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Tips To Make You A Smile Champ!

As dentists, we aim for all our patients to sport a bright, attractive, healthy smile. But regardless how white, shiny and straight one's teeth are, regrettably, many of us just don't know how to smile most naturally and genuinely. That's why our crack staff decided...

Mouth Ulcers? What Now…

Mouth ulcers are small sores on the inside of your cheeks or lips, on your gums, or on the rear parts of your tongue. They can be visible as white, pink, or dark red spots, are often swollen, and can seem to get bigger or spread if left untreated. Your dentist may be able to help.

Tips To Make You A Smile Champ!

Mouth Ulcers? What Now…

Pop ToothyTune Awards: Songs With Teeth in Them

We dentists love anything having to do with teeth – so what could be better than pop songs with a dental spin? Here we present the first of our Pop ToothyTune Awards!

Baby Care No-No’s By The Dozen — What To Avoid

New mother? New grandparent? Caretaker? It’s easy to make mistakes. Here are some commonly known and not-so-commonly known baby hazards you’ll want to remember.

Pop ToothyTune Awards: Songs With Teeth in Them

We dentists love anything having to do with teeth – so what could be better than pop songs with a dental spin? Here we present the first of our Pop ToothyTune Awards!

Baby Care No-No’s By The Dozen — What To Avoid

New mother? New grandparent? Caretaker? It’s easy to make mistakes. Here are some commonly known and not-so-commonly known baby hazards you’ll want to remember.

What to Expect from a Sleep Study

A good night’s sleep is one of the most important factors in keeping you healthy and successful. When things go wrong your dentist or doctor will recommend a sleep study. What is it and how can you properly prepare? Find the answers here!

Warning! Smoking Can Wreck Your Dental Implants!

If you smoke, or are thinking about starting, a warning — precious dental implants are more likely to fail, leading to potentially serious health problems. Why is this?

What to Expect from a Sleep Study

Warning! Smoking Can Wreck Your Dental Implants!

If you smoke, or are thinking about starting, a warning — precious dental implants are more likely to fail, leading to potentially serious health problems. Why is this?

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Delaying The Dentist Out Of Fear? Not Needed…

There are many fears in modern life, but few are as universal as dental dread. Fear of the dental chair is as widespread as it is dangerous, yet it is rarely recognized as a threat to human health.

The fact that dental health and overall health are closely linked has been demonstrated again and again. If you avoid the dentist because you are afraid, it is important to overcome that phobia and take care of your body.

Here are seven ways to overcome your fear of the dentist.

1. Educate yourself.

Dental fear often springs from incomplete or old information, and simple education can go a long way. Pain control has evolved and improved markedly in recent years, and you will find that your biggest fears are totally unfounded.

2. Choose a caring dentist.

The dentist you choose can soothe your existing fears – or make them stronger. More than any medical professional, finding a great dentist is very important to conquering your fear.

3. Use meditation and visualization techniques.

Relaxation can soothe nearly any fear, including fear of the dentist. As your appointment approaches, work on relaxation, meditation and visualization – whatever works for you.

4. Bring a friend.

Having emotional support is vital for overcoming your fear, so ask a friend to accompany you on your dental visit. Choose someone who does not share your fear – you can lean on this person (or animal) for strength and emotional support.

5. Ask about sedation.

If you are still feeling anxious about your upcoming dental appointment, ask about sedation. This type of dentistry has been growing in popularity, and light sedation can help you cope with any remaining fears.

6. Be proactive about pain relief.

While pain control techniques have improved, you may encounter some discomfort during or after your dental procedure. Do not be afraid to ask about pain medications and other pain control techniques.

7. Talk about your fear.

Dentists know more about dental phobias than anyone, so be honest about how you are feeling and any trepidation you may have. A good dentist will walk you through those fears and help you feel more relaxed before any work begins.

The only thing we have to fear is…

Few people look forward to spending time in the dentist chair, but you do not have to dread the experience.

Avoiding dental care is a terrible option, since poor oral hygiene can harm your overall health and put you at serious risk. So instead of cancelling your next dental appointment, use the seven coping strategies above to relax – you will feel better, and so will your teeth.

Contributed by B.E. Conrad
Edited by Clifford S. Yurman

Why Bleeding Gums May Not Mean Gum Disease

Spotting blood on your toothbrush or floss is enough to startle anyone, but don’t panic — though bleeding gums can be a symptom of disease, several possible causes far less worrying…

A New Smile Through Cosmetic Dentistry?

When your teeth have flaws that make you self-conscious, you’re probably hesitant to smile. Maybe you have large gaps between teeth or chipped a tooth in an accident. Cosmetic dentistry can fix these little flaws and restore your confidence to smile.

A TMJD Primer: Make It Better!

Do you experience jaw pain on a regular basis? Have you been told you may have TMJD?

In this post we’re going to lay out the facts, and help you proactively minimize your pain.

What Is TMJD?

TMJD stands for TemporoMandibular Joint Disorder. It’s a condition that can affect anyone at any age. There are numerous causes and it can vary from mild, intermittent discomfort to debilitating symptoms that interfere with your ability to function.

The temporomandibular joint is where two bones, the mandible (jaw) and the temporal bone (part of the skull), meet to form an axis point for mouth movement (chewing, speaking, biting, swallowing, etc.).

