Now that school is underway for another year, its important to consider whether your child may need  a mouth guard for protection during school sports or recreational activities.

Did you know?  According to the American Dental Association, a study of high school athletes found that 75% of injuries occurred when mouth guards were not worn.  40% occurred during baseball and basketball and 9% of all athletes suffered some type of oral injury.

A mouth guard is a soft plastic or laminate appliance used in sports to prevent oral injuries to the teeth, mouth, cheeks, tongue and jaw.  Any athlete may be at risk for oral injury and injury can be prevented with the use of a mouth guard – this goes for children AND adults.

A custom fitted mouth guard takes just two short appointments of 15 minutes and the cost is $150 in our office.  Call for more information or to set up your appointment.

“A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks.: – Charles Gordy

It’s back-to-school time and for many teenagers and college students, this means looking your best with the trendiest clothes, a cool new haircut and a beautiful smile!

When you shopping for clothes and lining up a new hair style, consider a dental hygiene cleaning and whitening your teeth.

An inexpensive and effective way to whiten your smile is with a BOOST treatment, administered immediately after your dental cleaning.  Using custom fitted whitening trays, we apply a high-powered whitening gel…you leave our office wearing the trays and gel for just 30 minutes.  If you have trays, your cost is only $25 for the gel application – and your smile will be a full shade whiter.  If you don’t already have trays, we can make those for you for just $75.  This is simple and effective.  No messy gel for you to administer at home, and no remembering that it’s time to bleach.  We do the work for you.

And remember, with all the whitening options available, we always offer free consultations to help you decide on your best solution.

We are currently spending 4 days in Las Vegas to attend a series of seminars focused on dental technology and CEREC one-visit porcelain crowns.  CEREC is a fantastic technology that we use in our practice every day.  We are excited to be celebrating 25 years of improving the dental field with modern technology and convenience for the patients.  The seminars include topics such as using the correct products for each specific patient, bonding materials for the best long-lasting results, new technologies on the dental horizon, benefits for our patients, insurance filing to get the most payment, and many more.  Check back after the weekend for more details on these topics and more…

Courtesy of The Brady Group coaching program:

There are two days in every week that we should not worry about.  Two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One is YESTERDAY, with its mistakes and cares, its faults, and blunders, its aches and pains.  Yesterday has passed, forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.  We cannot undo a single act we performed.  Nor can we erase a single word we’ve said.  Yesterday is gone!!

The other day we shouldn’t worry about is TOMORROW.  With its impossible adversaries, its burdens, its hopeful promises and poor performance. 

Tomorrow is beyond our control.  Tomorrow’s sun will rise either in spendor or behind a bank of clouds – but it will rise.  And until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.

This leaves only one day – TODAY.  Any person can fight the battles of just one day.  Ot is only when we add the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.  It is not the experience of today that drives people mad – it is the remorse for somthign that happened yesterday, and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us therefore, LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Toothbrush Timeline:
The first people to use a toothbrush were the people of India who used the end of a fresh neem twig to wipe their teeth after meals.  In 1600 China, people used a brush made of horsetail hairs attached on a cattle bone stick.
In 1780, Williams Addis of England created the first mass-produced toothbrush.  H.N. Wadsworth put a patent on the toothbrush style we know today back in 1857.  In 1938, the natural bristles made from animal hair were replaced with the more sanitary synthetic fibers, such as nylon.  Public health organizations first began promoting dental health in 1945.  Just think of how far we’ve come.

We are pleased to add a small piece of technology to the practice to help with patient comfort during their dental treatments.  The Isolite system is a small, soft plastic piece to provide tongue and cheek retraction for the patient during their treatments such as fillings and crowns.  The plastic piece helps the patient to keep their mouth open comfortably and holds the tongue out of the way of the dental instruments.  The instrument also illuminates the interior of the mouth, making our jobs easier, and a bit faster.  While this is an added benefit that most patients won’t even notice, the end result is less soreness in the jaw muscles and greater comfort.

