Fluoride Supplements

The most effective way for your child to get fluoride’s protection is by drinking water containing the right amount of the mineral… about one part fluoride per million parts water. This is of special benefit to children, because fluoride is incorporated into enamel as teeth form. Children who, from birth, drink water containing fluoride have up to 40% fewer cavities. Many of them remain cavity-free through their teens.

Fluoride is one of the most effective elements for preventing tooth decay. This mineral combines with tooth enamel to strengthen it against decay. Fluoride may also actually reverse microscopic cavities by enhancing the process by which minerals, including calcium, are incorporated into the teeth.

Even though your regular water supply may be fluoridated, it is still important to discuss with your Dentist any additional fluoride needs your child may have. Look for fluoride toothpastes and over-the-counter fluoride mouth rinses that carry the ADA seal. They have been proven safe and effective for their intended use. The advertising claims for these products have been reviewed by the ADA so the claims are accurate and not misleading.

Your Dentist may recommend various ways to get fluoride protection, including:
- Drinking fluoridated water at school.
- Taking prescribed fluoride tablets or drops.
- Brushing with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste after age two.
- Using a fluoride mouth rinse for children over age six.

Simple Warning Signs of a Serious Condition

1. Do your gums sometimes bleed when you brush?
2. Do you have places in your gums that get red or sore?
3. Will bad breath just not go away?

These symptoms might not seem like much, but they could be the first signs of gum disease.

Every mouth has good and bad bacteria. Gum Disease occurs when millions of harmful bacteria have multiplied under your gumline and started an infection. Because the bacteria live and grow in pockets below the gumline, brushing and flossing cannot stop the infection. The best way to fight back is to visit a Dentist.

Consistent oral hygiene at home and regular visits to our office will keep your gums healthy. If left untreated, gum disease will get serious and could potentially lead to tooth loss or more serious health issues.

If you notice any bleeding or soreness in your gums, schedule an appointment with our office. Together, we can fight back against gum disease and keep your whole smile healthy.

"Timely, professional treatment is the only way to stop gum disease before it gets serious."

What is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Baby bottle tooth decay is a form of decay than can destroy the teeth of an infant or young child. The teeth most likely to be damaged are the upper front teeth. These teeth are critical to you child’s smile. Other teeth may also be affected by this condition.

What Causes Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is caused by frequent and long exposure of a child’s teeth to liquids containing sugars. Milk, formula, fruit juices, and other sweetened liquids help to create this problem. The sugar in these liquids is used as an energy source by the bacteria in plaque.

Plaque is a thin, almost invisible film of bacteria and by-products that constantly form on everyone’s teeth. In the decay process, the bacteria produce acids which attach tooth enamel. The length of time these liquids are in contact with the teeth is critical. Longer and frequent exposures allow greater damage to occur.

Offering your child a bottle containing these liquids many times a day, as a pacifier, isn’t a good idea. Allowing your child to fall asleep with a bottle during naps or at night can cause serious harm and damage to your child’s teeth. During sleep, the flow of saliva decreases. This allows the liquids in the nursing bottle to pool around your child’s teeth for long periods of time.

Prevention

Sometimes parents do not realize that a baby’s teeth are susceptible to decay as soon as they appear in the mouth. By the time decay is noticed, it may be too late to save the child’s teeth. You can prevent this from happening to your child’s teeth by learning how to protect them:

- After each feeding, wipe the child’s teeth and gums with a damp washcloth or gauze pad, to remove plaque. Begin brushing your Child’s Teeth as soon as the first tooth erupts. Remember to continue cleaning and massaging the child’s gums in all other areas that remain toothless. Flossing should begin when all primary teeth have erupted, usually by age 2.

- Never allow your child fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juices or sweetened liquid.

- If your child needs a comforter between regular feedings, at night, or during naps, fill a nursing bottle with cool water or give the child a clean pacifier recommended by your Dentist or pediatrician. Never give your child a pacifier dipped in any sweetened liquid.

- Avoid filling your child’s nursing bottle with any liquids such as sugar water, sweetened gelatin, and soft drinks.

- Make sure your child gets the fluoride needed for decay-resistant teeth. If you are not sure that your local water supply contains the right amount of fluoride, ask your Dentist about fluoride supplements.

