Dental Resolutions

Dental Resolutions

 

It’s that time of year.  It’s a new year, fresh start and time for new promises to do things to better our health, break bad habits and create good habits.  Many of us will make New Year’s resolutions.  This year consider adding dental resolutions.  Compared to resolutions to visit the gym daily, stop smoking or to eat better, which require a lot of motivation and self-discipline, dental resolutions are easy and the payoff is huge! The time required to take care of your teeth is minimal and it significantly decreases long-term oral health costs…which means a healthy you with more money in your pocket! Are you ready to learn how?

1.     Brush your teeth  at least twice daily with emphasis on before bedtime for 4 minutes 

2.     Floss your teeth every day

3.     Visit your dentist for regular exams, cleanings and x-rays at least twice a year – minimum time commitment 2 hours/year

4.     Do your recommended treatment – This is important.  Neglecting this impacts your oral health, which affects your overall health.

5.     Give up habits that hurt your teeth – These habits include tobacco use, chewing ice, tongue piercings.

6.     Minimize foods and drinks that damage teeth and dental restorations – sodas, juices,foods full of sugar. Check labels for sugar content. It shouldn't be more than 6 grams.

These dental resolutions are easy, require minimal time and have huge payoffs! Not only will your teeth, mouth and body thank you, but your pocketbook will too! Happy New Year everyone!  

Cold Sores/Fever Blisters

Fever Blisters/Cold Sores

You know the feeling…tightness near your lip, tingling, stinging and swelling.  You sigh and think to yourself, “I hate this. How long is it going to last this time?” It is a cold sore, or some people call it a fever blister. Nobody likes cold sores, and let’s face it, not only do they hurt, but they are embarrassing!  If you suffer from fever blisters you are not alone.  More than 80% of the population in the United States carries the virus that causes cold sores.  While they are unpleasant, there are things that you can do to minimize their duration, the number of outbreaks and spreading them.   

Cold sore or Fever Blister

If you are one of the unlucky ones that experience an outbreak/cold sore/fever blister, if left untreated, will pass through many phases and this is what you can expect –

·        Prodromal phase – this is the phase before the actual blisters show up.  People experience tingling and/or itching on, around, or in the mouth 1 to 2 days before the blisters appear.  People are contagious during this period.

·        Blisters – These often form in clusters.  Blisters will be clear and filled with fluid and they will be painful.  People are often contagious during this time.

·        Oozing and Crusting – The blisters will pop and leave a lesion that will scab over.  People are contagious during phase as well.

The entire cycle if left untreated can last on average of two weeks. The rate of outbreaks varies per person, but range from never to 12 times a year.  After the initial year, the average person experiences 3 outbreaks a year.

Initial outbreaks, or the first outbreak, can last longer, be more severe and have additional symptoms

·        Sore throat

·        Swollen glands around the throat or other areas of the body

·        Small children will often drool just before an outbreak

·        Headaches and Muscle aches

Cold sore outbreaks are painful and embarrassing.  There is no cure for them.   The good news is that it can be treated!  Thanks to modern medicine there are things that can minimize outbreaks, reduce the rate of transmission, and shorten the outbreak cycle.

Things to do to minimize outbreaks

·        Avoid excessive sun exposure. 

·        Stay Healthy – exercise and eat well.  A healthy immune system keeps the virus dormant. People often have outbreaks when they are sick, hence the name fever blister and cold sore.

·        Minimize stress – Again this helps to maintain a healthy immune system

·        Get lots of rest

·        Consult with your dentist or physician about possible medications – There are some medications that help to suppress the virus to keep outbreaks at bay and minimize transmission.  Some of these medications if taken early can shorten the outbreak phase.

·        Laser Treatment – Dr. Bednarski recommends treatment with a laser at the onset of symptoms .  These are, tingling and itching just before the blisters appear and blisters can also be treated with laser.  This has great results and is the best option if an outbreak is imminent.

Consult your doctor immediately if…

·        You have a compromised immune system

·        Cold sores last longer than two weeks

·        Symptoms are severe

·        You have irritation

·        You experience frequent outbreaks

While cold sores are not pleasant, living with them doesn’t have to be unbearable.  Talk to your dentist about your options!   

