The Importance of Drinking Enough Water

       Most people don’t quite get the health benefits of drinking water. They usually think that water is only needed when you feel thirsty and there couldn’t be a bigger mistake than that. About 66% of our body weight is water. Our muscles contains about 75% water, our brain tissue contains about 85% water, 83% of our blood is water and even 22% of our bones is water.
       1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
       2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
       3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
       4. One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
       5. Lack of water has been shown to be the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
       6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
       7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen.
       8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.
       9. Most bottled water does not have fluoride, which is essential for healthy teeth. If you & your family drink bottled water exclusively, be sure to add a home fluoride rinse to your daily routine. We have these available for you to purchase at the office if you need some.

Save a Smile

       Summer is here and kids are more active. Unfortunately more activities can lead to accidents. An accident that we see far too often is a child’s front tooth being knocked out. Quick action is needed to save the tooth. Cut out the directions below and keep them handy just in case this happens to you or to someone you might know. There is a good chance we can save the tooth if you take certain steps.
1. Hold the tooth by the crown and not the roots. The root is covered with a delicate tissue that needs to be protected. The less handling the better.
2. Rinse quickly in either milk or contact lens saline solution. DO NOT SCRUB. DO NOT USE TAP WATER (It contains chlorine which can damage the tissue.
3. Put the tooth back into socket where it was knocked out. Do not worry about placement. Even if placed crooked or backwards, just place it in the socket.
4. Have child bite on a gauze pad or napkin, using slight pressure.
5. Get to an office as quickly as possible. If possible, call while on your way.
Baby teeth are less of a worry if the unexpected happens. There is no need to place the baby tooth back in its socket. Save it for the tooth fairy. However, do make an appointment with us as soon as you can so that we can evaluate whether a “space maintainer” is needed to keep other teeth from shifting while waiting for the permanent tooth to erupt.

Are You Seeing Red?

       So you are having a strange taste in your mouth, and each time you brush your teeth you are seeing blood. Your mind says this is wrong, but your actions show no concern. Now if you were bleeding every time you washed any other part of your body, your actions might be a little different. You should be greatly concerned if you are seeing blood.

       Bleeding that occurs when you floss, brush, or eat is usually caused by a bacterial infection and represents one of the first symptoms of gum disease (Periodontal Disease). Researchers are finding links between periodontal infection and other diseases of the human body. Heart Disease, Diabetes, Respiratory Disease, Osteoporosis, Artificial Joints, and Pregnancy complications seem to be connected to your oral health. The current theory is that bacteria present in infected gums breaks loose, travels though your bloodstream, and attaches itself to your heart or other body parts. A resent study found that 85% of heart-attack patients have periodontal disease, making this connection higher than the relationship between high cholesterol and heart attacks.

       Periodontal disease is often painless until it reaches more advanced stages, however there is a simple test that we can use to uncover this problem even in its beginning stages. Like most diseases of the body early detection is essential. Keeping your whole body healthy can start with your mouth. By remembering to brush and floss your teeth daily is a key part of this. Prevention is the best medicine. Coming in for your cleaning and exams twice a year is a perfect part of the plan.

       Ask yourself the following questions, and if you can answer yes to any of these don’t wait for your bi-annual cleaning, call us today for an appointment to see what is going on in your mouth.

       1. Do your gums bleed when you brush, floss, or eat?
       2. Do your teeth feel like they are moving?
       3. Are your gums receding or do your teeth look longer?
       4. Do you have persistent bad breath?
       5. Does your bite feel different?
       6. Is it difficult for you to chew?
       7. Have you noticed pus around your teeth?
       8. Do your gums feel tender or look swollen?
       9. Do your teeth or gums hurt?

A Golden Smile

       As much as we hate to admit it each and every day we get older, and as we age, we need to consider our bodies from head to toe.  We don’t work with the toes so let us talk about what is in your head, your teeth. Proper oral hygiene practices can keep you smiling now and throughout your golden years.

