Wondering If You Have a Cavity? What to Know

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A cavity can be a painful and upsetting dental problem. The dentist in St Cloud MN can help. If you think you might have a cavity, it’s important to get help from a dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist at Friesz Family and Cosmetic Dentistry can determine whether you have a cavity and, if so, can help you get the treatment required to fix the problem. 

What Is a Cavity?

A cavity is a hole in your tooth enamel caused by decay from bacteria, sugar, and poor oral hygiene. Cavities that go untreated can get worse, with the hole in the tooth getting deeper and deeper.

If the cavity is allowed to progress far enough, you could get a dental infection that causes severe pain. Dental infections can spread to other parts of the body, so it’s important to get treatment for your cavity quickly.

What Causes Cavities?

Cavities are caused by sugary foods, bacteria in the mouth, and poor oral hygiene. You should be able to avoid cavities by seeing the dentist regularly for cleanings and by taking good care of your teeth at home.

What Are the Symptoms of a Cavity?

Some people who get cavities don’t notice any symptoms at all. If you have a cavity, you may notice the following symptoms:

  • Pain or discomfort in or around the tooth
  • Bad breath that won’t go away
  • Sensitivity around the tooth
  • Holes or pits in your tooth
  • Discolorations on the tooth

What Should You Do If You Have a Cavity?

If you have a cavity (or think you have a cavity), don’t wait to see the dentist. Cavities need to be filled as soon as possible.

What Happens If You Wait to Get Treatment?

Waiting to get treatment for a cavity can only make the problem get worse. If the decay is allowed to progress, the cavity can cause more damage to your tooth. If you need help with a cavity filling in St Cloud MN, call your dentist at Friesz Family and Cosmetic Dentistry. We offer amalgam and composite fillings to patients who want to treat their dental cavities.

When to Worry About Minor Tooth Movement

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Your teeth may look static from the outside, but they’re more flexible than most people realize. Without that little bit of wiggle room, they’d have a hard time handling crunchy or chewy foods. Of course, the question then becomes how much wiggle room is too much wiggle room. We’ll look at what’s normal and when you may want to visit your dentist.

What’s Normal

Your teeth will have some mobility, even when they’re firmly embedded in your sockets. Their motion is there to help absorb some of the shock while you’re chewing. So if you grasp them and there’s a slight push and pull, this is entirely normal.

What’s Abnormal

There are a few situations where you would want to consult with yourdentist in St. Cloud, MN, about tooth mobility:

  • Pain is usually the number one sign that you’re dealing with a problem tooth.
  • If you feel like one tooth is much looser compared to your other teeth or that it’s moving much faster than your other teeth, you’re likely not imagining it. Gently test and compare the potential problem tooth against those that don’t feel as loose.
  • Any change to your bite at all could point to an issue with a loose tooth. If you’re having problems chewing or it’s uncomfortable when your upper and lower teeth meet, it’s time to have a chat with your dentist.

Tooth Movement in St. Cloud, MN

It’s not always easy to consult with a dentist about tooth movement. It can end up being a sign of anything from tooth decay to gum disease, and it may lead to atooth extraction in St. Cloud, MN. However, the longer you wait to address the problem, the more problems you’ll have down the line. Losing a single tooth, if you absolutely need to, is far better than losing several teeth or watching your gums deteriorate even further.

At Friesz Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we can tell you more about what’s causing the tooth movement and whether it’s a cause for concern. If you’re experiencing tooth movement alongside pain or it feels as though one tooth is much looser than the others, contact us today to schedule an appointment and get it checked out.

A Great Smile Does More Than Make You Look Good

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At Friesz Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we take great pride in helping our clients achieve beautiful smiles. Our goal is to support comprehensive oral health above all, but we also know that appearance is very important to our clients. This is why we offer a full range of dental services in St. Cloud, MN, in addition to traditional dental services like filling cavities, fluoride treatments, and more. Yet, we feel it’s important to stress that having a great smile offers more than just superficial benefits. Investing in cosmetic dentistry treatments means you’ll enjoy more than just a great-looking smile!

Healthy Function

There’s more to a great smile than great looks. To achieve that beautiful grin, other treatments may need to be done. Remember, oral health needs to come first because there’s no point in having white teeth if they’re damaged and need dental treatment. So you can believe that healthy function is the underlying foundation of a great smile for all our patients in St. Cloud!

Confidence Boost

It’s a well-known fact that many people avoid showing off their teeth with a wide grin when they feel they have unsightly teeth. It can make you feel shy to appear in public or even avoid speaking if your teeth aren’t nice-looking or if you have a missing tooth. Unfortunately, this can lead to feelings of insecurity or even feeling bad about yourself. You may even blame yourself for not taking better care of your teeth. A great smile will give you a confidence boost you may not have even realized you needed!

