You are what you eat! Your body can only repair, regenerate and replenish itself from what you put into your body; it’s a continuous cyclic phenomenon. A healthy diet is essential to maintaining a healthy body, healthy mind and healthy smile.
We have learned about the food pyramid and how a balanced diet can keep our body and mind healthy.We need carbohydrates like grains, fruits and vegetables to supply energy to the body and maintaining normal blood glucose level, cellulose fiber will regulate our internal systems to eliminate waste and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and colon cancer. Protein (with its Greek root meaning “of primary importance”) including meats, fish, dairy and beans are essential to build and repair our body components. Protein builds muscle, normalizes the immune system and body function. Fats are needed to build our cell walls and conduct our neural transmissions. Lipids maintain the structure and support of our organs.Vitamins and minerals will optimize our health and prevent diseases. Finally, we should always keep our body well hydrated, because water is the single most major component of our body and cells.
Oral health is part of bodily health. For healthy oral tissues like gum and bone, we need the same healthy diet to prevent cavities, which also requires hygiene upkeep. The digestive process starts the moment you begin to eat. Bacteria in the mouth convert sugars from the foods you eat to acids, which although are helpful in breaking down your food, also begins to attack the enamel on teeth, starting the decay process. If you snack frequently, you are exposing your teeth to cyclic decay. Obviously, habits like this are detrimental to your oral health. Brush and floss twice daily, and after meals. Any less frequently could mean serious problems for your oral health!
Many of us live in a fast paced life and many young people’s diet are lacking the greens. Fruits and vegetables are important to our health for many reasons – they contain fiber in whole foods, and they contain phytonutrients, which are plant based nutrients (in the numbers of 20,000 or more), all of which work together to ensure our health. Alpha-carotene, lycopene, and a number of the other carotenes give our fruits and vegetables their rich vibrant colors, but they also help make our skin strong, our organs functioning well and they keep our immune system in check. Their antioxidant properties will also help our periodontal tissues to resist breaking down. When combined with fine proteins, they will help to repair and regenerate our soft oral tissues. Eat healthy, and preserve your body, your smile and your life!
What are your teeth made of? What is in that precious white enamel? What is inside your teeth? Teeth play a very important role in our mental and physical health. The function of our teeth not only play a role in allowing speech, but also help us to cut and chew food as the first step in our digestion system.
It is only natural to be curious about what teeth are made of and how they function within our mouth. The root anchors the tooth below the gum’s surface into the jaw bone, while the crown of the tooth extends out past the gum. The outermost hard shiny layer of the tooth is called enamel, and is the hardest substance in the body and functions as a food grinder. 92- 96% of enamel consists of minerals (hydroxyapatite, a phosphate and calcium salt) with the remaining part being water and organic material .
Lying just beneath the hard, shiny enamel surface of every tooth is the dentin layer. This layer of the tooth is composed mainly of calcified bony-like tissue (mostly hydroxylapatite), and like bone it contains collagen, water and other organic components (and is soft in consistency). Throughout the dentin layer are tiny passageways into the deep pulpal layer, connected to the enamel layer – these passages are known as tubules. Unlike enamel, dentin continues to modify throughout a person’s entire life. Dentin can grow or reform in response to a change in tooth conditions, such as tooth decay or attrition.
The innermost layer of the tooth is known as the pulpal layer. This inner sanctum of every tooth consists of nerves and blood vessels. This pulp benefits the teeth in several ways: primarily, the pulp keeps the organic components of the teeth healthy and properly supplied with moisture and nutrients. The pulp also conduces senses such as heat, cold and trauma from the teeth into the body’s nervous system.
The important thing to remember about your tooth structure is that it is subject to change – when bacteria and other substances (like alcohol, smoke or even sugary liquid) is introduced into your oral environment, prompt cleaning (with a toothbrush and floss) is necessary to prevent premature decay. Once decay passes through the enamel layer into the dentin, decay will progress rapidly, even when not easily detectable from visual inspection. Only when the enamel has caved in and broken down does a cavity become visible. If the cavity was not treated early and the underlying dentin layer has already decayed (which can actually extend deep into the pulpal tissue), root canal therapy may be necessary, requiring a post and crown to restore the tooth. Ultimately, prevention is the best solution. Proper home care and regular dental check-ups can detect problems early, and are usually fixed easily.
