2012 is here!

Last funny of 2011!

Top 3 excuses for not flossing

A 2010 survey found that only 49% of Americans floss daily, and 10% never floss. That’s most unfortunate, dentists say, because flossing is even more important than brushing when it comes to preventing periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss.

"If you were stuck on a desert island and a boat could bring only one thing, you’d want it to bring floss,” says Samuel B. Low, DDS, professor of periodontology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville, and president of the American Academy of Periodontology. “But I’m convinced that the only time some of my patients floss is an hour before showing up in my office.”

Dentists say they hear all sorts of excuses for not flossing. Yet they insist that simple workarounds exist for just about all:

Excuse #1: Food doesn’t get caught between my teeth, so I don’t need to floss.

Flossing isn’t so much about removing food debris as it is about removing dental plaque, the complex bacterial ecosystem that forms on tooth surfaces between cleanings. Plaque is what causes tooth decay, inflamed gums (gingivitis), periodontal disease -- and, eventually, tooth loss. Flossing or using an interdental cleaner is the only effective way to remove plaque between teeth.

Excuse #2. I don’t know how to floss.

Flossing isn’t easy. Low calls it “the most difficult personal grooming activity there is.” But practice makes perfect.

Here’s how the American Dental Association describes the process:

Start with about 18 inches of floss. Wrap most of it around the middle finger of one hand, the rest around the other middle finger.
Grasp the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers, and use a gentle shoeshine motion to guide it between teeth.
When the floss reaches the gum line, form a C shape to follow the contours of the tooth.
Hold the floss firmly against the tooth, and move the floss gently up and down.
Repeat with the other tooth, and then repeat the entire process with the rest of your teeth (“unspooling” fresh sections of floss as you go along).
Don’t forget to floss the backs of your last molars. “By far, most gum disease and most decay occurs in the back teeth,” Low says.

Excuse #3. I’m not coordinated enough to floss.

Many tooth-cleaning options exist for people whose manual dexterity is compromised by poor coordination, hand pain, paralysis, and amputations -- or simply by fingers that are too big to fit inside the mouth.

One option is to use floss holders. These disposable plastic Y-shaped devices (some equipped with a spool of floss) hold a span of floss between two prongs to allow one-handed use.

Today's grin ...

Ten Tips For Calming Dental Fears

Ten Tips For Calming Dental Fears

1. Tell the dentist about your fears. This information will help the dentist determine how to best manage and address those fears. By letting the dentist know exactly why the experience is difficult for you, you will feel more control in the examination chair.

2. Remember that dental procedures have greatly improved in the past few years. Modern dentistry offers new methods and treatment options to make you feel comfortable.

3. Your dentist can explain the entire procedure to you beforehand, as well as walk you through step-by-step while the procedure is being performed. You always have the right to fully understand the work being done on your teeth.

4. Consider additional medication to relax. Many dentists recommend nitrous oxide, sedation or anti-anxiety medicine for extremely nervous patients. Find a dentist who offers these options to help you get through the visit.

5. Find a dentist you are comfortable with and establish a trusting relationship. There are many personalities in the dental profession. Find a dentist who makes you feel at ease and is willing to work with you on your fears.

6. Breathe deeply and try to relax. Some dentists recommend practicing relaxation techniques before and during the appointment. Other dentists find that listening to music, or scheduling an appointment first thing in the morning, before the stresses of the day add up, also help patients to relax.

7. Talk to the dentist about stopping if you're uncomfortable. Many of the dentists surveyed said they establish a signal to "stop" with their patients. This puts you in control of the procedure and alerts the dentist if you're uncomfortable or need to take a break during the appointment.

8. Visit the dentist regularly to prevent problems. For fearful patients, just going for a check up can be nerve-wracking, but the more you go to the dentist for routine cleanings, the more likely you are to avoid larger problems that result in extensive procedures.

9. Visit the office and talk to the staff before your first appointment. You should feel free to meet with the dentist and to ask questions before scheduling your appointment. Meeting the dentist and his or her staff first will help you find a dentist you like and trust.

10. Go slow. Dentists are happy to go slow with nervous patients. If possible, make sure your first visit is a simple one, such as a cleaning. This will help you build your relationship with the dentist before going in for a more difficult procedure.

Say ahhhhhhhhhhhhto?

Today's funny ... and top 5 holiday dental tips

Top 5 Thanksgiving Dental Tips

1. Crack nuts with a nutcracker, not your teeth. Many a man, woman, and child cracks a tooth over the holiday thinking their teeth are made of steel. Squirrels were made for that, not humans. Truth is, under that hard enamel shell is a very sensitive nerve running through a root surrounded by soft living tissue. Crack the shell, and I'm not talking about the nut, and welcome pain. Yes, cracking a tooth is an intensely painful experience resulting in the urgent need for a root canal and crown. Be smart, use a nutcracker.



2. Don't open beer bottles with your teeth. You may laugh, but a few years ago we had a patient come in with a cracked front tooth. We asked him how it happened and with some reservation, he smiled and told us the truth. "There was this party you see...and I wanted a beer...". You get the picture. $3,000 later we had him in a dental implant and crown with a new smile...which cost could have been avoided.



