Mount Kisco NY Dentist Shares A Quick Way To Improve Your Overall Health

A dental cleaning is one of the easiest and fastest ways to improve your overall health!

Naturally occurring bacteria in your mouth can grow rapidly.  If it gets out of control you can develop gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums.  Gingivitis can lead to gums starting to recede, and receding gums can lead to tooth sensitivity.                                

Periodontal disease is caused by a group of specific bacteria, called the Red Complex.  Again, these bacteria naturally occur in the mouth, but if the number gets out of control it can lead to the loss of bone and gums around the tooth.  As this happens the pocket, or space between your tooth and the gums gets deeper and deeper.  This allows more and more bacteria to grow.   Losing the support of your teeth can cause pain, bad breath, bleeding of gums, heart disease and loss of teeth.  In fact periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in Mount Kisco.          

There are other risk factors that can lead to periodontal disease, including genetics, the foods we eat, tooth grinding, and alcohol/tobacco use.

To treat periodontal disease, we typically recommend scaling and root planing, more commonly known as a "deep cleaning".  A traditional dental cleaning removes the bacteria and plaque above the gum line.  However, the Red Complex is found below the gum line.  When these aggressive and irritating bacteria get out of control, they need to be brought back under control.  A deep cleaning can accomplish this by going below the gum line and removing the bacteria and any hardened plaque called calculus.  By making a smooth surface along the root of the tooth, and decreasing the amount of bacteria, the gums can "shrink" back around the tooth and decrease the size of those pockets. We will do this all while keeping you very comfortable during the procedure.

Decreasing bacteria, decreases inflammation.  Inflammation causes the release of C-Reactive Proteins in your blood stream.  C-Reactive Proteins circulate throughout our body in response to inflammation.

Periodontal disease is essentially a giant bacterial infection in your mouth, so your body releases more of these harmful proteins, and this causes your immune system to be alert all the time.  This is very unhealthy for your body, as studies have shown that the more inflammation the body thinks there is, the more susceptible you are to diabetes, heart disease, diabetes, strokes, low birth weight babies, alzheimer's disease and cancer.  The longer you go between dental cleanings, the more bacteria grows, and the more likely you are to need a deep cleaning.

So when was your last dental cleaning?

Give your Mount Kisco NY dentist a call to make an appointment

(914) 241-2242

www.WestchesterTopDentist.com

Mount Kisco NY Dentist Talks About Cavities

Mount Kisco NY Dentist, Dr. Steven Abel talks about cavities.  Many patients ask us, How do I know if I have a cavity, and if I do have one, what can I do about it?  Well, cavities, like most other health issues, can vary in degree or seriousness. When a cavity first begins to form, it’s pretty easy to treat, often with a small, tooth colored restoration that blends perfectly with your tooth... and we’re able to keep the tooth decay from spreading. If left untreated, however, it can lead to some pretty serious complications, including tooth loss, and nobody wants that!      

Your best chance of minimizing tooth damage from cavities is early detection and early treatment. When you’re in our office for your routine dental hygiene visits a few times a year, we’ll definitely be looking for early warning signs.  We will also give you a professional fluoride treatment in our office.  According to the American Dental Association, having a professional fluoride treatment after your dental hygiene visit can decrease the incidence of new decay by up to 75%.  That’s pretty terrific, but there are also ways you can be on the lookout between your visits to our office.

Here are three signs to watch for:

Pain:
Tooth pain is not normal, so it’s definitely a red flag. If you’re experiencing pain, a cavity may be the cause of the discomfort.

Sensitivity:
Many things can cause general tooth sensitivity (teeth whitening treatments for example), but if you notice that a particular tooth is sensitive to hot, cold, sugary and acidic foods or pressure, it’s cause for concern.

Bad breath:
This one is tricky, as there are many causes of bad breath, but one of them is actually a cavity. The bacteria present in tooth infections (which is really what a cavity is) produces a very unpleasant smell. 

If any of these sound familiar, call us today at: (914) 241-2242 to schedule an appointment for a dental exam as soon as possible. If it is a cavity, early treatment is vital to minimizing damage. And if it’s not a cavity, we will be able to determine what else might be causing the issue.  

Remember, it’s always better to prevent cavities with routine dental care, professional fluoride treatments, sealants and good home care.  We can help you develop your own plan to stay cavity free!  

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Dr. Abel and the entire team at Westchester Dental Care

www.WestchesterTopDentist.com