Studies Find Ancient People had Healthier Smiles

Studies have found that the Roman-British population from nearly 1,600 years ago had a surprising lack of gum disease than today’s British population. Studies at the Natural History Museum headed by King’s College Longer periodontists confirm that modern habits are more damaging to oral health, despite the advancements in dental care.

Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, happens when dental plaque builds up and causes inflammation within the gums. Mild periodontitis affects a large percentage of the population, but other factors such as smoking and diabetes can trigger more chronic cases, ultimately leading to tooth loss.
303 Romano-British skulls were examined for evidence of dental diseases. In the end, only 5% of the skulls had indicators of moderate to severe gum disease. Comparatively, 15-30% of today’s adults have signs and symptoms of the disease.

However, these skulls did show a higher percentage of dental infections, dental abscesses, and tooth decay. They also had significant dental wear at earlier ages, indicating that these people thrived on a diet of coarser grains and cereals.

The population of skulls studied came from a group of countryside dwellers with similar genetic makeup to modern European populations. They were also less likely to be tobacco users, and had fewer cases of diabetes mellitus, which have been proven to increase the cases of periodontitis in today’s population.
The scientists behind the study were surprised to find that gum disease was less frequent in the past, considering their lack of brushing and tooth care.

The study goes on to prove that smoking tobacco is probable cause of today’s periodontitis crisis, and that the disease can be avoided. Scientists look forward to the future as the trend of smoking declines in today’s populations, hopefully decreasing the trend of periodontists.

If you have concerns about gum disease or want to know the benefits of kicking the habit, talk to your friendly Valencia dentist. Together, you can work out a plan to put out that cigarette and move towards a healthier smile.

Different Tooth Pains and the Possible Causes

In today’s age, people often turn to the internet for immediate answers about dental problems. Unfortunately, without a dentist checking you out, you have no way of knowing the root of the issue. Luckily, your friendly Valencia dentist has compiled a list for you of common pains and some of their common causes. Self-diagnosing, of course, will never replace the real thing, and it is always wisest to check with your dentist if you have concerns.

Issue: Sensitivity to hot or cold foods.

Possible causes: Depending on the length of the pain, it could be a sign of dental decay, loose fillings, brushing too hard (harming the outer enamel) or even exposed roots cause by gingivitis.

Possible solutions: If you fear gingivitis is the cause, you will need to keep your gum line clean. Use a soft toothbrush and try and limit the brushings to twice a day. You can also use toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth; they contain larger amounts of fluoride which can help the tooth. In more severe cases, you can dab the toothpaste directly onto the problem area and let it sit for about ten to fifteen minutes. If your teeth continue to be sensitive, see your dentist for further investigation.

Issue: Sensitivity after a dental treatment. 

Possible causes: Dental treatments can cause the tooth’s inner pulp to swell, causing sensitivity.

Possible solutions: The sensitivity should go away on its own after a few days; if the treatment was more
involved (such as a crown or filling), it could
take a week or so for the inflammation to reduce. In the meantime, over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen should help reduce the inflammation and stop the pain. If the pain gets worse or doesn't go away, see your dentist.

Issue: Sharp pain when biting down.

Possible causes: Loose fillings, cavities, lodged debris, or even a cracked tooth can cause a sharp pain when biting down.

Possible solutions: Since it’s very hard to pinpoint the cause yourself, seeing your dentist would be best if this is an issue. If it’s decay causing the pain, fillings will be necessary. If it’s a loose filling, they can replace or repair it. A cracked tooth is trickier, and may involve a root canal or even an extraction.

Issue: Constant sharp pain from a region.

Possible causes: Your dental pulp tissue is likely infected or inflamed. The decay is nearing a nerve, causing pain in a specific region of your mouth.

Possible solutions: A root canal can remove the infect pulp and save the tooth. Otherwise, left untreated, the pain can get worse and cause tooth loss.

Issue: Constant severe pain and pressure with swollen gums.

Possible causes: In all likelihood, the tooth has an infection or abscess that has spread beyond the tooth, possibly into the gums and bones.

Possible solutions: See your dentist immediately. Do not wait for the pain to get worse. You will likely need a root canal to save the tooth. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce the pain temporarily.

As always, these are just suggestions and very general guidelines. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, it is best to see your friendly Valencia dentist as soon as you can. Only they can diagnose the causes of your symptoms.    

Dental Anxiety? No Worries!

