One of the most important parts of your visit is when we ask you questions about your general health.  We also check your blood pressure and ask you if there has been any changes in medicines you take.  But many people have said to us:

“What the heck does that have to with my dental check up?”

The answer – a lot!

More and more research is being published linking dental health to overall health, and at our dental office – Michael C Peer, DDS, PC,  we are concerned about both!  It used to be thought that the oral cavity was a separate system all to its self, but we are finding out that all body systems are interrelated and affect each other.

Did you know that diabetes, especially when it is undiagnosed, can be a huge factor in gum disease, eventually causing tooth loss?

A recent study by Columbia University concluded:

“Gum disease is an early complication of diabetes.”  It continues:

“Since 70% of adults see a dentist at least once a year”  it is a perfect opportunity to screen for diabetes and other diseases.

According to a recent article in the British Dental Journal, it works the other way around too, as gum disease can  be a contributing factor in heart disease, oral cancer, and other illnesses.

Are you taking any medications, either prescription or over the counter?  Many of these can lead to dry mouth, gum inflammation, and other dental problems including cavities and tooth loss!

And it’s even more complicated for women, as hormonal changes, pregnancy, and oral contraceptives can cause many changes in dental health.  (Isn’t everything more complicated for women?- but that’s another story)

So the good news is, unlike a visit to your physician – you get to keep your clothes on and won’t be poked and prodded anywhere other than your mouth!  But as you can see, it is extremely important that we know about your total physical health and any medications you are taking.  Not only can we save your teeth – we may actually save your life.  We have had several patients with high blood pressure that we sent to their physician to get that under control and prevent a stroke.

If you want to know more about your dental health and how it relates to your overall health, please let us know.  If you have any questions or want to schedule your next appointment, give us a call at 1-434-575-5677.  We are here for you!!

But being miles away from home also means that you are far away from us— your dental professionals.  While there is no way to prevent a dental emergency from happening while you are away from home, there are a few things you can bring on vacation to make things more pleasant should a dental emergency arise.  You can throw them together into a plastic bag and make your own “Dental Emergency Kit!”

Here are some items to include:

Pain relief:  Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, or generic) is usually safe and effective to use for minor dental discomfort.

Lost filling or crown:  “Dentemp One Step Filling Material” is a good temporary solution for replacing a crown (cap) or protecting an area exposed by a lost filling.  This is available at most drug stores and on the Internet.

Broken denture:  “The D.O.C. Denture Repair Kit”  works as a short term measure to adhere a lost denture tooth or repair a cracked denture.  Please don’t use super glue.  This is also available at drug stores and online.

Lost tooth:  Carry a prescription medicine vial.  Should an accident occur and an adult tooth is lost with the root intact—DO NOT clean or handle the root.  Place it in the medicine vial along with some liquid (preferably milk 1st or saliva 2nd) and seek dental attention immediately—hopefully within an hour or two.

Food or other item stuck between teeth:  This can be a very uncomfortable situation so be sure to have dental floss on hand to remove any item stuck between the teeth.  HEY! You should be carrying dental floss anyway!!

Cuts on gums, lips, or tongue:  Clean gauze or cloth.  As with bleeding anywhere on the body, pressure with a clean gauze or cloth is the first line of treatment.  If the bleeding does not stop, seek medical attention immediately.  If you take aspirin or blood thinners, this may take a little longer.

For many minor dental irritations of the teeth, gums and mouth, a good old-fashioned warm salt water rinse can give temporary relief.   We are not big fans of medications like Anbesol Gel as there are many side effects and over-usage can harm the mouth tissues.

So there you have it -  your own travel dental emergency kit.  The most important thing to remember is that all of the solutions presented here are temporary in nature.  Should an emergency arise, it is important  to see a dentist as soon as possible.

At the office of Dr. Michael Peer, we are always here for you, even if you are far away from home.  If you have any questions about a dental emergency or anything else dental related, please give us a call at 434-575-5677.  Have a safe and relaxing summer vacation, and don’t forget to brush and floss!! 

