How Teeth Decay
Our goal is to help you prevent tooth decay and keep your natural teeth for a lifetime. That’s why we want you to understand the process of tooth decay, from start to finish. Armed with this knowledge, you can take steps to stop tooth decay in its tracks.
Bacteria and sugar are the culprits
Thousands of bacteria exist in everyone’s mouth. Most of these bacteria are beneficial. But there are two types of bacteria, mutans streptococcus and lactobacillus, that are the primary culprits in the tooth decay process. If you’re not brushing and flossing regularly, or if your oral environment is out of its natural balance, these bacteria reproduce quickly in your mouth, establishing huge colonies whenever they are given the opportunity to feast on foods that contain sugar.
Sugars, which are the building blocks of starchy foods like pasta, crackers, bread and sweets, can build up on your teeth if you don’t brush regularly. This sugar buildup is one component of plaque, a sticky film of saliva, food debris, and bacteria that’s constantly forming on your teeth. If it’s not removed, plaque mineralizes and can turn into rock-hard tartar in as little as 24 hours.
To survive and multiply in your mouth, the decay-causing bacteria feed off of the simple sugars that are produced from the starches you eat. This causes a chemical reaction in which the sugars ar broken down into simpler elements. One of these elements is an acid. As you probably know, acid breaks down many things, including your tooth enamel. Every time you eat a starchy food, your teeth are bathed in this acid for 20 minutes or more.
The process of decay
The acid slowly dissolves the hard, protective enamel layer on your teeth, forming a demineralized area that appears as a white or brown spot on your tooth. That spot is the first visible sign of tooth decay. If the area does not remineralize, it will progress until a hole, also known as a cavity, develops on the surface of your tooth. It’s vital that we treat your tooth decay early, before it can penetrate the surface of your tooth. Once a cavity has entered the softer dentin layer of your teeth, it can grow more quickly and may lead to a much more complicated and expensive set of problems.
How to avoid decay
You can cut down the frequency of acid production in your mouth by limiting the number of times you eat each day. Also, when you brush and floss properly and regularly, there’s very little plaque on your teeth. Consequently, the number of decay-causing bacteria on the surfaces of your teeth will be dramatically reduced, and in turn, they won’t be producing the enamel-destroying acid. You should also use toothpaste that contains fluoride, which will strengthen your tooth enamel so it’s more resistant to decay. And what about the times when you can’t brush? You’ll need to use other methods, like rinsing with water or a fluoride mouth rinse or chewing sugarless gum, to minimize the acid attacks and protect your teeth.
Showing posts with label FYI Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FYI Friday. Show all posts
Friday, May 28, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
FYI Fridays: HIPAA
HIPAA regulations
HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It is a set of standards created by the US Congress to streamline the flow of information in the healthcare system and to protect your personal health information. HIPAA regulations apply to most health plans and to any healthcare provider who electronically transmits healthcare information.
Your rights under HIPAA
Your rights and the privacy of your healthcare information are important to us. Under HIPAA, you have the rights to:
The HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
As part of our compliance with HIPAA, we provide you with a Notice of Privacy Practices. We ask you to sign a form acknowledging your receipt of the Notice. Your rights and the privacy of your healthcare information are important to us. We are always glad to answer any of your questions about our privacy practices or your rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It is a set of standards created by the US Congress to streamline the flow of information in the healthcare system and to protect your personal health information. HIPAA regulations apply to most health plans and to any healthcare provider who electronically transmits healthcare information.
Your rights under HIPAA
Your rights and the privacy of your healthcare information are important to us. Under HIPAA, you have the rights to:
- Confidentiality regarding your healthcare information
- Access your protected healthcare information
- Copy, amend and restrict access to your protected healthcare information
- File a complaint with the US Department of Health and Human Services about how your healthcare information has been used
- An accounting of how your healthcare information has been disclosed
The HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
As part of our compliance with HIPAA, we provide you with a Notice of Privacy Practices. We ask you to sign a form acknowledging your receipt of the Notice. Your rights and the privacy of your healthcare information are important to us. We are always glad to answer any of your questions about our privacy practices or your rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Friday, May 7, 2010
FYI Fridays: Digital X-ray Technology
Digital radiography
The computer era has brought us an exciting new technology called digital radiography.
