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Here is some surprising yet worthwhile advice you might be hearing for the first time: Brushing after a meal can be incredibly bad for your teeth if you do it after eating certain foods.

Enamel is an extremely hard mineral on the exterior of each of your teeth. It’s actually the hardest substance in the human body: It’s even stronger than your bones! Its only weakness is that acids in the food we eat can easily destroy enamel.

Healthy teeth thrive in an environment that has the proper pH balance. That ensures your mouth doesn’t start the process of demineralization. That’s what happens when alkaline turns into acid, which attacks and softens the enamel on the surface of your teeth. Pores and fissures form, and that’s when the harmful bacteria go to work.

Our mouth’s pH level fluctuates depending on what we eat throughout the day. Examples of the most common highly acidic foods include citrus fruits, soda, and sugary foods. Highly acidic foods tip the balance of pH in your mouth from a healthy alkaline to a dangerous acid.

Can brushing your teeth immediately after a meal lead to even more damage? The answer is yes!

Eating highly acidic foods causes your teeth to be more susceptible. If you brush your teeth when they have been weakened by acids, even more destruction can happen to your enamel. Your toothbrush’s bristles will actually wear away some of your enamel. So it’s healthier to wait at least an hour after eating or snacking to brush.

Good preventive measures to take instead of brushing after you eat include:

• Rinsing or drinking water
• Chewing sugarless gum
• Consuming dairy or non-acidic foods to conclude your meal

These practices help produce saliva, which in turn restores a healthy pH level in your mouth and coats the teeth with minerals they need.

Once you’ve allowed time for your mouth to be restored to a healthy pH level, you may brush your teeth as you normally would. Keep in mind that acidic foods can weaken the enamel on your teeth and take the right measures to prevent spiking pH levels.

Most important, don’t forget to wait to brush at least one hour after you eat!

Still have questions? Call our Valdosta office and schedule an appointment with Dr. Ron Shiver.

If Dr. Ron Shiver and our team recommend an “apicoectomy” to save your tooth, you probably have a few questions about the procedure. Here are some of the basics you might discuss when you visit our Valdosta office:

• What is an apicoectomy?

The tip of a root is also called its “apex.” An apicoectomy means the removal (“ectomy”) of the apex (“apico”) of the tooth. This is a surgical procedure performed by a specialist in the treatment of the inner tooth.

• Who performs apicoectomies?

Your endodontist is a specialist in tooth-saving surgical procedures. Endodontists like Dr. Ron Shiver diagnose and treat problems of the inner tooth and its surrounding tissue. They have two or more additional years of study in the field of endodontics, and have the experience, knowledge, skill, and specialized equipment needed to perform delicate endodontic surgeries.

• Why choose this procedure?

Usually, a root canal is all that you need to treat any damage or infection in your inner tooth. But when inflammation or infection returns at the tip of the root, or in the bone surrounding the tip, or a tooth can’t be treated with a conventional root canal, Dr. Ron Shiver may recommend an apicoectomy both to save your natural tooth and to prevent further infection or damage to the surrounding bone and teeth.

• How does the procedure work?

Often local anesthesia is all that is needed. (But if you have concerns, talk to us about your anesthesia and sedation options. We will have suggestions for you.) After the area is numb, an incision is made in the gum tissue to allow access to the root and any affected bone tissue.

Dr. Ron Shiver will carefully remove a few millimeters from the tip of the tooth as well as any infected tissue from the area. Because the tip of the tooth is small, and cracks or extra canals in a root are often difficult to discover even with an X-ray, we might make use of microscopic technology to be sure there are no additional canals or large cracks or breaks in the root. Using specialized instruments, the end of the tooth will be cleaned and sealed.

Stitches or sutures will be used to close the incision, and will either dissolve on their own or might need to be removed on a follow-up visit. We will let you know just how to take care of the site after surgery.

In general, any pain or sensitivity after the procedure can be treated with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain relief such as ibuprofen. Follow post-op instructions carefully to reduce any swelling, and be sure to follow any dietary suggestions and restrictions. If pain or swelling are a problem, or if you have any other concerns, call our Valdosta office.

