Childhood Check-Ups

We highly value children’s preventive care at Greenville Family Dentistry. Everyone should get dental check-ups twice a year, but it’s especially important for children to keep up their oral hygiene. The consequences for them are particularly bad if they don’t.

Children are the primary demographic to suffer from cavities or caries, the little zones of decay in tooth enamel. Cavities are also the most common illness among children. Decay in both permanent and baby teeth is painful, making it a big problem for the child’s overall health. Young children suffering from tooth aches may have delays learning to speak. They also may avoid eating and be unable to sleep, leaving them tired and irritable in school and unable to concentrate on their lessons.

Cavities are easy to treat if they are caught soon enough, but through regular oral hygiene, they can be avoided entirely. If cavities are allowed to progress, however, the child may need replacement crowns or root canals. Regular dental check-ups also allow us to determine whether the child will need extractions or orthodontics in the future.

Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Dry Mouth

We’ve all experienced a dry mouth at some point or another. We may notice it when we wake up in the morning, or we may feel it if we are dehydrated. Dry mouth affects about 10% of our population and tends to be more common in women than men. If you are experiencing symptoms of extreme dry mouth, schedule a consultation with Dr. Christopher Emuedue at Greenville Family Dentistry to discuss your treatment options.

Dry mouth can be caused by a variety of factors. It can occur as a side effect of certain medication, or it may be due to a lack of saliva flow (dehydration). Dry mouth can lead to discomfort and dental problems if left untreated. If you notice a dry feeling in the mouth, frequent thirst, dry nasal passages, or mouth sores, Dr. Emuedue may need to explore treatment options with you.

If you have questions or concerns regarding dry mouth, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Christopher Emuedue at Greenville Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX, call 903-455-6701.

Extrinsic Stains

Most of us can’t begin a day without a cup of coffee or end it with a glass of wine before bed. Though these beverages are fine in moderation, they can cause stains to develop on tooth enamel. These stains are known as extrinsic stains and they are easily removed by a teeth whitening session or a professional cleaning from Dr. Christopher Emuedue of Greenville Family Dentistry.

Beverages such as coffee, wine, and tea contain pigments that can stain the teeth. Because of the location of these stains, they are easier to remove than intrinsic stains which lay deep into the dentin. Dr. Christopher Emuedue may suggest a whitening treatment depending on the discoloration. Discoloration can range from a yellowish color to a dark brown. If the patient has no interesting in a whitening session, Dr. Emuedue can improve the color of your teeth with a professional cleaning.

If you have questions or concerns regarding tooth discoloration or teeth whitening. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Christopher Emuedue at Greenville Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX, call 903-455-6701.

Mouth Ulcers

A mouth ulcer is no fun, but patients can come to Greenville Family Dentistry for help managing their symptoms. While the cause of some ulcers is still being debated, there are others which could signal an oral health problem or which the patient should be made aware of.

Some ulcers are caused by the patient’s bite damaging the lining of their cheeks and lips. In these cases, the patient may need to undergo orthodontic work to get their teeth into a better position. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus-1. This virus is easily transferable and most people already have it, but during an outbreak, patients should be careful not to transfer bodily fluids from their mouths to their eyes and should avoid sharing cups and straws. Cankers are large white ulcers which doctors are still unsure of the cause of, but they are mainly found in teenagers and tend to occur when the patient is feeling stressed.

Unless they are being caused by physical irritation, ulcers usually clear up on their own after a month. But if they are painful, our office can provide patients with information about topical creams and antibiotics to get them under control.

Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Replacing Fillings

When patients suffer from caries, we’re ready to treat them at Greenville Family Dentistry with well-crafted, naturally colored fillings. Although it’s normal for teeth to be sensitive for a little while after decayed material is removed, a repaired tooth is much more comfortable than one with ongoing decay. However, there are situations in which pain from a filling warrants a close look.

If a filling is preventing the patient from biting down or from doing so without pain, it is probably too high and needs to be redone. Some doctors also use materials for fillings which shrink after placement, which creates a gap bacteria can enter. This allows the decay process to continue. But even when there is no initial problem with the filling, it will not last forever. Eventually, usually after about ten years, the seal holding the filling in will break down, allowing it to come loose or for bacteria to enter the seal. When this happens, the patient will need to have the filling replaced. If the decay has been allowed to progress, they may need a larger restoration, such as a partial crown.

Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Sugar and Teeth

Dr. Christopher Emuedue of Greenville Family Dentistry can provide patients with a list of benefits that water gives teeth, but when it comes to sugar, there are none. Sugar plays a harmful role in tooth decay because sugar contains acid that attacks tooth enamel. It’s not the sugar itself that does the damage, but rather the chain of events that occur after consumption. Allow us to explain.

There’s a constant battle of bacteria that occurs in the mouth on a daily basis. This is because the teeth are frequently under attack by acids. When you consume sugar, the sugar latches onto tooth enamel, though saliva washes the sugar away, these acids can linger. We encourage you to reduce sugar intake to prevent cavities. Keep your mouth as clean as possible by brushing at least twice a day, flossing and least once a day and visit our office at least twice a year for dental checkups.

If you have questions or concerns regarding dental health, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.greenvillefamilydentistrytx.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Christopher Emuedue at Greenville Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX, call 903-455-6701.

Dry Sockets

When patients need to have teeth extracted, they’re in good hands at Greenville Family Dentistry. Extractions are a routine procedure and have a very high success rate. However, we do want our patients to be on the look-out for dry sockets and to know what to do should one develop.

After a simple extraction, a bit of the jawbone is exposed at the end of the empty socket. Ideally, the socket will quickly be sealed off with a blood clot, but there are some medications which interfere with clotting. This is why it is important for patients to disclose their full regimen of medications to us. The socket will close after a few days, but during that time, the clot must not be disturbed, or else the socket will dry out, causing pain and posing a risk of infection. Patients are always warned not to sip through straws for fear of dislodging the clot.

When dry sockets do develop, it is usually after a complicated extraction which required incisions and sutures. If a patient’s pain does not subside forty-eight hours after the extraction, they should return for an examination. We can treat a dry socket by cleaning and dressing it and will carefully monitor it afterward.

Dr. Christopher Emuedue operates Greenville Family Dentistry at 7215 I-30, Suite B, Greenville, Texas, 75402. To schedule an appointment, call 903-455-6701 or visit GreenvilleFamilyDentistryTX.com and fill out a contact sheet.