Athletic Mouthguards

According to the American Dental Association more than 2 million teeth are knocked out each year due to sports-related injuries; however approximately 200,000 high school and college athletes use mouthguards to avoid such injuries.  To protect your mouth while you are on the field, talk to your dentist about having a custom athletic mouthguard made for you. 

What is a mouthguard?
An athletic mouthguard is a flexible appliance that is worn during athletic and recreational activities to protect teeth from trauma.  Custom fabricated mouthguards are essential for preventing athletic oral/facial injuries such as broken teeth, jaw fracture, cerebral hemorrhage, and neck injuries.  Mouthguards are effective at moving the lips and cheeks away from the teeth, thus preventing cutting and bruising of these soft tissues - especially for those who wear orthodontic appliances.  Wearing a mouthguard can also reduce the severity and incidence of concussion.  

When should I wear a mouthguard?
 It is advisable to wear a mouthguard anytime there is a strong chance for contact with other participants or with hard surfaces.  The National Youth Sports Foundation for the Prevention of Athletic Injuries Inc. reports that dental injuries are the most common type of orofacial injury sustained during sports related activities.  Mouthguards should be worn when participating in activities such as basketball, softball/baseball, football, wrestling, soccer, lacrosse, rugby, hockey, skateboarding and bicycling.   

What are the different types of mouthguards?
There are several types of mouthguards, including the following:

• Stock mouthguard: This is a ready to use product that you can buy off the shelf, and is not custom fit to your mouth.  This type of mouthguard must be held in the mouth by biting down on it; as a result, it may interfere with speech and breathing.  This type of mouthguard offer the least amount of protection and is not considered an acceptable device for facial protection.
• Mouth-formed mouthguard: There are two types of mouth-formed mouthguards.  The first is a shell-liner mouthguard that is made from an acrylic that is poured into an outer shell and allowed to set and forms an inner lining.  The second type is a thermoplastic (also known as a boil-and-bite) mouthguard.  This type of mouthguard is softened in hot water, placed in the mouth, and shaped around the teeth.  Both types of mouth-formed mouthguards offer some degree of protection but will usually be bulky and have a loose fit.  
• Custom-made mouthguard: The best choice is a mouthguard that is custom made by your dentist.  It offers the best protection, fit and comfort level because it is made from a model of your teeth.  

How should I care for my mouthguard?

• Clean with soap and cool (not hot) water
• Keep your mouthguard in a well-ventilated plastic storage container when you are not using it. 
• Soak in denture cleaner for 30 minutes before storing.
• Protect from high temperatures caused by hot water and hot surfaces as heat will distort the the mouthguard and prevent it from fitting properly.

For more information on mouthguards make an appointment to see us here a Dental Associates.  
 

Minimally Invasive Dentistry

The goal of minimally invasive dentistry, is to conserve healthy tooth structure.  It focuses on prevention, remineralization, and minimal dentist intervention.  Minimally invasive dentistry allows dentists to perform the least amount of dentistry possible, never removing more tooth structure than required to restore the tooth.  Minimally invasive dentistry is vastly different from dentistry as it was, even just a couple of decades ago. 

Which techniques are used?
Minimally invasive techniques include:
Remineralization: this is the process of restoring lost minerals to the tooth.  Remineralization can repair the initial damage caused by tooth decay (demineralization).  Fluoride plays an important role in this process. Your dentist may recommend that you use special mouth rinses, toothpastes or gels that contain higher amounts of fluoride than over the counter toothpaste.   
Sealants: made from tooth colored resin, sealants fit into the grooves and depressions of the tooth and act as a barrier protecting against acid and plaque.  Sealants do not require any cutting of the tooth and can be placed on teeth that might be susceptible to decay at any time.
Resin Fillings: tooth colored fillings that require minimal removal of tooth structure to place.  Provided that the extent of decay is also minimal, there is no reason to make a filling larger than the area of decay that has been removed.  This was not true in the recent past when amalgam fillings were routinely placed and required extensive removal of sound tooth structure in order to place a filling.
Inlays & Onlays: Traditionally a dentist would restore a badly broken tooth with a crown, however inlays and onlays can also be used and do not require the removal of as much tooth structure.  Inlays are similar to fillings except that they are custom made to fit the cavity in your tooth and are typically the same color as your tooth.  Onlays are used for more substantial reconstruction, are tooth colored  and also do not require the dentist to remove as much natural tooth structure as would a crown.
Night Guards: Many people grind their teeth at night.  Grinding, or bruxism, may cause serious, irreversible damage to the teeth.  If the wearing of the teeth is severe, teeth may need to be treated with crowns.  Grinding, which usually begins in your teenage years or early 20's can be detected and corrected before much damage has been done.

