Fixing crowded and crooked teeth with orthodontics

Correcting problems with crowded and crooked teeth not only gives you a better smile, it also leads to a healthier mouth.

Malocclusion, also known as bad bite, involves teeth that are crowded or crooked.

Sometimes, the upper and lower jaws may not meet properly and, although the teeth may appear straight, the individual may have an uneven bite.

Problems such as protruding, crowded or irregularly spaced teeth may be inherited. But thumb-sucking, losing teeth prematurely and accidents also can lead to these conditions.

As well as spoiling your smile, crooked and crowded teeth make cleaning the mouth difficult. This can lead to tooth decay, gum disease and possibly tooth loss.

A bad bite can also interfere with chewing and speaking, cause abnormal wear to tooth enamel and lead to problems with the jaws.

Orthodontic treatment can help correcting these problems giving you a better smile but, more importantly, creating a healthier mouth.

Your dentist will advise you on how orthodontic treatment could help you.

Your saliva and why its so important

You probably don’t give too much thought to the saliva in your mouth but, if you think of it like a bloodstream you’ll realize how important it is.

Like blood, saliva helps build and maintain the health of the soft and hard tissues.

It removes waste products from the mouth and offers first-line protection against microbial invasion that might lead to disease.

Saliva is derived from blood and therefore can also be used to detect disease.

Saliva enhances enamel protection by providing high levels of calcium and phosphate ions. It contains the minerals that maintain the integrity of the enamel surface and helps protect against caries.

When salivary flow is reduced, oral health deteriorates – much in the same way body tissues suffer if blood circulation is disrupted.

Patients with dry mouths (xerostomia) experience difficulty chewing, speaking and swallowing. A major cause of dry mouth is medication – almost eighty percent of the most commonly prescribed medications lead to dry mouth.

Chewing gum after a snack or meal stimulates salivary flow, clearing food from the mouth and neutralizing plaque acid.

Your saliva is important to your oral health both for preventing disease and in helping to diagnose problems.

How removable partial dentures can help you

Removable partial dentures usually involve replacement teeth attached to plastic bases, connected by metal framework.

They attach to your natural teeth with metal clasps or precision attachments. Precision attachments generally look better than metal clasps and are nearly invisible.

Crowns may be required on your natural teeth to improve the fit of a removable partial denture.

When you first get a partial denture, it may feel awkward or bulky. But you will gradually get used to wearing it.

It will also take a bit of practice to get used to inserting and removing the denture. It should fit into place easily and you should never force it.

Your dentist may suggest that you wear your partial denture all the time at first. While it will be uncomfortable for a while, it will help you identify if any parts of the denture need adjustment.

After making adjustments, your dentist will probably recommend that you take the denture out of your mouth before going to bed and replace it in the morning.

With a denture, eating should become a more pleasant experience compared to having missing teeth.

But, initially, you'll need to eat soft foods cut into small pieces. And avoid foods that are extremely sticky or hard.

Some people with missing teeth find it hard to speak clearly so wearing a partial denture may help. However, you'll probably need to practice certain words at first to get completely comfortable.

While it can take a little getting used to initially, a partial denture can help you enjoy your food with less worries.

Is it safe to have an X-ray while pregnant?

Some women worry about whether its safe to have an X-ray exam while they are pregnant.

This can cause them to put off treatment they need.

However, untreated dental infections can pose a risk to the fetus, and dental treatment may be necessary to maintain the health of the mother and child. Sometimes this will mean an X-ray is necessary.

Radiation from dental X-rays is extremely low but every precaution is taken to minimize radiation exposure.

For example, a leaded apron reduces exposure to the abdomen and should be used when a dental radiograph is taken.

In addition, a leaded thyroid collar can protect the thyroid from radiation, and should be used whenever possible. The use of a leaded thyroid collar is strongly recommended for women of childbearing age, pregnant women and children.

Overall there is no reason to avoid dental radiographs (X-rays) while pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant.

Follow your dentists advice and ask questions if you have any concerns.

Periodontal disease: what it is and how to avoid it

Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth.