Better Opportunities

For better or worse, we live in a world where people judge us on our appearance. Those with a great smile and a willingness to smile wide are often seen as more competent. That means you may open yourself up to better work and personal opportunities after getting a brand new smile at our offices!

Contact Friesz Family and Cosmetic Dentistry today to find out how we can help you achieve a great smile! Remember, there’s no shame in needing dental treatment. Cosmetic dentistry in St. Cloud, MN, can help you get the beautiful smile you deserve!

Can My Yellow Teeth be Improved?

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White teeth are an outward sign of inward health. As people age, though, teeth can turn to a yellowish hue that can detract from a healthy appearance. This yellowing comes about for a variety of reasons, including poor oral hygiene, smoking, or even as a side effect of certain prescription medications. Thankfully, professional teeth whitening in St. Cloud, MN, is available. Here is information about how to improve the color of yellowed teeth.

Step Up Your At-home Hygiene

Plaque build-up is a main contributor to yellow teeth. Plaque develops as a natural part of your mouth’s biome. It’s made up partly of bacteria, fed by sugars and other food and beverage debris throughout the day. You can significantly reduce teeth yellowing simply by stepping up your oral hygiene:

  • Brush, floss, and rinse after every meal, not just in the morning and at bedtime. This includes eating snacks and drinking sugary drinks.
  • Use whitening products. Over-the-counter whitening toothpaste and mouthwashes won’t substantially whiten stained teeth, but they can help prevent further yellowing.
  • Avoid sugary snacks. Minimize how much sugar you ingest. Sugar is a favorite food source for bacteria, which can multiply quickly in the right environment.

Get More Frequent Teeth Cleanings

The ADA recommends professional teeth cleanings at least once every six months. But for people who are more prone to plaque build-up, once every three months might work better to keep plaque at bay. Talk to your dentist for your personal recommendation.

Have Professional Teeth Whitening Treatment

In any drugstore, there are lots of at-home whitening kits that claim to work. Unfortunately, these at-home treatments won’t do much to whiten yellow teeth. The stains that cause yellow teeth simply don’t respond well to over-the-counter products. You may waste your money or end up with unpredictable results that make your teeth look unevenly colored.

The best thing you can do for yellow teeth is to visit your dentist in St. Cloud, MN, for professional teeth whitening. In about an hour, you can get beautiful, white teeth that you’ll be proud to show off. The results are reliable, predictable, and safe.

At Friesz Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we offer a range of solutions for yellow teeth. Contact us today to book your appointment and get back your confident smile!

Can a Child’s Toothache Manifest as an Earache?

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Healthcare has a number of branches and specialties, which can sometimes cause us to forget about the amount of overlap between professionals. For instance, an ear, nose, and throat doctor will know many of the same things as a dentist.

In fact, your dentist in St. Cloud, MN, may need to know even more than a doctor, so they can be sure they are directing the patient to the best possible treatment. At times, your dentist might be even better at diagnosing certain conditions and pains. We’ll look at how earaches and toothaches are related and why it’s important to pay attention to your child’s symptoms.

Cavity: A Tricky Kind of Pain

Pain from a cavity doesn’t always mean that a child will feel pain in their mouth. It may seem as though the ear is either infected or suffering from a buildup of wax, but the reality is the pain is extending to the ear, which is why it seems as though that’s where the problem is originating.

It’s more common to see this kind of pain confusion for older kids and adults because molars or infected teeth are more likely to present as ear pain. However, cavities and abscesses can occur at any age, so it’s important to keep an eye out for additional symptoms besides ear pain.

Seeing a Dentist in St. Cloud, MN

Because our systems are so interconnected, parents should hold back from jumping to conclusions. Particularly if the child has no history of earaches, it may not be worth holding off on treatment in the hopes that the infection will clear itself up. If there’s a serious dental problem, it’s imperative to get help as soon as you can. Thankfully, there are usually other symptoms that occur when the child has a toothache and not an earache.

If your child is displaying any of these symptoms along with ear pain, consider scheduling an appointment with your dentist:

  • Swollen or bleeding gums
  • Persistent bad breath
  • Sensitivity to hot/cold
  • Jaw pain
  • Loose teeth

Whether your child needs an extraction or a filling in St. Cloud, MN, Friesz Family and Cosmetic Dentistry has a staff that is here for you and your family. If you need a dentist in St. Cloud, MN, contact us today.

Root Canals: An FAQ

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Do you need a root canal? Do you know what a root canal entails? Some people are afraid of getting a root canal because they don’t know very much about the procedure or how it works. Knowing more information about root canals can help you feel calmer and more prepared for your upcoming root canal procedure in St. Cloud MN. In this article, we’ll address some common questions about this procedure to help ease any anxiety you may be feeling.

What Is a Root Canal?

