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Your Teeth Are the Windows To Your Overall Body Health

December 21st, 2008 by golab

It has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. But is your mouth the window to the rest of your body? Increasingly, researchers are discovering that the condition of your teeth and gums can be an indicator of your overall health.

For example, patients who have severe gum disease, or periodontitis, are much more likely to have a buildup of plaque in their arteries. But it would be a leap of logic to say that if you don’t brush your teeth, you’ll have a heart attack. Scientists still are trying to explain the connection between the two diseases. It is unknown whether or not it’s cause-and-effect, or if they stem from the same pathophysiological process. In other words, there could be a common factor that’s causing both problems.

But cardiologists long have known that gum disease can cause bacteria to get into the bloodstream, and sometimes those bacteria can get lodged in a defective heart valve. This is why people with heart defects usually have been advised to take preventive antibiotics before having a dental procedure.

There is a growing body of research on the role of inflammation in heart disease. It turns out that a major cause of inflammation is chronic infection. It is certainly possible that ongoing gum disease could be putting people at risk for heart attacks.

This emerging research is beginning to break down the artificial barrier between doctors and dentists. The old view, held by both patients and health professionals, was that the teeth were separate from the rest of the body. Treatments performed on teeth were considered cosmetic and not related to the patient’s medical condition.

Insurance companies almost see teeth as a luxury. But the teeth are connected to the body by blood vessels and nerves, just like any other part of the anatomy. I wish the insurance industry would acknowledge this reality. Sometimes we see patients who don’t heal as well after a procedure, and we begin to think they may be diabetic. Studies have revealed a strong correlation between gum disease and diabetes. Often the severity of your periodontal disease is related to the severity of your diabetes. If you can control one, you can control the other.

Diabetic patients are susceptible to infections, so it may not be surprising that they would have a higher risk for gum disease. But new research has shown unexpected connections between oral health and other systemic conditions.

For instance, pregnant women who have gum disease are more likely to have low-birth-weight babies and to go into labor prematurely. Poor oral health doesn’t necessarily cause these pregnancy complications. It could be that both conditions are related to the patient just not taking good care of herself.

Regardless of the cause, an astute doctor should take a look at their patient’s mouth. If the condition of the teeth indicates that the patient is probably not brushing, it’s likely that he or she has other health issues, such as smoking, poor diet or lack of exercise. A more holistic approach is gradually evolving, both in dentistry and medicine. I do think people are recognizing the connection.

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What Can Porcelain Veneers Do For You?

October 6th, 2008 by golab

What Can Porcelain Veneers Do For You?

As we grow older, our teeth start to deteriorate. A lifetime of chewing, biting, poor maintenance, and decay, negatively impacts our teeth and our overall body health.

The old way to fix teeth was with crowns which grind your teeth down to pegs. However, with porcelain veneers, you do not grind teeth down to pegs, and can solve a variety of cosmetic dental concerns.

Porcelain veneers are attractive, durable, and most of all, natural looking. They are thin sheets of porcelain, like a fake fingernail, that fit over your tooth. When made properly, they are a very conservative dental restoration, removing minimal tooth structure.

The process is straightforward. Planning the cosmetic result takes time. Once the appropriate shade, shape, and fit is determined, the veneers are bonded to your tooth. The veneers may remain in good condition if taken care of properly. Porcelain veneers can fill in gaps, mask discolorations, straighten crooked or uneven teeth, improve and correct your bite, and generally provide you with a very youthful look. Porcelain is smooth and non-porous and will not stain with tobacco use or when imbibing strongly colored beverages.
Alternatives to Porcelain veneers are bondings, which I will address in another post.

Flower mound, Texas, cosmetic and holistic dentistry

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6 Steps To A Better Smile part 2

September 28th, 2008 by golab

6 Steps To A Better Smile part 2

 

Did you ever wonder why some people possess beautiful smiles while others try but can never achieve the same result ? The secrets to a great smile are simple steps that each and every one of us can take. Below are Six steps that will lead you to a brighter and better smile.

 

3. It’s not just the candy that is dangerous to your smile.

 

Bacteria feed on all foods containing sugars and other carbohydrates, not just candy. This includes fruits, juices, sport and soft drinks, peanut butter, crackers, potato chips, popcorn, etc..  Raisins and peanut butter that stick to teeth provide a constant source of energy for bacteria. What can you do to protect your teeth? Cut the candy out! Brush and floss after meals! If you cannot brush, rinse your mouth with water after meals.  Chewing sugarless gum helps stimulate saliva flow, a natural plaque fighter.  

