Good Nutrition: Important for Your Mouth and Your Body

By Drs Lawitts and Yeates

December 30, 2014

Category: Oral Health

Tags: oral health nutrition

GoodNutritionImportantforYourMouthandYourBody

Your general and oral health go hand in hand — whatever is going on with the rest of your body can also affect your teeth, gums and other mouth tissues. That's why it's essential that you eat a diet with the right balance of healthy foods, while cutting back on unhealthy ones that contribute to tooth decay and other health issues.

When we refer to healthy foods, we mean foods with high nutritional value. These kinds of foods provide nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water) that build strong bodies (including teeth and gums), fight disease and help our bodies maintain good function on the cellular level.

A healthy diet has three components: variety, eating several different kinds of foods with a wide range of nutrients; balance, eating a proper portion from different food groups; and moderation, eating portions that are enough to meet energy needs and cellular health while not overindulging. It's important to remember that excess carbohydrates, proteins and fats are stored as body fat, which has an impact on a healthy weight.

In addition, you should also bear in mind how certain foods can have a direct effect on your teeth and gums. Foods with added sugars (such as refined sugar or corn syrup) and starches are a rich food source for decay-causing bacteria; naturally occurring sugars found in fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy products are not as great a threat. In this regard, the best approach is to decrease the amount of processed foods in your diet, while increasing your intake of whole foods.

You can also help deter tooth decay with certain foods. Eating cheese after a sweet snack helps prevent an increase in the mouth's acidic level, a contributing factor in tooth decay. Eating plant foods that require chewing stimulates saliva, which also helps prevent a rise in the acidic level.

Proper nutrition is a key component in maintaining overall good health. It's just as important for keeping your teeth and gums healthy and functioning.

If you would like more information on nutrition and the part it plays with your oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Nutrition: Its Role in General and Oral Health.”

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Maintenance Manual for Your Teeth and Gums

By Drs Lawitts and Yeates

December 22, 2014

Category: Oral Health

Tags: oral health

Your car comes with a maintenance manual that tells you when to get an oil change, rotate the tires, and perform other necessary tasks. By following the manual's directions you can keep your car running in good condition for many years. Too bad a manual doesn't come with your teeth and gums!

Such a manual would concentrate on a few basic tasks we call oral hygiene and teeth cleanings. Both tasks are mainly dedicated to removing dental plaque or biofilm from the surfaces of your teeth and the surrounding gums. Plaque is now referred to as a biofilm, a film composed of bacteria, that naturally forms in your mouth. Studies have shown that dental plaque causes periodontal disease (gum disease) and dental caries (tooth decay).

Tips for Daily Removal of Dental Plaque
The way you hold your toothbrush is crucial to your ability to remove plaque effectively. We recommend that you hold it in your fingertips as you would a pen or pencil. Use small motions and pressure. Brushing too hard can damage gum tissues. Use a soft bristled brush, hold it at about a 45 degree angle to the gum line and then use a gentle scrubbing motion. Studies have shown some electric toothbrushes to be more efficient at plaque removal than hand-held brushes; but in general how you use the brush is more important than what kind of brush it is.

To remove plaque deposits from the hard-to-reach areas between your teeth, floss at least once a day. Wrap the floss around each tooth surface and gently move it up and down for a few strokes, cleaning the sides of your teeth where they face each other.

You can use an antibacterial mouthrinse to get help reduce the bacterial plaque or biofilm that you missed in brushing and flossing.

The best way to make sure you are brushing correctly is to have a dental professional demonstrate for you. We would be happy to demonstrate the correct techniques in your own mouth so that you can see how it feels, and you can copy the methods we use.

Professional Maintenance Schedule
Your car needs to go into the shop from time to time for professional maintenance. Your teeth also need a regular schedule of maintenance from a professional dentist or hygienist. Over time, plaque that you do not manage to clean off your teeth accumulates and forms hard deposits called calculus or tartar. If left on your teeth these deposits cause inflammation of your gum tissues and can lead to infection, abscesses, and even tooth loss. During a professional cleaning a technique called scaling removes these substances. For more advanced forms of gum disease, root planing is used to remove deposits of calculus below the gum line.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about oral hygiene. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Oral Hygiene Behavior.”

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New Year, New Smile

By Drs Lawitts and Yeates

December 19, 2014

Category: Dental Procedures

Tags: dental implants

In the winter months, when the daylight hours grow few, we celebrate the season with holiday lights and good cheer. This season of hope and renewal also gives us a chance to think about the future — to take stock of where we’ve been, and even plan for some changes in the new year.

Deciding to improve your overall health is one great way to start off the year. Of course, we know many resolutions that begin with crash diets and extreme fitness programs won’t be kept up for very long. But if there were one permanent change you could make, which would both enhance your appearance and improve your health… would you do it? If you are missing teeth — or if you’re wearing dentures that aren’t working the way you’d like — then perhaps we can offer a suggestion: Consider dental implants.

Besides being an obvious blemish on your appearance, missing teeth also create problems you can’t see. For one, it’s harder to eat a proper, balanced diet if you have trouble chewing certain foods, potentially leading to serious nutritional problems. For another, when teeth are lost, the bone in your jaw that used to surround them begins to deteriorate. This can cause you to have a prematurely aged look, and make you appear unhappy even when you’re not.

Unfortunately, dentures don’t solve these problems — in fact, they tend to compound them. Many denture wearers report they have problems eating; some even say they eat better without dentures. And dentures don’t stop bone loss; in many cases, especially when they don’t fit correctly, they actually accelerate it.

