Oral Cancer

More and more people are becoming diagnosed with oral cancer each year. Some risk factors that can cause it are tobacco, alcohol, sun exposure, HPV, and past history of oral cancer. You can also acquire oral cancer with no risk factors at all. It is important that when you go for your routine cleaning, or at least once a year, that your dentist preforms an oral cancer screening. For more info, click here : http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/oral/page1

Sealants

Sealants can be a very beneficial way to help protect your teeth from cavities, especially in people with deep pits and fissures on the biting surface of their teeth. A sealant is a BPA free resin material that is placed in the deep pits and fissures of teeth (that are cavity free) and then cured with a special curing light to harden the material onto teeth. Toothbrush bristles don't clean out or reach all the way down in the pits of your teeth. Sealants can last for several years and as long as they stay in place will protect your teeth from cavity causing bacteria. For more info click here: http://www.ada.org/sections/professionalResources/pdfs/patient_28.pdf

Nightguards

 

If you notice that you wake up with a sore jaw or headaches you may have what's called "bruxism", or clenching/grinding your teeth. The majority of people do not realize that they even do this because it happens when we are asleep. Not only can it cause stress and damage to your temporomandibular joints, but the pressure that it puts on teeth can cause them to loosen and crack or for fillings to break and fall out. A way to help prevent this from happening is to have your dentist make you a custom fit night guard. It fits into place over your teeth and relieves pressure by not allowing the teeth to fully come together, having you rest and bite on the night guard instead. This will help to ease tension in jaw joints that can cause pain and headaches as well as protect your teeth in the long run.

Teeth Whitening

There are different options if you are interested in whitening your teeth. There is in office whitening, take home custom whitening trays and prescription strength disposable whitening trays. There are also over the counter options such as toothpastes, mouth rinses and whitening strips. These are lower strength products and don't show the same results as the professional strength options. Everybody's teeth whiten differently and whitening can cause some sensitivity so not every option is suitable for all people. If you have very sensitive teeth, you would want to go with a lower prescription gel or option. In office Boost whitening is the strongest and fastest option. There are different in office whitening systems but the one we use is boost. It has a 40% HP (hydrogen peroxide) rate and is chemically activated so there is no light needed. It is placed in two- twenty minute applications, one right after the other. Depending on how your teeth whiten, this option gives you the fastest results and you can see a difference before leaving the office. Another option is custom made take home whitening trays. We take molds of your teeth and make you an upper and lower tray that is perfectly fit to your teeth. You place the gel we provide in the trays and wear them anywhere from 15-35 minutes a day depending on the strength of gel you choose. There are stronger gels and lower percentage gels depending on your level of sensitivity. With the trays, it can take anywhere from 1-2 weeks to notice a difference. Over time you can do touch ups and wear your trays for 2-3 days every few months and get them whiter. There are also disposable whitening trays where you simply put a pre-made upper and lower tray with gel already inside over your teeth and wear for 15 minutes a day for 10 days. If you are unsure of how your teeth will whiten, you may want to start with the disposable trays to see if it would be worth doing the boost whitening and help predict what type of results you will get.

Fluoride is a beneficial part of your oral health. It can help with sensitivity as well as re-mineralize tooth enamel. It is found in tap water if the area you live in has fluoridated water and is not filtered. It is also found in most toothpastes and mouth rinses. You can also get fluoride varnish treatment at the dentist when you go in for your routine cleaning. This will give you an extra boost of fluoride because the concentration is higher than in toothpastes and mouthwashes. When using fluoridated toothpaste, spit the puddle out of your mouth when done brushing and leave residue of toothpaste on teeth for at least 30 minutes. This allows the fluoride to sit on your teeth and have the most valuable outcome especially at night. Same with the mouth rinse. Just swish for 1 minute and leave for 30 minutes. If you floss after doing this, you can push the fluoride up in-between the teeth and help to re-mineralize tooth enamel. This can help to keep cavities from progressing and getting worse and hopefully prevent you from having fillings done.

Dental Care during pregnancy

Women who are pregnant and have periodontal disease are more likely to have pregnancy issues. Studies have shown a link between periodontal disease and premature labor or underweight babies. During pregnancy, hormone levels can increase which can lead to gingivitis due to the gums increased reaction to plaque. Women can experience this usually from months 2-8. The gums become irritated, red and puffy. It is important to brush, floss and stay on top of your oral health. It is also a good idea to go see a dentist during this time to monitor and make sure you have the best oral care and health for you and your baby.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is a side effect of certain medications, diseases, and medical treatments. The symptoms are: dry or sticky feeling in the mouth and throat, sores, recurrent thirst, bad breath, or a raw tongue. There are some oral aids out there to help with this such as biotene products and oramoist patches but it is important to sip water and keep your mouth moist throughout the day also. Dry mouth can increase your chance of getting gum disease, cavities and certain conditions in the mouth such as thrush. Spit is your natural protector and helps keep bacteria at bay which is why it is necessary to keep your mouth moist and clean when you have dry mouth.