 

 

4. Stop brushing so hard.

Incredibly, nearly two out of three people damage their own teeth by brushing too hard ! It takes very little pressure to remove bacteria, food, and plaque. Most people apply three to four times the necessary brushing pressure, causing damage to your teeth and gums, such as receding gums, sensitive teeth, notched teeth, and root cavities.  When brushing with a manual toothbrush, light, gentle massaging of your teeth and gums for 2-3 minutes is all that is needed. The Sonicare “Ultrasonic” toothbrush is designed to help you brush safely and prevent tooth and gum damage by cleaning of hard to reach spots between your teeth.

 

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6 Steps To A Better Smile part 1

September 28th, 2008 by golab

Steps To A Better Smile

 

Did you ever wonder why some people possess beautiful smiles while others try but can never achieve the same result ? The secrets to a great smile are simple steps that each and every one of us can take. These steps  will lead you to a brighter and better smile.

 

1.      Take a little extra time to give your teeth the care they deserve.

 

Did you know that it takes two to three minutes to adequately brush your teeth, yet most people spend less than 30 seconds brushing? Why is brushing this long so important ?

Well, it all has to do with the millions bacteria that live, work, and play in our mouths, feeding on the food left on our teeth after meals. Acid is a by-product of this bacterial feasting, which in turn destroys enamel, creating cavities.

Brush your teeth within 30 minutes of every meal because the bacteria feed on the food immediately, producing a super high concentration of acid in the first 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, your saliva takes over and neutralizes the acid so if you brush more than 30 minutes after a meal, it does little to protect your teeth.  The damage is already done.

So there you have it.  Start your timers! Brush often, and for 2-3 minutes!

 

2. Do a little flossing. It just might save your teeth.

 

O.K., so you’ve heard that you need to floss at least once a day. But has anyone ever told you why ? You see it all has to do with bacteria again. These crafty little critters like to hide between your teeth, escaping the wrath of the toothbrush, continuously feeding on the food left behind, spewing out cavity causing acid.

And even worse - if allowed to remain for a long time, these bacteria invade and destroy gum tissue as well as the bones and ligaments which support teeth. Flossing removes these bacteria from between teeth so they can no longer cause problems

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How White Should Your Teeth Be?

September 28th, 2008 by golab

How white should your teeth really be?

Teeth whitening has become the country’s No. 1 requested cosmetic dental procedure, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic dentistry. There’s no shortage of ways to whiten. The main differences seem to be cost and professional oversight versus convenience and over-the-counter availability. There are three technologies. The first is an in-office system that uses a higher-concentration peroxide to get faster results. The second involves bleaching gel in trays custom fit to an individual’s teeth applied intermittently over a couple of weeks. The final way is also the cheapest: Over-the-counter options that can be strips, gels or plastic trays.
If a young person uses these products before his or her permanent teeth are completely and fully grown, then the whitening does not make sense. If the teeth are bleached and then more surfaces are exposed due to normal tooth maturation, the new growth and the older bleached tooth might not match. That might leave a two-toned appearance, not exactly the dazzling white look originally sought
While most dentists agree that whitening, done properly, usually doesn’t damage the teeth, they urge those who are thinking of bleaching, whether professionally or through over-the-counter products, to first talk to a dentist.
One of the reasons we want people to do this in a professional setting is that sometimes teeth are dark for reasons of trauma or decay. That is important, and sometimes if the teeth are whitened, it will mask that problem that we could have found out if they had had an exam before they start the whitening process.
Because in the end, after all that whitening, you do want to be sure that where your mouth is concerned, you still have plenty to smile about

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Drill Less Dentistry

September 28th, 2008 by golab

Q.    When I visit the dentist, how do I know if I have decay?

 

A.  For many years, the standard for detecting decay was the dental xray.   Of greatest concern was the exposure to radiation.  A second concern is that the decay needs to be in an advanced stage before it is large enough to be detected, meaning that the decay must be present for quite some time before it was detected.  Current technology utilizes lasers to find decay before it is seen on an xray.   That way, vital and important tooth structure is conserved, reducing the need for more invasive procedures such as crowns and root canals.

 

  1. My dentist told me that I have five cavities to be filled.  Is there any way to fix them without being numb?

 

  1. Yes.  Now it is possible to get dental fillings without having to be “numbed” or use needles. “Air abrasion,” also referred to as “drill-less” dentistry, utilizes air pressure to gently spray away decay.

