Preventive Dentistry

Dry Mouth Puts Your Teeth At Risk

Posted on 02.4.16 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

Having enough saliva in your mouth is important to both your general health and your dental health. Our saliva is part of the digestive system and helps us break down our food. Not having enough, dry mouth, can compromise our digestion and add stress to our stomachs. Saliva is also an essential piece of the health of our mouths and teeth. It moistens the tissues, cleanses food particles off the teeth and protects us against the germs that cause cavities.

There are many things that can cause the saliva to change in either quantity or quality. As a normal part of aging our mouths will get more dry. Many commonly prescribed medications that treat high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and anxiety and depression can decrease the amount of saliva we produce. There are also some common medical conditions that can cause dry mouth. Whatever the cause when we have less saliva, or the saliva changes we need to know that we are at greater risk of getting cavities, having ginvigivitis and losing teeth.

I very commonly have patients come in who have not had a new cavity in decades, and suddenly they have several areas that we have to fix with fillings or crowns. When we start to figure out what happened it comes down to a change in their bodies ability to protect the teeth due to lack of saliva. We can also tell during your exam by the visual appearance of your saliva, tongue and gum tissue if you are suffering from dry mouth even before you may have symptoms. What I hope we can do is have this conversation with our patients before they have new dental problems to fix. Discuss with your dentist or hygienist any new medications that you have started taking, any changes to your health or any concerns you have about your saliva. It can be a simple matter of increasing your prevention by using a prescription toothpaste at home, having a fluoride treatment at your hygiene appointments or using other simple preventive strategies.

Here are some signs of dry mouth to watch out for:

Feeling like you need to have a sip of water more often
Needing or wanting to chew gum or use mints or hard candies
Your upper lip sticking to your top teeth
Red irritated tongue of gum tissue
Burning when you eat spicy foods.
Dry throat
Bad Breath
Hoarseness

Choosing The Right Toothpaste

Posted on 01.25.16 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

Choosing the right toothpaste can be a daunting task, as the choices are varied and vast. Some of us have a hands down favorite and always use the same kind. This preference is often based on flavor, consistency or a recommendation from our dentist or hygienist. Others of us buy whatever we have a coupon for or the drugstore has on buy one get one free special. Here are some interesting facts that may help the next time you have to choose a toothpaste.

Cleaning your teeth is the responsibility of the toothbrush, and water is all you need to use.
Toothpaste freshens your breath and delivers protective chemicals like fluoride and calcium.
Whitening toothpastes are usually more abrasive and can contribute to damage to crowns and veneers, as well as accelerate the rate of tooth wear.
Sensitivity toothpastes contain a chemical called potassium Nitrate which does reduce temperature sensitivity with regular use.
Tarter Control and Whitening toothpastes may increase temperature sensitivity in some people.
Many toothpastes contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate, so if you are sensitive to this ingredient you need to read the ingredients carefully.
Children’s toothpastes are different, and are designed to be safe if swallowed in large amounts.

So with these facts in mind, it will be easy to narrow down the choices and still find the flavor you prefer in either gel or paste, and you’ll still have to deicde whether to buy the tube or the pump!

The Danger of Sour Candy and Gum

Posted on 01.18.16 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

There is something magical to our taste buds about the combination of sour and sweet! As you peruse the racks of gum and candy, the lemon, lime and orange flavors are right there calling to you. We love how they taste and we love how they make us salivate. From small kids with their sour patch kids and sour gummy worms to adults who utilize lemon drops the dangers are the same. The acidic pH of the sour candy and gum is an enemy to your teeth in two ways. First it erodes and dissolves the structure of your tooth and secondly it creates a favorable environment for the bacteria that cause cavities. Our teeth do best in a neutral or basic environment which means a pH over 7. Some of the most popular sour candies have a pH in the range of 2 or 3. Tooth enamel begins to dissolve at a pH of around 4. Its the job of our saliva to keep the pH nuetral, and correct for when we eat really acidic things. If you eat sour candy, gum or mints often enough, or suffer from a lack of saliva your mouth may often be at a pH low enough for tooth damage to occur.

The other challenge is that the bacteria that cause cavities prefer to live in an acidic environment. This means that if your mouth is often below a pH of 7 you will have a greater number of these bacteria. If you are also feeding them sugar, and they are living on teeth already damaged from the acid, it can be a triple whammy! If you can try and limit the amount of sour candies, gums and mints you consume. When you do try and rinse your mouth out as soon as possible. Don’t go right in and brush until the pH of your mouth is back to normal in 15-30 minutes, or you could cause excessive abrasion to the enamel.