There is a very slight gap (called a sulcus) between the tooth and the gum.

Periodontal diseases attack this gap and cause a breakdown in the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissues.

When the tissues are damaged, the sulcus develops into a pocket and, as the disease gets more severe, the pocket usually gets deeper.

The two major stages of periodontal disease are gingivitis and periodontitis.

Gingivitis is a milder and reversible form of periodontal disease that only affects the gums. Gingivitis may lead to periodontitis, which is a more serious, destructive form of periodontal disease.

There are several factors that have been shown to increase the risk of developing periodontal disease:
– Systemic diseases such as diabetes
– Some types of medication
– Crooked teeth
– Bridges that no longer fit properly
– Fillings that have become defective
– Smoking
– Pregnancy

And there are a number of warning signs that can suggest a possible problem:
– Gums that bleed easily
– Red, swollen, tender gums
– Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
– Persistent bad breath or taste
– Permanent teeth that are loose or separating
– Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
– Any change in the fit of partial dentures

However, its also possible to have periodontal disease with no warning signs.

Its therefore important to have regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations.

If you have developed periodontal disease, the treatment will depend on how far it has progressed.

You can take steps to prevent periodontal disease from becoming more serious or recurring.

Good dental hygiene practices such as brushing twice a day, cleaning between your teeth, eating a healthy diet and having regular visits to the dentist will make a huge difference.

How to Have a Top-Notch Mouth This Spring

Do you want to have strong and healthy teeth and gums this spring? If so, our dentists, Dr. Christian Berdy and Dr. Cary Berdy are happy to help you reach that goal! The stronger and healthier your teeth and gums are, the better off your smile will be. Fortunately, there are many things you can do this spring to help you have the top-notch mouth you deserve. Those things are:

-Brush twice a day: When you brush, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. It’s best to brush every morning and every night. If you can brush after lunch at work or at school, that can help your smile as well. Brushing can remove plaque, bacteria and food from the surfaces of your teeth to keep them healthy and strong.

-Floss once a day: When you floss, use a product that is easy to use. This can help you avoid forcing the floss into place and injuring the gums. Some products that are handy to use include waxed dental floss and a water flosser. Flossing can remove dangerous substances from between your teeth and help you prevent cavities and gum disease.

-Attend your dental checkups: If you’re due for a checkup this season, then it’s important to set a reminder for yourself so you don’t forget. Dental checkups are extremely important for your oral health. The treatments provided are the only way to remove tartar (hardened plaque, which is a toxic substance) from the smile.

Do you have any questions about how to have a healthy spring smile in Jacksonville, Florida? If so, please reach out to Berdy Dental Group and talk to a member of our dental team. All you need to do is dial (904) 647-2789 and we will be thrilled to help you!

Scaling and Planing 101

There are a lot of different things you can do to your teeth to help them stay in great shape. Brushing, flossing, and mouthwash use are the most effective things to do at home. Even then, you still need to have some professional procedures performed to keep your mouth in good shape.

One of those procedures is called scaling and planing. This is an activity performed when you visit any dentists. Let’s go through that process for a few moments.

What is it?
 

At its most basic, scaling and planing is simply the process of removing tartar from around your gum line. When you don’t get rid of plaque, it hardens and turns into tartar. This substance is essentially a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Tartar buildup is one of the most common causes of oral health problems that Dr. Christian Berdy and Dr. Cary Berdy see.

How does it work?
 

Scaling and planing are really simple. When you come into Berdy Dental Group in Jacksonville, Florida, our team will scale and plane your teeth before cleaning. All of the tartar around your gums will be scraped away, leaving you with a healthy, fresh smile

Why can’t I do it?
 

Tartar is a hard substance, and if you try to remove it at home, you could seriously injure your gums. On top of that, it takes a specialized training to effectively and safely remove tartar. We have a lot of experience doing this in a comfortable, relaxing way.

To learn more, or to make an appointment, call us today at (904) 647-2789.

Toothbrush Trivia

How often do you use your toothbrush? Hopefully it’s at least two times a day. You may have looked at it so many times, though, that you hardly even think about it anymore. They are an object that has been in your life, probably since you can remember. You may even think you know all there is about your toothbrush, but today we’d like to give you some fun trivia facts about them.

