The concept of dental age is surprising to people when they first ear it. Dental age is independent of chronological age. From a biological stand point, we are youthful until we reach maturity around thirty, we are adults from thirty to sixty years, and elder from sixty on. From a dental stand point, we are youthful at any age as long as we have close to a full compliment of teeth or its equivalent and the supporting tissues are in good health. An adult [...]
Sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous disorder with fairly benign symptoms—loud snoring at night, and morning headaches or daytime bouts of sleepiness. The cause? Intermittent periods throughout sleep when an individual actually stops breathing. Breathing cessation, or apnea, lasts from seconds to nearly a minute. When breathing resumes—the brain senses lack of oxygen and wakes you up—snoring is loud, sometimes explosive. In the morning, the build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood causes headaches. And the lack of deep, relaxing sleep has you drowsy, [...]
News to Make a Mouth Water… A thick, juicy prime rib of beef surrounded by a baked potato—all the trimmings—asparagus with drawn butter, fresh apple cobbler a la mode. Got your mouth watering? Good. Your salivary glands have been stimulated. And saliva’s a whole lot more important to you than helping you enjoy that special meal. A Few Other Things You Might Find Good to Know About Saliva... It has a critical role in the health of your mouth—and your body. It's a natural [...]
You don't have to be a dentist to know that metal is NOT a normal component of teeth. Used to be, gold or silver amalgam was necessary to restore structural integrity to damaged teeth (especially molars) that would be subjected to the great stress caused by chewing. Today, there are new materials that stand up to the stress, but without the metal! They simply didn't exist just a generation ago. For example, modern porcelain onlays and inlays can replace metal fillings even on back [...]
Fighting periodontal (gum) disease through meticulous daily hygiene and regular dental appointments is brilliant. You preserve your beautiful smile and sweet breath, maintain the health of your teeth and gums, and protect your overall health in the bargain! Periodontal disease—a chronic inflammatory disease that can destroy gum tissue, ligaments, even the bone supporting the teeth—is the most common cause of tooth loss among adults. Gum disease has been associated with such chronic inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. People with [...]
When teeth hurt, the sooner we reach the root of the problem, the sooner the pain disappears. What triggers tooth pain? Heat, cold, touch, air, sweet or sour foods. If you recently had a cavity filled, that area may be sensitive for awhile. Other causes of sensitivity are: Erosion of tooth enamel. Gum shrinkage down below the crown exposing the cementum beneath, an area sensitive to heat and cold. One or more teeth shifting into a position where they strike too hard against other [...]
While cosmetic bonding is well over 25 years old, improvements in the materials have recently made bonding one of the hottest item in dentistry. Bonding is a procedure in which a white plastic filling can be applied to the natural outer surface of the tooth. We can take a discolored or broken tooth and “glue” a fresh surface on it. Another common concern is spaces between front teeth called diastemsas. Instead of using porcelain crowns, we can now do it with bonding. There are big [...]
Tell Your Dentist Anyone facing cancer therapy already knows—chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer is a serious response to a serious condition. What they may not know is that a dental appointment scheduled at least two weeks before treatment begins can reduce the risk of complication and help preserve salivary glands. The reason is this: with radiation treatment and chemotherapy, changes in saliva occur that can encourage decay and dry mouth, diminish taste, and thicken soft tissues—to name a few. All these side effects [...]
Dentally speaking, is drinking alcohol a good thing or a bad thing for your teeth and gums? As with everything alcohol related, there are positives and negatives. On one hand, a mixer-free shot of vodka is probably less hazardous than caramel candies, which coat the teeth with a sticky goo that practically begs for cavities. On the other hand, every kind of alcohol—most notoriously drinks with sugary mixes—are chock-full of their own types of sugar. Sugar is the main source of energy for plaque [...]
Whether it's to mask bad breath, fight cavities or prevent the buildup of plaque, the sticky material that contains germs and can lead to oral diseases, mouthwash serves a variety of purposes. Or so we think. Though they may leave your mouth with a clean, fresh taste, some washes can be harmful, concealing bad breath and unpleasant taste that are signs of periodontal diseases which cause inflammation and degeneration of the supporting structures of the teeth and tooth decay. Your dentist will tell you, [...]
