FEAR!

Fear is a powerful thing. Fear can keep even the most reasonable person from doing the most simple of acts. I have seen patients that have extreme fear that won't even allow them to enter our office to ones that can't let us touch them, look in there mouth or even sit in the actual dental chair. These fears are usually stemmed from traumatic experiences as a child or young adult or even one single event. It is unfortunate that even with your head telling you that it will not hurt just to have us take a look, your emotions just take over and you can't control the fear. In my 25+ years of practice, I have been able to work with and get to know alot of these patients and the fears that they have. In doing so, I was able to relate to my own experience as a child. I had a dentist who did not believe in anesthetic. Every time i get into a chair, I go right back to that scared child who has been traumatized. Even as a dentist who logically knows it won't hurt, I still feel extreme fear. Because I care for my patients and wanted to somehow help the people who just cant "get through it", over 10 years ago I started doing Oral Sedation Dentistry. This has been a wonderful thing in my practice that has allowed my fearful patients to come in and get all of their treatment done in one visit and they rarely remember much of the visit. This has made Dentistry available to so many more people! If you suffer from Dental Fear, look at your options for Oral Sedation Dentistry. 

We hate Cancer!

I am sure that most of you readers have had or currently have dealt with a loved one, friend, or co-worker that has won or lost a war with cancer. It is sad, unjust and not prejudice. Last year one of my employee's whom has worked with me for over 20 years was diagnosed with throat cancer. The past year was a very emotional and hard time for her and her family as well as our office. Watching her deal with the fear and pain was very difficult. Lucky for her and us, a year later she is back to work and doing well. She won this round in a every growing war in which we are all susceptible. Our team was luck to participate in the 2011 Dempsey challenge and raise over $1300 dollars for cancer research and treatment. Anything we can do to help educate patients on oral cancer is a priority to us. As parents we need to educate our children as well as ourselves on the risks that oral sex can play on there life. For so many years people didn't know that oral sex is just as dangerous as regular sex. Our children need to know how HPV can effect them and how prevention is key. It could be years before anything can happen. Vaccination is a new tool we have for protecting our children but the biggest tool we have is communication and education. I strongly suggest you educate yourself and your children on HPV. Anything our office can do to help with that, feel free to call and ask, or even call your physician.

My gums bleed when i brush, that's normal, isnt it?

No, Actually, it's not. Healthy gums don't bleed, ever! If there are any area's that bleed that means inflammation or sometimes infection, is present. Your gums may not even hurt but that doesn't mean there's nothing wrong. If your head bled every day when you brushed it, would you think that's normal? Bleeding gums are bad and you should see your doctor or hygienist who should evaluate the condition of your gums.

I've got dental insurance so i can get all my dentistry done, right?

Dental Insurance is a help for those who have it, but it rarely covers all your costs. Most insurances have an annual deductible you have to pay first and then a yearly maximum in what they'll pay in benefits.
That maximum (usually $1000-1500) hasn't changed much since 1972! Think about what you could buy in 1972 for $1000 and what you can now.
Still, Insurance helps but you should never rely on your insurance to determine your treatment needs. That's your dentist's job. Just because your insurance won't cover a procedure doesn't mean it's not necessary. What's covered is often a matter of what your employer purchased for benefit coverage to control the insurance premium.
Your dental decision is between you and your doctor. Hopefully your dental insurance will help.

Is chewing gum bad for your teeth?

Depends. Cavities occur for many reasons but mostly because of what you eat, like sugared food and drinks. The natural protectors of teeth are your saliva and fluoride, which can be found in many wells or city water supplies to make levels optimal.
Your saliva benefit comes from flow (where chewing gum can help) and mineral content. Sugared gums would be bad. Gums containing xyletol actually can help prevent cavities too much chewing, though, can make your jaw sore and that can be a whole different problem.

Does a sports mouthguard really help?