Laser Gum treatment is an exciting treatment modality for treating and managing gum disease. Laser dentistry has been around for two decades, it is very useful in many applications on soft or hard tissues: the focused energy allows for precision treatment while minimizing pain and recovery time. Although only 6 to 7% of dental practices utilize laser technology so far, you may benefit greatly from laser dentistry.
Periodontal disease in particular is a fantastic candidate for laser treatment. The nature of periodontitis (gum disease) involves bacterial growth which affects the supporting structures of the teeth, destroying attachment tissues which create deep periodontal pockets that are not easily cleanable (causing the gum disease to progress). Gum tissue responds very well to laser energy, which removes diseased linings in the periodontal pocket and also kills the bacteria. The laser-tissue interaction is thermal, controlled energy from the selected tip of the laser fiber will evaporate the inflamed unhealthy lining tissue ; its rising temperature will also kill any pathogen present in the tissue. The clean and less traumatic site becomes more efficient and comfortable for your healing. Other benefits of laser treatment include biostimulation (photo-biomodulation) on the cellular level , which energizes damaged cells through light receptors , allowing tissue to heal promptly!
The laser gum treatment is usually administered in conjunction with traditional scaling and root planning (SRP) services, performed with ultrasonic or hand instruments that remove toxic calculus from the root surface. Unlike more traditional methods which use a scaler to scrape away diseased tissue, the laser approach treats the diseased tissues with electromagnetic energy to ablate diseased tissues non-evasively, followed by irrigation with antiseptic solution (chlorhexidine) to flush away and clean the periodontal pockets. For more severe cases, localized placement of certain antibiotic agents (like Arestin minocycline hydrochloride) inside the treated periodontal pocket can assure a complication-free healing process without systemic effects. Low level laser therapy can also be applied to decrease post-operative discomfort and promote healing through photo-biomodulation.
Laser gum treatment has provided tremendous patient benefits as I have witnessed since it has been incorporated into my practice since 1997, but this treatment modality has raised some eyebrows in the periodontal community. It is difficult to establish a parameter with energy and expect to have consistent result on different subjects; there are too many variables from the color, texture, composition and condition of the tissues, whether the origin of the cause has been managed and how the different laser energy is handled by various operators. There are studies which have proven different results, and over-promising commercials also exist which have discouraged development of laser gum treatment.
When properly conducted, laser gum treatment provides a cleaner and more comfortable site for healing. The predictability of tissue regeneration, however, is too complicated for a blog discussion! I do recommend you go to a reliable, non-biased source like The Academy of Laser Dentistry to learn more about the benefits of laser treatment or referrals of certified laser dentists.
“No more drill?” was an exciting news headliner in May of 1997, implying that with Er:YAG dental lasers, drills were no longer necessary for treating cavities! A decade later, we can re-evaluate or validate the pros and cons of cavity treatment with dental lasers.
In recent years, lasers have been utilized for providing precise, less-painful, clean and miraculous medical and dental procedures. In dentistry, various treatments on soft tissues (like aesthetic gum contouring, gum treatment for gingivitis and periodontal disease, apthous ulcers, frenectomies, biopsies and more) are precisely performed and heal faster with less discomfort than traditional treatments. Surgeries can be done in a very clean and fairly bloodless field. Lasers have also been used to aid in faster and more efficient tooth whitening procedures. Later exploration into how lasers can be utilized in the dental field have revealed hard tissue applications, including tooth and bone.
How does laser energy work with our body? The laser-tissue interaction can be looked at by identifying the laser’s characteristics. The laser wavelength (which has a very specific peak absorption curve) is attracted to certain tissues or elements. Our body, as a recipient site receiving the laser energy, is composed of different structures and elements. The best and most efficient results occur when the perfect match is found between the laser’s energy and the target tissue.
Since erbium energy (Er:YAG) is attracted to water and hydroxylapatite (tooth and bone elements), and decayed tooth structures are full of moisture, the laser energy reacts to your decayed tooth structure much quicker than your healthy tooth structure. This means the decayed tooth structure can be ablated away efficiently. The process happens precisely at the target tissue (the cavity), energy does not travel beyond this site – this means the tooth will not react to the process, resulting in less irritation than a traditional dental drill (which carries mechanical vibration and heat, causing irritation to the teeth)!
