Is Your Baby Tongue-Tied?

Is Your Child Tongue-Tied?

·        Does your child have trouble sticking their tongue out past their lips?   

·        Does your child’s tongue look like a heart, or turn downward when sticking out their tongue?

·        Is breastfeeding or nursing your baby painful? 

·        Does your baby have trouble staying on the breast?

·        Do you hear a clicking sound when nursing?

·        Do you have a family member who is tongue-tied?

Short Frenulum, or Tongue-Tied infant

If you have said yes to any of these questions you may have a condition that is called "tongue tied" in layman language.  There is a genetic component and often parents are aware of other family members with the same condition.  The frenulum is a string-like membrane that attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth.  If the frenulum is long enough the tongue will have full range of motion.  If the frenulum is too short the movement of the tongue will be limited, and in some cases the individual with this condition will be unable to extend his/her tongue past their lips.

 The above can be a harmless inconvenience.  However, in some cases a short frenulum can cause problems with nursing and speech .  Sometimes the frenulum can stretch with time and exercises, but other times there may be a need for a frenotomy.  The frenotomy is a simple procedure that requires no anesthetic or stitches in a young infant.  The procedure is typically done by a trained dentist. Dr. Bednarski regularly performs the frenotomy with her laser.  The use of lasers makes the frenotomy quick and virtually bloodless.  If you have any further questions or comments please feel free to leave them here and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Top Eight Reasosn to Visit Your Dentist!

Top Eight Reasons to Visit Your Dentist

In a recent Gallup-Healthways poll of 355,334 , thirty-four percent of Americans admitted to not visiting their dentist in the past 12 months, according to USA Today.  To put that in perspective, that is almost one out of three Americans.  The study found that many Americans viewed routine dental care as a luxury item. In recent years, we have been made aware of how important routine dental care is to our overall health. Here are the top eight reasons you should make visiting your dentist a priority.

1.   Your dentist could save your life. There are a variety of infections that can occur in your mouth, which if left untreated can undermine other bodily systems such as your cardiovascular system.  There is a clear connection between heart disease and periodontal disease (gum disease).  Only your dentist can diagnose and treat this condition, and it is thought that more than 70% of Americans have some form of periodontal disease.

2.   Dentistry does not hurt.  Gone are the days when dentistry was painful.  Today’s technology and dentists’ training has made pain in the dental chair a thing of the past.  Dentists are well trained in how to make their patients comfortable and want you to have a positive experience. If you feel your dentist “hurts” find a new one!

3.   Your smile is important.  People say that the first features they notice about people are their eyes and their smile.  It is a well-known fact that smiling people are viewed as more attractive, make more money and have more friends.  Feel confident in your smile!

4.   Your dentist is your friend.  Your dentist truly wants what is in your best interest. They are not going to judge you, they just want to help you. 

5.   Your dentist wants to help you keep your teeth.  Visiting your dentist on a regular basis can help you catch problems early.  Not only will this minimize damage to your teeth, but it will put money in your pocket.

6.   Your dentist and their team get excited to see you and look forward to your visit.  The relationship between a dentist and their patients is often a close one.  We often look at dental visits as time to catch up and visit. 

7.   Your dentist can keep you current on the latest information on dental hygiene and oral health.  Your dentist stays current with latest research and does many hours of continuing education to make sure they are giving you the best care.  By visiting your dentist regularly you can stay current too! Here is a perfect example…Did you know that if you suffer from cold sores your dentist can treat them with a laser just as symptoms are starting? Valuable information can be learned by visiting your dentist!

8.  We can help you to maximize your dental insurance benefits! Don't let those benefits get wasted.  If you don't use them, you loose them!

Feel free to leave comments or questions!

 

 

 

As Our Population Ages

AS OUR POPULATION AGES…..

Human teeth don’t continue to grow with age, but they do appear longer or shorter as people age.The teeth appear longer when there is a loss of surrounding tissues, like gums and bone, or shorter because of bruxing (clenching and grinding).

Periodontal disease begins with gingivitis and is followed by advanced stages of gum disease. These affect the suspension of teeth. The gums may recede and the bone is being dissolved by bacteria.The final effect is the tooth mobility and the loss of teeth and bone.

Losing the molar and premolar teeth (back teeth) prematurely causes the loss of vertical dimension of occlusion “sunken mouth,” inability to chew and occlusal wear and tear of the remaining teeth. This makes the restorative work in the mouth that much harder.

The other concern is the yellowing of the teeth that is caused by wear of the enamel, which is the outer layer of the tooth. The exposed roots due to the gum disease or traumatic occlusal contacts (upper teeth to lower teeth) can also contribute to the altered color of the teeth.

There are plenty of restorative solutions that can be employed in the treatment of the above problems. The life span has been rising continuously and 70-80-90 year- old people are no longer considered old.

We are more active intellectually and physically than ever and we are more attractive than ever.

What we need to remember is that taking care of our teeth regardless of our age is the uppermost desire. This improves not only the functionality, but also aesthetics or cosmetics of our appearance. An attractive appearance makes social and professional interactions so much more effective and easier.

We appreciate any comments or question and we hope this has been informative. Below are examples of what we discussed in the above blog.