certain degree. However, be sure your partner doesn’t have dental issues since cavity-causing bacteria can also be transmitted through saliva. So, the next time you have the opportunity to kiss your partner, just tell them your Sterling Heights Dentist recommended it.

It also alleviates minor aches and pains. Do you have a headache or are you suffering from cramps? Kiss! Mainly due to its blood dilation effects, kissing can provide headache relief as well as make you (temporarily) forget about those pesky menstrual cramps!

Kissing tones the muscles in the facial area. Toning facial muscles means that kissing gives your face, neck and jaw the “exercise” they need to shape up and tone your face. That’s one beauty-related benefit right there… much like face yoga!

Kissing instantly makes you feel better. Remember that thing about kissing activating the pleasure center in the human brain? Well, kissing leads to the release of the so-called “happy hormones” – a heady cocktail made of oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine – essential for your happiness and helpful in strengthening your personal relationships. And yes, of course it follows that kissing relieves stress. Isn’t that great?

Kissing gives a healthy boost of confidence. A good kissing session can instantly make you look great and feel good about yourself. That is why they say married men who passionately kiss (or get a kiss from) their wives before heading to work actually earn more money – and there’s actually a study that proves this.

If you can think of a better way to improve your mood and fight cavities at the same time, we would love to hear about it! As always, we are here to support your dental health needs in Sterling Heights MI. Contact us for your next cleaning to keep your mouth kissing friendly!

How To Diagnose A Toothache

June 6, 2018 by dental1admin Leave a Comment

Are you currently suffering from a toothache?

Does it hurt in a certain spot every time you chew?

Dental 1 Care Owner, and Sterling Heights Dentist, Dr. Fadi Farhat gives us a simple guide to the common types of dental pain. Before you call a Dentist discover the cause of your toothache.

Keeping up with regular dental examinations is crucial to keeping your teeth and mouth strong and healthy. By maintaining a healthy daily dental routine, you will less likely suffer from a toothache.
A persistent toothache can be annoying, distracting, and debilitating. Calling your Sterling Heights Dentist and scheduling a dental exam is your first step if you are suffering from a toothache. Besides, only your dentists can help you. You may take pain medications to alleviate the pain, but this won’t fix the problem.

Self-Diagnosing Tooth Pain

Self-diagnosis is for short-term purposes only. This is often done to get some information about your condition until you get to your dentist. This means that you must not take any information you randomly find online.

Gathering as much information as you can through self-diagnosis can help you deal with your appointment with less anxiety and fear. Also, this will give you an idea of what to expect during your dental visit. Our Dental Blog has many of articles that cover common causes of tooth pain, as well as tips to overcome dental anxiety.

Types of Dental Pain

Knowing the different types of toothache will help you describe the pain to your dentist. Also, this will help you find temporary relief while you are waiting for your appointment.

Dull Nagging Toothache – This is the most common type of dental pain. Usually, it goes away after taking over-the-counter medications. This can be caused by tooth decay or nerve damage so you must immediately consult your dentist.

Intermittent Sharp Jabbing Tooth Pain – This toothache is less of a pain and more of an irregular stabbing or jabbing sensation with one or more teeth. Pain is often felt in response to a stimulus. This can be caused by an abscess, crack or cavity.

Extreme Throbbing Tooth Pain – If you are experiencing this kind of dental pain, you must ring the emergency number of your dentist and schedule an immediate appointment. This is important when you see your face is swollen since this means that you have developed an abscess or an infection.

Sharp Tooth Sensitivity – This type of toothache is felt only when your tooth is exposed to changes in temperature. Stabbing pain can be caused by an abscess, a cavity, rough brushing or gum recession.

Pain at the Back of Your Jaw – This type of toothache is usually an indication of an impacted wisdom tooth. It is crucial for you to have this examined because it can cause more pain later on when left untreated.

Tooth Pain Only When Eating – This is commonly caused by a dental fracture or tooth decay. You need to schedule a dental appointment as soon as you can. Pain can be relieved by taking some painkillers.

How to Handle to a Toothache

Knowing how to diagnose your toothache will help you respond properly. When your toothache is intermittent, you might not need an immediate dental examination. Still, a dentist in Sterling Heights, MI emphasizes that you need to schedule a dental appointment in the future. On the other hand, if you have an intense and persistent pain, you must be examined by your dentist right away.

Should I Get Dental Implants?

May 16, 2018 by sterlingheightsdentalcare Leave a Comment

When you lose a tooth, the remaining teeth will move into space where your lost tooth previously was. This can create a host of problems.

This is why it is crucial for you to find the right tooth replacement option. One such option you might want to seriously consider would be dental implants. You’re probably wondering “Should I get dental implants?” or “Are dental implants worth it?”

Anatomy of dental implants

In order to better answer that question, it is worthwhile to have some understanding of what implants are.

An implant is comprised of three main parts: the post, abutment, and the tooth restoration.

The implant looks and functions like a screw. It is usually made of titanium and is implanted beneath the jawbone.

Once the implant is installed by Dr. Farhat, the abutment is then installed. This will be followed by the installation of the tooth restoration.

Advantages of dental implants

One of the key advantages of dental implants over other tooth replacement options is that these can help prevent the deterioration of your jawbone.

Dental implants help ensure that your jawbone is stimulated despite the lack of a tooth root. In turn, keeping your jawbone healthy can prevent your face from looking sunken and your lips from looking too thin.

Dental implants can also prevent some of the problems associated with wearing dentures. These include mouth sores, poor fit, and dietary restrictions.

Finally, dental implants have been around and have been modernized with the advent of new technologies.

Today, dentists like Dr. Farhat can show their patients the outcome they can expect from the procedure. But apart from that, regarding longevity and overall value, implants are considered by many experts as superior over other tooth replacement options.

Should I get dental implants?

Wel, if there is one major caveat that you should know about dental implants, it is the fact that it may not be suitable for everyone.

In order to be considered an ideal candidate for dental implants, your Sterling Heights dentist will need to take a few crucial factors into consideration.

First, you should have healthy gums. That means that if you have gum disease, you might need to consider other tooth replacement options.

Patients who want to get dental implants should also possess good bone density. Remember, the implants will be anchored to the jawbone.

The whole process of installing dental implants can take several months or even up to a year. If you do not have the patience to go through such a long process, then dental implants may not be for you.

Finally, there are some patients that are ruled out from getting implants due to their conditions. These include smokers and people who are suffering from diseases that affect their bodies’ ability to heal.