Menu
It seems so silly to suggest that the common, every day practice of flossing your teeth can actually prevent something as serious and deadly as a heart attach.
However, once again, the scientific facts reveal that some of our most common and dangerous diseases actually begin in your mouth.
We recently found an article written by Angela Dowdon and published at Express.co.uk which exposes the deadly connection between poor oral health and heart disease…and how proper flossing (and regular dental cleanings) can help.
Bristol University researchers reported last month that bacteria can enter the bloodstream via sore gums and deposit a clot-forming protein that raises heart disease risk. A link between gum and heart problems has long been recognised but it has always been unclear if poor oral health was simply a marker of other heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure and being a smoker. “Now it seems regular flossing may directly reduce cardiovascular risk,” says Dr Langroudi.
At Island Dental Associates we want all of our patients to enjoy the benefits of supreme oral health. We don’t want anyone to suffer from easily preventable diseases. That’s why we provide the very best dentists and dental hygienists on Long Island, as well as a board certified periodontist to assist you and your family.
However, as the article above makes clear, YOU must take care of your teeth at home by flossing every day!
Please contact us here if you would like to get in touch with us or call us at (516) 565-6565.
Plaque and tartar deposits on your teeth can cause tooth decay and many other dental diseases. Regular caring for your teeth is more important than most people would realize. Dental hygiene is of utmost importance in order to reduce your visits to the dentist, and save money in the process. Toothache and tooth decay are the results of poor dental practices, which could end in severe painful gums and periodontal diseases and possible tooth loss. This article will highlight 3 important tips for better dental hygiene.
Periodontal disease is never easy on the individual suffering from it. Many patients complain about issues with their gums and the damage is often extensive. It is essential to remain on top of these matters before they get out of hand and become very difficult to control. Dentists always make specific suggestions to patients that are aiming to ensure they never get hit with periodontal disease. Let’s take a look at some of the tips one can employ in order to make sure they do not suffer with this particular issue.
Are you looking for tips on taking care of your mouth, teeth and gums? If so, you have come to the right place. Taking care of your mouth is important and the article that follows will show you how. Continue reading to learn the best dental health tips out there.
Tip For Brushing Your Teeth
Buy a high-quality toothbrush and replace it frequently. A good toothbrush should be soft especially if your gums bleed while brushing your teeth. Do not keep the same toothbrush for more than a month since bacteria can quickly develop on this object.
Tips For Flossing
Flossing helps remove plaque on and around your gum line and should be performed at least twice daily. When flossing, gently work the dental floss up and down between each tooth. Do not subject your gums to harsh flossing; instead, use a gentle hand and waxed dental floss to help protect your gums.
Special Consideration for Smokers
Stop smoking to improve your dental health. Smoking harms both teeth and gums. It can even discolor your teeth. Smoking disrupts the blood supply to the gums, which makes it harder for them to remain strong and healthy. This reduced blood supply makes it more difficult for dentists to diagnose gum diseases.
Visit Your Dentist Frequently
You should visit your dentist AT LEAST once every 6 months. If you do this your breath will be fresh and clean, your teeth will stay white and gleaming, and your gums won’t bleed when you brush. When you care about your oral health you’ll be repaid in spades.
You only have one mouth and one set of teeth and gums. For this reason it is important that you take care of them and do all you can to keep your mouth healthy. Try out the tips shared here and you can have the healthiest teeth and mouth possible.
Do Electronic Cigarettes Cause Oral Cancer?
We have noticed that many of our patients have switched from cigarettes to the electronic cigarettes. E-cigarettes don’t burn tobacco. Instead, they contain cartridges that are filed with nicotine and other chemicals. Once the e-cigarette is used the liquid chemicals turn into vapor.
There is limited research on e-cigarettes with respect to oral cancer. However, there are chemicals such as nitrosamine in the e-cigarettes that are known to cause cancer.
In our opinion, there needs to be more research on this product to determine the risks vs. benefits compared to regular cigarette smoking.
Screening for oral cancer is very important whether you use e-cigarettes or whether you smoke regular cigarettes, cigars, or a pipe. At Island Dental Associates we do a thorough intra-oral examination for our patients to make sure no lesions are missed.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 516-565-6565.
At Island Dental Associates we want all of our patients to practice good oral hygiene so that they avoid the complications that can arise due to periodontal disease. However, keeping your teeth and gums healthy is especially important if you are diabetic.
If you have diabetes, it is essential that you practice good dental hygiene. Diabetics have a higher risk of periodontal disease. Other dental issues are also more common in diabetics. Good dental hygiene can help you common dental problems like cavities, gum disease, and thrush. Regular check-ups are also recommended.
