Remembered fondly by fans as the wacky but loveable Carlton on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Alfonso Ribeiro is currently in his fifth year hosting America's Funniest Videos. It's the perfect gig for the 48-year-old actor, who loves to laugh and make others laugh as well. This is quite the opposite experience from one he had a few years ago that he remembers all too well: a severely decayed tooth.

After seeing his dentist for an intense toothache, Ribeiro learned he had advanced tooth decay and would need root canal treatment. Ribeiro wasn't thrilled by the news. Like many of us, he thought the procedure would be unpleasant. But he found afterward that not only was the root canal painless, his toothache had vanished.

More importantly, the root canal treatment saved his tooth, as it has for millions of others over the last century. If you're facing a situation similar to Alfonso Ribeiro's, here's a quick look at the procedure that could rescue your endangered tooth.

Getting ready. In preparation for root canal therapy, the tooth and surrounding gums are numbed, often first with a swab of local anesthesia to deaden the surface area in preparation for the injection of the main anesthesia below the surface. A dental dam is then placed to isolate the infected tooth from its neighbors to prevent cross-contamination.

Accessing the interior. To get to the infection, a small access hole is drilled. The location depends on the tooth: in larger back teeth, a hole is drilled through the biting surface, and in front teeth, a hole is drilled on the backside. This access allows us to insert special tools to accomplish the next steps in the procedure.

Cleaning, shaping and filling. Small tools are used to remove the diseased tissue from the interior tooth pulp and root canals. Then the empty spaces are disinfected. This, in effect, stops the infection. Next, the root canals inside the tooth are shaped to allow them to better accept a special filling called gutta percha. The access hole is then sealed to further protect the tooth from future infection, and a temporary crown is placed.

A new crown to boot. Within a couple weeks, we'll cap the tooth with a long-lasting lifelike crown (or a filling on certain teeth). This adds further protection for the tooth against infection, helps strengthen the tooth's structure, and restores the tooth's appearance.

Without this procedure, the chances of a tooth surviving this level of advanced decay are very slim. But undergoing a root canal, as Alfonso Ribeiro did, can give your tooth a real fighting chance.

If you would like more information about root canal treatments, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “A Step-By-Step Guide to Root Canal Treatment” and “Root Canal Treatment: How Long Will It Last?”

You're more apt to lose teeth because of periodontal (gum) disease and tooth decay than any other cause. But neither of these bacterial diseases have to happen: You can prevent them through daily brushing and flossing and twice-a-year dental cleanings.

But that's not all: You can also boost your dental care practices by eating foods that strengthen and protect teeth. On the other hand, a poor diet could reduce the effectiveness of your oral hygiene practices in preventing tooth decay or gum disease.

A diet that might lead to the latter is often high in refined sugar (sucrose), often added to processed foods and snacks to improve taste. But sucrose is also a top food source for oral bacteria, increasing their numbers when it's readily available. A higher bacterial population greatly increases your risk for tooth decay or gum disease.

On the other hand, certain foods benefit your overall dental health. Fresh fruits and vegetables, for example, are filled with nutrients and minerals like vitamin D or calcium that strengthen teeth against disease. And although they can also contain natural sugars, these don't pose the same problems as added sucrose due to the plant fiber you consume with them.

Dairy foods can also help you maintain healthy teeth and gums. Milk and cheese contain minerals like calcium and phosphorus, and a protein called casein, all of which strengthen teeth against decay. The enzymes in cheese stimulate saliva, which in turn neutralizes mouth acid and prevent it from harming enamel.

Some foods are also natural sources of fluoride, a mineral that strengthens tooth enamel. One example is black tea, which also, along with green tea, contains antioxidants that protect against cancer.

The best strategy for “tooth-friendly” nutrition is to pursue a diet that's high in fiber-rich natural foods and low in sugar-added processed foods. In practice, you'll want most of your diet to consist of fresh fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy food, while minimizing foods with added sugar.

Following this kind of diet will certainly benefit your overall health. But it will also make it easier for you to prevent dental disease and keep your teeth and gums healthy.

If you would like more information on how nutrition can boost your dental health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Nutrition & Oral Health.”

February is Children's Dental Health Month—the perfect time to talk about the oral health of the little ones in your family. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, one out of every five children ages 5 to 11 has at least one untreated cavity. Although this statistic may not seem terribly significant given that primary teeth fall out anyway, dental disease is a concern even for kids.

Just as with adult teeth, baby teeth are needed for eating, speaking and smiling. Besides these obvious functions, primary teeth serve a crucial role as placeholders for the corresponding permanent teeth. If they are lost early, the adult teeth could come in crooked, crowded or out of place, increasing the chances of needing complex and costly treatment later. And because the enamel on primary teeth is thinner than that of permanent teeth, baby teeth are more vulnerable to decay, which can spread quickly—both to the inside of the tooth and to neighboring teeth. Decaying teeth can cause pain, which may interfere with getting proper nutrition. In addition, children with poor dental health are more likely to miss school and are much more likely to suffer from decay in their permanent teeth.

Fortunately, many dental problems can be avoided by following a few guidelines:

Instill good oral hygiene habits in your child. Teach children to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and, when they are old enough, to floss once a day. (A handheld flosser can make flossing easier for young ones.) Preventing dental disease through good daily habits can save a lot of trouble down the line.

