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January 26, 2012

10 Tips to Fight Off Dental Phobia

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — rachael @ 7:53 pm

January 23rd, 2012
Dental Health Magazine
Categories: Sedation Dentistry

1. Inform the dentist regarding your dental phobia. A good professional will always know what techniques to implement in order to make everything easier. By informing your dentist about your fears, you will have a feeling of more control while sitting in the chair for examination and treatment.

2. Keep in mind that the dental science and technology has improved a great deal over the past few years. There are several innovative techniques available that will help you feel extremely comfortable.

3. Ask the dentist to explain to you the entire dental procedure. By knowing what comes up next, you will get rid of at least 50% of your anxiety and phobia.

4. Consider the option of using medication for relaxation. Some dentists will recommend nitrous oxide, while others will recommend anti anxiety or sedation drugs that will help you relax during the treatment.

5. Good communication can mean the world to you. Make sure to find a dentist with whom you can openly discuss everything. If there is a trusting relationship between patient and doctor, you will feel much more comfortable.

6. Practice relaxation techniques. You can do a few breathing control exercises, or you might want to listen to music before or during the dental treatment. Some dentists agree that patients struggling with phobia will go much easier through the treatment if they schedule their appointments at the first hours of the morning. This way, you will not have to spend long hours of the day stressed and thinking about the upcoming dental treatment.

7. Take over part of the control. You can talk openly to your dentist and agree that whenever you feel uncomfortable during the treatment, you are going to raise your hand in order to signal that you want the dentist to “stop” for a moment.

8. Prevention can help you avoid complex and lengthy dental treatments. Make sure to respect the regular checkups with your dentist, and have the dental work done in time. If you go to the dentist when you already struggle with a lot of complications, this will also mean a much longer treatment time.

9. Take it step by step — tell the doctor about your fears, and ask him to allow you time to get used with the environment, the tools or the presence of the doctors himself. Start with a routine dental examination first; then, ask for a professional dental cleaning. From the third appointment on, the more complex procedures can start such as fillings or extractions.

10. Before scheduling an dental appointment make sure to visit the clinic and meet with the doctor and the staff in order to discuss a few details. This will give you enough time to get prepared for your upcoming treatments.

http://worldental.org/sedation-dentistry/10-tips-fight-dental-phobia/5739/

November 15, 2011

4 Rules for Brighter, Whiter Teeth

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — rachael @ 7:47 pm

4 Rules for Brighter, Whiter Teeth

PHOTO: woman brushing her teeth

Experts say you should ditch your toothbrush every 60 days or when the bristles become bent, whichever comes first. (Getty Images)
By the Editors Of Men’s Health
Sept. 4, 2011

Brush with the Best

You should brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes, holding the head at a 45-degree angle away from your gums. Go with medium or soft bristles—stiff brushes will scrape your gums raw. Best, though, are the electrics—they clean better, they’re gentler on gums, and they make you commit to the entire 2 minutes. You should ditch your stick every 60 days or when the bristles become bent, whichever comes first.

Watch Your Whites

First-time users of tooth whiteners often experience sensitive teeth, says Richard Price, D.M.D., of the American Dental Association. Salvation: A study in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry reports that people who brush with potassium nitrate toothpaste for 2 weeks before starting at-home whitening are less likely to feel increased sensitivity. Our favorite: Tom’s of Maine natural toothpaste. For more of the top dental grooming gear, check out The Best New Teeth Products for Men.

Just as important: knowing when to stop your whitening routine—like if your chompers start to turn blue around the edges. “This signals a breakdown of dentin,” says Jonathan Levine, D.M.D., founder of GoSmile, “which is the substance beneath the tooth enamel that’s being whitened

Ask the Teeth Expert

Make Your Teeth Shine

A Million-Dollar Smile on the Cheap Watch Video
Healthy Mouth, Healthy Baby Watch Video
Healthy Mouth, Healthy Heart Watch Video

When picking an at-home whitener, use common sense. “Don’t be fooled by false whitening claims,” says Dr. Gerard Kugel, an associate dean of research at the Tufts University school of dental medicine. Simply put: Stronger bleach concentrations work faster. If you want a complete overhaul from a home kit, look for a carbamide peroxide concentration of at least 10 percent. In a German study, in-office trays whitened teeth six shades in three sessions ($500 to $1,000), and the at-home variety required seven uses ($300 to $600). Whitening strips required 32 applications ($20 to $150). Click here to find out more about at-home-whitening kits.

