Mouthguards Aren’t Just For Kids

July 14, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 9:30 am

Did you know that some of the most common dental injuries seen in patients under the age of 18 are from contact sports? And adults should protect their teeth as well when participating in any sport where injury to your face may be a factor.  Whether you, or your children, participate in rollerblading, soccer, or football, mouthguards help prevent these injuries. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends mouthguards for any activity that could result in a blow to the face or mouth.

Made of easy-to-clean, flexible acrylic material, an athletic mouthguard covers teeth and protects faces, lips, gums, and jaws from injury. Various types of mouthguards exist, including store bought, mouth-fit, and custom-made mouthguards. All of these appliances will help you avoid facial injuries, but custom-made mouthguards are superior to the other options, because they fit better, allow you to speak easier, and don’t fall out. If you decide on a custom-made mouthguards, we will take molds of your teeth and send the impressions to a dental lab for fabrication.  And we can make them in your team colors.   Call us to find out more about how to prevent injuries to your mouth and teeth.

Mercury Filling Controversy

July 8, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 3:35 pm

In our office we do not use amalgum fillings.  We think there are more aesthetic materials available today.  However, some of our patients do not want to keep amalgum fillings in their teeth.  Dr. Hornstein removes the old fillings safely.  We use lots of water and a high suction evacuation system.  We isolate the affected tooth with a rubber or latex dam so the patient is minimally exposed to any residual materials when removing the filling.  The patient may choose to breathe oxygen and eye protection is always used.  Some of the local physicians who practice medicine utilizing traditional and complementary treatments refer their patients to our office when they suspect that mercury levels are having an adverse effect on their patient’s health.  This link from Wikipedia has a balanced approach in its review of this controversial subject.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_amalgam_controversy

Please call our office if  you have any questions about mercury fillings and their safe replacement with tooth colored materials.

It Can Take Your Breath Away-Forever

June 21, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 11:43 am

Snoring…Sleep Apnea… High Blood Pressure…Heartburn…Stroke…Heart Attack…Death.  There is a statistical corralation between sleep apnea and heart attack.  A person has 7 times the normal risk for heart attack if they are overweight, 7.8 times higher with hypertension, 11 times higher with smoking and a 23.3 times higher chance of having a heart attack if you have sleep apnea.  Apnea means “without breath”.  If you do not breathe for a period of 10 seconds, this is defined as “apnea” or an apneic episode.  If you average 5-15 of these episodes in an hour of sleep, you are diagnosed with “mild” sleep apnea. 16-30 episodes per hour is moderate sleep apnea and over 30 episodes is considered severe.     The average age of death for a person that has untreated sleep apnea is 55.  Think of all the famous people who died in their sleep.  You do not have to snore to also have sleep apnea.  Taking this simple test can help determine your risk for sleep apnea.  If you score higher than 10, then call our office for a consultation.  Your life may depend upon it. 

How likely are you to fall asleep in the following situations?
 
0=would never doze Activity Score (0-3)
1=slight chance of dozing
2=moderate chance of dozing
3=high chance of dozing

 Sitting and Reading ______

 Watching television ______

 As a passenger in a car for an hour with no break ______
 
Lying down to rest in the afternoon, if circumstances permit ______
 
Sitting and talking to someone ______
 
Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol ______
 
In a car while stopped for a few minutes in traffic ______
 
Sitting, inactive, in a public place (theater, meeting) ______
 
Total Score: ______
 
 
 A score of ten or above indicates you may be having a problem with daytime sleepiness. However, below ten does not necessarily mean you do not have a problem.

 For more information, visit https://www.cfad.net/sleep-apnea-treatment.html .

 

Xylitol a Superhero in Crusade Against Cavities

June 9, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 10:34 am

by PRWeb

 

“The action of sugarless gum and candy containing xylitol has been a happy surprise to the healthcare community,” said Dr Allan Melnick, a clinical dentist from Encino, CA, USA. “This therapeutic sweetener substantially reduces the bacteria streptococcus mutans in the mouth. It lowers oral acid levels, adjusts pH and reduces tooth plaque, resulting in less tooth decay and gum disease.”

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol found in plants such as berries, corn and plums. It also is produced in humans during normal metabolism. Dental effects include inhibiting decay-causing bacteria from multiplying in the mouth, research shows. These bacteria, which love to feed on sugar, produce sticky acids that adhere to teeth. The acids damage tooth enamel by dissolving calcium on the tooth’s surface. Frequent use of xylitol — whether in the form of gum, mints, toothpaste or oral wash — appears to break this cycle.

“A yearlong study in Finland showed an 85 percent reduction in caries rates for subjects who chewed gum containing 6.7 grams of xylitol each day,” said Dr Melnick. “The same reduced decay rate was found in subjects who followed strict diet guidelines and used xylitol as a sugar substitute. In other short-term Finnish studies at Turku University, dental plaque accumulation was reduced by about 50 percent in less than a week of xylitol use.”