The Pregnant Woman’s Guide to Oral Health: Protect Your Teeth!

Posted on 09.21.15 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

The first few months of a new pregnancy can be filled with ups and downs, from uncomfortable physical changes to the joys of wondering what the baby’s sex will be. Most mothers know automatically from pop culture and informational texts that they will need to avoid certain foods, take pre-natal vitamins, and let their roots grow out, but what they may not realize is that oral health should be on the top of their pregnancy to-do lists.

Our number one piece of advice is to schedule a check up at the dentist during your pregnancy. While pregnant, your body is going through changes at a microscopic level that can affect the health of your teeth and gums and add unforeseen difficulties.

According to mouthhealthy.org, pregnant woman are prone to a few oral health related issues that a check up can either prevent or diagnose quickly. These can include pregnancy gingivitis, increased risk of tooth decay, and even non-cancerous pregnancy “tumors” which are simply plaque related areas of swelling that can show up on the gums.

Before even considering all of these potential consequences of pregnancy (some of which simply stem from changes in diet and hormones), keep in mind that it is perfectly safe to visit the dentist while pregnant. The American Dental Association (ADA) has even stated that dental treatment “…is safe throughout pregnancy…”

Your dentist is trained to be just as careful as any other practicing “Dr.” and will be sure to determine the safety of local anesthetics, X-rays, and any prescriptions they may prescribe. Make sure to let them know you are pregnant and then they can tailor any necessary treatment with that important consideration in mind.

Armed with this information, you can fully engage in a holistic approach to health care during your pregnancy. Protect your teeth!

Tips and Tricks: How To Stick With Your Flossing Regimen

Posted on 07.27.15 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

We’ve all been there before. The semiannual dental check up arrives and a good-natured dental hygienist takes a look at your gums. The nerves set in as she says the magic words: “Have you been flossing?”

For most people, sticking with a flossing regimen is an all or nothing scenario. Either you floss daily and consistently or you floss one day a year and never again. That day just happens to be the day after post-hygienist guilt sets in.

So how can you learn to stick with a flossing regimen? Below are some tips and tricks for committing to that healthy smile.

1. Recognize the Risks

The two days you see the dental hygienist are the only days in a year you are likely to be reminded of all the damaging health side effects and negative outcomes that can result from “forgetting” to floss. Put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror to remind yourself of these facts:

Flossing promotes cavity prevention.
According to mouthhealthy.org, a resource of the American Dental Association, “It is extremely important to floss because plaque that is not removed by brushing and flossing can eventually harden into calculus or tartar. Once tartar has formed, it can only be removed by a professional cleaning.”
Flossing prevents gum disease. If you fail to floss on a daily basis, you are creating an environment in your mouth that is conducive to developing gingivitis and later periodontitis. WebMD.com states the outcome clearly: “Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.”
Gum disease can happen to you and eventually it will lead to increased dental health care costs and discomfort. An aesthetically pleasing smile is not one that is missing a tooth.

2. Start Small

Take advantage of your smartphone and set a calendar alert for once a week to floss.

Going whole hog with a new habit is a guaranteed way to give up when you’ve hardly even tried. Instead, set a small and achievable goal for the first few weeks and then incrementally build up to a daily flossing habit.

Just because it takes up very little time in your daily schedule and by most estimates would be considered an “easy” activity, doesn’t mean committing to flossing isn’t a significant and difficult paradigm shift. Recognize this and take action, whether it be big or small.

Most importantly, remind yourself that a beautiful smile is part of the total health package. One small change in your daily health regimen can make all the difference. Remember how good it will feel to impress your family dental hygienist at the next appointment!

Custom Athletic Mouthguard

Posted on 07.13.15 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

Dental injuries related to sports are extremely common. Most commonly the result is a fractured or broken upper front tooth and a split lip. Sometimes the injury results in nothing more than a tooth colored (composite) repair, other times the tooth or teeth damaged will require root canals and crowns or veneers. In the most serious of injuries the teeth can not be saved and have to be replaced with dental bridges or implants. Whether simple or complex the end result is a lifetime of dentistry to deal with an accident that could have been prevented.

Sports mouthguards are a simple and inexpensive way to prevent damage to the teeth while engaged in athletic activities. The guards are normally made of a plastic material that is placed over the upper teeth. Most athletes purchase these guards in a sporting goods store. The guard is then placed in hot water at home with the idea that it will conform to the shape of the teeth. As both a mom of three, all of whom played high school sports, and a dentist it is a challenge to sit on the sidelines and watch as the majority of the players have their guard hanging from the corner of their mouths, not in at all or hanging from their helmet all because they are bulky, uncomfortable and do not stay in place over the teeth.