If you have diabetes, you need to practice proper dental hygiene. Diabetics are at a higher risk for gum disease and other mouth infections. Periodontal disease is damaging to gums and bones and can lead to painful chewing problems. Periodontal disease causes people to lose teeth. This disease of the gums can also make your glucose levels change which is why you should care for your mouth and see a dentist on a regular basis.
Here are some things we recommend you do to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible…
One of the most common questions that we receive at our practice is what the patient can do to prepare for their next appointment. Denture relinings are one of our most common procedures, so we’ve had a lot of time to figure out what works best for everybody. Follow these tips, and you should be good to go for your relining!
Brush And Floss Daily
This seems like common sense; but you’d be amazed at how many people there are that don’t take care of their dentures because they’re “not real teeth”. If you cause damage to these, then we’re going to have to replace the whole set, and if your gums aren’t healthy either that becomes a huge problem! Brushing and flossing just takes a few minutes, and your mouth will thank you!
Try Not To Eat A Few Hours Before The Appointment
Ideally, you want to avoid eating or drinking too much in the two or three hours before an appointment (clear non-carbonated liquids like apple juice or water are OK). The less that we have to clean up before getting your dentures relined, the easier and faster it is to complete your procedure! Getting in and out as fast as possible is both of our goals, so lets work towards it.
Relax
This is a completely normal procedure, and you’ll feel loads better once your dentures are properly relined! You don’t have to worry about feeling massive amounts of pain, and as long as you go into your appointment relaxed and upbeat the doctor will be able to have you out and enjoying your dentures in no time at all.
None of that’s too hard, now is it? Follow these steps and we look forward to having a great next appointment with you!
We often have dental emergencies in our practice and when a patient comes in, I often ask, “what happened?” Frequently, the patient who is in a great deal of pain responds that he/she has not been to the dentist is a very long time because they hate going to the dentist because it always hurts and makes them feel uncomfortable.
This is a very common problem in dentistry and unfortunately it leads to way too many dental emergencies.
Look, if you’re having tooth or gum pain, or if you have a loose filling, etc., waiting for the problem to go away and/or fix itself on its own is a recipe for disaster. Dental problems DON”T go away on their own – they get worse when they’re neglected.
So what about the fear of going to the dentist? Do we have a solution to that? The answer is YES! We can give you oral sedation. When you’re sedated you are completely unaware of the dental treatment being performed. You leave the office with absolutely no memory of experiencing any pain or discomfort.
Want to know more about sedation? Give us a call today at (516)565-6565.
The dental implant, unlike a natural tooth, is integrated directly to bone with no intervening periodontal ligament. Which raises the question, how do you clean around it.
Coming in for your dental cleanings is a start and the most important measure of prevention. Maintaining proper oral hygiene is CRUCIAL! Not only oral health but for systemic health as well.
Prevention and early detection are the key to avoiding tooth decay and gum disease. Once bleeding is involved then you’re already the experiencing the effects of gingivitis, which is inflamed gums.
When you have gingivitis it means you are lacking proper oral care. When the gums stop bleeding you fall into a periodontal disease category which includes bone loss, pocketing and possibly the eventual loss of your teeth.
We hope you never get to this stage but if you do, here’s a few things you need to know…
KEEP WHAT YOU HAVE! Dentistry is all about prevention.
Come in for periodontal maintenance. Studies have shown that a toothbrush isn’t able to get into a 3mm pocket so if you’re falling into 5-6mm coming in for painless deep cleaning is a necessity!
Another term for this is scaling and root planing. Basically when we go in and take out all the bacterial pathogens.
No one wants bacteria floating around in their mouth and circulating through their body. Studies have shown that bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream through the gums. This same bacteria has been found in areas of the heart that helped cause the build up of plaque leading to heart problems.
Medical experts believe that the bacteria stick to the fatty plaque in the bloodstream, directly contributing to blockages in your heart.
That’s why cardiologists strongly encourage routine dental cleanings for prevention!
Now that you understand more about taking care of your teeth, as well as your dental implants your next step is to give me a call at (516) 565-6565 to schedule a dental cleaning.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Daniella Sansotta, RDH
For many years medical doctors and dentists have been trying to make the public more aware of the causal connection between oral hygiene and periodontal disease and systemic diseases such as: heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, as well as a host of inflammatory ailments.
Now, a new study from the University of Central Lancashire School of Medicine and Dentistry, has found a possible link between gum disease, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
From an article found in The International News online…
Although past studies have suggested a link between oral health and dementia, this is the first to pinpoint a specific gum disease bacteria in the brain. Researchers looked at donated brain samples of 10 people without dementia and 10 people with dementia.They Antimalware Service Executable found the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis in the brains of four of those with dementia. This bacteria may play a role in changes in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease, contributing to symptoms including confusion and failing memory.
Now that you know just how important it is to take care of your teeth why not call us to make an appointment for you next dental visit? Call us today at (516) 565-6565.
