The Bottle Opener Implant

Warning: the above video includes footage from a dental surgery. Please be advised. 

Here is a service we WON'T be offering at our office! Salta, an Argentinean beer company, decided to support their local rugby clubs in a unique way. Players who lost teeth due to gameplay injuries were sponsored to receive dental implants. However, these were no normal implants. As you can see in the video above, the players' new teeth incorporated working bottle openers- a truly wild idea! While the procedure is "questionable" at best, it does underline the importance of mouth guards and dental safety in contact sports. Implant or not, we never recommend trying to open a bottle (or anything else) with your teeth! 

Dental Library Review: My Tooth is Loose!

Welcome to The Dental Library Review! In this feature, we will be reviewing and highlighting different children’s books we have collected at our office. Our staff have personally used these books with their own children and have had great reception. Today, we will be going over My Tooth is Loose! by Martin Silverman and Amy Aitken. 

This book follows Gorgie, a young boy with a loose tooth. Unsure of what to do with this discovery, Georgie consults his friends. They offer him a number of options on removing the tooth, ranging from eating an apple to tying a string around it. He is unsatisfied with their answers and decides to ask his Mom. She assures him that if he leaves the tooth alone, it will come out on its own. 

Our office recommends this book because it helps ease concerns about loose teeth and what to do with them. Children can have all types of wild ideas on how to remove loose teeth, some of which can be potentially dangerous. It is best to let the teeth loosen and come out on their own. 

My Tooth is Loose! is a Penguin Young Readers level 2 book. As such, it features large pictures, simple sentences and context clues. If you would like to know more about this book or any other books we have at our office, please stop by! We love getting our patients and their children excited about oral health topics!

Dental Questions: Can Sensodyne Pronamel Rebuild Enamel?

Unfortunately, there are no products that can “rebuild” dental enamel in the traditional sense. Our teeth do not have biological mechanisms that will allow them to create more enamel or to integrate new enamel. Any product that advertises otherwise will not be able to live up to its claims.

The enamel in our teeth is essentially a crystal made from calcium, phosphate and other minerals. When we consume acidic foods and drinks, the low pH causes the crystal to demineralize and become softer. This process can be further intensified by the cavity causing bacteria in our mouth. With time, this demineralization and constant acid exposure leads to permanent loss of enamel structure.

What Sensodyne Pronamel can do is remineralize the softened enamel. It contains a therapeutic dose of fluoride, which is extremely beneficial in restoring mineral content, slowing decay and protecting against future acid exposures. It is important to note that any mainstream toothpaste will have therapeutic levels of fluoride and will provide similar results. The most important factor is that you are using a fluoride toothpaste twice a day for two minutes, along with daily flossing.

New Water Fluoridation Levels

You may have seen articles around the Internet noting that the United States Department of Health and Human Services recently lowered their recommended levels for drinking water fluoridation. At first, this may seem like a startling headline. Why would they need to lower their recommendations? Were the levels unsafe before? In reality, there is no reason for concern. The levels of fluoridation in the United States have always been at a safe and therapeutic value.

Previously, the DHHS recommended that fluoride levels were kept within a range between 0.7-1.2 milligrams per liter of water. Under the new guidelines, fluoride levels should be calibrated to a set value of 0.7 milligrams per liter. This change reflects improvements in dental public health services and the increased prevalence of fluoride toothpaste use across the United States. As more and more people (mainly children) are actively using fluoridated dental products, the need for fluoride in water is lessened.

At the current (and historic) levels of fluoride in drinking water, the main concern is the development of fluorosis. Fluorosis is the appearance of white marks or lines on teeth as the result of excessive fluoride exposure during the first 8 years of life. While this may sound alarming, have no fear. Fluorosis is a purely cosmetic condition. In actually, it was difficult to develop this condition before the new guidelines, and will be even tougher now. It is also important to note that the United States has never recommended fluoridation levels that could  lead to toxicity.

Fluoride has been an invaluable tool in providing large populations increased protection against tooth decay. As such, the CDC has named community water fluoridation as one of the Ten Great Public Health Achievements of the 20th Century. If you would like to know more about fluoride, its safety, or how it works, please call our office. We are always happy to keep our patients educated on current events in dentistry!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! We hope everyone got to spend this special day with their beloved moms and/or children. Pictured here is Dr. Kari herself at 7 months old. She's sitting in her great grandmother's lap, joined by her mother (center) and grandmother (far left). Four generations of awesome moms in one picture! 

Dental Questions: Can Bisphosphonates Affect Dental Care?

Some Common Brands of Bisphosphonates

If your physician has diagnosed you with osteoporosis, there is a good chance you have been (or will be) prescribed bisphosphonates such as Reclast or Fosamax. There is a possibility that long term use of these drugs can make it difficult for the jaw bone to heal when a tooth is removed.  If you are about to start using a bisphosphonate, it is recommended you have a dental evaluation to identify any teeth that might need to be removed now or in the future. This provides a better long term prognosis for your jaw's healing.  If you have been on a bisphosphonate for some time and need a tooth removed, then you will need to consult with both your medical doctor and dentist to discern the best way to proceed. The impact of Bisphosphonates on dental care highlights the importance of disclosing your complete medical history (including any changes) during a check up or examination. 

CDA Presents

This weekend, our social media developer and former dental assistant Dean attended CDA Presents- the California Dental Association’s yearly convention and trade show. CDA Presents is a great way to keep up-to-date with new technologies and the latest developments in the dental industry. In addition to vendors, the convention offers educational opportunities, training classes and great networking events. All of this translates to improved patient care and streamlined service. Dean is eager to report back with tons of great new ideas and products!

Dental Questions: Why Does Flossing Make My Gums Bleed?

A common complaint among patients is that “Flossing causes my gums to bleed, so I don’t floss.” In actuality, the reverse is true: not flossing on a regular, once-a-day basis will cause the gums to bleed when flossed occasionally. Plaque and tartar buildup beneath the gum surface leads to inflammation which in-turn causes bleeding. When you use a toothbrush, the bristles can effectively clean the tops and sides of the teeth. However, the interproximal space (space between two teeth) is impossible to reach with brushing alone.  Hence, we recommend using some sort of dental cleaning device between the teeth once a day. Floss, Butler Soft Picks, handle flossers and water picks can all be used to “brush” this space. There are a number of great options- even if you don't like traditional dental floss!

Dental Questions: Why are my Gums Bleeding?

Sometimes gums will bleed for obvious reasons, like cuts from flossing or abrasion from brushing. Other times, the root cause is less clear. The most common reason for gums to bleed randomly is due to calculus or tartar build up beneath the gum surface. Our office often sees patients that haven’t had their teeth professionally cleaned in a number of years. The number one complaint of these patients is that their gums bleed when brushing, when touched, or even while they are sleeping. A professional cleaning from a hygienist or dentist will remove the tartar, allow gums to heal and end the bleeding. 

Another common complaint is that gums bleed upon flossing. Interestingly, this is generally caused by not flossing enough. We recommend flossing or using some sort of hygiene instrument below the tooth contact once a day. This will help keep the gum tissue healthy and free of any plaque or tartar build up.

Baptism of Baby Duke

Duke John Warren was baptized Sunday April 19th, 2015 at St. Matthews Episcopal Church. He was joined by his godparents Aunt Vicki and his Daddy's best friend Bruce. Duke didn't mind the water from the baptism and made it through the service with minimal cooing. He is almost 11 weeks old now! We hope everyone got to enjoy this weekend with their friends and family!