With this technology, we use a computerized equipment and software to capture x-ray images of your mouth and teeth. We do this by exposing a small sensor or plate that feeds the image into a computer.
The advantages of digital radiography
Digital radiography has many advantages over traditional x-rays:
The lack of chemicals also makes digital x-rays safer for the environment. Digital radiography is safe for you, too. Because the unit is so sensitive, the amount of x-ray radiation is up to 80% less than with conventional x-rays.
Digital x-ray technology enables more efficient diagnosis and treatment because it provides a large, easy-to-see image and it allows us to make adjustments and see details in the x-ray images. The digital x-rays can then become part of your dental record and be easily emailed to specialists and insurance companies.
With digital radiography, we can offer you faster and safer diagnosis and dental treatment.
The computer era has brought us an exciting new technology called digital radiography.
With this technology, we use a computerized equipment and software to capture x-ray images of your mouth and teeth. We do this by exposing a small sensor or plate that feeds the image into a computer.
The advantages of digital radiography
Digital radiography has many advantages over traditional x-rays:
- It’s faster
- It’s safer, with no chemical development and less radiation
- We can view images instantly
- We can enhance images to improve viewing
- Images can be stored electronically and emailed to specialists and insurance companies.
The lack of chemicals also makes digital x-rays safer for the environment. Digital radiography is safe for you, too. Because the unit is so sensitive, the amount of x-ray radiation is up to 80% less than with conventional x-rays.
Digital x-ray technology enables more efficient diagnosis and treatment because it provides a large, easy-to-see image and it allows us to make adjustments and see details in the x-ray images. The digital x-rays can then become part of your dental record and be easily emailed to specialists and insurance companies.
With digital radiography, we can offer you faster and safer diagnosis and dental treatment.
Friday, April 30, 2010
FYI Fridays: Alternatives to Periodontal Treatment
What are your choices for treating periodontal disease?
If you have periodontal disease, your choices are limited. You could:
We do not recommend delaying treatment because periodontal disease does not go away on its own. Periodontal disease is an ongoing, degenerative infection of the teeth, gums, and bone that surrounds the teeth caused by bacteria. The bacteria produce toxins, and these toxins, combined with the body’s reaction to them, destroy the bone around your teeth.
Bone lost never grows back on its own. If too much bone is lost, teeth become loose and have to be removed.
Choosing treatment
The sooner you choose treatment, the better chance we have of controlling the disease and saving your teeth.
Treatment involves a combination of scaling and root planing, new homecare techniques, and frequent dental cleanings and recare appointments. In more severe cases, treatment could also include medication and surgery.
Treatment removes the infection and keeps the disease under control.
If you have periodontal disease, your choices are limited. You could:
- Delay treatment
- Choose treatment
- Delaying treatment
We do not recommend delaying treatment because periodontal disease does not go away on its own. Periodontal disease is an ongoing, degenerative infection of the teeth, gums, and bone that surrounds the teeth caused by bacteria. The bacteria produce toxins, and these toxins, combined with the body’s reaction to them, destroy the bone around your teeth.
Bone lost never grows back on its own. If too much bone is lost, teeth become loose and have to be removed.
Choosing treatment
The sooner you choose treatment, the better chance we have of controlling the disease and saving your teeth.
Treatment involves a combination of scaling and root planing, new homecare techniques, and frequent dental cleanings and recare appointments. In more severe cases, treatment could also include medication and surgery.
Treatment removes the infection and keeps the disease under control.
Friday, April 23, 2010
FYI Fridays: Frenectomy
Frenectomy
What is the frenum?
Your lips, cheeks and tongue are connected to your jawbone with a fold of tissue called the frenum. If the frenum is too long or too short, it can cause problems and should be removed. This procedure is called a frenectomy.
