Services

Kids, Services

Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are plastic coatings that are usually placed on the chewing (occlusal) surface of the permanent back teeth — the molars and premolars (small molars) — to help protect them from cavity formation. Why are dental sealants placed on teeth? The chewing surfaces of the molar and premolar teeth have grooves — “fissures” — that make them more likely to get cavities. These fissures can be deep, difficult to clean, and can be narrower than even a single bristle of your tooth brush.   Plaque sticks in these areas creating the environment for cavities to form.  Dental sealants provide extra protection for the grooved and pitted areas by creating a smooth surface covering over the fissured area. When is the best time to have dental sealants placed? The best time for dental sealants to be placed is when the tooth first completely emerges from the gum.  This way there has been little chance that a cavity has started to form in the grooves of the teeth.  This early protection can help us get through times when we really don’t brush or take care of our teeth as we should.  Molars are often the recipients of this treatment.  However the smaller molars (premolars) can benefit from this preventive measure as well. Are dental sealants only placed on the chewing surface of molar and premolar permanent teeth? Dental sealants are usually placed on the chewing surfaces of these teeth because these are the areas and teeth that typically have deep fissures (grooves). Dental sealants are sometimes also used on other permanent teeth if they have grooves or pits, to help protect these surfaces. What do dental sealants look like? Dental sealants can be clear, white or have a slight tint depending upon the dental sealant used. How are dental sealants placed? First, the tooth surface is thoroughly cleaned with a paste and rotating brush by your dentist or hygienist.  Next the tooth is washed with water and dried. Then a solution that is acidic is placed on the fissured area of the tooth’s chewing surface for a number of seconds before being rinsed off. This creates small microscopic areas with a fine rougher surface than the surrounding tooth enamel, that can be seen with a microscope. The cleaning or roughening of the tooth is what allows the sealant to stay in place. After the tooth is dried again, the liquid dental sealant is placed on the tooth and hardened. Dental sealants are hardened by using a special blue light. Once the dental sealant has hardened it becomes a hard plastic coating, and you can chew on the tooth again.  In some cases it may feel a little funny when you bite down but within a day or so this evens out and feels normal again. How long does a dental sealant last? Dental sealants have been used and have been proven to be effective since the 1970s. Many studies have shown that they are effective in helping to prevent decay on chewing (occlusal) surfaces. Typically dental sealants last many years even for the life of the tooth.  This is a good way to protect unnecessary tooth removal due to dental decay in the future.

