Author: John Vorhaus

Has your dentist at Midtown West root canals informed you that you need a root canal?  Have you been through a lot of tooth pain and other tooth sensitivity or discoloration? If so, you should not worry about that since most people get relief from tooth problems after a root canal. The process reduces pain and saves your smile.

What is a Root Canal?

A root canal is a dental procedure designed to remove bacteria and decay from the infected areas. The inflamed and infected dental pulp is removed, and a root canal is done to clean the decay and disinfect the affected area. It is then filled and sealed to preserve the tooth. In this case, you should visit a specialist for professional dental services.

Is a Root Canal Painful?

Patients are taken under anesthesia before the procedure, making it less painful. However, note that when done with the procedure, the affected area can feel numb and sore. It can make you uncomfortable for a few days before it gets back to normal.

Signs that you Need a Root Canal

Several signs indicate that you need a root canal. If you notice any of the highlight symptoms, ensure you seek medical help immediately. Early treatment of your tooth will prevent more complications and make you feel better.

Persistent Pain

If you experience persistent pain in your tooth, it is a sign that you need to see your dentist immediately. It might be a serious condition that requires a root canal. Sometimes, the pain might go away. But that should not make you postpone your visit because the pain might return after some time and even worsen.

Sensitive to Heat and Cold

Anytime you eat hot or cold food and feel pain in your tooth, you should seek medical help from your dentist. The pain can go on for extended periods if you do not get early treatment.

Note that you may feel a dull ache or sharp pain when you chew hot food or drink a cold drink. This could indicate an infection or a damaged tooth.

Tooth Discoloration

An infected tooth can become discolored. It can also get discolored due to trauma or when the internal tissue breaks down. This damages the root of your tooth and makes it turn grayish-black.

 The discoloration appears at the front part of your tooth. This affects the tooth’s pulp due to inadequate blood supply. Your tooth can also discolor due to other reasons. In this case, it would be best to seek help from your dentist for a close examination and advice on the appropriate treatment.

Swollen Gums

If you experience swollen gums near the affected tooth, you should visit your dentist immediately. As the swelling starts, it may not be intense, but it might come back after some time.

You may not feel pain when you touch it.  In other cases, you may also experience a gum boil on your gum, and it may ooze pus, which makes your mouth smell bad.

You should not take tooth pain lightly. It is a severe condition that can lead to severe pain and infections in your mouth. If you notice any of the above signs, ensure you seek medical help from a professional dentist immediately. A specialist will examine your tooth and advise you on the suitable treatment that will make you feel better.

If you are worried about your teeth’s appearance and often cover your mouth while speaking or laughing, it is high time you seek quality oral healthcare services. Located in Tomball, TX, Russell Family Dentistry offers an extensive range of dentistry services. The services range from restorative dental implants to cosmetic teeth whitening treatments, among other procedures. Patients experiencing minor to moderate anterior dental misalignment can attain straighter smiles within a short while through innovative clear aligners in Tomball. To determine if you are the right candidate for the available treatment options, call Russell Family Dentistry or go online to book an appointment.

Meet Dr. Russel, Jr.

Dr. Louis Russell Jr., DDS is a highly-skilled and experienced family and cosmetic dentist of Russell Family Dentistry. He was born in Houston and brought up in Spring, Texas. Russell pursued his undergraduate degree at the Texas A&M University in College Station, after which he achieved a dental degree at the University of Texas School of Dentistry.

Dr. Russell is an active member of the Texas Dental Association, Tomball Chamber of Commerce, American Dental Association, and The Greater Houston Dental Society. He is quite passionate about offering top-level oral care and continuously attends educational programs and courses to expand his understanding and expertise in innovative technologies.

Dr. Russel is a family man, married to his high school love, Kimberly, and they’re blessed with two children. When not at his office, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and kids. In case you have any queries or concerns about this private practice, reach out to Dr. Russel at any time.

Services

The goal of Russell Family Dentistry is to offer top-quality dentistry services in a relaxed environment where the comfort and health of their patients are of primary concern. Every patient who sets foot at the practice is treated like family. To enhance the patient experience, Russell Family Dentistry accepts online payments.