The frenum at all stages of life
The frenum can be fixed in all stages of life. If an infant’s frenum is too long, it can make it difficult for the baby to breast feed. Toddlers just learning to speak may get “tongue tied” because the frenum is close to the tip of the tongue. Even teens and adults have this problem, and a frenectomy can help them, too. An abnormally attached frenum can prevent baby teeth from properly erupting. As a child ages, a frenum that is attached too closely to the teeth can cause a gap to form between the teeth. The gap cannot be closed unless the abnormal frenum attachment is surgically removed. A short or tight frenum will constantly constantly tug on the gum tissue and can cause the tissue to pull away from the tooth, leading to serious gum recession, tooth decay, and periodontal disease. For adults who wear a denture, the frenum can pull the denture and loosen it, which makes wearing the denture extremely uncomfortable.
The procedure
A fenectomy is performed in the dental office usually with just a local anesthetic, and takes only about 10 or 15 minutes. The frenum can be removed with a scalpel or a laser. If a laser is used, it is very important that you remain completely still, so you may be offered sedation if you think it might help you relax. If your dentist must suture the area, healing may take a few weeks.
What is the frenum?
Your lips, cheeks and tongue are connected to your jawbone with a fold of tissue called the frenum. If the frenum is too long or too short, it can cause problems and should be removed. This procedure is called a frenectomy.
The frenum at all stages of life
The frenum can be fixed in all stages of life. If an infant’s frenum is too long, it can make it difficult for the baby to breast feed. Toddlers just learning to speak may get “tongue tied” because the frenum is close to the tip of the tongue. Even teens and adults have this problem, and a frenectomy can help them, too. An abnormally attached frenum can prevent baby teeth from properly erupting. As a child ages, a frenum that is attached too closely to the teeth can cause a gap to form between the teeth. The gap cannot be closed unless the abnormal frenum attachment is surgically removed. A short or tight frenum will constantly constantly tug on the gum tissue and can cause the tissue to pull away from the tooth, leading to serious gum recession, tooth decay, and periodontal disease. For adults who wear a denture, the frenum can pull the denture and loosen it, which makes wearing the denture extremely uncomfortable.
The procedure
A fenectomy is performed in the dental office usually with just a local anesthetic, and takes only about 10 or 15 minutes. The frenum can be removed with a scalpel or a laser. If a laser is used, it is very important that you remain completely still, so you may be offered sedation if you think it might help you relax. If your dentist must suture the area, healing may take a few weeks.
Friday, April 16, 2010
FYI Fridays: Fillings
White Fillings
Until recently, silver amalgam was the material most often used to restore decayed portions of your teeth, especially back teeth. Unfortunately, silver fillings can really darken a smile, and amalgam, by its very nature, can cause damage to your tooth in the long run. Amalgam fillings absorb moisture and expand and contract with heat and cold. So, as the filling ages, it can fracture your tooth; we will then need to place a crown on your tooth to save it. Also, silver fillings often undergo metal fatigue, corroding and leaking over time. This destroys the protective seal of the filling and allows new decay to develop underneath it. This leakage can give a gray appearance to the entire tooth.
New tooth-colored options
Dental research has resulted in the development of new tooth-colored materials that are not only durable and long lasting, but attractive as well. These materials, porcelain and composite resin, provide an attractive, natural look while at the same time restoring strength and durability to your tooth. Both porcelain and composite resin are bonded directly to the tooth, restoring it to near its original strength and function. Both can be custom-colored to precisely match your teeth, so when porcelain or resin fillings are placed, they’re extremely natural looking. This can really make a difference in your appearance, especially if the restoration is visible when you smile.
More advantages of white restorations
When we place an amalgam filling, we have to remove extra healthy tooth structure, just so the filling will stay in place. When we restore your tooth with composite resin, we need to remove only the decayed portion because the bond anchors the material tightly in place. This means you retain more of your healthy tooth structure. Also, because white fillings are bonded to your tooth, they add strength to the tooth. So if you’re looking for an attractive and effective option for restoring one or more decayed teeth, be sure to ask us about the latest choices in white restorative materials.