A recent study case has shown that some people avoid going to the dentist altogether out of fear of pain. Others will flinch at the slightest swab or poke. The study delved into the proper times and circumstances to use sedatives during procedures.

The study looked at a sampling of patients in a group of endodontics, periodontics, and oral surgeons. They found that, on average, these doctors were using a moderate amount of sedation on more than 54% of their patients specifically to help ease anxieties during procedures.

Moderate sedation works by suppressing your brain’s responses to pain and stress and anxiety while keeping you conscious so that you may communicate with your dentist. Dentists may combine the sedation with local anesthesia to help control more of the pain.

On top of helping with anxiety, sedation can help patients with a fear of needles, severe gag reflexes, claustrophobia, and even overcome local anesthesia failures.

The catch is, however, that most endodontic training does not train or qualify endodontists for certification to administer moderate sedation. This blocks out a large potential for patient care.

But the training and curriculums are training, and a new wave of guidelines are emerging to help provide the best patient care possible, even for those with anxieties.

If you have anxieties, and put off seeing your dentist because of it, talk to your friendly Valencia dentist. They are understanding, and can go over all the possible options available to give you a safe, comfortable experience. Your happiness and health is their priority.
   

Wisdom Teeth FAQ’s

Why are third molars called “wisdom teeth”?

Third molars, which are commonly called “wisdom teeth” are the last adult teeth to erupt in the

mouth. These are the most posterior teeth and typically erupt between the ages of 17 to 25. Third

molars have adopted the name “wisdom teeth” because they appear during adulthood, when a person matures and becomes “wiser”.  All of the other permanent teeth erupt during childhood.  

Do I have wisdom teeth?

There is a significant variation in the general population regarding the development of wisdom teeth. Some people have all four, whereas others may develop only one, or none at all. These are all variations of normal, and can be detected during dental check-ups clinically and radiographically.  

Do my wisdom teeth need to be extracted?

If your third molars are healthy and erupt properly in-line with the rest of your teeth, they do not

need to be removed.  However, It is important that you can reach these areas to keep the teeth clean and the gums healthy.  Wisdom teeth that develop extensive decay or gum disease should be extracted.

Third molars that are erupting at an angle, tilted, or “coming in sideways” will need to be

extracted.  These angled teeth can be seen on an x-ray and could cause crowding and damage to adjacent teeth.  They will not function properly because they are misaligned and can be harmful to the second molar.

Why are my wisdom teeth hurting?

The most common cause of wisdom tooth pain is due to pericoronitis, which is the inflammation

of gingival tissue around the tooth.  When teeth erupt, tissue overlying the tooth, called an operculum, can create a pocket that traps bacteria, causing this inflammation.  It is important that you visit the dentist if you are having chronic pain around your gum tissues, because this can lead to a more serious infection. Treatment for pericoronitis includes extraction of the offending tooth or removal of the inflamed tissue.  If the tissue is infected, antibiotics can be prescribed.  Sometimes pericoronitis is aggravated by an opposing tooth that is pinching the inflamed tissue.  Removal of the opposing tooth can help alleviate the pressure on the irritated operculum.

Erupted vs. Impacted wisdom teeth extraction

Wisdom teeth that have erupted are fully visible in the mouth.  Extraction of an erupted wisdom

tooth is straight-forward and similar to any other type of tooth extraction.  This type of procedure can be performed under local anesthesia (just like a regular filling).

Impacted wisdom teeth are teeth that have not yet erupted, or have only partially erupted.  Extraction of these teeth is a more involved procedure, because an incision will be made in the gum tissue to expose bone and the underlying tooth. The tooth may need be sectioned and removed in smaller pieces. This type of surgery is usually under IV sedation and performed by an oral surgeon.  

When is the best time to have my third molars extracted?

Every patient is unique in their development.  Regular dental check-ups will help to determine the best time to have your wisdom teeth extracted.  Early detection will determine if the third molars are misaligned and need to be addressed before they start affecting other teeth.  If you have any questions regarding the health of your wisdom teeth, don’t hesitate to visit us at Go Dental - Valencia Dentist.

Candy Good for Your Teeth?

As discussed before, poor oral health has been linked to Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and even pancreaticcancer, so good oral care is more important than ever.

That is why a team of scientists over in Germany have recently made an exciting breakthrough in the world of candy and oral health. They found that, by combining sugar-free candy with dead bacteria, theywere able to reduce the overall amount of bacteria in your mouth. Significantly.