The toothbrush may be 5,000 years old. It may have been in different forms, but in some ancient civilizations, people used a “chew stick,” which was a thin twig with a frayed end, to help them remove food that was stuck in their teeth.

The first mass-produced toothbrush was created in prison. In 1770, William Addis was jailed for starting a riot when he observed the other prisoners cleaning their teeth with a rag covered in soot or salt. He saved an animal bone from dinner, got bristles from a guard, bored tiny holes, inserted the bristles and sealed them with glue. Upon his release, he refined his prototype and started a company.

There isn’t a set order for brushing and flossing. It may not really matter to your teeth which you do first, so long as you are doing it.

Your toothbrush’s lifespan may be three or four months. After that, your brush might not be able to do as great of a job at cleaning your teeth and it should be replaced.

If you would like to know more about dental hygiene and you live near Jacksonville, Florida, please call Berdy Dental Group today to schedule an appointment at (904) 647-2789. Drs. Christian and Cary Berdy, and our friendly team members, would be happy to help you have a bright and healthy smile.

What Is Plaque?

Do you get a substance built up along your gumline and teeth? Does it usually come off after brushing, flossing or if you gently scrape it? That substance could be a colorless, sticky film of bacteria and sugars known as plaque, which continually forms on your teeth.

Your mouth naturally has a lot of bacteria that can collect on your tongue, teeth and gumline. Plaque often begins at the gumline and is completely normal and even expected by our dentists. When the bacteria mixes with sugar, it can produce acids that, if not removed, can eat through the enamel on your teeth and a cavity might form.

Additionally, if plaque is allowed to remain on your teeth it could harden and become tartar, which is a calcified form of plaque. Once it has calcified, it can become much more difficult to remove, and you may need Drs. Christian and Cary Christian Berdy’s help.

How you can prevent plaque buildup

One of the easiest ways to prevent plaque buildup is by practicing proper dental hygiene. Our dentists recommend that you brush at least twice a day and floss once daily. Limiting your sugary and starchy foods can also help as it can reduce the bacteria’s food supply. Chewing a piece of sugar-free gum may be beneficial as it can increase your saliva production, which can clean your mouth naturally.

One of the best ways to care for your dental health and reducing plaque from your smile in Jacksonville, Florida, is to schedule an appointment at Berdy Dental Group by calling (904) 647-2789. We look forward to caring for your smile.

Tips For Maintaining Your Oral Appliances

We thought this would be the perfect opportunity to discuss some tips for maintaining your partial denture or orthodontic retainer.

1. Give them a break

Take your dentures out before going to bed so that mouth tissues can recover from wear during the day. Soak dentures or retainers in warm water if they have metal clasps. If they don’t, you can use either a vinegar and water solution or a special denture cleanser. This will help to remove stains, plaque, tartar and bacteria.

2. Handle with care.

Since oral appliances don’t come cheap and can break easily, you’ll want to be careful with them. Clean them over a folded towel or bowl of water in case they drop. Remember; always put them in plastic container when you are not wearing them!

3. Clean daily

Just because these aren’t your real teeth, that doesn’t mean they don’t need regular cleaning. If your dentures are plagued with plaque, it can lead to problems in the tissues underneath, such as infection and irritation. Brush your dentures with a regular soft-bristled brush—not the same one you use for your real teeth. You can use regular hand soap, mild dishwashing detergent, mildly abrasive toothpaste or dental paste for cleaning your dentures.

4. Maintain your oral health

Even if you have complete dentures, you still need to care for your gums. Whenever you take out your dentures, give your mouth a good rinse and then massage your gums with a washcloth or a soft toothbrush. If you have partial dentures, you still need to properly brush and floss your regular teeth every day.

5. See your dentist.

Remember to see your dentist at least once a year and your hygienist for your regularly scheduled cleanings. Dentists examine your oral tissues for changes and for sores that might become cancerous. We can also provide advice as to oral hygiene and denture care.