A custom athletic mouthguard is made to fit precisely over your teeth. Once placed over the teeth is stays without the need to bite against it with the lower teeth. This allows the player to speak normally with their teammates without removing the guard, causes less joint and muscle fatigue and makes keeping it in place where it can do it’s job of protecting the teeth much more dependable. The custom guards are also much smaller, less bulky and much more comfortable to wear.

An impression of your teeth will be taken and the custom athletic mouthguard will be fabricated on a model of your teeth. the material is a soft plastic, available in many colors so you can show your school pride. If your sport has specific requirements for the color and thickness of the guard it can be made to follow those guidelines and can have a place to connect it to the face mask of a helmet. The most important requirement of an athletic mouthguard is that the player wear it and protect themselves from a lifetime of dental issues.

Recommended Frequency of Dental X-rays

Posted on 06.30.15 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

One of the most common questions I hear from patients is how often they need to have dental x-rays. The first thing to understand is that there are many different types of dental x-rays, they show different areas of the teeth and jaws and therefore are used to diagnose different problems. The answer to how often x-rays need to be taken will be different depending on the purpose of the x-ray. The frequency also varies depending upon your personal dental risk factors. Patients who have a higher risk of gum disease will have the x-rays taken to diagnose the bone levels around the teeth more frequently. In the same way patients who get cavities more often should have the x-rays that show the areas between teeth called Bitewings taken more often. Usually the concern is about radiation exposure. All modern digital dental x-rays expose you to very low levels of radiation. we receive more radiation sitting and watching television for a few hours. The risks of not having the x-rays taken can be significant like a cavity that grows and causes the loss of a tooth or the need for a root canal, or an infection around the root of a tooth that goes untreated. We are always happy to talk about the x-rays we are recommending, why we think they are in your best interest and the pros and cons of taking them versus waiting.

Panoramic X-ray: Taken usually with the patient standing and the x-ray machine rotates around your head. This image is used for locating wisdom teeth, making sure children have all of their adult teeth and looking at the structure of the upper and lower jaws. Typically a panorex will be recommended at about age 6-8, again at age 16-20 and as a screening to ensure health of the jaws.

Bite Wing X-rays: These images are taken by placing a plastic holder inside your mouth and having you bite down to hold it in place. They show equal parts of the upper and lower teeth, and are used to check for cavities between the teeth and the level of bone between the teeth. They can be taken in sets of 4-7 images depending on whether the front teeth are included. These x-rays are normally taken every 12-24 months.

Peri-Apical X-ray: This x-ray is taken to look at the roots of the teeth that are inside the jaw bones. These images are used to check for abcesses, or infections at the end of the root of the tooth and root fractures.

Full Mouth Series: This is a series that combines Bite Wing X-ryas and Per-apicals. Commonly this will be recommended when you come in as a new patient to ensure the complete health of the teeth, bone and gum tissues. Once you are an established patient a full series will be recommended every 3-7 years depending on your individual risk factors.

Come Beam CT: This is a newer image we obtain for dental patients. The x-ray is taken by having you sit in a seat and the machine rotates around your head. The image allows us to see all of the anatomy of the teeth and jaws in fine detail, and create a three dimensional reconstruction. This is x-ray is recommended prior to having dental implants and braces.

How Often Should I have A Professional Tooth Cleaning?

Posted on 05.27.15 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

The common belief is that you should visit your dental hygienist and have a professional tooth cleaning every six months. Did you know that this recommendation was not developed by a dentist or even based on dental science? It started around WWII as part of a Pepsodent toothpaste ad that promoted “Brush Twice A Day and See Your Dentist Twice a Year”.

The purpose of a professional cleaning is to eliminate both hard and soft deposits (plaque and tarter) from your teeth, which harbor bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. A professional dental cleaning also removes the stain that accumulates from foods and beverages. The stain not only makes your teeth look darker, but also creates a rough surface that the bacteria can stick to.

If you have a low risk for cavities and gum disease in combination with keeping your teeth clean effectively at home, then having a professional cleaning twice a year is sufficient. However, for patients who have a higher risk for cavities or gum disease one of the most effective methods of prevention is to have a professional tooth cleaning more often to reduce the bacteria in your mouth. Professional cleanings may be recommended 3, 4 or more times a year. We will look at your individual risk factors and discuss an interval for professional tooth cleanings that we think will keep your teeth healthy.