Holiday Edition - Dental Hygiene and Preventative Dental Care

Dental Hygiene and Preventative Care

It is holiday time, the time of year when we are all enjoying the abundant and bountiful treats that this time of year brings.  With all of those tasty treats comes loads of sugar, simple carbohydrates and alcoholic beverages, all of which can wreak havoc on our oral health and teeth.  However, there are some simple things that you can do to avoid the pitfalls that can come with this time of year.

·        Enjoy the treats, but pay extra attention to your at-home-hygiene routine, because….

Small Cavities

Dental cavities, or caries, are areas of decay on your teeth.  Decay is caused when sugars come in contact with the bacteria in our mouths.  These sugars and bacteria create plaque.  Plaque sticks to teeth and the bacteria in plaque converts sugar into acid, which dissolves tooth structure and causes holes in the teeth or decay.  If plaque is left on the tooth for a couple of days it begins to harden into tarter or calculus.  Once plaque hardens  to a certain point the only way to remove the tartar or calculus is to visit your dentist.  Brushing and flossing alone cannot remove this. 

If you can’t brush or floss soon after eating sweet or acidic foods, make sure to rinse well with water.  This is not the perfect solution, but it is better than doing nothing.

·        Make sure you visit your dentist, because…

Not only is this a good time to make sure all of the tasty treats you’ve been eating since Halloween haven’t caused any problems, it is also good to maximize your insurance benefits or flex-spending account.  Dental insurance plans have an annual maximum.  For instance, many have a $1000/year maximum that they will pay out (this amount varies with each plan).  If those benefits are not used they do not roll over to the next year, they are just lost for good. If you have a flex-spending account often times the same is true.  If those benefits aren’t used by the end of the year those benefits are lost as well.

Also, if you do have some residual plaque, tartar or calculus from eating all those tasty treats, a visit to your dental office can help remove that before it causes problems.

Furthermore, everyone should have an oral cancer screening once a year.  Approximately, 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer each year.  If this cancer is detected early it is very curable. 

Additionally, a screening for gum disease should be done at each appointment.  More than 75% of Americans suffer from some form of gum disease.  If left undiagnosed and untreated gum disease can be fatal and can cause premature tooth loss. 

Most importantly – If your dental office is anything like ours…Many of our patients are like family and we want to see them during the holidays!

So, while you are celebrating this holiday season, make sure to brush more, floss more and schedule an appointment to see your local dentist.  Happy Holidays!!!

Smiling is Priceless!

How Much is Your Smile Worth?

 

People often complain about the cost of dentistry.  Behind fear and anxiety, the cost of dentistry is cited as another reason people don’t visit their dentist . However, I would argue that people cannot afford not to go to the dentist. 

I have found that very few people truly understand the economic value of their smile.  A great majority of people do not realize that investing in their smiles will actually earn them more money.  Celebrities understand the value of their smiles.  In fact, veneers, a popular cosmetic treatment for teeth, were developed for Hollywood smiles. In a society where youth and beauty are highly valued, a smile makeover can be a minimal monetary investment with huge payoff. 

Many people say that smiling is the number one thing they first notice about a person.  When we take a photograph we tell our subjects to say “cheese” to encourage them to smile for the picture.  “Service with a smile” is a common term within the customer service industry and has become the standard of customer service interactions.

Babies overwhelmingly choose smiling faces to gaze at over any other face.  We tend to ascribe favorable personality characteristics to people with smiling faces.  We tend to view people who smile as helpful, friendly, pretty, jovial and more likeable! People who smile more get better jobs, make more money, and have a better selection of potential mates.  Smiling people are also more able to get others to adopt their goals and have more influence.  People that work in sales know that their smiles are priceless. 

All of these positive consequences directly result into money in their pockets.  In fact, one study found that servers who smile more frequently at their patrons receive double the amount of tips than their non-smiling counterparts.  A study on online dating revealed that people who have a genuine, beautiful smile are more likely to receive more attention, regardless of hair color, eye color, skin color, weight, height or clothing. 

Smiling is the one facial expression that is universally understood.  In short, smiling overcomes every racial, ethnic and gender difference.  Given all of the benefits of a confident, beautiful smile I would reasonably argue that smiling is priceless! Not only can a beautiful, confident smile increase your income and job security, it can have positive social consequences, but that’s another blog! Stay tuned!