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The Connection Between Periodontal Disease and Diabetes

People do not seem to be as concerned as they should be about the link between periodontal disease and strokes, heart disease, diabetes, and low birth-weight babies. Forty-two percent of dentists say that periodontal disease is the most pressing oral health issue and education is the key.

Diabetic Control – Periodontal disease is one of the major complications of diabetes. In fact, approximately 95% of Americans who suffer from diabetes also have periodontal disease and the research shows that people with periodontal disease have more difficulty controlling their blood sugar level. People with poor blood sugar control get gum disease more often and more severely, and they lose more teeth than do persons with good control.

Blood Vessel Changes – Thickening of blood vessels is a complication of diabetes that may increase the risk for gum disease. Diabetes causes blood vessels to thicken, which slows the flow of nutrients and the removal of harmful wastes. This can weaken the resistance of gum and bone tissue to infection.

Bacteria – Many kinds of bacteria (germs) thrive on sugars, including glucose — the sugars linked to diabetes. When diabetes is poorly controlled, high glucose levels in the mouth fluids may help germs grow and set the stage for gum disease.

Smoking – Studies show that smoking increases the chances of developing gum disease and for smokers with diabetes — the risk is over 5 times greater. If you are a smoker with diabetes, age 45 or older, you are 20 times more likely than a person without these risk factors to get severe gum disease.

The most important message for people is that good diabetic control is the best protection against periodontal disease.

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Planning a Vacation?

Planning a vacation can be a very exciting time, but it can also become stressful if you are not prepared for an unexpected dental emergency. And there is nothing worse than being away from home when this happens. The following materials can be of help in making a custom dental emergency first aid kit, and can literally SAVE your vacation. Use petroleum jelly or Dentemp to gently replace a crown in your mouth. Dental wax helps coat sharp wires from braces. A small cotton pellet soaked in oil of cloves solution can be placed inside a tooth where a filling has fallen out. Use moistened gauze on any bleeding area and apply pressure for 15 minutes.

Of course, these are all temporary measures, when one cannot seek immediate professional care. One should seek prompt dental or medical care as soon as possible to avoid more serious problems. If you are in doubt, we welcome your questions, so please call us even if you are out of town.

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Creating the Best Dental Visit for Your Child Starts With You...THE PARENT!

Parents play a very influential role in their child’s first dental visit. We advise that you tell your child that they are going to meet a new friend, their dentist, who is going to count and clean their teeth with a special toothbrush, and make sure their teeth are healthy. Reinforce positive statements and avoid “hurt” and “pain.”

Make your child’s appointment day easy and try and see that your youngster is well-rested. Children do much better in the morning when they are not tired; therefore we recommend morning appointments.

Children easily pick up tension, discomfort, and fear from their parent and this can negatively affect the outcome of the visit. We strongly suggest that if one parent is fearful that the other parent accompany the child. After the initial visit, the child may do better with a “one on one” with the dentist.

Many children act up with the parent present and actually behave better without a parent in the treatment area. Be prepared to let your child go into the treatment room alone. As the parent, you are always welcome to be with your child, but it is important to be a casual observer and only participate in the conversation when asked. It is critical to let the dentist lead the interaction, so the child understands who is in control of the situation.

Our office is committed to the dental health of your child. Through early and regular visits and treatment, we can prevent dental decay and infections. Your child, with your cooperation, can become an excellent dental patient with a healthy mouth and a pretty smile.

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Sports Guard Summer Special

June 15th - August 19th
(ends on Super Saturday)

Protect your smile with a CUSTOM FIT mouth guard that will stay in place. Come in during our summer special and enter our raffle drawing for a $50 gift card to Sports Authority. You can use this toward your fall sporting equipment, which is an added bonus for the parents!

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The Toothpaste Secret

Tartar-fighting toothpastes can cause blemishes around the mouth. It is important after brushing your teeth to wash your face thoroughly. These tartar-control formulated toothpastes are also known to cause sensitivity in teeth due to the pyrophosphates they contain. These toothpastes are intended to really clean the tooth surface, therefore tend to be a little more abrasive than regular toothpaste formulas.

Sensitivity-formulated toothpastes are beneficial, yet they can take up to four weeks or longer to take effect before you will notice a reduction in your sensitivity.

Whitening Toothpastes can contribute to canker sores. Rembrant has great treatment toothpaste for canker sores.

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Think Twice Before Doing This...

We all remember our parents warning us to “get that out of your mouth.” Whether it is nail biting to relieve stress or using your teeth for a bottle opener — it’s true that mother (and father) did know best.

TOOTHPICKS – While these marvels may be effective for removing food particles, they often cause food to be wedged deeper between the teeth. In addition a slip or sudden movement can lead to damaged gums and/or lips.

CHEWING ICE CUBES – Ice is hard and brittle. This in itself is enough to chip or crack teeth. Fillings and teeth are further adversely affected by the expansion and contraction that occurs with the sudden temperature change. The extremes in temperatures may affect nerve endings in already sensitive teeth and lead to extreme discomfort.

NAIL BITING – Persistent nail biting causes excessive wear on teeth, possible loss of the tooth root through resorption, lacerated gums, microfractures in teeth, and the spread of skin infections from the hand to the mouth.

SUCKING LEMONS – The citric acid can remove important minerals from the teeth and lead to erosion of the enamel and sensitivity. Teeth become decalcified leaving a soft organic matrix that can be easily abraded away or invaded by bacteria and hence decayed. Drinking large quantities of soda will also cause a generalized decalcification of the teeth.

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Doggie and Kitty Pet Care

When your dog or cat no longer has sweet smelling breath, remember the 3 D’s: daily brushing, diet, and routine dental care.

Your pets should have fresh breath, pink gums, and teeth that are shiny and white. If you begin to notice “doggy breath,” any brownish deposits on the teeth or red areas around the gums — be aware — your pet no longer has a healthy mouth! Just like your mouth, your pet needs to have these problems taken care of. Left unaddressed, these can lead to bacteria in the bloodstream, and other parts of the body.

For additional information on how to care for your pet’s teeth, visit www.petdental.com.

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Cosmetic Smile Makeover

Our patient had always disliked her smile due to the discoloration, shape, staining, and also the gap between her front teeth. She wanted a dream smile and came to us for just that!

She had an upper arch reconstruction with cosmetic porcelain veneers and crowns. After having all her work done, she looked in the mirror for the first time and tears formed in her eyes. Those tears of joy are why we do what we do!

She is learning to smile again and loves every minute of it!

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