Dental Tips

I know that I have not updated this blog in forever. Busy...

But, I thought I would give the privileged few of you who stuck around the scoop on an interesting service I've had the opportunity to play with. A friend of mine is developing a new kind of dieting system, which is not just designed to help you loss a few pounds but rather designed to help keep you healthy (what a novel concept). I can't really say much more at this point, but I would suggest that you sign up for their mailing list, it may still be a few months before the service is made available to the public, but I promise it is worth the wait.

Take the first step to a healthier lifestyle at Xiet.

I am often asked, how do I find a good dentist for a fair price?

I would recommend you take a look at dental insurance discount cards. A dental insurance discount card/plan gives you access to a wide range of dentists at a pre-negotiated discount price for all dental procedures.

My recommendation is to take a look at DentalPlans.com. They allow you to enter you zip code find a dentist and dental plan that meets your needs and the cost of each dental procedure.

I recommend them to all my friends and now I recommend them to you.

If permanent teeth are knocked out, there is an excellent chance that they will survive if they are immediately placed back in the tooth socket and dental advice is sought straight away. Every minute the tooth is out of the socket, the less chance it has of surviving.

What to do:

• Handle the tooth by the crown not the root.
  
• Gently rinse the tooth in milk or normal saline solution if it has debris on it.
• Rinse for a few seconds only.
  
• Replace the tooth in its socket, if the person is conscious - make sure it is facing the right way around.
  
• Hold the tooth in place with some foil or gently bite on a handkerchief.
  
• Contact your dentist immediately.
  

If you can't replace the tooth:

• Wrap it in glad wrap or store it in milk or normal saline solution.
  
• Contact your dentist immediately.
  

Do not try and clean the tooth with vigorous scrubbing or cleaning agents.

If it was a baby tooth be thankful that a tooth will grow back in before you know it, but see you dentist anyhow there might be reasons to put in a spacer.

Many people have had their teeth bleached, and probably millions more are thinking about it. The desire for a brighter smile with whiter teeth has become popular in today's society and tooth bleaching can be the answer.

Tooth bleaching safely lightens the color of the teeth and can last for up to five years. The most effective and safest method of tooth bleaching is dentist-supervised.

Generally, bleaching is successful in at least 90 percent of patients, although it may not be an option for everyone.

Tooth bleaching is effective for teeth darkened from extrinsic stains such as aging, coffee, tea or smoking. Teeth darkened by intrinsic stains caused by fluorosis, tetracycline, or other medications and by congenital abnormalities won't respond well to bleaching.

Teeth darkened with the color of yellow, brown or orange respond better to lightening than gray staining. If you have very sensitive teeth, periodontal disease or teeth with worn enamel, your dentist may discourage bleaching.

First, the dentist must determine whether you are a candidate for tooth bleaching and what type of bleaching system would give you the best results.

If you're in a hurry for whiter teeth, you may decide to have your teeth whitened immediately. Your dentist will use either an in-office bleaching system or laser bleaching while you sit in the dental chair.

However, most patients choose dentist-supervised, at-home bleaching, which is more economical and provides the same results.

At the next appointment, if you don't choose laser bleaching, the dentist or hygienist will make impressions of your teeth to fabricate a mouthguard appliance for you. (The mouthguard is used to hold the bleaching solution against your teeth.)

The mouthguard is custom-made for your mouth. It can be worn comfortably while you are awake or sleeping.

The mouthguard is so thin that you should even be able to talk and work while wearing it. Along with the mouthguard, you'll receive the bleaching solution and instructions on how to wear the mouthguard.

Some bleaching systems recommend bleaching your teeth from two to four hours a day. Generally this type of system requires three to six weeks to complete, and works best on patients with sensitive teeth. Other systems recommend bleaching at night while you sleep. This type of system usually requires only 10 to 14 days to complete.

Lightness should last from one to five years, depending on your personal habits such as smoking and drinking coffee or tea. At this point you may choose to get a touch-up. This procedure may not be as costly because you can probably still use the same mouthguard. The treatment time also is much shorter than the original treatment time.

The active ingredient in most of the whitening agents is 10 percent carbamide peroxide, also known as urea peroxide. When water contacts this white crystal, the release of hydrogen peroxide lightens the teeth, bleaching out the porous surface of the enamel.

The higher the strength of carbamide peroxide and the quicker the bleaching process is carried out, the greater the chances for sensitivity.

Several studies during the past five years have proven bleaching to be safe and effective. The American Dental Association has granted its seal of approval to some tooth-bleaching products. Some patients may experience slight gum irritation or tooth sensitivity, which will resolve when the treatment ends.

No one can really predict how much lighter your teeth will become, but the key is to have a realistic expectation before starting the process. Every case is different.

Typically, there is a two-shade improvement as seen on a dentist shade guide. The success rate depends on the type of stain involved and your compliance. Bleaching can only provide a shift in color, from gray to a lighter shade of gray, for example.

Bleaching does not lighten artificial materials, such as white fillings (resins) or porcelains. So if you are considering bleaching, it would be best to bleach before resin fillings or porcelain crowns, onlays or inlays are placed, to allow for the shade to be matched.

Hey, show off that smile :-).

Plaque is a sticky layer of material containing germs that accumulates on teeth, including places where toothbrushes can't reach. This can lead to gum disease. The best way to get rid of plaque is to brush and floss your teeth carefully every day.

The toothbrush cleans the tops and sides of your teeth. Dental floss cleans in between them.

