Horizons Dentistry

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How to Floss You probably know that brushing alone won't take care of your oral hygiene -- you hear it all the time from commercials, your dentist, probably even from your mother. You probably know they're all right, too. With regular dental cleanings, your dentist can help prevent the crevices between your teeth from becoming a playground for all kinds of dental diseases including cavities and bad breath. But you can also play an integral role in the health of your teeth and... gums by making sure to floss at least once a day -- especially before going to bed. If it isn't already, be sure to make dental floss part of your oral hygiene toolkit. Dental floss is great for cleaning the areas between your teeth because it can reach where your toothbrush can't. Floss is available waxed or unwaxed, flavored or unflavored, thin or wide. The kind of floss you want is entirely up to you, though you might want to consider that waxed floss slips in between teeth easier, and smooth, soft floss provides maximum comfort for your gums. Of course, flavor doesn't hurt either. How to Floss Teeth Flossing seems easy enough, but you'll want to make sure you're doing it right to maximize the benefits of all your effort. Compare your flossing techniques to the steps below, and make adjustments to your routine wherever necessary. - Break off just over an arm's length of floss. - Loosely wind about six inches of floss around your middle finger and use your thumb to hold it in place. - Hold and straighten the floss with the thumb and pointer finger of your other hand. - Use a gentle back and forth motion to guide the floss between your teeth. - Make sure to never "snap" the floss into your gums. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it against your tooth and gently slide it under your gums and then away from your gum line. Wind the used floss around your middle finger as you go. Learning how to floss teeth properly can be the difference between a clean, healthy mouth and one riddled with tooth decay and gum disease. Keep in mind that while there are no guarantees when it comes to your dental health, solid oral hygiene habits, combined with regular dental visits, is the best insurance your teeth have.

Sinusitis Got You Down? During the winter months in fact, any time when the air is very dry it’s important to keep your nasal passages moist. A simple home remedy is to sniff salt solution into both nostrils 2-4 times a day. To prepare an effective homemade solution, add teaspoon of table salt and a teaspoon if baking soda into one cup of distillated water. If using tap water, make sure to sterilize it through boiling and then allow it to cool. Stir the cool water unt...il the salt and baking soda dissolves completely. To apply, fill a squeeze bottle with the saline solution. Direct the saline solution stream toward the back of your head (not toward the top). The saline wash should go through the nose and out the mouth or other nostril. Repeat the process several times a day for best results. Alternatively, you can buy ready-prepared nasal saline products such as Ocean, Simply Saline or generic equivalents from a drug store. As with the home solution, these products wash away mucus from the membranous lining of nasal passages. They also help by shrinking any swollen parts of the nasal passage. If this is not done, mucus and the swollen membranes may block openings of the sinuses into the nasal passages. Sinusitis often ensues when nasal bacteria infect the mucus, which can no longer drain from the blocked sinus. Treatment of sinusitis (rather than prevention) often requires the use of antibiotics. Some doctors are not enthusiastic about nasal saline irrigation since researchers found it does not significantly reduce the incidence of colds. However, do not confuse the common cold with sinusitis. Viruses cause colds, while sinusitis is a bacterial-induced complication of some colds. Irrigation of the nasal passages with saline cannot kill viruses or bacteria. However, it does help to reduce the incidence of sinusitis in people with a tendency to develop this common complication.

