Oct 30, 2018
Vampires and jack-o-lanterns and ghosts…oh my! Halloween is upon us and that means candy and costumes. While it’s always a good time to think about your dental health, Halloween is also a good time for dental trivia! Why? Because we love these scary and fun facts more than all those sweet treats that get stuck in your teeth and cause cavities. We decided to ask around the office for everyone’s favorite dental trivia to see if we can trick you this Halloween!
What is the hardest substance in the human body?
Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. Wow!
How much of your life is devoted to brushing your teeth?
The average American spends 38.5 days brushing their teeth over the course of their lifetime. Compare that to an average of 9,125 days spent sleeping and 188 days in the shower.
What’s the scariest Halloween candy?
Sour candy–it has the same pH as battery acid. Yikes!
Do we really eat that much candy at Halloween?
Yes! A typical child’s bag of Halloween candy has 11,000 calories. Also, if you laid out all the candy corn that’s sold each year, it would wrap around the earth 4.25 times. That’s a lot of candy!
What does a vampire fear most?
Tooth decay! Ok, so that was a joke, but did you know that people get vampire teeth implants? Sorry, we do not offer this service at FDA.
Did we trick you? We hope you have fun this Halloween! Remember, to give your teeth a real treat this holiday and everyday by following these tips:
- Avoid hard and sticky candies that linger in your mouth. The longer sugar stays in your mouth, the more your teeth are at risk of tooth decay.
- Eat candy shortly after meals when your mouth is already producing saliva. This helps rinse out the sugars and bacteria.
- Brush & floss your teeth twice a day.
- Come in for regular check-ups! Call us at 207.781.5900.
Happy Halloween from all of us at Falmouth Dental Arts!
Image courtesy of: www.pinterest.com
Oct 25, 2018
Did you know that 1 in 5 cases of tooth loss is linked to diabetes? Here at FDA we believe that good oral hygiene is an important part of maintaining your overall health and this is especially true for our patients with diabetes. Many people don’t know about the link between oral hygiene and diabetes. Diabetes increases your risk of dental diseases and has symptoms that impact your mouth. While there is no cure for diabetes, you can take steps to manage the disease by maintaining your health–including your oral health. In this month’s article, we look into the correlation between diabetes and oral health and talk about some best practices to help keep your diabetes under control.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when you have blood sugar levels that are too high. In diabetics, the insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas) cannot convert the blood sugar into energy for the body to use. The blood sugar, or glucose, stays in the blood and over time these increased levels of glucose in the blood can cause some serious health problems such as stroke, kidney disease, and nerve damage. The most common types of diabetes are Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Diabetes is always a serious condition and it is estimated that there are 8.1 million people living with diabetes who have yet to be diagnosed.
Diabetes Symptoms in Your Mouth
One place you may experience symptoms is in your mouth. Here are some of the most common oral symptoms:
- Dry mouth. People with diabetes often have less saliva in their mouth so you may find yourself being parched. A good fix is drinking lots of water and eating healthy, crunchy foods to get the saliva flowing. This is extra important because having less saliva to wash away sugars can lead to cavities.
- Gum disease. If you notice bleeding when you brush or floss, you may have gum disease. If gum disease goes unchecked it can lead to tooth loss. Research shows keeping your blood sugar under control can help improve gum disease.
- Problems with taste. You may begin to notice that food tastes differently from the way you remember, particularly sweet foods. If you have a persistent bad taste in your mouth, please come see us.
- Delayed wound healing. Diabetes impacts your immune system and if you have increased blood sugar in your mouth it can slow down the healing process. If you notice a cold sore or cut in your mouth that doesn’t seem to go away, make sure you mention this to us at your next check up.
- Periodontal disease. Nearly 22% of all diabetics develop this dental disease. It is a chronic, inflammatory condition that can destroy your gums and bone, and can also lead to increased blood sugar levels. Early signs includes bad breath, swollen gums, and painful chewing.
Your Dental Action Plan
If you have diabetes, working with a team of healthcare professionals including your dentist is paramount. Here at FDA, we are committed to giving you the best care possible and will work with you to make sure your mouth is healthy and supporting your overall health needs. As with all our patients, people with diabetes should avoid smoking, brush twice a day, floss daily, and come in for regular dental cleanings and checkups.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above or need to schedule your next checkup, please give us a call at 207.781.5900 today. Let us help you keep your health at its best!
Image courtesy of www.niddk.nih.gov
Sep 24, 2018
Family Friendly Dentistry at Falmouth Dental Arts
We believe that oral health care is important for your whole family. From toddlers to grandparents, we are dedicated to providing the most caring and comfortable environment for every member of your family. We want your kids to have great smiles that last their lifetimes, and great smiles begin with great oral hygiene habits. Routine visits to the dentist not only help maintain your family’s oral health, but it also helps everyone learn about the best techniques to care for their teeth.
We offer a range of treatments and options to help your family establish regular checkups and an easy relationship with our caring dental team. We strive to make it as simple as ABC for families with young kids by offering a stroller-accessible lobby and easy appointment scheduling for the whole family. We recommend you start bringing your children around the age of 1 to 3 to start their dental care. Each child is different as to when they are ready and our goal is to make coming to the dentist a positive experience for them. Even when it’s straightforward, getting your kids to cooperate can be tricky. Our team has great suggestions for getting your kids excited about brushing their teeth and coming in for check ups. Here are a few:
- Have your child come in with you for your next teeth cleaning. It’s a great way to introduce the child to the experience and allows our staff to help guide parents in making their child’s first appointment.