Kids, Services

Dentistry for Kids

Your dental health is one of the MOST important components of a long and healthy life and for most, this should start as early as possible. By helping your children learn the importance of going to the dentist at an early age, you’ll set them up for a lifetime of good oral health! What should you expect in their dental progression as your children grow up? Baby’s first teeth 0-6 years People usually think of a newborn baby as having no teeth. But the 20 primary teeth (baby teeth) that will erupt during the first three years already are present at birth in the baby’s jawbones. At birth, most of the crowns (i.e. the white tooth part we see) are almost complete, and the chewing surfaces of the permanent molars have begun forming. Primary teeth are important in normal development – for chewing, speaking and appearance. In addition, primary teeth hold the space in the jaws fro the permanent teeth. Both primary and permanent teeth help give the face its shape and form. A baby’s front four teeth usually come in first, typically at or about six months of age, although some children don’t have their first tooth until twelve or fourteen months. Most children have full set of 20 primary teeth by the time they are three years old. As your child grow, the jaws also grow, making room for the permanent teeth that will begin to erupt at about age six. At the same time, the roots of the primary teeth begin to be absorbed by the tissues around them, and the permanent teeth under them begin to erupt. Typically, children have the majority of their permanent teeth by 12 to 14 years of age. The remaining four permanent molars, often called wisdom teeth, erupt around age 21 to complete the set of 32 permanent teeth. When teeth begin erupting, some babies may have sore or tender gums. Gently rubbing your child’s gums with a clean finger or a wet gauze pad can be soothing. You also can give the baby a clean teething ring to chew on, by never dipped in sugar or syrup. If your child is still cranky and uncomfortable, consult your dentist or physician. contrary to common belief, fever is not normal for a teething baby. If your infant has an unusually high or persistent fever while teething, call your physician. The Transition Years 6-12 As children develop, their jaws and faces continue to change. The transition from baby teeth to adult teeth is gradual. by the time they reach adulthood, most children will progress from their 20 primary teeth(baby teeth) to 32 permanent (adult) teeth. All the while, the jaw gradually expands to make room for the additional 12 teeth. At about age six, maybe earlier, children begin to lose their front teeth on top and bottom. During the next six or so years, permanent teeth gradually will replace the primary teeth. The first permanent molars usually erupt between ages five and six. For that reason, they are often call the six-year molars. They are amount the “extra” permanent teeth tin the at they don’t replace an existing baby tooth. These important adult teeth are often mistaken for baby teeth. However, they are permanent and must be cared for properly if they are to last throughout the child’s lifetime. The six-year molars are especially important because they help determine the shape of the lower face. They also affect the position and health of other permanent teeth. Cleaning Your Child’s Teeth Begin cleaning the baby’s mouth during the first few days after birth. After every feeding, wipe the baby’s gums either with a clean, wet gauze pad or with a washcloth or towel. This removes plaque and residual food and helps children become accustomed to having their mouth checked. When your infant’s teeth begin to erupt, it is important to clean them regularly. You may continue to use a gauze pad or cloth to clean the incisors after feeding until the back teeth (molars) begin to erupt (usually around 12 months of age). Once a molar appears, brush all teeth gently with a child’s size sort toothbrush and water. Position your child so you can see in to the mouth easily; you may want to sit, resting his/her head in your lap. When your child can predictably spit and not swallow toothpaste, begin brushing the teeth with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. If the toothbrush looks worn, the bristles bent or frayed, it will not remove plaque effectively. Visiting your dentist every 6 months will ensure you get a free replacement twice a year. Flossing should also be encouraged. You may have to do this for the child initially. Remember the gums are very sensitive and snapping the floss between the teeth may negatively reinforce this important cleaning step. First Dental Visit If you follow the above recommendations carefully, the first visit with the dentist can be around the age of 2-3. Some recommend bringing in the child at first tooth eruption. This can be a good idea because it enables the dentist and staff to evaluate the development of your child’s teeth and to go over specific questions that you might have. This visit is similar to a well baby checkup with the child’s physician. During the first visit, the dentist can: Your Child’s First Visit The first “regular” dental visit should be just after your child’s third birthday. The first visit is usually short and involves very little treatment. We may ask the parent to sit in the dental chair and hold their child during the examination. The parent may also be asked to wait in the reception area during part of the visit so that a relationship can be built between your child and your dentist. We will gently examine your child’s teeth and gums. X-rays may be taken (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child’s permanent teeth under the gums). We may clean your child’s teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against

Emergency Dental Service, Services

Knocked Out Tooth

Your tooth is out of your mouth.  Now what? If your adult tooth is knocked out completely, the clock is running.                 You only have about a half hour for the best, most predictable outcome! An hour and there’s still some hope. Here’s what we recommend you do: *If your tooth just feel out on it’s own due to gum disease there is no chance of getting that particular tooth back in your mouth.  A replacement will need to be made. “What Can I Expect Now That My Tooth Has Been Knocked Out?” If the bone and gum tissue isn’t completely damaged and the roots of the teeth aren’t broken you have a good chance of saving your tooth, but only if you can get it back in the socket within a half hour to hour.  In some rare cases the tooth will heal and no further treatment will be needed. Often however a root canal will need to be performed.  This will save your tooth.  If this fails to due to the severity of the injury you can still have something made that looks natural and functions well. We can also help with any tooth replacement or repair needs. Contact our office at (513) 896-1573 to schedule a dental consultation.

Emergency Dental Service, Services

Filling Out

t’s the weekend or your dentist is out of town and your tooth has gotten a hole in it or part of it has chipped away.  Now what do you do? Well, here’s what we’d do: In the mean time don’t chew on that side.  A broken tooth is a weakened tooth.  Stressing it out more and breaking more of it can mean more expense.  If it’s cutting your gum or tongue you can get some bee’s wax or some temp material from the drug store. A word of caution, sometimes plugging the hole can give you a toothache.  Your tooth may be naturally releasing pressure through the top of it where the hole is.  Plugging the hole may cause pressure to go down into the root. My recommendation is to keep it very clean and call us for a visit to determine what needs to be done. The reason we see teeth in this situation: Remember teeth that are more than 50% filling are significantly more susceptible to failure. We will be able to help you decide what to do in order to protect your tooth in the future.  This may include replacing the filling after removing the decay or a crown. If you’re suffering from a dental emergency, contact us at (513) 896-1573 today to get you in ASAP!