Sinusitis Got You Down? During the winter months in fact, any time when the air is very dry it’s important to keep your nasal passages moist. A simple home remedy is to sniff salt solution into both nostrils 2-4 times a day. To prepare an effective homemade solution, add teaspoon of table salt and a teaspoon if baking soda into one cup of distillated water. If using tap water, make sure to sterilize it through boiling and then allow it to cool. Stir the cool water unt...il the salt and baking soda dissolves completely. To apply, fill a squeeze bottle with the saline solution. Direct the saline solution stream toward the back of your head (not toward the top). The saline wash should go through the nose and out the mouth or other nostril. Repeat the process several times a day for best results. Alternatively, you can buy ready-prepared nasal saline products such as Ocean, Simply Saline or generic equivalents from a drug store. As with the home solution, these products wash away mucus from the membranous lining of nasal passages. They also help by shrinking any swollen parts of the nasal passage. If this is not done, mucus and the swollen membranes may block openings of the sinuses into the nasal passages. Sinusitis often ensues when nasal bacteria infect the mucus, which can no longer drain from the blocked sinus. Treatment of sinusitis (rather than prevention) often requires the use of antibiotics. Some doctors are not enthusiastic about nasal saline irrigation since researchers found it does not significantly reduce the incidence of colds. However, do not confuse the common cold with sinusitis. Viruses cause colds, while sinusitis is a bacterial-induced complication of some colds. Irrigation of the nasal passages with saline cannot kill viruses or bacteria. However, it does help to reduce the incidence of sinusitis in people with a tendency to develop this common complication.

Root Canal Treatment Saves Teeth A root canal is one of the most feared of all dental procedures. Although a competent dentist can usually perform a root canal with minimal discomfort and with a high degree of success, problems may occur. When a tooth becomes infected, the treatment options include either root canal therapy or having the tooth removed. In most cases a root canal is the preferable choice, because it is the only way to save the tooth. A root canal consists of t...he dentist making a small hole and then removing the tiny nerves and blood vessels within the root(s). The roots are then shaped, disinfected and filled with an inert material. The procedure is usually successful about ninety percent of the time when properly performed. When a tooth with a root canal is successful, a person will have no pain or other signs of infection. A root canal that is failing will usually continue to cause pain or discomfort, especially when biting down. A root canal can fail if some of the infected nerves and blood vessels are left inside the root, the inert filling does not completely seal off the roots from bacteria, the tooth is damaged during the procedure (perforation), or the tooth fractures between or within the roots. A root canal is most likely to fail if a permanent filling or crown (cap) is not placed to protect the tooth. This may occur within days, weeks, months, or even many years after the procedure has been completed. Even if a root canal fails, there are options available. In many cases, the root canal can be retreated. If this is not possible, a procedure called an apicoectomy can be performed. An apicoectomy involves having the tip of the root surgically removed, and then placing a filling over the severed root tip. If these measures fail, the tooth may have to be removed. The success of root canals is highly dependent on the skill, experience and technique of the dentist performing it. Some dentists may elect to send their patients to a root canal specialist (an Endodontist) for treatment. Root canal therapy is both safe and effective and new techniques may prove to build upon the already high success rate.

What is a Mouthguard? A mouthguard is a flexible appliance that is worn in athletic and recreational activities to protect teeth from trauma. The dental profession unanimously supports the use of mouthguards in a variety of sports activities. Why should I wear a mouthguard? ...Continue reading

Dental Sealants Prevent Decay The application of systemic or topical fluoride since the early 1970’s has lowered the incidence of tooth decay on the smooth surfaces of the teeth. However, about 90% of the decay found in children’s teeth occurs in tooth surfaces with pits and fissures. To solve this problem, dental sealants were developed to act as a physical barrier so that cavity-causing bacteria cannot invade the pits and fissures on the chewing surfaces of back [posterior...] teeth. A sealant is a plastic resin material that is usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teethpremolars and molars. This material is bonded into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces and acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from attack by plaque and/or acids. Dental sealants are usually professionally applied. The dentist, hygieniest or assistant cleans and dries the teeth to be treated; then paints a thin layer of liquid plastic material on the pits and fissures of the tooth. A blue spectrum natural light is shined on the applied material for a few seconds to cure the plastic. Some brands of sealants cure chemically. After curing, the plastic becomes a hard, thin layer covering the treated portions of the tooth. Despite the incredible pressures placed on teeth during chewing each day, dental sealants often remain effective for five years or longer, although sealants do wear naturally and should be checked at regular intervals. If sealants wear or become damaged, they can be repaired or replaced simply by applying new sealant material to the worn or damaged portions. Children should receive sealants shortly after the eruption of their first permanent molars, around age 6 and again at age 12 when their second molars appear. During the child’s regular dental visits, we will check the condition of the sealants and reapply them when necessary.