       Dental care for seniors involves unique considerations. Seniors are more likely to suffer from a host of oral health issues resulting from the natural aging process, their inability to receive proper oral health care due to financial constraints (no dental insurance) or their inability to provide adequate dental hygiene care for themselves.

       These factors, combined with the limited dental benefits provided by state aid programs for the aged, blind or disabled, leave many seniors at risk of ignoring tooth decay and tooth infection until there is no alternative but tooth extraction — which is the only dental procedure covered by many state aid programs such as Medicaid or Medicare.

       Prior to tooth loss, seniors may experience tooth sensitivity or discoloration due to a loss of enamel and dentin (hard, calcareous tissue beneath the enamel), or root deterioration caused by gum recession.

       Seniors are more prone to periodontal disease (gum disease) resulting from improper dental hygiene practices, poor diet, ill-fitting dental appliances and/or diseases such as cancer or diabetes. In fact, the supporting bone structure for the teeth, including the jaw, may shift, which can play havoc on a senior’s bite and may contribute to tooth decay.

       Seniors are also more likely to suffer from inflammation of gum tissue, dry mouth syndrome (often caused by medications) or oral thrush (a fungal disease causing ulcers and whitish spots on membranes of the mouth due to its effect on the immune system).

       You might not be a senior yet, but we all age, so the best advice is to keep up on your dental hygiene at an early age to help prevent some of the issues related to age. Give our office a call if you feel you are having any issues. Correcting a problem at an early stage will not only will make you feel better, but will save you money in the long run.

Some things to keep in mind:
       • Brush, floss and rinse with mouthwash properly to maintain dental hygiene, as instructed by your dentist.
       • Look into special toothbrushes to clean hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.
       • Know the warning signs that indicate your mouth, teeth or gums may be in jeopardy, including tooth sensitivity, teeth grinding, pain, mouth sores, bumps (see oral cancer), swelling, loose teeth, jaw popping or clicking, difficulty quenching thirst, swallowing or chewing (dry mouth syndrome).
       • Visit us as often as we recommend for regular dental hygiene checkups.
       • Maintain dental appliances such as dentures and dental bridges properly.
       • Consider seeing us before and after surgery.
       • Tell us about any medications that you are taking or changes to medication.
      • If brushing and flossing are difficult for you, try to elongate the toothbrush with tongue depressors or something similar, or ask for assistance. You may also try using a soft washcloth or gauze to remove debris from the teeth, rinsing frequently. Use this method until you are able to brush your teeth again. People         suffering from arthritis or a similar medical condition that limits manual dexterity can try inserting the back end of a toothbrush into a standard tennis ball for better maneuverability.
       • Talk to Dr. Smith, he may recommend other such innovations designed to make the practice of oral hygiene simple and effective.

Tooth Extractions... sometimes we might have to.

       Sometimes we find that even after the best of care that some how we have to recommend a tooth extraction to better improve your oral health. Knowing what to expect can help with the healing process.

       According to the American Dental Association ® you should expect a small amount of bleeding after the tooth is removed. Make sure in the first 24 hours after the extraction, you do not smoke, rinse your mouth vigorously or drink through a straw. Doing any of these activities could dislodge the protective blood clot and delay your recovery.

       Activities that you can do in the days following your extraction would be to brush and floss your teeth but avoid the teeth next to the empty tooth socket for a few days while you are healing. If you need to rinse your mouth, do it gently with warm water. If you have any pain or swelling an ice pack may be applied.

Take care to avoid certain activities for a few days after the extraction:
       • Smoking and using any tobacco products
       • Chewing on the same side of the extraction
       • Drinking carbonated beverages
       • Touching the extraction site with your tongue or fingers
       • Spitting

       We would also like to mention potential complication that could occur if you fail to follow the recommendations for your healing process. This complication is called dry socket, also known in the dental world as alveolar osteitis. Dry socket occurs when the protective blood clot is dislodge from the tooth socket, exposing underlying bone and nerves, which will cause increased pain. If you find that you have this or any other concerns with your extraction, you need to call our office immediately so we can better treat and diagnose any potential problems.