Mar 15, 2010 Take Care of Your Tot's Teeth The Sour Side of a Sweetender Diagnosing Health Problems During Checkups

May 21, 2010 AS WE AGE        KEEPING YOUR TEETH? If you are over the age of 65 and still have your teeth, you are among the nearly 70 percent of seniors who have retained their natural teeth.    Only two decades ago, about 50 percent of seniors lost their teeth by this age, and it was assumed that tooth loss was a natural part of aging. Preventive dentistry and changes in how teeth are restored have changed all that and allowed many more seniors to keep their teeth – and keep them healthy – for their lifetimes.

May 21, 2010 X DENTAL MYTH X DENTAL MYTH: “Eliminating dental appointments reduces my monthly dental expenses.”    Dental neglect over several months or years can easily triple the cost of managing advanced decay or gum disease!Just compare the cost of an exam and cleaning to the cost of extensive bridgework, bone grafts and gum surgery. Regular six month check-ups help to identify problems early on so they don’t become more serious and more costly to restore later on.   Periodontal disease also has been linked to heart disease, respiratory conditions, diabetic complications, pancreatic cancer, and pre-mature births. Preventive oral health screenings can save thousands of dollars in both dental and medical costs.   X DENTAL MYTH: “I don’t need an appointment because the pain might go away.”    Don’t count on it! There is no known dental condition that corrects itself. The absence of pain does not mean the absence of decay or disease. You can be in the early stages of decay, gum disease or even oral cancer and experience no pain or any other symptoms. Regular check-ups can stop a problem from getting worse and more expensive to treat.   X DENTAL MYTH: “I can’t schedule dental care until I get dental insurance.”    Neglecting your dental care as you wait for dental insurance is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Actually, some uninsured patients pay LESS out- of- pocket for preventative dentistry *routine check-ups and cleanings) than you would think. Not having dental insurance should never dictate whether or not you get proper dental treatment. Your best insurance is regular check-ups and home care.   X DENTAL MYTH: “ I can’t afford to miss work for a dental appointment.”     Honestly, it takes a very small portion of one workday for an exam, cleaning or a filling. Avoiding your routine check-ups for a long period of time may end up requiring multiple appointments spread over days, weeks, or months to repair the damage being done by your neglect! Ultimately resulting in far more work time lost and money, than for preventive check-ups.             CALL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY !

May 21, 2010 HEALTHY TEETH…HEALTHY GUMS                                      HEALTHY TEETH…HEALTHY GUMS      The enemy of healthy teeth and gums is plaque. Plaque is made up of as many as 500 different types of bacteria that are living in your mouth. Plaque is very sticky. It adheres to your teeth and eventually hardens into tartar, which is more difficult to remove.      Unfortunately, having tartar on your teeth isn’t the worst part. The bacteria in your mouth just love any sugars and starches you eat. Once they’ve consumed what’s left in your mouth, they excrete acids that eat away the protective enamel on your teeth. The acids found in foods and drinks that you consume can do this as well, as can the acid from indigestion. Once the acid gets into a particular spot – usually on the portion of the tooth above the gum – it will form a spot of decay. Older patients who have receding gums are likely to experience this on the roots of the teeth, where there is no protective enamel.      Without treatment, decay can actually dissolve the tooth down into its dentin. This is the area where the nerve is located, and this is when a toothache occurs. At this point there is infection and an abscess will develop, making treatment a necessity.      The teeth aren’t alone in being affected by plaque. When bacteria build up between the teeth and gums, they can cause inflammation and bleeding known as gingivitis. Untreated, gingivitis can progress into periodontal disease, which causes pockets to form between gums and teeth. When the gums no longer adhere to the teeth, the supporting bone is left open to destruction by the disease. Without treatment, the teeth will eventually loosen and fall out.      Preventing both tooth decay and periodontal disease requires scrupulous home care that includes daily:        Flossing – do this first to remove debris between teeth.      Brushing – to remove food debris and plaque on both front and back teeth      Irrigating – which means rinsing when you’re finished, either with plain water or with                           a fluoride rinse.      Regular dental checkups – on the schedule recommended for you.      Regular checkups will allow us to keep your teeth free of tartar and to watch for decay or signs of periodontal disease that can be treated early to help you avoid extensive restorations or tooth loss. It’s not difficult to have healthy teeth and gums. It just takes a little daily attention from you and then some regularly scheduled attention from us.

May 21, 2010 DRINKS THAT MELT YOUR TEETH DRINKS THAT MELT YOUR TEETH   Just when you think there can’t possibly be any more bad news about the ramifications of America’s eating habits, here comes more. A new study examined the teeth of 900 children between the ages of 10 and 14 in three different areas of the country. The finding: 30% of the kids had dental erosion in which the enamel on the teeth begins to . . . yes . . . erode, leaving teeth thinner and less protected. Ironically, initially this erosion makes teeth smoother and shinier, so it is highly unlikely that people will notice the early stage of this destruction.   The good news: Cutting back on the offending beverages stops the erosion, and over time saliva actually begins to re-mineralize the tooth surface . . . though never completely. If you don’t stop, the erosion progresses and eventually causes great sensitivity and pain. Teeth may begin to loose their shape. This is yet another reason it is so important to have regular dental exams – the dentist can identify the problem in time for patients to put an end to their bad habits.