Until recently, silver amalgam was the material most often used to restore decayed portions of your teeth, especially back teeth. Unfortunately, silver fillings can really darken a smile, and amalgam, by its very nature, can cause damage to your tooth in the long run. Amalgam fillings absorb moisture and expand and contract with heat and cold. So, as the filling ages, it can fracture your tooth; we will then need to place a crown on your tooth to save it. Also, silver fillings often undergo metal fatigue, corroding and leaking over time. This destroys the protective seal of the filling and allows new decay to develop underneath it. This leakage can give a gray appearance to the entire tooth.
New tooth-colored options
Dental research has resulted in the development of new tooth-colored materials that are not only durable and long lasting, but attractive as well. These materials, porcelain and composite resin, provide an attractive, natural look while at the same time restoring strength and durability to your tooth. Both porcelain and composite resin are bonded directly to the tooth, restoring it to near its original strength and function. Both can be custom-colored to precisely match your teeth, so when porcelain or resin fillings are placed, they’re extremely natural looking. This can really make a difference in your appearance, especially if the restoration is visible when you smile.
More advantages of white restorations
When we place an amalgam filling, we have to remove extra healthy tooth structure, just so the filling will stay in place. When we restore your tooth with composite resin, we need to remove only the decayed portion because the bond anchors the material tightly in place. This means you retain more of your healthy tooth structure. Also, because white fillings are bonded to your tooth, they add strength to the tooth. So if you’re looking for an attractive and effective option for restoring one or more decayed teeth, be sure to ask us about the latest choices in white restorative materials.
Friday, April 9, 2010
FYI Fridays
Cold Sores
Cold sores, also called fever blisters or oral herpes, are small sores that form most commonly on or near the lips. Cold sores usually follow a predictable pattern of four stages that lasts about 10 to 14 days. The first symptom is a painful, itchy tingling. A day or so later, small red blisters appear. Then, in a few days, the blisters form into oozing sores with yellowish crusts. Finally, in a week to 10 days, the sores scab over and heal. Outbreaks can be accompanied by low fever, headaches, body aches, and fatigue. Cold sores are painful and annoying, but be patient. They do go away on their own, and you will soon be pain-free again.
The cause of cold sores
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus. Symptoms appear from 1 to 3 weeks after initial exposure. Once you are infected with the virus, it lives in your nervous system forever. Certain triggers seem to set off outbreaks. Some of these triggers include exposure to ultraviolet light, physical and emotional stress, fatigue, hormone fluctuations, the menstrual cycle, and illnesses like fever, cold, or flu.
Diagnosis and treatment
There is no cure for cold sores, but you can ease the pain by applying over-the-counter remedies that contain numbing agents, like benzocaine or phenol, washing the infected area gently with water and an antiseptic soap, applying either a warm compress or ice, and avoiding spicy or acidic foods during an outbreak. If this is the first time you have a cold sore, or if fever, swollen glands, or bleeding gums accompany your cold sore, let us know right away, so we can determine the correct diagnosis. In some cases, we may prescribe an anti-viral medication.
Preventing the spread of cold sores
The cold sore virus is extremely contagious. It spreads by direct contact with an infected person or through contact with personal items such as infected towels, toothbrushes, or razors. You can help to prevent cold sores from spreading by:
Cold sores, also called fever blisters or oral herpes, are small sores that form most commonly on or near the lips. Cold sores usually follow a predictable pattern of four stages that lasts about 10 to 14 days. The first symptom is a painful, itchy tingling. A day or so later, small red blisters appear. Then, in a few days, the blisters form into oozing sores with yellowish crusts. Finally, in a week to 10 days, the sores scab over and heal. Outbreaks can be accompanied by low fever, headaches, body aches, and fatigue. Cold sores are painful and annoying, but be patient. They do go away on their own, and you will soon be pain-free again.