Emergency Dental Service, Services

We Fix Tooth Pain Fast!

Does this scenario sound familiar – You’ve been really busy, don’t have dental insurance, and now your tooth is hurting. What do you do? The very first thing you need to do is to determine if it truly is a toothache or if it’s just sensitivity. To make an accurate determination of what is happening, an x-ray of the problem tooth or teeth is necessary. Once the determination has been made, either a bona fide toothache or simply increased sensitivity, here are a few things to keep in mind about each: Sensitivity: This is a very common problem.  Just go to the drugstore and see how many different types of toothpastes are for sensitive teeth.  We will need to know when your tooth is causing you trouble and for how long. Again, you may not have a problem that needs to be fixed with a filling or other treatment, but you might.  I know, not a great answer.  Unfortunately you can have sensitivity from gum recession or from decay (cavity).  Both will feel bad with temperature and different foods. If you haven’t been to the dentist for some time I would highly recommend you schedule an appointment ASAP.  The sooner we can evaluate the area the better the chances of getting a simple resolution. Remember, it costs about the same to have a tooth filled as it does to have it removed. Fillings last a long time but so do empty spaces in your jaw.  Yes, we can fill in the space but it can cost significantly more than just getting it fixed early on. Toothache: You know it’s bad if the pain won’t go away.  It’s going to be potentially worse if you’ve had pain before in the same area and did nothing about it.  We can help you no matter what the situation but the options may not be easy. How can you tell if you have a legitimate toothache? What you can do to fix the tooth pain:

Gum Disease, Services

Blood Pressure Screenings

We don’t just care about your teeth, we care about your health! It’s true that most people don’t visit their family doctor very often. As a result health issues may go undetected. Our blood pressure screening is done with our computerized blood pressure monitor at your regular maintenance visits. Here are some items to consider regarding your blood pressure reading: High Blood Pressure Range: Systolic pressure (mm Hg)Top Number Diastolic pressure (mm Hg)Bottom 210 / 120 Stage 4180 / 110 Stage 3160 / 100 Stage 2140 / 90 Stage 1 Normal Blood Pressure Range: Systolic pressure (mm Hg)Top Number Diastolic pressure (mm Hg)Bottom Number 130 / 85 High Normal Blood Pressure120 / 80 Normal Blood Pressure110 / 75 Low Normal Blood Pressure Signs of high blood pressure include, headache, dizziness, pounding in ears, bloody nose. If you can just picture pressure in your head, then you can remember what the signs of High Blood Pressure are. You are at increased risk for cardiovascular (heart) disease if: Don’t leave your health up to chance! Call us at (513) 896-1573 to schedule a dental visit today and let us check to make sure your overall health is good.