But you can’t just suck a strip and forget it. Use a whitening toothpaste to keep the shine from fading, and a whitening floss—the plaque-heavy areas between your teeth soak up colors. Finally, watch the coffee, juice, and wine: They’re oral-bling killers.

Find out more about at-home-whitening kits.

Banish Dragon Breath

If brushing and flossing aren’t doing the trick, go hunting for tongue gunk. “Your tongue is like a shag carpet from the 1960s—bacteria are hanging out, clinking champagne glasses,” says Jonathan Levine, D.D.S., which means they’re probably smoking pot, too. The answer: a tongue scraper. Look for one with a rigid edge like OraSweet’s ($3.50, orasweet.com). Reach as far back as you can, then pull forward, scraping your tongue. Follow with a peroxide mouthwash. Don’t overscrape, warns Fuad Malik, D.D.S., a New York City dentist. It can cause “hairy tongue,” which isn’t kinky at all. For more answers to all your smile questions, read Ask the Teeth Expert.

***

October 21, 2011

We’re fast approaching the end of the year!! Don’t forget to use up all your dental benefits!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — rachael @ 11:53 am

Dear Godley Station Dental Patients,

I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying a pleasant fall. As the end of the year is quickly approaching, we like to remind each of our patients to get the most out of insurance benefits before the New Year begins, and a new deductible with it.

You pay for your insurance benefits, and are entitled to use the full amount allocated to you each year. If you don’t use the full amount by December, 31st, 2011, any unused dollars will be lost forever.

Tammy Davenport, a guide for the About.com Dentistry section, recently wrote a very helpful article about why it is so important to use your dental insurance before the end of the year. The following are the reasons why she suggests maximizing your dental benefit dollars for 2011.

-Yearly Maximum - Unused benefits do not typically rollover, so you should try to meet your annual maximum, if possible. Remember, your 2011 dental benefits or flexible spending account will expire at the end of December.

-Deductibles - This could increase next year, so using your insurance now will ensure that you have locked in the current deductible until the end of the year.

-Premiums – You are paying your premiums. Most people pay them via employment benefits. Why not take advantage of your benefits? Remember,

regular exams and cleanings are essential in preventing dental disease.

-Dental Problems Could Worsen – You may not think you have any dental problems right now, but unless you visit a dentist, you don’t know. Why take the chance that a possible condition right now could turn into something much more serious? Keep in mind that simple cleaning can help avoid future dental complications that may cause you to exceed future dental benefits.

Don’t wait until your renewal date. Please call our office to set up an appointment at your earliest convenience. We want your out-of-pocket expenses kept to a minimum, and your new year to start out healthy and happy. We hope this reminder was helpful!

With best wishes for continued good dental health,

Godley Station Dental

September 19, 2011

Dentistry from the Heart is at Godley Station Dental!!!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — rachael @ 2:07 pm

Pooler, Ga. – September 23, 2011– Drs. Allen, Tosto, and Carpenter are out to change lives by offering free smiles to anyone who needs dental work, as he/she hosts the latest event for Dentistry From The Heart (DFTH) on Friday, September 23rd, 2011.

The media is invited to join, Drs. Allen, Tosto, and Carpenter and their team of dentists and volunteers to help 80+ people in need of dental work – treating patients in need of fillings, extractions and cleanings.

Dentistry From The Heart is a national non-profit organization with a simple mission – making people smile. Founded in 2001 by a Dr. Vincent Monticciolo in New Port Richey, Florida, DFTH was created to aid those in need, including the growing population of under-insured Americans. Over 100 million Americans lack dental insurance, and over 29 percent of adults have untreated cavities. Without events like DFTH, dental care simply isn’t an option for many of the uninsured. To date, DFTH has helped more than 25,000 patients and provided over $5.5 million in dental care.

“Now more than ever, I know there’s people out there that need my services, but have no means to afford them – whether they’re out of a job, or just don’t have dental insurance. Dentistry From The Heart is my way of giving back to the community, and helping people who are in need of dental work,” said Matthew Allen, D.D.S.

The event will take place on Friday, September 23rd at Godley Station Dental in Pooler. Starting at 7:00 a.m., Drs. Allen, Tosto, and Carpenter and their volunteers will treat the first 80+ patients, or however many they can service by 2:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.godleystationdental.com or the organization’s national website at www.dentistryfromtheheart.org.

