Dental Info

I sincerely hope this is overkill, because I  don't want to practice in a hazmat suit out fitted with a respirator. I remember when AIDs was discovered in the early 1980's and the fear it engendered in the dental community. All sorts of solutions were suggested and it took about a year for things to settle down and for a protocol involving universal precautions that included sterilization of dental handpieces and dental instruments and the wearing of gloves and masks to become the standard for dental care. Probably over the next twelve months our profession will develop universal precautions suitable for treating our patients, post CoV19. Taking patients temperature, using on site 15 minutes tests for CoV19N95 disposable respirators and face shields for all staff treating patients may be recommended. Using rubbler dams when possible seems like a good idea. Frankly I do not know what the protocol will be, but I am sure What ever it turns out to be, we will continue to be ab...

I have been home for two weeks and have been cooped up in a one bedroom apartment for 99% of the time. My sole escape is twenty minute shopping trips to the supermarket. I have tried my best to social distance and fortunately so far I feel OK . In the last week I have started "working from home". This is pretty hard for a dentist to do but in my case it is  a very good idea for me since I am 66 years old and somewhat immune compromised ( I take an immunosuppressant that has  kept me in remission for Crohn's disease for more than 20 years). Last Saturday I learned how to host my Spear Study Clubs online using Webex and On Monday I started  familiarizing myself with Zoom so that I will to be able to "virtually" participate for my NYU clinic sessions. NewYork College of Dentistry has closed indefinitely with the exception of online instruction. This week I have attended several meetings with other NYU faculty where we discussed ideas about how we can remotely...

Your Mouth: A Picture of Health Did you know that when a dentist looks at your mouth, they can tell a lot more than just how often you’re brushing? It’s true—your oral health is like a window into your lifestyle and habits. Dr. Nisenboym should know. We’ve seen mouths from all over Orange County in our office! If you’re not taking care of the rest of your body, your gums will give it away. Hormones, sickness, stress, diet, smoking, prescription medicine, and more can all affect your gum health, and that goes both ways. If you don’t take care of your gums, the consequences will stretch beyond just your mouth. Unhealthy gums can lead to an unhealthy heart, diabetes, pregnancy complications, memory problems, tooth decay, and more. Your mouth is naturally good at washing away and fighting germs. But without proper oral hygiene, those bacteria can lead to gum disease . When it comes to your oral health, it’s more than just pearly white teeth you want. Healthy gums play an important role...

People in the United States eat more sugar than any other country in the world. (Fortunately, we also have some of the best dentists in the world.) You hear it all the time: “sugar rots your teeth.” But is it true? What exactly does sugar do to your teeth and why is it so bad? You might want to learn more about this substance that is added to nearly every edible item in the grocery store. Las Vegas dentists Dr. Wagner, Dr. Cannon, Dr. Lawler, and Dr. Nelson tell us more below. Sugar 101 All food causes some buildup on your teeth. After eating and drinking, little bits of food are left behind in your mouth. Out of all the food we eat, sugar does the worst damage to your teeth. Even healthy foods like milk, bread, and produce contain some natural sugar, but these foods also contain necessary vitamins and nutrients. Eaten in healthy amounts, your body has no problem breaking down the natural sugars with the other food bits on your teeth. The problems begin when you eat food that has...

Dental implants replace an entire tooth—including the root—with a permanent replacement. Michael Colleran, DDS can tell you it is the #1 most popular tooth replacement method in all of dentistry, but there are many reasons dental implant surgery may be recommended . Dental implants may work for you if you have one or more teeth missing, your jawbone has reached full adult growth, and you’re willing to commit several months to the implant process. Other times when dental implants might be a good dental solution include: When gum tissue is healthy When bone density is adequate to support an implant When a patient wants to speak more clearly When a patient wants to eat and chew easily When a patient does not want to wear dentures When the patient does not use tobacco Dr. Colleran wants you to have a full, functional smile that you are proud to show off. Though implants are more of a marathon than a sprint, they do provide a permanent, beautiful solution for missing teeth. If...

