Are Dental Implants Painful? What You Need to Know

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Dental implants offer a long-lasting solution for replacing missing teeth. Before undergoing surgery, it’s common and reasonable for patients to ask, “Are dental implants painful?”

The short answer is that local anesthesia during the dental implant procedure helps you feel more comfortable. While you might experience some post-surgical discomfort, you can typically manage it with over-the-counter pain relievers and by following your dentist's tips.

At Sanitas Family Dentistry, we understand patients might be anxious about dental implant surgery, especially if you’ve never had it or you're afraid it’s painful. To provide clarity, let’s explore dental implants and dental implant surgery in greater detail and discuss any pain involved in the process.

What Are Dental Implants and What is Their Purpose?

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots made of titanium or other biocompatible materials, such as ceramic.

The purpose of a dental implant is to fill the gap left by a missing tooth (or teeth) and provide support for the new, custom-fabricated artificial tooth, bridge, or denture that fits on the implant base.

During oral surgery, one of our exemplary surgical partners places the small, threadlike posts into your jawbone.

Your resulting replacement teeth will look and function like your natural teeth.

Common Reasons for Missing Teeth

Natural teeth are incredibly durable, and the enamel that protects them is the hardest substance in your body. That said, people can experience tooth loss for many reasons, including:

• Anodontia – A congenital condition in which teeth never develop

• Cavities – Tooth decay that causes holes in your teeth

• Gum disease

• Cracked or injured teeth

• Teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism)

Getting regular dental cleanings and exams (usually every 6 months) and addressing dental concerns as soon as they arise helps promote good oral health. It also allows dental professionals to identify conditions that may require treatment and offer recommendations to restore your smile and improve your quality of life.

What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?

Missing teeth can make it hard to chew and speak. They can also negatively affect your oral health and take a toll on your self-esteem. Millions of people get dental implants each year across the United States.

Dental implants offer multiple benefits, including:

• They are long-lasting: With proper dental hygiene and regular dental visits, implants can last a lifetime.

• They make it easier to chew: Implants fill gaps left by missing teeth. So, it’s easier to chew.

• They improve speaking: Missing teeth can make it difficult to talk. Implants can help you communicate more clearly.

• They help prevent bone loss: When the implant fuses to your jawbone, this bond enables stimulation from chewing and talking to help regenerate and preserve bone tissue.

• They increase comfort and stability: Removable dentures can slip around and may require adjustments to fit properly. Dental implants are fixed in place, which makes them more stable and comfortable.

• They help preserve healthy teeth: Dentures or bridges may require adjusting or removing healthy adjacent teeth. Implants don’t impact adjacent teeth; they help preserve them.

• They restore your smile: Implants look and feel like your natural teeth, which helps restore your smile.

• They boost your self-esteem: Being able to chew, talk, and smile positively impacts your self-esteem.

Parts of a Dental Implant

A dental implant has three parts:

• Threaded post – The artificial titanium root that the oral surgeon places in your jawbone

• Abutment – A small connecting post that screws into the threaded post that provides a foundation for the new artificial tooth

• Restoration – The prosthetic that replaces the missing tooth and is visible in your smile, such as a crown, bridge, or denture

An oral surgeon and Dr. Krista will place these pieces separately, over a course of weeks or months, in separate procedures.

Why Patients Choose Dental Implants

Some patients opt to have dental implant surgery because their dental bridges or dentures don’t fit properly. Titanium implants fuse to your jawbone. So, they won’t slip or make noise like ill-fitting dentures.

A dental implant procedure is also a surgical option if you don’t have enough natural tooth roots to support bridgework or dentures. Other considerations that may indicate implants are a viable choice for you include:

• You have one or more missing teeth.

• Your jawbone has fully grown.

• You have sufficient bone density to support implants, or you’re a bone graft candidate.

• The tissues in your mouth are healthy.

• You don’t have any health conditions that adversely affect bone healing.

• You don’t smoke or use tobacco.

• You want or need an alternative to dentures.

• You want to improve your speech.

• You’re able and willing to dedicate several months to the process.

Because every patient has a unique health history, Dr. Krista can discuss whether you are a candidate for dental implants during your initial consultation.

What Are the Stages of Dental Implant Surgery?

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Dental implant surgery involves multiple stages that may take weeks or months to complete, to allow for healing between phases. As with any type of surgery, understanding the process can help ease your anxiety. Here are the steps you can expect in an implant procedure:

1. Consultation – In your first visit, we will assess your oral health, take X-rays, and discuss your treatment goals. If your jawbone isn’t thick enough or too soft to support an implant, Dr. Krista can discuss the possibility and options for getting a bone graft ahead of dental implant surgery to create a solid, stable base for the implant.

2. Implant placement – Dr. Krista hand-selects exceptional implant placement experts. They will place the titanium implant into your jawbone in a minimally invasive procedure in which the surgeon makes a small incision in your gums to expose bone. Then, they drill a small hole in your jawbone and widen the opening, so it securely holds the implant post. After the surgeon places the post, they will close the incision with stitches. You will receive local anesthesia or sedation, if necessary, to keep you comfortable during this entire process.

3. Osseointegration and healing – During this phase, the bone heals around the implant, in a process called osseointegration. Healing usually takes several months to ensure the implant bonds securely with your bone.

4. Abutment and restoration placement – Once the implant fully integrates, Dr. Krista places a small connector, called an abutment, on the implant. Then she fabricates a custom-made crown, bridge, or denture that is placed and completes your restoration.

If your implant is near the front of your mouth, your dentist will make a temporary tooth for you to wear as you heal. If your implant is in the back of your mouth, you probably won’t need a temporary tooth. Your dentist will advise you about your particular needs before the procedure.

