Would You Be a Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

In a way, it's been around for years but in different forms.  Oral Medications,  Laughing gas, even Hypnotism.  But the art of sedation has come a long way in recent years. 

If you are dental phobic, anxious because you have a long complex procedure ahead of you or are having oral surgery, conscious sedation may just be right for you! What if you could have your dental procedures done while "consciously asleep" and wake up with no memory or trauma whatsoever? It sounds too good to be true but it is becoming a safe and efficient way for a dentist to treat severely anxious or phobic patients.
Conscious sedation allows you to relax in the chair while allowing the dentist to complete long or complex procedures without further distressing you. Now, please don't confuse this with general anesthesia, because it isn't! You will still be able to respond to questions and follow instructions. You will typically still be given local anesthesia such as lidocaine, but won't remember the shot. While you are not actually physically asleep through the procedure, you may think that you were because of the mind-erasing effect.
The process is rather simple. A small pill, such as triazolam, is given approximately an hour before the procedure. More medication may be given depending on the patients response to the first pill. Everyone is different. It is advised to ask someone to drive you to and from the appointment.
Now, keep in mind that not every doctor is able to use this form of sedation. It requires special training and certification.  This includes Cardiac Life Support training to help ensure the safety of the patient in an emergency.
It is becoming a more popular way to treat anxious and fearful patients, but as always, do your homework first. Check the doctors credentials and make sure he/she has had the proper training, or has a qualified, licensed anesthetist on staff.

Now this is something to smile about! So, Keep Smiling!

Are You Suffering From Keto Breath?

The Ketogenic (Keto) diet is known for its extremely low carbohydrates and high-fat foods. People who have followed and stuck with the Keto diet have been very successful.

One major side effect of starting keto is "keto breath". This has been described as a fruity or sweet smell that often disappears once the body is in ketosis. It can take about 21 days for the body to adapt so try these tips for better-smelling breath:

• Staying hydrated
• Increased carb intake
• Chewing gum or sucking on mints
• Brushing teeth frequently

 As gross as "keto breath" sounds, it's an indication that the keto diet is working!

The Different Types of Teeth in a Human Mouth

Humans actually have four different types of teeth, and each has a distinctly different function:   

     -Incisors (Front Teeth) for cutting off bites of food.

     -Cuspids (sometimes called canines because of their long sharp points) for tearing food.

     -Bicuspids (have two points) to tear and crush food.

     -Molars (Back Teeth) they have large, relatively flat surfaces to crush and grind food.

Now that you know each of your teeth serves a purpose,  be sure to take care of them with check-ups at least twice a year. (:  

Remember:  if you take care of your teeth, they will take care of you!

Keep Smiling! 

So, What Do Our Taste Buds Do, Exactly?

When you're taking a bite of a big, juicy burger or sipping on a milkshake, you know one thing... It tastes good, right? Did you ever think about why that is? 

Your tongue and the roof of your mouth are covered in thousands of these tiny little buds. When you eat, your saliva helps break down food. Your taste buds send little messages to your brain which tell you all kinds of information like whether or not the food tastes good, if it's hot, cold, sweet, sour, etc.

Taste buds are most important because they play the biggest part in how we enjoy different foods and flavors. As a child, you would have been more sensitive to different foods because your taste buds were not only on your tongue, but on the roof and the sides of your mouth. As an adult, you may notice that certain foods you were unable to eat as a child taste better. This is because your taste buds are more centered to your tongue area and are now less sensitive.

Here are some tidbits of information about your taste buds:

-Buds that taste bitterness are located at the back of the tongue. Sour taste buds are located on either side of the tongue, with salty/sweet buds on the tip. The center of the tongue does not have many taste buds. There is research that disputes this theory.  Some believe that there are no "zones" in your mouth for sensing specific tastes.  Who knows?  Things (and theories) are always changing!

- The five taste categories are salty, bitter, sweet, sour and umami (savory).

- If you get fat, so does your tongue!  This is believed to be a contributing factor in Sleep Apnea.

- Taste buds are not visible to the naked eye.

-Taste is the weakest of the 5 senses.

- Girls have more taste buds than boys.

-We have approximately 2000-4000 taste buds inside our mouths.

Taste on, and Keep Smiling!

How To Keep Your Teeth Clean This Year!

We all brush and hopefully floss our teeth daily. But did you know that there are other important questions you should ask, so you can keep your mouth as clean and healthy as possible?

When should I brush my teeth?

1. You should brush your teeth at least two times a day, once in the morning before breakfast and once at night before you head to bed.
2. Try to avoid brushing your teeth right after a meal because this could damage your teeth, especially if you just had anything containing acid. *This is because the acid softens the enamel on your teeth*

Should I use a manual or electric toothbrush?
This depends on what you feel comfortable using. (They both are equally good.)

What type of toothpaste should I use?
Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride. (Fluoride helps prevent and control cavities.)

How to brush your teeth?

1. Your toothbrush should be at a 45-degree angle, brush in small circular movements several times on all surfaces of the tooth.
2. Brush the roof of your mouth
3. Brush your tongue, this will freshen your breath.

How to Floss?

1. Take a section of floss
2. Slip the floss between your teeth
3. Floss up and down about 10 times
4. Floss at least once a day, best time is right before bed.

You can use normal floss (waxed or unwaxed) or you can use the floss picks/gliders.

After brushing and flossing you should use a mouthwash. Mouthwash helps get rid of any last bits of bacteria or leftover food that you may have missed while brushing and flossing.

Dentistry is Becoming an All-Inclusive Art

 Technology is rapidly advancing, particularly in the dental industry. So, it is no surprise that dentists are branching out into other fields. Simple dental caries, bruxism, orthodontic malocclusion and misalignment of the jaw have long been treated by the dentist, while treatments for varying ailments such as sleep apnea, migraine headaches, ringing in the ears and even Tourette’s syndrome have always fallen into the purview of an MD or a medical specialist.  However, by advancement of technology, dentists are now able to integrate dental treatments for things like TMJ or structural Maxillofacial problems with the jaw into treatments for these ailments, among other things. 

Devices such as TMD splints, night orthotics and post-orthodontic appliances are proving to be useful for a variety of ailments.  It seems that misalignment of the jaw can contribute to a myriad of ailments...including sleep apnea, digestive issues, poor body posture, muscle spasms, decreased strength overall along with muscle aches and pains, to name just a few. 
If you suffer from any of these ailments, you might consider consulting with your dentist as well as your healthcare provider.  There may be a simple solution out there for you!

Keep Smiling!