The cause of cold sores
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus. Symptoms appear from 1 to 3 weeks after initial exposure. Once you are infected with the virus, it lives in your nervous system forever. Certain triggers seem to set off outbreaks. Some of these triggers include exposure to ultraviolet light, physical and emotional stress, fatigue, hormone fluctuations, the menstrual cycle, and illnesses like fever, cold, or flu.
Diagnosis and treatment
There is no cure for cold sores, but you can ease the pain by applying over-the-counter remedies that contain numbing agents, like benzocaine or phenol, washing the infected area gently with water and an antiseptic soap, applying either a warm compress or ice, and avoiding spicy or acidic foods during an outbreak. If this is the first time you have a cold sore, or if fever, swollen glands, or bleeding gums accompany your cold sore, let us know right away, so we can determine the correct diagnosis. In some cases, we may prescribe an anti-viral medication.
Preventing the spread of cold sores
The cold sore virus is extremely contagious. It spreads by direct contact with an infected person or through contact with personal items such as infected towels, toothbrushes, or razors. You can help to prevent cold sores from spreading by:
- Not touching the area
- Washing thoroughly with water and an antiseptic soap if you have touched the sore
- Not touching anyone if you have just touched the sore
- Not kissing anyone while symptoms persist
- Being extremely careful to prevent the spread of the infection to the eye, as blindness can result
Friday, April 2, 2010
FYI Friday
Fluoride
Oral healthcare breakthrough
One of the greatest breakthroughs in preventative dentistry is the use of fluoride. Almost all water naturally contains some fluoride, but not in sufficient quantity to protect teeth. Many American cities add some fluoride to the water supply to bring it up to levels that help prevent tooth decay.
The benefits of fluoride
Fluoride has many benefits for people of all ages. When children are young and their teeth are forming, fluoride joins with the structure of the tooth, making the enamel surface harder and more resistant to decay. The benefits for adults are also important. Fluoride can help repair a cavity in its earliest stage before it has become invisible in the mouth. Fluoride rebuilds the enamel layer of the tooth.
Fluoride treatments
Fluoride treatments are sometimes prescribed to help eliminate the bacteria that cause gum disease. Fluoride treatments for older adults help to treat decay on tooth roots and to minimize root sensitivity. For these reasons, we recommend fluoride toothpaste for all of our patients. We may also recommend additional sources of fluoride for you to use at home. Depending on your situation, these could include fluoride drops, tablets, rinses, gels, or high-concentration fluoride toothpaste. We may also apply fluoride foam, varnish, or gels in our office. Fluoride is an important part of every prevention program. When combined with the good dental habits of brushing and flossing, fluoride can dramatically reduce cavities and keep your mouth healthy.
Oral healthcare breakthrough
One of the greatest breakthroughs in preventative dentistry is the use of fluoride. Almost all water naturally contains some fluoride, but not in sufficient quantity to protect teeth. Many American cities add some fluoride to the water supply to bring it up to levels that help prevent tooth decay.
The benefits of fluoride
Fluoride has many benefits for people of all ages. When children are young and their teeth are forming, fluoride joins with the structure of the tooth, making the enamel surface harder and more resistant to decay. The benefits for adults are also important. Fluoride can help repair a cavity in its earliest stage before it has become invisible in the mouth. Fluoride rebuilds the enamel layer of the tooth.
Fluoride treatments
Fluoride treatments are sometimes prescribed to help eliminate the bacteria that cause gum disease. Fluoride treatments for older adults help to treat decay on tooth roots and to minimize root sensitivity. For these reasons, we recommend fluoride toothpaste for all of our patients. We may also recommend additional sources of fluoride for you to use at home. Depending on your situation, these could include fluoride drops, tablets, rinses, gels, or high-concentration fluoride toothpaste. We may also apply fluoride foam, varnish, or gels in our office. Fluoride is an important part of every prevention program. When combined with the good dental habits of brushing and flossing, fluoride can dramatically reduce cavities and keep your mouth healthy.
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