Are Dental Implants Painful?

While understanding the process can help decrease your anxiety, you might still wonder, “How painful are dental implants?” or “Are full mouth dental implants painful?”

During the surgery, your surgeon will numb your gums with local anesthesia and/or give you a sedative if you prefer.

The anesthesia limits pain and discomfort during the implant placement. You may feel some pressure or vibration during the procedure that patients typically tolerate well.

Be assured your comfort is of utmost importance during the procedure, and your oral surgeon and team members will do everything possible to minimize your discomfort.

Managing Pain After Dental Implant Surgery

To fully address whether dental implants are painful, you should know it is normal to experience mild to moderate discomfort once the anesthesia wears off after your implant placement procedure.

Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen should alleviate your discomfort, which might be similar to what you might feel after you’ve had a tooth extraction.

You might also experience bruising or swelling around the implant area, which is normal.

Tips to Reduce Post-Surgical Pain and Swelling

Your dentist will provide post-surgical care instructions to help you manage your symptoms after your procedure. You should follow these and also address any questions or concerns as they arise. You should also be sure to keep all scheduled follow-up appointments.

You can also follow these general tips to reduce your post-surgical pain and swelling:

• To decrease swelling, apply ice packs to the outside of your face near the affected area.

• Eat soft foods like yogurt and smoothies for the initial few days after your surgery. Don’t eat anything hot, spicy, or hard that might aggravate the surgical site.

• Avoid strenuous activities for a few days after your procedure.

• Take over-the-counter pain relievers according to their dosing instructions.

• Take any prescription pain relievers as your oral surgeon recommends.

• Rinse your mouth gently with a saltwater solution. Don’t brush the surgical site for several days after the procedure.

How Long Does It Take Dental Implants to Heal?

It takes about one week after the procedure for initial healing. The overall healing phase, to complete osseointegration so that your jawbone is fused around the implant varies and can take anywhere from three to nine months.

You will have regular progress checks with your provider every few weeks.

When Should You Contact the Dentist?

Complications are rare for dental implant surgery, and Dr. Krista will cover any risks and gladly answer any questions you have before your procedure.

In general, if you have had implant surgery or already have implants, call the dentist if you notice:

• Loose implants

• Pus, infection, or swelling around your implant

• Bleeding or swollen gums

• Swollen lymph nodes in your neck, along with another symptom above

Contact Sanitas Family Dentistry to Discuss Dental Implant Options

At Sanitas Family Dentistry, we prioritize your comfort and well-being in every procedure. Dr. Krista has extensive experience helping many patients enjoy the benefits that dental implants offer.

Our team will gladly address any questions you may have about whether dental implants are painful to ease your concerns and discuss treatment options that can help resolve your individual dental issues and restore your smile.

Contact us to schedule an initial consultation in our Boulder office.

What Is a Dental Deep Cleaning? A Complete Guide

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If you are showing signs of gum disease, like bleeding, swollen, or receding gums, your dentist or hygienist might recommend a deep cleaning. But what is a deep dental cleaning, and how is it different from a regular dental cleaning?

At Sanitas Family Dentistry, we want you to understand as much as possible about the dental services we provide — including a deep dental cleaning — to not only arm you with effective oral health prevention strategies but also put you at ease before your visit.

So, let’s dive into deep dental cleanings and discuss what they are. We’ll also explain the oral health risks of gum disease, who dental deep cleanings are for, what is involved in a deep dental cleaning, some of the procedure’s pros and cons, and other pertinent details.

What Is a Dental Deep Cleaning?

During a regular, twice-a-year dental cleaning, your hygienist uses special tools to remove plaque and tartar from the crowns of your teeth (the part that is visible when you smile) as well as between your teeth and gums. They also floss and polish your teeth.

A routine dental cleaning removes buildup in areas that may be hard to reach when you brush and floss. It also promotes good oral health by preventing cavities, gum disease, and other dental concerns.

In a dental deep cleaning (also known as scaling and root planing), your hygienist, dentist, or periodontist (gum specialist) removes plaque, tartar, and bacteria above and below your gumline. A deep teeth cleaning also treats advanced gum disease (periodontitis) to prevent severe infection and tooth loss.

Understanding the Oral Health Risks of Gum Disease

Plaque forms when bacteria mix with food particles, acid, and saliva when you eat. It sticks to your teeth and destroys your tooth enamel. Tartar and plaque buildup cause tooth decay and cavities. When left untreated, excessive plaque and tartar can lead to gum disease. 

Gum disease poses a significant risk to your oral health. Routine dental cleanings can help treat gum disease in its initial stage, known as gingivitis.

Symptoms of gingivitis include:

• Bad breath

• Sore and inflamed gums

• Red gums that bleed during tooth brushing

Getting a regular dental cleaning at the dentist’s office and adjusting some oral hygiene habits at home can help resolve or reverse early signs of gum disease and prevent it from progressing to a more serious stage called periodontitis.

Periodontitis occurs when plaque and tartar build up on the root surfaces of your teeth below your gumline. Left untreated, bacteria below your gums can infect and break down ligaments and bones that help secure your teeth and cause them to loosen — and even fall out.

Signs of periodontitis include:

• Shifting or loose teeth

• Painful chewing

• A persistent bad taste in your mouth

• Lingering bad breath

• Shrinking or receding gums

• A portion of your tooth root shows at your gum line

• Gum sensitivity

• Bite changes

If you experience any symptoms of periodontitis, it’s essential to schedule a dental or periodontal appointment right away.

What Are Risk Factors for Gum Disease?

The NIH reports that over 42% of adults older than 30 have some form of gum disease, and 8% of those have severe periodontal disease. Aging increases the issue, with nearly 60% of adults over age 65 having some form of gum disease.

