Don't Forget to Floss Your Arteries!

Can a toothbrush help clean out your heart? Surprisingly, yes!

Brushing your teeth has been shown to be the first step in preventing periodontal disease that can lead to heart disease, stroke, and diabetes complications. Over 80%of adults have periodontal disease and most cases go undetected. The disease raises the level of harmful bacteria in the mouth, which travels through the bloodstream to other organs in the body, and can lead to a plaque buildup in arteries surrounding the heart. Your dentist can be your first line of defense in reducing the risk for many diseases.

Brushing and flossing are effective means of preventing periodontal disease, but diabetes can counteract these efforts. Diabetes can weaken your mouth’s ability to fight germs, increase blood sugar levels, and make periodontal disease more difficult to control. Your dentist may suspect diabetes if you brush and floss regularly and still have symptoms of periodontal disease. Nearly 21 million children and adults in the US have diabetes, yet one-third of them are not aware they have the disease. Regular gum disease therapy and treatments can help avoid diabetes complications as serious as death.

As periodontal disease worsens, surgery may be needed to save your teeth. The more teeth a person has lost, the greater the risk for cardiovascular problems such as heart disease. Bleeding gums is just one of many symptoms of periodontal disease. Studies have shown links between periodontal disease and diabetes and heart disease. Diseased gums have even been found to raise the risk of pancreatic cancer. Periodontal disease works to destroy gums and is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

Be Proactive! Come to see me if you any of these symptoms/warning signs of periodontal disease:

• Bleeding gums when brushing or flossing
• Red, swollen, or tender gums
• Fums that have pulled away from teeth
• Bad breath

No More Loose Dentures

Comfort and confidence again

Would you like to speak or bite into an apple knowing your denture won't slip? How about smiling with absolute confidence or enjoying the simple pleasure of going to bed without removing your denture? Are you missing one or more teeth? Then dental implants, artificial substitutions for natural tooth roots to which replacement teeth can be attached, may be right for you.

Mini implants are a scientific breakthrough in denture stabilization. This new technology allows for a minimally invasive procedure with a quick healing time - in one short procedure you can have a stable denture with no surgical sutures or the typical months of healing. Your denture will feel secure and will be held firmly in place at an extremely affordable price.

It's hard to imagine, but more than 55 million teeth are removed every year as a result of infection, gum disease or accidents. Dental implants replace the form and function of missing teeth, whether it is one tooth or a whole jaw. They can be used to anchor dentures to prevent soreness and clicking noises when you talk, or as replacements for partial dentures and bridgework. Although you have a number of restorative options for the treatment of missing teeth, none have proven to be as functionally effective and durable as implants. In many cases, dental implants may be the only logical choice for the restoration of all necessary functionality of the teeth and supporting structures. We can help you to decide if mini implants are the right solution for you.

BEAUTIFUL FACES WITHOUT BRACES

I believe in a health centered approach by helping to guide the growth of your child’s jaws. In recent years, the dental profession has realized that many bite problems can be recognized and treated earlier than was once thought...proving that expensive and lengthy orthodontic treatment in teen years can be avoided by taking early preventive steps when the child is young. The idea is to create an ideal setting for adult teeth to grow into.

Early orthodontics can also be an effective way to deal with bad habits that can deform your child’s bite. Habits such as tongue thrusting, biting the lower lip and thumb sucking can lead to problems once permanent teeth come in. Early treatment can prevent these habits from causing bite problems later on.

How can you tell if your child needs orthodontic treatment? Early warning signs may include:
• mouth breathing or snoring
• difficulty chewing or biting
• crowded or crooked teeth
• jaw clicking or teeth grinding
• protruding upper teeth, teeth that do not meet well or at all
• jaws and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face
• history of finger sucking
• long-term pacifier use

Snoring – It's not all just noise!

Do you experience daytime fatigue, headaches, or have difficulty concentrating? These symptoms can be warning signs of sleep-disordered breathing or sleep apnea, which means you may be experiencing repeated interruptions of breathing during sleep. Light snoring can also be a warning sign of a sleep disorder. Chronic, heavy, loud snoring may signal a condition called obstructive sleep apnea which is frequently associated with hypertension and even stroke and cardiopulmonary problems. Most people who have sleep apnea – a special type of snoring in which oxygen intake is actually halted for several seconds – do not realize the harmful side effects that it can have. Poor supply of oxygen to the brain, heart problems, high blood pressure, and increased risk for tooth decay all go hand in hand.