Did you know that periodontal (gum) disease was first described in 1890? It wasn’t until 1941 that Periodontics was recognized as a dental specialty, which is a large gap in time—kind of like the gap between your gums and your teeth that can be created by gum disease, the leading cause of adult tooth loss ! We don’t mean for that to sound like a joke, as gum disease is associated with very serious health risks that extend beyond your mouth, but we do want the information to stick with you. It’s important for gum disease to be treated, and luckily, treatment options have expanded and improved a great deal. Introducing: LANAP® LANAP is the abbreviation for Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure, and it’s been a successful treatment method since 1994! The benefits of gum disease treatment with a laser are numerous, including the fact that no scalpel or sutures are required as they are with traditional gum grafts. If you have any questions about gum disease prevention or treatment, ...

Being a periodontist who wants to tell a story, I’ll get into mitochondria’s influence on periodontal disease. Do you like science fiction? I’ve got a story to tell you that sounds like a simulating SciFi movie. My trailer to the movie would talk about the invasion of bacteria into an entity that eventually becomes a walking, talking, functioning “human being”. Interested? Well, I’m referring to bacteria that invaded living cells and became something called mitochondria . These mitochondria became responsible for overall health as well as overall disease in our body — let me explain how. The First Living Organisms My “SciFi” story begins a long, long time ago – about 4 billion years ago. Life began on earth as a single-celled organism with no nucleus. But then the story jumps forward 2 billion years. About 2 billion years ago, bacteria were among the first living organisms. Some of these single-celled bacteria fed on organic compounds to create energy. These bacteria created car...

Your jawbone (the mandible) meets your skull bone (the temporal bone) at the temporomandibular joint or TMJ. On a good day, this joint allows your mouth to open and close, to speak and eat or rest. On a bad day, you can develop pain and dysfunction in the TMJ that affects many areas of your life and health. Gordon Dental Associates explains more below about how problems with your TMJ are connected to problems with sleep. TMJ Disorders If you have a recurring problem with your temporomandibular joint, it’s called temporomandibular disorder (or TMD, although TMD and TMJ are often used interchangeably ). The National Institutes of Health estimates that 10 million people have TMD, though the cases are usually mild. TMD frequently includes pain, clicking or popping, and tight, sore facial muscles. TMD can be caused by genetics, arthritis, or jaw injuries. Sometimes it’s hard to diagnose what’s exactly causing the problem because stress and jaw problems can turn into a painful, self-pe...

So, you’re missing a tooth—or a few! An apple a day will not take care of this one, unfortunately. It’s time to consider dentures or dental implants. A variety of personal and practical factors will determine which solution is best for your new smile. Don’t feel lost among all the pros and cons of choosing a tooth-replacement plan. William S. Darr, DDS  is an experienced practice you can trust to help guide you on your journey from missing teeth toward a complete, natural, and healthy smile. Not your grandma’s dentures Thankfully, time and technology have greatly improved the denture experience for our patients. Today, dentures look and feel more natural than ever before. Dentures are a whole set of false teeth held into your gums with secure bonding glue. This can be an affordable option if you need to replace multiple teeth. For added stability, functionality, and peace of mind, dentures can also be secured with dental implants (implant-supported dentures). Added security wi...

Someone once said, “Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.” How true!  While it can be frustrating to watch your health change as you age, you don’t have to accept poor oral health and tooth loss as just an inevitable part of the aging process. Your oral health is just as important now as it has ever been, and it has a great deal to do with your overall health and wellness. When it comes to senior dentistry and oral health, Park Slope Dental Arts shares the top concerns you may have, and how to address them. Gum Disease A shocking 70% of adults over 65 years of age have gum disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among seniors. Gum disease is your body’s way of trying to kill germs that infect and inflame gum tissues.  Chronic exposure to inflammation in the body quadruples your chance of developing Alzheimer’s later in life, according to the American Dental Association . ...

