Is Your Dentist Keeping Secrets From You?
Posted on December 15, 2009 | Filed Under Dentistry
I don’t think so. But I did like much of the information contained in an article of this title from Dr. Mercola’s website. Here’s a few followed by my comments:
Secret #1: Your dentist may not have the latest technology.
Digital x-ray: Dentists who do not have digital x-ray equipment are practicing in
the dark ages. Digital x-rays use less radiation than film. They are easier to read
and make diagnosis more accurate.
Ultrasonic Cleaning: Ultrasonic instruments vibrate plaque and calculus off your
teeth, even in areas below your gums. It is much more comfortable than oldfashioned
hand scraping.
Doc comment: I agree. Thats’ why our office has had this technology for years.
Secret #2: Your dentist may be using mercury.
Mercury is toxic. Norway and Sweden have banned the use of mercury fillings..
But mercury fillings are less expensive and easier for the dentist to use. If your
dentist does not use composite fillings, don’t go to that dentist any more. In the
US, the FDA is way behind the ball and not actively warning patients about this
like they have been mandated by the courts to do.
Doc’s comment: Very accurate. I haven’t used mercury in my office for years.
Secret #3: The lab may be more important than your dentist.
Dental labs create dentures, crowns, bridges, orthodontic appliances, and other
dental restorations like implant crowns. There is a huge difference in the quality
of these labs. You should be particularly wary if your dentist is using a lab in
China or Mexico. Some of the top labs in the U.S. are Aurum Ceramics,
MicroDental Laboratories, da Vinci Dental Studio, and Williams Dental Lab.
Doc’s comment: True. Aurum Ceramics is one of the labs we use a Artistic Dentistry.
Secret #4: There’s more to good dentistry than filling cavities.
A competent dentist screens for more than tooth decay. He or she should be
concerned about sleep apnea, jaw-related pain known as TMJ, oral cancer,
diabetes and hypertension.
Doc’s comment: All good points. I cover some of this in my free downloadable
electronic ebook found at http://stlouisdentistdrpete.com
TIME Magazine Reports Dental Visits Shouldn’t Be Cut in Lean Times
Posted on March 24, 2009 | Filed Under Health
A February issue of TIME Magazine reported that the effort to save a few bucks by skipping cleanings or needed dental work was not a wise financial decision. “Patients who’ve skipped checkups now have achy teeth and have no choice but to undergo a more expensive procedure,” the magazine reported.
Consider your cleanings like you would regular oil changes and maintenance on your car. When you keep these up, your maintenance expenses in the long run are actually less. Just because the car is running well today doesn’t mean you should skip your scheduled oil change.
Maintenance of oral health has far more impact on your health and pocketbook than your car. The condition of your gums and teeth affect the comfort of your chewing, how you present yourself to the world and your overall health. Most people don’t actually realize that each tooth is energetically connected to the rest of their bodies. When you do, you can see that allowing teeth and gum health to deterioriate is tantamount to inviting illness.
10 Recommendations and Resources For a More Fulfilling and Healthier 2009
Posted on January 13, 2009 | Filed Under Health
1. Go to the dentist!!
Betcha didn’t think that one was coming! Hah! This one may seem self-serving, but your teeth are meant to last a lifetime. In addition to brushing your teeth after every meal and flossing daily, you should get them cleaned twice a year. You should also schedule a visit for an oral exam to screen for oral cancer which has an increase in incidence after the age of 40. And, Read more
Look Ma’ No Cavities!
Posted on August 25, 2008 | Filed Under Dentistry, General, Health, St. Louis, Teeth Tips
For Boomers who grew up with this famous toothpaste commercial, I have a news flash: At your age, it’s no longer just about cavities!
If you’ve passed the age of forty, you really should have a mid-life diagnosis to evaluate the overall state of your oral health AND to plan a proper course of treatment that will enable you to keep your teeth for the remainder of your lifetime.
Patients over forty have often shortchanged their dental health or just barely maintained their teeth and gums. With the expense of family taking precedence through the previous two decades, Boomer-aged patients coming to me for the first time are often prepared to play catch-up with their own dental health.
Today you can plan a course of treatment that will ensure you’ve got your own teeth to chew with well into your senior years. In addition, nothing is more youthful than a natural-looking white smile. Unlike your parents, if you take care now you can have both.
Tags: aging, allergies, appearance, breath, brushing, cavities, cavity, dental care, dental health, dental treatment, dental work, Dentistry, dentists, dentures, extraction, fillings, gums, implants, insurance, oral health, overall health, pain, root canal, smile, teeth, tooth
To Fix The Problem, You Have To Identify The Cause
Posted on July 12, 2008 | Filed Under Dentistry
A woman was referred to me who had constant pain in her front tooth and had been advised to extract the tooth. I observed that the problem tooth was constantly being hit by the tooth directly underneath it. I adjusted her bite. It immediately felt better. The next day her husband said he’d heard no more complaints about the tooth.
The same woman I just mentioned was looking to invest a sizeable amount on dental procedures in several different offices around town. She was recommended to me for a second opinion.
After examining her I knew she suffered from headaches, neck aches and low back pain. She was shocked that I knew this. All of the treatment other doctors had advised was correct — EXCEPT — there was one key component missing. She had a jaw joint that was out of place and no one addressed that.
Over time, this condition had created other dental problems, which included missing teeth on the side where the jaw joint was out of place. And of course, she had pain as a result of her condition.
Her proposed treatment addressed every aspect of her dental health — except her jaw joint problem. By individually consulting different doctors for various aspects of her treatment, she was trying to renovate her mouth without an overall coordinated plan.
Denture Wearers Speak Out
Posted on June 6, 2008 | Filed Under Dentistry, Health
According to an online poll of 2,567 denture wearers, nearly one third said they got them to end the misery of endless dental problems. Nearly half said they (dentures) seemed to be the only, best or good solution. Now that they had dentures, 63% wanted new ones and 58% said they were not satisfied with the ones they had, citing uncomfortable or loose-fitting as the common complaints.
Nearly 3 out of 4 respondents were considering dental implants to replace their dentures.Two takeaway points from this poll:
1. Do everything you can to having to get dentures in the first place.
2. If you have them and find them uncomfortable to live with, find out how dental implants could be a solution.