Several factors can put people at risk for gum disease. They include:

• Smoking or tobacco use

• Poor oral hygiene

• Diabetes

• Certain autoimmune disorders like Crohn’s disease, scleroderma, and lupus

• Heart disease

• Stress

• Hormonal changes during pregnancy, puberty, or menopause

• Genetics

These risk factors don’t necessarily mean you will get gum disease. However, it’s crucial to provide a complete health history to your dentist so they are aware of any chronic conditions that may affect your oral and periodontal health.

Dr. Krista and the Sanitas staff are happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have regarding your potential gum disease risks.

Who Is a Dental Deep Cleaning For?

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Dental professionals usually recommend deep cleanings for people who are diagnosed with advanced gum disease.

Healthy gum tissue covers bones, ligaments, and connective tissues that hold your teeth in place. Advanced stages of gum disease can compromise this bond by creating a breeding ground for infection and causing teeth instability.

As gum disease worsens, healthy tissue, ligaments, and bones erode and cause gums to pull away from teeth and form periodontal pockets. These pockets trap bacteria, which can lead to infection, further bone loss, and loose teeth.

To assess gum disease severity, a dentist or periodontist measures the depth of the pockets around your teeth with a periodontal probe. The readings indicate how much bone you’ve lost around your teeth.

The deeper the pockets, the more severe the level of gum disease. For example, healthy pocket depth ranges from one to three millimeters. Pockets deeper than 4 millimeters may indicate periodontitis, and those deeper than 5 millimeters cannot be cleaned well with routine care. They require deep dental cleaning.

What Is Involved in a Dental Deep Cleaning?

A dental deep cleaning involves two processes: scaling and root planing. Scaling removes plaque and tartar above your gumline.

Root planing smooths the surface of your teeth roots (below your gumline), so it is harder for plaque to accumulate following your dental visit. It also helps your gums reattach to your teeth as they heal, which decreases the depth of the periodontal pockets that cause this detachment.

A dental deep cleaning typically requires two appointments because providers usually only numb and treat the upper and lower quadrants on one side of your mouth at each visit.

However, some providers may treat your entire mouth in a single visit or opt to treat one single quadrant at a time. You can discuss their recommendations and your preferences ahead of your appointment.

What to Expect at a Dental Deep Cleaning

Knowing what to expect with any dental service can help ease your worries. Here is what you can expect during your first dental deep cleaning appointment:

• Your dentist, hygienist, or periodontist will administer local anesthesia to numb your gums, ensuring you are comfortable and don’t feel pain during the cleaning.

• During scaling, they will use various scaling instruments to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth (above and below your gums) by hand. If buildup is particularly dense, they may use an ultrasonic tool that vibrates to bust up stubborn plaque and tartar.

• During root planing, they will use another instrument, such as a curette with a rounded tip, to access and smooth (plane) your root surfaces.

• Each dental deep cleaning visit usually takes one to two hours. However, the length of your appointment will depend on the severity of gum disease, the depth and number of periodontal pockets, and the depth and amount of buildup.

Your dentist may advise you to take antibiotics for a few days after your dental deep cleaning appointment to decrease the risk of a post-procedure infection, especially if your immune system is compromised.

Deep Teeth Cleaning Aftercare Instructions

It’s normal to experience minor bleeding, swelling, and discomfort/sensitivity for a few days after a deep teeth cleaning appointment.

Dr. Krista and our staff will give you post-procedure care instructions to promote optimal healing, minimize discomfort, and prevent complications.

Common dental deep cleaning aftercare instructions include:

• Take all prescribed antibiotics as directed.

• Wait at least two hours after the procedure to eat anything.

• For 48 hours after the procedure, stick to soft foods and avoid sharp, hard, or crunchy foods, such as nuts, hard candy, chips, and pretzels.

• You should not smoke for at least 72 hours after a deep dental cleaning and should refrain from smoking at all during recovery for optimal healing and to reduce the risk of infection.

• You should avoid alcohol for at least 72 hours after the procedure. Alcohol may hinder healing. So, it’s best to avoid alcohol until healing is done.

• To manage discomfort, take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

• Do saltwater rinses several times a day or use prescription mouthwash as your dentist recommends.

• Avoid hot beverages for 48 hours and stick to eating soft food for a few days.

• Gently brush your teeth and be careful near treatment areas until healing is complete.

• Be cautious around your sensitive gumline when flossing.

• To reduce swelling, elevate your head while you rest.

What Is the Average Cost of a Dental Deep Cleaning?

The average cost of a dental deep cleaning varies according to the severity of gum disease, the number of quadrants treated, the dentist's location, and whether you have dental insurance coverage.

National average prices for a dental deep cleaning for an uninsured patient are $150-$350 per quadrant and $600-$1,600 for all four quadrants.

Some dental insurance plans will cover at least a portion of deep dental cleaning fees. Check with your dental insurance company or dental provider to get a quote tailored to treat your specific periodontal issues.

What Are the Pros and Cons of a Dental Deep Cleaning?

Routine cleaning cannot adequately treat severe gum disease (periodontitis). Therefore, a dental deep cleaning is critical to properly treat advanced gum disease.

If you are considering the treatment, here are some pros and cons of deep dental cleaning.

Pros

Deep dental cleanings have multiple benefits, including:

• They stop gum disease from getting worse.

• Your teeth are cleaned above and below your gums.

• They help protect your tooth roots.

• They treat your current level of infection.

• They help prevent tooth loss.

• They promote gum health.

• They combat bad breath.

• Healthier gums can boost your confidence.