6. Watch for changes in fit.

If your dentures aren’t fitting properly or just don’t feel right, check with your dentist. The gums and bones in your mouth change over time, leading to an improper denture fit. Your dentist can adjust your dentures to protect against problems like sores, pain and burning that can come from ill-fitting dentures. Ill-fitting dentures can also be a sign of periodontal disease, so it’s important to get checked.

12 Things That Can Ruin Your Smile: Dry Mouth

No one likes a dry mouth. But dry mouth is more than just an annoyance, it’s also bad for your teeth. Saliva plays a crucial role in oral health. It washes away bacteria and neutralizes the harmful acids. Saliva protects against diseases in the mouth and provides the first line of defense against microbial infections that can create serious oral health problems.

Dry mouth—a.k.a. xerostomia—results from an inadequate flow of saliva. It is not a disease, but can be a symptom of certain medical disorders or a side effect of medications such as decongestants, antihistamines, and pain killers. Without saliva, tooth decay is more likely to occur.

To manage dry mouth, try sugar-free candy or gum to stimulate saliva flow. Also, moisture can be replaced by using artificial saliva and oral rinses. If the problem persists, you can contact our office to explore other medical options.

Things That Can Ruin Your Smile: Failure To Be A Floss Boss

Many of us are much more diligent about flossing than brushing, but flossing everyday is just as important as brushing everyday. Brushing only cleans the service areas of the teeth. Tooth brush bristles alone are not able to clean between these tight spaces. Floss removes the food that gets trapped between the teeth and gets rid of the plaque that accumulates there before it turns into tartar. Tartar is harder to get rid of and makes it more difficult to brush and floss effectively. It only takes plaque 24 hours before plaque begins to harden and form tartar. That’s why it’s important to floss everyday to prevent its accumulation.

Flossing every day is one of the most important things you can do to protect your teeth. It prevents periodontal disease, polishes the tooth’s surface, and can even help control bad breath. Cleaning between teeth is essential to your daily oral hygiene routine. Need instructions on how to floss? Check out Dr. Berdy’s videos about proper flossing technique and how to floss with a handy wipe in order to clean difficult to reach areas of your mouth.

Things That Can Ruin Your Smile: Lemons, Limes, and Oranges! Oh My!

Many of us are much more diligent about flossing than brushing, but flossing everyday is just as important as brushing everyday. Brushing only cleans the service areas of the teeth. Tooth brush bristles alone are not able to clean between these tight spaces. Floss removes the food that gets trapped between the teeth and gets rid of the plaque that accumulates there before it turns into tartar. Tartar is harder to get rid of and makes it more difficult to brush and floss effectively. It only takes plaque 24 hours before plaque begins to harden and form tartar. That’s why it’s important to floss everyday to prevent its accumulation.

Flossing every day is one of the most important things you can do to protect your teeth. It prevents periodontal disease, polishes the tooth’s surface, and can even help control bad breath. Cleaning between teeth is essential to your daily oral hygiene routine. Need instructions on how to floss? Check out Dr. Berdy’s videos about proper flossing technique and how to floss with a handy wipe in order to clean difficult to reach areas of your mouth.

Things That Can Ruin Your Smile: Aging and Your Teeth

As you age, it becomes even more important to take care of your teeth and protect your dental health. Teeth become more susceptible to decay  near old fillings or roots left unprotected by receding gum lines. It is a common misconception that losing your teeth is inevitable. It’s not true. Your teeth can last a lifetime if you care for them properly.

The danger is not aging, but oral disease. However, you can be protect your teeth if you follow a few of these tips to maintain your oral health:

• Brush twice a day with a toothbrush with soft bristles or an electric toothbrush.
• Clean between your teeth once a day with floss, a Waterpik,  or another interdental cleaner.
• Increase your fluoride protection by by drinking tap water. Since most contains fluoride, it helps prevent tooth decay no matter how old you are.
• Quit smoking. Smoking puts you at greater risk for lung and other cancers as well as increases problems with gum disease, tooth decay and tooth loss.
• Visit your dentist regularly for a complete dental check-up.

