WHAT DO OSTEOPOROSIS and gum disease have in common? Bone loss! For anyone with gum disease, osteoporosis, or both… it’s important to know about the correlation between these two conditions.

How Does Gum Disease Cause Bone Loss?

Are you surprised to hear that gum disease can contribute to bone loss? The first stage of gum disease, gingivitis, rarely affects bone structure. But if it progresses to advanced periodontitis, then the infection spreads beneath the teeth to destroy connective gum tissue AND supportive structure in your jaw.

Those With Osteoporosis May Have 85% Greater Periodontitis Risk

A recent study showed an alarmingly high correlation between low bone density and gum disease risk. Bone density was measured using a FRAX score (fracture risk assessment tool). Even disregarding common risk factors like age, smoking, or diabetes, it was shown that patients with osteoporosis have an 85% greater likelihood of periodontal disease.

More research is needed to find the reason for this correlation. However, one factor is important to note: advanced gum disease degrades bone mass in the jaw. For those with already-low bone mass, thanks to osteoporosis, the risk is even greater. Gum disease can very quickly cause a lot of damage.

We’re Looking Out For Your Whole-Body Health

So, if you have gum disease, along with other possible risk factors for osteoporosis, don’t be surprised if we ask you the last time you had a checkup with your doctor. After looking at a dental x-ray, we may recommend that you have your bone health assessed.

In the meantime, take good care of your teeth. Gum disease can be worrying, but it’s preventable with good personal care habits and frequent visits with our team.

The relationship between osteoporosis and gum disease is just one example of the mouth-body health connection. The more we learn, the more we see that what happens in your mouth doesn’t just stay in your mouth. Dental health has an effect on your entire body.

Let us know if you have any questions about your dental health. We’re honored to be your partners in oral health care.

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HAVE A TOOTHACHE? Wear these fish bones around your neck, repeat a chant, and drop a few pears into the river!

Sounds ridiculous, right? But those are toothache remedies you’d hear during the Middle Ages! You can imagine how frustrating it must have been for our ancestors with tooth pain—they were willing to try anything for relief! Modern dentistry has swept away many bizarre superstitions—however, some people still believe dangerous myths about toothaches and how to cure them.

Different “Cures” From Different Cultures

There are a lot of unusual methods for relieving toothaches we’ve gathered from various cultures (both ancient and modern) around the world. One common belief was that dental pain was caused by a “tooth worm” that had burrowed its way inside a tooth. To coax the worm out, people would inhale smoke, smear their teeth with honey, and swish with all kinds of disgusting rinses. Others include:

• Putting both stockings on one foot.
• Driving a horseshoe nail into your house’s front door lintel.
• Spitting out bread by an anthill, and as the ants carry it away the pain will leave.
• Complaining to a pear tree about your toothache.
• Vowing to never comb your hair on a Friday or shave on a Sunday.

Though these may seem absurd, let’s not be too quick to judge—there are still plenty of false beliefs about toothaches today!

Modern Toothache Myths

There are several causes of dental pain including cavities, gum disease, infection, and chipping. These three tips will help debunk some common myths that could stop you from getting the treatment you need:

1. Do not put aspirin on your tooth. Aspirin does nothing to relieve pain when applied topically, and could result in a nasty acid burn on your cheek and gums.
2. A toothache DOES NOT mean you will lose the tooth. There are treatments that can save even badly infected teeth.
3. If pain is off-and-on, you still need a checkup. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. It shouldn’t be ignored.

Don’t Wait To Visit Us If You Have Pain

Trust Our Practice For Solutions

Nobody should have to live with dental pain. Our practice is focused on the latest treatments to not only relieve toothaches, but to create healthy and resilient smiles, so you can get back to living your life. Don’t let one more day of dental discomfort go by without contacting us.

We cherish our relationship with you as our valued patients and friends!

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PEOPLE WITH DIABETES are mindful of their bodies’ feedback. Effective diabetes management requires frequent blood sugar checks, careful dietary planning, and close monitoring of other symptoms.

But with all the things diabetics have to consider, they often miss warning signs from another crucial area—the mouth.

Why are oral care and diabetes so intertwined? Recent studies have revealed more on the relationship between gum disease and diabetic symptoms.

