It’s common knowledge that improper brushing and flossing can lead to bad breath, but unsuspecting causes like stress and even the way you sleep at night can determine whether your breath is fresh or foul. “The cause of your bad breath may have nothing to do with how well you care for your smile,” says New York cosmetic dentist Irwin Smigel, DDS. “The source can lie in your hobbies, your habits and what you do day in and day out.” Read through to learn what’s causing your bad breath and how you can put an end to it for good.
Bad breath comes down to one culprit: bacteria. According to Silver Spring, MD, cosmetic dentist Joseph Kravitz, DDS, there are more than 3,000 species of bacteria in the mouth. In order to survive, they feed off of protein molecules in the saliva, food particles and dead cells on the tongue. In doing so, a byproduct, volatile sulfur compounds, is released, which emit an odor. “These compounds can smell fishy, like rotten eggs,” says Atlanta cosmetic dentist Ronald Goldstein, DDS. “However, the key to curing bad breath is to figure out what’s causing the influx of bacteria and treat the problem, not just the symptoms. This may be tricky as some bacteria result from causes you’d least expect.” Sleeping on Your Back
The position your head is angled when you sleep at night can affect how your breath smells in the morning. Sleeping on your back, for example, forces gravity to pull the jaw downward, causing you to breathe through your mouth, rather than your nose. When this happens, saliva production is slowed. “Saliva is the natural cleanser in the mouth that rinses away the bad bacteria,” says Dr. Smigel, who points out that saliva production, which naturally slows while sleeping, is at its lowest when you breathe through your mouth. “If you sleep on your back, you swallow less, which is why I tell patients they should sleep in a position where the tongue doesn’t have a chance to revert backward and cause the mouth to open—like on your stomach or side.” Many patients suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea which sometimes may be related to mouth breathing. There are medical solutions for that condition once diagnosed.
Solution: During a routine dental visit, Dr. Mike can take molds of your teeth to create a custom mouth guard. These plastic trays, which are commonly used to cure involuntary tooth grinding, slip over your teeth and prevent you from sleeping with your mouth open by repositioning the jaw and tongue.
Drinking More Than Three Cups of Coffee a Day
Besides discoloring your smile, coffee is a diuretic, which dehydrates both the body and mouth. The drier the mouth is, the easier it is for odorous bacteria to multiply and invade the teeth, gums and tongue since there’s no saliva there to flush it away. “Coffee tastes wonderful, and the caffeine kick is needed globally, but beware,” says New York cosmetic dentist Jason S. Kasarsky, DDS, reasoning that reaching for an extra cup of Joe may be what’s behind your bad breath due to its drying effect. In addition, coffee releases gas in the intestinal track during digestion, which then travels to the lungs and is exhaled upon breathing— further giving way to the dreaded daily “grind” of “coffee breath.”
Solution: To limit the bad breath effects of coffee, try cutting down on how much you drink daily. And, following each sip of coffee, follow with a sip of water—the high acid levels of coffee can also promote the growth of bacteria and lead to oral odor. “Bad breath can start within just seven minutes from the time you eat or drink anything other than water because that’s how long it takes for acids to start causing dental disease,” says Dr. Kravitz. “Drinking coffee is like bathing your mouth in acids; the remedy is to rinse your mouth with water for seven seconds to buffer the acids.”
Skimping on Carbs
Got a carb craving? Think twice before you say no to it—carbs may be just what you need to attain fresher breath. When the body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy, it switches to “starvation mode” and relies on stored fat for fuel. This metabolic process, known as ketosis, increases acidity in the blood. As the body tries to stabilize itself, it releases waste products known as ketones, which are carried by the blood to the lungs and then excreted via the mouth as an odor similar to stale, decomposed food.
Solution: The key to keeping bad breath at bay is to prevent the body from metabolizing stored energy reserves. To do so, it’s important to eat carbohydrates every few hours so your body doesn’t think it is fasting. “Eating regularly definitely aids in the prevention of ketosis,” says Dr. Paolucci. It’s also important to keep in mind that not all starches are bad for you. Some are low in fat and rich in fiber and nutrients to help combat bad breath.
