A blog for dentists, dental personnel and patients to share dental experiences, news and views. Celebration, Elation, Aggravation or Frustration: Let It Out!
Content is included for informational purposes only. Consult with your doctor for more information.
Partially exposed teenage wisdom teeth can be the first sign of a developing complication. Very few people have room for their wisdom teeth to grow into a position that allows for thorough maintenance. Without the ability to clean 360 degrees around the tooth, decay and or gum problems will eventually develop.
Why me?
It often takes years for the irritation created by chronically dirty wisdom teeth to develop inflammation; add a few more years and the chronic inflammation turns into infection. If you've ever experienced a full-blown dental related abscess you'll not likely want another!
It can take several pain filled days for an abscess to resolve and sometimes the infection requires hospitalization with intravenous administration of antibiotics to control and stabilize the patient before the offending tooth can be completed.
The simple solution is to have your wisdom teeth removed before these serious complications have time to form. For you folks who are more than a bit squeamish about such operations, many dentists offer sedatives to relax you or general anesthetics that will render you into a state of mind that you won't know about what day it is, let alone the dental surgery that is to be performed...better living through chemistry is today's lesson!
Every dentist who has practiced for more than a few days has heard the question inthis post's title! I can attest to the frustration patients feel when I have to tell them the bad news as I've had the experience of witnessing adults cry at the tooth report given. The answer to the question is simply; complex. Let me emphasize that dental decay doesn't recognize: gender, race, height, weight, hair color, religious affiliation, or wealth. Some intelligent, wealthy people suffer dental decay and some poor and underprivileged folks enjoy decay-free teeth. Go figure.
Here are the Big Five contributors to your dental woes, in no particular order:
Genetics...Your family history is an indication of your teeth's susceptibility to decay.
Oral Hygiene...Daily brushing and flossing to thoroughly remove bacteria is necessary.
Diet...Food and drinks (see my post Do You Want To Havity A Cavity?) that promote tooth decay must be avoided.
Medication...Many medicines cause a reduction of the volume and quality of saliva. Saliva 'washes' your teeth to reduce the bacterial accumulation. There are over 400 medications that contribute to 'dry mouth' and I'll bet if you read the insert for your prescriptions you're taking one or more of them.
Stress...People under chronic stress produce less saliva.
The thoroughness of your Brushing and Flossing needs to be discussed. Time after time, dentists tell you to Brush and Floss daily...blah, blah, blah. Sound familiar? WEll...I'm here to tell you most of you simply make a weak effort at getting the job done. To remove bacteria, you've got to get-after-it, man. The how-to video talks about being kind and gentle to your gums when brushing, but
NOT THIS!
with today's soft tooth brushes, you can literally scrub your gums, teeth and tongue with the brush and it won't hurt them. *(If you've been diagnosed with OCD, disregard the previous advice!) About the only way you're going to goof is if you accidentally pick-up the steel-wire grill brush.
And when flossing...the floss must pass up and down vigorously between the contact, down to and under the gum until it is squeaky clean.
On Halloween, the goal of 36.3 million trick-or-treaters is the acquisition of some of the $19 billion worth of candy produced by nearly 1800 American makers. Americans consume about 25 pounds of candy each annually.* Additional information is available on the Spit Happens blog title Do You Want To Havity A Cavity? Won't you consider other Treats rather than Sweets this year?
Watch Your Mouth...Because Spit Happens! *Inside Dentistry
I recently saw a print Ad in USA Today with this Post's title listed at the bottom of it. At first blush I thought it was a Camel cigarette Ad and I was surprised because print Ads have been banned for years. Upon further review...I discovered it was for a new to me product called SNUS. As a non-user myself, tobacco in its various formulations was an unexplored world. The significance of the advertisement was that New York City recently banned smoking and the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, who owns the Camel trademark, has their brand of this tobacco alternative available to those in need of a nicotine fix.
SNUS: Sounds Like Noose
As communities across the USA ban public smoking, heat is on the tobacco industry to offer their 'clients' these alternative products. There is also a significant impact on the economy as tobacco farmers rely on income from sales and states enjoy the tax revenue.
So...What is with the WARNING? Well, to enhance the flavor of their products, manufactures add sweeteners and that sugar content supplies energy for the pesky bacteria throughout your mouth. The more food for the bacteria, the more active the bacteria become and it is the bacteria's acidic waste byproduct that decays teeth and attacks gums. Got it? Think of SNUS, Dip and Snuff as that material you put into your mouth which in time creates a toxic waste site.
