Month: May 2019

A pediatrician has a very important role in taking care of your child’s oral health needs. Research shows that children who visit the same pediatrician have better health in the long run. Selecting the right pediatrician for your little one is an important decision. The first years of life are very crucial for the overall foundation of healthy permanent teeth. Several studies conducted in the past have shown that factors like poor diet, wrong habits of food intake and inappropriate tooth brushing habits have a major role in tooth decay. This is the reason it is important to have a proper oral hygiene routine followed in the earlier stages of life to develop strong and healthy teeth.

If you have a pediatric dentist taking care of your child’s oral health routine, you will be benefited with the following:

As discussed above, preventive care starts with the first tooth. Dental visits in the earlier stages of life improve the chances of preventing dental disease and helping your child with cavity-free teeth. An early start means less expense for your child later on. An experienced pediatrician gives all the support your child needs to develop good oral hygiene habits that will last a lifetime.

Our pediatrician takes extra care time with your children to ensure that they are in a secure environment. We offer a comprehensive range of restoration services in a kid-friendly environment. The services covered under the same are fillings, crown and other dental issues like an abscessed teeth.

Plaque build up can happen even if you brush and floss your child’s teeth regularly. The bacteria in plaque create an acid attack that infects your child’s tooth enamel. When enamel gets decayed, your child gets a cavity. Dental cleanings every 6 months help to wipe off the bacteria. Our pediatricians use professional tools to remove plaque build-up and prevent it from getting worse.

By taking regular appointments with a pediatrician, you will be able to identify potential issues and provide early detection.

It’s never too early to start visiting the dentist. Once you start child routine dental care, you won’t be developing problems and also be instilling good oral hygiene habits in your children. Child dental care doesn’t have to be complicated. To help your children be well-versed with great oral hygiene habits, it is important to see your child to a pediatrician.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.

While prioritizing physical and mental well being, people often forget to pay attention to their oral or dental health. There are many who think dental work is more of cosmetic, however, it is important to understand the real mouth-body connection for overall well being. Oral health is the door into your overall health. Neglecting your mouth’s health can be fatal and this is something, right from dentists to patients needs to know right now.

Oral Cancer Awareness month has just passed and it is expected that more than 50,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year, seniors being more at risk.

What Is Oral Cancer
Oral cancer is the cancer occurring in the oral cavity, be it floor area of the mouth, cheeks, teeth, gum or lips. The other affected areas are middle region of throat and back of the mouth.

Signs of Oral Cancer
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, consult our dentist for screening now:

1. Soreness
2. Difficulty in jaw movement
3. Numbness
4. Trouble in swallowing
5. A thick patch of skin
6. Irritation

Senior citizens who are diagnosed with oral cancer are aged 55 and above.

There are factors like irritation from poorly fitted dentures, consistent use of tobacco and smoke and family history that multiplies the risk. However, patients can greatly reduce the risk by early detection. Also, control over lifestyle habits and regular visit to the dentist would solve the purpose.

How Is Oral Cancer Screening Done
Oral cancer screening does not require special preparation and is performed during a regular dental appointment. During the screening session, our dentist will look inside your mouth to hunt for sores or red patches of tissue.

They will touch and inspect the lymph nodes in neck and jaw, around ears, salivary glands. They will also look for signs of swelling if any.

Examination of tonsil is yet another step. Our dentist uses a dental mirror to look for redness, enlargement or unusual bumps.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.

The Mouth Joint Connection

Tooth loss, technically known as periodontal disease (PD), not only refrains you from enjoying your favorite food but also shares a strong relationship with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Yes, you have heard it right! Patients suffering from RA are likely to have an increased risk of gum disease. Both the disease are linked to severe inflammation and that is your body’s immune response to prevent bacteria and virus. Owing to its association with strong inflammation, periodontitis increases the risk for diseases like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Both RA and periodontitis also appear to share a genetic link.

RA is an enervating condition that causes joints to become inflamed, thereby leading to pain, stiffness and swelling. The findings held Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) responsible for gum disease. P.gingivalis is one of the major protein causing periodontal disease. Studies by the Journal of Periodontology show that patients with rheumatoid arthritis are eight times more likely to have periodontal disease as compared to people without RA.

