Health and Hygiene

The best dentistry of all is no dentistry at all. Good hygiene and health habits prevent gum disease and tooth decay. More than 2 out of 3 of our appointments are preventative.

Here are some posts we've written on health and hygiene.

Dentists, Pharmacists Raise Awareness of Medication-Induced Dry Mouth

The American Dental Association and the American Pharmacy Association have teamed up to raise awareness of a serious dental issue called dry mouth, or xerostomia. Here is their press release:

CHICAGO, August 11, 2011 – Leading dental and pharmacy organizations are teaming up to promote oral health and raise public awareness of dry mouth, a side effect commonly caused by taking prescription and over-the-counter medications. More than 500 medications can contribute to oral dryness, including antihistamines (for allergy or asthma), antihypertensive medications (for blood pressure), decongestants, pain medications, diuretics and antidepressants. In its most severe form, dry mouth can lead to extensive tooth decay, mouth sores and oral infections, particularly among the elderly.

Healthy Gums Look Like This

Saw a patient today with excellent home care. Here's someone who knows how to brush and floss.

Healthy gums look like this

Notice how the gums wrap tightly to the teeth like spandex. Note the bright coral pink color. (people of darker skin may have harmless patches of pigmentation in covering some of the pink areas) They are not red and puffy from gingivitis, and they do not bleed when prodded with dental probes or floss. This is what your gums can look like if you take great care of them with daily flossing and brushing. It doesn't matter if you're 9 or 99, it can look like this.

What makes this case even more remarkable, however, is that this is not some 21 year old Swedish model's teeth. They belong to a very smart 14 year old high school freshman:

it's hard to take care of teeth with braces, but clearly, it's possible

Braces make it really, really hard to clean your teeth. Most weaker minded teenagers just don't bother. The result is them a bloody, swollen red mess full of tartar, plaque and germs. My own two front teeth have permanent white scars (train tracks) from not taking care of my teeth during braces. Oh, to be a teenager again, but perhaps a smarter one. Kudos to JS for having some seriously good hygiene habits at a very young age. This guy is going to go far.

It's never too late to start, either.

We're going Xtreme and Elite, Sonicare, that is

We've noticed over the years that almost everyone with healthy gums had a power toothbrush. While it's no substitute for flossing, anything that gives you better results with less effort is worth it. Our office is now carrying the Sonicare Elite and Xtreme power toothbrush models.

Three reasons gum disease won't go away

Gum disease, like diabetes, is incurable, but very treatable. Most of our patients get better after treatment, but a few don't. Here's the three most common reasons people can't beat gum disease...

Sinusitis: It's not always the tooth

Sometimes a recent cold or flu can cause sinusitis, an inflammation of the lining of your sinus cavities. Swelling and irritation are often symptoms. The maxillary sinuses happen to be directly over the upper back teeth. The swelling can bear down on the teeth, creating a dull toothache. Sometimes the sinus literally elevates the teeth a tiny bit out of socket, creating a high bite and chewing difficulties.

If your dentist is not careful, you can end up with an unnecessary root canal treatment. A proper diagnosis of every toothache usually includes an x-ray, cold test, percussion (tapping test), biting test, and periodontal probing (gum check). A positive biting or tapping test during or after a recent cold or allergy event may just indicate sinusitis, not a dental problem. If dental findings are inconsistent or inconclusive, you can be referred to your medical doctor for a consult. We had one or two such cases last year, and possibly one this morning. I routinely ask my patients with dull toothaches, especially on upper teeth, if they've had recent sinus infections, colds, flu, or allergies. The best way to get correct diagnosis, as always, is to be thorough (collect a lot of data), and look at all the facts, not just the dental ones.