Dentistry From The Heart is a registered non-profit organization that offers free dental

work for people who need it. Dr. Vincent Monticciolo founded the organization as a

means to give back to the community and address the growing number of people with-

out dental insurance. In the past seven years, Dentistry From The Heart events have contributed over $5.5 million in free dentistry and helped over 25,000 patients across the country.

August 24, 2011

Daniel Defense Pooler 5k – Enter today!!!!!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — rachael @ 2:14 pm

Make sure you enter the Daniel Defense Pooler 5K today!  It’s going to be a blast!

http://www.thepooler5k.org/Registration.html

The Second Annual Pooler 5K is set for Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011!
The race will be held at the West Chatham Middle School,800 Pine Barren Road, Pooler, GA 31322

Brief Description

The First Presbyterian Church of Pooler and the Pooler Police Department are teaming up to sponsor the second annual Pooler 5K. Proceeds from the race go to benefit the Warriors in Transition Unit at Ft. Stewart. Join us for a competitive 5K race and/or a Family Fun Mile Run and Kids Sprint in Pooler, GA. There will be a huge post party race including a helicopter and military demonstrations.

Additional Information

The Family Fun Run and Kids Sprint will begin at 7:45am. The 5K will begin at 8:00am.

New this Year: The 5K will be a chip-timed event!

Prizes will be awarded for the Overall top male & top female, and for first and second place for both males and females in the following categories: 10 & under, 11-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-49, 50–59, 60 & up.

Packet Pickup Friday, September 9th at Fleet Feet Sports Savannah 10AM – 6PM Saturday, September 10th at the race sight in Pooler.

Parking:
There is plenty of parking just off Pine Barren Road between West Chatham Middle School and West Chatham Elementary School. Attendants will direct you!

August 8, 2011

White wine stains teeth too!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — rachael @ 7:45 pm

Skipping the red wine, coffee and tea isn’t enough to keep those pearly whites gleaming. White wine can turn teeth dingy, too, says a new study from New York University.

The culprit, which a lot of beverages share, is acid.

“The tart taste that we get out of the wine — that’s actually an acidity,” says Mark Wolff, a dentist at the New York University College of Dentistry.

Acid erodes the enamel on teeth, Wolff says, causing rough spots and grooves that leave them vulnerable to stains from colored food and drink. Red wine is worse than white because it has a lot of an intensely colored pigment called a chromogen.

“It’s a very color-intense molecule,” Wolff says. “It stays right on that tooth structure, turning the tooth bluish brown — like a blueberry would.”

Testing On Real Teeth

Many foods and beverages — like cherries, cola, coffee or tea — contain these pigments, but the stain doesn’t always stick. Wolff and his team wondered why. So they experimented with a couple of handfuls of cow teeth, which are similar to human teeth, only a lot bigger and easier to work with — about 2 inches long by 1 inch wide.

The researchers took clean cow teeth and submerged them in three beverages: black tea, red wine and then white wine followed by black tea. They let them soak in each for an hour, which researchers say is similar to the effect of sipping wine or tea with dinner.

Red wine — no surprise — left a deep, dark stain on the teeth. Black tea did not. But the teeth dunked in white wine and then tea turned a “nice shade of brownish red,” says Wolff.

Even though white wine alone doesn’t have much color, the acids it contains were enough to rough up the tooth enamel and leave it exposed to the coloring from the black tea.

Red wine produced stains that were even darker, Wolff says, because it contains more pigment and more acid, which etch the tooth enamel and help the color to stick. Wolff and his team presented their research Wednesday at the International Association for Dental Research in Miami.

The Usual Suspects

The acidic erosion isn’t just a problem with wines, says Wolff. An abundance of citrus drinks like orange and grapefruit juice, lemonade, most sports and energy drinks and sodas also contains acids. And that’s part of the problem.

People find these acidic drinks “refreshing,” and it’s probably not a coincidence, says Marcia Pelchat, a scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.

“Usually what people mean is they alleviate thirst or remove some unpleasant coating from the mouth,” Pelchat says. “And beverages that are refreshing tend to be cold, acidic and carbonated.”

To help head off stains, Wolff suggests using a toothpaste with a mild whitening agent. But don’t brush too hard, and don’t brush immediately after that wine or juice (when tooth enamel has been weakened), he says, or you could just make the problem worse.

July 14, 2011

Right Handedness Prevailed 500,000 Years Ago

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — rachael @ 12:43 pm

Science News

Right-Handedness Prevailed 500,000 Years Ago

ScienceDaily (Apr. 20, 2011) — Right-handedness is a distinctively human characteristic, with right-handers outnumbering lefties nine-to-one. But how far back does right-handedness reach in the human story? Researchers have tried to determine the answer by looking at ancient tools, prehistoric art and human bones, but the results have not been definitive.