Floss removes plaque and debris that adhere to teeth and gums in between teeth, polishes tooth surfaces, and controls bad breath. Floss is the single most important weapon against plaque, perhaps more important than the toothbrush. Many people just don't spend enough time flossing or brushing and many have never been taught to floss or brush properly. When you visit your dentist or hygienist, ask to be shown.

Flossing is the one most important step in oral care that people forget to do or claim they don't have time for. By flossing your teeth daily, you increase the chances of keeping your teeth a lifetime and decrease your chance of having periodontal or gum disease. Flossing cleans away the plaque from between your teeth, decreases the chance of interproximal decay and increases blood circulation in the gums.

Dental floss comes in many forms: waxed and unwaxed, flavored and unflavored, wide and regular. Wide floss, or dental tape, may be helpful for people with a lot of bridgework. Tapes are usually recommended when the spaces between teeth are wide. They all clean and remove plaque about the same. Waxed floss might be easier to slide between tight teeth or tight restorations. However, the unwaxed floss makes a squeaking sound to let you know your teeth are clean. Bonded unwaxed floss does not fray as easily as regular unwaxed floss, but does tear more than waxed floss.

There are two flossing methods: the spool method and the loop method. The spool method is suited for those with manual dexterity. Take an 18-inch piece of floss and wind the bulk of the floss lightly around the middle finger. (Don't cut off your finger's circulation!) Wind the rest of the floss similarly around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger takes up the floss as it becomes soiled or frayed. Maneuver the floss between teeth with your index fingers and thumbs. Don't pull it down hard against your gums or you will hurt them. Don't rub it side-to-side as if you're shining shoes. Bring the floss up and down several times forming a "C" shape around the tooth, being sure to go below the gum line. The loop method is suited for children or adults with less nimble hands, poor muscular coordination or arthritis. Take an 18-inch piece of floss and make it into a circle. Tie it securely with three knots. Place all of the fingers, except the thumb, within the loop. Use your index fingers to guide the floss through the lower teeth, and use your thumbs to guide the floss through the upper teeth, going below the gum line forming a "C" on the side of the tooth.

Floss and keep you teeth for a lifetime :-).

As a child I used to get terrible headaches. It took years, and many test until it was finally diagnosed as migraine headaches.

I recently learned that your mouth can play a role in headaches.

An average person swallows 2,000 times per day, causing the upper and lower teeth to come together and push against the skull.

People who have poorly aligned bites or missing teeth can have related health problems, such as frequent headaches or sleep disorders, because their jaw muscles are strained, according to a recent article in AGD Impact, the news magazine of the Academy of General Dentistry.

This strain, known as orofacial pain, is defined as any pain in and around the face. Some people may experience pain in the ears, eyes, sinuses, cheeks or side of the head, while others experience clicking when moving the jaw.

Orofacial pain can also be caused by nerve disorders, temperomandibular disorder, stress or muscle spasms. Serious causes of orofacial pain are tumors in the jawbone area, oral cancer or referred pain from cardiac disease.

At the first sign of discomfort or noted abnormality when closing your mouth, see your general dentist to have a preliminary evaluation to disclose any potential problems early. He or she knows your mouth best and how you handle daily stress.

Sometimes the pain may be difficult to diagnose if its origin is not localized in one area. The dentist will try to diagnose the pain source by conducting tests to rule out a cracked tooth, the need for a root canal, gum disease, clenching or grinding. These factors can cause pain in the facial area, but can be easily treated.

Orofacial pain that lasts longer than 10 days to two weeks, or is not related to a specific stressful event such as a car accident, may signal a more serious problem requiring additional tests.

One in eight Americans suffers from headaches. Does you mouth cause yours?

Radiographic or X-ray examinations provide your dentist with an important tool that shows the condition of your teeth, its roots, jaw placement and the overall composition of your facial bones. X-rays can help your dentist determine the presence or degree of periodontal disease, abscesses and many abnormal growths, such as cysts and tumors. X-rays also can show the exact location of impacted and unerupted teeth. They can pinpoint the location of cavities and other signs of disease that may not be possible to detect through a visual examination.

Your radiographic schedule is based on the dentist's assessment of your individual needs, including whether you're a new patient or a follow-up patient, adult or child. In most cases, new patients require a full set of mouth X-rays to evaluate oral health status, including any underlying signs of gum disease and for future comparison. Follow-up patients may require X-rays to monitor their gum condition or their chance of tooth decay.

Typically, most dental patients have "periapical" or "bitewing" radiographs taken. These require patients to hold or bite down on a piece of plastic with X-ray film in the center. Bitewing X-rays typically determine the presence of decay in between teeth, while periapical X-rays show root structure, bone levels, cysts and abscesses.

Just as a panoramic photograph allows you to see a broad view such as the Grand Canyon, a panoramic radiograph allows your dentist to see the entire structure of your mouth in a single image. Within one large film, panoramic X-rays reveal all of your upper and lower teeth and parts of your jaw.

What is apparent through one type of X-ray often is not visible on another. The panoramic X-ray will give your dentist a general and comprehensive view of your entire mouth on a single film, which a periapical or bitewing X-ray can not show. On the other hand, periapical or bitewing X- rays show a highly-detailed image of a smaller area, making it easier for your dentist to see decay or cavities between your teeth. X-rays are not prescribed indiscriminately. Your dentist has a need for the different information that each radiograph can provide to formulate a diagnosis.

All health care providers are sensitive to patients' concerns about exposure to radiation. Your dentist has been trained to prescribe radiographs when they are appropriate and to tailor radiographic schedules to each patient's individual needs. By using state-of-the-art technology and by staying knowledgeable about recent advances, your dentist knows which techniques, procedures and X-ray films can minimize your exposure to radiation.

Using the best tools available to provide the best care...