Cons

Potential disadvantages of deep dental cleanings include:

• Temporary mild pain and discomfort after the procedure

• Increased sensitivity

• Risk of post-procedure infection due to gum exposure during treatment

• Risk of gum recession

• Rare risk of nerve damage

If you struggle with gum disease, a deep dental cleaning is a critical step in ensuring good oral health. Dr. Krista or an expert periodontal partner can discuss the benefits versus risks in your individual case.

Sanitas Family Dentistry Is Committed to Protecting Your Smile

Sanitas Family Dentistry knows adults only get one set of natural teeth. Therefore, we are committed to prioritizing your oral health and protecting your smile from the harmful effects of gum disease.

Contact us today at our Boulder office to discuss whether a deep dental cleaning is right for you.

Cavities 101: A Guide to What Causes Cavities and More

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Routine visits to the dentist are an essential part of good dental health. During a cleaning or exam, or when reading your X-rays, your dentist might discover a cavity on one or more surfaces of your teeth. But what causes cavities? How common are they? What are some cavity symptoms? What food causes cavities, and how are they treated?

At Sanitas Family Dentistry, we believe that knowledge is key to empowering our patients. Let’s explore the answers to these questions to raise your awareness of cavities and promote good dental habits.

What Exactly Is a Cavity?

When you eat and drink, bacteria, plaque, and acids that mix in your mouth can cause tooth decay that damages the hard, protective outer layer of your teeth (called enamel). When left untreated, tooth decay can form holes in your teeth called cavities (also known as dental caries).

How Common Are Cavities?

Cavities are a common health concern for people of all ages in the United States. The CDC’s 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report showed:

• More than one in 10 children aged two to five had at least one untreated cavity in their baby teeth.

• Half of all children aged six to nine years have had cavities in their primary or permanent teeth.

• One in 10 adolescents aged 12 to 19 had at least one untreated cavity in their permanent teeth.

• One in five adults aged 20 to 64 years had at least one untreated cavity.

Where Do Cavities Form on Your Teeth?

Cavities can form on multiple surfaces of your teeth, including:

• On the crown (the part that extends from your gums and you see when you look in the mirror) or between your teeth

• On the top part of your tooth’s chewing surface or the front side of your back teeth

• At the root of your tooth

What Causes Cavities?

Ultimately, tooth decay is what causes cavities. So, to understand what actually causes cavities, you need to know how tooth decay progresses.

Tooth Decay Progression

In the early stages, tooth decay breaks down the minerals in your tooth enamel, and white spots may appear. Left untreated, the decay continues to break down the enamel, and holes (cavities) may become visible. You may see light brown spots on your teeth.

In the next phase, decay reaches the dentin (which is a soft layer underneath the tooth enamel). When the plaque and bacteria hit this layer, cavities form more quickly. You might also notice teeth sensitivity or dark brown spots on your teeth in this stage.

If tooth decay reaches the pulp (the innermost layer of your tooth), you may feel pain or notice swelling and redness around your gums surrounding the affected tooth. Any visible spots may also become darker brown or black.

Signs of a Tooth Abscess

An untreated deep cavity can cause an infection called an abscess. When this occurs, a pocket of pus forms around the tooth root and can be very painful. Symptoms of an abscess include:

• Jaw or facial pain

• Facial swelling

• Swollen lymph nodes in your neck

In some cases, you may wonder what cavities cause in your body. Unfortunately, a tooth abscess can spread to surrounding tissues or other places.

Rare, serious complications can cause the infection to spread to your brain or bloodstream – which can cause sepsis. To help reduce the risk of complications, it’s critical not to leave any dental concerns or pain untreated — and to seek professional dental help as soon as possible.

What Is Plaque and How Does it Form?

Plaque is a sticky substance that coats your teeth and destroys your tooth enamel. It forms when bacteria, saliva, acid, and food mix while eating. Acids in dental plaque break down enamel, creating holes — or cavities — in the enamel surface.

Proper brushing and flossing after meals can help remove and prevent plaque buildup.

What Causes Cavities in Kids?

Simply put, tooth decay causes cavities in kids. The following factors may raise the risk of a child getting tooth decay:

• Poor oral hygiene

• Water with limited or no fluoride

• High amounts of oral bacteria that cause cavities

• A sugar and starch-heavy diet

• Reduced saliva flow

What Causes Cavities in Adults?

All the tooth decay risk factors mentioned above that cause cavities in kids also apply to adults. Let’s review them and add some additional cavity risk factors for adults.

• Failing to brush and floss teeth regularly (at least twice a day for two minutes) and after meals

• Consuming a high-sugar, high-starch, or highly acidic diet

• Deep teeth crevices that catch food and allow more room for plaque to form

• Excessive dry mouth/reduced saliva flow

• Grinding your teeth in your sleep or throughout the day, which wears down enamel

• Genetics causing a family history of dental issues/tooth decay

• Life changes that negatively affect oral hygiene or dietary habits, including stress, moving to a new home, starting a new job, or starting school

• Receding gums, which expose more of your teeth and make them vulnerable to decay

• Brushing teeth too hard

• Spacing dental appointments too far apart or not going to the dentist at all (going every six months for a teeth cleaning and exam is best)

What Food Causes Cavities?

The foods and beverages that people of all ages consume have a significant impact on dental health.

The American Dental Association warns that sugar-laden drinks like soda, lemonade, juice, and sweetened coffee or tea “are particularly harmful because sipping them causes a constant sugar bath over teeth, which promotes tooth decay.”

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Hard and sticky candy like lollipops, caramel, mints, and taffy, sweets like cake, muffins, pie, and cookies, and starchy snacks like potato chips, crackers, and pretzels contain empty calories that offer no nutritional value. Plus, the amount and type of sugar they contain that adheres to teeth also helps form tooth decay.