Similar results were found in more recent studies in Russia, the United States, New Zealand, Thailand and Canada. A Danish researcher has even correlated xylitol use by mothers with decreased tooth decay in babies. Decay in small children can have a devastating effect on the development of their adult teeth and urgently needs to be prevented, say dental experts.

“A 40-month, multi-national chewing gum study published in the Journal of Dental Research showed decreased tooth decay for children chewing xylitol gum in comparison to those who chewed none or had gum sweetened with other substances,” said Dr Melnick. “In a follow-up study five years later by the University of Washington, xylitol subjects showed a 70 percent reduction in tooth decay – evidence of long-term benefits. That’s huge, especially for high-risk groups.”

The sweetener has been linked to tooth self-repair, reduction in bacterial levels, improved saliva levels in dry mouth patients and reduced ear infection cases in children, says Trisha O’Hehir of Arizona, a dental hygienist, educator and a well-known xylitol expert. She notes that there is no aftertaste and xylitol has only half the calories of sucrose. Xylitol also has a slower rate of absorption than sugar — 88 percent slower — which helps to keep blood sugar levels stable.

Additional research has shown that xylitol — like bacteria — has the ability to adhere to body tissues. In a controlled study, solutions of xylitol were able to reduce the presence of staph bacteria. Lab animals given xylitol also exhibited an increase in white blood cells, which are part of a body’s natural defense against bacterial infections.

Animal studies in Finland indicate xylitol in the diet promotes the intestinal absorption of calcium and has the potential to reduce or reverse bone loss in humans. Its use is being considered as a preventive measure to deal with osteoporosis, which affects more than 10 million people in the United States.

The U.S. Army promotes the use of this sweetener in its “Look for Xylitol First” initiative, and in the last two years dental associations in Wisconsin, Hawaii, California and Arizona have endorsed xylitol for its preventive benefits. Several other state dental associations are planning the same endorsement shortly.

“The average American consumes half a cup of sugar a day in some form or other. It’s having a devastating effect on our teeth and overall health,” said Dr Melnick. “So, it’s crucial that we make changes. While diet modification, brushing and dental office visits are obvious, something as simple as chewing xylitol gum a couple times a day can help dramatically. It tastes good, it’s something you can carry in your pocket, and you don’t have to make an appointment. I recommend it to all my patients.”

(Edited by Fred Michmershuizen, DTA)

Brushing 2 Times per Day Helps Reduce Heart Disease Risk

June 1, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 8:55 am

The Scottish Health Survey ( which draws a nationally representative sample of the general population living in households in Scotland) had an objective  to see if self reported tooth brushing behaviour is associated with cardiovascular disease and markers of inflammation. 

The study concluded that poor oral hygiene is associated with higher levels of risk of cardiovascular disease and low grade inflammation, though the causal nature of the association is yet to be determined.

Over the past two decades, there has been an increasing interest in the possible link between dental disease, specifically periodontal disease, and cardiovascular disease.  Inflammation plays an important role in causes of atherosclerosis, and markers of low grade inflammation have been consistently associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.  Consequently, contributing factors associated with inflammation and chronic infections, including oral infections such as periodontal disease, have been investigated to explain the relationship between dental disease and cardiovascular disease.  Poor oral hygiene is the major cause of periodontal disease, a chronic infection of the tissue surrounding the teeth. It is one of the most common chronic infections and is associated with a moderate systemic inflammatory response.  Systemic inflammation could represent the underlying mechanism that links oral health and cardiovascular disease.  Thus, oral infections might add to the inflammatory burden of the individual and result in increased levels of cardiovascular risk.  In this study, participants who brushed their teeth less often had a 70% increased risk of a cardiovascular disease event in fully adjusted models.

Infrequent tooth brushing is associated with cardiovascular disease, even after adjustment for age, sex, socioeconomic group, smoking, visits to dentist, BMI, family history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diagnosis of diabetes.  These results largely confirm those of previous studies.  The role of oral health in the etiology of cardiovascular disease has received considerable attention. Periodontal disease is a complex chronic inflammatory disease, resulting in a loss of connective tissue and bone support of the teeth.  It is a major cause of tooth loss in adults aged over 40, and, according to the World Health Organization, affects people worldwide at prevalence rates of up to 10-20% for the most severe forms. Periodontal disease is highly prevalent, especially in late middle age when coronary artery disease is also most common, and it is caused mostly by poor oral hygiene.

Given the high prevalence of oral infections in the population, doctors should be alert to the possible oral source of an increased inflammatory burden. In addition, educating patients in improving personal oral hygiene is beneficial to their oral health regardless of the relation with systemic disease.