May 21, 2010 TAKE A BITE OUT OF PAIN  TAKE A BITE OUT OF PAIN     Treating gum disease relieves arthritis symptoms.      One of the best weapons against swollen, aching joints may just be the dentist’s chair. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, split 40 people with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) into two groups. One was given “deep” nonsurgical dental cleaning, in which bacteria are scraped from the root surface and from under the gum line and tarter is removed from the teeth. He other group got instructions from a dentist about how to keep their teeth clean at home.      Within six weeks, the group that had the professional cleaning had significantly less pain and morning stiffness and fewer swollen and painful joints than the group that cleaned their teeth at home. Even more impressive, researchers found that the deep cleaning actually decreased levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which triggers inflammation. “If you get rid of inflammation and infection in the mouth, you subdue it in the joints,” says Nabil Bissada, chair of the Department of Periodontics, who led the study.    If you have RA, but don’t have deep pockets under the gum line, Bissada says a regular professional cleaning should suffice.       Brenda Goodman Arthritis Today December 2009

Nov 5, 2009 Early Detection of Oral Cancer  Remember to use your dental insurance benefits, they do not roll over to next year. Oral cancer is a disease that kills more people nationwide than either melanoma or cervical cancer. Only half of all patients diagnosed with oral cancer survive more than five years. The good news about oral cancer is that it is now easier than ever to detect it early. What you should know Oral cancer often starts ads a tiny, unnoticed, white or red spot or sore anywhere in the mouth. Occurs most often in those who use tobacco in any form. However - more than 25% of oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke and have no other risk factors. The importance of regular checkups Regular dental checkups, which include an examination of the entire mouth, are essential in the early detection of oral cancer. A person may have a dangerous oral spot and not be aware of it. Protect Yourself, See Your Dentist Regularly You and your dentist can fight the battle against oral cancer, a disease whose prognosis has remained unchanged for decades. Your dentist has the skills and tools to ensure that cancer and precancerous conditions are indentified. Visit us online at www.Life-Smile-Dental.com

Oct 5, 2009 VELscope powered by Sapphire Early Detection with VELscope powered by Sapphire is a new technology that allows your dentist to detect oral lesions early.   Early detection is vital for successful prevention and treatment of oral cancer It is proven to detect oral lesions, even lesions that aren’t visible. Procedure is painless and takes only minutes. Insurance coverage is available for yearly oral cancer exams Digital camera allows your dentist to document findings for records and to insure accurate treatment The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, laryngeal cancer, cancer of the testes, endocrine system cancers and melanoma. (Oral Cancer Foundation) SYMPTOMS     Red and/or white patches in the mouth Any sore that doesn’t heal within 14 days Persistent hoarseness Feeling like something is caught in the throat Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue Difficulty in swallowing Ear pain on one side only A sore under a denture that does not heal A lump or thickening in the mouth or the neck RISK FACTORS   More common in men than in women Most common in African Americans Greater risk after 35 Tobacco use Frequent alcohol consumption Prolonged exposure to sunlight (lip cancer) A diet low in fruits and vegetables The sexually transmitted infection HPV

Aug 4, 2009 BAD BREATH (HALITOSIS) Whether you call it bad breath or halitosis, it is an unpleasant condition that’s cause for embarrassment. Some people with bad breath aren’t even aware there is a problem. If you are concerned about bad breath, see your dentist. He or she can help identify the cause and, if it’s due to an oral condition, develop a treatment plan to help eliminate it. What you eat affects the air you exhale. Certain foods, such as garlic and onions, contribute to breath odor. Brushing, flossing and mouthwash will only mask the odor temporarily. Odors continue until the body eliminates the food. Dieters may develop unpleasant breath from infrequent eating. If you don’t brush and floss daily, particles of food remain in the mouth, collecting bacteria, which can cause bad breath. Bad breath may be a sign of a medical disorder, such as a local infection in the respiratory tract, chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip, chronic bronchitis, gastrointestinal disturbance, liver or kidney ailment. If your dentist determines that your mouth is healthy, you may be referred to our family doctor or a specialist to determine the cause of bad breath. Maintaining good oral health is essential to reducing bad breath. Schedule regular dental visits for a professional cleaning and checkup. If you think that you have constant bad breath, keep a log of foods that you eat and make a list of medications that you take. Some medications may play a role in creating mouth odors. Let your dentist know if you’ve had any surgery or illness since your last appointment Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque. Brush your tongue, and use a tongue scraper too! At Least once a day, use floss or an interdental cleaner to clean between teeth.