You should also be cautious when eating nutritious, acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits, as they can erode enamel. So, the ADA advises eating them with a meal, not by themselves. Even dried fruit, like raisins, stick to your teeth and produce plaque acids that harm your teeth.

What Foods Are Good for Dental Health?

The extensive list of foods to avoid may sound worrisome; however, thankfully, there are plenty of foods that are good for your dental health.

For example, calcium-rich foods and beverages like milk, cheese, plain yogurt, calcium-fortified tofu and nutrient dense leafy greens and almonds can promote tooth health.

Foods high in protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, and eggs, are excellent sources of phosphorus. Both minerals — calcium and phosphorus — are vital for dental health as they help protect and rebuild tooth enamel.

Fruits and vegetables are not only part of an overall healthy diet but also offer fantastic benefits for your teeth. They are high in water and fiber, meaning they balance their natural sugars and clean your teeth.

Plus, they stimulate saliva production, which helps wash food and acid away from your teeth while also neutralizing the acid in your mouth to guard against tooth decay. Also, Vitamin C-rich foods promote healthy gums, and foods containing Vitamin A help build tooth enamel.

The best beverage of choice to support a healthy smile is fluoridated water.

What Are Daily Sugar Limits and Common Sources of Added Sugar?

Limiting your daily sugar intake as much as possible is best for your health — and for your teeth. Natural sugars, like those in fruit and milk, are part of a daily total sugar intake. Currently, the FDA does not have a daily total sugar intake recommendation.

Added sugars refer to sugars introduced during food processing (like sucrose and dextrose), those found in packaged sweeteners (such as table sugar), and sugars concentrated in fruit or vegetable juices.

The Daily Value for added sugar is 50 grams per day, based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet. Also, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting added sugar intake to less than 10% of total daily calories, and children under two years old should not have any added sugar at all.

When choosing what to eat and drink, you should limit your intake of common sources of added sugar. Some sources are ingredients on a food item’s nutrition label. They include:

• Regular soda

• Sweetened coffee and tea

• Fruit drinks that are NOT 100% juice

• Energy drinks

• Flavored milk

• Cookies, cake, and candy

• Ice cream

• Donuts

• Granola bars

• Flavored yogurt

• Many breakfast cereals

• Brown sugar, sugar, confectioners’ or powdered sugar

• Glucose

• Fructose

• High fructose corn syrup

• Corn syrup

• Corn sweeteners

This list is not all-inclusive. When you read food labels, anything ending in “ose” is a sugar ingredient, and the lists are weighted. So, if you see any of these ingredients high on the list, the item is high in sugar.

Tips for Cutting Back on Added Sugar Intake

Cutting back on added sugars is a vital part of maintaining good dental health and helping to prevent cavities. These healthy swaps can make a positive difference:

• Replace soda with water, sparkling water, or unsweetened tea.

• Eat plain oatmeal or plain yogurt with fruit instead of sugary breakfast cereal.

• Trade your candy dish for a fresh fruit bowl.

• Drink plain coffee or use a low or no-calorie sweetener instead of sugar.

• Reduce dessert portion sizes or share a dessert with someone else.

More Cavity Prevention and Oral Health Tips

Reducing sugar and added sugar intake is a vital step in preventing cavities for people of all ages. Other preventive and good oral health measures include:

• Drink fluoridated water.

• Brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes, twice a day, with fluoride toothpaste.

• Floss daily to dislodge food particles from between your teeth that can cause plaque.

• Don’t smoke or use tobacco products.

• Reduce alcohol intake.

• Visit your dentist for a dental cleaning and exam at least once a year, preferably every six months, to spot and resolve any dental issues, including oral cancer, oral health issues, and cavities.

Common Cavity Symptoms

If you do develop a cavity, you might not have any symptoms at all in the early stages. As the decay spreads to deeper layers of your teeth, you may experience:

• A toothache

• Mouth pain

• Bad breath

• Bleeding gums

• Facial swelling

• Pain when you bite down

• Tooth sensitivity upon contact or touch

• Pain when you eat or drink sweet, hot, or cold items

• Visible black or brown stains on your teeth

• Visible holes or pits in your tooth

What to Do if You Have a Cavity and How Cavities are Treated

If you suspect you have a cavity or are experiencing pain, swelling, or other symptoms, contact us as soon as possible to schedule an appointment to address and diagnose your issues.

Cavity treatment will depend on the severity of decay and may include fluoride treatments, fillings, or tooth extraction.

At Sanitas Family Dentistry, we treat the person, not just the teeth. We treat patients of all ages and offer personalized care in every case. We are here to listen to you with kindness and compassion and resolve your dental concerns to help you restore your smile.

Call us today at (303) 449-8875 to schedule a consultation in our Boulder office.

How Long Does a Dental Cleaning Take: Here’s What to Know

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Getting a routine dental cleaning is essential for maintaining oral health. If you’re new to the process, you may be anxious or wonder, “How long does a dental cleaning take?”

Most dental cleanings last 30 minutes to 1 hour. If it’s your first appointment or you need X-rays, it may take a little longer. Be assured, our goal is to help you feel comfortable during your visit to Sanitas Family Dentistry and provide expert care that prioritizes your oral well-being and promotes best oral hygiene practices.

To help put you at ease, we’ll share some dental hygiene fun facts, then discuss what happens during a dental cleaning. That way, you’ll know exactly what to expect. We’ll also cover dental hygiene tools and technology, as well as the benefits of regular dental cleanings and checkups.