This study may be found in it’s entirety at http://www.bmj.com/content/340/bmj.c2451.full

Don’t Forget to Floss

May 26, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 10:48 am

Dental experts overwhelmingly agree that daily flossing is a critical, preventive step in reducing tooth decay and gum disease. Flossing removes plaque between teeth and below the gum line — dislodging the pieces of food trapped between teeth which otherwise cannot be brushed or rinsed away.

Plaque build up causes gum disease (gingivitis) which affects some two- thirds of the U.S. population, while advanced-stage gum disease (periodontal disease) is the leading cause of tooth loss in American adults and affects between ten and fifteen percent of the U.S. population.

To receive maximum benefits from flossing, use the following proper technique:

  • Starting with about 18 inches of floss, wind most of the floss around each middle finger, leaving an inch or two of floss to work with
  • Holding the floss tautly between your thumbs and index fingers, slide it gently up-and-down between your teeth
  • Gently curve the floss around the base of each tooth, making sure you go beneath the gumline. Never snap or force the floss, as this may cut or bruise delicate gum tissue
  • Use clean sections of floss as you move from tooth to tooth
  • To remove the floss, use the same back-and-forth motion to bring the floss up and away from the teeth

(Photos courtesy of Colgate.com)

When you are flossing, you are doing a great service to your mouth. You can easily remove food that is stuck in between your teeth, not only saving you from potential embarrassment if people see it, but also to help prevent bacteria from collecting up against the gum line and causing gum problems. Flossing may even help prevent bad breath. In addition, having food stuck in between your teeth is quite irritating and sometimes painful, so flossing can help your mouth feel comfortable.

Heart Disease and Gum Health

May 10, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 9:17 am

I’ve had a number of patients say to me, “Doctor, my dentist says I should get my heart checked out, what does a dentist know about hearts?” Then after some tests, I have to tell my patients, that, yes, their dentist was right, they have a heart problem. There is definitely a gum-heart connection and that connection is inflammation. Untreated chronic inflammation can lead to severe health complications.

This is how it happens. When you consume anything, residue collects on your teeth, and this residue forms plaque. Plaque is a sticky deposit of mucus, food particles and bacteria formed at the base of your teeth within hours of eating. If you don’t remove the plaque it can cause gingivitis, the collection of plaque in pockets between swollen gums and the base of your teeth.

Gingivitis is also the source of bad breath. Left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease; also know as gum disease. Your mouth has the highest concentration of bacteria in your body under normal conditions, but if you have gum disease, the bacteria count gets even higher. Inflamed gums present a good portal for bacteria to enter your bloodstream and move on to your heart. There it can damage your heart walls or values. It might also provoke blood-clotting, leading to stroke or a heart attack.

The Good News is – You Can Stop Gum Disease At Your Bathroom Sink

Sadly, gum disease is one of the easiest preventable diseases out there. Yet some 50 percent of the adult population has gum problems. Good dental hygiene can eliminate or slow gum disease and all it takes is making a conscious effort to brushing your teeth after every meal and flossing before you go to bed.

Here are the steps recommended by the American Dental Association

Brushing Your Teeth

  • Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums.
  • Move the brush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide) strokes.
  • Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
  • Use the “toe” of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke.
  • Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.

Flossing Your Teeth

  • Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.
  • Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.
  • When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.
  • Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up and down motions.
  • Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth. Don’t forget the back side of your last tooth.

Nutrients for a Healthy Smile

Nutrition plays an important role in gum health. Crunchy fruit and vegetables can actually clean your teeth as you are eating, and the acid delays the formation of plaque. Vitamins A, C, D, E and K and the B vitamins; folic acid; biotin; choline; calcium; zinc; and magnesium have all been found important for your oral health.

According to Aim International, two studies suggest that coenzyme Q10 and aloe are also helpful to gum health:

Two dietary supplements, coenzyme Q10 and aloe vera, are helpful to gum health. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may help with periodontal pocket depth. In early research, Dr. Edward G. Wilkinson, of the U.S. AirForce Medical Center, gave patients 50 mg of CoQ10 a day. His patients experienced reduced periodontal pocket depth. Wilkinson said, “Treatment of periodontitis with coenzyme Q10 should be considered as an adjunctive treatment with current dental practice.” Later studies have reconfirmed this. Hanioka, et al., say “These results suggest that the topical application of CoQ10 improves adult periodontitis” (Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 1994. 15 Suppl)

Aloe vera is known to kill bacteria. Dr. Eugene R. Zimmerman and Dr. Ruth A. Sims have (Aloe Vera of America Archives, Stabilized Aloe Vera, Vol. I) noted that aloe does have bactericidal properties. This means it may be useful in periodontal disease, which is a bacterial infection. Simply rub the liquid or gel on the gums.