Not Having Braces as a Kid
Gaps in the smile create nooks between the teeth that trap food particles. Bacteria then consume the proteins in your “leftovers” for energy, creating a sulfur-stricken environment that is very hard to treat. “Most people have no idea of the tiny food particles nestled in the crevices of their teeth because the food particles aren’t large enough that you’d feel them,” says Dr. Goldstein. “As a result, they continue to multiply, making your breath smell worse and worse.”
Solution: It’s never too late to close up spaces that serve as a breeding ground for bad breath bacteria. Invisalign, clear plastic trays that sequentially align the teeth, is a great way to eliminate minor gaps. “Each tray puts force on the teeth, causing them to move in the desired direction, picking up where the one before it left off,” says Malibu and Simi Valley, CA, cosmetic dentist Bob S. Perkins, DDS. Six Month Smiles is another accelerated option that offers some greater flexibility in movement at a faster pace.
Most of us invest a great deal of time caring for our skin, but we sometimes fail to devote the same attention to our gums, which like the skin, need hydration and exfoliation to stay clean. When your gums aren’t flossed at least twice a day, they can become inflamed. Besides looking puffy and red, gums that aren’t regularly flossed begin to emit a foul odor, signaling an impending infection.
Solution: An in-office procedure, in which your dentist or hygienist scrapes away hardened bacteria below the gumline, root planing is a solution for those who have accumulated bacteria at the root of the tooth. Your dentist or hygienist will use a hand-held instrument to irrigate the area and remove plaque deposits. Its metal tip vibrates and floods the area with water (and sometimes medicine) at a high-intensity, allowing deep deposits of bacteria to be cleaned out and soothe inflamed gums. The procedure is performed in less than an hour and requires only local anesthesia, with next to no recovery time.
Just because you weren’t born with a perfect smile doesn’t mean you can’t have one. You can upgrade to a beautiful smile with veneers. Something you can be assured of is that once Dr. Mike completes your treatment in our office, the look will be so natural no one will know, so we hope you share your experience and keep us from staying the biggest secret in our community!
We make sure to achieve a natural look by avoiding these top three dead giveaways of a fake smile:
1. Teeth that are flat and dull in color. “Teeth that are too opaque will give the ‘piano key’ or denture look,” says Scottsdale, AZ cosmetic dentist Jason D. McCargar, DMD. To avoid it, whiten your teeth before you get veneers. The brighter your smile is to start with, the less opaque the veneers have to be to mask the original color.
2. Red, inflamed gums. Poorly placed veneers can lead to gum inflammation, redness and bleeding. Chronic puffiness can be a sign that veneers were rushed after gum contouring. To avoid it, give the gums at least six weeks to heal from gum-contouring procedures to ensure that new, mature gums have fully grown in before getting veneers says New York cosmetic dentist, Timothy Chase, DMD.
3. Gaps and small spaces that appear along the gum line between teeth. Black holes by the gum line make the teeth look phony,” says Glenview, IL, cosmetic dentist William Cohen, DDS. To avoid it, get a thorough exam before getting veneers to make sure your gums are healthy enough to refrain from receding and exposing spaces between your teeth. If your veneers are going to fill.
Saliva Shortage? Pay Extra Attention to Plaque Removal
Saliva Shortage? Pay Extra Attention to Plaque Removal
And let’s get that check up scheduled!
Saliva has an important job to do in your mouth. For starters, it helps to remove food particles. But it also helps prevent tooth decay and infection by washing away plaque and keeping disease-causing bacteria from building up on your teeth and gums. But saliva can’t do all that work by itself. So it’s important to remove plaque yourself by practicing good oral hygiene, which means proper flossing each day, and twice-daily tooth brushing.Most of us don’t think about the moisture in our mouths until our mouths become dry. A variety of conditions can cause dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, including the following:
Cancer treatments. If you have any type of cancer of the head or neck and you receive radiation therapy, dry mouth is a common side effect because the radiation damages the salivary glands in addition to destroying the cancer. Some medications used to treat cancer in any part of the body can also cause dry mouth.
