Our Website: Your Dental Connection!

Our website truly is YOUR DENTAL CONNECTION to all things pertaining to Thomas Family Dentistry.   With continually enhanced abilities to communicate with our patients, our website provides the most up-to-date information about our practice.  From many popular social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and Pinterest, to our constantly updated BLOGS, our website is information central!  Our number one priority is to provide a platform of dental education, highlighting home town events and informing our patients about dental specials that will be featured at our office.

So stay tuned, stay informed and always let us know what you think!  If you have any questions or are in need of an appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,
DRT

Ending The Year With A Smile: The Dental Connection!

Although people have been ushering in the New Year for centuries, it did not become an official holiday until 1582 by Pope George XIII.  At midnight, people were instructed to yell, holler, and blow horns to scare away the evil spirits of the previous year so that the New Year would be joyous and filled with opportunity.  Nearly 500 years later, the New Year is still greeted by whooping and hollering but in a celebratory manner instead!

No manner what your New Year's plans may be, remember to be safe as you end the end with a smile!

God Bless,
DRT

Postmenopause: The Dental Connection!

A new study suggests that postmenopausal women are not only at a high risk for broken bones, but are also at an increased risk for gum disease.

The research included almost 200 women, aged 51 to 80.  They had all gone through menopause within the last 10 years, did not smoke and had not taken any hormone replacement therapy, bone loss prevention drugs or diabetes medications for at least five years.

The women's gums were examined and their fracture risk was assessed on a Fracture Assessment Risk Tool (FRAX), which takes into account factors such as weight, height, previous fractures, arthritis, smoking and diabetes.

The researchers noted that many of those factors are also associated with gum disease!

Women with high fracture risk scores also showed the strongest signs of gum disease, a finding that suggests that fracture risk could be a reliable indicator of gum disease, according to the study published in the journal Menopause.

While more investigations are needed, the FRAX tool score can potentially be used as a way to find women at risk for gum disease. Although health insurance does not cover dental procedures, researchers are now suggesting that there should be coverage for gum disease because of its link to a woman's overall health.

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

God Bless,
DRT

Tannic Acid: The Dental Connection!

Although Coffee and Tea are two of the most common drinks in the world, most people do not realize that they can be very tough on your teeth.  Tannic acid, the substance that makes these popular drinks dark, etches into the pits and grooves of tooth enamel. This is how coffee and tea can transform your teeth from white to tan and in may areas, black!

So, if you can't give up that morning cup o'joe, check out the following tips to reduce their impact on your teeth.

• Rinse with a glass of water after every cup
• Drink iced coffee or tea with a straw

Even if you are not a big coffee or tea drinker, swishing you mouth out with plain water after every meal can help to neutralize the cavity causing acids that are left in your mouth.  If you have any questions or are in need of an appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,

DRT

Smoking: The Dental Connection!

Although everyone is likely to know that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer and emphysema, most people may not realize that cigarettes can have an impact on your smile! Chronic smokers suffer from increased dental problems that can make their smiles unsightly.  Understanding how smoking affects your oral health may provide the momentum that you need to kick the habit for good.

Cosmetic Changes Associated With Smoking

Cigarettes contain more than 600 ingredients that, when lit, create in excess of 4,000 chemicals.  Of these, many are known to be carcinogens while others have been shown to have serious negative effects on health.  The nicotine and tar in all tobacco products are absorbed by the enamel of your teeth.  The result is yellowed teeth that look unsightly; with heavy smoking, your teeth may eventually turn nearly brown in color.  Smoking is also associated with a build-up of tartar and plaque on the surface of your teeth.  Over time, this increases your risk of developing cavities and other oral health problems.  Furthermore, pursing your lips while smoking, leads to wrinkles around your mouth, which detracts from your smile.

Electronic Cigarettes or "Vaping"

The verdict is still out on whether the newest craze of electronic cigarettes is a "safe" alternative to smoking.  Early studies are suggesting that the heating elements used to aerosolize the glycol into a vapor, deposit metals into the vapor, that when inhaled, are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.  Also, the water vapor that is being expressed from the process has been shown to be absorbed as "second-hand" smoke into the by-standers that are not using the product.  If the electronic cigarettes are utilizing a nicotine cartridge, then that means that the non-vaping individuals inhaling the vapors can be exposed to the drug nicotine.  Early studies have shown significant amounts of nicotine in their bloodstreams as well.  Finally, many of the flavored vapors may have added sweeteners that can contribute to tooth decay.  Since all of these e-cigarettes are NOT regulated by the FDA, more research studies are required and patients need to be very cautious.

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

God Bless,
DRT

Sealants: The Dental Connection!

School will be starting soon and keeping your child's teeth in their best possible condition will help them maintain optimum oral health for the rest of their lives.  When brushing and flossing isn't enough, we may suggest placing a dental sealant on your child's teeth. Children who have dental sealants can decrease their chance of tooth decay by 60%!  Sealants are a safe, painless, and effective way to ensure your child's dental health for years to come.

Dental sealants work by providing a protective shield over the tiny grooves and depressions that are found on the chewing surfaces of teeth.  While brushing and flossing are still essential even if a tooth has received a dental sealant, this coating will help the vulnerable areas be less likely to develop decay by "sealing out" plaque and food debris.

If we think that a sealant would be a good option for your child, a simple office visit is all that it takes.  One of our friendly clinical staff members will thoroughly clean your child's teeth before applying the white liquid-plastic material to the tooth's surface.  While sealants can protect teeth from decay for up to ten years, they will be checked for chipping or wear at each regular dental check-up at Thomas Family Dentistry!

If you have any questions or need an appointment, call us at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,
DRT

Wisdom Teeth: The Dental Connection!

No one ever seems to wake up one day and decide that there's nothing else better to do than to have their wisdom teeth removed! However, since wisdom teeth generally begin to erupt between the ages of 17 and 25, many patients may need to consider their removal for many reasons, including pain, infection, or growth issues. Check out the list below that reviews the most common issues associated with wisdom teeth.

• Overcrowding
• Many patients have smaller mouths and jaws, which do not allow room for the third molars (wisdom teeth) to grow in properly. If these teeth do erupt, overcrowding can occur.  Your teeth can begin to shift or overlap each other.   Wisdom teeth that erupt after orthodontic care is completed can cause the teeth to shift and negate the work performed.
• Impacted Wisdom Teeth
• When wisdom teeth are impacted, they are trapped below your gum line. Impacted wisdom teeth can be very painful and may be prone to abscess and infection.  The impaction can also lead to decay and resorption of healthy teeth.
• Decay
• Even if wisdom teeth grow in properly, their location makes it very hard to care for.  Statistically, there is an increased risk for decay and gum disease the closer any tooth is to your throat due to access for home care as well an increase also occurs the older one becomes.

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

God Bless,

DRT