Is Your Dentist Prepared for a Chairside Emergency?

It isn't a common occurrence, necessarily.  But it does happen.  Medical emergencies in the dental chair can't always be prevented but the risks can be drastically reduced if the patient and the doctor are completely transparent and open with each other about illnesses, medication and health history. All dentists have at least some training for medical emergency treatment, however in addition he/she should have at least one staff member trained in CPR, and have an emergency plan in place which includes emergency phone numbers, a defibrillator, medications on hand and procedures to stop bleeding, etc. He should take your blood pressure reading and heart rate prior to treatment, and again after treatment. If administering general anesthesia, he should be anesthesia certified. Some states issue separate licenses for anesthesia. Always make sure he is certified, or that he has a certified anesthesiologist on staff!
 
That said, here are some helpful suggestions for the patient to remember when having a procedure done:

• Disclose all medications that you take daily, even if it is just an aspirin or something over the counter. 
• If you have ever had high blood pressure, let the dentist know!
• If you suffer from acute anxiety, say so!  Many dentists cater to the anxious patient. Things can be done to help you with that. 
• If you are pregnant, let him know!
• If you have allergies to medications, let him know! 
• If you have taken anything prior to your visit for relaxation....a sedative, an alcoholic beverage, marijuana....seriously, he needs this information. Many people will do this before a visit and not disclose it thinking it won't pose a problem. The dentist isn't going to judge you, but he is going to treat you and there is a serious liability factor involved, especially when it comes to anesthesia, so don't hold anything back!  

The medical history of the patient is the single most helpful thing for a dentist to have before treatment begins.  Your honesty is imperative.  He cannot effectively manage your treatment plan without this knowledge!

Keep Smiling!

Dental Life Hacks!

• Use inexpensive foam hair rollers to help improve your grip on small objects...like your toothbrush!
• Use clothes pins to prevent your toothbrush from touching dirty counters while travelling!
• Need a toothbrush squeezer?  Use a large binder clip or a bobby pin!
• Use a utensil holder to organize toothbrushes in a drawer!
• Remove crayon from a wall using toothpaste!
• Use a new toothbrush to remove the cornsilk from a ear of corn!
• Toothpaste can be used to remove odors from hands, dishes, baby bottles and other items!
• Use dental floss to cut cakes, cheese and other soft solid foods!

Make Your Dental Health a Priority!

If keeping up with your dental needs is a priority for you, or even if it is a new personal goal, stick with it!! In case you haven't noticed, even as the economy is improving,  the price of dentistry isn't getting any cheaper. If you have dental insurance or a dental plan, keep it! If you don't, now is the time to get it. It can help keep the rising cost of dental care down. It's more important than ever to have some type of coverage. Note: Dental plans are generally less expensive than insurance and tend to discount more procedures and products than traditional insurance. Below is a link to Savon Dental Plan. Let the facts speak for themselves! It's a very informative site and it doesn't cost you anything to learn!

www.savondentalplan.com

How Can A Dentist Tell If You Have Health Problems?

Have you heard the saying the mouth is the window into ones overall health? That's right, your mouth is a tattletale ;)

When you get your dental examination the dentist isn't only looking at your teeth and gums. During dental examinations, dentists have been known to find evidence of many other problems such as heart or liver disease, diabetes, arthritis, HIV and many more.

So how can a dentist tell if you have underlying health problems?

• Inflamed Gums and Loose Teeth - This can be a sign of heart disease. If you suffer from periodontists (gum disease) the bacteria in the gums can travel to the heart and contribute to coronary artery disease.  The bacteria could also increase the formation of clots from further plaques build up in the arteries that interferes with blood flow to the heart. 
• Gum Disease, Bleeding Gums and Loose Teeth - These are all signs of diabetes. Diabetics have a slower time healing so any infection to the gums can contribute to heart disease or a stroke. 
• Bleeding Gums, Dry mouth and Tooth Erosion - Dentist can spot a eating disorder with just one look at the mouth. The stomach acid from vomiting wears away the tooth enamel making teeth super sensitive. 
• Rampant Caries, Dry Mouth and Lesions - These are signs of HIV. If not treated this can lead to infection of the soft tissue inside of the tooth (pulp) and the formation of an abscess.