Prescription medications. Hundreds of common medications, including many antidepressants and medications for high blood pressure, can contribute to a dry mouth. If you take medications that seem to make your mouth feel dry, be especially vigilant about tooth brushing and proper flossing.
Nerve damage. Some types of injuries to the head or neck can damage the specific nerves that tell the salivary glands to produce saliva.
Chronic illness. Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and Parkinson’s disease are among the diseases that can contribute to a chronic dry mouth.
Drug use. Methamphetamines have been associated with dry mouth.
Symptoms of a chronic dry mouth include chapped lips, dry tongue, burning or sticky feeling in the mouth, mouth sores or infections, and difficulty tasting food, chewing, swallowing, or speaking.
A dry mouth is common in older adults, and research has shown that it has a negative impact on quality of life because of the discomfort associated with the symptoms. Findings from a 10-year review published in the Journal of the American Dental Association in 2007 suggest that identifying signs of dry mouth early in older persons can help prevent the plaque buildup and possible tooth decay and even severe gum disease that can result if the condition is left untreated. Ask older friends and relatives whether they experience symptoms of dry mouth and help them follow a consistent oral care routine, or be sure that a caregiver is assisting with oral care if necessary. Older adults who have trouble following proper flossing techniques with standard floss may be able to use a disposable flosser or an electric flosser or a Hydrofloss available in our office, which also stimulates the gums.
Some older people suffer from Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease characterized by extremely dry eyes and a dry mouth. Sjogren’s occurs in older adults and is more common in women than in men. The exact cause remains unclear, but if you or someone you know develops Sjogren’s, paying attention to dry mouth is extremely important. Even someone with a long life history of dental hygiene can develop tooth decay simply because of the excessive lack of saliva that accompanies this condition.
The best way to treat dry mouth involves managing symptoms and practicing good oral hygiene. If you suffer from Sjogren’s syndrome or from dry mouth caused by illness, medications or other factors, you can ease your symptoms by sipping water often during the day, or by sucking on sugarless hard candies or chewing sugarless gum to help stimulate saliva flow. Avoid tobacco and alcohol, too—these can contribute to a dry mouth and make your chronic dry mouth worse.
But remember, none of these strategies are a substitute for a thorough oral care routine. That means twice-daily tooth brushing (or more often if you eat sticky or sugary snacks) and regular visits to our office for a professional cleaning.
l in old gaps, get a “trial smile” to make sure those spaces will be completely covered.
With age come many changes and your smile is no exception. While skin experiences a loss of elasticity and collagen, the teeth and gums go through age-related wear and tear, which can accentuate an aged appearance. Atlanta cosmetic dentist Ronald E. Goldstein, DDS, says, “as we age, there is no reason why the smile should look older per se—but the telltale symptoms are color, wear and loss of gum tissue.” With the right treatments, you can transform your smile and take years off your appearance.
As we age, teeth begin to wear. Worn teeth can negatively affect fullness in the face, enhancing already sagging facial features and making them appear even more aged. “With age, the chewing surfaces may shorten, which can make the face and facial profile appear collapsed, meaning it will appear older,” says Staten Island, NY, cosmetic dentist Louis F. DeSantis, DDS.
Veneers or crowns can be the optimal choice for correcting worn and misshapen teeth. “Porcelain veneers or crowns can lengthen and whiten,” says Malibu, CA, cosmetic dentist Bob S. Perkins, DDS. “In cases where the patients’ lower and upper jaws have become too close together due to wear, the bite can be restored to bring back the length and to make the face much fuller and more proportioned.” In short, the time to treat these is as soon as you are certain you want to keep your teeth for the rest of your life.
A healthy, youthful smile isn’t just about having straight, bright white teeth. Your gums play a major role in maintaining a youthful appearance. From gingivitis to periodontal disease, all gum disease stems from bacteria and can lead to decay, bone loss and missing teeth, resulting in an aged appearance.