 

  1. If I have a very large filling in my tooth that is cracked, decayed, or broken, is there a better way to fix my tooth other than a cap (crown)?

 

  1. Yes.  Traditional dentistry utilizes crowns (caps) to fix large areas of decay or defective fillings. The disadvantage is that they grind your tooth down to a peg, which is very aggressive and traumatic to your tooth.  Current technology is awesome!  You can now fix your tooth with very conservative, longer lasting tooth colored “inlays.”  They do not grind your tooth into a peg, and actually strengthen your tooth, keeping more of your natural tooth.  As an added feature, they are “Invisible” to the naked eye, unlike traditional porcelain crowns.

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“Natural” is the New “Perfect”

September 14th, 2008 by golab

Marlene W. came to me after having been at another dentist who placed twenty veneers because she just wasn’t happy.

She wanted a natural look, not a fake, unrealistic “hollywood white” look.

It is important to design smiles that look natural. Providing everyone with the same smile, color, and shape of teeth, isn’t very creative, and certainly, not very natural.

Everyone’s smile must be unique. Cosmetic Dentistry is not about being on an assembly line. It’s about taking the time to work with each guest to arrive at the best option.

When designing a smile, skin tone plays an important part, as does hair color, face shape, body shape, lips, gum symmetry, etc.. You must customize each persons smile.

We aim for a beautiful version of what nature intended, not something that is “denture-perfect.” Patients should look like they were born with a beautiful smile. That’s the ultimate success.

And a healthy appearance appears to be on the minds of an increasing number of patients like Marlene W. who desire a smile with a natural look. “Now my teeth are not golf ball white. They look very natural, fit my personality, and I love them. I now feel like it looks like nature, not my doctor, had a hand in creating my smile.”

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How To Brush Your Teeth Properly

September 14th, 2008 by golab

The proper way to brush

Everyone brushes their teeth, but few do so properly. By focusing on key brushing techniques, everyone can improve their oral health.

Brushing too harshly and too quickly are two of the most common mistakes people make when brushing their teeth. Choose a toothbrush with soft nylon bristles and to maintain gentle contact with the teeth and gums while brushing. The brush should also be comfortable to hold and have a head small enough to easily reach every tooth.

Angle is also important. Start with the brush at a 45-degree angle where the teeth meet the gums. Maintain this angle while gently brushing the outer and inner surfaces of the teeth two or three at a time. Compared to brushing straight on, this technique is significantly more effective at removing plaque and bacteria. Brush with a tight, vibrating circular motion.

The inner surfaces of front teeth need to be approached differently. Tilt the brush behind the teeth and use short vertical strokes. In effect, only the front half of the brush will be used at this stage. The chewing surfaces of teeth, unlike the inner and outer, should be approached straight on, with the brush bristles flush to the teeth. Here a back and forth motion like gentle scrubbing is recommended.

After finishing all your teeth, always brush your tongue. A gentle scrub from back to front along the top surface of the tongue will help fight bad breath and contribute positively to overall dental health.

The average brusher also spends far less time at the task than is recommended. You should always brush for a minimum of two minutes. Many people find this difficult at first, but by focusing on two or three teeth at a time it is quite doable. He recommends using a systematic approach, such as brushing your teeth in the same order every time. For some, timing themselves is advised. Once you get used to how long it should take with the help of a timer, you’ll be better able to brush for that long on your own.

Brushing alone is not enough–don’t forget to floss.

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Meet Dr. Golab

August 28th, 2008 by golab

Dr. Golab graduated from the University of Toronto in 1987. His first degree was in Physiology, the other in Pharmacology. He then went on to complete his dental studies at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry in 1990.

Currently, Dr. Golab is a Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, seeking his accreditation, held by only 258 dentists in the world. Dr. Golab seeks to complete his fellowship in the American Academy of General Dentistry, an honor shared by only1% of dentists worldwide. Dr. Golab also is seeking his fellowship in the Academy of Contemporary Esthetics, a distinct honor among cosmetic dentists.

Dr. Golab continually furthers his education by attending hundreds of hours of continuing education each year, graduating from world-renowned hands-on postgraduate dental institutions such as The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, The Pacific Aesthetic Continuum, and The Dawson Center for Advanced Dental Studies, Center for Esthetic Excellence, The Hornbrook Group, and The Academy of Contemporary Esthetics.

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