In comparison, when it comes to restorative dentistry, rotary instruments (like a traditional drill) are still easier, faster and more predictable in creating specific tooth shapes to receive dental restorations, and rotary instruments have been improved, combining elements of both air and electricity, giving better torque energy, less vibration and less noise.
When discussing the removal of decayed tooth structure , the erbium laser is still a wonderful tool to create a sterile, clean site. Obtaining a laser solely for removing tooth decay, however, is not feasible.So there is few dentists offer such service. Erbium lasers are very useful for bone and soft tissue procedures (water component), dental implant recovery surgeries, and aesthetic crown lengthening (eliminating a gummy smile).Hopefully when you need such services can receive the benefits what laser dentistry can offer.
Dentistry is continuously evolving. New technology, new techniques, new prospects – it’s exciting! Get excited about your opportunity to get better dental service, ask your dental professional “what’s new!” Get the whole team excited about what benefits we can all receive from all the new and advanced technology available to us today.
The toothbrush is, of course, an essential tool for keeping your teeth clean and plaque-free, but there are many types of toothbrushes available for use. The structure of your mouth is very intricate, including soft gum tissue, hard enamel, various crevices and spaces where food can hide, etc – and every person’s mouth is different, and responds differently to various types of brushes. How do you pick the right toothbrush for you?
If you get perfect dental check-up scores, do not have any type of gum sensitivity issues nor any other dental problems, you can probably keep your present hygiene routine. An over-the-counter toothbrush will normally suffice for people with normal gums and teeth if you are using it properly. If you have a history of dental and gum issues, special care is needed. You may need more than one toothbrush (different sizes and shapes of brush heads and tips) to adequately clean between your teeth and restorative material, such as a specialty brush shaped to accommodate dental restorations.
What about electric toothbrushes? There are many toothbrushes on the market, available both over-the-counter and from your dentist, which advertise a much deeper cleaning than what a manual toothbrush can provide. Keep in mind that an inexpensive battery-operated toothbrush often lacks the torque (twisting power) needed to adequately clean your teeth, remove plaque and remove biofilm; If you have children who refuse to brush their teeth, an electric toothbrush might be a fun way to encourage proper oral hygiene!
The more advanced electric toothbrushes, with proper technique, can clean your teeth more effectively than manual brushes. Manual brushing often does not do a good enough job at removing plaque than electric toothbrushes from your dentist (prescription electric toothbrushes like Rotadent, what I recommend to my patients has micro-filaments bristles with different tips). These brushes allow more advanced brushing techniques with different brush head attachments to accommodate different parts of the mouth, and have the necessary torque to properly clean your oral environment. If you have any of the following conditions, you should equip yourself with a better toothbrush for better oral health: orthodontic braces, gum problems, dental implants, dental bridges, arthritis, etc…
No matter what type of toothbrush you have, remember that it is necessary to spend two minutes brush at least twice a day, and after meals. The food caught between your teeth can start producing harmful bacteria only 5 minutes after eating (which is why you should bring a toothbrush to school or work every day)! Because every mouth is different, and certain tooth angles (and dental work) require special brushing or special brushes, consult with your dental professional. Besides brushing, flossing, tongue scraping, rinsing, and irrigation are all important steps to get your mouth’s environment as squeaky clean as it can be. It is a lot of work to keep yourself in top condition, but it will become second nature. You deserve paying your mouth so much attention – for your own health!
Have you ever woken up feeling tired? Have you ever fallen asleep while driving? Even if you went to sleep early last night? Do you snore? Sleep apnea could be playing a role. There are countless undiagnosed and untreated cases of sleep apnea in our society (which have been linked to car accidents and machinery accidents from sufferers of sleep apnea, causing operator error).
The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. It is a disorder in which a person periodically pauses breathing during sleep (usually an average of 10 seconds). This is usually associated with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation, which can lead to drowsy and excessive sleepiness during the day. Obstructive sleep apnea can also endanger your cardiovascular system.
The airway can become obstructed at several sites. The upper airway can be obstructed by excess tissue in the airway, large tonsils, a large tongue and/or a retruded lower jaw. Usually, the airway muscles are relaxing and collapsing during sleep in this case. Nasal congestion or blockages (as a deviated septum), large turbinate and collapsed nostrils can cause your throat and tongue muscles to contract at night. Ask your partner to observe you sleep if you are in doubt, and keep a sleep diary every night, recording when you fall asleep, when you wake up, if you recall any trouble breathing during the night and how refreshed you feel when you wake. Speak with a sleep specialist to have a sleep test.