Flossing is imperative to prevent gum disease. Staten Island, NY, cosmetic dentist Louis F. DeSantis, DDS says, “Brushing only cleans three out of five surfaces of a tooth. The area in between teeth is best cleaned with dental floss. Without flossing it takes only 24 hours for bacterial colonies to set up between teeth and for gum disease to potentially begin.” New York cosmetic dentist Irwin Smigel, DDS adds, “Bleeding gums should never be ignored, because untreated bleeding can lead to periodontal disease.”
Not sure if you’re flossing correctly? Follow these directions, approved by the American Dental Association (ADA):
1. Use about 18 inches of floss wound around one of your middle fingers, with the rest wound around the opposite middle finger.
2. Hold the floss tightly between the thumbs and forefingers and gently insert it between the teeth.
3. Curve the floss into a “C” shape against the side of the tooth.
4. Rub the floss gently up and down, keeping it pressed against the tooth. Don’t jerk or snap the floss.
5. Floss all your teeth. Don’t forget to floss behind your back teeth.
Our hearts go out to all those that have been impacted by the tragedy in Boston, offering prayers for those who are suffering or have suffered. It’s times like these that cause us to focus on what is truly important and how we can help. We wish healing for all those affected, and know Boston will recover and be even stronger.
On that note we come back to what we do by offering our patients quality dentistry by taking care of your teeth so you can keep them strong and healthy for a lifetime of eating, chewing, smiling and speaking. Our team is qualified and strongly committed to keeping your dental health up to date. If you have neglected your routine check up, we invite you to call and schedule an appointment. If you have freinds that have yet to schedule, please ask them to call us. If they would like to receive a call from us, we are happy to do that. Just call us with their information (and their permission). The highest compliment to us is your referral of freinds and family. We promise to take the best care of them as we aim to do for you. We also send a special thank you gift to patients who refer someone!
Regular Exams Are Important
Because we are committed to preventing dental problems before they happen, we typically recommend that our patients see us at least every six months for a routine cleaning and examination. Dental problems usually start out small but can quickly worsen to become much more serious. These problems are easier to treat—or better yet avoid—if they are caught early.
Serious dental problems begin as treatable problems One example of this is gingivitis. The effects of gingivitis are reversible. But when gingivitis advances into periodontal disease, the bone loss that can result is not reversible.
Another example is a small cavity on the surface of a tooth. This can easily be fixed, but if it spreads to the inner layers of the tooth, we may need to perform root canal therapy and restore the tooth with a crown. This can also be the case with a cracked filling. It can often be fixed quite easily. If untreated, it may lead to an infection in the tooth’s inner pulp layer that also must be treated through root canal therapy.
A bad bite can also contribute to problems with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and can cause the painful cycle of muscle spasms and other jaw-joint problems commonly know as TMD, or temporomandibular disorder. There are ways to treat TMD and the sooner treatment begins the sooner the painful symptoms can be relieved.
The problems mentioned above are just a few of the many avoidable or treatable problems that, if left untreated, can quickly become much worse.
The key to avoiding serious dental problems—Regular checkups During your regular checkups we examine the health of your mouth, measure the bone levels around your teeth, check for decay, screen for oral cancer, examine your dental work, evaluate your bite, and remove plaque and tartar from your teeth. The bacteria that cause periodontal disease thrive in plaque and tartar, producing toxins that can cause bone loss and eventually tooth loss. A toothbrush and floss are almost useless against tartar, so to keep it from building up we must remove it at least every six months in our office.
Your six-month exam and cleaning is a critical part of a preventive strategy. It is the best way for you to prevent advanced dental problems, and minimize the time and money you spend in the dental chair.