Edited 8.23.12: Scientists ID Cancer-Causing Agent in Smokeless Tobacco:
Teeth free of decay, dings or drilling are...virgin. Most people have 32 permanent teeth, including their Wisdom ones. I'm going to discuss Wisdom teeth in another post but the point is this: You're given these perfect pristine pearls that are 'Like avirgin...(until) touched for the very first time' (with apologies to Madonna). The anatomy and function of a smile is nothing short of a natural wonder and the resultant expression is generally considered very sexy!
Hey btw, you know that old wives tale about it taking far more facial muscles to create a frown than a smile? Well maybe, maybe not...see what Snopes (click on link) has to say about it. Smiling is the universal language of happiness so spread the joy of flashing a healthy white-hot smile. I've posted previously about teeth whitening so search this blog for the most up to date hype on the topic.
What makes those 32 virgins so hot? There are volumes of books and papers published by Psychologists on human attraction. What I am discussing here is how the arrangement and characteristics of the teeth make them appealing. First, size matters! Does your tooth size match your facial form? Usually though not always, but dentists can fix that. Second, do you have summer teeth?: "Som 'er here, som'er not". People with missing teeth are treated as second class citizens and pardon the expression, frowned-upon... hey, I'm just say'in. Thirdly, how are your teeth arranged? Like folks with missing teeth; overlapped, spaced & crowded tooth smile-styles just don't raise the Smok'in-hot-o-meter! Finally, if your virgin teeth have been violated ~ your dentist can recreate the image of Mother Nature's perfection.
Here's what I'm talk'in 'bout:
So here's the 32 White-Hot Smile recipe: Take one large helping of preventive care needed to preserve the natural wonder of the virgin tooth, add the appropriate supplement of a dentist's crafting to enhance color and match your teeth's size & shape to your facial form then mix the recipe following an Orthodontist's directions till done, and presto, you'll have a white-hot smile. It's that simple.
Look, before you pierce about your lips, cheek, tongue...check out the need-to-know facts.As oral piercings become more common, so do the complications associated with them. The oral cavity environment is a unique playground for contaminates: bacteria, food and drink, irritation from chewing and contact with who knows what unsanitary objects!
Beware the wrecking ball, too. The Academy of General Dentistry recommends athletes remove oral piercing to prevent damage to teeth from contact sports. Tooth injury is so widespread that it has been designated the "Wrecking Ball Fracture".
OK, then why do people do piercings, anyway? To understand the 'Piercing Psychology' remember it is just an adornment. What motivates people to pierce is the desire to beautify one's body in order to produce a certain impression or create an image. Beauty however is in the mind of the beholder...
When selecting a piercer, safety is always paramount. Look for a piercer that meets the state health department standards and has a reputation as an established and professional business. Of course there is always the DIY method, too:
TO protect teeth from decay, don't eat one piece of dandy-candy or sweets now, then another piece an hour later t-out the day. Why: Because after eating just one piece of sugar laden goody your mouth becomes acidic and it can take up to one hour for the mouth's pH balance to return to normal. The longer the teeth are exposed to an acidic environment the greater the chance of decay.
IF you choose to eat sweets, limit your treats to one after-meal serving ~ the increased salivaproduction during and after a meal helps to wash away acidity. Also, try to brush or at least rinse your mouth with pH neutral fluid (that is water for the chemically challenged!) after eating sweets.
Here's a link to an interesting table of acidity related to your favorite soft drink. Please note I said soft drink because sugar-free doesn't affect the acidity of the beverage. Phosphoric acid is prevalent in all these drinks we consume daily. AND, I know you're drinking an average of 3 a DAY! I've been watching you.
The relationship of your oral health to your overall health is not a one way street. It is said that the eyes are awindow into the soul and today's dentists better understand how the mouth is a window into your general health.
The gums are often described as the "canary in the coal mine" or the "early warning system" for changes in general health. This is because the mouth is exposed to a greater variety and number of bacteria, fungi and viruses than perhaps any other part of the body.
Impaired host (that's YOU)! defenses become clinically visible more quickly in the mouth because of the rapid turnover of tissues. The warning signs are red and swollen gums that bleed easily. More advanced cases also display loss of bone surrounding the teeth. Dr. Mark Ryder of the University of California has published several articles on this topic. The Mouth-body connection is worth reading if you wish to live longer and healthier.
Edited February 20th, 2012: Advice from The Doctors TV show recently reported 3 Ways To Protect Your Heart: 1. Get Your Teeth Cleaned. 2. Drink Less Sugar. 3. Check YOur Vitamin D Level.
You may have recently seen Internet chatter about Dental X-ray safety. If you received that reference via email or social media regarding this topic, it is likely referring to a segment of a Dr. Oz show about Thyroid cancer that originally aired in 2010. The doctor emphasized the use of protective aprons during radiation exposure.
House where x-rays were born.