Apicoectomies are a common procedure used by endodontists to save a compromised tooth.  If you have recurring or new pain or infection after a root canal, if you have an undetected extra canal, if there is a crown and post in place that would make it impractical to reach the root or pulp chamber area with conventional treatment, and if you want to preserve your natural tooth, an apicoectomy is an option well worth discussing.

What will my endodontic treatment include?

If you are in need of a root canal or any other type of root procedure, you have probably been referred to Dr. Ron Shiver. An endodontist is a dental professional who specializes in root canals. Because of the additional training they receive after completing dental school, endodontists are able to perform many different root therapy procedures. They are also prepared to do more precise work than your regular dentist. If you have been referred to Dr. Ron Shiver for endodontic treatment, you may likely expect the following:

• Anesthesia: Your endodontist will ensure your comfort during the procedure by providing either local or general anesthesia.
• Removal of the infected area: After your tooth is numbed, the endodontist will drill into it and remove the infected pulp.
• Cleaning the tooth: Once the inflamed area has been removed, your endodontist will carefully clean the inside of the tooth and shape it for the next step.
• Filling the tooth: After the tooth has been cleaned and prepped, the endodontist will fill it with a protective material and seal it to prevent further infection.

After a period of recovery time, you will return to your dentist to receive a crown or other protective element to restore your tooth to its original function.

What can I expect after the treatment?

While most patients come to endodontic treatment in considerable pain, many of them experience very little of that pain during or after a root canal. After the anesthesia wears off, your tooth may be a little bit sensitive for a few days, but the discomfort should be minimal compared to the pain you experienced when your tooth was infected. To relieve this pain, you may use over-the-counter pain relievers, or request a prescription in more severe cases.

Does my treated tooth need any special care?

After your endodontic treatment here at Ron L. Shiver DMD Family & Restorative Dentistry, your tooth will be somewhat vulnerable until you receive a crown or other restoration treatment from your dentist. To avoid any cracks or fractures in your treated tooth, try not to chew or bite on it until it has been restored to full capacity. If it hurts while you are eating, that is a strong indication that you should be more careful about where you chew your food. In addition, you should avoid chewing gum until your tooth is back to normal. Staying away from any unnecessary chewing can help prevent further damage to your treated tooth. Other than that, just remember to practice good oral hygiene and your tooth should be just fine! Recovering from your endodontic treatment can be easy and relatively painless if you follow these simple guidelines. Of course, if you have any further questions about your endodontic treatment you can always contact us at our Valdosta office!

Scientists have discovered tooth decay in specimens that are more than 15,000 years old. The ancients once thought that cavities were caused by something called “tooth worms” … Eew! They didn’t exist, of course, but how else could humans explain the holes that cavities make in teeth?

The appearance of cavities on a widespread basis is often traced to the rise of farming. The new diet filled with grains and carbs made our mouths a haven for cavity-causing bacteria. As we added more sugar to our diets, our teeth got worse.

The “tooth worm” idea didn’t completely disappear until the 1700s when scientists finally began to understand the process of dental caries. Once that part of the puzzle was solved, they began focusing on filling existing cavities and preventing new ones.

Dental Fillings Come of Age

Many different materials, including beeswax, cork, aluminum, tin, and even asbestos, have been used to fill the holes caused by dental decay. Sometime in the mid-1800s, however, dentists began to use metal fillings such as gold, platinum, silver and lead amalgams.

The amalgam we use today is mixed from liquid mercury, silver, tin, copper, zinc, and other metals, but some patients still like the look of a gold filling. Newer options include composite-resin fillings, which are made from a tooth-colored mixture of plastic resin and finely ground glass-like or quartz particles that form a durable and discreet filling. Porcelain or ceramic fillings are natural in color, but more resistant to staining.

Dr. Ron Shiver can help decide which filling is best for you, based on cost as well as your dental and lifestyle needs. You may not have “tooth worms,” but if you have cavities, contact our Valdosta office so we can take the proper action to protect the health of your mouth.