By way of our weekly newsletter we wanted to simply place our valuable patients’ minds at peace and share with you how high a priority OSHA protocols are placed in our office. We follow all protocols with rigidity and when possible we use disposable products. We validate our sterilization with the OSU system weekly to monitor the effectiveness of our autoclave. Please ask us whenever or if ever you have any concerns as the most important time we spend with you should never be compromised with any doubts. Our entire team is dedicated to providing the most positive experience with the greatest professionalism. To add to your peace of mind should be the fact that we had an inspecition over one year ago which passed with flying colors as we were even told we take precautions that other practices do not take so we are quite proud of that fact!
Journal SLEEP study found sleep apnea is associated with increased rates of ADHD-like behavioral problems in children as well as other adaptive and learning problems, please read below:
Sleep Apnea in Kids Linked to Behavioral, Adaptive and Learning Problems
Sleep apnea has made headlines in recent years. A survey according to the National Sleep Foundation states that nearly 18 million Americans have sleep apnea, and it is often linked with people who are overweight.
Sleep apnea is a common disorder that occurs while sleeping and occurs in 1 to 4 percent of children who are between 2-8 years old. A victim of sleep apnea will have one or more pauses in breathing or may have shallow breaths while sleeping.
Beyond this, there are certain other downsides to this sleeping disorder. A latest study conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona in Tucson has tied children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) to an increased risk of ADHD-like behavioral and learning problems and other adaptive problems.
“This study provides some helpful information for medical professionals consulting with parents about treatment options for children with SDB that, although it may remit, there are considerable behavioral risks associated with continued SDB,” Michelle Perfect, PhD, the study’s lead author from the University of Arizona in Tucson, said in a press statement.
The current study worked on data collected from the Tucson Children’s Assessment of Sleep Apnea Study (TuCASA) that was conducted on 263 children for a period of 5 years. In order to examine the occurrence and frequency of SBD, TuCASA examined children between the age group of 6-11 and also monitored its effects on their neurobehavioral functioning. The participants had completed an overnight sleep study and a neurobehavioral battery of assessments that involved both the parents and kid-reported rating scales.
The researchers noticed that 23 children had sleep apnea during the study period, while 21 children had constant sleep apnea throughout the study. They noticed that 41 kids who initially had sleep apnea, no longer had any breathing problems while sleeping.
Behavioural problems were 4-5 times more likely in kids with incident of sleep apnea and 6 times higher in kids with constant sleep apnea.
Kids with sleep apnea were more likely to have parent-reported problems in areas of hyperactivity, attention, disruptive behaviors, communication, social competency and self-care. Some parent-reported problems were 7 times more likely in kids with persistent sleep apnea who also had school grades of C or lower. “As reported in the Journal of Sleep”
“Solving the Mystery Behind the Pain” Most people are shocked to discover what’s really behind their confusing symptoms
Putting up with constant discomfort is hard – but not knowing why you’re suffering makes it even harder.
It’s a problem that’s more common than you might think. Over the years I’ve talked to people with earaches, headaches, dizziness, facial pain – the list goes on. But in every case there’s no sign of infection or injury. Just that mystery pain.
They’ve seen their doctors – and often, specialists, too — tried everything they could think of to get rid of the problem, but without success.
Looking for Clues
It’s a situation I’ve seen time and time again. So when someone tells me about a problem like that, I’ve got a pretty good guess about what’s going on. And after a simple, painless exam I can often tell them there’s a good chance their problem is the result of what we dentists call an “Occlusal Disorder” – a phase that simply means their teeth were not quite properly aligned.1
What’s more, I can reassure them that there are some very good ways to treat the problem.
You see, when your teeth don’t line up correctly, it can affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) – the complex arrangement of muscles, tendons and bones directly in front of your ear that lets you move your jaw so you can eat, talk and yawn.
All Sorts of Disguises
Problems with this important joint can masquerade as all sorts of other conditions.
For example
About 80% of patients with TMJ problems experience headaches, and about 40% have facial pain.
Another 40% suffer mild but uncomfortable dizziness.
Approximately 50% have ear pain
without the normal signs of ear infections – like redness and fever.
