General & Cosmetic Dentists
Joan H Lynch, DDS
Leanne B Sullivan, DMD
5713 Gray Road
Wesley Chapel, FL 33543
(813) 991-0097
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My Blog
Posts for: December, 2013
Perhaps you've seen Nate Berkus on The Oprah Winfrey Show or watched his television program, The Nate Berkus Show. You may even have read his best-selling book, Home Rules: Transform the Place You Live Into a Place You'll Love. Regardless of where or how you discovered Berkus, you will surely have noticed his dazzling smile.
Berkus recently opened up about the facts behind his trademark smile during an interview with Dear Doctor magazine. First off, his smile is totally natural, as he never wore braces or had any cosmetic work, including porcelain veneers. However, Berkus does give credit to his childhood dentist for the preventative healthcare he received as a young boy. “I'm grateful for having been given fluoride treatments and sealants as a child,” he said. Nate also shared the important flossing advice he learned from his dentist that he still follows today: “Floss the ones you want to keep.” Berkus went on to say that he feels, “healthy habits should start at a young age.”
And we totally agree! For this reason we have put together the following list of facts and oral hygiene tips:
- Over 50% of plaque accumulation occurs in the protected areas between teeth — a place that may be difficult or even impossible to reach with a toothbrush.
- A thorough brushing may take up to two minutes at first, and it may feel awkward as you reach some places in your mouth.
- Remember, more is NOT always better! Brushing or flossing too hard can be damaging to your teeth and gums. And never saw back and forth with your floss.
To learn more about oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing techniques, you can continue reading the Dear Doctor article “Oral Hygiene Behavior - Dental Health For Life.” Or you can contact us today to schedule an appointment so that we can conduct a thorough examination, review your brushing and flossing techniques, and discuss any questions you have as well as treatment options. As needed, we will work with you to teach you the proper brushing and flossing techniques so that you feel confident before you leave our office. And to read the entire interview with Nate Berkus, please see the Dear Doctor article “Nate Berkus.”
You may never have heard of cracked tooth syndrome. However, while it is often difficult to diagnose, this condition can be very serious, and it will be helpful to familiarize yourself with the symptoms.
Cracked tooth syndrome can be summed up in three phases: craze lines, cracks and fractures. Craze lines refer to miniscule cracks in the outer enamel surface of a tooth. While they do not cause immediate harm to the tooth, they can lead to true cracks in the enamel that actually penetrate the dentin.
This can lead to a fracture, where the crack extends deep into the tooth. The deeper the crack, the worse the symptoms. If the fracture exposes the pulp, the living tissue within the tooth, it must be treated immediately in order to save the tooth. Fractures are now the third leading cause of tooth loss. This increase may be the result of several factors, including longer life spans and higher stress levels that may lead to increased teeth clenching and grinding.
The complications surrounding the diagnosis of cracked tooth syndrome stem from the fact that symptoms vary, depending upon the location of the crack and what other structures are involved.
- If you feel a sharp, intense pain for a short amount of time during chewing, then you likely have a crack in a “vital” tooth in which the nerve has not been affected. If a crack reaches the nerve, the pulp tissues housing that nerve will become inflamed and sensitive to temperature changes.
- On the other hand, if you have a crack in a tooth without living pulp, the symptoms may be vague. It's often difficult to locate where the pain is coming from until the tissues around the teeth are affected. If a crack involves periodontal structures (gum, periodontal ligament and bone), symptoms may include tenderness around the tooth, in which case it will be easy to discern the affected tooth.
- Finally, when a crack increases and becomes a true fracture, the symptoms strengthen. If located in the crown of the tooth, a piece of the tooth may come off, becoming quite sensitive to temperature change and sweet foods. If the crack is located in the root, you will experience pain of increasing intensity.
Keep in mind that early diagnosis is of utmost importance, so we will always conduct a thorough examination to check for signs and symptoms of cracked tooth syndrome. The earlier it is detected, the easier it will be to repair, so be sure to share with us any pain or discomfort that you have been experiencing.
If you would like more information about cracked tooth syndrome, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Cracked Tooth Syndrome.”
Not long ago, Glee star Lea Michele had all of her wisdom teeth removed. This is a very common procedure that people in their twenties, like Michele, often undergo to prevent serious dental problems down the road. The actress found that the procedure really was actually not very difficult to tolerate.
“Feeling all better from my surgery!” she tweeted to fans a few days later. “Back to work tomorrow.”
Why do wisdom teeth so often cause problems? For one thing, they come in years later than the other 28 permanent teeth — usually between the ages of 17 and 25. By that time, there is often no room in the jaw to accommodate them. As man has evolved, the jaws have actually become smaller in size — often creating a lack of space for the wisdom teeth to erupt into proper position. If wisdom teeth become blocked (impacted) by other molars that are already there, infection and damage to neighboring teeth may result.
Sometimes the wisdom teeth themselves cause the problem by growing in at an odd angle. They push against other teeth, often compromising the adjacent tooth's supporting bone. While you would think pain would occur if any of these problems were present, that does not always alert us to a wisdom-tooth problem. It's usually diagnosed with the help of x-rays.
Wisdom tooth extraction is often performed in the dental office using a local anesthetic (numbing shot) to keep you from experiencing any pain, along with conscious sedation to help you relax. The type of anesthesia that's best for you will be determined before the procedure.
After we gently remove the tooth or teeth, you may need to have the site sutured (stitched) to promote healing. You will rest for a short time before going home, and may need to have someone drive you, depending on what type of anesthesia you were given.
Once you get home, you should apply an ice pack on the outside of your cheek for about five minutes on, five minutes off for as many hours as possible to help reduce any postoperative swelling on the first day. Starting on the second day, the warm moist heat of a washcloth placed on the cheek and hot salt water rinses will make you more comfortable. You may want to eat soft foods and brush your teeth very carefully during the recovery period, which lasts only a few days as Lea Michele discovered. Before you know it, you'll be “feeling all better!”
If you have any questions about wisdom teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Wisdom Teeth.”
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(813) 991-0097
5713 Gray Road
Wesley Chapel, FL 33543