Happy Heart: The Dental Connection!

Medical doctors and dental health professionals have debated over the connection between gum disease and heart disease.  While there may not be a unanimous consensus on whether there is a direct link - or the extent to any link there may be - several studies offer some interesting insights into possible correlations that may prove that there are some common factors that point to a likely correlation between the two.

THE LINK

Dr. Simone Ricketts reported on the findings of an Australian study that showed that 70% of the patients that participated in the study who needed heart transplants also had gum disease. A similar study also noted that patients that needed cardiac surgery procedures, were more likely to have dental problems.

Gum disease has been shown to increase the risk factor for blood vessel and artery diseases when those arteries supply blood to the brain.  This is especially important for strokes because they are a common cause of inadequate blood flow to the brain.  Interesting to note is that the gums of people
with gum disease and the blood vessels of people who had atherosclerosis tested positive for similar types of bacteria.  Also, both patients with atherosclerosis and those with gum disease showed the presence of inflammation in their bodies.

While there may be no guarantee that the absence of gum disease will prevent all heart related disease, patients need to understand the importance of taking care of their mouths and doing whatever is necessary to ensure or support heart health!

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

God Bless,
DRT

Memorial Day 2016!

Memorial Day is not only a federal holiday in the United States, but it is a day of observance and remembrance of those who died in service to our country. Originally known as Decoration Day, this solemn day has been marked on calendars since the end of the American Civil War as a day to commemorate both the Confederate and Union soldiers who fought and died in the war.

Today, while there is certainly an air of remembrance on Memorial Day, it has become more of a day to spend time with family, friends and loved ones. And, of course, the day is also heralded as the unofficial start of summer, with many schools finishing for the year around this time!

From community parades, backyard cook-outs, fireworks to formal ceremonies, Memorial Day is truly commemorated in many different ways.  No matter how you choose to spend this day, take a moment to remember all of those who have lost their lives in an effort to preserve our precious freedom!

God Bless,
DRT

Triggers: The Dental Connection!

Suffering from sensitive teeth cannot only be very frustrating, but it can also be a pain that is very difficult to deal with.  Tooth sensitivity can be unpredictable, so there is not necessarily a medication that you can take like you would if you felt a headache coming on.

However, there are certain things to know about dental sensitivity called "triggers." Attempting to identify these so called triggers can help decrease the discomfort.  Common triggers include:












Acidic Foods
















                                             Very Cold Foods












Very Hot Foods












                          Hard or Crunchy Foods

Other options to help decrease dental sensitivity include using a toothbrush made just for sensitive teeth, using a toothpaste that includes anti-sensitivity ingredients, and maintaining regular dental cleanings to decrease the concentration of bacterial acid contacting the tooth surfaces.  Finally, once your teeth are clean, there are some professional desensitizing agents that can also be applied with relatively good success for those patients that are debilitated by their dental sensitivity.

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

God Bless,

DRT

Atmosphere: The Dental Connection!

From your very first visit, our entire team strives to provide excellent treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere.  Your thoughts matter, so we thought that we'd ask you, our wonderful patients: What do you like most about our office?  Did our team brighten your day?   With so many dental choices, what makes our office special and different than all of the rest?

Whether you've just come in for a consultation or your family has been visiting our office for years, we'd love to hear your feedback. You can post your responses here, on our Facebook page or by giving us a call at 918-455-0123. We count it a privilege to be a part of your life, earning your trust, and appreciate the opportunity to improve your dental health!

Thank you!
God Bless,
DRT

Antibiotic Pre-Medication: The Dental Connection

The human mouth contains a lot of bacteria.  A bacterium can travel through your body with routine activities that are a normal part of daily living.  You spread bacteria when you brush or floss your teeth, when you chew, and when you swallow.

For most people, bacteria don't cause any problem.  For some people, however, especially those who have chronic medical conditions, specific cardiac conditions, or those whose immune systems are compromised, bacteria that spreads throughout the bloodstream can lead to much more serious bacterial infections.

The goal of pre-medication or antibiotic prophylaxis is to prevent bacterial endocarditis, a serious infection of the endothelial heart surfaces or heart valves.  A small population of people with certain problems has a high risk for contracting this potentially deadly bacterium.

