Choosing Wisely: 5 Things Every Family Should Know About Dental Health (Part 3 of 3)

Don’t replace fillings just because they’re old 












When you have a cavity, the dentist removes it and puts in a filling. These fillings can last for many years, but some people get silver fillings removed because they don’t like the color. However, the process of removing a filling can weaken the tooth. Additionally, insurance may not cover the removal. 

To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Choosing Wisely: 5 Things Every Family Should Know About Dental Health (Part 1 of 3)

Use toothpaste with fluoride for infants and children 












For children younger than 3 years, you should begin brushing a child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste in an amount no larger than a grain of rice. For children 3 to 6 years of age, use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.

Consider sealants to prevent decay or treat beginning cavities on the back teeth 












Dental sealants act as a barrier to prevent cavities. They are a plastic material applied by a dentist to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth where decay occurs most often.

To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

How Often Should a Senior Citizen Go to the Dentist?

Learn what the American Dental Association's answer is to the question: "How Often Should a Senior Citizen Go to the Dentist?".

 

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

To Floss or Not to Floss..

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about flossing and if it is good or not! Kind of reminds me of coffee, some studies say is good for you and others say it isn't.

Our dental office believes that flossing is beneficial to a person's general oral health. Our staff is trained to address the issues of proper flossing to our patients on an individual need basis. We promote many different tools used to effectively and safely clean between the teeth.

If you are concerned with the recent news reports, please give our office a call to schedule an appointment. We will be happy to review your concerns and make sure you are properly caring for your teeth.

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Oral Care During the Holidays: Sugar-Free Countdown to Christmas

Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by Sher Warkentin

Maintaining good oral care during the holidays can be tough with the bombardment of sugary sweets all season. Counting down to Christmas with an advent calendar is a fun activity for your kids, but if they are filled with chocolate and sweets, it won't be so great for their teeth. Check out these simple sugar-free ideas to fill your countdown instead.

Holiday Activity Fun
Fill your child's countdown with special moments that they will cherish all year round. For each day of the month come up with a fun holiday activity that you can do together as a family. Some ideas include: watching a holiday movie, going ice skating, building a snowman and looking at Christmas lights. Write down the activity on a slip of paper and tuck one note into each day of your advent calendar.

A Puzzling Treat
Give your child a fun challenge with a customized puzzle. Draw a picture or write a special message on a blank puzzle. Break the pieces apart and place one puzzle piece in each day of your advent calendar. Every day your child can add the pieces together until they have a completed puzzle revealing a special holiday message or fun activity to do together.

To read the entire article visit Colgate.com.

The remainder of the article details the following:

• Sugar-Free Trinkets
• Story-A-Day

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

How Often Should a Senior Citizen Go to the Dentist?

Learn what the American Dental Association's answer is to the question: "How Often Should a Senior Citizen Go to the Dentist?".

 

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Diabetes and Your Mouth # 1 : 4 Signs You May Have a Problem

Diabetes puts you at risk for dental problems. It impairs the ability to fight bacteria in your mouth. Having high blood sugar encourages bacteria to grow and contributes to gum disease. You may have gum disease if you have:

• Gums that are red, sore, bleeding, or swollen, or that pull away from your teeth
• Loose teeth
• Chronic bad breath
• An irregular bite or dentures that don't fit well

The above article is from: WebMD.com

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Scaling And Root Planing: Professional Plaque Removal

Perhaps you’ve been neglecting a good oral health routine. Or, you’ve done your best, but you’ve developed plaque and tartar buildup. A regular routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing is an important part of regular plaque removal for everyone. But if you have risk factors that have caused a buildup of plaque on your teeth and gums to harden into tartar, your dentist or dental hygienist may suggest scaling or root planing your teeth to remove the buildup. If left untreated, severe tartar buildup along and under the gum line can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth, which may increase the risk of gum disease.

Scaling and root planing are common nonsurgical techniques that may prevent the need for more serious procedures, such as periodontal surgery or a root canal.

Here’s what to expect if your dentist or dental hygienist recommends these techniques:

• You won’t feel it. You’ll receive a local anesthetic to numb the area.
• Scaling: Your dentist or dental hygienist removes plaque and tartar from the areas both above and below the gum line.
• Root Planing: Your dentist or dental hygienist uses special tools to smooth rough spots on the tooth roots. This process not only removes bacteria and helps reduce plaque buildup, but it provides a smooth surface for gums to reattach to the teeth.

After a scaling and root planing procedure, be sure to follow your dentist’s instructions and maintain an oral care routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing. If your gums are sensitive after the procedure, try a spongy floss, such as Oral-BÆ Ultra FlossÆ, to help prevent painful flossing.

The above article is from: OralB.com

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Girl's Sports Mouth Injuries

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about mouth injuries due to sports.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Good Food for Dental Health: Water

Water Rules
Water, especially fluoridated water, is the best beverage for maintaining your oral health. That's because fluoride helps to make teeth more resistant to the acid attacks that can cause cavities. As of 2012, nearly 75 percent of the U.S. population had access to fluoridated water, so drinking water from your own kitchen sink can help prevent dental problems. 

Above article from: MouthHealthy.org

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

What are the Stages of Gum Disease?