According to the National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety the likely hood that an unprotected athlete will injure his/her teeth is 60 times greater than an athlete wearing a mouth guard.  If your son or daughter plays any contact sport, consider protecting them with a sports mouth guard. These can be bought over the counter or custom fitted by your dentist for a small fee.

ORAL SEX AND ORAL CANCER

Although not as common as many cancers, cancer of the throat can be devistating and survival rates are low.
Cancers of the mouth have long been associated with risk factors of smoking and alcohol use. Recent studies have shown a far greater risk factor- the presence of the HPV virus in the throat.
Those with a prior oral infection with HPV are up to 32 times more likely to develop throat cancer.
How does the HPV virus get in the throat? Pretty much solely from engaging in oral sex. Studies show that those who reported six or more oral partners were three times more likely to develop the cancer as those who reported they never had oral sex.
So be sure your dentist routinely checks for signs of mouth and throat cancer. And if your lifestyle places you in a high risk category consider being tested for oral HPV virus. Remember it can go undetected with no symptoms present.

Your Wedding Day, Make sure your smile is worthy!

A beautiful gown, a handsome suit, Hair done just right. Don't spoil it all when you smile. Allow enough time with your dentist to whiten your teeth, fix any cavities and even crown or veneer your teeth for a beautiful smile.
You should probably get examined now to see what you have for options. Many dentist can provide the cosmetic improvements you want. For advanced cases, dentists who have additional training in esthetic dentistry can help.

Why fix a tooth instead of having it pulled?

The simple awnser is that nothing works as well as the original. In general, if you can fix a tooth, its better than having no tooth or whatever replaces it.
Sometimes a tooth cant be fixed and must be removed.  Missing teeth place more stress on the remaining teeth which can result in greater chance of others becoming damaged.  So in most cases if a tooth is removed it should be replaced with a bridge or implant.
What about dentures? Dentures are not a replacement for teeth, they are a replacement for no teeth. If dentures dont work for you, whats next? you cant go back. Keep teeth whenever possible.

What you want and what you need may be two different things.

When you visit the dental office for the first time (or even when your situation changes at your existing dentist), It's important to communicate your wants to your dental team.  You may say "I want a check-up and cleaning" because that's what you know to say, but what do you really want? Whiter teeth? Healthy teeth and gums? Able to chew better and be more comfortable? Get past your fear of dental treatment?
The more information you can give your dental team, the better they can help you. Sometimes though, what you need doesn't match what you want. For example, you may want straighter teeth but what you really need is treatment of your gum disease and that's why your teeth have drifted. Or you want tooth whitening, but you really need cavities fixed first.
Your dental team will be able to diagnose your needs and with proper communication can help you get what you want.

Insurance will pay for it, right?

The term dental insurance is a bit misleading.  We're used to insurance that will pay if something happens and usually has big limits.  Dental Insurance is expected to be used and has a low limit, usually on a yearly basis (typically $1000-1500 per year).
The problem is your dental issues often don't try to match your limits. You either don't have any dental problems so you pay more in premiums than you use (but your limit starts over the next year) or you break something and it exceeds your limits. Dental insurance helps but it seldom covers everything.
If your employer has a health savings account (HSA), put money in that each year and if you don't use it, it carries over to the next year so you don't lose benefits.

Why does a toothache hurt so much?

A tooth is made up of three parts. The outer layer is enamel, the bulk of the tooth is dentin and the center has what's called pulp tissue.  The pulp contains nerve tissue and blood vessels to bring nourishment to the tooth.  The pulp is what most people call "the nerve" because that's what transmits feeling and pain.
When a cavity gets deep, the bacteria can reach the pulp.  Irritation and sometimes infection occurs and the result is pain.  It's the body's way of telling your tooth you waited too long to fix it's problem.
Inflammation and pressure down the root occurs and deep throbbing pain that is hard to stop.  Usually root canal treatment (to remove the pulp) or extraction (to remove the tooth) is necessary.  Your dentist can help you determine which is best for you.