If you do have sleep apnea, what does it mean? Depending on the type and severity of your sleep apnea, it could spell some very dangerous health effects, and could even be life-threatening. The main effects of sleep apnea are daytime drowsiness (sleep deprivation) and oxygen deprivation. Depriving your brain of oxygen while sleeping is particularly dangerous and can result in heart disease, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, and learning/memory problems. Some sufferers of sleep apnea report short term memory loss, as a result of oxygen deprivation during sleep.
Mild sleep apnea is usually treated by some behavioral changes. Losing weight and sleeping on your side is often recommended. There are several oral or dental devices that can help keep the airway open – most are for bringing your lower jaw forward, or elevating your soft palete to retrain the tongue from falling back, blocking the airway. Moderate to severe sleep apnea is usually treated with a CPAP system (continuous positive airway pressure) which straps around your head and ventilates oxygen into your respiratory system, ensuring a clear breathing pathway during sleep. There are surgical innovations, such as LAUP (laser assisted uvulo-plasty) as well as radio-frequency somnoplasties and radio-frequency volumetric reductions of the palate or tongue to help alleviate severe sleep apnea.
Behavioral modifications can also be advised from your dental professional to treat obstructive sleep apnea, after it has been diagnosed. Besides losing weight and sleeping on your side and controlling your allergies, a properly designed dental appliance can help you get healthier sleep. Your bed partner might get more peaceful sleep as well!
Many patients look forward to coming into their dentist’s office to take care of their dental work, but some dental practices take into account the patient’s entire well-being. Yes, we are talking about providing a spa-like environment in the dental office.
The concept behind Spa Dentistry is to build a relaxing, cleansing and recharging dental environment in which a patient can feel safe and comfortable, leaving the office feeling recharged, not drained of energy. Providing a spa-like environment for a patient means not only catering to the mouth, but treating the whole person both physically and psychologically. Apart from attitude, how can this be achieved? Personal services and thoughtful touches to a patient’s treatment environment complimented by a caring, educated and well-trained staff. Services such as reflexology (zone therapy), aromatherapy, movie glasses and noise-canceling headphones (with a full iPod music library), food and drink menu service (including teas and smoothies) and concierge services work together to create a harmonious, energizing environment for the body and mind.
At my practice for example, our famous strawberry smoothies serve several purposes! The cool taste and smooth texture helps alleviate possible discomfort and soreness from work through which we have just put the oral cavity. Its delicious taste will neutralize any lingering taste of dental products used in the oral environment. Also, the immediate energizer (and mood elevator) in a smoothie is really great for those whose mouth has been numbed. When combined with a caring dentist with the right service attitude, little touches like this in spa dentistry combine to create a healthy, comfortable and enriching experience.
I am grateful to work with a wonderful team that has the same caring and “full of life” attitude that embodies this concept of spa dentistry. Relaxing smells, music and laughter make coming to work like going to the spa – even though we are the care takers! Love is in the air, which really makes all the difference.
Recently, two guys from completely different backgrounds came into my office asking for the same laser frenectomy, to alleviate their tongue ties, for completely different reasons!
Biker David complained about his tongue-tie condition, noting “it hurts when I kiss.” Yogi Mark wanted to be able to position his tongue to the back part of his palate to reach a certain state of enlightenment. Both men suffered from the restriction of the tongue-tie condition, but it affected their lives in different ways. A happy ending came as both were smart in finding the most comfortable and effective way to rid themselves of their tongue-tie problems.
Tongue ties can affect children and adults of all ages; it is estimated that up to 4.8% of the American population suffers from a tongue tie. What happens is the frenum (the excessive fibrous attachment connecting your tongue to the floor of your mouth) is thicker than it should be, resulting in your tongue’s inability to move about freely. Not only is this physically uncomfortable, but your speech, eating habits and even oral health can be adversely affected! Spacing between the two front teeth can occur due to improper tongue movement, and gum recession can also occur.