ALOHA

Recently a celebrity Doctor (whose last name sounds like a land over-the-rainbow where Dorothy from Kansas found a great and powerful Wizard) recommended a simple at home whitening formula.  The recipe???  Coat your teeth with a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice before brushing.

Does this really work?  Well, it certainly may remove some stains!  But, unfortunately, it can also be a recipe for disaster!!

Lemon juice is an acid, so even though fruits are generally healthy, large concentrations of the juice can actually wear down the enamel, the outer layer of the tooth.  Once that erodes, not only are teeth quite unattractive – they are incredibly prone to cavities and difficult to repair.  For comparison, lemon juice has a pH of 2; car battery acid has a pH of 0.8; Coca Cola has a pH of 2.5; and stomach acid has a pH of 1-2.  Corrosive indeed!

Baking soda is an abrasive material, sort of like sandpaper.  So even though in very small amounts it can polish your teeth nicely, use the wrong amount and you may as well be sanding your teeth away!  For those who can remember some of the whitening toothpastes of the seventies – Pearl Drops worked on some of this principle.

Our suggestion?  Put the lemon in your tea and use the baking soda in your kitchen!  When it comes to whitening your teeth, your best bet is to ask a dental professional.

Over-the-counter whitening toothpastes and whitening products from the drug store can do a decent job on lightly stained teeth, especially for those in their late teens and early twenties.  But we find that most people who express the desire for whiter teeth need what only a dental office can offer.

There are many different treatments available, from take-home systems with custom molded trays to much stronger products that must be supervised by a dentist.  At Michael C. Peer, DDS, PC, we will be glad to help you decide which one is right for you.   Or we may recommend that you keep your teeth as they are!!!

As far as that TV doctor – we wish him the best and hope that he doesn’t grind his teeth away.  When it comes to dental advice, please ask a member of the dental profession.

Remember that we are here for you!  If you have any questions about anything concerning your dental health, please give us a call at 434-575-5677 or visit our website at www.michaelpeerdds.com

Fluoride is a mineral that exists naturally in water and soil.  About 70 years ago, scientists discovered that people who lived where water supplies naturally had more fluoride also had fewer cavities.  Today most public water supplies are fluoridated, especially in larger cities, and dental professionals appluad its usage.

But can there be too much of a good thing?

A recent government study found that two in five adolescents had some type of streaking or spotting on their teeth because of too much fluoride, a number that has grown considerably since the 1980s.

For most people these streaks or spots are totally harmless and barely visible to the naked eye, although in severe cases the tooth enamel can actually develop a pit-like surface.  So even though fluoride does a fantastic job in cavity prevention, as with most things in medicine, there are side effects.

The good news is, as a result of this study, the federal governmenthas acted very rapidly to change their recommendation for the amount of fluoride in drinking water, making it 0.7 milligrams per liter of water.  This is down from the fifty year standard of up to 1.2 milligrams.

Dr. Peer and his dental team applaud the government’s quick action!  And we still want to help you avoid cavities as much as possible.

So keep brushing, flossing, rinsing, and drinking fluordated water.  It’s also important to continue to see us for your regular dental visits.  We will be glad to check your teeth to see if we can find any negative effects from fluoride and to look for cavities too.  As with any dental condition, the sooner we find it, the easier and less costly it is to treat. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment, please call us at 434-575-5677.  We want to keep you smiling!

Tooth decay happens as a result of sugar being left on the teeth – for example, eating candy, cakes, cereals, breads, or other foods that contain starches, sugars, and carbohydrates. Sugar is the culprit for tooth decay because bacteria that live on our teeth love to eat sugar – and when bacteria eat sugar, they digest the sugar and convert it into acid, which then goes to work attacking the enamel of our teeth.

Here are the two most important things you can do to prevent cavities:

• Eat a good, balanced diet. Most people in modern-day America eat far too much sugar and carbohydrates. This is one of the contributing factors to the obesity rate, and it also leads to poor dental health. If you drink lots of soda and eat lots of sugary foods every day, you are going to be at higher risk for cavities. The health of your teeth is connected to the health of the rest of your body – and it starts with the kind of food that you are putting into your body.

