Archive for the ‘Periodontal (Gum) Disease’ Category

Cosmetic Dentistry. It brings to mind the photos of your favorite movie star with their $1 Million smile that probably cost that much to get.  What is often times missing from the doctor-patient discussion regarding cosmetic dental procedures is the health benefits of having these procedures done.

You might be wondering, “How can cosmetic dentistry benefit my health?”  It’s a great question, one that many dental professionals do not regularly communicate to their patients.  Cosmetic procedures include teeth whitening, veneers, crowns, dental implants, and Invisalign© Invisible Braces, just to name a few.  All of these procedures have benefits that can affect your oral health and total wellness.

A well-aligned smile is not just a part of a pretty face – it’s the mark of a healthy mouth.  Straight teeth allow you to brush your teeth more efficiently, improve speech, and allow for better digestion, leading to overall better health. Having crooked teeth isn’t just an eyesore, it also provides more nooks and crannies for food to get trapped making them harder to clean. This will lead to a build up of plaque or an abscess, or even gum disease, which can result in one or several teeth being removed.  Recent studies have shown patients with gum disease are at significantly higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other serious health conditions.  Well-aligned teeth trap fewer particles, develop fewer areas of decay and are easier to floss, all of which are vital to good gum and oral health.

Missing, crooked, or worn teeth can cause changes in your bite and jaw that can lead to functional problems when chewing and pain in your jaw. Procedures like, dental implants, veneers, or crowns restore the strength back to teeth that are weakened from large fillings, cracks and wear.  Crooked teeth are often the result of overcrowding, which can be easily fixed with Invisalign© Invisible Braces, which will straighten and align your teeth over a few short months.  Having a missing tooth is not purely a cosmetic problem either.  It can leave your gums exposed, making it difficult and painful to eat on that side of your mouth.  A missing tooth can also upset the balance of the other teeth in your mouth.  This can result in the teeth shifting & moving around your jaw in order to compensate for the missing tooth. Your teeth can then become more crooked which can result in other problems. Missing teeth can easily be replaced with dental implants and crowns which will restore the strength and functionality of the missing tooth, prevent bone loss and prevent the rest of your teeth from shifting due to the loss of a tooth, which could affect your bite and ability to chew efficiently.

In your mouth there are more enzymes that break up food than in your stomach, making digestion easier.  People who chew longer and eat slower digest their food better and have a tendency to be slimmer! Straight, strong, and healthy teeth do a better job of breaking up food, allowing for better digestion.

Ensuring your smile is as healthy as it can be does include cosmetic dentistry!  Remember strong, well-aligned teeth are easier to brush & floss and this can reduce your risks of developing serious oral health problems, including gum disease.  Cosmetic dentistry also has a profound impact on your self-confidence, romantic, and career success. So, next time your dentist or hygienist talk to you about cosmetic procedures, remember the treatment they are recommending can have a profound impact on your oral health and total wellness.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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“You have periodontal (gum) disease.”  These 4 words initially scare or confuse many people when they hear them from their hygienist or dentist.  There are many questions that might run through your mind after hearing this.  “What does this mean?”  “How is this going to affect me?”  “Am I going to loose any or all of my teeth?”  “Is gum disease something I really need to worry about?”  Gum disease is estimated to affect about 8 out of every 10 Americans with 99% of those with gum disease having no signs or symptoms that let them know they have a problem.

For most people, gum disease is something that they believe is nothing to be concerned about and they dismiss the diagnosis.  “It’s not like hearing I have heart disease, right?”  This is where what you don’t know might surprise you.  Your mouth is a window to your body.  More than 90% of all systemic diseases have signs that we can see in the mouth! Recently, studies have shown a link between gum disease and heart disease.  Many people do not realize that risk factors associated with serious health concerns such as heart disease and stroke have been associated with gum disease.  Each year, heart disease kills more Americans than cancer and when we hear this diagnosis we take it very seriously and follow through with the physician’s recommendations to lower our risks and manage the disease.

Most people are aware that lifestyle choices such as eating right, getting enough exercise and quitting smoking can help prevent heart disease.  What most people don’t know is that you have 2 very powerful, easy to use weapons at your disposal to help combat your risk of heart disease – your toothbrush and your dental team!  It is important to understand that simple activities like brushing and flossing twice a day, and regular visits to your dental professional can help lower your risk of gum disease and, in turn, other health conditions, including heart disease and stroke.

In 2009, the American Journal of Cardiology and the Journal of Periodontology published recommendations for dentists and cardiologist that focus on the importance of working together to manage these 2 diseases because they are linked.  These recommendations are:

1.      patients with gum disease should be made aware that they ARE at increased risk for heart disease

2.      patients with gum disease and 1 major risk factor for heart disease, such as smoking, family history of heart disease, or high cholesterol, should see there doctor if they haven’t done so in the past 12 months.

3.      patients with gum disease who have 2 or more known major risk factors for heart disease should be referred to see their physician for a medical evaluation.

At our practice, total wellness is our goal.  Along with our highly skilled dental team, we are pleased to offer specialized technology that will assess your individual risks of gum disease with easy to understand Oral Health Scores. Your individual Oral Health Scores are just like your cholesterol scores.  These Oral Health Scores, combined with your clinical examination, will allow us to make the best recommendations for you specifically.  Do you know your Oral Health Scores?  If not, now is the time to find out!  With proper treatment we can improve your Oral Health Scores just like your physician can improve your cholesterol score.

We are always welcoming new patients into our practice family!  Call us today to reserve your time with us!