Muscles surrounding the joint aid this process. When TMJD strikes, these muscles can become inflamed along with the joint, causing pain or mild discomfort on the side of the head.

What causes TMJD?

Root causes of TMJD can be both mental and physioligical…

Stress
Caffeine
Teeth clenching habits
Gum chewing
Braces/retainers
Trauma
Psychological factors
Fibromyalgia
Birth defects

Stress is often the culprit in TMJD pain as we tend to express our tension in the neck and jaw area. This tension can unwittingly trigger the muscle and joint pain of TMJD, and teeth clenching is one of the more common expressions.

The root causes of TMJD are often interconnected, making it hard to say which specific trigger is causing your TMJD pain. But there are things you can avoid to help prevent onset of an attack.

What to avoid if you have TMJD

One of the best ways you can reduce discomfort of TMJD is to avoid any suspected behaviors that might trigger it, including…

Gum chewing
Eating chewy foods like taffy or steak
Taking large bites of food
Too much caffeine or other stimulants
Letting stress win

Gum chewing, along with certain foods like steak, taffy, or anything overly tough or chewy should be avoided. It’s also important to be mindful when you eat, avoiding taking large bites of food. Try to avoid stress and cut down on caffeine.

What you can do to help with your pain?

If you have done your best to avoid the triggers and still wind up with TMJD attacks, it may be time to consider outside help…

Physical therapy
Manual therapy – joint mobilization and massage
Rocabado 6×6
Posture training
Cardiovascular endurance for endorphins
Stress management/meditation
Dietary changes
Mouth guards
Medication

Along with avoiding things like too much caffeine and gum chewing, there are other things you can do to get relief from the headaches, neck pain, and jaw pain associated with TMJD.

A physical therapist can work with you to create a plan for reducing and managing pain. Dietary changes and mindful eating can reduce trigger. Posture training, massage, stress management, and wearing a mouth guard are also good strategies for preventing pain or at least keeping it to a minimum. In some cases, medication may be prescribed to help manage pain.

A TMJD sufferer we interviewed advises applying a cloth-covered ice pack immediately after the slightest hint of an attack – waiting until the pain reaches climax is not the time to act. In addition, a dose of your favorite over-the-counter pain reliever can minimize or even stop the attack when taken early enough in the cycle.

Advocate for yourself!

Because TMJD is often perceived as more of a nuisance than a real disorder, you may find that you need to advocate for yourself to get the attention you deserve. Be proactive — explore the above tips to reduce symptoms, and enlist the care of your medical providers and physical therapist. Dentists can definitely help, too. Give us a call for advice!

Warning! Smoking Can Wreck Your Dental Implants!

If you smoke or are thinking about starting, a warning — your dental implants are more likely to fail when you smoke, leading to potentially serious health problems.

According to a recent study published by the National Institutes of Health, smoking can have a very destructive effect. So what should you do?

Tell Your Doctor

If you are considering dental implant surgery and you currently smoke, it’s important to truthfully disclose this to your dentist or oral surgeon prior to surgery. He or she will work with you to minimize implant failure risk and provide you with resources to quit smoking.

Understanding Dental Implant Failure

The dental implant, itself, replaces the roots of the tooth and leaves a post for a crown or bridge to secure to it. Once the implant replaces the roots, it undergoes a process called osseointegration. This means that it fuses with the existing bone. The integration with natural bone and gum tissue provides strength and stability that allows the implants to function just like your other teeth.

It’s essential that the jaw and mouth are healthy during the osseointegration process.

When disease or infection occurs, it slows the healing process and prevents the proper integration of your implants. The formal name for dental implant failure is peri-implantitis.

How Smoking Causes Peri-Implantitis

Smoking already increases the likelihood of developing gum disease and lowers the effectiveness of your immune response. When you have oral surgery, you can normally prevent an infection by getting adequate rest, and following your oral surgeon’s other post-operative instructions. Even when an infection or inflammation does occur, you can normally treat it with antibiotics. If caught early enough, this may have no lasting impact on post-surgical healing.

Treating an infection or inflammation early may not always be enough when you smoke tobacco. That’s because it reduces the effect of any antibiotic your dentist may prescribe.

Smoking increases the risk of infection as well as the severity of that risk. It also promotes gum disease, which is a leading cause of dental implant failure. Untreated gum disease causes inflammation of the gums, loose teeth, tender gums, increasingly exposed teeth, and pockets along the gum line. It makes it difficult for gum tissue to heal after an implant procedure when disease is present. This can spread to other soft and hard tissues.

When gum disease reaches bone tissue, it causes loss of bone and additional loss of teeth. Unfortunately, any degree of gum disease can threaten the success of dental implants.

Ask for Resources to Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is, no doubt, extremely difficult — especially when you have done it for decades. Be sure to ask your dentist or regular doctor for resources that will help you kick the habit. These could include prescription medication to control nicotine cravings, referral to a smoking cessation program, or working one-on-one with a counselor as you go through the quitting process. Quit smoking now! Not only will you have lesser chances of dental implant failure, your overall health will improve – and that’s a promise!

Delaying The Dentist Out Of Fear? Not Needed…