When you take care of your gums and teeth, you are helping yourself on many levels. Superficially, you will retain your beautiful, white-toothed, smile. Your breath will smell sweet. Moreover, your heart and arteries will have an added protection against the onslaught of bacteria.

Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Institute For Healthy Aging
http://www.vitalmaxvitamins.com

What are Mouth Ulcers (Aphthous Ulcers)?

May 6, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 10:24 am
Aphthous ulcers, also known as canker sores or oral ulcers, form on the mucous membranes and on the genitals. These ulcers are typically round or oval in shape and usually occur on the inside of the lips or cheek or under the tongue or on the genitalia. This is in contrast to angular stomatitis, which typically occurs on the corners of the mouth, or a cold sore (herpes infection) that usually appears on the upper or lower edge of the lip.

 Other identifying characteristics of a typical aphthous ulcer include:

  • appear as a yellow area initially
  • red line often encircles the ulcer
  • tend to turn white or gray in the middle
  • often painful, particularly when exposed to irritating foods, drinks, or movements
  • occupy a distinct area while other tissues are unaffected

Recurrent aphthous ulcers are usually smaller than 5mm and usually take about one to two weeks to heal completely. Larger ulcers that are greater than 10mm in size, called major aphthous ulcers, can take much longer to heal and may result in scars. Another type of aphthous ulcer, called herpetiform ulcers, present as many tiny ulcers that often appear on the tongue and typically heal within a month.

 According to DermNet’s June 15, 2009 article entitled “Aphthous Ulcers,” approximately 20% of the population experiences apthous ulcers, which often begin to appear in younger years. About 40% of people who develop these ulcers have a family history of these painful sores. The above web page also shows nice quality, close-up pictures of aphthous ulcers.

 Because aphthous ulcers may have many causes, many of which are still being investigated, it is important to seek the advice of a healthcare professional before attempting self-treatment of these ulcers.

Improve Your Smile with Veneers

April 29, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 12:14 pm

If you would love a gorgeous smile, like the ones you see on magazines or the big screen, we suggest porcelain veneers.  These thin shells of high-quality porcelain will cover the surfaces of your front teeth. While selecting traditional porcelain veneers, Dr. Hornstein will carefully consider your skin tone, facial features, and personal preferences.

The whole process, from design to placement, usually takes only two or three appointments. At the first visit, Dr. Hornstein will examine your teeth, take impressions, and prepare your teeth by removing a small amount of tooth enamel to make sure your porcelain veneers fit flush against the teeth and evenly with the gum line without appearing bulky. We will also fit you with temporary veneers, which give will give you a feel for your new smiles.  Even the temporaries are a stunning change.  Your family and friends will know something is different about you, but will not know exactly what it is.  That is what a subtle yet dramatic change in your smile does for your appearance.

During the final appointment, the dentist will make adjustments if necessary and then place your final restorations, so you will leave with a magnificent smile.

Below are some before and after photos of our patients.

Teeth1              

Over-The-Counter Snore Devices Can Lead to Jaw Joint Problems

April 13, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , — Dr. Benjamin Hornstein @ 3:44 pm

          We have a patient who treated himself for snoring.  He saw this great ad for a device on the internet.  It was fairly inexpensive and easy to use.  It was made of soft plastic that you boil and then fit to your own teeth.  The device was designed to bring the jaw forward so the tongue would not block the airway and thus stop the snoring.   Most people could probably tolerate such a generic appliance, but for some, this may cause a problem, as in the case of our patient.   (If you visit our website (https://www.cfad.net/gum-disease-treatment.html), you can learn more about how muscles, teeth, and nerves all work together for maximum function of chewing, breathing, and positioning the jaw.  This is called neuromuscular dentistry. )

When the teeth are placed in an abnormal position (as with this night-time OTC snore device), it affects not only the teeth, but the muscles that control the position of the jaw.  When this OTC appliance was boiled and fitted by the patient, the lower jaw was not lined up properly with the upper teeth.  This torqued the jaw to the right and put stress on the left jaw joint.  After wearing this devise for three months in this position at night, the left jaw joint developed clicking, popping and pain.   The patient was also unable to bring his back teeth together, which put even more stress on the jaw joints and made chewing difficult.  Had the patient not developed jaw pain and sought intervention, his joints might have become permently remodeled to this new position and surgery may have been required.  Thankfully we were able to release the muscles with electrical stimulation (TENS) and he was able to get his teeth back together.   At the Center For Advanced Dentistry, we are able to treat snoring and sleep apnea with a custom made appliance that is worn at  night.  This design is created using the principles of neuromuscular dentistry to prevent the onset of problems with TMD pain and other jaw problems.  If you snore and want a device designed just for you that is scientifically proven to relieve the problems associated with snoring and sleep apnea, call our office today.   Don’t treat yourself when the best professional help is just a phone call away.

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