Fun Facts About Dental Hygiene and Teeth

Since dental hygiene focuses on promoting good oral health habits and protecting your smile, you might get a grin out of some of these fun facts about dental hygiene and teeth.

• Ancient civilizations started rubbing their teeth with thin twigs that had frayed ends, called “chew sticks,” as early as 3000 BC.

• The modern toothbrush wasn’t produced until 1938, but early bristle toothbrushes were invented in China around 1498 and contained coarse hairs from the back of a boar’s neck tied to bone or bamboo “handles.”

• Egyptians cleaned their teeth with a powdery mix of crushed eggshells, oxen hooves, and water.

• Irene Newman became the first licensed dental hygienist in 1917. She was trained by Dr. Alfred Fones in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Fones founded the first dental hygiene school in 1913. Fones and Newman instructed students at the school.

• Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in your body — even harder than your bones. It’s also the only part of your body that can’t heal itself.

• Sea-dwelling “umbrella slugs” earn top honors for the species with the most teeth, going through 750,000 of them in their lifetime.

• Humans only grow two sets of teeth in their lifetime. The first is a set of 20 baby teeth that start forming before birth. The second is a full set of 32 permanent teeth.

• An adult set of permanent teeth typically includes eight incisors, four canines, eight premolars, and 12 molars. The molars are your large, flat, upper, and lower back teeth (three on each side), and you use them to crush and grind food.

• Every person’s set of teeth is unique — just like your fingerprints.

What Is a Routine Dental Cleaning?

Another name for a routine dental cleaning is a “prophylaxis.” Dental cleanings are a crucial part of maintaining optimal oral health and preventing cavities, gum disease, and other dental issues.

A typical dental cleaning appointment includes an oral exam and is conducted in a dental office. A licensed dental hygienist will perform the cleaning. Its purpose is to remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar buildup from the surfaces of your teeth to help keep them and your gums healthy.

What Happens During a Cleaning at the Dentist's Office?

If you’re wondering, “What is a cleaning at the dentist?” Or “What does a teeth cleaning do?” Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Many people may feel anxious about going to the dentist for a cleaning, especially for the first time.

At Sanitas Family Dentistry, we believe in educating our patients about dental procedures. We will happily address any questions you may have to make you feel more comfortable about your visit before we begin treatment.

Step One: Initial Oral Exam

The goal of a routine dental cleaning is to remove harmful bacteria, plaque, and tartar from your teeth to help prevent tooth decay, cavities, and gingivitis (gum inflammation).

During your cleaning appointment, you will lie back in a comfortable dental chair that raises and lowers, allowing your hygienist to easily access your teeth.

The hygienist will start by performing an initial oral examination using a small mirror to look for any issues to alert the dentist to. If they see something serious, they will pause and consult with the dentist to determine how to proceed.

Otherwise, they’ll move on to the next step.

Step Two: Removing Plaque and Tartar

After the initial exam, the hygienist may begin with a pre-procedural rinse. Then, they will use a special set of tools to remove plaque and tartar buildup from your teeth, between your teeth, and gums.

Plaque is a sticky substance that coats your teeth when bacteria, saliva, and acid mix in your mouth while you eat.

Regular brushing and flossing can help remove plaque between dental hygiene appointments. Plaque that is not removed regularly hardens and forms tartar (aka calculus), which usually requires professional hygienist removal.

During this step, your hygienist uses special tools to remove plaque and tartar and examine your teeth and gums. They are:

• Probe – This is like a small metal ruler that measures the space between your gums and teeth to determine gum health.

• Dental Explorer – This can sometimes be on the other end of the probe. Dentists and hygienists both use this tool. They check the surfaces of your teeth for sticky spots, which may be signs of tooth decay, and the sides of your teeth to look for tartar.

• 11/12 Explorer – This tool does an even better job of getting in teeth crevices to look for tartar buildup before and after the cleaning.

• Scalers – Patients might call these hand instruments “scrapers." Hygienists use different scalers for different teeth. For example, anterior scalers are for your front teeth, which you see when you smile. Posterior scalers are for your back teeth. The pointy ends of scalers remove plaque and tartar.

• Curette – This is another type of scaler that is less pointy, and hygienists can use it to go below the gumline.

• Gracey Curettes – These special types of curettes are used to go in precise, particular tooth locations.

• Ultrasonic Scaler – This tool uses a combination of water and vibrations to remove plaque, tartar, and stains. Low settings are for light buildup, and high settings are for heavy buildup.

• Saliva Ejector – This is a straw-like tool to suction air and saliva during a cleaning to keep your mouth dry.

Advanced Technology Tools at Sanitas Dentistry

Sanitas Dentistry proudly uses cutting-edge dental technology to deliver the most effective, efficient, and comfortable treatments:

• Air Powder Polisher – For patients with sensitive teeth or who want a gentler option for stain removal, this high-tech tool uses a gentle stream of air and fine powder to remove plaque and stains, providing a thorough and comfortable cleaning experience.

• Laser Bacterial Reduction - Our advanced laser technology targets harmful bacteria in the gums, promoting faster healing and reducing the risk of gum disease. The laser is precise, non-invasive, and enhances your overall oral health without the discomfort of traditional methods.

Step Three: Polishing

After removing plaque and tartar with a combination of hand and ultrasonic instruments, the hygienist polishes each of your teeth on all surfaces with an electric rotary polishing tip. They will use a gritty polishing paste in a variety of flavors to ensure your mouth tastes fresh and your teeth are shiny after your cleaning.

Step Four: Flossing

Once your teeth are cleaned and polished, the hygienist flosses between your teeth with dental floss to catch any residual plaque that might linger in teeth crevices. It also allows the hygienist to identify any issues with bleeding gums.

