Category Archives: Adult Dentistry

Five Tips To Getting Over Your Fear Of The Dentist

22 Thursday Oct 2015

Posted by in Adult Dentistry, General Dentistry, Sensitive Teeth

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Is there any profession that brings out peoples fear more than the dentist? There is a reason “Little Shop of Horrors” casts a dentist as the main villain (Steve Martin is excellent in the movie, btw).

 

These fears can be brought on by different issues ranging from childhood experiences, to a lack of control while sitting in the dentists chair. Whatever the issue might be, here are some tips to help you overcome your fears and help your smile become the brightest it can be.

  1. Find a dentist you trust

Overcoming a fear of the dentist all starts with trust. Ask friends and family if they have a dentist they like. If you can’t find a recommendation from someone, try DentistUSA.com. Once you find your dentist…

  1. Explain your fears

This information will help your dentist determine the best course of action to help you manage your fears, will build a trusting relationship and help you feel more in-control when in the dentist’s chair.

  1. Deep breathing

There are many breathing exercises that can help relax you. If those don’t help, you might ask you dentist about…

  1. Additional medication to help relax

Many dentists recommend nitrous oxide, sedation or anti-anxiety medication for nervous patients. Talk to your dentist about these options to see if it might help.

  1. Visit your dentist regularly

The more you go, the more you’ll get used to the sites and sounds. Just regular check ups and cleanings will also help prevent issues that might lead to other, more painful procedures, which could cause more anxiety.

 

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5 Things to Eat When You Have a Temporary Crown

20 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by in Adult Dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, DentistUSA.com, General Dentistry, Sensitive Teeth, Smile, Tooth Friendly Recipe, What To Eat

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Cavities. They can happen to the best of us. Even those who happen to write a blog about how not to get them… (please don’t tell my bosses).

So, a quick trip to the dentist, a couple hours in the chair watching a movie while they drill (the movie was Larry Crowne… how apropos) and I find myself with a temporary crown awaiting a permanent that should arrive in a couple weeks. Which led me to wonder, what can I eat so that this loosely attached piece of acrylic doesn’t come off and leave me with an exposed nerve in my mouth?

Lets start with what to avoid:

  1. Sticky foods.

All of your sugary, gum candies should be avoided. These include: chewing gum, hard candies, caramels, toffee, etc. They should probably be avoided even when you don’t have a cavity, unless you want a cavity and then you’ll have to avoid them anyways.

  1. Hard foods.

These range from nuts to uncooked vegetables. If you must have them, avoid chewing on the side of your mouth with the crown.

  1. Hot liquids.

This includes soups, coffee, tea. This is more a sensitivity issue more than anything else. It’s hard to keep liquids to one side of the mouth and if you have any exposed nerve endings, you can feel some discomfort when the heat touches the crown.

  1. Cold foods.

As stated above, the same goes for cold foods. Anyone who has sensitive teeth can attest to the pain of cold on teeth.

So what can you eat?

1. Smoothies

Right after I had my temporary crown installed I asked my dentist what I could eat. She told me to stay away from the foods I listed above and suggested I try a smoothie from the place next door. As it is summer right now I can imagine a smooth might be good. Just be careful of how cold the smoothie might be. You can control the temperature when you whip up your own!

2. Pasta

I decided I wanted something more substantial than a smoothie and opted instead to go to the Italian place next to my dentist office (my dentist is in a strip mall with a bevy of food options). I had a nice rigatoni with alfredo sauce. I got it to go so by the time I got home it had cooled down and was just warm enough not to cause any discomfort. It was soft, satisfying and most importantly, didn’t hurt.

3. Pudding

If you’re wondering what I had for dessert, wonder no more! I had chocolate pudding. Once again, soft, satisfying and most importantly, didn’t hurt.

4. Eggs

From scrambled to hard-boiled, eggs are a good option. They are soft, satisfying… you get the idea.

5. Soups

I know, I know. I told you in the list above to avoid soups. But that was hot soups. Cool soups like a vichyssoise or gazpacho are a great option, especially with this summer heat. Even good, old-fashion soups, like chicken noodle is okay, as long as you let them cool first. The Joy of Blending has a really tasty Cool Mint Pea soup.

Really, there are plenty of foods to eat while you have a temporary crown. Just remember to stay away from the avoid list above, chew with the opposite side of your mouth the crown is on and you should be just fine. Remember, if you ever feel pain, especially when you are not eating, make sure to inform your dentist.

A Healthy Smile is a Healthy Body

31 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by in Adult Dentistry, General Dentistry, oral hygeine

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“Did you know there are more than 6 billion bacteria present inside the mouth?” Asked Dr. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden in their article Oral health can be the key to overall health. “In essence, you have more bacteria in your mouth than the Earth’s human population!”

Now before you go freaking out and spraying your mouth with Lysol, you should know, there are a lot of different kinds of bacteria in your mouth. Some of these are good. Like Veillonella, that slows the development of caries. But (and seriously, don’t spray Lysol in your mouth) there are a lot of bad bacteria, like Streptococcus mutans, a significant contributor to tooth decay and Streptococcus gordonii.

Researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons published a study in March showing that Streptococcus gordonii can produce a molecule that helps blood to clot. This molecule can slip into your blood stream and cause blockage of the blood supply to the heart or brain, resulting in a heart attack or stroke. In fact, studies show that having gum disease can quadruple your risk of stroke and spike your risk of a heart attack up to a dozen times higher!

Some bacteria can even lead to cancer. A Swedish study found that poor brushing can increase cancer risks by 80%!

Dr Paul Pharoah, reader in cancer epidemiology at the University of Cambridge, said the results of the Swedish study suggested higher levels of plaque (bacteria) are associated with ‘higher all-cause mortality.’ In other words, the worse your teeth are, the worse your overall health is and the more risk you are to serious illness and even death.

So, what can you do to help prevent bacteria growing? Try some of these tips:

– Brush your teeth twice a day for a full two minutes each time.

– Floss your teeth and scrape your tongue daily.

– Wash out your mouth after every meal. An over the counter mouthwash is best but most of us don’t carry around a bottle of Scope everywhere we go. You could use these but water is a good substitute if nothing else is available.

– Cut out the sugar. Sugar promotes bacteria growth. So stay away from high sugar foods and beverages (e.g. candy, soda and fruit juices).  If you are a candy lover like myself, try to find some sugar free alternatives

– See your dentist twice a year and get your teeth cleaned. “The cleaning done at the dentist is a special ‘deep’ dental cleaning, where all the harmful plaque and tartar is removed professionally.” If you need to find a dentist to help get your smile back in shape, use DentistUSA.com.

Following these tips may not only get you a brighter smile; it might save you from something more deadly!