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If you are one of the more than 12 million North Americans who suffers from sleep apnea, Dr. Kerry Olszewski and our team want you to know we can help. Sleep apnea, a disorder that causes frequent disruption to your body’s sleep patterns, is also potentially dangerous, as it causes abnormal pauses in breathing or very shallow breathing during the night.

For those who suffer from sleep apnea, it may seem impossible to wake up feeling rested and energized. You may, for example, sleep for eight hours, but your body might have only received three or four hours of quality sleep.

Besides losing a good night’s sleep, the risk of heart attack and stroke have been linked to sleep apnea. Other conditions associated with sleep apnea include depression, irritability, high blood pressure, memory loss, and sexual dysfunction.

Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat relax to the point of inhibiting natural breathing. The muscles used to support the soft palate relax and the airway closes, causing breathing to stop for anywhere from ten to 20 seconds, which is dangerous because it lowers the oxygen level in the brain.

Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, and CPAP devices (continuous positive airway pressure), among other treatments, are often prescribed for sleep apnea treatment. Another treatment option is an oral sleep apnea appliance, which positions your mouth in a way that brings your lower jaw forward and opens up your airway for unobstructed breathing.

At Mill Creek General Dentistry, we truly care about the health and well-being of our patients. In fact, we regularly screen our patients for sleep disorders during their regular checkups, and we will refer you to a sleep apnea specialist if an issue is detected. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at our Mill Creek office if you think you have sleep apnea or if you have any questions or concerns!

Experiencing tooth or oral pain is not fun. If you cannot get to Mill Creek General Dentistry right away, the pain may even seem to increase. The old saying that a tooth will stop hurting once you get to a dentist is not that far from true. However, there are many tips you can try to relieve your oral pain until you can see Dr. Kerry Olszewski.

Common Pain Relief Options

First, try to determine the source of the pain. This is sometimes not possible, but it may help. If you are experiencing pain between your teeth or along the gum line, try swishing some warm salt water in your mouth. One teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm (not hot) water is all you need.

The pain you are experiencing could be a particle of food stuck under your gum. You can also try flossing as long as bleeding is not present. Salt water soothes other mouth irritations to reduce pain.

You can try over-the-counter pain relievers, including oral medications or topical gels. Avoid taking aspirin; it thins your blood, which could end up being a problem for dental work. Wash your hands before applying any topical pain treatments to avoid spreading germs.

Clove Oil

Clove oil works quickly to relieve most oral pain. Place a few drops of clove oil on a damp cotton ball and place the cotton in your mouth near the painful area. Do not use this method overnight, because you don’t want to swallow the cotton.

Whole cloves can also be used, but try to remove any sharp edges first. Place a few pieces in your mouth and allow your saliva to soften the clove. Some sources say that chewing the clove helps, but you shouldn’t do this if you have a fractured tooth.

Other Household Remedies

If you have cough drops that include benzocaine or menthol, you can try sucking on a cough drop for relief. Placing a warm, wet tea bag against a painful oral area can sometimes reduce the pain as well.

Toothpastes designed to relieve pain from sensitive teeth may work. While these pastes do take time to reach full effectiveness, they can be helpful if you have to wait several days.

Remember that these tips are only designed to provide temporary pain relief. You need to schedule an appointment at Mill Creek General Dentistry quickly. Call and schedule an emergency appointment with Dr. Kerry Olszewski as soon as possible.

According to the American Association of Endodontists, root canals have a success rate of over 95% and in most cases they last a lifetime.

There are a few factors that ensure the root canal will last and should be followed.

• You want to make sure you allow Dr. Kerry Olszewski to perform a permanent restoration of the tooth. That means getting the filling and the crown immediately after the canals have been cleaned of all bacteria and debris.