The various dental services offered include, but are not limited to, dental crowns, dental implant restoration, veneers, gum disease treatments, clear aligners, smile makeovers, family dentistry, and dental implants. CEREC utilizes computer-aided design and manufacturing technologies to develop porcelain restoration in-house.

Patients can achieve renewed and enhanced oral care with this extensive range of services. Before recommending any treatment, the providers first run a comprehensive diagnosis and evaluation tests to develop the most suitable treatment plan. Other dental procedures offered include root canal therapy, periodontal care, teeth whitening, etc. To find out more about the available treatment solutions at Russell Family Dentistry, schedule a consultation with Dr. Russel today.

Testimonials & Reviews

Dr. Louis A. Russell, Jr. values and appreciates reviews from their valued patients. To date, the practice boasts a 5 out of 5 stars rating based on 17 collected reviews. To see what others are saying about the practice, visit the facility’s website.

In conclusion, Russell Family Dentistry is an exceptional dental practice, offering the best in cosmetic and implant dentistry procedures. Their office is open from Monday to Thursday, starting from 8 am to 5 pm. To find out more about Russell Family Dentistry, call their office or go online to book an appointment. 

Hair loss in both women and men presents many challenges – it can affect the quality of life. Male pattern baldness does not occur overnight. For most men, it’s a gradual process. You need to learn and identify the signs of balding as it helps to take action early. The earlier you seek help and treatment to prevent further hair loss, the more hair you can save. Sadly, it’s not always easy to identify hair loss. You may not be able to distinguish between hair loss occurring from non-damaged hair follicles that will grow back and hair loss that won’t grow.

 Luckily, there are signs that can help you identify hair loss so that you can seek help. If you’re experiencing these signs, see a regenerative medicine specialist in Columbus for treatment.

 Change in hairline

 One of the most obvious signs of hair loss or balding is having a noticeable change within your hairlines. You are able to see the hairline change from a flat or mildly receded one to an M-shaped hairline.  In many people, this starts around the crown and the temples. It often begins with thinning instead of total hair loss. When you take two photos that you took years apart and compare them, you are able to see that the hairline is receded. This is an obvious sign you are suffering from hair loss.

 Something to mention here is that lighting conditions can change the appearance of the hairline. You may have hair that looks thinner when you observe it in bright downlighting. Fluorescent lights are known to make hair look thin even though it is perfectly normal.

To minimize this kind of effect, you can photograph yourself after every few months within the same lighting condition to check if the hairline is receding. In about a year or two, you will be able to find out whether you are losing hair around the hairline.

 Thinning of hair

 You will realize that not all people have their balding starting from the hairline. Some individuals will have diffuse thinning, which is a type of hair loss affecting the entire scalp of certain areas such as the crown. Diffuse thinning may result in baldness that begins from the top or back instead of starting from the hairline.

 Again, just like a receded hairline, the easiest way you can detect diffuse thinning is to try comparing photos taken in different time periods. You may notice that your hair is looking thinner today than it was in a photo you took several years ago. If this is the case, chances are that you have male pattern baldness. And because it is difficult to take photographs from behind you, you can consider taking them in your bathroom mirror to compare the thickness of the hair over time.

 Seeking treatment to stop hair loss

 There various kinds of treatments for hair loss, with each having its own cons and pros. You may want to consider regenerative medicine as it offers a much safer option compared to other methods. Talk to a specialist in hair treatment to find out the options of treatment they offer.

 If you have the hair around the crown thinning following every few years, make sure you take action in order to prevent further hair loss.

When you think about visiting a dentist, you probably have emotions. If you are worried or have weird feelings the moment you walk into your dentist’s reception room, you need to find ways to deal with those emotions. Dental fear is a common occurrence and affects many people. It is estimated that about 15 percent of patients fear the dentist chair. So how do you think about joining the other 85 percent who do not fear a dentist? There are ways you can overcome dental anxiety and ensure that you are comfortable and confident while visiting a Roslyn prosthodontist for tooth replacement.

Talk to your dentist

A common worry about visiting a dentist is that the procedure is going to hurt. So, if you are nervous about pain, you want to let your dentist know. He or she can administer anesthesia to numb you so that you feel comfortable when on the chair. If you are afraid of needles, then nitrous oxide or laughing gas tends to work well. It helps you to relax first and if it’s not enough, sedation dentistry is common.