Having a great smile is a privilege that everyone should enjoy. The confidence that comes from having genuine pride in your pearly whites is irreplaceable. However, many of us struggle with imperfections in our teeth. Broken, chipped, cracked, stained, and crooked teeth can really put a damper on your smile. At Florida Smile Design , we know how much a healthy, happy smile means, so we’d like to talk about how Dr. Richard Schnur can help get you the smile you deserve with veneers . What are Veneers? Veneers are thin layers of composite or dental porcelain that are placed on the surface of a tooth to correct cosmetic and functional issues. Invented in 1928 by Charles Pincus, veneers were originally intended to give movie stars perfect teeth for the silver screen. Back then, they were only temporary due to a lack of competent adhesive, but modern dental medicine has advanced to the point that veneers can last for up to 30 years, and are nearly identical to natural teeth in form and f...

At Northern Trails Dental Care , we take pride in staying ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest and greatest in dental treatments and technologies. That’s why we think dental “lasers” are truly smashing. And if you’re worried about paying one million dollars, rest assured laser treatments are more accessible and affordable than ever. Austin Powers jokes aside, we’re here to tell you how lasers work in dentistry and how they can benefit your smile—and make for a more comfortable dental experience! How do dental lasers work? Advanced laser technology has been one of the most important improvements in modern medicine and dentistry, allowing us to hang up our other tools while providing treatments that are less invasive, more comfortable, and with healthier results than ever before. All lasers work by creating energy in the form of light, but the precise function in dentistry depends on the type of procedure. With surgical and other types of restorative dental treatments, the...

Baby teeth , also called deciduous, primary, milk, or lacteal teeth, have many different purposes. Tomball dentist Dr. Michael Cimino of Modern Smile Center is asked the purpose of baby teeth often. So what’s the answer? Tiny Teeth for Tiny Mouths Child-sized mouths are not large enough to accommodate a full set of adult teeth, so the primary teeth become placeholders in the jaw, saving spaces for adult teeth to grow in as they begin to surface from under the gums. Baby teeth usually begin to erupt around 6 months of age, but may begin forming in the womb even before birth! By the age of 3 years, children should have all 20 of their baby teeth, which remain in the mouth for the bulk of childhood—roughly 8-10 years. The presence of baby teeth allows children to eat solid foods and helps as they learn to speak clearly and quickly. They Grow Up So Fast The first adult tooth erupts where the baby teeth have been lost around 6 years of age. By age 13, all permanent adult teeth—except...

The Americans with Disabilities Act defines disability as a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” (Specific examples of major life activities addressed by the ADA include functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing and learning.) Disabilities may be congenital (present from birth) or develop later in life. If your child is living with a disability, you know how deeply important access to quality, compassionate medical care is, and that includes oral healthcare . At Harp Pediatric Dentistry , we want to help every person we treat develop and maintain a healthy, happy smile, and we believe being inclusive of children with special needs is an essential part of this mission. There is much to be considered when customizing care for individuals with special needs , from ramps, entryways, office furniture, space, and atmosphere, to the technology we use and the amount...

Mail-order braces are a controversial dental topic, and Dr. Caroline Ceneviz weighs in today. Direct-to-consumer orthodontics companies make many appealing promises—no dental visits, aligners delivered to your door, and lower costs. But are the risks worth it? Not according to this consumer alert from the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). As of November 2017, the AAO had filed complaints with 36 State Dental Boards, alleging direct-to-consumer orthodontics can not only cause long-term oral health problems for their users but may be illegal. (These claims are pending investigation.) A licensed doctor is not seen before or during self-managed orthodontic treatment. While direct-to-consumer braces companies base aligner prescriptions on computer-simulated mouth scans as licensed dentists do, teeth movement doesn’t always follow the initial computer assessment—and self-managed orthodontic treatment makes no further adjustments to correct that. In short, wearers get what th...