The American Heart Association states that people at greatest risk for contracting bacterial or infective endocarditis are:

• Patients who underwent cardiac valve surgery in the past
• Those who have suffered past incidents of infective endocarditis
• Patients who have mitro valve prolapse, resulting in or causing valve leakage
• People who have had rheumatic fever or any degenerative cardiac condition that produces abnormalities in cardiac valves
• Patients who suffer from certain congenital heart diseases

For these patients, any dental procedure that may cause bleeding, it is recommended that you have antibiotic pre-medication as a preventive measure.

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

God Bless,

DRT

Fad Diets: The Dental Connection!

With each passing year, many people are determined to lose those unwanted pounds and to improve their health.  However, fad diets or other diet concoctions containing lemon juice as part of a weight-loss cleanse can have adverse effects to your dental health. As more people try restrictive diets to lose weight as part of their new year's resolutions, diet scenarios like the one previously mentioned, are becoming more common according to experts. Even diets that many consider healthy, such as liquid cleanses, low-carb diets like Atkins or Paleo, vegan or raw diets, may not always be healthy for the teeth and gums

While many people seem to look at the impacts that food have on cholesterol, blood sugar and our weight, most dieters don't consider their mouths.  However, many dental professionals are now becoming attuned to the connection between nutrition and oral health.  Unfortunately, most patients need to understand the connection too, and get their dental health teams' guidance on how to keep their teeth healthy as they lose weight.   While followers of fad diets may lose unwanted pounds, they may also lose some tooth enamel in the bargain, or experience other side effects in their teeth and mouth.

Check out some common diets that might impact your dental health.

JUICING

While many swear by the benefits of a juice cleanse, many people don't realize that chewing also stimulates salivary production, which helps counteract the bacterial action that can lead to cavities in your mouth.  To decrease possible adverse side effects from juicing, use a straw, rinse your mouth with water to dilute the acid, brush your teeth with a fluoridated toothpaste 30 minutes after juicing, and choose whole fruits and veggies rather than processed juices.

LOW-CARB

While diets that restrict carbs can eliminate many foods that can lead to tooth decay, the diet itself can lead to a dry mouth, bad breath, and bleeding gums, especially on those that do not eat crunchy fruits and vegetables.  To decrease any adverse dental effects, drink plenty of water, rinse with alcohol free mouthwash, and chew sugar-free gum.

VEGAN DIET

Vegan diets and "raw food only" diets that eliminate meat, fish, cheese, milk or eggs can lead to a reduction in vitamin B-12, vitamin D, calcium and zinc, which are important for the teeth, bones, gums and tissue health.  To decrease these possible side effects, choose supplements or fortified foods with vitamin B-12, calcium and zinc.

So if you are determined to lose weight and improve your overall health this year, great, just be informed so that you can achieve your objections without incurring any unintended dental consequences. If you have any questions or are in need of a dental appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123.

God Bless,
DRT

1-Day Lemon Water Cleanse: The Dental Connection!

A very popular cleanse that is being implemented by many patients and that has been featured on the Dr. OZ show and his website has a dental connection.  As his website states, "Drinking hot lemon water is a great way to kick-start your metabolism and helps you begin your day feeling energized. Make this recipe to your liking and add as many or as few lemon slices as your taste buds desire. This warm cup is an especially good swap during the cleanse for those who enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning." Although the warm lemon water may energize your system, many people are unaware that lemon water can have a very damaging effect upon your teeth!

Lemon water, hot or in iced water, contains citric acid, which has been shown to dissolve the enamel off of your teeth.  Recently, a patient presented to our office for a regular cleaning and exam.  Although the patient had NO discomfort, rampant decay at the gumline and on the root surfaces below the gum tissue was discovered.  Unfortunately, this type of decay can easily lead to tooth loss.  The patient stated that the only change that she had experienced since the last cleaning was the implementation of the lemon cleanse that had been seen on the Dr Oz television show.  If you do participate in this popular lemon cleanse, please be aware of the potential unexpected dental damage that may occur!  Rinsing your mouth thoroughly with plain water following each cup of lemon water can reduce the acidity in the mouth and thereby limiting the enamel erosion.

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

God Bless,
DRT