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By Applewood Dental
October 14, 2018
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral hygiene  
InflammationisaKeyElementinBothOralandSystemicDiseases

Anybody can contract periodontal (gum) disease if they don't brush and floss every day. Inadequate hygiene allows a thin film of disease-causing bacteria and food particles called plaque to build up.

But while we're all at risk for gum disease, some people are more so. This is especially true for those with diabetes, heart disease or other systemic conditions. The common denominator among all these conditions is inflammation, the body's defensive response to disease or injury.

When tissues become infected or damaged, the body causes swelling at the site to isolate the affected tissues, clear out diseased or dead cells and start tissue repair. Inflammation also produces redness, pain and, particularly with gum tissues, bleeding.

Inflammation is an important part of the body's ability to heal itself. It's possible, though, for the inflammatory response to become chronic. If that happens, it can actually begin doing more harm than good.

We're learning that chronic inflammation is a factor in many systemic diseases. For example, it can interfere with wound healing and other issues associated with diabetes. It also contributes to fatty deposit buildup in arterial blood vessels, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes. And in gum disease, chronic inflammation can cause gum detachment, followed by bone and tooth loss.

We're also learning that inflammation can create connections between these various health conditions. If you have an inflammatory disease like heart disease or diabetes, your risk for gum disease not only increases but it may also be difficult to bring under control. Likewise, if you have persistent gum disease, the associated inflammation could aggravate or even increase your risk for other systemic diseases.

Researchers hope continued discoveries about the interrelationship of inflammation with various conditions will lead to better treatment strategies, including for gum disease. In the meantime, getting prompt treatment for any inflammatory condition, especially gum disease, could help your treatment prospects with other conditions.

If you would like more information on connections between dental disease and other health conditions, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “The Link between Heart & Gum Diseases.”

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By Applewood Dental
October 09, 2018
Category: Oral Health
Tags: loose teeth  
LoosePermanentTeethisaProblem-takeActionNow

If you've noticed one of your teeth feeling loose, you're right to believe it's not a good thing. Loose permanent teeth are a sign of an underlying problem.

Periodontal (gum) disease is usually the culprit. Caused by bacterial plaque, a thin film of food particles, gum disease causes the tissues that support teeth to weaken and detach. While a tooth can become loose from too much biting force (primary occlusal trauma), it's more likely bone loss from gum disease has caused so much damage that even the forces from normal biting can trigger looseness.

A loose tooth must be treated or you may lose it altogether. If it's from gum disease, your treatment will have two phases.

In the first phase we need to stop the gum infection by removing plaque and calculus (hardened plaque deposits). Hand instruments known as scalers or ultrasonic equipment are usually sufficient for removing plaque and calculus around or just below the gum line. If the plaque extends deeper near or around the roots, we may need to consider surgical techniques to access these deeper deposits.

Once the infection is under control and the tissues have healed, we can then undertake the second phase: reducing biting forces by breaking clenching and grinding habits, doing a bite adjustment for advanced problems and securing loose teeth with splinting.

Although there are different types of splinting — both temporary and permanent — they all link loose teeth to adjacent secure teeth much like pickets in a fence. One way is to bond dental material to the outer enamel of all the teeth involved; a more permanent technique is to cut a small channel extending across all the teeth and bond a rigid metal splint within it.

To reduce biting forces on loose teeth, we might recommend wearing a bite guard to keep the teeth from generating excessive biting forces with each other. We may also recommend orthodontics to create a better bite or reshape the teeth's biting surfaces by grinding away small selected portions of tooth material so they generate less force.

Using the right combination of methods we can repair loose teeth and make them more secure. But time is of the essence: the sooner we begin treatment for a loose tooth, the better the outcome.

If you would like more information on treating loose teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Treatment for Loose Teeth.”

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By Applewood Dental
October 04, 2018
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral hygiene  
StayAheadofPlaqueBuildupwithEffectiveBrushingandFlossing

The vast majority of teeth and gum problems stem from two dental diseases: dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal (gum) disease. But although these dental diseases are all too common in our society, there’s a good chance you can prevent them from harming your own dental health.

That’s because we know the primary cause for both of them—dental plaque, a thin film of bacteria and food particles that can build up on tooth surfaces usually as a result of poor oral hygiene. Remove this plaque build-up daily and you dramatically decrease your risk for disease.

The primary way to do this is with a daily habit of brushing and flossing. While regular dental cleanings remove plaque and tartar (calcified plaque) from hard to reach places, it’s your regular practice that removes the bulk of daily buildup. Interrupting plaque buildup helps keep disease-causing bacteria at bay.

