What Your Tooth Pain May Be Telling You

Dark haired woman with her fingers to her cheek because of tooth pain.

Living life to the fullest with tooth pain can be very difficult. Things like speaking, chewing, and even yawning can cause sharp pain. If you’re currently experiencing tooth pain, Villa Vista Dental will help you find a solution so you can become pain free. Read on to learn about some of the common causes of tooth pain.

Reasons You May Be Experiencing Tooth Pain

The first step to combatting tooth pain is to identify the underlying cause. There are many factors that may be causing your tooth pain. Dr. Tin will seek to discover what is causing your tooth pain before determining a treatment plan that best suits your situation. Here are some of the most common reasons for tooth pain.

Cavities

Decay causes the dental pulp inside the tooth to become swollen so that it puts pressure on the tooth’s nerve.

Cracked or Broken Tooth

Dental trauma can damage or expose the tooth’s nerve, causing pain and discomfort.

Enamel Erosion

Enamel is the protective outer layer of teeth. When enamel is lost it exposes the sensitive dentin layer underneath.

Gum Recession

Gum recession exposes the tooth’s roots. This can cause extreme sensitivity when brushing or eating hot and cold foods.

Periodontal (Gum) Disease

Gum disease causes soft tissue inflammation and can lead to tooth decay.

Teeth Grinding

Grinding wears down teeth over time and can expose sensitive nerves.

Whitening Treatment

After a whitening treatment, you may experience temporary tooth sensitivity.

Schedule Your Tooth Pain Consultation

Are you suffering from chronic tooth pain? The sooner you seek treatment the better. Tooth pain can indicate a serious underlying dental issue. The longer you wait, the more severe the dental problem may become, eventually resulting in a dental emergency. At Villa Vista Dental, Dr. Ricky Tin and our knowledgeable team have years of experience diagnosing and treating dental pain. Our mission is to help patients regain a healthy, pain-free smile. Please contact our office to schedule your dental consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!

Come see us to eliminate your tooth pain!

Don’t Avoid Your Dental Cleaning Due to COVID

Cartoon of a family of four standing next to an oversized tooth and toothbrush.

Are you one of those people who has put off their dental care due to the pandemic? We understand the conundrum, but we are here to assure you that you can safely visit Villa Vista Dental. The last thing we want is for your teeth to suffer. Read on to hear how we’re keeping our patients safe while keeping their teeth healthy.

COVID-19 Protocols at Our Practice

There’s nothing more important to us than the health of our patients and our staff. As such, we have developed a plan to service our patient’s smiles safely and effectively during this time. We are currently following any and all CDC guidelines and tracking them as they evolve and change. This includes social distancing, sanitizing, and any other protocols that help to make our office safe and comfortable for everyone in it! Additional time has been scheduled between appointments and a Covid-19 questionnaire has been implemented to ensure that everything runs smoothly and exposure to illness is avoided. Comprehensive information about our COVID-19 protocols is available on our website, and you can always call our office with your questions!

The Importance of Routine Dental Care

It’s so important that you keep up with your dental care now that our offices are back up and running. With regular dental care we can catch issues early and prevent them from becoming something much worse. If you keep up with your visits every six months and continue with a good oral care routine at home, you will likely keep your smile beautiful and healthy for years to come.

Dental Health & Wellness in Elk Grove, CA

We believe that dental care is about more than just the health of your smile. We’re here to keep our patients’ smiles looking great and their whole health in check. Villa Vista Dental takes a comprehensive approach to dental health. We look forward to seeing our regular customers back in our office. And as always, new patients are welcome. Make an appointment by calling us directly or clicking the contact link.

Don’t put off getting the dental care you need!

How to Help a Child’s Fear of the Dentist

Little girl riding a trike with parents helping from behind.

It is natural for children to be afraid of things that are unfamiliar to them, even something as fun as riding a bike! Is your child afraid of going to the dentist’s office? This is quite a common issue with young patients. Many adults also deal with dental anxiety! The good news is there are plenty of strategies you can try as a parent to help alleviate your child’s fear so they can build healthy dental habits in the years to come.

Stay Positive

When talking about the dentist, make sure you stay positive. Avoid using any scary-sounding words like “pain,” “surgery,” or “drill.” Whether you’re talking about your treatment or your child’s, these words heard by young ears can make the dental office seem pretty frightening. If you’ve had negative dental experiences in the past, be careful about sharing those with your child. You don’t want to pass on your concerns to them.

Play Pretend

Before it’s time for your child to go in for their dental appointment, consider a game of pretend. In the familiarity of your home you can walk them through what they’re going to experience at our Elk Grove office. For example, you can pretend to be a dentist teaching them about their teeth. Show them how to brush and hold up a mirror like dental hygienists normally do. Alternatively, you can let your child pretend to be the dentist who’s taking care of their stuffed animal or doll’s teeth. Either way, they’ll become more familiar with the general process.

Read Dental Books for Kids

Switch up the normal bedtime story routine and read your child a colorful picture book related to dental care. There are lots of children’s books available at public libraries that are designed to show kids how fun and important visiting the dentist is, and what it means to have good oral hygiene. With these fun stories in the back of their mind, a dental visit can seem far less intimidating.

Family Dental Care at Villa Vista Dental

If you’re still having trouble getting your child to feel comfortable at a dental office, please feel free to reach out to us at Villa Vista Dental. We see patients young and old at our inviting Elk Grove practice, and we’re happy to help you figure out the best way to ease your child’s concerns. Call or email us today!

We want your child to feel comfortable at the dentist!

Category: Family Dental Care