Now, David Frayer, professor of anthropology at the University of Kansas, has used markings on fossilized front teeth to show that right-handedness goes back more than 500,000 years. He is the lead author (with colleagues in Croatia, Italy and Spain) of a paper published this month in the British journalLaterality.

His research shows that distinctive markings on fossilized teeth correlate to the right or left-handedness of individual prehistoric humans.

“The patterns seen on the fossil teeth are directly and consistently produced by right or left hand manipulation in experimental work,” Frayer said.

The oldest teeth come from a more than 500,000-year-old chamber known as Sima de los Huesos near Burgos, Spain, containing the remains of humans believed to be ancestors of European Neandertals. Other teeth studied by Frayer come from later Neandertal populations in Europe.

“These marks were produced when a stone tool was accidentally dragged across the labial face in an activity performed at the front of the mouth,” said Frayer. “The heavy scoring on some of the teeth indicates the marks were produced over the lifetime of the individual and are not the result of a single cutting episode.”

Overall, Frayer and his co-authors found right-handedness in 93.1 percent of individuals sampled from the Sima de los Huesos and European Neandertal sites.

“It is difficult to interpret these fossil data in any way other than that laterality was established early in European fossil record and continued through the Neandertals,” said Frayer. “This establishes that handedness is found in more than just recent Homo sapiens.”

Frayer said that his findings on right-handedness have implications for understanding the language capacity of ancient populations, because language is primarily located on the left side of the brain, which controls the right side of the body, there is a right handedness-language connection.

“The general correlation between handedness and brain laterality shows that human brains were lateralized in a ‘modern’ way by at least half a million years ago and the pattern has not changed since then,” he said. “There is no reason to suspect this pattern does not extend deeper into the past and that language has ancient, not recent, roots.”

110419131543-large.jpg.jpeg
Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of Kansas.

Journal Reference:

  1. David Frayer, Marina Lozano, Jose Bermudez de Castro, Eudald Carbonell, Juan Luis Arsuaga, Jakov Radovcic, Ivana Fiore, Luca Bondioli. More than 500,000 years of right-handedness in Europe. Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition, 2011; 1 DOI:10.1080/1357650X.2010.529451

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110419131543.htm

July 2, 2011

Drink Brewed Tea to Avoid Tooth Erosion

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — rachael @ 3:06 am
Post Pic
On 11.28.08, In Tips, by Cory Kemp

More erosive than battery acid

You may want to reconsider reaching for a soft drink or sugar-laden fruit drink the next time you’re in the mood for a beverage. Other than the high caloric content of such drinks, these drinks can have a profoundly damaging effect on your tooth enamel. The culprits – citric acid and sugar. The average soft drink currently contains approximately 17 grams of sugar. That’s a tad more sugar than is found in 4 sugar cubes! Yuck.

What’s even more alarming as far as I’m concerned is that many soft drinks and fruit drinks contain citric acid. Citric acid is more erosive than hydrochloric and sulfuric acid – that’s battery acid for those of you who didn’t know. If that doesn’t make you want to put the can or bottle down I don’t know what will.

Tea to the Rescue

Luckily there are beverages that you can still enjoy that do not erode your tooth enamel – like water and tea. In fact,brewed tea is the best option when trying to avoid tooth erosion, according to a study in the July/August issue of General Dentistry, the clinical, peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

Brewed tea is also loaded with natural antioxidants, which are thought to decrease incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Specifically, researchers have found that green tea has the most beneficial properties among teas.

Experts also warn that drinking brewed tea will only provide health benefits and limit tooth erosion if you serve it in its pure form. That means, avoid adding milk, lemon, or sugar.

Tips for reducing tooth enamel erosion

  • Reduce or eliminate carbonated beverages
  • Skip the additives such as sugar, lemon, and milk
  • Drink acidic drinks quickly and through a straw
  • Acidic drinks should be consumed at meals only to limit the exposure to acid on the teeth
  • Chew sugar-free gum to increase saliva flow in your mouth
  • Rinse with water to neutralize the acids, and wait an hour before brushing

Your Thoughts

Are you concerned about your beverage choices and their effect on your teeth?

Source: Science Daily

Related posts:

June 26, 2011

What exactly is a cavity?

