Have a Healthy Holiday

It’s that time again –ready or not here comes the holiday season and from Halloween on everyone will be planning, partying and paying.  The pace will be frantic, the festivities will be endless and more than likely the foods we eat will be not be the best for our figures and our health in general.  Completely restricting yourself from holiday foods is not the answer because food is part of holiday traditions. Tooth decay and periodontal disease are not only affected by what we eat, but by the frequency of eating. Your dental health and your overall health can take a beating if you don’t pay attention to what you are eating and drinking.

 So what can you do to prevent blowing an entire year of mostly healthy eating for a few weeks of craziness? Try these healthy holiday guidelines to protect your dental health and overall health:

1. Drink 1-2 glasses of water before every holiday party.  Eat a small snack at home before you leave so you don’t arrive thirsty and too hungry.

2. Eat protein before every sugary treat. Eating simple carbs on an empty stomach can cause your blood sugar to skyrocket.

3. Eat before you drink alcohol. The food lessens the impact of the alcohol in your system.

4. Choose smaller portions of your favorite treats rather than making all sweets off limits.

5. Make nuts, berries, beans, lentils, and salads part of your daily holiday menu and look for these types of foods at every holiday party.

6.  Don’t forget  your vitamins and other supplements to ensure a healthy immune system.

7. Finally, brush, brush, brush and if you can’t -  at least rinse your mouth after every sugary snack or  drink especially before you go to bed. 

 Happy Holidays!!

Periodontal Disease and Alzheimer's- Is there a Connection

                       Periodontal Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease – Is There a Connection?

According to studies at New York University published in August of 2010 periodontal disease may signal a risk of cognitive dysfunction associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Cognitive dysfunction refers to the brains diminished ability to process information.

Study leader Dr. Angela Kramer and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis involving 20 years of data that supports a possible causal link between periodontal disease, or gum inflammation, and Alzheimer's disease, which involves brain inflammation. "The research suggests that cognitively normal subjects with periodontal inflammation are at an increased risk of lower cognitive function compared to cognitively normal subjects with little or no periodontal inflammation," Kramer said in a statement.

Kramer's team then compared cognitive function at ages 50 and 70, using the Digit Symbol Test, a part of the standard measurement of adult IQ. The researchers did an analysis of periodontal inflammation and cognitive function in 152 subjects in the Glistered Aging Study, involving Danish men and women over a 20-year period ending in 1984, when the subjects were all age 70.

The study found that periodontal inflammation at age 70 was strongly associated with lower Digit Symbol Test scores at age 70. Subjects with periodontal inflammation were nine times more likely to test in the lower range of the Digit Symbol test compared to subjects with little or no periodontal inflammation.

 Periodontal or gum disease leads to loss of bone and other supporting structures in the mouth. This bone loss accounts for the great majority of tooth loss in adults.  Tooth loss is a significant predictor of mortality independent of health factors, socio-economic status, and lifestyle in older adults, with a stronger association in females.

These two factors alone show how constant inflammation and infection in the mouth may affect the entire body. Stop periodontal disease at the earliest stages and protect your entire body.

Tooth Sensitivity -A Touchy Subject

                                              Tooth Sensitivity- a Touchy Subject

 According to the Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry  sensitive teeth are often referred to as the “common cold of dentistry”. This problem affects many patients but yet most people never discuss the situation with their dentist.  The majority of patients seem to be unaware that dental sensitivity is a diagnosable condition that may be stopped, reduced or prevented. 

Tooth sensitivity and the accompanying pain often occurs gradually and patients are unaware that they have developed strategies to avoid the discomfort such as less or no ice in cold drinks, use of a straw to keep the drink away from the “touchy teeth”  and tooth brushing with warm water.   The short sharp pain one experiences may occur in response to warm and cold sensations, brushing, flossing or air blowing across the teeth. Obviously teeth can become sensitive because of decay, abscess or recent dental work. Teeth become chronically sensitive for several reasons:

• Chemical erosion - the erosion of the enamel and dentin caused by frequent or excessive intake of an acidic diet that may include wine, soda, lemonade, orange juice and sports drinks. Erosion can also occur from the reflux of stomach acids caused by gastrointestinal problems.

       · Attrition and Abfraction - the wearing away of the tooth surface caused by either an incorrect bite,clenching or grinding or accidental trauma.   

·   Gingival Recession – caused by poor oral hygiene, periodontal disease and by overly  aggressive oral hygiene techniques. 

 
The most common reason for dental sensitivity is gum recession. Gum recession may be prevented and treated by early intervention and patient education. Gum recession occurs at any age and may lead to gum disease and lost teeth.  

Tell your dentist if you have discomfort. Find out if your pain is really coming from the tooth itself or if the problem is actually a gum problem that could lead to periodontal disease. There are many solutions to overly sensitive teeth and help with the problem is only a phone call away.  Call us 772-283-1400

                                                Periodontal Disease.. Who cares??

If you have been told or you suspect you have some form of gum disease do you really care? Is there some level of periodontal disease that we find “acceptable” or expected? What does it mean for the health of your mouth, keeping your teeth for a lifetime or the overall health of your body?