Bacteria tends to collect on the surface of the teeth after eating, which then dissolves the dentin andenamel of your teeth, causing cavities. This candy is able to prevent some of the worse bacteria frombinding to your teeth and creates more saliva flow to help wash it all away.

In the study, one third of the subjects ate candy with 1 mg of the dead bacteria, one third ate candy with2 mg of the dead bacteria, and the rest had candy without the bacteria. In the trials with the bacteria,over 75% of the subjects had a significantly lower amount of bacteria in their mouths after eating thecandy.

Additionally, the subjects eating just one piece of the candy containing 2 mg of the dead bacteria hadmeasurable decreases in the bacteria in their mouths.

The candy works by using heat-killed samples of L. paracasei bacteria combined in a sugar-free candy.These dead bacteria will bind with living M. streptococci bacteria in your mouth, preventing it frombeing able to attach to your tooth surfaces. Then, with the additional saliva produced from eating candy,it all washes away, preventing any tooth damage.

The team behind these findings believe that they can also use the dead bacteria in other solutions, suchas mouth washes, but feel the combination with candy is the best use at the moment.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about your oral health, your friendly Valencia dentist has all the answers you need. Schedule your appointment today.

Poor Dental Hygiene – The Silent Killer

It’s not mystery that poor dental hygiene can lead to unattractive smiles and tooth loss, but did you know that scientists have found links between your poor dental hygiene and diseases such as Alzheimer’s?
The bacteria responsible for gum disease, P. Gingivalis, has been linked to chronic system-wide inflammation. One of these bacterium harnesses the ability to evade your immune system and travel through your body by hitching a ride with your exposed blood vessels. As the bacteria travels through your arteries, your immune system attacks it causing inflammation… However, it is able to disguise itself from your white blood cells. It leaves a trail of immune responses behind as it travels throughout your body.

Scientists have also found a link between the same P. Gingivalis and Alzheimer’s disease. In patients suffering from Alzheimer’s, all of them tested positive for the bacteria living in their brain. In contrast, a test of patients of a similar age without Alzheimer’s revealed no traces of the bacteria in their brain. The bacteria are able to access your brain by crawling up the exposed nerves in damaged teeth or by clinging to blood, like above.
Another study shows that men who suffer from gum disease and inflammation also have a 64% higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer in their lives. Studies have only shown, however, that there is a link between P. Gingivalis and pancreatic cancer; not that one causes the other.

And if you have bleeding gums, bacteria is able to attach itself to your red blood cells and travel towards the heart, causing blockages, leading to an increased risk of heart disease. The bacteria will group together, forming clots and decreasing blood flow, and by doing so, they surround themselves in your body’s own platelets and make themselves invisible to your own immune system.

But don’t worry! If your dental hygiene is something to be concerned about, be sure to see your friendly Valencia dentist today to discuss your worries. They can examine your mouth and see if you are at risk of any future illnesses.      

Dealing with TMD

TMD, short for temporomandibular disorders, is a blanket term which implies you have an existing problem with your jaw. Specifically, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The problem could range anywhere from jaw pain to a complete lack of motion in the jaw. While TMD is common, dentists cannot determine a root cause of the disorder. It seems most likely, however, that it arises due to jaw muscles malfunctioning.
If you have pain or tenderness in your jaw, face, neck, and shoulders – especially when you open your mouth – you could have TMD.

Other symptoms include a clicking or popping sound when opening your mouth; a jaw that likes to lock in place; a feeling of misaligned teeth; swelling in the jaw; muscle fatigue.
If you have any combination of these symptoms, never hesitate to contact your friendly Valencia dentist. Many tests are available to help diagnose your TMD and bring you closer to a treatment. Your dentist will carefully examine your temporomandibular joint for anything out of the ordinary. They may also take X-rays for a closer look at what is happening inside. Once they rule out other possible causes, they may recommend some of many treatments.

Alternating between ice and heat combined with simple stretches will help ease the pain of TMD. Anti-inflammatory drugs are also an easy solution for dealing with pain and tenderness. Taking smaller bites and eating softer foods can help ease the stress on your TMJ. And if all else fails, laser therapy can help reduce inflammation.

If you have any questions or concerns about TMD, stop by to see your friendly Valencia dentist. They can work closely with you to ensure you are receiving the best treatment possible. They can also refer you to a physical therapist, or even a surgeon if more conventional treatments do not work.