Friday, July 25, 2014

Corrosion: Your Grill Connection!

Looking inside someone's mouth, the members of our dental team can learn a lot!  We can get clues about your diet, how sound you sleep, and perhaps whether or not you struggle with acid reflux.

Acid Reflux Disease Is Very Common Today

Acid reflux is quite common in adults over the age of 20.  This is a condition where stomach acid leaks up into the esophagus creating heartburn or regurgitation.  Often, the symptoms are not severe so it can go unnoticed or ignored.

Most People Don't Realize The Potential Effects On Teeth

If you suffer from acid reflux, it's possible that there's more damage going on than you realize. Frequent and/or severe reflux can cause those powerful acids to reach your mouth-and your teeth, which can lead to enamel erosion.  Although the following symptoms can be caused by a number of conditions, acid reflux is certainly one of them.

Common Symptoms

  • Sensitivity to certain foods
  • Unexplained pain or irritation in your mouth
  • Noticeable thinning or shortening of teeth
  • Darkening of your teeth

Protecting Your Smile
  • Treat Your Acid Reflux Disease
    • Seek Medical Help
  • Make Simple Dietary Changes
    • Limit acidic foods and drinks
  • Rinse Your Mouth With Water After Reflux Episodes
    • Don't let acids sit on your teeth
  • Wait An Hour After Reflux Episodes To Brush Your Teeth
    • Brushing immediately can be harsh on your teeth
  • Keep Your Mouth Moist And Fresh
    • Chew sugarless gums, lozenges, or candies.

If you have any questions concerning acid reflux or are in need of an appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,



Saturday, July 12, 2014

Swimming Pools: The Dental Connection!

Summertime is all about smiling and having fun!.  It's a time for family vacations, late night ice cream trips with friends, and backyard BBQ's. Summertime also includes lots of swimming for the entire family.  Swimming is a great way to spend time together along with wonderful exercise for the whole family as well.   But there are hidden dangers lurking in your pool for your teeth and health!

Did you know that poor maintenance of pool chemicals can cause damage to your tooth enamel? A poorly controlled pool can cause permanent damage to your family's teeth.  Swimming pool water that is over chlorinated (commonly see in community pools) can cause tooth enamel erosion and permanently stain your teeth!  Tooth erosion is the wearing and loss of enamel by the effects of acid.  Excessive amount of chlorine in the swimming pool will lower the pool's pH level.  This makes the pool water acidic.  That acid, with continued exposure over time, can cause hard, brown tartar deposits and begin to cause tooth enamel erosion.  If you have ever been to a pool where your eyes begin to water or your nose burns from sniffing the pool water, the pH was very low in that pool.

If you have any questions or are in need of an appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,
DRT

Monday, July 7, 2014

Summer Break & Wisdom Teeth: The Dental Connection!

After your son or daughter departs for college, the last thing you want to get is a call or text to learn that your kid is in pain.  Although there are not many emergency situations that can be avoided when it comes to dental health, one crisis that can easily be prevented before your teen heads away to school is wisdom tooth pain.

Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that erupt in the late teen to early 20s.  Wisdom teeth can go from barely noticeable to extremely painful in a very short period of time. Because most people do not have enough space for wisdom teeth to erupt fully and remain perfectly aligned, pain, swelling, infection, damage to adjacent teeth, and decay commonly develop.  These problems can brew beneath the surface for weeks or months, offering no warning before painful symptoms occur! To prevent these inconvenient episodes, most oral surgeons currently recommend to electively remove the wisdom teeth before they become symptomatic.

Summer break is the perfect time to remove wisdom teeth so that your child can avoid the stressful scenario of experiencing this emergency while they are away from home.  If you have any questions about wisdom teeth or are in need of an appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,
DRT


Friday, July 4, 2014

Happy 4th Of July!

Every year, Americans all over the world celebrate the birth of our country and its independence on the Fourth of July.  There are countless ways that people celebrate and they range from community parades and large scale gatherings, to concerts, fireworks displays, and smaller scale celebrations among family and friends.   For some people, July 4th is synonymous with baseball, while for others, it is all about the beach and barbecues.  However you celebrate, you can be sure that red, white, and blue is visible everywhere throughout the area.  Check out these fun facts about the "Fourth" that you may not have known:

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE FOURTH OF JULY

  • The reason the stars on the original flag were arranged in a circle is because it was believed that it would indicate that all of the colonies were equal.
  • Americans eat over 150 million hot dogs on July 4th.
  • Imports of fireworks each year totals over $211 million.
  • The first "official" Fourth of July party took place at the White House in 1801.
  • Benjamin Franklin didn't want the national bird to be the bald eagle.  He believed that the turkey was better suited for the coveted distinction.  John Adams and Thomas Jefferson disagreed with him, and he was outvoted, so the bald eagle became the official bird of the United States.

No matter how or where you celebrate, one thing is certain, All Americans celebrate July 4th as the birth and independence of our great country. Have a great day and may God Bless America!

God Bless,