Children can be affected too – studies show upwards of 20% of all children exhibit snoring and severe tooth grinding (sleep bruxism) and of this group, 20% will have the more sever forms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Clinical symptoms of untreated sleep disorders may include excessive daytime sleepiness, failure to thrive, bed wetting, behavioral problems and other symptoms.

Sleep apnea is more common than you might think. Utilizing the state-of-the-art technology available in our office (Cone-beam 3D and Watch-Pat, an ambulatory home sleep study appliance) I have helped diagnose more than 9 patients with sleep apnea in just the past month. Many people are not aware that their dentist may be the first health care provider to identify sleep apnea because its salient signs and symptoms often are recognizable in the dental office. I have been specifically trained in sleep medicine and will work with you and your physician to diagnose a sleep disorder.

It is critical to you, your spouse or your child’s health to be diagnosed!

Early Evaluation is Important for Your Child

Orthodontics, best known by its tools of the trade - braces - is a special discipline of dentistry concerned with aligning the teeth and jaws to improve your child's smile and oral health. Patients of almost any age, but mostly children, can benefit from treatment for orthodontic problems.

An orthodontic problem is called a malocclusion, or "bad bite." Some examples of causes of malocclusion include crowded teeth, extra teeth, missing teeth or misaligned jaws. Most malocclusions are inherited, although some can be acquired. Acquired malocclusions can be caused by accidents, early or late loss of baby teeth, or oral habits that are continued over a long period of time. Dr. Corbett has done extensive research and study on craniofacial growth and development. He is committed to the prevention and treatment of malocclusion through non-intrusive retraining of the oral musculature and elimination of bad oral habits.

If required, orthodontic evaluations are appropriate for most children beginning around seven years old. Typically, braces are worn between the ages of 10 and 14; this is the period of development in which the head and mouth are still growing and teeth are more accessible to straightening. Earlier orthodontic intervention can sometimes prevent the need for full orthodontic treatment. More and more adults are also wearing braces to correct minor problems and to improve their smiles.

Orthodontic treatment will help your child by:

• guiding permanent teeth into the proper positions
• reducing the potential for to jaw joint damage
• reducing the likelihood of impacted permanent teeth
• lowering the risk of damage to protruded upper teeth
• ensuring the proper width of dental arches
• shortening treatment time for later corrective orthodontics
• improving lip closure
• influencing proper jaw growth
• improving eruption patterns
• reserving or gaining space for erupting permanent teeth
• improving some speech problems

What is Whole-Body Dentistry?

Whole-body or Holistic Dentistry really means treating the whole patient rather than just the patient's mouth or teeth. Whole-body dentists obtain a very thorough patient history and perform a complete dental examination to determine the best treatment possible. It involves blending the art and science of dentistry by combining innovative technology with a whole-body strategy for healthy living. This approach minimizes invasive procedures which so often occur in traditional dentistry. I believe in partnering with my patients in their overall health and wellness plan for life.

Nothing says "health" better than a vibrant smile. If you've got one, it's an asset that you want to protect. If yours is less than perfect, you may want to take advantage of the advances in cosmetic dentistry to improve the appearance of your teeth. Actually, it's often more than just appearance: the state of your mouth affects your overall health. It's now well known that periodontal disease can cause heart problems. a misaligned bite affects chewing and digestion, and temperomandibular (TMJ) dysfunction can indicate other musculoskeletal problems.

Our team at North Shore Smiles believes in the philosophy of treating the mouth with the whole body in mind. When a new dental patients comes into the office, we take the time to get to know the individual and to perform a thorough evaluation of the health of his or her mouth, addressing any areas of concern. We take the time to discuss how the patient's oral health is affecting their whole body and vice verse. We enjoy helping our patients discover the missing pieces to better health for life.

Welcome!

Welcome! I am excited to share news and information with you. In particular, I will be discussing whole-body dentistry and how our overall physical health and well-being is affected by our dental health.

We are also launching our new, re-designed website this week. Check it out at
www.northshoresmiles.com!

I welcome your feedback and thoughts.