Tips for Parents to Help Improve their Children's Oral Health

Patients in the middle-elderly age group are realizing that now that their teeth are needing dental work, they should have started practicing healthy oral care practices at an early age. We can't control genetics, many patients are prone to cavities and calcium deposits, but you can control how well you practice good hygiene. Our office specializes in the treatment of gum disease, oral pathologies, and cosmetic procedures to aesthetically enhance your smile, and we are here to best serve your oral needs, and the needs of your friends and family. To go along with patient inquiries, we've listed three tips outlined from Dental experts that parents can implement in the home to improve the oral health of their family; 1. Parents should supervise their children when brushing their teeth to make sure they brush for the recommended two minutes twice daily routine. This will prevent the build up of plaque and bacteria in the mouth, which can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and other oral diseases. 2.Parents should keep an eye on their children's diet- limiting sugary and acidic foods will reduce the risk of acid erosion and extensive decay. Sugary treats for kids should be a treat, not part of their everyday caloric intake. 3. Take children for regular dental check-ups; taking children to see their dentist regularly starting at an early age helps prevent oral health care problems, and initiates a good hygiene routine for them to follow up in the future.

Save 90 glasses of water a Day!

The ECO Dentistry Association (EDA) is an international membership association driven to encourage and promote environmentally friendly practices in Dentistry. With earth day slowly sneaking up on us on April 22, the EDA's goal is to receive 10,000 pledges for it's "save 90 a day!" campaign that encourages all dental patients to turn off the water while they're brushing their teeth, which wastes an estimated 90 glasses of water per day per PERSON. When you add the logistics, in King county alone with a 2011 estimated population of 1, 931,249, we waste a total of 173,812,410 glasses of water per day. Seattleites everywhere should be baffled by their lack of green-minded behavior. "Brushing your teeth twice a day for the recommended two minutes each time can waste can waste up to 90 glasses of water per person, per day," said Ina Pockrass, co-founder of the ECO Dentistry Association. "By pledging to save 90 a day" and encouraging others to do so, we can create a major positive impact on conserving water, one of the earth's precious resources and one without which we couldn't practice modern dentistry." Puget Sound Periodontics would like to encourage all dental patients to participate in this campaign, which is free, requires no special equipment, and minimal effort! For more information on how you can join the cause and conserve more water, please visit http://www.ecodentistry.org/?save90aday

Attention Post Menopausal women- Increase your dental checkups!

There is a new message circulating for Post Menopausal ladies- Researchers at the Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic found that two dental checkups a year aren't enough. Participants were between the ages of 51-80, who were on and off bone-strengthening biphosphonate therapies for the treatment of osteoporosis. Women received CT scans of their jaws and a complete periodontal check for bleeding, dental plaque, and loss of bone attachment, and bone density. Both groups of women had followed the recommended twice a year checkup, brushing and flossing religiously. The results were similar in both groups of women. Both groups had increased dental plaque, which could deplete bone strength in post menopausal women, and reverse any benefits gained in bone mass. Menopausal women affected by osteoporosis are also at risk for periodontal disease, and may need to visit the dentist as many as four times per year to control plaque buildup with deep periodontal cleanings. To read more about this study and other similar articles, please visit http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/218911.php, and find out if you should be increasing your dental checkups.

Can treating Periodontitis help control Diabetes?

Studies at the Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine are hoping to link the connection between patients who have chronic Periodontitis, and those who have type 2 diabetes. Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Diabetes and Periodontal Therapy Trial will monitor blood sugar levels of those patients with type 2 diabetes after they receive Periodontal therapy. This is the first trial linking the two in the United States. The American Diabetes Association reports that type 2 diabetes is the 5th leading cause of death among Americans, and chronic Periodontitis affects close to half the population over the age of 55- but those who have diabetes are 2-to-4 times more likely to be affected by chronic Periodontitis as well. In the long haul, researchers hope to gain results that indicate a scientific basis for an improvement in the care for patients with diabetes. Please visit the Stony Brook University Medical Center's website for further details, http://biomedme.com/general/does-treating-periodontitis-improve-diabetes-control_38310.html