By adopting these healthy oral habits, making smart choices about diet and lifestyle, and seeking regular dental care, you can help your teeth last a lifetime.

Things That Can Ruin Your Smile: To Whiten or Not To Whiten…

Everyone wants a smile full of pearly white teeth. Good daily oral hygiene regimen and regular cleanings at the our office are good ways to keep your smile bright, but if you decide you want to do even more to make your teeth look whiter, you should investigate all of your whitening options.

Start by speaking with your dentist. He or she can review the options with you and tell you whether whitening  procedures would be effective for you. Not all whitening treatments are not for everyone. It’s not clear whether bleaching erodes enamel, but it can increase sensitivity. Those with sensitive teeth may want to think twice before they use some whitening treatments.

Any whitening treatments should be used with moderation. Whitening toothpastes and gels often contain abrasive ingredients that may increase sensitivity. Also keep in mind, as you age, whitening products are not a cure-all. After a certain point, using more won’t necessarily make your teeth any white.

7 Steps to Follow for a Healthy Mouth

My patients often ask me what they can do to keep their mouths in tip top shape. The following is a routine I recommend to all my patients both for improving as well as maintaining a healthy oral environment. While the list may seem long, each time you practice it the routine will become a little easier and faster every time you do it. Following this routine will do wonders for preventing periodontal disease, keeping a beautiful smile, and making your teeth last a lifetime!

Seven steps to follow twice a day to keep a healthy, fresh, and vibrant smile.

1. Water pik

• Water pick are simple water pumps that gently flush areas around your teeth and gums
• Use at a 45 degree angle
• Work systematically around your entire mouth, front to back,  inside & out

2. Rubber tip

• Aids in the removal of debris which can feed harmful bacteria

• Promotes healthy gum tissue by firming – like a workout for your gums!
• Use at a 45 degree angle
• Work in a systematic routine to make sure you clean all areas of your mouth

3. Flossing

• Make sure to pull the floss around your tooth in order to reach all the corner surfaces
• Similarly, push the floss to reach the opposite corner surfaces
• Work systematically around your entire mouth

4. Handy wipes

• tear handy wipes vertically into many strips for future use to save time.
• wrap handy wipe around each tooth to effectively clean hard to reach areas and maintain a healthy oral environment
• If the handy wipe does not fit in certain spaces, do not force handy wipe into gum tissue.

5. Proxabrush

• Use proxabrushes to clean the spaces in between each tooth.
• When used with flossing and brushing the proxabrushes will help maintain hard to clean areas in your mouth.

6. Brushing

• Use electric or manual toothbrush, whichever you prefer and are more comfortable with
• Work in a systematic pattern through all the surfaces of your teeth
• Use a 45 degree angle with your toothbrush, aiming the bristles of the brush into the gumline.
• Work each tooth individually, just brushing all of them back and forth is not very effective

7. H₂O pik

• Use again as in step 1, as a final flush and rinse

It may seem like a lot of work, but trust me- following this routine will prevent future problems such as periodontal disease, decay, tooth loss, and bad breath. Preventing problems before they happen is always easier, cheaper, and less stressful than fixing them after they have already done damage. I believe you can keep your teeth for life and these are 7 important steps to take in accomplishing this goal!

Is Exercise Bad for Your Teeth?

We all know that we’re supposed to stay active. Regular exercise reduces stress, improves sleep, and helps us keep our bodies ready for the beach! However those positive effects may not extend to your teeth according to a study published in The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. The study found that athletes who undergo heavy training can expect to experience an increased chance of dental problems.

There have been hints in the past that athletes could have a heightened risk for cavities and other oral issues. In a study published last year in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, dentists who examined 278 athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London reported that a majority displayed “poor oral health,” including high levels of tooth decay, often in conjunction with gum disease and erosion of the tooth enamel. The athletes came from the United States and Europe as well as less-developed parts of the world, and most had access to good-quality dentistry, although many had not visited a dentist in the last year. (“Is Exercise Bad for Your Teeth?,” New York Times, 9/24/2014)

Researchers are not ready to say why exercise negatively affects oral health. Many assume that sugary sports drinks could be to blame. One reason might also be the amount of saliva present in the mouths of athletes. As a person engages in strenuous physical activity, the amount of saliva produced lessens, while the alkaline present in the saliva increases. This alkalinity is linked to the development of tarter plaques and enamel erosion.