It’s About Bacteria

People with diabetes have a decreased ability to fight bacteria that invade the body and cause infection. When harmful bacteria are allowed to build up in the mouth, gums become swollen and sensitive. In addition to weakening the structures holding teeth in place, inflamed, bleeding gums are an easy access point for bacteria to enter the bloodstream. Once inside, these bacteria can aggravate diabetic complications and make it harder to manage blood sugar.

Diabetes makes gums more susceptible to infection—and infected gums, in turn, worsen diabetic conditions. It’s a vicious cycle!

3 Keys To Managing Oral Health And Diabetes

1. Stay in touch with your doctor AND with us. Follow your doctor’s diabetes management plan, and relay any changes in your condition. Make sure your doctor has our contact information and keeps us informed as appropriate. Keep your regular dental checkup appointments.
2. Control your blood glucose level. Monitor your blood sugar level and use medications as recommended. The better you manage your blood sugar, the less likely you will be to develop gum infections.
3. Establish good oral care habits. Brush twice a day, gently massaging and cleaning gums. Floss at least once daily. If you smoke, quit. Please talk with us if you have any questions about brushing or flossing techniques!

Let Us Help You Manage Diabetes

We understand that living with diabetes presents a host of extra things to think about every day. We want to ease that burden by providing personalized care to our diabetic patients. If you know someone with diabetes, share this information with them!

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be part of your health-conscious lifestyle.

We treasure our relationship with you as a patient and a friend!

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IT MIGHT NOT SEEM SO AT FIRST, but a dental practice is all about relationships—relationships between our team members and our relationships with YOU, our valued patients and friends. When we stop to think about the things we do each day, these things make it all worth it.

We Love Seeing Your Smile!

We love social media because it allows us to continue to nurture these important relationships long after you’ve gone back home after visiting our practice. We enjoy hearing about your concerns, your plans, your vacations, your victories… And we get to see your smiles often! We love that!

Seeing Smiles Everywhere

We also like social media because it’s fun. For example, here’s a post that we found online of everyday objects that look like they’re smiling!

Have You Seen This Fun Commercial?

Smiles Are Visible From 300 Feet Away

We can’t help it. Humans are hardwired to see faces everywhere. It just goes to show the importance of our smiles! Did you know that people can perceive a smile from 300 feet away? That makes it the most recognizable human expression.

Smiles are a foundational part of how we interact with each other. Whether it’s for family photos, travel selfies, a job interview, or a date, our smiles are such an important part of how we show ourselves to the world.

Keep your smile bright and healthy by giving it the care it deserves. Let us know if you ever have any questions or concerns about your dental health.

Share Your Smile!

Like we said, we love to see YOUR smiles. Follow us on Facebook, and post a pic of yourself on our page. Knowing that you’re proud of your smile is one of the things that makes our jobs so satisfying.

Thanks for being part of our practice family!

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CHEWING IS THE FIRST STEP in digestion! But chewing our food only enough to swallow it down doesn’t count. If you’re rushing proper chewing—especially if it’s due to dental distress—you’re robbing yourself of some important benefits!

Chewing Helps Retain Energy And Absorb Nutrients

Chewing our food does more than simply give us time to taste flavors. The more we chew our food, the more it’s broken down into elements we can absorb and use. When we swallow minimally chewed food, some of the nutrients and energy remains locked in—making it more difficult to enter our bodies.

Chewing Aids Digestion

When saliva mixes with the foods we eat, we begin to digest it before we even swallow it. This is because saliva contains digestive enzymes that begin breaking our food down right away. In addition, un-chewed pieces of food can cause digestive discomfort.

Chewing Gives Us Time To Notice We’re Full

Often, especially when we’re wolfing down our food, we eat more than we should before our body is able to give us the “full” notification. Eating slower can help us control our portions and feel more satisfied.

If Your Bite Is To Blame, Let’s Visit

If you’re not chewing your food properly, are your teeth to blame? Malocclusion (an uneven bite), tooth sensitivity, missing teeth, or poorly fitting dentures can all cause minimal chewing. You might swallow food down earlier because chewing is uncomfortable. You might even avoid certain healthy foods just because they require more chewing.

https://youtu.be/hYdZd_UKT-o?t=14s

Breakdowns in our oral health start to affect our overall health. If your teeth aren’t doing their job helping you chew, digest, and absorb nutrition from your food, don’t ignore the problem. Talk with us about it. We can get your teeth back into shape so they can better do their job.