But there’s really no reason you have to get by with missing teeth. Since they were introduced some three decades ago, dental implants have offered people a better way to replace lost teeth. With implants, you can eat your favorite foods again, smile with complete assurance, and stop worrying about dentures that may fit poorly or slip out at the wrong times.

Fixed solidly in your jaw in a minor surgical procedure, dental implants function just like your natural teeth. Their natural look and “feel” makes it easy to forget they aren’t the teeth you were born with. Best of all, they can last the rest of your life… unlike bridges or dentures. Because they offer a permanent solution, implants can be quite cost-effective in the long run. But the way they can restore your confidence and make you feel good about yourself isn’t something you can put a price on.

So if you have ever thought about making a New Year’s resolution that will really improve your health and well-being — consider dental implants. Just call our office to schedule a consultation. You can learn more in Dear Doctor magazine’s in-depth guide, “Dental Implants.”

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Temporary Tooth Replacement with Flexible Partial Dentures

By Drs Lawitts and Yeates

December 11, 2014

Category: Dental Procedures

Tags: partial denture

Modern dentistry offers several great ways to permanently replace missing teeth, including high-tech dental implants and traditional fixed bridgework. But sometimes, for one reason or another, it isn’t possible to have these treatments done right away. If you need an aesthetic way to temporarily replace missing teeth, a flexible partial denture could be the answer you’re looking for.

Certain kinds of removable partial dentures (RPDs) can be used as permanent tooth replacement systems, especially for people who aren’t candidates for dental implants or fixed bridges. But in the past, if you needed a temporary tooth replacement, one of the few alternatives was the type of rigid RPD often called a “flipper.” This consists of a firm, relatively thick acrylic base that supports one or more lifelike replacement teeth. It attaches to the “necks” of existing natural teeth via metal clasps, which gives it stability and strength.

However, the same rigidity and thickness that gives these rigid RPDs their durability can make them uncomfortable to wear, while the acrylic material they are made of is capable of staining or breaking. Over time, the RPDs are prone to coming loose — and they are also easy to flip in and out with the tongue, which gives them their nickname.

Flexible partial dentures, by contrast, are made of pliable polyamides (nylon-like plastics) that are thin, light and resistant to breakage. Instead of using metal wires to attach to the teeth, flexible RPDs are held securely in place by thin projections of their gum-colored bases, which fit tightly into the natural contours of the gumline. Their elasticity and light weight can make them more comfortable to wear. Plus, besides offering aesthetic replacements for missing teeth, their natural-looking bases can cover areas where gums have receded — making existing teeth look better as well.

All RPDs must be removed regularly for thorough cleaning — but it’s especially important for flexible RPD wearers to practice excellent oral hygiene. That’s because the projections that hold them in place can also trap food particles and bacteria, which can cause decay. And, like most dentures, RPDs should never be worn overnight. Yet with proper care, flexible RPDs offer an inexpensive and aesthetic way to temporarily replace missing teeth.

If you have questions about removable partial dentures, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

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What Athletes Have to Tell Us About Oral Health

By Drs Lawitts and Yeates

December 01, 2014

Category: Oral Health

Tags: oral health

Considering all the intensive conditioning, practice and training they do, most people would expect elite athletes to be… well… healthy. And that’s generally true — except when it comes to their oral health. A major study of Olympic contenders in the 2012 London games showed that the oral health of athletes is far worse than that of the general population.

Or to put it more succinctly: “They have bodies of Adonis and a garbage mouth.”

That comment, from Dr. Paul Piccininni, a practicing dentist and member of the International Olympic Committee’s medical commission, sums up the study’s findings. In terms of the numbers, the report estimates that about one in five athletes fared worse in competition because of poor oral health, and almost half had not seen a dentist in the past year. It also found that 55 percent had cavities, 45 percent suffered from dental erosion (excessive tooth wear), and about 15 percent had moderate to severe periodontal (gum) disease.

Yet, according to Professor Ian Needleman of University College, London, lead author of the study, “Oral health could be an easy win for athletes, as the oral conditions that can affect performance are all easily preventable.”

Many of the factors that had a negative impact on the athletes are the same ones that can degrade your own oral health. A follow-up paper recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine identified several of these issues. One is a poor diet: The consumption of excessive carbohydrates and acidic foods and beverages (including sports drinks) can cause tooth decay and erosion of the protective enamel. Another is dehydration: Not drinking enough water can reduce the flow of healthy saliva, which can add to the damage caused by carbohydrates and acids. The effects of eating disorders (which are more commonly seen in certain sports, such as gymnastics) can also dramatically worsen an individual’s oral health.

Sound familiar? Maybe it’s because this brings up some issues that dentists have been talking about all along. While we don’t mean to nag, this study does point out that even world-class competitors have room for improvement with their oral hygiene. How about you? Whether you’re a triathlete in training, a weekend warrior or an armchair aficionado, good oral health can have a major effect on your well-being.

If you have additional questions about oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. For more information, see the Dear Doctor magazine article “Good Oral Health Leads to Better Health Overall.”

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	Dr. Karen Lawitts	Dr. Nancy Yeates
	Dr. Lawitts was born and raised in Syracuse, NY. She received her Bachelor of Science and D.D.S degree from Northwestern University in Chicago.	Dr. Nancy Yeates graduated from Canisius College with a B.A. in Biology. She then attended Georgetown University School of Dentistry.

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Posts for: December, 2014

Good Nutrition: Important for Your Mouth and Your Body

Maintenance Manual for Your Teeth and Gums

New Year, New Smile

Temporary Tooth Replacement with Flexible Partial Dentures

What Athletes Have to Tell Us About Oral Health

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