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If you’re suffering from dental problems in Rigby, dental care should be near the top of your priority list. Don’t wait for dental problems to get worse. In many cases, improving one’s dental hygiene can stop and reverse early dental problems, but once a certain threshold has been passed, dental problems won’t get better and will only get worse. This makes treatment more complex. Too many people put off going to the dentist out of fear or because of monetary concerns. However, the sooner you get these problems solved, the better off you will be on both accounts.

Common Dental Problems and How They Progress

Dental Decay

Most dental problems come as a result of plaque. This is the sticky, fuzzy substance that builds up on your teeth when you go a long time without brushing. It results when carbohydrates in food combine with bacteria that naturally lives in your mouth. At our Rigby dental clinic, we provide dental cleanings to help stop the progression of plaque in areas that many people can’t reach. It is important to brush and floss regularly and properly in order to better reach these areas and prevent tooth decay.

The process of dental decay is as follows:

1. Plaque builds up on your teeth, specifically in areas that toothbrushes usually can’t reach (this is why it’s so important to floss them regularly).
2. Because plaque is acidic, it begins to eat through the tooth enamel. This is a protective layer surrounding the tooth. It is comprised of various minerals and can be naturally replenished over time. Often when holes are eaten away in the enamel, they appear to be cavities. However, this isn’t the case. These dark (and sometimes white) spots are in fact areas where the enamel is being worn away. Regular brushing and flossing, and improving one’s diet, can replenish the enamel naturally. 
3. If plaque continues to eat its way past the dentin, it will reach the next layer of the tooth, called the dentin. Once plaque begins to wear a hole in the dentin, you officially have a cavity. Dentin cannot be replenished naturally. At this stage, you will likely require a dental filling. At our Rigby dental clinic, we offer white fillings that look and feel like natural teeth.
4. If plaque continues to eat away at the dentin, it will eventually move into the next layer of the tooth. This is called the “tooth pulp”, named as such because of its pulpy quality. This is soft tissue that contains the tooth nerve. Plaque can cause this tissue to become inflamed and infected, putting pressure on the tooth nerve. The swelling that occurs at this stage is suppressed by the surrounding dentin and the pressure is focused downward onto the tooth nerve and various blood vessels that keep it alive. Needless to say, this stage is incredibly painful. We can stop that pain at our Rigby dental clinic via root canal therapy. Root canals are performed by removing the infected tissue and cleaning the inside of the tooth. It is filled with healing medicine and covered with a dental crown. 
5. If left untreated, an abscess will eventually form. This is an inflamed pocket of pus that usually appears at the gumline and resembles a pimple. We can drain the abscess and perform a root canal.

Periodontal (Gum) Disease

Periodontal disease is usually referred to simply as “gum disease” and other times as “gingivitis”. These are all essentially correct terms, but there are actually different terms for different stages of periodontal disease.

As with dental decay, periodontal disease comes as a result of plaque, specifically when it builds up at the gumline. You will notice the gums beginning to swell and becoming more sensitive. Periodontal disease progresses through the following stages:

• Gingivitis – This is technically the term for stage one of periodontal disease. Many people mistakenly use the terms “gingivitis” and “periodontal disease” interchangeably. Gingivitis often is not painful, although it can be mildly to moderately irritating. Symptoms include excessive bleeding, especially when brushing your teeth. Sometimes merely touching the gums can cause them to bleed. Gingivitis can be reversed through professional gum cleanings that you will find at our Rigby dental clinic. It can also be reversed through improved dental hygiene and diet. 
• Periodontitis – This is the term for an advanced stage of periodontal disease that has moved beyond gingivitis. This stage is often painful. The gums become extremely sensitive and begin to recede from the teeth. This causes the teeth to loosen and dental decay becomes more likely. In later stages of periodontitis, tooth loss is common.

If you are experiencing periodontal disease in Rigby, dental care at Cedar Creek Dental is your best option. We offer a number of treatments, from professional cleanings to scaling and root planing in order to remove toxin cluster pockets from the gums. We can also provide host modulation, altering the bacterial host properties in your mouth so it is not hospitable to these toxins.

What Sets Our Rigby Dental Clinic Apart?

At Cedar Creek Dental, we understand why the thought of going to the dentist can seem like a harrowing experience for many people. The teeth are incredible sensitive parts of the body. Even a simple dental checkup and cleaning can be anxiety-inducing in some.

Fortunately, you will find the atmosphere at our clinic to be calm and relaxing. We also offer a variety of spa amenities to help calm your nerves. These include:

• Warm hand-wax
• Chair massage
• Aromatherapy
• Warming blankets

Best of all, these are free with your appointment. We will also send you away with a sorbet of your choice.

Throughout the procedure, you can benefit from conscious sedation, allowing you to sit back and relax while the work is being performed. Of course, a local anesthetic is applied when necessary. You may even regard the overall experience to be a positive one.

Dr. Quinne Mikesell – Rigby Dentist at Cedar Creek Dental

The leading dentist at our clinic is Dr. Mikesell. He is one of the few dentists in Rigby who speaks Spanish, allowing him to communicate with more members of our community. Having been practicing dentistry since 2005 after graduating from The University of Louisville School of Dentistry, he has plenty of training, education, and experience to work from. He will communicate with you and listen to your concerns, sending you away with a healthier smile and better knowledge of how to maintain it. He is currently a board member of the Rigby Area Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Mikesell is kind and approachable. He understands that many people experience “fear of the dentist”, and can offer you the care that you need to mitigate these feelings.