Thanks for your trust in our practice. We appreciate you!

Top image by Flickr user Joel Kramer used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

HERE’S ONE REALLY SIMPLE THING that you can do to make your mouth healthier: reduce the number of sugary, acidic drinks in your diet!

When we say sugary, acidic drinks we mean more than just soda. We’re including sports drinks, energy drinks, and even fruit juice. Read on!

Sugar + Acid Create The Worst Possible Cocktail For Your Smile

Oral bacteria in our mouths metabolize sugars in our drinks. This reaction creates an acid byproduct that erodes our teeth. If you have a healthy balance of bacteria in your mouth, you suffer less decay, but no one is completely free of harmful oral bacteria, even with great genes and perfect brushing habits.

Acidic Drinks Erode Teeth

In addition to the sugar, these drinks are loaded with acid! Acidity in soft drinks takes a more direct route than sugar, eroding your teeth without the help of oral bacteria. Each attack of the teeth lasts about 20 minutes and when you take another sip, it starts over again. This is why diet and “sugar-free” sodas do just as much damage as regular soda.

Many Of Us Drink At Least One A Day

As many as half of us drink at least one soda per day! Many people drink more. How much do YOU drink each day? Imagine how much better your enamel would feel if you replaced that soda with milk or water.

Be Kind To Your Smile

It’s not just about cavities. Enamel erosion can also lead to tooth sensitivity, and excess sugar leads to gum disease, the biggest cause of tooth loss in adults.

Have YOU kicked the soda habit? Do you have any tips that you can share with us? We’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for your trust in our practice! Let us know if you ever have questions for us.

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BREAKFAST MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT meal of the day, but for many of us it’s also the most unhealthy. A bad breakfast is not only bad for our teeth, but makes us feel sluggish before we even get out the door—setting us on a track for unhealthy choices throughout the day.

How Often Do You Eat Breakfast On-The-Go?

We usually don’t give ourselves time for healthy breakfast options. We grab something handy and rush out the door. Donuts, starchy muffins, and sugary pastries gulped down with acidic orange juice or tooth-staining coffee aren’t exactly tooth friendly. Even our morning cereals may contain more decay-causing sugar than candy bars!

3 Smart Breakfast Tips To Protect Your Teeth

1. Choose whole grains. They’re better for you, and easier on your teeth than refined starches.
2. Yogurt naturally neutralizes acids on teeth. Adding granola, chopped nuts, or fruit can make your breakfast more nutritious and delicious!
3. If you eat acidic fruits, juices or smoothies, rinse your mouth with water when finished.

Smile-Healthy Breakfasts

What’s good for your teeth is usually what’s good for your body. Here are some great menu ideas:

• whole grain, sugar-light cereal with calcium-rich milk
• scrambled eggs and whole-wheat toast
• yogurt with granola or muesli

What’s your favorite quick-and-healthy breakfast? Share in the comments below. We love to hear from you.

Thanks for being a valued part of our practice family!

Top image by Flickr user Jonathan Lin used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LAID BACK in our dental chair wondering what the numbers mean that a hygienist calls out while examining your gums? They’re readings of the gum pocket depths in your mouth, and they’re an important part of monitoring your gum health.

Pocket Readings Help Us Measure Inflammation

Pocket depth refers to your gums’ attachment to your teeth.

If there’s an infection in your gums, they can become inflamed. The gums slightly pull away from teeth, making that pocket between your teeth and gums deeper. The deeper the pockets, the higher the risk of gum disease.

We use a labeled probe to see how deep the pockets go. 1–3 millimeters is a good reading. Any higher than that, and you may be in the danger zone!

Inflammation Leads To Gum Disease

Bacteria harbors in those deep pockets, and can cause more inflammation and detachment, so it’s important to counteract the first signs of encroaching gum disease right away. The early stages of gum disease (gingivitis) are reversible, with refocused care for your teeth and gums.

