Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Important Oral Health Considerations for Women at All Life Stages
Women can attribute bloating, irritability, moodiness, and the occasional hot flash or emotional outburst to hormones. But, according to an article in the May 2009 issue of AGD Impact, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) monthly newsmagazine, the state of one's oral health is hormone-dependant as well.
Hormonal changes occur throughout a woman's life, and related to these hormonal changes are changes in oral health. Puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause all can have an effect on a woman's oral health.
During puberty, fluctuations in hormones can make gums more susceptible to gingivitis. As a result, the gums may appear red and swollen, and they can bleed. During menstruation, women who have a tendency to develop canker sores and cold sores may develop a pattern in which these sores recur during every menstrual cycle.
During pregnancy, gingivitis may develop. In fact, gingivitis is the most common oral condition associated with being pregnant. Also during pregnancy, the chemical composition of saliva changes, thus reducing saliva's antimicrobial capacity. Sometimes, however, women will avoid dental checkups for fear that treatment might harm the developing baby. In fact, untreated decayed teeth can put a mother and her baby at risk for infection.
Some women also experience dry mouth while pregnant. "Since too little saliva can make you prone to cavity formation, it's important to alert your dentist to this symptom," says AGD spokesperson Gigi Meinecke, DDS, FAGD. "Frequent sips of water and using toothpaste which does not contain sodium laurel sulfate, a drying agent, can help. It's important to avoid mouth rinses containing alcohol as they can be very drying as well," she adds.
Menopause can be accompanied by a number of oral conditions. "Symptoms can include dry mouth, altered taste perception, pain, and burning sensations, says Dr. Meinecke. "Patients with these symptoms should see their dentist to rule out any other cause for their condition as well as receive recommendations for treatment," she adds.
Together, a patient and his or her dentist can create a treatment and prevention plan that specifically meets their needs. For more information about women's oral health, visit www.knowyourteeth.com.
Types of eating disorders:
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia nervosa
- Binge eating disorder
- Food addiction
- Pica
Country Club Dentistry
72775 Frank Sinatra Drive
Suite B
Rancho Mirage, CA 92770
Tel: 760-341-2599
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Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Headaches? Jaw Pain? It Might Be your Posture!
If you experience frequent headaches and pain in your lower jaw, check your posture and consult your dentist about temporomandibular disorder (TMD), recommends the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an organization of general dentists dedicated to continuing dental education.
This movement puts stress on muscles, joints and bones and, if left untreated, can create pain and inflammation in muscles and joints when the mouth opens and closes.
"Good posture is important, yet many people don't realize how posture affects their oral health," says AGD spokesperson Ludwig Leibsohn, DDS.
Dr. Leibsohn treats patients who have complained of facial pain. "Their posture often is unbalanced, and this rearranges the position of the facial muscles, causing the bumps and grooves on the upper and lower teeth not to fit properly together," said Dr. Leibsohn.
An oral appliance can help align the teeth in a position that will reduce facial pain caused by poor posture. The appliance can also prevent future damage to teeth.
Country Club Dentistry
72775 Frank Sinatra Drive
Suite B
Rancho Mirage, CA 92770
Tel: 760-341-2599
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/countryclubdentistry
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Dental Sealants Explained
Highly effective in preventing decay on the biting surfaces of your chewing teeth, sealants are a simple procedure in which a tooth-colored acrylic "coating" is painted onto the surface of the tooth. This effectively "seals" the deep grooves acting as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids.
Sealants protect the depressions and grooves of your teeth from food particles and plaque that brushing and flossing can't reach.
Easy to apply, sealants take only a few minutes to seal each tooth. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and can last several years before a reapplication is needed.
Children and adults can benefit from sealants in the fight against tooth decay.
Country Club Dentistry
72775 Frank Sinatra Drive
Suite B
Rancho Mirage, CA 92770
Tel: 760-341-2599
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/countryclubdentistry
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
What Are Dental Crowns?
Most dentistry looks like dentistry. Our goal is to provide dentistry that is undetectable. We replace existing crowns and fillings with restorations that look and feel like your natural teeth.
How long does it take?Where damage to a person's teeth is extreme, and apparently beyond repair, we can use porcelain or porcelain "pasted on gold" crowns to make the smile appear "as new". This is an extremely reliable technique for repairing the most severe of dental problems, even permanently replacing missing teeth to offer a complete smile and a functional bite. We are renowned for the quality of our work and the fantastic changes we make for people using this technology. These treatments are used for a long lasting correction of major dental problems. It is usual for these treatments to last for 20 to 30 years, which is as close to permanent as dental treatment can get.
Fitting a crown requires at least two visits to our office. Initially, we will remove decay, shape the tooth, and fit it with a temporary crown of either plastic or metal.
On the subsequent visit we will remove the temporary crown, and then fit and adjust the final crown. Finally, we will cement the crown into place and you have a new beautiful looking tooth.
Key Benefits
- Replaces missing teeth
- Offers support to misshapen teeth or badly broken teeth
- Looks completely natural
- Fixes "smile" and functional chewing problems.
What are the capabilities of crowns?
Crown and bridgework is a very reliable solution for major dental problems caused through accidents, diseases or wear and tear. Major problems can usually be corrected using these techniques. Material used in these repairs is either high-grade porcelain, or porcelain bonded to gold. A higher strength of the porcelain and gold materials is recommended to treat the most serious of dental problems. Where accidental damage has occurred, resulting in lost teeth, or where teeth have broken away through excessive wear, or as the result of old fillings breaking, crowns and/or bridges can be used as a long-term solution.