- Talk about the fun aspects of visiting the dentist with your child! For example, after their appointment they get to choose a toothbrush with their favorite Disney character. It’s a great way to encourage them to keep brushing!
Let us help your family start a lifetime of healthy habits! Give us a call at 207.781.5900 to schedule an appointment today!
*Image courtesy of: www.parenting.com
Sep 20, 2018
Third molars, prehistoric chompers, painful nuisances…we’re talking about wisdom teeth! You’ve probably known someone who has had their wisdom teeth removed, but what are these mysterious molars and why do they need to be removed? Let’s be wise and learn more!
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Between the age of 16 to 25, most people develop a third set of molars that are also known as wisdom teeth. As such, wisdom teeth are often called the third molars by dentists. Most adults have 4 total wisdom teeth (two on the bottom and two on top).
Interestingly, these teeth are positively prehistoric! Looking back, our early ancestors had a larger jaw and subsisted on a diet of chewy leaves, roots, and raw meat. As man evolved to have larger brains, our diet became softer and more processed, and our jaws shrunk. The wisdom teeth stuck around though, but with less space to accommodate them.
Why Do They Need to Be Removed?
Some people never develop wisdom teeth, while others have all four wisdom teeth come in without issue. Unfortunately, for many adults, discomfort or pain coincides with their wisdom teeth coming in, or “erupting.” When wisdom teeth are impacted, they come in at an angle and push against the gum or adjacent tooth (again, because our modern jaws are smaller). This can lead to pain and to a disrupted bite alignment, as well as cause health issues such as infection, tooth decay, and gum disease. Here are some of the common signs that your wisdom teeth are erupting:
- Pain at back of the mouth. The pain will continue to increase as the teeth grow and press on nerves or crowd other teeth.
- Redness, tenderness, and swelling at gum site where tooth is erupting.
- If infected:
- Bad breath
- Foul taste in mouth while chewing
- Jaw pain and stiffness
- General illness
In rare cases, an impacted wisdom tooth that is left without treatment can develop cysts or sometimes tumors.
While there is some debate as to whether or not wisdom teeth need to be removed if they are not causing pain, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons recommends removing any wisdom teeth that are diseased or at risk for developing disease. Monitoring the development of wisdom teeth and making a decision by age 25 to minimize potential complications and pain is advised. Patients should be aware of the greater difficulty associated with removal of their wisdom teeth as they age.
Wisdom Teeth Monitoring Falmouth Dental Arts
So…be wise and talk to Dr. Brunacini or Dr. Karagiorgos about your own or your child’s wisdom teeth! Early treatment greatly reduces the risk of complications later and helps keep you and your mouth healthy and happy.
If your wisdom teeth are causing you discomfort, or if you have questions about how your children’s wisdom teeth are developing, give us a call at 207.781.5900.
* Image courtesy of www.illinoisjawdocs.com
Aug 27, 2018
Dr. Brunacini on Digital Dentistry
One of the most exciting and useful advancements in dentistry in recent years has been the incorporation of digital tools. Digital Dentistry is an integral part of our practice at Falmouth Dental Arts. Perhaps you read about Dr. Brunacini’s commitment to Digital Dentistry in his bio and have been curious to learn more. We decided to ask Dr. Brunacini about this innovative component of our care. Here’s what he had to say:
1. What is Digital Dentistry?
Dr. Brunacini: Digital dentistry has permeated many aspects of dentistry. For example, our patient’s dental and health information is all done digitally through our dental software. No need for paper charts! X-rays are another way that digital dentistry has changed how we do things. Digital x-rays have many advantages: convenience, drastically reduced radiation exposure, and increased diagnostic capabilities. We even have x-rays that can be seen in 3 dimensions, which provides so much more information for the team and patient. It’s also really cool! Lastly, digital impressions can now be used to fabricate crowns and other lab-processed dental prostheses. It’s all very fascinating!
2. How does FDA incorporate Digital Dentistry into its practice?
Dr. Brunacini: We have been using computer-based patient record management software for years. It allows us to better communicate with the patients directly as well as with their dental insurance companies to provide a better overall experience. We also utilize intraoral cameras (camera this fit inside the mouth) to be able to show patients exactly what we see in their mouths. We can use these digital images to help us make a treatment plan and communicate that plan easily to the patient. Being able to plan the end result for a patient prior to making irreversible changes to a their mouth helps us assure long term success. It becomes a very powerful motivator and education tool.
We are working towards implementing digital impressions for crown fabrication, but are still in the learning phase of it. We are continually developing new skills and working to implement new technologies in our practice to give our patients the best care possible.
3. What’s in store for the future of Digital Dentistry?
Dr. Brunacini: Digital Dentistry will continue to simplify and streamline the workflow. We are already seeing how the intraoral digital scanners (which create 3-D images of teeth) are getting faster and smaller so we can use them more universally. I also see potential in 3-D printing of dental prostheses for patients, which will assure a more precise fit and quicker turnaround times. It’s an exciting time and there are sure to be even more advancements in the future!
Thank you, Dr. Brunacini! Come in and experience all of our digital equipment at your next appointment! Schedule one today by calling us at 207.781.5900.
*Image courtesy of www.dentalassets.com
