Tooth Loss and the Need for Dentures

As a dentures dentist, we know that few people ever consider life after losing teeth. Even fewer considered life with dentures. In fact in a recent survey more than 60% of the responders stated that they had never even considered or given serious thought to dentures. Most people are confident about the quality and health of their teeth. With over 97% of people now brushing their teeth at least once per day, it is understandable why so many people feel like they will never lose a tooth.  While avoiding tooth loss is a great goal to work towards, most adults will experience some tooth loss in their lifetime. For example, you might be surprised to learn that around 20 million women, over the age of 40, wear dentures in the United States today. According to the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, the number of people that will be wearing complete dentures will be around 37.9 million by 2020. While we strongly encourage all of our patients to take good care of their teeth, be careful what they bite down on and have a healthier diet, we also know that sometimes DNA or age just catches up with you.

Preventing tooth loss -

Nobody suddenly needs dentures one morning. You will, almost, never wake up one morning with a gaping hole in your teeth and needing to come see the dentist for dentures. Instead, the way it usually works is that there are underlying symptoms, which people tend to ignore. Your body will tell you if you have an infection or gum disease, and give you the opportunity to come see us and have us fix the problem before it leads to tooth loss. Naturally the best way to avoid ever getting to that place is to be part of the 53% of Americans that make it a habit to visit the dentist at least twice each year. When you do this, we have an opportunity to catch any underlying problems before they fester too long and become severe. In between appointments, or if you are part of the 48% that doesn't visit us regularly, there are a few signs to look for that may indicate an infection or diseases that require medical attention.

One of the most common, and often ignored, signs of gum disease is a loosening of teeth. Your teeth were never meant to be loose and when they start to shift inside your mouth of their own accord, this is an indicator of a deeper problem. Another indicator of gum disease is a toothache. While people do get toothaches from eating too much sweet, if you cannot control the toothache with over the counter medication, if it lasts longer than a day or two, or if it comes back frequently this could be an indicator of a deeper infection or gum disease. Since gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss, these symptoms require immediate dental care.

While we will try to prevent tooth loss, if you do lose a tooth - we can help.  We can create a comfortable set of dentures that will look natural and function perfectly, allowing you to smile with confidence.

Family Dentist  >  Tooth Extractions

The Truth About Acid Reflux and Your Teeth From our Dental Office

In our dental office, we help patients that suffer from acid reflux disease and are dealing with tooth erosion as a result.  Reflux-induced erosion is a common problem that can impact both children and adults.  As acid travels up through the esophagus, it enters the mouth and can start to attack the teeth.  The acid will start to wear away the teeth one layer at a time until they become thin and brittle.

According to a report by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project between twenty and thirty percent of U.S. adults, experience the symptoms of acid reflux or GERD on a weekly basis.  A full sixty percent of the population has these symptoms at least yearly.  This manifests as a burning sensation in the chest and throat as acid works its way backwards and up the esophagus. This proves problematic for many people, making it difficult to eat and sleep along with interfering with their concentration at work. Acid reflux also creates health problems in the stomach, esophagus and throat in addition to impacting the teeth.

In our dental office, we want to know if our patients have acid reflux so that we can help to prevent erosion in addition to treating it.  By keeping teeth healthy and clean, they will remain stronger.  For example, people that have cavities or gum disease will naturally be more susceptible to getting cavities and suffering other dental health issues. While cleaning teeth, we can remove bacteria from the teeth and gum lines so that they can remain healthy and cavity free.  We can also provide a fluoride treatment for teeth that need strengthening and are at risk for erosion. These preventative steps aid in keeping the mouth healthy.

If the erosion does occur, it will first attack the enamel and cause it to wear away.  As it does, the dentin underneath will become exposed which leads to sensitive teeth.  When food touches the dentin it is simultaneously touching the nerve endings inside of it.  This can lead to the pain signal being transferred to the brain, leading to an increase in sensitivity that many patients complain of.  In this early stage, we can help by completing a bonding procedure to seal the dentin.  This works well in the beginning stages but as erosion becomes more advanced; the teeth will become weak, thin and brittle.  At this point, the best way to protect the teeth is to place a crown around them.  A crown is a cap that surrounds the tooth and prevents anything from touching it.  This procedure allows us to save a tooth that may have otherwise been pulled due to erosion.

In our dental office, we also recommend that patients take medication to control their acid reflux.  By seeing your doctor, you can get a prescription that will help you to feel better and to protect your teeth.  If an attack does occur, you should avoid brushing your teeth for an hour, but be sure to rinse your mouth in order to neutralize some of the acid.

Cosmetic Dentist  >  Dental Fillings