What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums that can progress to affect the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth. It is caused by the bacteria in plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. If not removed through daily brushing and flossing, plaque can build up and the bacteria infect not only your gums and teeth, but eventually the gum tissue and bone that support the teeth. This can cause them to become loose, fall out or have to be removed by a dentist.
There are three stages of gum disease:

• Gingivitis: this is the earliest stage of gum disease, an inflammation of the gums caused by plaque buildup at the gumline. If daily brushing and flossing do not remove the plaque, it produces toxins (poisons) that can irritate the gum tissue, causing gingivitis. You may notice some bleeding during brushing and flossing. At this early stage in gum disease, damage can be reversed, since the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth in place are not yet affected.
• Periodontitis: at this stage, the supporting bone and fibers that hold your teeth in place are irreversibly damaged. Your gums may begin to form a pocket below the gumline, which traps food and plaque. Proper dental treatment and improved home care can usually help prevent further damage.
• Advanced Periodontitis: in this final stage of gum disease, the fibers and bone supporting your teeth are destroyed, which can cause your teeth to shift or loosen. This can affect your bite and, if aggressive treatment can't save them, teeth may need to be removed.

Read the rest of the article at Colgate.com to learn more about how to know if you have gum disease and how gum disease is treated.
 

 













The above article is from: Colgate.com

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Migraine Headache Dental Treatment

Problems with Recurring Tension or Migraine Headaches? Help is Finally Here.

Those who suffer from severe headaches are accustomed to swallowing a pill for relief. But today there is a drug-free alternative to become pain free. It is a small acrylic device called the NTI™ that is approved by the FDA, painless when in place, and very affordable. It has been successful with so many patients that it has received much media attention. Statistics have shown that 82% of migraine sufferers had a 77% reduction in occurrences.

When the appliance is placed inside your mouth, the jaw is placed in a correct position, allowing the muscles under the scalp to relax. As most headaches occur from the strain of these muscles, this device is most effective and easy to use and re-use with no side effects, no prescription, and no more headaches! Please let us know if you have problems with headaches, so we can help provide relief from this debilitating pain. 

Cori K. Crider, DDS 
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428 

Gum Health

Cause of Lost Teeth
Part of our care is providing education to each patient for the reasons of tooth loss. Many seem to think that tooth loss occurs primarily because of decay. But the number one reason is periodontal or gum disease. Early detection can reverse this serious problem. So if you have bleeding gums, loose or shifting teeth, please let us help you return to healthy teeth and gums.


A Connection Between Periodontal Disease and Heart Disease
Studies made by the American Dental Association have shown that there is a connection between gum disease and other serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or even stroke. Researchers have found that people who have elevated levels of bacteria from the mouth had a higher probability of hardened arteries. It is important to come in to our office for treatment if you have any of the symptoms of gum disease – bleeding or swollen gums, loose teeth, or a receding gumline. This could be not only an indication of gum disease, but an early sign of a serious cardiovascular problem. You probably won’t feel your cholesterol rising or your arteries hardening, but you will feel painful or bleeding gums. Call us today if you have this problem.


Treatments for Gum Disease
It is important to have an appointment with Dr. Crider with the first symptoms of gum disease. When this problem reaches advanced stages, the treatment will be surgical. However, if treated in the beginning stages, nonsurgical methods are effective and successful in halting any infection that could have an effect on your overall health. Treatments could be a professional dental cleaning, scaling or root planing, or antibiotics. We will assess your needs and discuss a treatment plan with you at your first visit.


The Problem with Losing a Tooth
Many patients do not realize the problems that can result from losing even a single tooth. As your teeth play a major role in absorbing nutrients from food, it is important to have proper chewing with a full set of teeth. Your diet may change as eating healthy, raw fruits and vegetables becomes difficult with the absence of teeth. Eating softer, processed foods may increase your carbohydrate intake and result in weight gain. Also, your speech can become slurred or distorted, which may have an effect on job performance and professionalism. Your facial appearance may change, as bone or tooth loss will give a hollow look along the contours of your face and make you look older than you are. We provide a very suitable solution with implants. They look so natural no one will ever be able to tell it is not a real tooth.

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Oral Warning Signs Can Indicate Serious Medical Conditions

Regular dental exams not only help to decrease a patient's risk of oral diseases, such as cavities and periodontal (gum) disease, but they may also help to diagnose other, sometimes life-threatening, medical conditions.

 

Dentists are able to assess a patient's overall oral health and may recognize symptoms of serious diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and eating disorders, which often manifest as signs and symptoms inside of the mouth. Click here to learn more.

Above article from KnowYourTeeth.com

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Halloween Tips

Halloween is around the corner, which for most children means bags of free candy and a chance to build up the stockpile of sweets for the winter. Being one of the most fun times of the year for families, Halloween can also present parents with a variety of health and safety challenges.
The American Dental Association, America's premier source of oral health information, has prepared a list of 10 suggestions to help parents maintain good oral health for their children around the Halloween holiday and throughout the year.

1. Consume Halloween candy and other sugary foods with meals.
   Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acids produced by bacteria in your mouth and helps rinse away food particles. 
2. Avoid hard candy and other sweets that stay in your mouth for a long time.
   Besides how often you snack, the length of time food is in your mouth plays a role in tooth decay. Unless it is a sugar-free product, candies that stay in the mouth for a long period of time subject teeth to prolonged acid attack, increasing the risk for tooth decay. 
3. Avoid sticky candies that cling to your teeth.
   The stickier candies, like taffy and gummy bears, take longer to get washed away by saliva, increasing the risk for tooth decay.                                               

Click here to read more tips.

Above article from: ada.org

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428

Don't Forget to Clean Your Tongue

Your oral health routine should always include brushing your tongue with your toothbrush or using a tongue scraper, which you can find in the dental products aisle at the drugstore. That’s important because foods can get stuck in the grooves of your tongue, causing bacteria to grow. Other oral health problems that can develop if you don't clean your tongue are a bad taste in your mouth, staining on your tongue, and bad breath, Abayon says.

Above article from EverydayHealth.com

Cori K. Crider, DDS
2444 Packard Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 572-4428