YOUR MOUTH'S NEMESIS: DUN, DUN, DUUUUUUN...HALITOSIS

March, 2013 »  

Your Mouth's Nemesis:  DUN, DUN, DUUUUUUN...Halitosis —

We have all at one time or another experienced bad breath, or medically termed, halitosis.  Unfortunately, some people may not know that they have it.  It’s an awkward situation when someone you know has chronic bad breath and you aren’t sure how to tell him or her.  In actuality, bad breath could not just come from the onions your friend ate; it could be something actually wrong with their system.

Bad breath usually stems from not brushing and flossing enough.  When food sits on your teeth, gums and tongue, bacteria thrives on it and causes odors to start forming.  This is easy enough to resolve.  Try as much as possible to brush your teeth after meals and floss at least once a day.  The one thing that people are missing is brushing their tongue.  Tongues are tricky little organs due to the fact that they have numerous taste buds and papillae that trap food particles and bacteria.  Some people even have cracks and crevices in their tongue that make for even worse food traps.  If you suffer from bad breath, try brushing your tongue first and see if that helps.  There are things called tongue scrapers that have a saw blade pattern to them that can help you scrape debris from your tongue. You would be surprised at what comes off of your tongue when you use these little gadgets. There are also special brushes and special cleaning liquids that are made to help clean the tongue, but in general, using your toothbrush works just as well.

Obviously, we equate bad breath with eating something strong like onions, garlic or spicy foods.  Foods begin to break down in your mouth and end up being absorbed into your blood stream, which then feeds your lungs.  So, when you eat something like, garlic, for instance, you may smell like garlic for a while until it is through your system.  Obviously, things like that can’t be helped unless you swear off garlic.  Try to drink a lot of water with your spicy meal to help it hydrate through your system.

Another problem adding to bad breath is smoking or chewing tobacco.  Now is the time to quit.  Ask your dentist or hygienist for suggestions on kicking the habit.

Bad breath can also come from having periodontal disease or even a cavity or cracked tooth.  The best way to handle this situation is to see your dentist regularly.  Having a dental cleaning and then brushing at least twice a day and flossing once a day can cure beginning stages of periodontal disease.  If your periodontal disease has progressed beyond the beginning stages, having your teeth cleaned more regularly can keep it in check and maintain it so you aren’t getting pass the point of no return.

Cavities start from bacteria and generally the enamel is eaten away from the tooth, which can cause food to get stuck, causing bad breath.  Also, a cracked tooth can harbor bacteria causing the same problem.  At Szmanda Dental, we recommend having your teeth cleaned twice a year if you are in good periodontal health and having the dentist check your teeth also twice a year for any problems.

There are other things that are more systemic that can cause bad breath.  Things like acid reflux, medications, diabetes, kidney problems, lung infections, postnasal drip, and enlarged tonsils, to name a few.  If you feel that your bad breath does not improve with your best effort in dental hygiene and your dentist gives you the thumbs up for everything checking out orally, you may want to get checked out by your medical doctor for other problems.

There are numerous things that can cause bad breath, so start with some easy solutions first to see if they help. 

• Brush your teeth and tongue and floss more frequently. 
• Use antibacterial mouthwash to help kill off those little bacteria bugs.
• If you aren’t able to brush right after a meal, drink a glass of water to help clear out bacteria and food particles. 
• Try to eat fruit or vegetables that have a high water content like apples or celery after your meal. 
• Chew sugarless gum.
• Stop smoking or chewing.
• See your dentist regularly for check-ups!

At Szmanda Dental Center, we would love to address any questions you have about halitosis or any other dental inquiry you have.  Don’t be afraid to bring up any questions or concerns that you have about your dental health to your hygienist or dentist.  That is what we are here for!  Schedule your next cleaning today.

Information compiled from WebMD and Staff at Szmanda Dental Center  © Szmanda Dental Center, S.C. 2013

FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL PET DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

February, 2013 »  

February is National Pet Dental Health Month —

Do I really need to brush my pet’s teeth?  Well, the answer varies depending on your pet and breed, but, in most cases, the answer is yes.

