Avoid Scary Tooth Decay This Halloween!

Who doesn’t love candy at Halloween? If your kids are like mine, they’re going to come home from trick-or-treating with tons of candy. Sugary candy can lead to tooth decay, but following these simple steps can help you and your children have a fun Halloween without the nightmare of harming their teeth in the process.

1. Don’t let your kids gorge on Halloween candy all night. Teaching your kids moderation on Halloween is important.
2. Monitor that your children are brushing their teeth two-to-three times-a-day.
3. Make sure that your children use an age-appropriate fluoridated mouthwash every evening.
4. Have extra disposable dental flossers laying all over the house. You’d be amazed at what kids will do when their bored.
5. Avoid or limit candy such as caramels, candy corn, jelly beans, and taffy. These particular candies are extra sticky, making it hard for saliva to wash away the sugar. And they can damage sealants.
6. Give your kids sugar free gum to chew. Not only does sugar-free gum help prevent cavities, it also helps neutralize the effects of sugar from the candy. Therefore, it combats the bacteria in plaque that causes cavities.

Halloween is a fun holiday and you shouldn’t have to worry about things like tooth decay. By practicing good oral hygiene and using moderation, your kids can have a fun and safe Halloween and still enjoy the candy!

How’s Your Dental Health?

What condition is your mouth in? We hope it’s 100 percent healthy! But if you’re like most people, you’ll probably suffer from at least one dental condition at some point in your life. Dental conditions cover a wide range of mouth problems, from cavities to gum disease to jaw abnormalities. Some dental conditions are preventable, some aren’t. But the more you know about dental conditions, the better chances you have of preventing them — or at the very least, correcting them early.

With so many types of dental conditions that can affect your life, it’s natural that you’d want to know more. If you suffer from tooth decay, gingivitis or any other dental condition, we can help you understand your symptoms and explore your treatment options. No matter what type of dental condition you’re curious about, we have the information you need to help you maintain a healthy smile.

Keep in mind that if you think you have a dental condition, it’s important not to self-diagnose. Only a dentist can determine what type of dental condition you have — and only a dentist can give you the right dental treatments! If you’re prone to putting off treatment, remember: Without treatment, dental conditions can become a painful problem. Dental conditions happen to the best of us, so click on the appropriate link to learn more about what’s plaguing your mouth. Staying informed can help put you on the right track to optimal dental health!

SIMPLE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR HEALTHY ORAL HYGIENE

●     Perform oral hygiene at least four times daily, after each meal and before bedtime

●     Rinse and wipe oral cavity immediately after meals.

●     Brush and rinse dentures after meals.

●     Use only toothpaste with fluoride.

●     Keep water handy to moisten the mouth at all times.

●     Apply prescription-strength fluoride gel at bedtime as prescribed.

●     Rinse with a salt and baking soda solution four to six times daily.

●     Avoid citrus juices (orange, grapefruit, tomato).

●     Avoid liquids and foods with high sugar content.

●     Avoid rinses containing alcohol. Use moisturizer regularly on the lips.

●     Try salivary substitutes or artificial saliva preparations, which may relieve discomfort by temporarily wetting the mouth and replacing some of the constituents of saliva.

●     Use oral pilocarpine as prescribed.

Source: www.oncolink.org

Notes From A Trained Observer

My job is to visit dental offices where procedures are underway. I observe. That’s a big part of my job. I’m a trained observer. Then, I gather what I hear and see and put into a report virtually anyone can read and understand. I’m hired many times because the doctor wants to make changes and improvements.

You’d be amazed at what I see. Or, then again, maybe you wouldn’t be.

Let me give you an idea: Shag carpet from 1975. Stained floors and walls. Unkept restrooms. Red décor. Old furnishings that should have been retired years before. I could go on and on.

You have to wonder, “Is the doctor really up-to-par on recent innovations and advancements in dentistry if they’re hesitant to keep things up?”

It’s a valid question.

On occasion, I also manage to accidentally overhear patients instructing the dentist or the hygienist when they think they should be seen. Usually the conversation goes like this, “I don’t want to have an exam two-times a year. My physician said once time is enough.”

Your physician? Huh? Since when did they spend 4 years and hundreds and hundreds of hours of ongoing continuing education specializing in oral health? Pretty sure, never.

That’s like a dentist giving you advice on cardiology and heart disease.

(I’m not even a dentist – just someone that has seen first-hand what can happen to someone that “skips” appointments or sets their own re-care schedule!)

Did you know oral cancer (cancer of the mouth) is normally only detected by dentists and hygienists?