3. Yes, caramel popcorn balls are too sweet. Skip the caramel popcorn balls..."but how can I skip a family tradition", you say! Easy, munch on a single unpopped kernal of popcorn a little too hard and I bet the BCS championship you will end up in my dental chair. Crack the cusp of a tooth, crack a molar to the root - there is no dental challenge too hard for a carmelized popcorn ball.



4. Brush and floss your teeth after the pies. The single greatest cause of dental decay is food (usually sugar) left on or around the tooth. Brushing and flossing is an obvious solution, it removes excess food and cleans the surface of the tooth. But who remembers to bring their toothbrush and dental floss to a Thanksgiving dinner party, other than dentists. You do...or at least you should. Swing by our office and we will give each of your family members a FREE toothbrush and floss.



5. Don't bite candy canes. I know, it's not Christmas yet, but the day after Thanksgiving someone will whip out candy canes and start decorating your Christmas tree. Don't give in to the temptation to bite down on that candy cane. And just wait until next week when we blog about eating toffee with nuts.


And last of all, and most importantly, be thankful for your teeth and a health smile. And if you are not, give us a call and we will help you get a reason to smile.

Originally posted here!

Today's funny ...

Teeth too sensitive?

TLC: You take a drink of iced tea, bite down on a candy bar, or slurp some hot soup and the electric stinging sensation in one or more of your teeth sends you flying out of your seat. You've got "sensitive teeth," a rather mild name for what can be a wildly uncomfortable condition.

So what's going on? Why do your teeth react to hot, cold, sweet, or sour, and sometimes even to pressure? Dentists have to play detective to determine what's causing a patient's discomfort, since teeth become sensitive for many different reasons, from trauma to dental disease, which can destroy tooth pulp, requiring a root-canal procedure to relieve the pain.

One or more teeth can become sensitive to even slight pressure if it has been "bruised" or otherwise traumatized -- by your accidentally biting down on a popcorn kernel, for example. Often, teeth feel sensitive after they've been cleaned, filled, or otherwise worked on at the dentist's office.

Sometimes this kind of sensitivity can take weeks or even months to go away. In other cases, people can cause tooth sensitivity by habitually grinding their teeth or clamping their jaws tightly shut. This type of sensitivity to pressure isn't something to worry about if it happens once or twice and goes away in a day or two. The tooth or teeth simply need time to recover from the trauma. It's when the pressure sensitivity is persistent that you should suspect something like a break, crack, or decayed tooth and should see your dentist.

Sensitivity to temperature usually means teeth have been compromised in some way. Sometimes it means one or more teeth are hitting too soon or too hard because they have moved out of place slightly, changing how their surfaces meet to form your bite. These shifts may be caused by habits such as thumb sucking, or they can occur because the bone structure of one or more teeth changes.

By far the most common cause of tooth sensitivity to temperature and sweet or sour foods is exposed dentin, the hardened tissue just beneath the tooth's enamel that contains microscopic nerve fibers. Dentin can become exposed as a result of dental decay, food or toothbrush abrasion, or gum recession. Regardless of the cause, exposed nerves make the teeth sensitive.

If you develop sensitivity in one or more teeth, first see your dentist to determine the cause. Then, if your sensitivity is caused by simple enamel abrasion or by normal gum recession, try the following home remedies for relief.

Bring on the desensitizing toothpaste. Unfortunately, widespread tooth sensitivity due to enamel abrasion or gum-line recession can't be treated with dental fillings. Instead, try brushing with a desensitizing toothpaste, which you can buy over the counter. These special toothpastes contain ingredients that diminish sensitivity by filling channels (known as tubules) in the dentin.

Try putting some of the toothpaste on your finger or on a cotton swab and spreading it over the sensitive spots before you go to bed. Spit, but don't rinse. Within a few weeks, your teeth should begin to feel less sensitive.

Try a fluoride rinse. Fluoride rinses, available without a prescription at your local pharmacy or in the dental section of grocery stores, can help decrease sensitivity, especially for people plagued with decay problems. Use it once a day. Swish it around in your mouth, then spit it out.

Sometimes, people with sensitive teeth need a stronger fluoride rinse or gel than the ones available over the counter. For example, some treatments for gum disease, such as root planing (which reduces plaque), can leave sensitive teeth even more sensitive than usual. In such situations, dentists can apply a fluoride gel that helps relieve the problem.

Keep your teeth clean. Plaque, the white gummy substance that forms on teeth, produces an acid that irritates teeth, especially if your choppers are naturally sensitive. Wage a daily attack against plaque by brushing at least twice, preferably right after eating and especially before bed, and flossing at least once.

Use a soft toothbrush. Often, people actually cause tooth sensitivity by brushing with too much force and/or brushing with a hard-bristled brush, which can damage the protective tooth enamel. When the gum-line recedes (often as a natural part of the aging process), exposed dentin becomes even more vulnerable to toothbrush abrasion. Use a brush with the softest bristles you can find, and apply only a small amount of pressure when brushing (actually, a lighter touch also allows the bristles to move more freely and do their job more effectively than when you press too hard).