Tips for Fighting Periodontal Disease

If you notice your gums bleed when brushing your teeth, or that your gums appear red, swollen, or overly sensitive, these can all be indications of Periodontal disease (gum disease). Periodontal Disease is slow to surface, and many people have little or no symptoms in the beginning stages, so you may not be aware of the progression happening inside of your mouth. For a thorough description of what you can do to prevent Periodontal disease from progressing, please visit the worlddental website and find out how you can help your mouth today, http://worldental.org/gums/fight-gum-disease-periodontitis/3829/

Aid for Tsunami/Earthquake victims in Japan

Since news spread across the world last Thursday of the natural disasters hitting Japan, the first thing running through most of our minds was, how can I help? As human beings, even if we don't know anyone directly affected by the earthquake/ tsunami disaster, we're still driven to act wherever we can. In an effort to spread the word through social media, Puget Sound Periodontics would like to acknowledge ways you can help support the victims in Japan, even when you're thousands of miles away. The Red Cross, GlobalGiving, and the Salvation Army have set up fundraisers for the Japan relief effort, among others. Please visit the NewsFeed article pinpointing what you can do to help today, http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/03/11/five-ways-you-can-help-earthquake-and-tsunami-victims-in-japan/

Before and After photos- gum grafting

To gain a better understanding of what this procedure corrects, please visit our facebook page where we've posted before and after gum grafting photos for patients to visualize the results, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Puget-Sound-Peridontics/114989263307

Gum Grafting

When gum recession becomes a problem, there are grafting options available that can be done within the comfort of our office to repair recession and augment to prevent further recession. When there is only minor recession, some healthy gingiva often remains and protects the tooth so no treatment other than modifying home care rituals is necessary. However, when recession reaches mucosa, the first line of defense against bacterial penetration is lost. In addition, gum recession often results in root sensitivity to hot and cold foods, as well as an unsightly appearance to to the gum and tooth. There are a few methods for gum grafting, one involves placing gum tissue over the recession area, which creates a new gum to root reattachment. Another method is a gingival graft which involves taking a thin piece of tissue from the roof of the mouth, or gently moved over from adjacent areas, to provide a stable band of attached gingiva around the tooth. A gingival graft is a fairly common procedure, and almost always results in a predictable band of attached tissue around the tooth.

Crown Lengthening

Another fairly common procedure patients may need is crown lengthening. This is necessary when a new crown is needed to be placed on a tooth, but the remaining structure of the tooth is inadequate to create a firm fitting crown, or if the crown will be placed at or below the level of your tooth. This procedure adjusts the level of gum tissue and bone around the tooth to create a new bond, allowing the Dentist to reach the edge of the restoration, to adjust the proper fit for the tooth. This should also provide adequate tooth structure so the new restoration will not come loose in the future. Patients will need to be seen one to two weeks after the procedure to evaluate the healing process.

Bone Grafting

We know it can be difficult to follow all of the steps that lead up to getting your dental implants, and our goal is to provide patients with an easily understood description of that process from start to finish. This week, our blog entries will describe several prodedures completed at Puget Sound Periodontics for new patients, or for those who's previous knowledge has gone in one ear and out the other. Bone grafting is the replacement or augmentation of bone around the teeth, and is needed to reverse bone loss caused by Periodontal disease, or other trauma to the mouth. It's used to augment the bone in preparation for a dental implant, or enhance the appearance of a missing tooth. When you lose a tooth, the surrounding bone collapses, and to salvage this bone for an implant placement a bone graft is needed. Bone grafts use bone taken from one area of the patient and transfered to an area requiring grafting, or if the patient has suffered sufficient bone loss, synthetic bone is used. Many patients will need bone grafting due to ill fitting dentures, or other trauma done to the teeth, and further information can be found on our website.