Here's the skinny on x-rays: In 1895, physicist Wilhelm Roentgen stumbled onto these cathode tubes that had the mystical power to pass energy through solid objects. And when projected onto a fluorescent screen, shadowy images appeared. (My guess is that Willy had a lot of time on his hands). The mystery energy was called an 'X' ray, as in science the unknown is referred to the 'X' factor.
Colgate's website has a very complete article on Dental x-ray use and safety. The American Dental Association also has information on it's website: http://www.ada.org/ . What you need to know is this: x-rays are one tool in the box dentists use to diagnose your dental health. In today's dentistry x-rays are invaluable in regards to the information derived from them and it would be considered negligent NOT to utilize them. However, dentists are trained to respect the inherent danger of overexposure and we follow the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle.
Recent research indicates the naughty bacteria in your gums that contribute to Periodontal (Gum) Disease may raise your risk of upper respiratory infections.
An article published in the Journal of Periodontologyshows that taking good care of your teeth and gums may prevent breathing problems, pneumonia and acute bronchitis. It seems the bacteria can enter the windpipe and get lodged in the lungs, raising your risk of illness.
Did you brush and floss this morning? If so...you just did your respiratory system a favor.
Dentists have long observed the familial tendencies of dental health. Healthy teeth and gums tend to be passed down from parents to offspring but there are also cases where we see inexplicably disastrous mouths from the same parental genetic contribution. Conversely, we observe offspring who demonstrate healthy teeth and gums from genetically compromised oral heritage. Not to confuse the issue further, but individuals may have decay free teeth and sick gums or healthy gums and very decay prone teeth! The folks who have both decay prone teeth and sick gums often end up with either: 1. An extraordinarily expensive mouth to maintain in terms of time and money; or 2. Dentures.
Research is revealing secrets about how the bacteria that contribute to dental destruction get distributed. A recent article by Jessica at www.buzzle.com caught my interest and I want to share it with you.
Do you have questions about your mouth? I have over 30 years of experience in family dentistry and I have excellent specialists in all fields of dentistry to resource. I'll field your inquiries and do the best I can to answer your questions or direct you to someone who can.
Is there anything you've ever wanted to ask a dentist?
I'll field your questions or direct you to a source for further study. I have over 30 years of experience in family dentistry and I can resource excellent practitioners in all the specialties of dentistry...just for you.
Let your fingers do the talking!
Remember, Watch your Mouth...because Spit Happens.
Can we talk frankly? Whitening your teeth is really, really addictive. No, not chemically...emotionally. Because we love to see our teeth get whiter & brighter and once we see even a hint of change, we want more. In our look good-feel good society, folks with crooked, missing or dingy teeth are looked down upon as second class citizens, so naturally it's seductive to desire a dazzling smile.
The current whitening options are: 1. Visit your dentist for impressions that result in custom tray insertion for up to two or more weeks and spend $400 to $600, or 2. Store purchased, whitening agent impregnated cellophane that you apply via oral gymnastics for two or more weeks @ $25, or 3. A dentist's office visit of 2 hours for power whitening for between $600 to $1000.
The ingredient that whitens teeth is essentially the same for all applications and it is called peroxide.
Now, for the Facebook crowd that needs instant results, Proctor and Gamble is introducing Crest 3D 2-Hour Express Whitestrips (What a mouth full!). P & G marketing admits 'sure, it's peroxide heavy' but they insist it's enamel safe. You'll invest about $55 for a one year supply. Is it too good to be true? I don't know but it won't take long for the public to find out. If you're still not satisfied with the over-the-counter results you can always use the traditional methods ~ call your dentist.
While dentistry isn't aware of any ill affects to the teeth from this treatment be aware of this risk: FRIGHT WHITE. This results from over exposure to whitening; the addicts who have very white-susceptible teeth and just plain don't know when to say when!
Edited January 27th, 2012: In an article today in USA Today by Liz Szabo she cited a study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association confirming that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is mostly spread through sex rather than more casual contact such as kissing.
Studies show that about 42% of women have a current genital HPV infection and about 80% of women are infected with HPV by age 50. Oral HPV infection is nearly three times as common in men as in women but research doesn't explain why.
Parents worried that teenagers might spread HPV through kissing, take some comfort in this recent study.
More and more dentists are diagnosing an STD-related cancer. The pervasive but often silent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) has been finding its way into mouths. But how so, you ask? Here's the connection in a..................nutshell.
A guy gets HPV through vaginal sex with an infected partner.
The infected guy receives oral sex (protected or not) from a woman; she picks up the virus. OR: the infected guy has protected or unprotected vaginal sex with a woman who gets cervical HPV. She then has vaginal sex with a new partner, who later passes HPV back to her through oral sex.
HPV infected cells live and multiply in the mouth.
HPV infected cells may develop into precancerous, then cancerous lesions.