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Step Five: Final Rinse

As a last step, the hygienist will squirt water in your mouth, ask you to swish, and then suction to remove the water from your mouth. This final rinse also removes any residual bits of tooth polish.

Congratulations — you’re done with your professional dental cleaning!

Dental Exam with the Dentist

Before you leave the dental chair, the dentist will come in and do a final dental exam. If they don’t find any issues, you are all set to schedule your next routine dental cleaning appointment at whatever your dentist or hygienist suggests. This is typically set for six months into the future.

How Long Does a Dental Cleaning Take?

If it seems like we’ve described a lot of steps or procedures, you might be wondering, “How long does it take for a dental cleaning?”

The good news is that most normal dental cleanings take about 30 minutes to one hour. In some cases, however, deeper cleanings, heavy buildup, or other issues may require a longer appointment or multiple appointments.

The better oral hygiene habits you practice at home, the less buildup you will accumulate between cleanings, and the less time your hygienist will need to clean your teeth.

Benefits of Doing Regular Routine Dental Cleanings

There are multiple benefits to routine dental cleanings, every six months or as recommended by your dentist or hygienist. Here are some of the advantages:

• Helps prevent cavities and gum disease

• Allows dental professionals to spot non-symptomatic issues before they get worse

• Reaches hard-to-reach areas of your teeth and gums that your toothbrush might miss

• Allows vital screenings for signs of tumors, oral cancer, and other oral health concerns like gum recession, bite issues, or early signs of infection

How Often Do You Need Dental X-Rays?

Dental x-rays are radiographic images of your teeth and jaws, taken at the dental office.

Patients typically don’t need dental X-rays at every routine cleaning appointment. If your teeth and gums are healthy, you may only need X-rays every six to 18 months.

Like routine dental cleanings, dental X-rays are an essential part of maintaining good oral health. Dentists use X-rays to detect a variety of oral health issues, including:

• Cavities on tooth surfaces and between teeth

• Bone loss in your jaws

• Tooth abscesses/infections

• Impacted or unerupted teeth

• Tooth decay under existing fillings

• Cysts, tumors, or signs of oral cancer

• To track the healing process after a root canal or bone graft

• To determine if you’re a candidate for orthodontic procedures like braces or other procedures like implants

Best Oral Hygiene Practices Between Dental Cleanings

Good oral hygiene habits not only protect your teeth and gums, but maintaining oral health is also linked to whole-body health.

For example, mouth infections can flow into your bloodstream and carry bacteria to other parts of your body. This can lead to serious health concerns like heart disease, stroke, and pneumonia, to name a few.

Between dental cleanings, make sure you:

• Brush your teeth twice daily with a soft-bristle toothbrush.

• Use a fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash.

• Floss daily and after meals.

• Avoid eating and drinking sugary foods and beverages that are high in added sugar.

• Avoid eating starchy snacks that cling to your teeth.

• Avoid acidic foods, fruits, and beverages that can harm your enamel.

At Sanitas Family Dentistry, we are dedicated to protecting your teeth and preserving your smile! Call us today at (303) 449-8875 to schedule a routine in our Boulder office.

What Is Myofunctional Therapy? Everything You Need to Know

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Most people don’t think about swallowing or breathing through their nose — unless, of course, these automatic, vital functions are challenging.

Myofunctional therapy treats orofacial disorders that disrupt these actions, as well as conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, and speaking or chewing difficulties, to name a few.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, you might wonder, “What is myofunctional therapy?” and who can benefit from orofacial myofunctional therapy exercises?

As a compassionate, expert myofunctional therapy Colorado provider, Sanitas Family Dentistry is dedicated to offering treatment options that help patients of all ages.

In this guide, we’ll discuss myofunctional therapy, the disorders it treats, myofunctional therapy tools, orofacial myofunctional therapy exercises, their benefits, and more.

What Is Myofunctional Therapy?

Myofunctional therapy (also known as orofacial myofunctional therapy or OMT) enhances tongue and facial muscle function via specific orofacial myofunctional therapy exercises to improve breathing, eating, swallowing, and orofacial disorders like TMJ and obstructive sleep apnea.

During guided exercises, a Certified Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist helps a patient strengthen or retrain muscles in the mouth or face, or become aware of proper ways to move or rest these muscles.

Focus areas include exercising the tongue, cheeks, jaws, and lips to improve oral rest posture and facial functionality during certain activities.

What Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders Do Therapists Treat?

Healthcare providers, including dental hygienists who become certified orofacial myofunctional therapists, treat various orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) via specialized exercises.

Examples of orofacial myofunctional disorders include:

• Mouth breathing – You might do this if you can’t get enough air through your nose. Chronic sinus issues, nasal congestion, allergies, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, a deviated septum, and sleep apnea are some of the reasons why people have challenges breathing through their nose. OMT encourages proper nasal breathing to decrease the frequency of mouth breathing.

• Snoring – Snoring occurs when air flows through narrow, relaxed tissues in your mouth, throat, and nose. Doing mouth, tongue, and throat exercises to strengthen these muscles and promote proper tongue posture can help reduce or prevent snoring.

• Malocclusion – Also known as a misaligned bite, this issue occurs when your upper and lower teeth don’t line up properly with your mouth closed. Genetics can cause this issue, along with childhood habits like thumb sucking and pacifier use, which may affect the way a child’s teeth and jaw develop. Also, losing teeth too early, teeth grinding, and teeth or jaw injuries can cause alignment issues.

• Teeth clenching and grinding (bruxism) – When you clench or grind your teeth subconsciously throughout the day or while you sleep, it can cause headaches and jaw pain. Stress or anxiety can bring on or worsen grinding. OMT seeks ways to improve resting lip and tongue posture. Therapy can also balance and strengthen facial muscle functions to help decrease the severity and frequency of teeth clenching.