However, if the infection has progressed to periodontitis, it becomes a more complex condition to care for, requiring constant vigilance and possibly, more intensive treatments.

Take Your Periodontal Health Seriously

Periodontal disease is the most common cause of lost teeth in adults. Possibly 80% of adults have some level of gum disease. It’s something everyone needs to take seriously.

You can take responsibility for your own dental health. Talk to us about your gum pocket readings. You can even ask to have a mirror and watch as we measure. Ask us what you can do to reduce your risk. And if you have gum disease, take action to get control of the infection right away!

Proper Flossing Is One Of The Greatest Prevention Habits

Regular cleanings with our team can help to fight gum disease, especially when paired with your vigilant at-home care, including daily flossing. If you ever have any questions about your oral health, please ask us!

Thanks for your trust in our practice! Now go floss!

Top image by Flickr user Rory MacLeod used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

FEW OF US ARE EVER SEEN WITHOUT our smartphone in hand. We love our devices because they make our lives easier! But did you know that your smartphone can also help you keep good oral hygiene habits?

How Long Do YOU Spend Brushing Your Teeth?

Plaque is soft, but it hides away in nooks and crannies. That’s why it’s important to put in a full two minutes every time you brush your teeth. That’s simply how long it takes to thoroughly clean every corner of your mouth! Brushing harder, for a shorter period of time, isn’t going to get it done.

If Brushing For Two Full Minutes Is Hard…

Those two minutes of brush time will go faster if you’re jamming out to one of your favorite tunes! Brush DJ is a free smartphone app that will play 2 minutes of music from your own music library, shuffling songs each time. It also has a visual display guiding you on where to brush and for how long.

Brush DJ even lets you set reminders to change your toothbrush, floss and keep your regular dental appointments with us.

Of Course, Apps Can’t Do It All

Remember that your smartphone can’t provide the same oral care that our professional team does! Apps provide support, motivation, and encouragement, but nothing compares to the critical one-on-one time with us!

What’s Your Favorite App?

If you’ve used a dental-related app before, let us know which one is your favorite! Tell us in the comment section below. We truly love hearing from you and we’ll pass your suggestion along!

Top image by Flickr user Kārlis Dambrāns used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

FOR MANY OF US, SUMMER MEANS it’s time for a vacation! But just because you’re taking a break doesn’t mean your oral hygiene should do the same.

Travel can throw off our good routines. During odd hours, long plane rides, and close quarters, it’s easy to skip dental care and end up with “traveler’s breath”. Protect your teeth while traveling by packing these four essential items:

1. A Water Bottle

Always travel with a water bottle. Having a dry mouth can increase the amount of cavity-causing bacteria in our mouths. If you have a soda or some juice, rinse with water afterward. This will help get rid of any remaining sugar and acid in your mouth.

2. Tooth-Friendly Snacks

Being on the road makes it easy to indulge in lots of delicious food, and that’s OK! If you’re smart about it, your teeth don’t have to suffer. Carry healthy, tooth-scrubbing snacks like apples, celery, and carrots. These foods will help your mouth clean itself and resist plaque buildup.

Additionally, many travelers find themselves with a dry, stale mouth because they haven’t eaten! Skipping meals and going long periods of time without food means a decrease in the healthy saliva stimulation that happens whenever you chew on food. Keep healthy snacks handy for those gaps between meals.

3. Sugarless Chewing Gum

Often when we are traveling, stopping to brush our teeth just isn’t practical! In a pinch, chew some sugar-free gum. It will freshen your breath and help clean your mouth.

4. Your Toothbrush

As you’re packing your bags, don’t forget your oral health basics: floss, toothpaste, and a toothbrush.

Toothbrush-Packing Tips

• Keep it dry and clean. Toothbrush caps or bags are great for keeping bristles clean in your luggage.
• Keep travel-sized options in your carry-on. That way if your luggage gets lost or delayed, your teeth won’t be neglected.

More Cool Packing Tips

Happy Trails!

We hope these tips will come in handy the next time you travel. Do you have any travel tips YOU would like to share? Comment below. We would love to hear your ideas!

Thanks for being wonderful patients and friends!

Top image by Flickr user Consumerist Dot Com used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.