Many people have unexplained pain from filled back teeth, which is usually due to hairline cracks in the chewing part of the tooth. Placing crowns on these teeth relieves the pain and allows a return of full dental function for these teeth. In front teeth, older fillings can both weaken the teeth and cause "appearance" problems due to staining or chipping. Porcelain crowns and bridges are suitable in cases where porcelain veneers are not. In teeth with root canal fillings, crowns can prevent breakage.
If you live in or near the Rancho Mirage, CA area and are currently looking for a new dentist, then please contact Country Club Dentistry. We provide exquisite dental services in a caring environment.
Country Club Dentistry
72775 Frank Sinatra Drive
Suite B
Rancho Mirage, CA 92770
Tel: 760-341-2599
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/countryclubdentistry
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Why Your Child May Need A Space Maintainer
Children may need space maintainers if they lose a tooth early or have a baby (primary) tooth extracted due to dental decay. If either is the case, it is important to know the benefits of using a space maintainer and how it can help support your child's dental health.
Types of Space Maintainers
There are two types of space maintainers for children, removable and fixed.
There are two types of space maintainers for children, removable and fixed.
- Removable – removable space maintainers are similar to orthodontic appliances and are usually made of acrylic. In some cases, an artificial tooth may be used to fill a space that must remain open for the unerupted tooth.
- Fixed – there are four different kinds of fixed space maintainers: unilateral, crown and loop, distal shoe and lingual.
The unilateral and crown and loop space maintainers are placed on one side of the mouth to hold space open for one tooth. The unilateral space maintainer wraps around the outside of the tooth and is connected to a metal loop that holds the space intact. The crown and loop is an actual crown that covers the tooth and is attached to the loop to ensure there is space for the erupting tooth.
The distal shoe space maintainer is usually used for an unerupted first permanent molar tooth. It is a more complicated space maintainer because the end of the metal is usually inserted into the gum line to keep the open space from closing. A dentist will need to monitor the progress of the erupting permanent molar to make sure it can erupt properly with this space maintainer.
The lingual space maintainer is usually bilateral in nature and may be cemented to molar teeth and connected by a wire on the inside of the lower front teeth. Usually this is used for more than one missing tooth.
Sometimes children may be missing teeth due to congenital diseases and may require a partial denture versus a space maintainer. It is important to meet with your dental professional to determine if this is an option.
Wearing the Space Maintainer
Once the space maintainer is made by the dentist or orthodontist, it may take the child a few days to get accustomed to wearing the appliance whether it is removable or fixed. The dentist should review with the child and parent the proper ways to clean the space maintainer thoroughly in order to keep the gum tissue healthy and free of dental plaque. Proper instruction for tooth brushing and flossing should be considered for improved oral hygiene.
Once the space maintainer is made by the dentist or orthodontist, it may take the child a few days to get accustomed to wearing the appliance whether it is removable or fixed. The dentist should review with the child and parent the proper ways to clean the space maintainer thoroughly in order to keep the gum tissue healthy and free of dental plaque. Proper instruction for tooth brushing and flossing should be considered for improved oral hygiene.
If the space maintainer is fixed, it will be important to avoid chewy and sugary foods, and gum or candy, which may loosen or get caught on the appliance. Also, the space maintainer should not be pressed or pushed with the tongue or fingers because it could loosen or bend the appliance.
The child should be seen by the dentist or orthodontist on a regular basis to monitor the progress of treatment with the space maintainer and continue to receive a regular six-month professional cleaning appointment with your dental professional.
Article Source: Colgate
If you live in or near the Rancho Mirage, CA area and are currently looking for a new dentist, then please contact Country Club Dentistry. We provide exquisite dental services in a caring environment.
Country Club Dentistry
72775 Frank Sinatra Drive
Suite B
Rancho Mirage, CA 92770
Tel: 760-341-2599
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/countryclubdentistry
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Diabetes and Oral Health
Diabetes and Oral Health
During the past 10 years, much research has been undertaken on the link between diabetes and periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is the sixth leading complication of diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop periodontal disease, with a higher rate of more severe levels of bone loss and gum infection.1
What Is Diabetes? Diabetes is a serious disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches, and other foods into energy. Normally, insulin helps get sugar from the blood to the body's cells, where it is used for energy. When you have diabetes, your body has trouble making and/or using insulin, so your body does not get the fuel it needs and your blood sugar stays too high. High blood sugar sets off processes that can lead to complications, such as heart, kidney, and eye disease, or other serious problems.2,3
Are There Different Types of Diabetes? It is estimated that more than 20 million adults and children in the United States have some form of diabetes–14 million having been diagnosed with the disease and 6 million being unaware they have it. There are different types of the disease: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes, as well as prediabetes. Most Americans (around 90%) who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.2,3
What Is Periodontal Disease? Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is a bacterial infection of the gums, ligaments, and bone that support your teeth and hold them in the jaw. If left untreated, you may experience tooth loss. The main cause of periodontal disease is bacterial plaque, a sticky, colorless microbial film that constantly forms on your teeth. Toxins (or poisons) produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums, causing infection.4
IMPORTANT: Physicians and Dentists Need to Work Together
It is important that your dentist be kept up-to-date on your diabetic condition and treatment and that your physician be kept up-to-date on your oral condition and treatment, so that they can work together to help you control your diabetes and prevent or control periodontal disease.1
Keep your dentist up-to-date on your diabetic condition and your physician up-to-date on your oral condition.
If your diabetic condition is well controlled, periodontal treatment would be the same for you as for a patient without diabetes. In early stages, treatment usually involves removing the plaque and calculus from the pockets around your teeth. If the periodontal disease is more severe or if your diabetes is not well controlled, treatment will be more specialized and tailored toward your specific condition. Your dentist may recommend more frequent oral prophylaxes (dental cleanings) involving scaling and root planing or may recommend periodontal surgery.1
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