A Bite Out Of History People of ancient times believed that the stabbing pain of a toothache was caused by a toothworm, which either had appeared spontaneously or had bored its way into the tooth. If the tooth pain was severe, it meant that the worm was thrashing about, but if the aching stopped, then the worm was resting. Cultures all over the world, many of whom had no contact with each other, held stubbornly to this myth. The folklore of the toothworm persisted from ancie...nt times to the beginning of the eighteenth century. Folk Cures Bee: Honey, a product of bees, was used to coat an infected tooth in the Middle Ages. People smeared their aching teeth with honey and waited all night with tweezers in hand, ready to pluck out the toothworm. Donkey: In ancient Greece, donkey’s milk was used as a mouthwash to strengthen the gums and teeth. Frog: Besides spitting in a frog’s mouth for toothache relief, these web-footed creatures were applied to a person’s cheek or to the head on the side of the ailing tooth. Onion: In the Middle Ages a slice of onion was applied to the ear on the side of the aching tooth.

5 Clues Your Child Is not Brushing 1. The toothbrush is dry. It's tough to keep the toothbrush dry if you're actually brushing! Make sure to check your child’s toothbrush every day (and night ) before it has time to dry.... 2. You can still see food particles. After your child has brushed, ask for a smile. If you can still see bits of food on or in between your child's teeth, send your child back to the bathroom for a do-over. 3. Teeth don’t pass the squeak test. Have your child wet his or her finger and rub it quickly across the outside and inside of his or her teeth. If the teeth are clean, you will hear a squeaking sound. 4. Breath is everything but fresh. If your child is brushing and flossing regularly, his or her breath should be fresh. The foul odor associated with bad breath is most often caused by food particles -- either food left in between teeth or food trapped in the grooves on the tongue. 5. Your child has a toothache. Even if you can't tell if your child is brushing well, a toothache is a red flag. Make sure your child sees the dentist right away a filling or other treatment may be in order. Remember, brushing is just one part of your child’s total oral health regimen. In order to remove stubborn plaque and tartar buildup and prevent other dental problems, regular exams and cleanings are a must. Plus, your dentist can help reinforce the importance of good oral hygiene with your child.

Gum Disease: No Big Deal-Right? Wrong! While many value the benefits of having healthy teeth and do all the right things to keep their gums in shape, there are those who feel, "Hey, they're only teeth." The latter, while never volunteering to have their teeth removed, do not attribute any major importance to them. For instance, untreated periodontal disease may lower birth weights of newborns. Now studies find that periodontal (gum) infections may contribute to the developme...Continue reading

Snoring: Can You Do Anything About It? Snoring is a widespread problem, affecting 30-45% of the population. When you take into account those that are disturbed by it, spouses and children, that number will double. It can have social consequences, disrupting marriages and roommate relationships. Snoring can also have medical consequences, preventing a good night’s sleep so individuals wake up fatigued, or more seriously, as a byproduct of obstructive sleep apnea, wherein th...e snorer momentarily stops breathing during sleep. To objectively identify the problem, an overnight sleep study [polysomnogram] needs to be administered by a medical doctor. The sound of snoring results from the uvula [tissue hanging from roof of soft palate] and the back of the soft palate vibrating. It is caused by a narrowing of the air passages in the throat due to a variety of factors long uvula or soft palate, large tonsils, excess fat deposits, blocked nasal passages from cold or allergies and/or the relaxation [collapse] of the musculature of the throat and mouth during sleep. Presently, there are several methods that are reasonably predictable and will offer snorers relief. The most common utilizes a device called CPAP [continuous positive air pressure]. A stream of air is pushed through a tube connected to a mask that covers the nose. The continuous air pressure forces the airway to stay open during sleep. There are a large variety of dental appliances, similar to a mouthguard or orthodontic retainer, which are worn while sleeping. Some reposition the lower jaw [mandible] forward while others retain the tongue in a forward position. Essentially, they maintain an open, unobstructed airway in the throat. These appliances may be contraindicated in bruxers [people who grind their teeth]. Why suffer any longer? Any of these treatments can reduce or stop snoring. Call our office for more information. See more

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