At Dental Associates we are committed to providing superior, conservative dentistry at fair prices.  Come in for a consult today. 

Periodontal Disease & Your Systemic Health

               Periodontal Disease & Your Systemic Health

    Over the last decade various media sources have presented stories concerning the connection between periodontal (gum) disease, an oral infection, and other diseases in the body.  The New York Times ran a story calling into question the relationship between gum disease and coronary artery disease.  Others have highlighted the positive relationship between gum disease, diabetes, stroke, low birth-weight babies and coronary artery disease. 

    What are the facts?  We do know that gum disease occurs as a direct result of bacteria, being ineffectively cleansed from the teeth. The connections between gum disease and the previously mentioned disease processes are real, but remain loosely defined and incompletely understood.  We do know that the byproducts of periodontal infection set off a cascading series of events within the immune system. These byproducts have the capability to negatively effect other parts of the body.  It is the cascade of biochemical mediators brought about by gum disease that are related with other diseases.  Diseases now cited within the scientific literature with a strong association to periodontal disease include:

•  Kidney Disease
• Osteoporosis
• Respiratory Disease
• Coronary Artery Disease
• Stroke or CVA
• Diabetes
• Premature Labor/Low Birth Weight
• Arthritis
• Alzheimer’s Disease

    Our promise to you is that we will do all in our power to ensure that periodontal disease is detected, and properly treated. We also commit to you that you will receive the most current medical-dental information to enable you to make informed decisions regarding your oral and general health care. 

Mouth Rinses (Mouthwash)

Mouth rinse or mouthwash is a product used to improve oral hygiene.  Antiseptic and anti-plaque mouthwashes claim to eliminate the germs that cause plaque, gingivitis and bad breath.  Anti-cavity mouth rinses use fluoride to protect teeth against tooth decay.  Mouth rinses are often categorized as either cosmetic or therapeutic.  Cosmetic mouth rinses are commercial, over-the-counter (OTC) products that help remove oral debris before or after brushing, temporarily suppress bad breath and often have a pleasant taste.  Therapeutic rinses have all of the benefits of cosmetic rinses but also contain an active ingredient that helps protect against some oral diseases.  Therapeutic rinses can also be categorized according to use: anti-plaque/anti-gingivitis rinses or anti-cavity fluoride rinses for example.  Dentists will prescribe special rinses for patients with more significant oral health problems such as tooth decay, periodontal disease, gum inflammation and dry mouth (xerostomia).

Should I use a mouth rinse?
The answer to this question depends primarily upon your personal needs.  You should be aware that while most over-the-counter mouth rinses are helpful in the reduction of tooth decay and temporarily effective at freshening breath, studies have shown that most over-the-counter mouth rinses claiming anti-plaque effectiveness are only slightly more effective in reducing plaque and lessening gum disease that rinsing with water alone.

How should I use a mouth rinse? 
Before using a mouth rinse brush and floss your teeth well.  Teeth and gums should be as clean as possible before rinsing to help provide you with full preventative benefits.  Use the recommended amount of rinse for the recommended amount of time.  Do not eat, rinse, drink, or smoke for at least 30 minutes after using rinses, as these things will reduce the effectiveness of the rinse.
Discuss mouth rinses with your dentist to see which may be right for you. 

Cosmetic Dentistry

 

What is cosmetic Dentistry and how can it improve my smile?

At Dental Associates we can perform a variety of cosmetic procedures to improve the appearance of your smile - from subtle changes to major repairs. We have many options and techniques to treat teeth that are discolored, misshaped, chipped or missing. We can reshape your teeth, close spaces, restore worn teeth, or alter the length of your teeth. Common procedures include: tooth whitening, bonding, veneers, crowns and esthetic reshaping and contouring of your natural teeth.

What is whitening?
Tooth whitening is a popular process used to brighten smiles. Discoloration that occurs in the enamel can be caused by medication, coffee, tea, cigarettes, and many other commonly consumed foods and beverages.  Discoloration  can also occur simply from aging.  Whitening can be performed by your dentist in the office or under dental supervision at home.

What is bonding?
Bonding is the use of tooth colored material to fill in gaps or change the color of teeth.  Bonding can last a number of years and often only requires a single office visit.  Bonding can be more susceptible to staining or chipping than other types of restorations but is also easily repaired. Bonding can be a very conservative and cost effective way of improving your smile.