About 33% have a different problem with their ears – a feeling that they are clogged or full and that sounds are muffled. And another 33% experience a ringing in their ears called tinnitus.3
Other common symptoms include grinding, popping and clicking sounds in the jaw, toothaches, neck pain, swelling on one side of the face and shoulder pain.4
Bottom line, occlusal or bite disorders can cause everything from headache to dizziness, facial pain, grinding and popping noises, neck pain, muffled hearing, shoulder pain and more. So it’s no surprise people think their problems are caused by almost anything except the real issue.
Some Detective Work of Your Own
What makes it even more confusing is that most bite disorders aren’t particularly obvious – but a small amount of misalignment can cause big problems.
The best thing you can do if you’re dealing with problems that might be caused by an occlusal disorder is tell me about it. Checking for bite disorders is a simple, painless process and if we determine your bite is causing or contributing to your problem, a bit of adjustment or a specially designed night-time device may give you the relief you’ve been looking for.
If you’d like to know more – or if you’d like to make an appointment for a thorough examination to see if your bite is behind your mystery symptoms, just give us a call. As long as Dr. Mike can determine that there is a lack of harmony between the position of the teeth, muscles and jaw joints, we can make an improvement for you.
Your mouth is a mirror that reflects your overall health and well-being, according to Donna E. Shalala in the Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health. It’s also a key determinant of your nutritional status and your self-esteem. “Oral health means more than sound teeth. Oral health is integral to overall health,” she said.
The report, which was the first that the U.S. Surgeon General has undertaken to assess the nation’s oral health, is intended to “alert Americans to the full meaning of oral health and its importance to general health and well-being.”
But what is oral health?
First of all, the word “oral” refers to the mouth, which includes not only the teeth and gums and their supportive tissues, but also the roof and the floor of the mouth (the hard and soft palate), the tongue, the lining of the mouth and the throat (called the mucosa), the lips, the salivary glands, the upper and lower jaws, and the chewing muscles. Oral health also involves the branches of the nervous system, the immune system and the vascular system (blood vessels) that serve this part of your body.
So consequently, oral health means more than just being free from cavities and gum disease. Oral health, the report states, means overall health in the tissues that “allow us to speak and smile; sigh and kiss; smell, taste, touch, chew and swallow; cry out in pain; and convey a world of feelings and emotions through facial expressions.”
Oral health and overall health—an intricate interrelationship
The health of the oral tissues is indicative of the health of organs and systems throughout your body. Your dentist and other healthcare providers can gather an enormous amount of information about your overall health simply by examining these tissues.
A thorough oral exam can uncover nutritional deficiencies, microbial infections, immune disorders and some forms of cancer.
Clues to a disease can be discovered by analyzing saliva under a microscope.
Facial nerves have counterparts elsewhere in the body.
The jaw bones and jaw joint function like other musculoskeletal regions of the body.
Conversely, research is showing us that disease within the mouth—especially periodontal (gum) disease—is connected to ailments throughout the body. Infections in the mouth are a gateway for disease-causing bacteria to enter the bloodstream and provoke a number of diseases, including:
Heart disease and stroke
Respiratory infection
Diabetes
Stomach ulcers
Low birth weight or premature births
The answer? Decay (also called caries or cavities) and periodontal disease are the most common, widespread dental diseases. They’re also the most preventable. Community prevention programs, such as fluoridated drinking water, dental hygiene instruction in schools, nutrition education, and tobacco cessation programs, save billions of dollars per year in public health costs, according to the report. And best of all, they help most people keep their natural teeth for a lifetime.
Source – “Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General”
Our Clinical dental team, Dr. Mike, Erin and Jessica will share with you how often they suggest we schedule your routine appointments, all based upon your dental health and comprehensive nature of the dental work you have had completed. We like to be part of your routine dental health and see you just to help maintain your investment!
Why we encourage your routine visits to us is due to health as well as dental connections that allow us to prevent problems and protect your overall systemic health.
If you have a friend or family member with diabetes, you probably know that diabetics are more susceptible to infections of all kinds than people without the disease.