- Start Dental Visits between six and twelve months of age. Make appointments regularly. If you suspect that your child has a dental problem, take the child to see a dentist as soon as possible.

Bleeding Gums Can Kill More Than Your Smile

Contrary to what you have been told, bleeding gums are not normal and shouldn’t be ignored. Would you be concerned if your hands bleed every time you wash them? Your gums are no different.

Bleeding that occurs when you floss, brush, or eat is usually caused by a bacterial infection and represents one of the first symptoms of gum disease (Periodontal Disease). Researchers are finding links between periodontal infection and other diseases of the human body. Heart Disease, Diabetes, Respiratory Disease, Osteoporosis, Artificial Joints, and Pregnancy complications seem to be connected to your oral health. The current theory is that bacteria present in infected gums breaks loose, travels though your bloodstream, and attaches itself to your heart or other body parts. A resent study found that 85% of heart-attack patients have periodontal disease, making this connection higher than the relationship between high cholesterol and heart attacks.

What Should You Do?

Keep your mouth healthy! It is not “just a cleaning” anymore. See your Dentist or hygienist at least twice a year for periodic maintenance and screening. Periodontal disease is often painless until it reaches more advanced stages, however there is a simple test that your dental team can use to uncover this problem even in its beginning stages. Like most diseases of the body early detection is essential. Also, remember to brush and floss. You will need to be an active participant in prevention. Gum disease is a serious infection that should always be taken seriously.

Take a Self-Evaluation Quiz

If you answer yes to any of the following questions you may have periodontal disease.
1. Do your gums bleed when you brush, floss, or eat?
2. Do your teeth feel like they are moving?
3. Are your gums receding?
4. Do your teeth look longer?
5. Do you have persistent bad breath?
6. Does your bite feel different?
7. Is it difficult for you to chew?
8. Have you noticed pus around your teeth? 9. Do your gums feel tender or look swollen?
10. Do your teeth or gums hurt?

Other Factors

Over 80% of adults have gum disease. Smoking, excessive alcohol, diet, and poor oral hygiene can contribute to the onset and progression of the disease, but genetics seem to play a significant role. If there is a history of gum disease or premature tooth loss with your parents or siblings your chance of having this disease is extremely high.

Treatments

A better understanding of this disease has created new treatment alternatives. Antibiotics, deep cleanings, laser treatments, mouth rinses, and homecare, used individually or in combination, are reducing the need for more aggressive options like Surgery.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Which type of toothbrush should I use?
A: The brand of the toothbrush is not as critical as the type of bristle and the size of the head. A soft toothbrush with a small head is recommended because medium and hard brushes tend to cause irritation and contribute to recession of the gums, and a small head allows you to get around each tooth more completely and is less likely to injure your gums. It's unnecessary to "scrub" the teeth as long as you are brushing at least twice a day and visiting your Dentist at least twice a year for cleanings.

Q: Is one toothpaste better than others?
A: Generally, no. However, it's advisable to use a fluoride containing toothpaste to decrease the incidence of dental decay. We recommend our patients use what tastes good to them as long as it contains fluoride.

Q: How often should I floss?
A: Flossing of the teeth once per day helps to prevent cavities from forming between the teeth where your toothbrush can't reach. Flossing also helps to keep your gums healthy.

Q: What's the difference between a "crown" and a "cap"?
A: These are restorations to repair a severely broken tooth by covering all or most of the tooth after removing old fillings, fractured tooth structure, and all decay. The restoration material is made of gold, porcelain, composites, or even stainless steel. Dentists refer to all of these restorations as "crowns". However, patients often refer to the tooth-colored ones as "caps" and the gold or stainless steel ones as "crowns".

Q: What's the difference between a "bridge" and a "partial denture"?
A: Both bridges and Partial Dentures replace missing teeth. A bridge is permanently attached to abutment teeth or, in some cases, implants. A partial denture is attached by clasps to the teeth and is easily removed by the patient. Patients are usually more satisfied with bridges than with partial dentures.

Q: What about "silver" fillings versus "white" fillings?
A: Although the U.S. Public Health Service issued a report in 1993 stating there is no health reason not to use amalgam (silver fillings), more patients today are requesting "white" or tooth-colored composite fillings. We also prefer tooth-colored fillings because they "bond" to the tooth structure and therefore help strengthen a tooth weakened by decay. While Fillings are also usually less sensitive to temperature, and they also look better. However, "white" fillings cannot be used in every situation, and if a tooth is very badly broken-down, a crown will usually be necessary and provide better overall satisfaction for the patient.

