Gingivitis or gum disease. If plaque accumulates at the gumline over time it can irritate and inflame your gums. In early stages, this can be corrected by seeing your hygienist twice a year and practice proper brushing and flossing techniques. In more severe cases, the hygienist will do a more in depth cleaning and recommend a different maintenance schedule to keep your gums healthy such as everything three month cleanings rather than six.

Not always! Cavities generally do not cause pain until they are very deep. Usually by the time a cavity causes pain, the tooth requires more intervention than just a filling. That’s why you want to make sure you are seeing your dentist twice a year to catch cavities in their early stages.

Usually you want about three to four days to take it easy before going back to work or school.

Minor bleeding and oozing for the next 12-24 hours is normal. If your mouth is filling with blood that is an emergency and you should contact your dentist.

Fluoride is a chemical that coats and integrates into the enamel surface of your teeth and helps protect them from exposure to acids. Fun fact acids are in almost everything we eat.

A root canal is procedure that is performed when the vital structures in a tooth become irreparably inflamed or when the vital structures of a tooth die off and result in an infection. The hollow canal inside a tooth is irrigated with different solutions to kill bacteria and then packed with a biocompatible material to keep bacteria from moving through the tooth and creating infections or abscesses in the jaw.

Soreness after an extraction is to be expected, however if you start having severe pain and aching 2-3 days after your tooth is extracted accompanied with a foul taste or smell that is typically a dry socket. Your dentist can place a soothing medication and cover the exposed socket which will allleviate the pain and help with healing