• Brush and floss every day. Think of the process of avoiding cavities as an ongoing battle – every day, the bacteria in your mouth go to work trying to damage your teeth, and you need to keep stopping them. By brushing your teeth (twice a day – once before bedtime and once in the morning) and flossing every day, you are helping to slow the buildup of plaque and avoid the harmful acids that can break down your tooth enamel over time. There’s no “magic bullet” for fighting cavities; it’s a process of ongoing, steady resistance.  

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Some people are at higher risk for getting cavities – even if they don’t have a high-sugar diet, even if they do have good brushing and flossing habits. People often think of cavities as something that only happens to children who eat too much candy – but cavities can occur in older adults as well. Some people are at higher risk for cavities due to family history or due to the unique characteristics of their teeth. Pregnant women are often at higher risk for cavities because of the sugar cravings that often accompany pregnancy – so if you’re pregnant, pay extra attention to your dental care.

Cavities are best avoided – as with so many other aspects of health, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If you can do your best to avoid getting cavities, your teeth will thank you for it.

Most mouth ulcers can be treated by improved oral hygiene. Try using a mouthwash or gargle – even a simple homemade mixture of salt and warm water. Flush the sore spot a few times a day and see if it gets better. If you have severe discomfort from the mouth ulcer, talk to your dentist. Your dentist can recommend an over-the-counter topical ointment that you can rub directly onto the ulcer – for example, an antihistamine or antacid. If these don’t do the trick, your dentist can prescribe other more advanced treatment like corticosteroid medication. Another way to relieve mouth ulcers is to avoid hot and spicy foods, as these tend to exacerbate the discomfort.

It’s important to pay attention to what’s going on in your mouth. If you have an ulcer or sore spot in your mouth that won’t heal, you should call your dentist to get it looked at as soon as possible. Some mouth ulcers can be a sign of oral cancer – and oral cancer needs to be detected early so it can be treated. If you have a sore or ulcer in your mouth that doesn’t go away on its own after 3 weeks, go see your dentist. Make sure to ask your dentist specifically about oral cancer . If your dentist is concerned that the mouth ulcer may be a sign of oral cancer, you will need to get a biopsy of the affected area of your mouth.

I don’t mean to alarm anyone by writing this, but I can’t emphasize it enough: it is crucial to diagnose oral cancer in the early stages of the disease. If oral cancer is not caught early, it can lead to death. Oral cancer is one of the few types of cancer that have not had a decline in death rates during the past 20 years – it can be treated and cured, but if left undiagnosed it can be deadly.

Smokers, heavy drinkers and tobacco chewers are at the highest risk of getting oral cancer, but this type of cancer can occur in anyone. So be sure to pay attention to mouth ulcers when they happen – usually they’re nothing to worry about and will go away quickly, but if you have a bad mouth ulcer that has been around for awhile, it might be a sign of something much more serious.

But does Tom Cruise have an ugly smile?

It is a well-known fact that the smile of a person is one of their most recognizable features.  So if Mr. Cruise is considered to be so attractive, surely he must have a perfect smile.  Well…..maybe not.

In reality, the guy who paraded around in his underpants in Risky Business and performed miraculous feats while hanging from the ceiling in Mission Impossible has some issues with his teeth.  Some of his front teeth are slightly twisted and appear to be almost overlapping in areas.  He has a bit of a “fang” look (remember the movie Interview With A Vampire) in some spots, and is certainly missing the international standard of beauty – symmetry.  the worst part.  The line between his two front teeth are not aligned with the middle of his face!!  Yet he is still considered to be extremely attractive.

The fact is, a smile does not have to perfect to be attractive – and many times teeth that are too perfect look downright unnatural.

At our dental office – Michael C. Peer, DDS, PC,  we can suggest many ways to give you  the smile of your dreams.  Some options include whitening (yes, we do it here), orthodontic treatment – Invisalign (yes, we do it), the replacement of missing by using the state of the art dental implants (yes, we do it), or maybe veneers -Lumineers (yes, we do it here), which are thin custom designed layers of porcelain that are incredibly life-like.  Sometimes, the smile of your dreams is just a matter of some shaping and re-contouring which takes just a few minutes.