One of the main indicators of your pet needing oral care is bad breath.  Many people may think that all pet breath is bad, but when you are a pet owner, you notice when there is a distinct change in your pet’s breath.  Bad breath stems from food particles that get trapped within the gum tissue or sit along the animal’s teeth.  Bacteria thrive on this debris and that is where bad breath begins.   Us humans, of course, can easily brush and floss food debris away, but when we aren’t providing any type of oral health care for our pets, this can cause problems, and not just bad breath.

Once bacteria sits on your pet’s teeth and gums, it forms plaque which then hardens and turns into tartar.  This can create pocketing in the gum tissue, which leads to inflammation and gum disease.  Dogs are 5 times more likely to get gum disease than humans due to the alkaline nature of their mouth and the fact that, basically, they don’t have opposable thumbs to use a toothbrush.  Gum disease is reversible with oral health care, but, once bone loss sets in, that can’t be corrected and generally teeth will loosen and need to be removed.  Even with just gum disease, animals can have a hard time eating their food, so with the issue of losing teeth, that will also increase the chance of your pet having a harder time not only eating their food but also digesting it due to larger pieces being swallowed.

What do you need to do to help your pet out with their oral health?  You can start by buying treats and toys that are designed to help control plaque and tartar (please make sure treats are made in the USA due to the large issue of health problems with treats from overseas causing illness and death).   Make sure you monitor your pet with certain treats like Greenies ® so that your pet doesn’t swallow too large of a piece. Toys and treats are a start, but most likely, this is not going to get the job done completely. 

If you are taking your pet to a veterinarian, it is part of the examination to check your pet’s teeth.  Your vet can give you a heads up on the health of your pet’s mouth.  If your pet’s dental health is to the point of needing a cleaning, (yup, that’s what I said, a cleaning for your pet) it’s not a bad idea to do it.  It is somewhat costly due to the fact that your pet has to be put under anesthesia to do it.  I have had several of my pets teeth cleaned, and it made a huge difference in the quality of their breath.

The easiest way to prevent bad breath and plaque is to start brushing your pet’s teeth.  Start at a young age to get them used to it.  There are finger brushes that you put on the end of your finger with little nubs to rub along the pet’s teeth.  Please make sure that if you are using toothpaste, that it is one specifically designated for animals.  Do not use toothpaste made for humans due to the fluoride content.  There are toothbrushes designed for animals also.  The earlier you can start getting your pet used to having their teeth brushed, the easier it will be.  This can potentially prevent oral health issues or at least slow them down.

If you are experiencing bad breath issues with your pet or are noticing that they have bleeding gums when chewing toys, not wanting to eat food or are favoring one side of their mouth, have your vet check it out.  Problems caught earlier can save money in the long run.

Now, let’s talk about your flossing…….

Information compiled from Healthy Pet Magazine, WebMD and Staff at Szmanda Dental Center  

© Szmanda Dental Center, S.C. 2013

YOUR CHILDREN AT SZMANDA DENTAL CENTER

February, 2013 »  

Your Children at Szmanda Dental Center —

It’s February!  National Children’s Dental Health Month!  That excites us because it is at a young age when children learn and gain their first knowledge about their dental health.  Szmanda Dental takes much pride in educating children of all ages.  The importance of good dental habits at an early age will become a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.  Children are so amazing and we enjoy being part of that active roll as their dental needs grow and change over the years.

We begin to see children as little as 1 year — perhaps just to watch you have your teeth cleaned.  This is when a child begins to hear the sights and sounds of a dental office.  We may also give them a ride in the dental chair as they sit in your lap.  We may even get them to say “AHHHHHH”!  We will introduce them to the Dentist, even if just a friendly wave at first.  And what a tiny little tot doesn’t like to pick out a new toothbrush!?

As time moves forward, your child will visit our dental office routinely and become familiar with faces, smiles, and plenty of comfort, warmth, and trust.  All very important to us as we learn about your child and they learn about us as they grow.  Soon enough your child will have their first dental cleaning (DON’T FORGET YOUR CAMERA!).

