“The Secret to Dental Happiness”

   Wouldn’t it be nice to have the secret to a healthy, comfortable mouth and attractive smile? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to avoid the discomfort of cavities, painful gums, and embarrassing teeth?  Of course it would! The secret is readily available, though many people don’t yet understand or believe “The Secret”.

   It’s been recommended by dentists for years and still most people choose not to follow the advice. There are always excuses why people don’t follow through. I don’t have enough time; it’s not convenient; I don’t believe it’s that important; My parent’s didn’t believe in it so I don’t; I can do it at home without a professional.

   So what is “The Secret”? Preventive Dentistry is “The Secret”!  You say, “That’s no secret!” It must be, because most of our population chooses not to follow our advice.Preventive dentistry is simple, more comfortable, far more cost effective, and much healthier than the alternative, where your dental condition only gets worse with time.

   Our hygienists provide you with more than “just a cleaning.” First, a thorough oral examination is performed to find problems at an early stage such as decay, cracked teeth, gum pockets, bite issues, and symptom-free abscesses. Whether we feel them or not, dental infections affect our general health. Scientists have found correlations between dental infections and heart disease, strokes, diabetes, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Just this year, we have had a couple of     patients share their stories with us about having a loved one or friend that have had infected hips replaced. They traced the infection back to the mouth. Just because it doesn’t hurt doesn’t mean it’s all right. The hygienist also performs an oral cancer screening. Did you know that one person every hour dies in the U.S. from oral cancer? Since we don’t know how to prevent it, early detection is the next best thing.

   During your visit with our hygienists, they remove food, bacteria, plaque, tarter (calculus) and toxins from under your gums and in between your teeth. Superficial stains are removed and your teeth are polished.  Malinda and Kim will go over home care instructions and review techniques to make cleaning your teeth easier.  We ALL need instruction and evaluation to see how we’re doing. 

   If you will commit to Preventive Dentistry, you will be able to   enjoy your smile, your food, and certainly, stay healthier.  It’s the most cost effective investment you can make in your dental care!  We’re here to help.

  In the Interest of Better Dental Health,

                              

                                                         Dr. Chuck

"85 And Going Strong!"

    My dad plays the cornet, not to be confused with the trumpet. Very close, but a mellower sound. To play a brass instrument well takes good dental structures. There is pressure put on the lips in front of your teeth and if you don’t have the right support you can’t hit the notes. Teeth are very important for playing some musical instruments.

    Since I graduated dental school in 1979 mom and dad became instant patients. They both followed my advice on dental care. One time dad did something stupid, just like every one of us have done. He tried opening a glue bottle with his front teeth. It broke both front teeth. We were able to restore these teeth with porcelain crowns, making them the exact shape he had before. The shape of the teeth is very important for playing the cornet. There were several slight adjustments, but the end result was very successful.

    Dad has come in for his regular examinations and cleanings faithfully and has excellent home care. Other than the front two teeth, he has needed very little additional dentistry. Prevention is the key.

    “If you can’t afford Prevention, how could you ever afford Treatment?” Preventive Dentistry can help save you more than money. It will also save you time and help avoid pain. This is in addition to helping maintain your enjoyment of life.

    Please check out this YouTube video of dad and his friend playing their horns at: Playing Horns Dad is the one with the Col. Sanders beard. 85 and going strong!

    Without proper dental care, playing a cornet would not be possible. Maybe you don’t play a musical instrument. Most people don’t. But keeping your mouth healthy and disease free will help add to the enjoyment of life. That’s a promise!

   

  In the Interest of Better Dental Health,

   Dr. Chuck

“Who Cleans Your Teeth At Home?”

   Every time I used to clean my teeth, it was not always the “Chuck the Dentist” that was holding the toothbrush or the water irrigator. Sometimes it was “Chuck the dad, or the business owner, or the traveler, or the philosopher, or the ‘something’,” but NOT “Chuck The Dentist.”

   Our minds wander don’t they? Especially in the shower! We’re doing one thing while thinking about another. If you’ve ever had a conversation while driving a car, you’ve experienced this. It’s impossible to give 100% attention to both. The fact is, if we focused totally on driving rather than multitasking there would be fewer accidents, but that’s not the case.

   It’s also easy to let your body go on autopilot while cleaning your teeth and begin daydreaming, thinking about work, or children, parents, or anything you’re dealing with other than properly cleaning your teeth.

   Each one of you have been instructed on proper dental cleaning at home. If you still have questions about what to do at home each day, please contact our office for instructions. Knowledge generally isn’t the problem. It’s a matter of “Who’s Cleaning Your Teeth?”

   If you, “the person going on vacation, running late, worried about multiple areas of  your life” is cleaning your teeth, there will be much debris left, bacteria multiplying, cavities growing and gum disease worsening. Dental expenses will be higher and these events usually happen at the worse times.