Tooth Replacement Options Part 3 Removable Partials

An option that is a little harder to adjust to is a removable partial. It has the replacement teeth attached to a base and has clasps that hook on to your supporting teeth to help hold it in place in your mouth. You take it in and out to clean it and at night. It takes a little while to get used to because it can affect your speech at first and may feel tight or weird but should get better over time. If not, the dentist can make adjustments for you until the fit is just right.

Tooth Replacement Options Part 2 Bridges

For those people who are not candidates for an implant, a bridge is another option. A bridge is a “floating” crown that replaces missing teeth called pontics and are supported by crowns on the teeth on either side of them called retainers. The first visit consists of coming in and having the retainer teeth prepped for crowns and an impression taken and sent to a dental lab for the final bridge to be made. You will leave this appointment with temporary crowns to maintain and support teeth in the time it takes the lab to make the bridge which is usually 2 weeks. You then come back and we try in the final bridge and make sure the fit and look is right and permanently cement it. You can’t get cavities in crowns but you can get cavities underneath them so it is important to properly clean around them to prevent further problems.

Tooth Replacement Options Part 1 Implants

 

There are several options to replacing missing teeth in your mouth. The first option is an implant. An implant is a titanium screw that is placed down in the bone with an abutment and crown that fit on top to act and look as a real tooth. Not everyone is an ideal candidate for implants. You must have adequate bone level for the support of the implant and overall good health. There are two steps in the implant process. First, you have the implant placed with an oral surgeon and depending on his prognosis there is a healing period of 4-6 months before the crown and abutment can be placed. Next you see your dentist for an impression to have an implant crown made and seated with cement a few weeks later. Implants still need to be flossed and brushed like regular teeth to maintain gum health but you cannot get cavities in them.

Your gum health

Around every tooth there is a ”pocket” between your gums and tooth. At your first visit in a dental office and once a year there is a measurement taken of that pocket to determine your gum health. A “healthy” or “normal” measurement is anywhere from 1 to 3 millimeters in depth. These pocket depths are still shallow enough for saliva and water to disrupt the bacteria from growing. Studies have shown that anything deeper than that you are unable to keep clean yourself by brushing and flossing. Bacteria will sit in these deep pockets causing tartar to form and act like a barnacle, attaching itself to your tooth. 

 If left untreated for a certain amount of time you can start to lose bone and develop periodontal disease. When this happens, you will need what is called a “deeper cleaning” to properly remove bacteria and allow the gums to heal and go back to healthy pocket depths. You will also need to be put on a “maintenance” program where you come in every 3-4 months for a cleaning instead of 6 to keep on top of bacteria and to keep the gums health so they can heal properly.

The Importance of Regular Dental Care

There are often misconceptions among patients on dental cleanings and how regularly you should come in for care. “I have an electric toothbrush at home and that cleans them really well so I don’t need to come in” or “Nothing is hurting me and I brush them so I get them clean enough” is often what we hear today from patients. The fact of the matter is that while brushing and flossing regularly is recommended, that can only do so much after time.

When you come in regularly, we are able to stay on top of bacteria using special instruments that are able to clean out the pockets and kill bacteria. We use a cavitron which removes any tartar and build up by the combination of spraying water and vibrating it off of your teeth. We then have scalers which remove any build up in harder to reach places between the teeth. We also use what is called a diode laser which acts like a little flashlight we shine all around the tooth down in the pockets. After using the cavitron, there is saliva, bacteria and on some occasions blood left over in the pockets. The laser gets just hot enough to kill the bacteria left over after using the cavitron without causing any pain to you. It has been shown to be very beneficial especially when used after deeper cleanings and maintenance appointments. Coming in regularly and staying on top of your cleanings will help you maintain the longevity of your teeth and your overall health.

You Need Your Spit!

Ever notice that when you get tired, your eyes get dry or your mouth gets dry?  Well, for most of us, this is our body shutting off the water for the night.  This has implications for your mouth and your overall health because your natural oral protector, your saliva, is reduced while you sleep.

If you haven't cleaned your teeth well before bed, then the bacteria still in your mouth can have a party all night long!  They build up tartar, which is essentially large colonies of bacteria attached to your teeth.  This situation can lead to gum disease and more cavities.  So you need your spit!

Other possible contributing factors to dry mouth during the day are dehydration and taking lots of medications.  Many of us don't drink enough water, which may cause a lowering of our immune defenses.  Even though it may mean more trips to the bathroom, we need to drink water in order to maintain our health, including our saliva.  As far as our medications go, we can talk to our physicians about choosing medications that don't have dry mouth as a side effect.  Cheers!