The symptoms mimic those associated with everyday cough, colds and flu...BUT it's the lingering aspect that should trigger further evaluation. Here are a few symptoms for instance...
Changes in your voice or ability to swallow
Painful sores in the mouth
Long term hoarseness or unexplained persistent cough
Pain or swelling in the lymph nodes or neck that last more than two weeks
A persistent sore throat
The significance of the symptoms lies in the length of duration and if you experience these symptoms for longer than two weeks without explanation: See a physician.
Oral cancer can show up as tumors, cracks, or lesions on your throat, voice box, tonsils or tongue and oral cancer is tricky to catch. There is a test that is simple to administer and you can read about it at http://www.oraldna.com/Professionals/oral-hpv-testing.html .
Generally speaking, healthy gums don't bleed. Occasionally, patients will experience minor bleeding after brushing and flossing that is nothing to worry about, especially if you see a dentist regularly.
However, bleeding that recurs or does not stop after a few days could indicate a more serious condition and you should consult a dentist asap. Also, people taking medications like blood thinners may experience bleeding. Avoiding the bleeding issue is not the answer either. If the gums are bleeding from bacterial inflammation, the dentist can identify the cause and treat it. If however, there is a medical problem a visit to your physician is critical to prevent or correct the irregularity.
If you washed your hands and they bled, you'd freak out and seek immediate medical attention, right?Then, think of your gums as the skin of your mouth.
But if you're too scared to visit a dentist and too stubborn to go to the doctor, just remember: All Bleeding Stops...Eventually.
In a recent article published by Dr. Peter Gott, an MD who writes a syndicated Q & A feature, Oil Pulling for Periodontal Disease treatment was discussed. I've practiced dentistry for 30 plus years and had never heard of such a treatment. The patient asking about the remedy had used it successfully and sought Dr. Gott's opinion. Dr. Gott had never heard of it either and he visited http://www.oilpulling.com/ to check out the technique and research the authors. The recommended therapy is to rinse for 10 minutes daily with Sesame Oil, by the way. I agree with Dr. Gott that there is likely no harm in using Sesame Oil and in fact it may be of some limited benefit, I have a suspicion that the patient's claim of being CURED of gum disease is questionable at best. She said she visited a dentist and he confirmed her success! I hear outlandish stories virtually every day from patients who claim they've been cured of something or other with home remedies, including witchcraft. I don't argue with them, but frankly, I'm more likely than not to just verbalize some acknowledgment of their success and move on to the business of the day. I'm not going to change their mind anyway.
Periodontal Disease is a well studied and researched malady. I think it is more likely that the patient became acutely aware of her condition; improved the quality of her brushing (and hopefully flossing) therefore reducing the disease causing bacteria harming her gums. The rinse of choice was simply a little icing on the cake.
What do you think? Doctors, have you heard of this remedy? Have any readers tried this therapy? If so, please post a comment.
Remember, you don't have to floss all your teeth.Just the ones you want to keep!
You've seen them...they almost reach out and bite you...some practically glow in the dark...some look like Chiclets...others are so expertly crafted they become virtually invisible and promote smiles to die for!
I'm talk'in ear to ear, Porcelain Veneer. They go by several Trade names within the Dental industry but the technique is virtually the same. They are laboratory fabricated, contact lens thick Porcelain slivers that are bonded (Laminated) to the front side of the teeth.
Some dentists (Gordon J. Christensen DDS, MSD to name a well respected one) within the profession have expressed concern that this service has become too widely recommended. I recommend reading the linked article by Dr. Christensen.
Have you had this service and what are your feelings? How has having your smile-ebration affected your life? Would you do it over? Did the dentist discuss the service life of your Veneers?
Gross, Disgusting and Totally Awesome Photos of: Meth Mouths, Neglect of Oral Hygiene and A Few Cases of Injury to Spice Things Up! Unfortunately, these are the types of cases dentists see virtually every day.
See Ya!
The above case is beyond repair and the patient would be advised to have the natural teeth removed and replaced with prosthetics.
Too Late
This situation is hopeless. The remaining tooth would be removed and replace with either an Implant, a Fixed Partial Denture or a Removable Partial Denture.
This is a start over.
Similar to the other cases, it's time to eliminate the sick teeth and work toward replacements.
Trauma
A most unfortunate accident; the teeth are savable and the long term prognosis is excellent. But...try to avoid this kind of thing...please!
A Classic Meth Mouth
The use of Crystal Meth has waned recently but these cases continue to show up in offices. Discontinuing Meth doesn't make the ravages of destruction go away, so the teeth slowly continue to deteriorate. You can see a dentist now or see a dentist later but don't wait until it hurts!
Show us your Gross, Disgusting and Totally Awesome ToothPix!
