FAQ

Plaque is the sticky, almost fuzzy residue that is left on your teeth after eating certain starch or sugar-heavy foods. When you don’t properly brush and floss, the plaque stays on your teeth and causes erosion to your enamel, eventually hardening into dangerous tartar. It’s important to eat less sugary foods and maintain a healthy hygiene routine or else that plaque can lead to tooth decay and gingivitis (inflammation of the gums).

Toothaches can be caused by several things. Cavities are a common source of tooth pain, as are abscesses (when the inside of your tooth gets infected and the nerve is dead). Other causes include TMJ issues, angina and inner ear infections. The only way to know for sure the actual problem and how to fix it is to come in for a check-up.

Yes, gum disease or gingivitis can be treated through professional cleanings and scaling. In fact, gingivitis can even be reversed if caught before it escalates to periodontal disease. However, it’s important to do everything you can to prevent gum disease through proper flossing and brushing twice a day.

There are several oral issues that lead to bad breath and each has a different way to treat it. If it’s caused by plaque and other bacteria left on your gums or tongue, the answer could be as simple as paying more attention to those areas as your brushing your teeth. If the source of the bad breath is dry mouth thanks to certain prescriptions, drinking more water or chewing sugarless gum could help. If you’ve tried those ideas and are still dealing with bad breath, schedule an appointment with our dentists at our location in the Kitchener region. They can assess your oral health during the examination and figure out the cause of the issue.

Fluorosis is the overuse of fluorine products like fluorinated toothpaste, water and supplements. This can cause discolouration on your teeth. If your child is using fluorinated toothpaste, supervise them to ensure they’re only putting a small amount on their toothbrush. If discolouration has occurred, we can usually reverse it through our teeth whitening products.

An important part of treating oral cancer is finding it early. That’s why every dental examination at Highland Hills Dental includes a simple oral cancer screening. During your visit, please make sure to let our dentist know if you’ve been feeling any pain in your teeth or jaw, if you have had trouble speaking or chewing and if you use any tobacco product. These are all important pieces of information the dentist will need in evaluating the health of your mouth.

Enamel is the hard layer that shields the inside of your tooth, which includes the very sensitive roots of your teeth. When your tooth’s enamel is worn away from tooth decay and age, the tooth becomes much more sensitive to heat and cold. A filling or crown might help. Your gums also protect your root from sensitivity, but gum disease can force the gums to recede. Recontouring and grafting treatments can help protect those parts of your tooth again. There are also special toothpastes on the market that can help with oral sensitivity.

Teeth grinding (or bruxism) doesn’t have one specific cause, although it has been linked with anxiety as well as Sleep-related breathing disorders, which may need to be medically identified. We may recommend a TMJ (Jaw Joint) assessment to determine whether or not that may be an issue and how best to resolve it. Besides at-home techniques we can suggest to help reduce the possibly of teeth grinding during sleep, our dentist can prescribe a custom sleep appliance that can help keep your jaw in place at night. This will not only reduce the change of pain, but also help you protect your teeth from wearing down.