Gum Disease And The Link To Heart Disease

Did you know that taking good care of your teeth can give you more than a healthy and beautiful smile? Healthy oral care habits can save your life by reducing your risk of developing some potentially fatal heart diseases.

What’s The Connection?

The connection between specific dental problems and heart disease is a subject of concern and interest among many researchers. In fact, there are over 120 published research papers and medical studies related to this.

While there are no strong results to completely link or pinpoint gum disease as a direct cause for heart problems, most studies show us these surprising details:

• Gum disease is a risk factor for coronary artery disease

• Gum disease is also a risk factor for problems related to blood vessels and arteries

• Individuals who had gum disease and had fewer teeth had a higher risk of getting a stroke.

• Bacteria found in blood vessels that undergo artherosclerosis is the same as the bacteria found in inflamed gums

Experts agree on plausible reasons for the link between heart health and dental health. One reason for this connection is inflammation, which is a common occurrence for both heart and dental problems. Artherosclerosis, which is also known as the narrowing of arteries, is associated with inflammation. Buildup of fatty deposits in the artery is also a result of this inflammatory process. Inflammation is also associated with gum disease, specifically gingivitis.

Speaking of inflammation, researchers also speculate that gum disease causing bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause swelling of blood cells, leading to arterial clogging.

So even though bad oral health does not directly cause heart disease, scientists and experts agree that there is a very close connection between both. Until researchers are completely sure, the best defense is still to adopt good oral health habits and be mindful of potential problems that might develop with your teeth and gums. Visit your dentist regularly – especially when you notice any changes in the state of your oral health.

A Family Dental Care Center
2030 W. Main St.
Jeffersonville, PA 19403

Preparing Your Little One For Their First Dental Appointment

Most children meet dental visits with fear and anxiety, but there are many things we can do as parents to help make our child’s first visit a pleasant experience for them. With adequate preparation, kids will less likely be scared, anxious or agitated about their first dental appointment.

Maintaining oral hygiene. Even before your child’s first visit to the dentist, start the habit of keeping his or her mouth clean using a hygienic washcloth and running this gently over gums. Do this even if baby teeth have not yet appeared. Once their baby teeth break out, you can then use an infant toothbrush with a dot of baby-safe toothpaste to cleanse any emerging teeth.

You may also use your clean finger with a spot of toothpaste instead of a baby toothbrush as well. It is recommended that your child is taken to the dentist, preferably a pediatric dentist before his or her first birthday. The earlier the visit, the better the chances you have of delaying and preventing any tooth problems.

Cheery talk about teeth. Keep a happy and cheery conversation about teeth and gums with your child.  Respond to your child’s questions positively and always make sure you do not use scary words. Be on alert of scary stories about dentists from your child’s playmates or siblings so that you can instantly reassure your child that this is not so. After all, a first visit to the dentist, as long as it's done at a time where your child does not have any pains and aches, does not have to be associated with a “hurt.”

If you can find a good story about a child that had a pleasant visit to the dentist, read this to your child in an animated and lively way.

Set a good example. Share as much knowledge and help your child understand the importance of keeping teeth healthy by setting a good example yourself. Our children learn from what they see us do. Brush and floss together, let your child count your teeth, and smile into the mirror together. If they see you taking care of your own teeth, then it will be easy to explain to them they should take care of their own teeth as well. Show him or her some child-appropriate illustrations (cartoons will greatly help) that show how in-between teeth spaces or between tooth and gums can be lodged with food particles after eating and these can be the start of tooth decay.

Role play at  home. Role playing in the house with your child and his or her toys is a fun way to prepare for the first visit to the dentist. You can start by being the dentist and the toys as the patient and your little one as the “parent” of the toy.

Use toothbrushes, flashlights, and small cups as props. Afterwards shift roles. You can be the patient and your child as the dentist, or the stuffed toy as the patient, your child the dentist and you as the chaperone. After the role play, try to visit the dentist before the appointment and let your child become comfortable with the clinic’s waiting room where you can show him or her some toys and games. This will greatly put her at ease on the scheduled visit since the  place is now familiar to her.

After a child's visit in our office, they get to check out our treasure chest that's filled with tons of different prizes!

A Family Dental Care Center
2030 W. Main. St.
Jeffersonville, PA 19403

Comparing Lumineers To Traditional Veneers

Crooked, chipped, discolored, or worn down teeth are often viewed as unattractive, but they are a common occurrence among many. If you suffer from these problems, you no longer need to worry – there are ways to treat them! Two of the ways to treat these problems are lumineers and traditional veneers. 

Here is a look at both treatments:

1. Both are suited to people on the go because under the hands of a qualified dentist, these can be finished in as little as two visits. Both are made from thin and porous porcelain, are stain proof, natural in appearance, durable and resilient. They are also designed to last for years if coupled with proper home care, cleansing and regular visits to the dentists.

1. Since there is no removal of sensitive tooth structure, no injections are required in this procedure, making this comfortable even for sensitive patients. It can be placed directly over the whole front of the tooth and requires no temporaries to be worn. In most cases, this can be reversed in case you do not like the results. Also, Lumineers give the appearance of straighter teeth.

However, these are recommended only for minor cosmetic adjustments and not for serious dental makeovers or orthodontic work. They are best for minor tooth imperfections like covering visible portions of the teeth, straightening and lengthening teeth and concealing stained or discolored fillings.

Traditional Veneers

Traditional veneers, also called “dental porcelain laminates” are custom-shaped thin shells that permanently bond to teeth. Tracing its first use in Hollywood in the 1930’s, it has since grown in use and deemed an ideal replacement for your teeth and less bulky and more natural looking than lumineers.

Advantages: Its primary advantages range from providing relief from severe crowding of the teeth by straightening these, giving your teeth a more symmetrical and balanced look, and filling a gap or space of a cavity. Since it uses thin porcelain, it should not feel bulky nor cause additional extra thickness.

Disadvantages: It is a non reversible procedure. The preparations for this include drilling of the tooth and removal of some structure, thus requiring the use of an anesthetic. In some rare instances especially if a deep cavity is present and needs to be cleaned, nerves could be exposed despite the restoration. Before the procedure is fully completed, you might need to wear temporaries.

Lumineers

Lumineers are really custom designed veneers that require lesser preparation with very little or virtually no removal of tooth structure. It is ultra thin and considered a pleasant way to restore whiteness of your tooth to add to your beautiful smile. Strict guidelines govern the placement of cement to warranty the product and resolution is quick and permanent with very few complaints.

Disadvantages: Most complaints stem from it detaching soon after the procedure is done which may require additional visits to the dentists. Since these are ultra thin and quite translucent, it may not adequately cover the natural tooth color. If your tooth if is a bit darker than usual, another layer may be needed to “block” the darker tint from showing through. Patients also complain of a “toothier” or a more prominent look of their teeth.

Veneers and lumineers have similarities and differences, which are mentioned above. Combined with your dentist’s professional advice, we hope you will have an easy time deciding which treatment best suits you.

A Family Dental Care Center
2030 W. Main St.
Jeffersonville, PA 19403