Treatment of a tongue tie is a relatively simple procedure, however great advances have been made from the days of scalpel cutting. A laser frenectomy, the most effective treatment for a tongue tie, is the surgical release of tension of the frenum with laser energy. This procedure will enhance the stability of a corrected diastema, gum recession or alleviate a tongue tie. Because the treatment is done with a laser, the laser energy produces a precise, blood-free cut (the energy actually seals the blood vessels and nerve endings), so the procedure is painless, heals quickly and is complication free. Most people will immediately enjoy the benefit of normal free tongue movement; people who suffer from a speech impairment due to the tongue-tie may need training to speak properly.
You can contact the Academy of Laser Dentistry to find a qualified laser dentist to help you if you have a tongue-tie. My two patients were smart in finding a comfortable and effective way to ridthemselves of their tongue-tie problems.
If your eyes are the gateway to your soul, your smile is the gateway to your heart. There are many factors that contribute to a beautiful smile in my line of work, but teeth whitening is one of the simplest ways to give your smile a brighter, whiter lease on life.
When we are children, our deciduous teeth (baby teeth) are bright, white and full of life – that is, until they fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth. From this point onward, our teeth are exposed to a multitude of conditions which endanger the white enamel surface of the tooth. Foods, dark liquids such as tea, coffee, red wine and caffeinated beverages, smoke and even some prescribed medication can all cause your teeth to loose their whiteness. A history of dental trauma can also cause tooth discoloration, which would require a different approach to reach the desired whiteness. Generally speaking, the teeth bleaching only applies to oxidizing normal tooth enamel. Whitening will not change the color of any dental restorations, and should not be used on darker root structures of the tooth or with tetracycline staining. Sometimes, cosmetic procedures such as porcelain veneers or bonding would be a better solution, in which case a consultation with your dentist would be necessary.
There are two ways to whiten your teeth: with whitening kits, and laser whitening (power bleaching). Over-the-counter kits to whiten teeth are sold both at your local pharmacy and from your dentist’s office. Custom fitted kits sold from your dentist’s office include retainer-like trays which are made from custom impressions of your teeth, whereas over-the-counter varieties are not as effective. The active ingredient breaks down into hydrogen peroxide, which oxidizes the stain deposits in the enamel of your teeth. Application is done for a few hours per day, for one to two weeks. The advantage to whitening kits is that you can keep your impression trays for future use, and only have to buy the whitening gel again. Regular dental check ups are necessary to make sure your teeth are healthily receiving the bleaching process.
Laser whitening is the method to whiten teeth I use in my office. Employing the use of an argon laser enables fast, painless and safe whitening of the teeth without potentially harmful UV damage, or heat which can irritate the pulpal tissues of the teeth. Arc lamps, a more common light-based whitening treatment, use energy that comes in a wide range of electro-magnetic waves, which could cover from the UV range into the infrared (heat) range, which could pose a health risk. Also, arc lamps can cause pulpal inflammation, leading to heightened gum sensitivity. The laser whitening process takes about 1 hour, providing instant gratification of the whitening results and the convenience of minimum work at home.
For the best teeth whitening results, I usually recommend my patients use a combination of in-office laser whitening, and usage of our take home kit, allowing for touch-up treatment by the patient at the convenience of one’s own time and own place. Once the desired bleaching result is reached, with proper care, it can last up to 3 years. If touch-up bleaching is needed, the time investment is extremely low (almost instant).
Remember, your smile is the gateway to your heart! Let it shine!
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We have learned about the food pyramid and how a balanced diet can keep our body and mind healthy.We need carbohydrates like grains, fruits and vegetables to supply energy to the body and maintaining normal blood glucose level, cellulose fiber will regulate our internal systems to eliminate waste and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and colon cancer. Protein (with its Greek root meaning “of primary importance”) including meats, fish, dairy and beans are essential to build and repair our body components. Protein builds muscle, normalizes the immune system and body function. Fats are needed to build our cell walls and conduct our neural transmissions. Lipids maintain the structure and support of our organs.Vitamins and minerals will optimize our health and prevent diseases. Finally, we should always keep our body well hydrated, because water is the single most major component of our body and cells.
on teeth, starting the decay process. If you snack frequently, you are exposing your teeth to cyclic decay. Obviously, habits like this are detrimental to your oral health. Brush and floss twice daily, and after meals. Any less frequently could mean serious problems for your oral health!