In order to reduce the risk associated with intense exercise, athletes probably want to make sure that they are consuming plenty of water during their workouts. Of course, regular brushing, flossing, and routine professional dental cleanings doesn’t hurt either.

Best Brushing Technique? Who can say…

When it comes to the best way to brush your teeth, dental professionals often do not agree.

Researchers in Britain scoured the information available from dental textbooks, research studies, and  15 of the world’s leading dental associations and found little agreement among the supposed dental health “experts” about the best way to brush.

According to an article in the New York Times, “the study, published in the August issue of the British Dental Journal, found no randomized trials of brushing technique and very little agreement on how to go about cleaning teeth.” ‘Randomized trials’ are the gold standard of clinical study design. Without them, dental professionals are left to debate amongst themselves the relative merits of different brushing techniques.

Sources fall into two main camps. The first group, including the American Dental Association, recommends the Bass technique, which calls for holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and brushing in short back-and-forth strokes. While others suggest the Fones technique, with its wide, sweeping circles over the entire surface of the tooth.

Our office recommends the use of the modified Bass technique. You can watch this short video to see Dr. Berdy explain the best way to make sure you are taking care of your teeth for a lifetime.

Fall is coming…should your teeth change colors like the trees?

Now that fall is approaching, I felt it appropriate to ask: should your teeth be like leaves and change colors? Teeth usually change colors when an external event has occurred, such as a fall, trauma from a blunt object, or tooth decay (a cavity). They can also change colors due to exposure from the fluids we drink, such as tea, coffee, and sodas as well as the artificial colors that are added to the foods we eat (to make them look better, certainly not for any nutritional value).

The normal, natural color of teeth can vary greatly. As you may know, teeth are made of two substances. The hard outer shell is known as enamel, and the inner portion called dentin.

The color of enamel can vary from white, to shades of yellow or even gray. Sometimes, the enamel can be stained because of the different chemicals you were exposed to in the water you drink as the teeth were being formed. The enamel can also be malformed if you had a serious illness as a child (during the tooth forming years). Furthermore, genetics can also play a roll in enamel formation and color. Smoking can also stain teeth, and in combination with staining liquids can make your teeth look really bad.

As we mature, the enamel portion of the tooth will wear and become thinner. Now, some of the inner portion (dentin) can start to show through and influence the tooth color. The dentin may actually become visible when the overlying enamel shell has partially or completely worn away. Add to that the staining power of foods and liquids that pass through our mouth, and you can understand why teeth can get stained and ugly. Call us to schedule an appointment and we can recommend options to restore the natural beauty of your teeth.

Alzheimer’s and Periodontal Disease. A link?

Memory, walking speed, and problem solving are all more likely to affect those with periodontal disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The study […] looked at 3,166 adults aged 60 or over from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and compared their performance in tests of memory and walking speed. The results showed that the people with none of their own teeth performed approximately 10% worse in both memory and walking speed tests than the people with teeth.

The study did not postulate a causative link between tooth loss and early-onset memory problems, but it is thought that tooth loss could be an early indication of oncoming mental and physical decline among the older population.

“Regardless of what is behind the link between tooth loss and decline in function, recognizing excessive tooth loss presents an opportunity for early identification of adults at higher risk of faster mental and physical decline later in their life. There are many factors likely to influence this decline, such as lifestyle and psychosocial factors, which are amenable to change.” says lead author Dr Georgios Tsakos UCL Epidemiology & Public Health).

Regular dentist visits are important for prevention of gum disease. Dr. Berdy and your hygienists can remove plaque buildup that can irritate the gums and lead to tooth loss. We also can detect early signs of gum disease. Just remember, prevention begins at home. Brushing and flossing twice daily, eating right and avoiding tobacco will help prevent gum disease.