• Tongue thrust – This condition usually occurs in children when they push their tongues against the back of their teeth while swallowing, speaking, or at rest. It can impair swallowing and speaking and cause mouth breathing and teeth protrusion, among other challenges. Research shows that OMT techniques can help correct tongue thrust.

• Open-mouth posture – Open-mouth posture issues can affect your tongue, jaws, and teeth because your mouth stays slightly open at rest, rather than in a natural, sealed lip position. OMT helps correct your oral posture so that your tongue rests lightly against the roof of your mouth.

• TMJ disorders – TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint. Disorders affect the muscles and ligaments surrounding these joints and can cause chronic pain, difficulty chewing, jaw locking, facial pain, headaches, eye pain, jaw tenderness, and more. OMT decreases jaw tension, improves alignment, increases the jaw’s range of motion, and improves joint stability.

• Neck tension and facial pain – OMT helps alleviate these issues.

• Post-jaw surgery recovery - OMT can help make eating easier during post-jaw surgery recovery.

• Post-lingual frenectomy (tongue tie) recovery – Doing OMT following tongue tie release surgery can help improve tongue range of motion, making eating and speaking easier.

How Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Helps Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In 2019, research findings estimated that “936 million adults aged 30-69 years (men and women) have mild to severe obstructive sleep apnea, and 425 million (399-450) adults aged 30-69 years have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea globally.”

That’s nearly one billion people around the world who suffer from OSA, a condition in which “a blockage or narrowing in your airway keeps air from moving through your windpipe when you’re asleep.”

Oral myofunctional therapy goals aim to strengthen muscle function in your upper airway to help keep airways open. Treatment may also focus on repositioning your tongue and improving nasal breathing — also to open your airways.

Common Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Exercises

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So, what is orofacial myofunctional therapy? Simply put, myofunctional therapy is like physical therapy for the mouth, tongue, face, and throat.

There are no known risks to performing OMT, and the exercises always target each patient’s specific conditions.

Healthcare professionals — including dental hygienists who are trained or certified in myofunctional therapy — can recognize orofacial issues and help guide patients through specific orofacial myofunctional therapy exercises to address, reduce the intensity of, and alleviate the concerns above.

For instance, if you struggle with snoring, your OMT provider may create an exercise plan that works on strengthening your tongue. Exercises may include:

• Tongue push-ups

• Tongue stretches

• Tongue slide

• Tongue aerobics

You can also do mouth exercises to help alleviate snoring. They target your cheek muscles, lips, and soft palate, such as:

• Lip purse

• Side-to-side jaw movement

• Cheek hook

• Open and close your mouth

• Button hold

Throat exercises for snoring focus on strengthening the muscles around your airway. Doing these regularly makes your airway muscles less likely to vibrate or collapse while you sleep (which can cause snoring).

Throat exercises include singing or pronouncing vowel sounds (A E I O U) — and drawing them out — such as holding the sound for several seconds.

Regularly doing nasal breathing exercises encourages nose-breathing to keep your airway open while you sleep. They include breathing through your nostrils, one at a time, with your mouth closed.

More examples of myofunctional therapy exercises include playing a wind instrument, holding a small object between your lips, and lifting or extending your tongue in certain ways.

Examples of Myofunctional Therapy Tools

Hand weights and resistance bands are standard physical therapy tools that help strengthen your arms and legs. By comparison, myofunctional therapy tools help strengthen your lips, tongue, throat, and facial muscles.

Some of them may look fun, like bubbles to practice mouth posture or a straw to strengthen lips and encourage mouth closure.

More myofunctional therapy tools include:

• A mirror to watch how facial muscles move

• Small sticky dots to help a patient achieve proper tongue placement

• A large mouth model

• Tongue depressors

• Tape for lip closure exercises

• A pencil for tongue exercises

• Bite block – to help stabilize the jaw

• Small elastic bands (like those used in orthodontic treatments) – used to guide and achieve tongue placement

This list offers examples of common myofunctional tools that can be customized to address individual needs.

An Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist Creates a Personal Exercise Plan

A certified orofacial myofunctional therapist can recognize a variety of orofacial myofunctional disorders and recommend which OMT exercises can treat them best.

In creating a personal exercise plan, your provider will decide how long each OMT session will be, how often you will do the exercises, and how long you will continue treatments. The frequency and duration of treatments will depend on the condition treated.

Many treatments range from six to 12 months. Some patients do exercises with their providers in a dental office or clinic and continue doing exercises at home.

Myofunctional Therapy Offers Multiple Benefits

In understanding what myofunctional therapy is, knowing there are multiple potential benefits of OMT for children and adults can inform and encourage you. They include:

• Improving lip or tongue position to help teeth alignment

• Improving chewing and swallowing

• Providing post-surgical support for jaw surgery

• Reducing or eliminating mouth breathing

• Reducing nail biting and thumb sucking

• Making nasal and nighttime breathing easier

• Supporting orthodontic goals and treatment

• Decreasing snoring

• Promoting better sleep quality

• Getting better, more restful sleep that can help improve focus

• Making speaking and communication easier

• Boosting self-esteem and confidence

Our Team Is Here and Happy to Help

At Sanitas Family Dentistry, we are here and happy to help address your questions and concerns about orofacial myofunctional disorders and myofunctional therapy. Our Certified Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist, Reilly, has extensive knowledge and training to offer the best treatment options for you or your children.

Our team is committed to working together to deliver quality dental care that fosters lasting relationships and treats each individual person with compassion and kindness.

Contact us at (303) 449-8875 to schedule a consultation at our Boulder office.