If you’re looking for a Rigby dentist who uses up-to-date technology and has the best interests of his patients in mind, come into Cedar Creek Dental today.
Dr. Quinn Mikesell understands how difficult it can be for many people to see the dentist. There are many factors that can deter someone from making an appointment. Money or lack of insurance is one issue. Anxiety about the dentist is another. While almost everyone suffers from “fear of the dentist” to some degree, many have this problem to a far greater degree than others.
No matter what the problem may be, it’s important to see your dentist sooner rather than later. Past a certain point, dental problems like tooth decay and gum disease are only going to get worse. Fortunately, for people who suffer from a fear of the dentist, Dr. Quinn Mikesell offers a variety of relaxing spa amenities to help you relax, along with conscious sedation which can even turn your overall experience into a net positive one!
Our spa amenities include:
- Warm Hand Wax
- Chair Massage
- Aromatherapy
- Warming Blankets
The Dental Problems That Your Rigby Dentist At Cedar Creek Dental Can Treat
Tooth Decay
Dr. Quinn Mikesell can help you at any stage of tooth decay. To help give you a better idea of what stage you may currently be experiencing, here is a detailed explanation of how tooth decay progresses.
Like almost all dental problems, the cause of dental decay is plaque. That’s the sticky, fuzzy substance that builds up on your teeth when you go long periods of time without brushing. Plaque contains bacteria and acid, both of which erode the various layers of the tooth.
Plaque attacks the enamel. This is the protective outer layer of the tooth. Enamel can be replenished naturally by the body. If your enamel is being worn down by plaque, your Rigby dentist at Cedar Creek Dental can perform a simple tooth cleaning.- Plaque attacks the dentin. This is the hard, bony layer underneath the enamel. It forms the bulk of the tooth and is generally what we think of when we think of teeth. If plaque wears a hole down in the dentin, you officially have a cavity. Unlike enamel, dentin cannot be replenished through dental cleanings. Your Rigby dentist at Cedar Creek Dental can solve this with a filling.
- Plaque attacks the pulp. The tooth pulp, like the name implies, is the soft tissue underneath the dentin. The pulp contains the tooth nerve. When plaque infects the tooth pulp, it leads to inflammation and severe pain. At this stage, your Rigby dentist can perform a root canal.
- Plaque creates an abscess. If the plaque is allowed to continue infecting the tooth pulp, an abscess will form. This is an inflamed pocket of pus that usually appears at the gumline and resembles a pimple. At this stage, a root canal is definitely required.
Periodontal (Gum) Disease
As with dental decay, plaque is the main culprit when it comes to gum disease. When plaque is left to build up on the gumline, it can eat away at the gums. The body responds by releasing a hormone that causes the gums to swell. A combination of these two factors results in the gums receding from the teeth and the teeth becoming loose. Pain and excessive bleeding are common symptoms.
This is why it’s so important to “massage the gumline” with your toothbrush when you brush your teeth. Flossing is also important, as plaque can make its way into the gumline through areas of the teeth that the toothbrush can’t reach. Check out our blog post on how to brush your teeth for more information about proper dental hygiene.
Your Rigby dentist at Cedar Creek Dental can help if you are experiencing gum disease. Early on, gum disease can usually be treated through cleaning and simple improvements in dental hygiene. In advanced stages, more advanced techniques like scaling and root planing may be required to remove large amounts of toxins clustered in pockets. There are also ways of altering bacterial host properties, making your mouth less hospitable to these toxins.