Gum Disease, Services

Halitosis Care

Do you suffer from chronic bad breath? Is your spouse or loved always complaining about your ‘dragon breath’? Don’t Let Bad Breath Interfere With Your Life! Recent studies have shown up to 90% of all cases of halitosis, more commonly referred to as bad breath, can be attributed to harmful mouth bacteria that are not removed by brushing, flossing, or gargling alone.Also, the American Dental Association News recently reported that halitosis experts agree that the dominant cause of bad breath is the bacteria on the tongue. The bacteria release odorous byproducts (known as Volatile Sulfur Compounds, or VSCs – similar to the gasses released by a rotten egg) as they thrive on the tongue. These stinkers also arise from active gum disease. In fact, according to recent research, VSCs may even be the first factor in initiating gum disease. As plaque is to the teeth and gums, coating is to the tongue. Brushing alone does not solve the problem. Our normal hygiene routine doesn’t work against the bacteria on the tongue because we simply are not properly cleaning our tongues. Primary Cause of Halitosis The tongue is a rough surface that provides the bacteria with plenty of hiding places. When we eat, debris left over from food and normal mucus production build the coating on our tongues. This coating provides the bacteria with a safe hiding place. Why is it safe? Because the bacteria are anaerobic – oxygen is lethal to them. So the bacteria, hidden in the safety of the tongue’s coating, do their dirty work releasing odorous gasses in the process, which is the primary cause of halitosis. Halitosis can also lead to increased risk of tooth decay (especially root surface decay), and a decreased sense of taste. Beware of Advertising Claims About Bad Breath! Some companies would have you believe that bad breath is caused by a sour stomach, but this is true only in about 1 of 10 people, and that type of bad breath is temporary. Self Test for Halitosis (Bad Breath) Cup your hand over your nose and mouth and exhale. Do you smell anything? If you do, you have probably eaten something today that is causing the odor. As mentioned above, this type of halitosis is usually temporary (lasting from a few hours to a few days). If you do not smell an odor, there are two possibilities: Self-testing simply is not reliable. Still dying to know if your breath is offensive? The nose (not yours!) knows. Ask a close (honest) friend, or your dentist or hygienist. You can also watch for these clues. Do people tend to… If you experience any of these uncomfortable (and embarrassing) symptoms, it’s very possible that you have halitosis (bad breath).  It could also be gum disease, or at least the early stages of it.  If this is the case, early intervention is vital as it will help avoid the loss of teeth and allow you to get close and personal without being offensive. A recent study showed that mouthwashes (even antibacterial brands), gums, and breath mints merely mask the problem. They only work for a short time (an hour at most) because the bacteria are still alive and well. Even if you are using an antibacterial mouth-wash, the bacteria are comfortable lurking in the safety under the coating of the tongue. All of the mouthwashes currently available over the counter add to the compost pile on the tongue, instead of reducing it, thereby making the problem worse! The key to curing your bad breath problem is to remove the coating on the tongue. There is one type of mouthwash that works in conjunction with tongue cleaning for optimum hygiene. Ask your dentist for a mouthwash containing chlorine dioxide. Use it after you clean your tongue. Many people ask me if brushing the tongue with a toothbrush is enough to remove the coating. Although brushing the tongue is a step in the right direction, it merely loosens the coating. It does not remove it. Removing the coating is crucial to killing the bacteria that cause bad breath. I recommend that my patients brush their teeth and then clean their tongue. Today, tongue cleaners may still be hard to find, however, I expect them to be as common as the toothbrush or dental floss in the next decade. In addition to freshening breath, tongue cleaning reduces the risk of decay and improves the sense of taste. When purchasing a tongue cleaner, look for the following: If you’re suffering from halitosis and would like to consult about how you can eliminate this problem, schedule online or call at (513) 896-1573 to schedule a consultation.

Gum Disease, Services

Oral Cancer Screening

With all the medical progress we have made in cancer treatment, oral cancer is one of the few types that haven’t had a reduced mortality in over 30 years. In fact, the number of North Americans developing oral cancer today is 3X’s the number that develops cervical cancer. Oral cancer kills one person every hour, 24 hours a day in the U.S. alone! Of over 34,000 newly diagnosed individuals, only half will be alive in 5 years. Oral cancer most commonly involves the tissue of the lips or the tongue. It may also occur on the: Most oral cancers look very similar under the microscope and are called squamous cell carcinomas. These are cancerous and tend to spread quickly. Smoking and other tobacco use are linked to 70 – 80% of oral cancer cases. Heavy alcohol use is also associated with an increased risk for oral cancer. Other factors that may increase the risk for oral cancer include: Some oral cancers begin as a white plaque (leukoplakia) or as a mouth ulcer. Oral cancer accounts for about 5% of all cancerous growths. Men get oral cancer twice as often as women do, particularly men older than 40. Symptoms of oral cancer include mouth sores, lumps, or ulcers that: Other symptoms of that might indicate oral cancer include: To help prevent oral cancers, you should be sure to: “What If I Already Suffer From Oral Cancer?” Approximately half of people with oral cancer will live more than 5 years after they are diagnosed and treated. If the cancer is found early, before it has spread to other tissues, the cure rate is nearly 90%. However, more than half of oral cancers have already spread when the cancer is detected. Most have spread to the throat or neck. Approximately 25% of people with oral cancer die because of delayed diagnosis and treatment. We recommend an oral cancer screening be performed twice a year. As part of your dental maintenance visit, this is included and performed on all patients so really all you need to do is make sure to visit our office regularly. So, if it’s been a while, why not contact our office at (513) 896-1573 to schedule a regular dental checkup,which includes this critical oral cancer screening.

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