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.

Introducing… Antioxidant Therapy!

A New Way To Protect Your Oral Health

Our office is introducing a new unique approach to addressing problems with the inflammation and bacteria in your mouth that cause disease and decay. The antioxidants in PerioSciences gel and toothpaste will neutralize free radicals that cause the oxidation of our tissues and result in inflammation, infection and eventually disease.

About PerioSciences

PerioSciences researches, formulates, and markets topically applied, antioxidant-based oral care and oral hygiene products. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, PerioSciences has established a new category of products – antioxidant-based oral care. PerioSciences is committed to world-class research and to providing the most advanced products for oral health. Using a state-of-the-art business model, PerioSciences partners in sales and distribution with dental professionals, hygienists, and specialists as well as and other medical professionals and medi-spas.

A revolutionary product category

In the 1970s, it was for hair. Researchers and developers realized that most hair treatments were harmful to hair, so they found ways to incorporate nutrients into products, resulting in a new product category. The first products were sold through exclusive salons by professionals who were in the best position to explain features and benefits of the high-end products.

In the 1990s, it was for skin. Scientists and dermatologists found that antioxidants could have dramatic results on skin cells. As they incorporated these natural compounds into skin care products, they created another new product category, “cosmeceuticals.” Again, professional aestheticians and medi-spa owners—along with dermatologists and plastic surgeons—became the logical channel for providing the advanced products to patients and clients who wanted the most high-caliber skin care available.

Today, it is for oral care. A major focus in science and medicine in recent years has focused on the interaction of oral health with overall, systemic health. At the same time, research has shown that new technologies, including antioxidants, can be incorporated into oral care products. Once again, dental and medical professionals are at the forefront of a sweeping trend for a novel product category and are in the best position to educate their patients on the best-in-class products for optimal oral health.

A unique approach to oral care

Historically, oral care products concentrated on eliminating bacteria in the mouth. Alcohol, the primary ingredient in many products, kills bacteria but also dries oral tissue. However, dry tissues create a fertile environment in which bacteria can actually thrive.

Another anti-bacterial agent is hydrogen peroxide, which is included in many breath products as well as in teeth whiteners. Published research has shown that hydrogen peroxide triggers an oxidation process that leads to a condition called oxidative stress—a precursor to inflammation.

The PerioSciences approach is to work in concert with the body’s natural defense system in the oral cavity. Saliva has natural antioxidants and natural anti-bacterial agents. The antioxidants in PerioSciences products complement those in saliva, and our polyphenol components work with the saliva’s antimicrobial agents. Altogether, our natural ingredients are gentle on soft oral tissue, but provide powerful plant-based antioxidants and polyphenols to enhance the salivary system.

Patient-focused benefits

Some oral care products are designed around a certain feature or function: anti-cavity, whitening, anti-bacterial, and so on. The PerioSciences strategy is to develop products that meet the needs of patients, and provide a combination of benefits for their condition. Smokers want ingredients for breath-freshening and for counteracting the negative effects of nicotine. Health-minded people want the most advanced products available for maximizing their oral and systemic health. Some patients want ingredients that can relieve dry mouth or taste changes due to medication. People with serious oral diseases want high-powered products that address infection and inflammation but are also soothing and pleasant to use.

The PerioSciences commitment is to develop products that focus on comprehensive oral care benefits for patients.

Convenience for the Patient with Innovation

Because dental and medical professionals are in the best position to interpret the vast research published on antioxidants, PerioSciences sells its high-end line of oral care products through dental offices and medi-spas. The line will not be available in stores or pharmacies. During office visits, patients can sign up online for the easy and convenient shipment, including auto-refills. PerioSciences ships products from the warehouse directly to the patient’s home so professional offices do not need to maintain inventory, but we do stock a small amount of product so our patients can walk out of the office with product in hand. Be sure to ask Dr. Berdy or your hygienist about PerioSciences during your next trip to the office!