Offer nutritious foods. For healthy teeth and a healthy body, encourage your child to make nutritious food choices. Instead of sugary snacks, opt for fruits, vegetables and cheese. And choose plain water instead of soda, fruit juice or sweetened beverages.

Keep up with regular checkups and cleanings. The world's health focus has been all about COVID-19 and in an effort to isolate as much as possible some parents may have put off routine dental checkups for their children. However, it is important for the dental team to monitor the health of little mouths to keep small problems from turning into bigger, potentially painful ones. When it comes to infection control, dental professionals go above and beyond the minimum requirements to protect you and your loved ones. We are committed to a higher standard, following protocols that help ensure your health and safety.

Talk with us about preventive treatments. During your child's visit, ask whether a topical fluoride treatment or dental sealants are recommended. These affordable ways to help prevent cavities can benefit many children.

The key to healthy smiles for life is to start early. A good day-to-day dental hygiene habit along with healthy food choices and regular dental checkups can set your child on the course for a lifetime of good oral health.

If you would like more information about how to maintain your child's dental health, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dentistry & Oral Health for Children.”

As part of the fight against COVID-19, many of us have been wearing some form of face mask in public for most of 2020. While it's intended for good, mask wear has had some unintended consequences. For one, it's inhibited the expression of one of our most important social abilities—smiling.

We're all hoping, though, that 2021 will be different—that our smiles will once more shine out from behind our masks. If and when that happens, you'll want to be ready: Here are a few things you can do in the new year to give your smile a nice upgrade.

Teeth whitening. Fighting teeth yellowing is an ongoing battle. Certain foods, staining beverages and habits like smoking can take the gleam from your smile in no time. But you can brighten up dull teeth with a professional whitening treatment. And because our bleaching solutions are stronger than you'll find in your local retail store, the shine could last for years with only an occasional touchup.

Orthodontics. Straightening teeth orthodontically not only can improve your dental health and function, it could revamp your smile (you might call it the original “smile makeover”). Even if you're well past your teens, an orthodontic correction may still be a viable option. And if you're concerned about your appearance during treatment, you might be able to take advantage of nearly invisible clear aligners.

Bonding. A chipped tooth can certainly detract from an otherwise attractive smile, but it may not take extensive means to repair it. Many chipped or disfigured teeth can be made whole through dental bonding. This technique bonds a color-matched dental material called composite resin directly to the tooth. Best of all, the treatment may only take one visit.

Veneers and crowns. For more extensive chipping or staining, you can step up to a custom-made porcelain veneer or crown. Veneers are thin layers of porcelain that are bonded to the face of teeth to mask imperfections. Crowns cover a damaged but otherwise viable tooth to protect it and give it a more attractive appearance.

Dental Implants. If you have a missing tooth—or one that's simply past saving—consider replacing it with a dental implant. A dental implant attached to a crown is the closest thing we have to a natural tooth in both appearance and function. In fact, most people with implant-supported replacement teeth forget they have dental implants. We can also merge implants with other restorations like dentures or bridges for a more secure, comfortable hold and a more natural smile.

These and other cosmetic enhancements could make a big difference in your smile. To find out how, see us for a complete dental examination and consultation. We want you to be ready for what we hope will soon be a “mask-free” 2021.

If you would like more information about improving the look of your smile, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Cosmetic Dentistry.”

Even though coronavirus lockdowns have prevented TV hosts from taping live shows, they're still giving us something to watch via virtual interviews. In the process, we're given occasional glimpses into their home life. During a Tonight Show interview with Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife, R & B performer Ciara, Jimmy Fallon's daughter Winnie interrupted with breaking news: She had just lost a tooth.

It was an exciting and endearing moment, as well as good television. But with 70 million American kids under 18, each with about 20 primary teeth to lose, it's not an uncommon experience. Nevertheless, it's still good to be prepared if your six-year-old is on the verge of losing that first tooth.

Primary teeth may be smaller than their successors, but they're not inconsequential. Besides providing young children with the means to chew solid food and develop speech skills, primary teeth also serve as placeholders for the corresponding permanent teeth as they develop deep in the gums. That's why it's optimal for baby teeth to remain intact until they're ready to come out.

When that time comes, the tooth's roots will begin to dissolve and the tooth will gradually loosen in the socket. Looseness, though, doesn't automatically signal a baby tooth's imminent end. But come out it will, so be patient.

Then again, if your child, dreaming of a few coins from the tooth fairy, is antsy to move things along, you might feel tempted to use some old folk method for dispatching the tooth—like attaching the tooth to a door handle with string and slamming the door, or maybe using a pair of pliers (yikes!). One young fellow in an online video tied his tooth to a football with a string and let it fly with a forward pass.

Here's some advice from your dentist: Don't. Trying to pull a tooth whose root hasn't sufficiently dissolved could damage your child's gum tissues and increase the risk of infection. It could also cause needless pain.

Left alone, the tooth will normally fall out on its own. If you think, though, that it's truly on the verge (meaning it moves quite freely in the socket), you can pinch the tooth between your thumb and middle finger with a clean tissue and give it a gentle tug. If it's ready, it should pop out. If it doesn't, leave it be for another day or two before trying again.

Your child losing a tooth is an exciting moment, even if it isn't being broadcast on national television. It will be more enjoyable for everyone if you let that moment come naturally.

If you would like more information on the importance and care of primary teeth, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Importance of Baby Teeth.”