The president has invoked the Defense Production Act. That will allow him to require manufacturers to produce needed War time supplies . He says it's a last resort. If he hasn't already done so, now is the time for our president to  require some appropriate factories to switch their production to pin order to manufacture additional PPE that our physicians saving lives need. Making masks and Face shields doesn't seem terribly high tech and certainly production should be fairly simple to be mandated immediately. Why should we wait until our supplies on the front lines run out? Please act now President Trump! from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2020/03/its-time-president-trump.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

Some foods will help you grow healthy teeth and keep them forever. Some foods will prevent you from growing healthy teeth, or harm the ones you already have. You can grow and maintain strong, healthy teeth by eating a diet that your mouth (and your body) will truly love . But do you know what foods to avoid for a healthy mouth? Brewer Family Dental would like to share that information with you today! Diet is Everything The word “diet” has earned a bad reputation over the years as a verb that means eating less to lose weight, but diet is also a noun and a powerful way you can give yourself the best life possible. Your diet is simply the food you eat, and most of us are trying our best to eat wholesome food with just a few sweet treats here and there. Good food sets the stage for a healthy life. Nutrition is vital for growing healthy muscles and bones. And guess what—your teeth are bones, too! Good nutrition helps your body fight infections that cause decay and disease in your mouth ...

Most of us have experienced a toothache . At their mildest, toothaches may cause just enough discomfort to get on your nerves and disrupt your concentration, but at their worst, they can be debilitating. Because the pain feels like it’s coming from your tooth, it’s natural to assume that all toothaches are caused by cavities , gum disease , or some other tooth-related problem. However, Broussard dentist Dr. William Darr would like you to know that not all toothaches are related to your teeth . Wait, what? Toothaches that have nothing to do with teeth? Yes– as anyone at William S. Darr, DDS will tell you –it is possible and it does happen. That being said, most toothaches are tooth-related. How can a toothache not come from your tooth? Your mouth is a complex organ that contains a number of different types of tissue, nerves, and microorganisms. While run-of-the-mill dental problems like tooth decay and gum disease are responsible for the majority of toothaches, there are many other...

I am watching the White house briefing from Corona Task Force on NBC as I am writing this post. Dr. Deborah Burke suggested that all doctors and dentists cancel all "elective treatments", She went on to explained that by elective she meant procedures that can be put off by a couple of weeks or more.  With her definition in my mind better than 95% of dental procedures are elective. Most dental problems can wait a couple of weeks or more before receiving treatment. Patients in extreme pain or having symptomatic infections should have their needs addressed sooner. Our dental office remains closed for now. This is the best way I know to keep my team safe as well as not allowing our office to become an inadvertent  vector for the spread of the virus. I have left my cell phone on my answering machine recording and I remain available to speak to any of my patients whether they are having an emergency or not. I should add that some of my specialists remain open to treat emergenci...

A new kind of toothpaste has come onto the scene, challenging fluoride’s #1 seat at the cavity-defense table. But does hydroxyapatite (HAp) really work to protect and strengthen teeth? Is it safe? Should you use it? In this article, you’ll learn how HAp toothpaste works, why I recommend it over fluoride for optimal oral health, the benefits (including whiter teeth!), and which brands to try. If you’re done with fluoride and ready to move onto something better and fluoride-free, this is the toothpaste for you. (A quick note: In the studies I share within this article, toothpaste is called a “dentifrice” and cavities/tooth decay are referred to as “dental caries.”) What is hydroxyapatite? So, let’s start with the burning question: What exactly is hydroxyapatite, and why is it in toothpaste ? Hydroxyapatite (HAp), in its natural form, is a form of calcium that makes up 97% of your tooth enamel and 70% of the dentin of your teeth. The rest of your enamel is actually composed of wat...