Q: Do I need to have a root canal just because I have to have a crown?
A: No. While most teeth which have had Root Canal Treatments do need crowns to strengthen the teeth and to return the teeth to normal form and function, not every tooth needing a crown also needs to have a root canal.

COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Cosmetic Dentistry can be anything done to correct imperfections in the appearance of the mouth. Anyone who is unhappy with their smile can have it fixed. The upper teeth show, usually, only when smiling, while the lower teeth remain hidden. This is reversed when talking, with the upper teeth remaining hidden while the lower teeth show. The color, alignment, spacing as well as regularity of the teeth are the characteristics that give the overall appearance. Any of these can be repaired to give a stunning look to the mouth.

We offer a wide variety of cosmetic options. Some of these options are whitening, smile design, recontouring of the shape of the teeth, veneers, bonding, and all ceramic/porcelain crowns.

WHITENING

This is the procedure of making teeth whiter, and therefore more attractive. Our office uses several methods: Custom Trays with Professional strength whitening gel, Pre-filled Disposable tray Whitening and Touch-up Kits for those patients with trays of their own.

The tray method involves having impressions taken from which laboratory fabricated custom vinyl trays are made. A Carbamide peroxide or Hydrogen peroxide gel is placed in these trays and the trays with gel are worn for a minimum of 30 minutes. The entire process takes 1-2 weeks of daily use. Three different strengths of gel may be used, however the higher the strength the greater the likelihood of reactions or tooth sensitivity. The tray method is recommended for badly stained teeth, such as tetracycline staining, and it may take several months of use to see significant color improvement. For maintenance of whitened teeth the trays should be used every several months.

We recommend discussing your individual needs with Dr Gina Ostrand or the hygienist prior to purchasing other over-the counter products so the product that is best for your situation is chosen and you reach your cosmetic goals.

NEW! FOR OUR ESTABLISHED PATIENTS: You may now preview all of our office tested and approved Whitening products through our Venus Smile Store link. This enables you to purchase PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH products directly online whenever you need them and have them delivered right to your doorstep. You can also take advantage of SPECIAL PROMOTIONS and DISCOUNTS. To visit the store and purchase products online, visit:

VENEERS

Veneers are a dental procedure in which a covering is placed over the outside (visible area) of the tooth. Veneers are usually only done to the part of the teeth that are visible when talking or smiling. The procedure can be direct or indirect.

The direct technique usually involves placing composite resin on the outside of the tooth using bonding. This method is usually referred to as bonding.

The indirect technique usually involves two appointments because the veneers will be fabricated at a dental laboratory. At the first appointment the teeth are prepared, impressions taken, and the teeth are given a temporary covering. In two weeks the veneers are back from the laboratory, the temporaries are removed and the veneers are bonded to the teeth. The laboratory fabricated veneers are usually made using porcelain or pressed ceramic, and are very esthetic.

The advantage of veneers versus crowns is that much less tooth material is removed, and the procedure is generally less uncomfortable. Veneers are recommended for teeth that have large fillings or little tooth structure.

INVISALIGN

Invisalign straightens your teeth with a series of clear, virtually invisible custom-molded aligners. By using a series of clear, removable aligners, Invisalign straightens your teeth with results you'll notice sooner than you think. The course of treatment involves changing aligners approximately every two weeks, moving your teeth into straighter position step by step, until you have a more beautiful smile. And unlike braces, these clear aligners can be removed while you eat and brush your teeth as usual.

Welcome to our Practice

Our goal is to provide each patient with the very Best Dental Care in the most supportive and caring manner possible. Our office has a small, family friendly atmosphere that will immediately put you and your children at ease. Our team of experienced professionals will help you feel welcome and comfortable as we strive to provide each patient with comprehensive care that is designed around their individual needs.

NEW! Be sure to visit our "Venus Smile Store" for all of your Whitening and Dental Care needs. Professional strength Products can be ordered online and delivered right to your doorstep. See the smile store link under our COSMETIC DENTISTRY tab above.