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , — rachael @ 7:47 pm

http://www.freedentalvideos.com/watchvideo.aspx?id=56

What Is A Cavity? & Why Did You Get One?

Cavities, as their name implies, are essentially holes in your teeth caused by decay. You can sometimes spot a cavity, as the area surrounding the hole generally looks dark brown or gray.

The main culprits to blame for your cavity are certain types of bacteria in your mouth. These bacteria are contained in plaque and they interact with the carbohydrates and sugars in yourfood creating an acidic environment that dissolves the protective enamel on the outer layer of your tooth. Once the acid succeeds in eroding the enamel, your tooth is exposed, leaving just the softer dentin layer, which will ultimately cause the formation of a cavity. At this point the decay process rapidly speeds up and spreads deeper into the tooth.

Why Do I Need A Filling?

A filling is necessary to treat your cavity because if left untreated the decay will eventually growand will enter into your nerve canal. And yes, this can be as painful as it sounds. It can also lead to more serious problems such as infection or abscess.

A filling may also be needed to replace or repair an old worn down existing filling or to fix a chipped tooth.

In addition to potential pain and discomfort and possible tooth loss, if you wait to have your cavity filled it may end up requiring a more difficult process, such as a root canal, to save your tooth. And it could also cost you a lot more money to fix. The bottom line is you should get your cavity filled as soon as you can.

Composite Fillings

(Tooth Color Fillings)

Composite is the filling material of choice when it comes to matching your tooth color. Composite fillings consist of plastic and glass particles. They have become the most popular filling materials because they can match your existing tooth color and they also solidly bond or glue to the tooth.

After the decay in your tooth has been cleaned a cleansing gel is applied. Next a bonding solutionis applied, finally followed by the composite filling material. Composite is hardened by applying a high intensity blue light. It only takes a few seconds for the materials to harden.

Once the tooth is filled and the composite has hardened, the filling is checked to insure the propershape and look. At this point any necessary adjustments are made and then your filling is complete.

New Composite Filling Expectations

Following the filling procedure it is very common to experience some discomfort, normally at the site of the anesthetic or at the tooth itself. To alleviate the discomfort you can follow your dentist recommendation on taking an over the counter pain medication such as Advil that contains ibuprofen. If your symptoms persist then you should visit your dentist.

In some cases the decay could be quite deep and close to the nerve of the tooth. In these instances the nerve could already be infected with bacteria. Even though a filling has been placed, there is still a good chance that the tooth may need to go under root canal therapy to relieve the discomfort.

Also, composite fillings may change color over time and can sometimes chip away from the tooth.

June 9, 2011

Waking up with a foreign accent??

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , — rachael @ 7:51 pm

An American woman named Karen Butler went to the dentist to remove several teeth and came out speaking a foreign — slightly Irish — accent.  She is believed to be suffering from a rare neurological disorder called foreign accent syndrome (FAS).

This complication was first diagnosed in Norway in 1941 when a woman was hit by shrapnel from an air raid in World War II. Since then, there have only been about 100 known cases of FAS.

Neurologist Ted Lowenkopf, director of the Providence Stroke Center in Portland explains that FAS development is “usually the result of a brain injury, which can come from stroke, head trauma or other diseases that can damage brain tissue, like multiple sclerosis.” Lowenkopf is the doctor who diagnosed Butler with FAS.

According to her recent interview with NPR, a nonprofit radio broadcaster, Butler, born in Bloomington, Illinois, began speaking in an accent about a year and a half ago after she woke up from anesthesia at the dentist’s office.

“I just went to sleep and I woke up and my mouth was all sore and swollen, and I talked funny.  And the dentist said, ‘You’ll talk normal when the swelling goes down,’” Butler told NPR.

Unfortunately, while the swelling went down, the accent remained. Neurologists suggest that Butler probably suffered a small stroke when she was under anesthesia.

While most people suffering from FAS tend to become depressed or stressed out because of their change in accent, Butler claims to actually like her new one.  She told NPR that her new accent has made her more outgoing and is a good conversation starter.

There have been several similar cases of FAS reported in recent years. For example, British newspaper the Sunday Times published an article in April 2010 about Sarah Colwill, who went from suffering regular migraines to suddenly speaking in a Chinese accent.

It is believed that FAS usually goes away after a while, though the time it takes for normal speech to come back varies between patients. Unfortunately, this syndrome is still relatively unfamiliar and remains a mystery because of the lack of case studies.

By Park So-eun

The Korean Herald

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