That means since more than 50% of Americans don’t see the dentist, 50% of our country will never know they have or at high-risk of developing a severely painful and tough-to-treat disease.

And, pulling all your teeth probably isn’t the best solution. Sadly, sometimes, it’s the only one. Being “edentulous” or without teeth, poses its own unique set of undesirable health problems.

Here’s another one I’ve overhead more than once: “Periodontal disease? My teeth are fine. The bleeding stops by mid-morning. I don’t have any disease. That’s hogwash.”

According to the website, www.answers.com, 80% of Americans have gum disease (Periodontal Disease). If you know 10 people, chances are, 8 will have gum disease. EIGHT!

Bottom line: If you choose to skip your bi-annual exams, you put yourself at risk. If you choose to ignore regular cleanings or, for someone already “perio involved” (they have the disease) ignore your SRP visit (that means, perio scaling and root planing), you’re putting yourself further at-risk for bigger, body-wide or systemic problems.

For the price of a dinner out at Olive Garden, you can find out what kind of health your mouth is in. It’s likely the best investment you’ll ever make. Don’t ignore your oral health. It can be a silent killer.

Why the “silent killer?” According to the ADA: “It is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs. That is one reason why regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations are very important.”

Call today. Don’t wait. Health has to be a top priority.

By Jack Stephens

CROWNS – Make Teeth LOOK and FEEL Better

In recent years, the field of cosmetic dentistry has made great strides forward in techniques and materials, and we can choose from many more procedures now than in years past.

Many of us had metal crowns done at one time or another, and these might have been made of, Gold or Gold alloy, Nickel alloy, Chromium alloy, or Palladium, On back teeth, which do the chewing, a metal crown is sometimes a good choice, as the metal materials are very strong and durable.

There are few disadvantages of old metal crowns such as their color – which contrasts strongly with the white teeth surrounding them, problems with decay – if bacteria get up underneath the crown, gum disease can set in, requiring the removal of the crown, gum treatment, and a new crown. Also, wear and tear – older crowns can become worn or no longer fit as well.

An alternative to the metal crown is to use a porcelain crown instead. Dental porcelain is a material with similar properties to tooth enamel. It absorbs and reflects light the way our natural teeth do. Light travels through the porcelain to the bonding material which attaches the crown to the tooth, and then bounces back. This gives the porcelain crown a translucent look much like that of our natural teeth. With tooth enamel, the light travels through to the tooth dentin underlying the enamel, and bounces back. This is what gives our teeth that shiny, pearly look.

An all-porcelain crown blends in excellently with the surrounding teeth. Porcelain is highly resistant to discoloration, and when bonded to our teeth, it’s strong and durable.

Soft Drinks…What Are the Dangers?

The popularity of soft drinks increases year after year, due in part to their sweet taste, and in part to the aggressive advertising campaigns run by soda companies. The amount of soda consumed by the average American every year is staggering – over 50 gallons per person.

Soft drinks are a danger to oral health due to the high amounts of sugar and acids. Because of their liquid nature, gulping down soft drinks is equivalent to bathing teeth in a solution of acids and sugar. Over time, even the relatively mild acids in soft drinks can eat away and weaken tooth enamel, making teeth more susceptible to decay and damage.

Another indirect effect of soda consumption is the reduced consumption of other, healthier drinks. The reduced consumption of milk has led to a deficiency in the intake of important vitamins and minerals. Calcium, in particular, is important to the maintenance of strong teeth and bones. Without a sufficient supply of calcium, the body cannot properly maintain the integrity of teeth – combined with the damaging effects of the sugar and acid in popular soft drinks, and it is easy to see why dentists are concerned.

Lowering or eliminating soft drink consumption entirely is not a very likely solution. Sodas are so prevalent in the American diet that elimination is simply unrealistic. Therefore, if you are concerned about the effect of soft drinks on your oral health, consider the following steps.

First, take a good look at your brushing and flossing habits. These are vital if you are to counteract the negaive effects of soft drinks.

Second, try to reduce your soft drink consumption as much as possible, and replace it with beneficial liquids such as milk or fluoridated water.

Third, if you must drink sodas, use a straw when possible, to minimize contact with your teeth.

A timely visit to the dentist is always a key factor in maintaining good oral and dental health.

Gums Bleeding?

Do you notice your gums bleeding frequently?

Check out this article. Most patients don’t realize how serious gum disease (periodontal disease) truly is.

Call our office if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment. Ask for Angie! 503-371-2424.

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