One of our favorite new products is a numbing reversal compound called OraVerse.  This is a local anesthesia reversal agent that accelerates the return to normal sensation and function for patients after routine dental procedures.  A formulation of phentolamine mesylate, it is recommended for adults – and for children age 6 and older, and weighing 33 pounds or more.  OraVerse is administered with a standard syringe in the same injection site as that used for the local anesthetic.  The patients in our practice who have opted for the product after their treatment have responded well.  100% of the trials in our practice have indicated a far faster recovery from numbness.  Most indicated numbness completely relieved in less than 1 hour.  Some patients are offered the reversal, but decline because they don’t want to experience another injection.  The thing to remember is that you certainly won’t feel the injection because you are already numb.  Some patients experience soreness and slight bruise the day after treatment in the injection site.  No other complaints have been expressed to us.  Cost in our office is only $25, although many patients expressed that they would pay triple that amount because they loved the quick results. At your next dental appointment, ask if OraVerse will be a good option for you.

We are often asked if teeth whitening is safe for your smile.

Every time you each and drink, the leftover residue accumulates to form a pellicle film.  This film sits on your teeth and, even though you brush, it builds up and seeps into the porous enamel of the teeth, causing stains that cannot be brushed away.  Smile whiteners work by using bleaching agents, such as carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide, to soak deep into the enamel and break apart the stains.  Your result is a whiter, brighter smile.

An over-the-counter whitening product contains 10% peroxide and these bear the ADA seal indicating their safety.  Clinical studies have continued to show that this active ingredient ratio does not cause any damage to the enamel of your teeth.  In fact, the only major side effects of home whitening are tooth sensitivity and occasional gum irritation.  Many times, the gum irritation is a result of improper use of the bleaching product.  Using more product, creates more sensitivity.  Be sure, if using an at-home whitening product, you use it sparingly so as to avoid the gel oozing onto your gums and causing a small burn or irritation.

In-office whitening treatments contain much higher concentrations of peroxide – up to 35%.  The key here is that we use a strong fluoride in conjunction with the bleach to help seal the porous surface of the teeth and help reduce the risk of sensitivity.  Few patients experience gum irritation with in-office treatments because they are professionally applied.

Studies reveal that patients who suffer from some form of periodontal disease are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with coronary artery disease.  A study conducted at the University of Buffalo found that of all the types of bacteria found in the mouth, two specific strains were significantly associated with increasing heart attach risk.  The two culprits are Tannerella forsynthesis and Preventella intermedia and these enter the bloodstream through irritated and vulnerable gums.  Although research is still preliminary, experts have found oral bacteria clumped in artery plaques, which contributes to blocked arteries and further promotes atherosclerosis.

There is also an inflammatory oral bacteria, called Streptococcus viridans, can find its way into the circulatory system.  While these bacteria may not contribute to narrowing of the arteries, they can settle and grow on the valves of your heart, causing endocarditis, an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart.

In short, gum disease is not just a problem for your smile, it’s a concern for your heart and circulatory system.

Back in 1997, the American Heart Association started recommending antibiotics before dental treatment and cleanings for those patients who already suffer from heart conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or mitral valve prolapse.   This recommendation changes as our research improves.  If you have a heart condition, or if you have had any surgery for your heart in the past, talk to your cardiologist about your possible need for an antibiotic before your dental appointment to keep you safe.

Most toothpastes on the market contain sodium lauryl sulfate.  This ingredient is used to create the foaming action and is shte same ingredient that creates foam in your hair shampoo and dish soap.  Some patients who suffer from mouth ulcers and canker sores may find that a toothpaste with sodium lauryl sulfate will irritate existing lesions, or may even be a cause of the ulcers.  Studies are being conducted, but if you do suffer from ulcers and cankers, you may consider trying a toothpaste that does not include sodium lauryl sulfate.  Just read the ingredients list and steer clear.  The main difference you will notice with your new toothpaste is that you won’t get the foaming action when you brush, which just takes a little getting used to.