That also means performing these two hygiene tasks thoroughly. For example, you should brush all tooth surfaces, especially in the rear and along the entire gum line (a complete brushing should take at least 2 minutes). And by the way, “thorough” doesn’t mean “aggressive”—a gentle circular motion is all you need. If you scrub too hard, you run the risk over time of damaging your gums.

And while many people discount flossing as a hard and unpleasant task, it’s still necessary: at least half of the plaque in your mouth accumulates between the teeth where brushing can’t reach effectively. If you find flossing too difficult, you can take advantage of tools to make the task easier. A floss threader will make it easier to get floss through your teeth; you could also use an oral irrigator, a device that emits a pressurized spray of water to loosen and flush away some plaque.

Along with dental visits at least twice a year, daily brushing and flossing is the best way to reduce your risk of both tooth decay and gum disease. Avoiding these two diseases will help ensure your smile is attractive and healthy throughout your life.

If you would like more information on preventing dental disease, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Daily Oral Hygiene: Easy Habits for Maintaining Oral Health.”

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By Applewood Dental
September 29, 2018
Category: Oral Health
TheParent-DentistPartnershipEstablishingBetterOralHealthforYourChild

As a parent, the task of guiding your children through their physical, mental and social development can sometimes seem overwhelming. That doesn’t have to be the case with their dental development — that’s because we’re one of your most reliable support partners for oral health. We’re available not only to treat problems as they arise, but to also offer expertise and resources that can help you help your children establish life-long oral health.

Here are just a few ways we can help guide you along the path to a brighter dental future for your children:

Age One Dental Visit. A healthy life is built on healthy habits — and there’s no better habit for great dental health than regular checkups. We recommend your child’s first visit with us around their first birthday. Beginning this early not only helps us identify any emerging dental problems, it can also help the child — and you — become more comfortable with visiting the dentist. As they grow older they’ll think nothing of their regular visits in the dentist’s chair.

Help! While your child’s first teeth coming in are exciting milestones, the teething process can be extremely frustrating. And, when those same primary teeth give way to their permanent versions, you’ll develop a new set of concerns about their development. By establishing a long-term trust relationship with us, we can offer a wealth of knowledge and tips (as well as needed reassurance) concerning the various stages of your child’s dental development.

“Do as I Do.” Dental visits are important — but the greatest contribution to long-term dental care is a daily habit of proper brushing and flossing, which should start as soon as your child’s first teeth begin to appear. “Modeling” is the best approach for instilling this habit in your child — performing hygiene tasks together and allowing them to learn how to do it from you. To be sure you’re passing on the proper technique, we’ll be glad to provide you with instruction on brushing and flossing — for your sake as well as theirs.

Although rewarding, raising a child is a tough job. When it comes to their oral health, though, we can help make that job a little easier.

If you would like more information on building the right foundation for your child's dental health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dentistry & Oral Health for Children.”

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By Applewood Dental
September 24, 2018
Category: Oral Health
4ReasonsWhyYouMayNeedtoSeeaPeriodontistforYourGumDisease

After treating you for periodontal (gum) disease for some time, we may suggest you see a periodontist, a specialist in gum conditions and diseases. There are a number of reasons for a referral, including the specific type of gum disease you may have developed.

Here are 4 more reasons why seeing a periodontist might be advantageous at this stage in your dental care.

Advanced treatment. All dentists are skilled in basic treatment procedures for gum disease, particularly removing plaque and calculus (hardened plaque deposits) that cause and sustain infections. But if your disease has advanced deeper below the gum line and has resulted in infection-filled void pockets between teeth and gums or in gum recession (the tissues shrinking back from the teeth), you may need more advanced techniques and equipment provided by a periodontist.

Advanced Cleanings. Regular, twice-a-year office cleanings are part of every dental care program. But depending on the severity of your gum disease (and your own hygiene efforts) you may need more frequent and advanced cleanings to keep recurring infections at bay. A periodontist can provide this, as well as help you develop a daily hygiene plan that meets your needs.

Your general health. There are a number of systemic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease or pregnancy that can affect gum health. Many of these issues are tied to tissue inflammation, a major component of chronic gum disease, as well as slower tissue healing. As specialists in the gums and their relationship with the rest of the body, a periodontist can develop a treatment approach that coordinates with these other health issues.

Future restoration preparation. One of our treatment goals with gum disease is to try to prolong the life of natural teeth for as long as possible. In reality, though, some or all of your teeth may have a shortened life expectancy. If a comprehensive dental restoration is in your future, a periodontist can help prepare your gums for the inevitable. They may also be able to repair or restore gum tissues that enhance the appearance of a restoration to create a more attractive smile.

If you would like more information on advanced treatment for periodontal disease, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Referral to a Dental Specialist.”

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