 

 Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gum tissues and other structures supporting the teeth. Statistics say that as many as 50% of the population has some form of gum disease .The baby boomers don’t see themselves  as their grandparents did; gray haired, toothless and unable to do anything about it. Since we are living longer and our teeth are challenged by tooth decay, the need for restoration and periodontal disease more patients are seeking ways to make sure that as they age  their teeth don’t rest in a jar at night.

Although the loss of one’s teeth is not life threatening the process behind the loss may be. Gum disease or periodontal disease arises from inflammation. Many other systemic diseases such as heart, lung and kidney disease have the same origin. Along with premature or low birth weight babies, diabetes and some forms of cancer, inflammation plays a large part in these killer conditions.

 While it may be noticing a little bleeding from your gums while brushing or the fact that bad breath is causing concern; go to the dentist and check it out.  Doing nothing is far more dangerous and costly than dealing with the problem. Inflammation is inflammation wherever it is happening in the body. The best way to keep your smile and protect your health is to find the reason for the problem.

There are many innovative and alternative methods of treating gum disease.  Do the work, find a periodontist and give yourself something to smile about!

Burning Mouth Syndrome

      Burning Tongue- Burning Mouth Syndrome   Do You Have It ?

 A small percentage of senior men and women (mostly women) develop a problem of intermittent and sometimes chronic burning sensations of their gums and tongue. This condition may be accompanied by unusual taste sensations as well.  The tongue and gums may look perfectly normal but the burning sensation progresses throughout the day.  Patients who experience this burning sensation may have lost some of their taste sensations though often times they are unaware of just how much they do not taste their food.

 Many patients see numerous doctors in an attempt to get to the source of the problem but usually to no avail. This annoying and sometimes painful condition has been mentioned in medical literature for years but has mostly been ignored because there were no known physical reasons for the burning. Many clinicians believed it was the result of symptoms brought on by some type of emotional stress.

 Recent studies have shown that there may be real physical reasons for the condition known as BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME or BMS.  Scientist hypothesize that nerve damage could be caused by a virus and damage could also be the result of severe changes in hormone production. This could affect the nerve tissues of the tongue and interrupt or alter the messages the tongue   receives from the brain.  When the communication from the brain to the tongue is interrupted or becomes out of balance and the brain exaggerates the sensations it is sending to the mouth. This may explain the burning feeling and the phantom taste sensations that a patient experiences.

 Research also states that sometimes BMS and hypersensitivity may develop because of the toothpastes or oral rinses that are used. The quickest way to remedy this situation is to change to toothpaste with only fluoride added and stop using oral rinses. The toothpastes that seem to be the biggest offenders are the toothpastes that contain pyrophosphates, an additive that is supposed to slow down the build up of calculus.

Quite by accident physicians discovered that patients who suffered from epilepsy as well as BMS saw improvement of both conditions once the epilepsy medicines were used. This information evolved into the practice of using minute doses of epilepsy medication to treat BMS.  There are also new herbal remedies that are being tried such as capsaicin desensitization.

 Finally, be aware that any new medication or abrupt diet change could precipitate a burning sensation of the gums or tongue.Report any changes to your dentist or health care professional. For more information please call our office.

Bad Breath? Do you have Periodontal Disease?

                           

                                                   

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                                   Bad Breath: Causes, Concerns and possible Cures

There are several causes of bad breath, an embarrassing condition that troubles everyone from time to time. However constant and unrelenting bad breath or halitosis may be more of a concern. Bad breath may be caused by eating certain foods, poor dental hygiene, smoking, dry mouth, medications, sinus conditions and periodontal disease. It may also be caused by certain other systemic illnesses such as kidney and liver disease, pulmonary or bronchial problems and intestinal disorders.

For the majority of people, 80-90% of those who have bad breath, the single most frequent cause are bacteria that live in the mouth. The waste products produced by some oral bacteria are sulfur compounds and it is these sulfur compounds that often cause breath problems.

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection located in the tissues surrounding the teeth. Advanced forms of periodontal disease typically result in serious damage to the bone that holds the teeth in place. As this bone damage occurs, deep spaces form between the teeth and gums (termed periodontal pockets). These pockets provide an ideal location in which bacteria thrive and multiply and this is the cause of a person’s smelly breath.  Periodontal disease frequently produces a very strong distinctive foul odor that often discloses gum disease before a patient has actually been examined. Researchers have also found that the amount of volatile sulfur coating on the tongue of a person with periodontal disease is 4X greater than in people who do not have gum disease. Once deep gum pockets have formed a periodontist or other dental professional is needed to remove the bacterial infection that cannot be effectively treated with tooth brushing and flossing at home.

There are new and exciting methods of treating periodontal disease that do not involve surgery. A revolutionary alternative to traditional gum surgery is the Millennium PerioLase which is the NO CUT/ NO SEW /NO FEAR approach to treating gum disease. Scientist are also now suggesting that ORAL PROBIOTICS may be the greatest weapon against bad breath since the invention of the tooth brush.  These “Good Guy” bacteria control the growth of the bad bacteria living in the mouth and may reduce the risk of everything from gingivitis to full blown periodontal disease.

Continual bad breath may be an indication of a larger more involved dental or systemic problem. It makes sense to go to the dentist and find a solution before a minor problem becomes a major concern. Please call the office for more information.