So you probably won’t be surprised to learn they’re more likely to get gum disease.
You may even be aware that research show people whose diabetes is not well controlled are even more at risk.1 In fact a major study concluded that people
with poorly controlled blood sugar have a risk of gum disease that’s nearly three times higher than non-diabetics.2
A two-way street
What you may not know is that current research suggests that the relationship between diabetes and gum disease is a two way street.3
Research suggests that gum disease makes it more difficult for many diabetics to achieve good blood sugar control – putting them at risk for problems like blindness, wounds that don’t heal, heart and kidney disease and other devastating complications.4
Facing a hidden threat
That would be a big problem even if gum disease had lots of obvious symptoms. However that’s not often the case. In fact early and even intermediate gum disease often causes no noticeable symptoms at all.
The only way for diabetics to protect themselves is to see the dentist often for a careful examination to determine whether their gums have become infected and then to get treatment, if needed, to rid them of the inflammation.
Let us Help
If someone you love has diabetes, it’s critically important that you tell them about this hidden threat so they can take action.
We’re ready to help. In fact we’ll be happy to perform a gum infection screening that can catch problems before they get worse. And if they call for an appointment before 3/15/2013, we’ll do the examination at no charge.
If you’d like to know more about the gum disease-diabetes link – or you’d like to make a screening appointment for yourself or someone you love, please call my office at 614-848-5001. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and arrange for a screening.
Perhaps there is no other healthcare profession like dentistry that has the unfortunate (and false) reputation of wanting to cause pain rather than prevent it. For all the good that dentists do to improve our well being, there are many patients with fears about sitting in the dentist’s chair.
Perhaps it has something to do with not liking dental instruments put into your mouth or a distaste for fluoride, no matter how strongly Erin and Jessica insist it is “cherry flavored”. But whatever the reason, there are many people (young an old), who have dental anxiety. So don’t worry as you are in good company.
For your teeth’s sake, there are ways to combat dental anxiety, a condition sure to cause cavities. If positive reinforcement, learning to control fear and other behavior management techniques don’t do the trick, dental sedation could ease your mind and allow you to get your teeth treated. We understand your anxiety and take it seriously as we want you to come to see us with trust that we will make you as comfortable as possible.
Sedation can occur through inhalation (nitrous oxide aka laughing gas), intravenously or orally through a pill or liquid. All of these are safe and can address most forms of dental anxiety by allowing you to get dental work done and simultaneously relieving the anxiety you feel inside. Usually these forms of sedation do not relieve pain, so a local anesthetic is still needed. They do however relieve stress and allow you to have a healthy smile without all of the worry. Delaying treatment typically only increased the dental work needed to get your smile back to healthy and with that the cost will typically increase as well so don’t delay and let us treat you to a relaxing dental appointment. You will wonder why you waited!
From the point of view of most teenagers and preteens, braces do anything but make their lives easier. But despite the sometimes awkward metal smile, for many of them, braces can do just that.
Hardly anyone is born with naturally straight and aligned teeth. Both heredity and environmental factors and airway compromise cause most children’s teeth to be out of alignment in some way. Teeth that are not aligned can cause many dental dilemmas; such as difficulty flossing or brushing teeth, difficulty chewing and the wearing down of teeth or tooth decay. Once facial growth is complete, other problems may ensue.
But metal braces can, by applying pressure to the teeth, move the teeth gradually over time to a more ideal position. It is important to receive treatment at a younger age while teeth and bones can be molded when the child is still growing. Beyond the teenage years, ideal results can often only be achieved by surgery.
Not just for health and function, braces are also for looks. Straight teeth and aligned jaws make for a happier smile and look for your child.
Ask us to learn more about braces for your teen and more about our financing options.
DISCLAIMER: The content on Center for Family and Cosmetic Dentistry presented by Dr. Michael Firouzian is for informational purposes only. It should not be taken as formal medical advice. If you are in the Columbus area and would like to schedule a personalized dental consultation please contact our office. Serving Columbus, Dublin, and New Albany, Ohio.
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