Whether or not you have natural teeth or dentures, its very important to maintain good dental hygiene!

Sugar is No Worse For My Teeth Than Other Foods, Right? Wrong!!!

Here's the skinny on your teeth and the sugar you eat.  I just used the word skinny while referring to sugar, oh my....
All of our lives we've been told to cut back on sugar, watch our intake of sugary foods, brush right away and never eat sugary foods at night before bed.  Turns out there's actually something to that advice that clearly many of us ignore, myself included.
When it comes to your teeth, remember this:  Sugar is sugar. Sucrose, fructose, lactose, etc. it is all sugar.  Whether it comes in the form of a candy bar or fruit, one is just as bad as the other with respect to your teeth.  Raisins, particularly, have a high level of sugar. Soda is the worst culprit of all.  You see, sugar feeds bacteria.  Sugars hide out in small nooks and crannies in your mouth and between your teeth and reek havoc on your tooth enamel over time.  Bacteria in turn causes acid in your mouth that eats away at the enamel. Most of us don't brush right after eating something sweet.  This allows time for all that bacteria to multiply and cause damage without our knowing it, until.... the dreaded cavity, or worse....a toothache strikes.

Always brush after a sweet snack or soda.  After drinking a soda, rinse your mouth with water first to wash away as much as you can, then brush.  You'll be glad you made the effort in the long run!

Dentistry IS a science. It is also artistry. But, does this justify the high cost?

So often we will have someone call our office and they are absolutely shell shocked at the cost of a dental procedure or a treatment plan.  Let me start by saying that dentistry is rarely simple anymore. It is a science, yes, but it is also a fine art, and in many cases you get what you pay for. Cosmetic dentistry, in particular, is among the most costly. If you've ever seen a full mouth reconstruction done, you'll have great respect for the dentist/artist.  This is a craft that requires at least 8 years of schooling, constant continuing education and even further instruction and practice to be able to perfect these restorations and perform oral miracles.  Not to mention the high cost of the technical machines and tools needed.  If you understand that, you understand why the cost is so high.  But, if you are one of those people who visits the dentist every 10 or 20 years, there is no avoiding the shell shock factor, which is why I've linked this blog to an informative page.
I recently found a site that gives the average consumer an idea of what restorative dentistry costs.  It is broken down by procedure and it's probably the most informative, simple breakdown I have seen to date.  If you are considering cosmetic restoration or have many dental issues and are in need of a full-mouth makeover, look HERE  first.  I think you'll be glad you did.
The moral of the story here is to visit the dentist regularly for cleanings (for prevention, if nothing else) and stay informed. Don't become a shell shock victim!

Keep Smiling!

What Is The Amabrush?

While scrolling on social media last week, I saw a sponsored ad showing a new toothbrush called the Amabrush. My first initial reaction was "that's gross" and I kept on scrolling not paying any further attention to it.

Yesterday I came across an article about the Amabrush (the same toothbrush I saw on the ad last week) so I decided I would see what its all about!

The Amabrush is a newly developed toothbrush that can clean your teeth in 10 seconds. CRAZY!! Its whole purpose is to save its users time by cleaning all tooth surfaces simultaneously.

The device consists of a handpiece, single toothpaste capsule (comes in three varieties), a antibacterial silicone mouthpiece and charger. According to Kickstarter the whole set costs $91.31.

Like a regular toothbrush the silicone mouthpiece needs to be replaced every three months, at a cost of  $6.93 each. The toothpaste capsule lasts about one month, the replacement cost is $3.47 each.

The first adult version of the Amabrush is expected to be released in December 2017 and the company plans on making a smaller version for kids age 6+.

What are your thoughts on this new toothbrush? Would you try it?




*Please note the Amabrush doesn't replace flossing or visiting your dentist for regular check ups!

For the full article click here!