Making Dentistry Fun in The Woodlands

Usually our blogs are full of useful and educational information on maintaining your dental health. But at The Woodlands dental office of Dr. Shirley Cagle, we’re not only about educating, we also like to share some of the fun facts about dentistry we find so interesting.

As you probably know, there are some foods that are better for teeth than others. A little known healthy snack for your grin is cheese. Cheese is packed full of calcium and phosphorous which can reduce the pH level in plaque and helps remineralize tooth enamel.

Speaking of tooth enamel, it is, in fact, the strongest substance in your body. But that doesn’t mean your teeth can be used for ripping open a pesky package or to crack open that tightly sealed bottle. Using your teeth as tools can result in chipped or broken teeth in The Woodlands, and nobody wants that!

Another fun fact about your mouth is that, on average, you’ll produce about 25,000 quarts of saliva during your lifetime. How much is that exactly? Well, it’s enough to fill two swimming pools! Saliva doesn’t only serve to keep your mouth moist, it actually helps keep decay at bay, so producing that much saliva is a good thing!

Even though we promised to cover fun facts in this blogs, we can’t help but include a little at-home tip for good oral health. On average, people only brush their teeth for about 48 seconds every day. That’s not even half of the time we recommend! Both our dental office in The Woodlands and the Academy of General Dentistry recommend brushing for at least 2 minutes each time!

At the dental office of Dr. Shirley Cagle, we’re all about making sure your smile is kept in its best shape and educating you on how to make that happen. But we’re also about making dentistry fun and interesting. So if you’re overdue for your oral exam, or if you’re looking for a new dentist in The Woodlands, give us a call today!

Cavity Myths Debunked by Your Dentist in The Woodlands

At The Woodlands dental office of Dr. Shirley Cagle, we always try to make sure our patients know the truth about their dental health. That includes educating you about what types of things may or may not contribute to dental problems and what should truly be of concern. Cavities are no exception. Let’s separate fact from fiction.

We’ll start with one of the most widely-accepted myths, one that is so close to the truth that it seems like a fact. That’s the idea that sugar is the prime cause of cavities. In reality, the sugar itself isn’t doing the damage. It’s the acid produced by bacteria in your mouth that causes the decay. Here’s what happens: You eat carbohydrates, like sugar; the bacteria are triggered to make acid. The acid, in turn, can eat into your teeth, creating a cavity.

Another misconception is that cavities are harmless in baby teeth. Quite the opposite is true. If cavities in baby teeth are left untreated, they can actually develop into abscesses and can cause some serious pain. If this occurs, not only is the child in pain, they’re also at risk for spreading the infection to other areas of the body.

And lastly, some people think that if they have a cavity in The Woodlands, they’ll know it because it will cause pain. That’s definitely not that case. Mild tooth decay doesn’t really come with any symptoms. It’s when the cavity becomes more advanced and causes damage to the nerve that we typically start to experience the pain associated with a cavity. This is just one of the reasons it’s important to keep up with your oral exams with your The Woodlands dentist.

Regular check ups with Dr. Shirley Cagle at her dental office in The Woodlands can help catch any decay before it turns into a bigger problem, like needing a root canal. In addition, once a cavity starts, it will always continue to grow. This makes catching a cavity early so important for a healthy, pain-free smile.

If you’re overdue for your dental check up, call Dr. Cagle’s The Woodlands dental office to set up an appointment today. We’ll perform an in-depth exam to see what’s going on in your mouth and we’ll make sure to get your smile in top shape.