For many patients, the key is a good dental hygiene regimen to tighten and beautify the gum tissues, creating an attractive appearance (not to mention the numerous health benefits!!)

Everyone has different goals for the appearance of their smile, and the dentist and patient work together to find the right fit for everyone.  For example,some people want a bright smile that can light up a room from a mile away, and others just want their teeth to be the same shade that they were twenty years ago.

The good thing is – there really is no right or wrong.  It’s all about creating the right smile for each individual.  Give us a call at 434-575-5677 to discuss which is best for you!!!!!

But if you feel that over-the-counter teeth whitener is right for you, keep the following risks in mind

• Chemical burns: It sounds scary, but it’s true – some teeth whitening systems use high-concentration chemicals which can cause harm to your gums and other sensitive tissues if they come in contact. Follow the directions closely and use caution with any over-the-counter teeth whitening method.

• Tooth sensitivity: Especially in the early stages of the teeth whitening treatment, you might experience heightened sensitivity or discomfort in your teeth.

• Too much of a good thing: Some people experience “overbleaching” – “hyperodonto-oxidation” – caused by over-the-counter teeth whitening systems. Again, read the directions closely and watch for excessively bright results. You want a white, shiny smile – not blindingly white.

• Watch out for “the rebound:” No, this is not relationship advice…sometimes when you get your teeth whitening done, the new white color doesn’t stay. “Rebound” is the technical term for what happens when newly whitened teeth go back to their old color. Read the directions closely and consult your dentist if you feel that you are not getting the lasting results that you were hoping for.

• If you have sensitive teeth, receding gum tissue, or if you’ve had restorative dental work done in the past (cavities, bridgework), you should ask your dentist before you start using any kind of tooth whitening system

• If you are sensitive to hydrogen peroxide (the “active ingredient” that actually makes the teeth whiter), don’t try to whiten your teeth without talking to your dentist first!

• Teeth whitening is not recommended for children under age 16. Children’s teeth are still maturing at this age, and the pulp chamber, or “nerve” of the tooth, is especially large until people reach about the age of 16 – which puts kids at risk of irritation of the tooth pulp.

• Teeth whitening is also not recommended for pregnant or lactating women.

If you are concerned about your oral health,  you probably have wondered:  “What brand of toothpaste is the best?  What variety of toothpaste should I use?”

Here are a few bits of advice for choosing (and using) toothpaste:

1) Don’t buy into brand names.  First of all, there is no “best” brand of toothpaste.  Most of the toothpaste on the market contain the American Dental Association’s recommended ingredients.  If you have a favorite brand of toothpaste, then feel free to buy it – if you like the flavor or consistency or if you have had a reliably good experience, then feel free to continue.  Don’t worry about finding the “best” brand of toothpaste, because for the most part, it doesn’t matter which brand you use.

2) Find the fluoride. There are tons of different options in toothpaste.  It seems like every single package is proclaiming a different and more unique combination of ingredients (“Tartar Control/Anti-Cavity with Baking Soda and Sparkling Mint Crystals!”)  WOW!!  One thing you should definitely look for is fluoride.  This is one of the most important elements in preventing tooth decay – if you brush with fluoride toothpaste twice a day, you will be ahead of the game.

3) Less is more.  TV commercials have taught us that you need to squeeze a long, looping strand of toothpaste onto your brush, right?  Wrong, you actually don’t need to use very much toothpaste – only about a pea-sized portion will do and you save yourself having to clean your sink of that extra piece of toothpaste that never gets used.

4) Brush longer, spit later. The way you brush your teeth is more important than the toothpaste you use.  You need to brush your teeth for about 2 minutes.  If you brush for less than 2 minutes, you are not giving your teeth the full benefits of brushing -  and if you spit out the toothpaste too soon, that helpful fluoride and bacteria scrubbing foam is not going where it needs to be.