Tell the dentist about your past experience

You may have had a bad experience during your previous visit to a dental office. Clients complaining of bad experiences seem to be common and it’s regarded as the second most common problem with apprehensive patients. The experience you have including the appointment can make you feel unsettled or repulsed.

Maybe you were over-billed or the hygienist was not thorough. You may also have had an assistant who was annoying or the dentist you visit was insensitive. These kinds of experiences should not prejudice you from having future visits to a dentist – whether the same dentist or another one. You want to tell the dental staff about what you experienced in the past. This way, you make them understand what exactly offended you so that you can avoid it. Dentists want to have the best experience with their clients and they will try to avoid anything that could offend the patients. Talking about the experience may make all the difference.

Don’t be embarrassed 

Your oral health may embarrass you especially if you have gone many years without a cleaning. Perhaps you put off treatment that compromised the state of your mouth. You may be embarrassed about what the dentist may say to you regarding the current state of your teeth or gums. These are issues that may create fear in seeing a dentist. However, dentists have seen it all. They will not pin you down for not doing something about your teeth or oral hygiene. They are here to help you and will talk nicely and respectively to you.

Looking forward to having a tooth replacement or other restorative dental procedure? You can consider a cosmetic dentist who specializes in dental implants, bridges, crowns, dentures, and other dental problems like temporomandibular disorders (TMJ/TMD). The cosmetic dentist will be able to offer you the right restorative treatment for your dental problem. Make sure that fear does not hold you back from regularly seeing a doctor or going for an appointment following a dental problem like tooth decay.

A lot of people who have off-colored teeth lack the confidence to smile or laugh in front of people because of low self-esteem. In this case, teeth whitening provides a long-lasting treatment that is safe to brighten your teeth, thus restoring your smile. Santa Clarita Skyline Smiles offers you in-office whitening using GLO science or take-home teeth whitening kits.

What makes your teeth stained or yellow?

As one advances in age, your teeth naturally tarnish to a yellow color or become stained. It is caused by the wear of the enamel, which is the outer coat on your teeth. As enamel wears out, the second layer of your teeth, which is dentin, is exposed. As more dentin is revealed, the yellowish dentin color shows through.

Other factors like taking medications contain tetracycline may also stain your teeth. Drinking coffee, cola, red wine, tobacco, and eating foods that stain teeth cause further discoloration. Poor oral hygiene may also discolor your teeth; hence regular brushing and flossing of teeth may prevent them from being stained.

What is teeth whitening?

It is a technique that uses medical-grade solutions to clean teeth surfaces, thus removing the stains. It is a pain-free procedure that produces effective results. In most of the products used in whitening the teeth, carbamide peroxide is used in triggering the bleaching reaction. Carbamide peroxide is safe for use because it is not toxic, and no side effects are experienced.

What are the different types of teeth whitening?

Both at-home and in-office teeth whitening are offered to adults, children, and teenagers.

In-office Teeth Whitening

When carrying out an in-office teeth whitening treatment, the experts begin by covering your gums and teeth with protective gear before cleaning. A whitening gel is then applied to your teeth and allowed to remain there for approximately 10-15 minutes. A second solution is then applied to your teeth that contains fluoride and potassium nitrate. After the two mixtures combine and turn red, the health care provider rinses your mouth. Water is used in rinsing your teeth, leaving your teeth white and restoring your confidence and self-esteem.

Take-Home Whitening Kits

Take-home whitening kits are commonly used by people who want to whiten their teeth at their own pace. The whitening kits have a prescription describing how you will gradually use them to remove stains from your teeth.

How long does teeth whitening last?

The results of this treatment method are visible for about four to six months. To ensure that your results last longer, you are advised to brush and floss your teeth daily and visit the facility every six months for professional cleaning. It is also important to quit smoking or drinking dark-colored beverages.

With teeth whitening from Skyline Smiles, you don’t have to be self-conscious about your smile anymore. Call or visit their offices to book an appointment today to have the stains on your teeth removed. Doing so will restore your attractive smile because your teeth are brightened.