• Practice good oral hygiene; that means brushing and flossing at least three times a day especially after meals and before bed.
• Just because a tooth has had a root canal that does not mean the tooth is safe for as long as it remains in your mouth. That tooth can still get a cavity. Since the nerves are no longer present in that tooth you will not feel any pain or experience any other signs of a cavity. That’s why it is important to get regular cleanings and checkups.
• If the tooth becomes fractured or you develop an abscess, you will feel pain and know there is a problem with the tooth.

Why do root canals fail?

As mentioned above, only about five percent of root canals fail, and sometimes it is not actually a “failure.” In cases, of teeth that have more than one root, it is possible that only one root was infected and filled. If the remaining root(s) become infected in the future, they will also need a root canal performed on them.

There are a few other reasons why your root canal may fail:

• The first reason is you may not have taken good care of your tooth (teeth). This is commonly seen in children and teens who often have inconsistent oral hygiene habits.
• If the tooth has more than one root, and one of the roots has a minute infection that is undetectable and goes unnoticed it can cause the root canal to fail. While this scenario is very unlikely, it does occasionally happen.
• Over time, the seal can become weak and bacteria can enter the tooth. This is also very uncommon but it does happen.

No procedure dental or medical comes with a 100% guarantee to last a lifetime, but if you take care of your treated tooth, the chances of success are great.

If you have any additional questions about root canals and your oral health, be sure to ask a member of our team at our Mill Creek office.

Chewing gum can be a sticky problem. We’re not talking about etiquette, or nutrition, or how to get rid of the darned stuff when you don’t have a trash container handy. No, we’re talking about gum and its effects on dental health. So, let’s take a moment to chew over the benefits and drawbacks of chewing gum.

• First, the Good News about Gum

One of the important benefits of chewing gum is increased saliva production. This might not sound especially appealing, but here’s an important fact: saliva is one of oral health’s unsung heroes.

Saliva helps wash away food particles which feed the bacteria in plaque. It helps neutralize acids in the mouth which can damage tooth enamel. The minerals in saliva actually help rebuild weak spots in our enamel.

And, since sugar-free gum has revolutionized the gum-chewing world, we don’t bathe our teeth in sugar while we chew. This is a major advantage, and it’s why sugar-free gums are the only products which are ADA approved. A possible downside? Some people who chew certain sugar-free gums (especially people who chew a lot of them) can experience digestive problems.

• What about Dental Work?

Yes, gum can be tricky for dentures, crowns, braces, and other dental work, especially with very sticky and chewy products. There are gums out there that claim to be safe for dental work, but finding the right gum can involve some trial and error that you might prefer to avoid. This is a good subject to discuss with Dr. Kerry Olszewski.

If you have a temporary crown protecting a tooth until your permanent crown is ready, avoid gum entirely until your restoration is complete. The pulling effect of sticky, chewy gum can make your temporary crown even more temporary than you were expecting! After your crown’s finished, talk to your dentist about chewing gum again.

• “Chews” Wisely

Chewing means jaw movement and pressure. Hours of chewing means hours of jaw movement and pressure. If your jaws ache after a gum marathon, maybe it’s time to cut back! But, if your jaws ache whenever you chew, that’s a sign that a visit to our Mill Creek office is in order.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a kind of hinge which allows your mouth to open and close and move from side to side—in other words, to talk, eat, drink, yawn, make faces—all those things we do all day long. Recurring jaw pain can be a sign of TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder.

Bruxism, or tooth grinding, is another reason to leave gum off your shopping list. When you grind your teeth, you’re putting stress on your teeth and jaws which can lead to cracked and chipped teeth, headaches, and tooth and jaw pain. If you’re working on getting your bruxism under control, you’ll want to avoid chewing gum and other habits which cause jaw clenching.

You and your dentist are the people who know your oral health best. If you suffer from dry mouth and think chewing gum might help with saliva flow, or if you’re worried about your dental work being damaged by gum, or if you have jaw pain when you chew, or if you have any concerns about your oral health, visit Mill Creek General Dentistry for all the answers to your sticky questions.