Say, "Enough!" to snuff. Chewing tobacco, also known as "dip" or "snuff," is a popular habit in some groups, especially among many male teenagers. They mistakenly believe it's less harmful than smoking cigarettes. However, in addition to causing mouth cancers, chewing tobacco causes the gums to recede, a major cause of gum sensitivity and decay. Just as there is no safe cigarette, there is no safe tobacco.
Habits like sucking on hard candy, while certainly healthier than chewing snuff, can also cause enamel abrasion and tooth sensitivity.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

Top 8 Dental Care Tips

1. Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste.
2. Preferably, brush after each meal and especially before going to bed.
3. Clean between your teeth daily with dental floss or interdental cleaners, such as the Oral-B Interdental Brush, Reach Stim-U-Dent, or Sulcabrush.
4. Eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacks. Avoid carbohydrates such as candy, pretzels and chips, which can remain on the tooth surface. If sticky foods are eaten, brush your teeth soon afterwards.
5. Check with your dentist about use of supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth.
6. Ask your dentist about dental sealants (a plastic protective coating) applied to the chewing surfaces of your back teeth (molars) to protect them from decay.
7. Drink fluoridated water. At least a pint of fluoridated water each day is needed to protect children from tooth decay.
8. Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral exam.

Dentists get busy at Civic Center

AMARILLO.COM: Terry Scott arrived at the Civic Center around 4:30 a.m. Friday and there were already more than 150 in line. Some had brought sleeping bags and spent the cold Thursday night waiting for the doors to open. By 9 a.m., 90 patients had come through, and 400 had been registered. Meranda Cagle, 27, arrived at 5:45 a.m.

“No words can express how grateful I am,” said Cagle, who has suffered two abscessed wisdom teeth for more than a year. “It would cost me $250 a tooth without antibiotics. I’ve got two kids. I couldn’t afford this.”

The north exhibit hall of the Civic Center was turned into a dental beehive this weekend, the country’s largest dental office. There were 44 portable chairs and units, with 99 dentists from across the state working in shifts to treat those with dental problems who can’t afford the care.

They came from not just Amarillo, but from Dallas, Houston, Austin, Lubbock, San Antonio and Mount Pleasant, paying their own way as part of the Texas Dental Association’s Smiles Foundation.

The Amarillo Texas Mission of Mercy provided dental work for many who probably have never stepped foot into a traditional dental office. It’s a unique setting, not only for these patients in need, but for the dentists and hygienists, most local and many from Amarillo College.

“I have a different face on I would say, in one of these events than in my office where I make my living,” said Dr. David Woodburn. “I don’t think of any overhead or other parts of a business when I’m here. It’s refreshing to be part of this. I love altruism and hopefully helping people in need.”

Woodburn, dental chairman of the two-day event, has participated in 20 of these Missions of Mercy across the state. Dr. Richard Smith of Amarillo has worked every event since the dental outreach began in 2001.

“We’ve been blessed with our profession. It’s been very good to us,” Smith said. “But this gives us a chance to help people we know would never see the inside of a dental office and get them out of pain. It’s the chance to make a difference in somebody’s life, that’s our motto — make a difference.”

The is the first time since its inception the Mission of Mercy has been in Amarillo. In September there was a one-day 14-chair event in Cactus, and four years ago, a two-day event in Hereford. Because of population, most events are downstate in the I-35 corridor.

“This weekend is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime event to be able to provide these services,” said Diann Gilmore, community chairwoman of the event and executive director of the Women’s Downtown Center.

Procedures performed included teeth cleaning, extractions, stainless steel crowns, some root canal therapy, and a limited number of partial dentures. For the first time in the event’s 10-year history, about eight to 10 patients were being fitted with dentures.

“We try to do as much as we can for these patients in about a 45-minute session,” Woodburn said. “Some a little more, some a little less.”

More than 1,000 people came through the Civic Center, which was opened from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, helped along by 750 volunteers. No one was turned away. The hope was that all who came for a procedure were the working poor or homeless, simply those who did not have dental insurance and can’t afford treatment.

“Most of the people we see have a very poor dental IQ,” Woodburn said. “Many of them come in with significant discomfort, swelling and pain. It’s a blessing for them and us.”

Gilmore, has seen it over and over again. When someone is just trying to scrape by to the end of the week, dental care is not even on the radar until it becomes an emergency.

“When you’re homeless and there’s no food to eat, the last thing you’re thinking about is brushing your teeth,” said Gilmore. “A lot of people go a long period of time without dental care. For the poor, it’s about the last thing they can afford.”

Untreated tooth and gum decay can lead to more serious problems, including heart disease and diabetes. Because of poor teeth and gum disease, Smith said, people will often choose softer foods to eat that tend to be high in calories and lead to excessive weight gain and high blood pressure.

“Ever have a toothache? Some of the people we saw this weekend had 10 to 12 toothaches,” Smith said. “We saw people whose oral health is just horrendous.”

Scott was one of the few receiving partial dentures. This was the only way he could obtain them.

“So many people don’t have dental insurance — I don’t,” he said. “It’s the only way I could get anything done.”

Jon Mark Beilue is a columnist at the Globe-News.