What are veneers?
Veneers are thin layers of porcelain that are cemented over the front surface of your teeth.  They can change the color or shape of your teeth.  Veneers are used on teeth that are chipped, discolored, oddly shaped, unevenly spaced or crooked.  Veneers are used to treat some of the same problems that bonding is used to treat but should last substantially longer and are not as likely to discolor over time. Veneers are also in certain situations an alternative treatment to crowns.  

Please contact us to discuss how we can help you achieve the smile you have always dreamed of.  

860.677.8666

Toothpaste

Toothpaste has many functions: it delivers fluoride to prevent cavities, freshens breath, cleans your teeth by removing dental plaque and food from your teeth, polishes your teeth and removes surface stains over time.  Overall, toothpaste promotes good oral health

What is in toothpaste?
Toothpaste is available in paste or gel form. Despite the many types of toothpaste that exist, some ingredients are common to most varieties, these include:

• Abrasives to help brush away plaque and other debris with the aid of the toothbrush.  Abrasives also polish your teeth, remove surface stains help teeth to be their whitest.
• Fluoride to make the entire tooth more resistant to decay and to promote remineralization, which makes your teeth stronger.  
• Antigingivitis agents, such as stannous fluoride or triclosan to fight bacteria in dental plaque.
• Anti-tartar agents to help prevent the formation of tartar (also referred to as calculus) on tooth surfaces.
• Desensitizing agents, such as stannous fluoride and potassium nitrate to help reduce/relieve tooth sensitivity. 
• Binding agents to keep all of the components together in a homogenous way.
• Humectant to keep your toothpaste from drying out.  
• Flavors and sweetening agents to make the brushing experience more enjoyable.  

Why do toothpastes contain abrasives?
 Like other products that are designed to clean, toothpastes contain abrasive agents to aid in the removal of surface stains from teeth.  While toothpaste must be abrasive enough to remove surface stains and dental plaque, it must not be so abrasive that it wears away vital tooth enamel.

How do I minimize the risk of tooth wear?
Wear on teeth due to tooth-brushing can be minimized by practicing proper brushing techniques, which includes using short gentle strokes in a circular motion with a soft bristle brush. 

How do I know which toothpaste is right for me?  
When it comes to choosing the best toothpaste for you it is important to think about your unique oral health needs.  Some toothpastes aim to alleviate the discomfort associated with sensitive teeth. Some help to control plaque and tartar.  Some are designed to remove stains and whiten teeth.  Because each toothpaste is uniquely formulated to perform specific functions speak with your dentist or hygienist to determine which is right for you. 

Gum Disease

    The word disease sounds scary - and it can be if you don't take care of your gums.  Here is some information about what gum disease is, what causes it and how you can prevent it.

         

What is gum disease        

      Periodontal means "around the tooth."  Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the tissues that support the tooth, meaning the bone, ligament and gums.  Periodontal disease can affect one or many teeth.  Periodontal disease begins when the bacteria found in plaque cause the gums to become inflamed, this early stage is known as gingivitis.  Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease.  In this stage the gums appear red, swollen and bleed easily.  There is usually little or no discomfort.

What causes Gum disease

      Plaque is recognized as the primary cause of gum disease.  If plaque isn't removed each day through proper brushing and flossing technique, it hardens into a rough, porous substance called calculus (also known as tartar).  These hardened deposits trap bacteria below the gum line.  The bacteria produce toxins that irritate the gums.  These toxins cause the breakdown of fibers that hold the gums tightly to the teeth, creating periodontal pockets.  As the disease progresses, pockets become deeper as the bacteria and their toxins result in the destruction of the bone surrounding the tooth.  As bone loss worsens teeth begin to exhibit mobility.  Eventually, severe infection may develop with pain and swelling, often times requiring the removal of the tooth.  

        There are other factors that can increase the likelihood of developing periodontal disease.  The most common are: tobacco users and diabetics, both are at higher risk of developing gum disease.  

How is gum disease treated       

      In the early stages of gum disease, treatment most often includes a special cleaning called scaling and root planing, which removes plaque and tartar around the tooth and smooths the root surfaces.  Antibiotics may also be used to supplement the effects of the scaling and root planing.  In cases of mild gum disease, scaling and root planing along with proper daily oral hygiene will help to limit the progression of the disease.  Advanced cases of gum disease may require removal of portions of the gum tissue to allow you to adequately clean root surfaces at home.  

How can I prevent gum disease

       Removing plaque through daily brushing and flossing and professional cleaning is the best way to minimize your risk. You can also reduce your risk of gum disease by quitting smoking and controlling diabetes.  Talk to your dentist for a personalized plan to help you avoid gum disease.