   If you “the person who is committed to fewer dental expenses, more comfort and keeping your teeth for your lifetime” is cleaning your teeth, your dental visits will consist mainly of preventive maintenance. There could be replacement dentistry in the future, but it can be planned in advance, avoiding unnecessary discomfort and expense.

   Every morning I have to wake up “Chuck the Dentist” to make sure he’s the one cleaning my teeth and not “Chuck the Dreamer.”  Dreams are great, but not when we’re cleaning our teeth. It takes the right person.

   Almost all of you have the physical and mental capability of cleaning your own teeth like you want to keep them for your lifetime and prevent the bigger problems.

  In the Interest of Better Dental Health,

  Dr. Chuck

Adult Fluoride Gets ANOTHER Testimonial

    Last week one of our longtime patients, Mrs. P., asked me a very good question. “Since I’ve been getting the fluoride treatments with my cleanings,I’ve hardly had any more cavities. Why haven’t you been doing this all along?”

    That’s a great question! Many dentists, including me, were taught that fluoride treatments on adults had very minimal benefits, if any. With the way fluoride use to be applied, that’s right. But things have changed. There has been a lot of research and product advances to help adults get the same, or even greater, benefits than children get.

   For adults, the fluoride helps protect the roots of your teeth, which is where most decay happens. If you have a crown and the decay starts on the root and progresses deep under the crown, you have to replace the crown. If the fluoride prevents your root cavity, you also avoided replacing one of your crowns.

   I have encouraged preventive dentistry for all of our patients for my entire career. We see the benefits daily. If you are an adult, especially if you have crowns, make sure you are getting your fluoride treatment at every cleaning appointment. It will help save you time, money, and possible discomfort.

   We want you to be like Mrs. P., who truly appreciates how the fluoride treatments cut down her cavities to almost zero!

     

In the Interest of Better Dental Health,

Dr. Chuck

Check out More About Dr. Chuck 

"How Can I Have A Cavity on My Crown?"

 

   Jane was having temperature sensitivity with one of her older crowns and came in to have it checked out. I found new decay going under her crown. “How can that be???” Jane exclaimed, “I thought once I had a crown that the tooth couldn’t get decay!”

   She was half right. The crown itself will not decay. It’s either porcelain or metal. But the tooth it is cemented on is still 100% tooth and can decay just like any tooth. There is a junction between your crown and your tooth. The tooth can decay at this junction, then spread under your crown. When you take an x-ray of the tooth you can’t see through the metal, so if the decay has spread farther under the crown, it doesn’t show up on the x-ray.

   If we catch the decay in its very early stages, many times we can remove it before it spreads further under the crown. But once it starts moving up under your crown, it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to get it all out. If that’s the case, the crown must be replaced. If you leave any decay under a crown, eventually that decay will grow and infect the nerve in the tooth. Then you need a root canal and a new crown. Once Jane understood her crowned tooth was still able to decay, it was like a light bulb clicked on. She had this misconception for years. Now she knows.

   Make sure to have your crowns checked regularly. Should early decay be present, it’s a simple repair. Once it’s a little deeper, it will take a new crown. Help us help you. We’re into prevention and want to help you maintain your teeth for your entire lifetime!

    

   In the Interest of Better Dental Health,

                                    Dr. Chuck

Medications and Your Mouth

   Can’t figure out why your teeth are breaking, your mouth is dry, your food tastes different, your gums are swelling, or you keep getting new cavities?  Maybe it’s your Prescription Medicines! The fine print that accompanies your medication may be difficult to read, but it contains some very important information you should know.

   If you are taking just ONE medication, there is a 50/50 chance you will have some type of adverse reaction to it. It could be hives, itching, upset stomach, swelling, etc. If you are taking TWO medications, there is a 90% chance you will have an adverse reaction between the interaction of those two medications and your body’s reaction.  If you take THREE or MORE medications, it’s practically guaranteed you will have an adverse reaction.

   You can’t stop taking the medicine, so what do you do?  If you have a dry mouth, which is a common side effect of over 400 medications, try to keep your mouth moist. A dry mouth gets cavities much faster. Over the counter products like Biotene help. Sipping on water and keeping it convenient throughout the day helps.

   The biggest help you can do at home is keep your teeth and gums as clean as humanly possible. That will cut down on cavities, help your breath, and keep your mouth feeling much fresher. Not to mention, save you many trips for dental care.

   So read the labels of your medications, look out for the interactions between them, and keep your mouth super clean. These simple steps can make your life much more enjoyable, especially eating! (And you know I like to eat!)

In the Interest of Better Dental Health,

 Dr. Chuck