A root canal is a procedure that is performed on an infected tooth. During the procedure, the infection is removed from the inside of the tooth, then a crown is placed on the remaining tooth to reinforce the structure.

How Can You Tell If You Need a Root Canal?

The best way to tell if you need a root canal is to see your dentist in St. Cloud, MN. It’s helpful to know the symptoms of a tooth infection. If you know the symptoms of an infection, you’ll know when it’s time to go see the dentist. Here’s what to watch for:

  • Pain in the tooth (intermittent or constant)
  • Swelling in the mouth
  • Sensitivity to heat and cold
  • Tooth discoloration
  • Tender gums

Do Root Canals Hurt?

A root canal procedure will most likely not hurt because the area will be numbed before work begins. Most people say that their teeth hurt a lot more before the root canal began! Once your dentist has numbed your mouth, you should be able to proceed through the rest of the procedure in relative comfort.

Are Root Canals Safe?

Yes, the root canal will be safe, especially if you’re working with an experienced dental professional. At Friesz Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we help our patients through complicated dental procedures like root canals.

Is There Something Wrong With Your Tooth? Don’t Wait to Get Help

If you’re experiencing pain in your mouth, contact Friesz Family & Cosmetic Dentistry to schedule an appointment. It could be that you need to have a root canal. Waiting to get help could compromise your health or the health of your teeth. In fact, if you wait too long, you may need to have a tooth extraction! Call today.

 

Why You Might Need A Filling Restoration

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A filling is one of the most common procedures performed in a dental practice, but not everyone knows that restorations are completed for a number of reasons. We’ll look at why you might need a filling in St.Cloud, MN, and how you can find the right dental professional to get your oral health back on track.

Tooth Decay

This is one of the most common reasons for dental restoration. Your teeth can be affected by decay even when your hygiene habits are impeccable. A dentist will use a drill to take out any affected portions of the tooth and then fill in the gap with a long-lasting material, such as composite resin. Even if you have a small hole in the tooth, it’s important to take action sooner than later. The longer it’s left untreated, the bigger it’s going to get.

Fractured Teeth

If you’re looking for a dentist in St. Cloud, MN after an emergency, such as a slip-and-fall or sports-related accident, it might be because a tooth has fractured. Anything from contact athletics to chewing on the cap of a pen can lead to tooth fracture. While major injuries may require more advanced treatment, a filling can potentially be the answer if you need minor repairs.

Surface Remedies

If your teeth become discolored, some dentists may use fillings to both strengthen and whiten them. Unlike teeth brightening services, this might be used for more extreme cases. For instance, if you grind your teeth at night or have years of stains built up on the surface of your teeth. Anything from wine to candy to coffee can affect the color of your teeth, and the effects can have a real impact on your smile.

Find a Dentist in St. Cloud, MN

The term restoration is entirely appropriate when it comes to describing a filling. A dentist is literally making the tooth whole, which in turn makes the mouth more stable. At Friesz Family Dentistry, you can count on our staff to perform fillings correctly the first time. We understand just how important it is to care for each individual tooth, so you can achieve better oral health. Contact us for more information about our services today or make an appointment.

Why do Dentists Use Drills to Fill Cavities?

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When you go to get cavities filled or a filling restoration in St. Cloud, MN, your dentist may use a drill. Few people enjoy the sound of a drill being used in the mouth, so it may help to know exactly why dentists use drills to fill cavities.

Drills Aren’t Used to Actually Fill Cavities

The thing is, dentists don’t use drills to fill cavities. The drilling is done to clean and prepare the tooth to accept the filling. A great way to think about this process is using an example of a similar situation.

If you’ve ever had to patch a hole in drywall, you know that the edges of the hole are uneven; jagged, even. If moisture or other materials have gotten on the drywall, you don’t want that to spread into the patched area. So first, you have to get rid of the moisture. Then you have to clean up the edges of the hole before you can patch it neatly.

This is almost exactly what the dentist is doing when he drills before filling a cavity in St. Paul, MN. He or she is drilling away areas of the tooth that are infected with bacteria. Otherwise, that bacteria would continue to grow until your whole tooth is rotted out. So that’s one reason why your dentist uses a drill.

Next, the dentist needs to neaten up around the perimeter of the cavity. This is so that the filling completely fills in the hole and there are no tiny cracks or areas for bacteria to enter the interior of the tooth.

Drilling is a necessary preparatory step in filling cavities, but it’s not done to actually fill the cavity. That’s an entirely different step that comes after the cavity in the tooth has been properly prepared.

Now that you know what the drilling is really for, you can rest easy when you hear that sound. It’s actually the sound of your dentist in St. Paul, MN making sure that he does quality work on your cavity filling so it lasts as long as possible. After all, cavity filling is a way to preserve your natural teeth. When you think of it that way, drilling doesn’t sound so bad, does it?