Short answers to the questions patients ask us in the chair. Each one takes a minute or two to read, and each one points you to the longer article when you want the full story.
Brushing and cleaning between your teeth
- How Do I Brush and Floss the Right Way? Seven short step-by-step videos: brushing at the gumline, an electric toothbrush, floss, a water flosser, Soft-Picks, and cleaning around implants, bridges and full-arch implant bridges.
Breathing, dry mouth and lips
- Why Are My Lips Always Chapped, Even With Chapstick? Lip balm treats the surface, but it can’t fix what’s drying your lips out. A common hidden cause is breathing through your mouth while you sleep.
- Why Do I Wake Up With a Dry Mouth? Usually mouth breathing at night, with medications, dry air and evening drinks adding to it. Why it matters for your teeth, and what to try at home.
- Can Mouth Breathing Cause Cavities? Not by itself, but it is linked to more of them. Where these cavities show up, and why brushing harder doesn’t stop them.
Sensitivity and wear
- My Teeth Are Sensitive at the Gum Line. Why Can’t I Even Brush With Cold Water? Usually the gum has pulled back and acid has opened the tiny tubules in the root. Why it happens, what helps, and when it’s something more.
Cracks, fillings and root canals
- My Dentist Found a Crack Around a Filling. It Doesn’t Hurt, So Why Is It a Big Deal? A crack doesn’t heal and can keep growing, so a small painless crack can still cost you the tooth. Craze lines versus cracks, and why a crown usually beats waiting.
- What Should I Expect During a Root Canal? Less than most people fear. What happens step by step, how long it takes, whether it hurts, and why the crown afterward matters.
Straightening teeth
- Am I Too Old to Straighten My Lower Teeth? Maybe. Teeth move at any age, but crooked lower front teeth are harder to clean, get weaker at the neck, and are often the ones that break. When straightening is worth it, and when it isn’t.
- Why Do I Have Black Triangles Between My Teeth After Braces? Why the gum doesn’t fill the space after braces, and when bonding, Invisalign with IPR or crowns can close it.
Implants
- Why Does Food Get Stuck Around My Implant Now, When It Was Fine Before? Your implant hasn’t failed. Your natural teeth move over the years and your implant doesn’t. Why it’s worth fixing, and how.
Looking for more depth? Our full articles are here. Have a question you don’t see? Call 702-734-0776. If it comes up often in the chair, it will probably end up here.