The Inflammation Link
As discussed above, both RA and periodontal disease have inflammation in common. Inflammation is a protective immune system to virus and bacteria. However, with an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system triggers inflammation even when there are no bacteria and virus. It is therefore understood that inflammation is a common figure between RA and gum disease.

Immune system and chronic inflammation play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis and gum disease.

According to John Hopkins study (2016), bacteria responsible for chronic gum infection triggers the development of citrullinated proteins. These proteins develop auto antibodies which have a major role towards RA.

Oral Complications Caused Due to RA

• Swelling gums is the first indication. Other symptoms can also contribute to dental problems. Patients suffering from RA in jaw joints may find it difficult to open their mouth properly. Similarly, having pain in the hands, elbows and shoulder can make brushing difficult. If your body starts taking control of your ability to take care of your oral health, you will see cavities building up and inflammation in the gums.
• Treating RA with medication improves joint functioning and also makes it easier to take care of your teeth. Medicine that reduce inflammation may be advantageous for your mouth as well.
• Patients with RA experience dry mouth as a side effect. This is a condition characterized by dry eyes and mouth that occurs with RA. Saliva helps in fighting bacteria against the mouth. Without enough saliva, you will get more cavities and gum disease.

Treating Gum Disease Helps RA
The treatment of gum disease is the only cure that helps get rid of RA and neutralizes its impact on the overall health. Patients who get periodontal disease treated professionally can have significantly less pain, stiffness and less painful joints.

Rheumatoid Arthritis can be disastrous, however, taking care of your oral health can possibly reduce the impact of disease. A research done by Case Western University School of Dental Medicine revealed that patients who received non surgical treatment for gum disease reported significant improvement in RA. There is yet a lot of research to be done for identifying whether treating gum disease helps with RA. Therefore, it is important for patients suffering from RA and their physicians to work in collaboration with dentists and get rid of periodontal disease.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.

One of the most common causes of toothache, tooth sensitivity refers to the discomfort associated with toothache in one or more teeth. Tooth sensitivity affects the exposed root surfaces. It occurs when the enamel gets thinner.

Patients suffering from tooth sensitivity should avoid consuming hot and cold food items. If you are suffering from tooth pain, you might find difficulty in biting, chewing and even sleeping at night. The source of tooth pain can be decay, injury or an infection in the tooth.

Our dentist will do an oral examination to identify the real cause. Below are a few things you need to be aware of:

Diet: Eating hard or acidic food can harm your teeth. Other contributors to tooth sensitivity you must be aware of are juice, citrus fruit, sports drinks and so on.

Brushing Harsh: This is an abrasive technique that leads to tooth sensitivity. Using a hard bristled toothbrush aggressively contributes to teeth sensitivity.

Tooth Decay: A small cavity in tooth eats away the enamel. In this case, a crown or filling could be of great help.

Sinus Infection: Sinus infection hurts your teeth because of the inflammation of sinus swelling. A sinus infection can be suspected in your teeth.

Cool Temperature: Cold air over the teeth triggers a sensitive cramp. Our dentist will be testing the sensitivity by blowing air on your teeth.

Stress: Stress is another cause of tooth damage. If you consistently grind your teeth due to stress, you might be a victim of tooth damage. Also known as bruxism, teeth grinding generally happens when you are asleep. Right from tooth damage to headache and other hearing disorder may occur as a result of teeth grinding.

Treating Sensitive Teeth
Sensitivity in teeth can be really dull. Having sensitive teeth prevents you from enjoying your favorite ice cream or using your favorite whitening toothpaste. However, there are better ways to desensitize your teeth.

There are a large number of over the counter medications and toothpaste available that can help with sensitivity when used regularly. Our dentists recommend the use of fluoride gel to help fight sensitivity.

Sensitivity in teeth is a big inconvenience. However, being candid with your dentist about any side effect can help your provider evaluate the situation. So, whether you are suffering from tooth sensitivity, decay or infection, it must be addressed properly by your dentist.

Schedule your appointment today. We look forward to helping you with restorative care in case of sudden tooth sensitivity.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.