Szmanda Dental Center offers many services for children and teens:

• Cleaning – we can see multiple siblings in one hour
• Fluoride Treatments
• Sealants
• Mouth Guards
• Cavity Screenings
• Wisdom Teeth Screenings
• Referrals to Dental Specialists if Needed

For parents wishing to wait in our lobby area for their children to complete their dental visit, we have two Nook’s available for your convenience.  Please feel free to utilize them during your visit!

Szmanda Dental is based on family and good friends — we would love to meet you and your family!

The Showdown: Male Teeth Vs. Female Teeth

January, 2013 »  

The Showdown: Male Teeth Vs. Female Teeth —

Okay, okay.  We already know that men are from Mars and women are from Venus.  Of course, there are lots of differences between us that will reiterate that statement, but, from a dental standpoint, are our teeth so different from one another that they too are from an alien planet?

Let’s start with the basics.  We might assume that because men are generally bigger than women that their teeth would also be larger.  This isn’t always the case.  The shape of natural teeth varies from person to person.

Alas, there seems to be conflicting research as to determining if men’s teeth are in general, larger than women’s teeth.  According to the Journal for Dental Research, they find men’s teeth do in fact, tend to be larger, especially the canines, or “eye” teeth.  But, according to a study done by researchers for the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Center in Berlin (the researchers included dentists, dental students, dental professional and non-dental professionals) gender differences could only be detected about 50% of the time when shown images of front teeth.  There are anthropologic studies that tend to prove differences in men’s and women’s teeth, but this particular study done in Berlin showed that gender differences were not visible to the experts eyes more than half of the time.  The researchers looked for things that were known in previous dental research, like how women supposedly have more rounded teeth than angular like men and they still could not determine from the images as to if it was a man or woman.  So, they found that shape, size, or color of the canine teeth was not always a determining factor as an indicator of male or female.

Now, onto a more important finding.  There have been numerous studies that have found that tooth decay is more prevalent in women.  An article that was published in the International Journal of Dentistry reported research that determined women had a higher rate of decay due to things like salivary composition and flow,  hormone fluctuation, and dietary habits.

It was found that women, especially older women (due to osteoporosis) had a lower flow rate of their saliva.  Hormones, which effect saliva, fluctuate through women’s lives due to puberty, menses, pregnancy, birth control and menopause.  Saliva is beneficial as far as buffering, washing and remineralization of teeth.  When there is less, bacteria tend to hang onto teeth and cause problems.

Women’s hormones fluctuate for obvious reasons month to month.  Because of this change in hormones, it can effect the “protective” composition of saliva and make it less effective and cause problems in the oral cavity. 

Pregnancy is also a major hormone changer.  It not only causes change in salivary content, but there tend to be cravings with pregnancy, which can lead to a change in dietary habits.  There would more likely be snacking which causes an increase in more bacteria in the mouth, and thusly, BAM, cavities!

Even with all of these issues against the fair ladies, women still end up statistically healthier than men with their dental health.  It is because women tend to be more proactive in caring for their teeth as far as brushing and flossing (goarticles.com).

Alrighty, lets look at some fun facts (Journal of Periodontology and Doctorshangout.com).  Keep in mind that we think that they are fun but we are into the whole dental thing, you know:

• Women are much more likely to use floss on a daily basis than men.
• 75% of women would feel embarrassed if they were missing a tooth compared to 50% of men.
• Women notice much faster if another person is missing a tooth than men.
• 33% of men consider dental health important to maintain overall good health as compared to 44% of women who believe so.
• Women smile about 62 times a day compared to men who smile eight times a day on average.

Szmanda Dental Center is ambivalent to male or female teeth.  We love them all and would love to see you at our office!  Please make sure you stay on a 6-month cleaning schedule (or more frequent if you suffer from those pesky periodontal bugs) so we can keep your teeth looking great and maybe we can get those guys to smile a bit more……

Information compiled from the Journal of Dental Research, the International Journal of Dentistry, the Dental Tribune, the Journal of Periodontology, goarticles.com, doctorshangout.com and Staff at Szmanda Dental Center  

© Szmanda Dental Center, S.C. 2013