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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Gum disease (known as periodontitis) is a silent disease.  It is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth.  You can’t see it.  There’s usually no pain.  Often times, you don’t even know you have it.  If left untreated, gum disease just gets worse and can compromise your oral health and your overall health.  It is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs.  Research has demonstrated that as many as 3 out of 4 people will experience some form of gum disease in their lifetime. There are many reasons to take gum disease seriously.  The latest research studies tell us that gum disease may increase your risk of:

• Heart Disease
• Stroke
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Osteoporosis
• Respiratory Diseases
• Delivering a preterm, low birth-weight baby
• Other serious health risks

There are many tests that help doctors predict our risk of developing certain diseases.  We routinely get our blood pressure taken to assess our risk of hypertension.  A blood pressure of higher than 120/80 is considered high risk and in need of treatment.  We get our cholesterol checked to assess our risk of heart disease.  A cholesterol score of higher than 200 is considered high risk and in need of treatment.  There are even genetic tests for breast and ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer that tell us if we are in an extremely high risk category for developing these cancers.  Most of us do not question the validity of these results and accept that the treatment that is recommended by our doctor is necessary to better our overall health and reduce these risks.

At our Family and Cosmetic Dental Office in Shelby Township, Michigan, we are very proud to offer every one of our patients PreViser™, a state-of-the-art, easy to understand and scientifically validated risk assessment tool for gum disease. This specialized computer software is an easy tool that you will receive at every routine hygiene therapy and oral cancer screenings appointment at no extra cost.  The PreViser™ analytic reports provide us with a Periodontal Disease Risk Score that tells us, on a scale from 1-5, the probability you have of developing gum disease in your lifetime.  It also provides us with a Periodontal Disease Score, on a scale of 1-100, which tells us how healthy you are right now.

Why is this important?  The earlier that gum disease is diagnosed the faster it can be halted it in its tracks. Gum disease affects more than just your teeth and gums.  Treatment methods depend upon the type of disease and how far the condition has progressed. That is why regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations, as well as, good oral hygiene at home are essential to help keep gum disease from becoming more serious or recurring. You don’t have to lose teeth to gum disease.

No one wants to lose teeth. No one wants to risk heart disease.  No one wants to risk diabetes.  No one wants to risk cancer.  Knowing your Oral Health Scores is the first step toward healthier teeth and gums. It allows us to chart your course to better oral health.  Remember that if caught early enough, gum disease can be reversed or prevented altogether.  Now is the time to find out if you are at risk for gum disease. There can be no greater peace of mind than knowing you are protecting your health.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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Throughout the years research has shown links between poor oral health and heart disease, stroke and diabetes, as well as Alzheimer’s disease.  Now researchers from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York have found gum disease could also influence brain function through several mechanisms, such as causing inflammation throughout the body, a risk factor for loss of mental function.

 The study, reported in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, included more than 2,350 men and women who were tested for periodontitis (gum disease) and completed a number of different thinking skills tests as part of a national survey.

 What they found was among adults 60 years of age and older, those people with the highest amount of a gum disease causing bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, were three times more likely to have trouble recalling a three-word sequence after a period of time.  Also, people who had the highest levels of this bacteria present were nearly three times more likely to struggle with verbal memory tests, and twice as likely to fail on both delayed verbal recall and subtraction tests.

 This study is another of many that have shown the importance of maintaining your optimal oral health.  Your mouth and oral health are connected to more than just chewing and eating.  Taking care of the health of your teeth and gums through regular visits for hygiene therapy will not only improve your oral health, but it will affect your overall health and wellness as well.  Call us today to reserve your time to shape up your teeth and gums.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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There are many tests that help doctors predict our risk of developing certain diseases.  We routinely get our blood pressure taken to assess our risk of hypertension.  A blood pressure of higher than 120/80 is considered high risk and in need of treatment.  We get our cholesterol checked to assess our risk of heart disease.  A cholesterol score of higher than 200 is considered high risk and in need of treatment.  There are even genetic tests for breast and ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer that tell us if we are in an extremely high risk category for developing these cancers.  Most of us do not question the validity of these results and accept that the treatment that is recommended by our doctor is necessary to better our overall health and reduce these risks.

We are very excited to announce that we now have a risk assessment tool for gum disease!  PreViser™ is an easy tool that you will receive at every routine hygiene therapy and oral cancer screenings appointment at no cost to you!  PreViser™ analytic reports provide you and I with an easy to understand and scientifically validated risk and disease score for gum disease.  The PreViser™ Risk Score tells us, on a scale from 1-5, the probability you have of developing gum disease in your lifetime.  The PreViser™ Disease Score, on a scale of 1-100, tells us how health you are right now.

Why is this important?  The earlier that gum disease is diagnosed the faster we can halt it in its tracks.  Gum disease affects more than just your teeth and gums.  Recent research has linked gum disease to other health problems including heart and respiratory diseases; diabetes; preterm, low birth weight babies; stroke; osteoporosis; and even some cancers.

At our practice in Shelby Township, Michigan, we strive to provide you with the best care available.  The addition of PreViser™ to our practice gives us another tool to ensure that we reach our goal of providing you with Optimal Oral Health Care on Every Visit.

About HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC

Dr. Heather Pranzarone Stratton is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist practicing with a Biological and Biocompatible philosophy in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our practice provides a full range of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry services for your entire family including, professional cleanings and oral cancer screenings, tooth restoration, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, tooth whitening, and dentures.  We are a mercury free and mercury safe dental practice and latex free practice.  HPS Advanced Dental Care, PC easily serves Macomb and Oakland Counties.  We are easily accessible from many metro Detroit cities including: Shelby Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Oakland Township, Washington, Birmingham, Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and many more.

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