Archive | Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories

HPV & Oral Cancer

By • July 11, 2011 • Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories, Uncategorized • Leave a comment

 

HPV stands for the “human papilloma virus”. HPV is one of the most common virus groups in the world today affecting the skin and mucosal areas of the body. Over 120 different types/ versions of HPV have been identified, and different types are known to affect different parts of the body. Most HPV’s of this type are very common, harmless, non cancerous, and easily treated.

Two types of genital tract HPV in particular, HPV16 and 18, are known to cause the vast majority of cervical cancers, and new studies show that the type HPV16 is also linked to oral cancer as well. In the oral environment HPV16 manifests itself primarily in the posterior regions, such as the base of the tongue, the back of the throat, the tonsils and tonsillar pillars. These cancer causing versions of HPV are also responsible for other squamous cell carcinomas.

It has now been established that the path that brings people to oral cancer contains at least two distinct etiologies; one through tobacco and alcohol, and another through the HPV16 virus. The HPV positive group is the fastest growing segment of the oral cancer population.

Implants in 600 AD!!!

By • June 23, 2011 • Implant Process and Restoration, Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories • Leave a comment

To many of us, tooth implants are a rather new concept. The common solution after loosing a tooth is to leave the space open, or do a bridge to replace the space. Since the technology is developed to a point where an implant can be placed successfully and easily, more and more dentists are providing this as a regular service. Although implants are new to most of us, the Mayan civilization has been shown to have used the earliest known examples of endosseous implants (implants embedded into bone). Research has revealed that the Mayans had been replacing missing teeth over 1,350 years before we started working with titanium implants! While excavating Mayan burial sites in Honduras in 1931, archaeologists found a fragment of mandible of Mayan origin, dating from about 600 AD. This mandible (lower jaw bone), which is considered to be that of a woman in her twenties, had three tooth-shaped pieces of shell placed into the sockets of three missing lower incisor teeth. For forty years the archaeological world considered that these shells were placed after death in a manner also observed in the ancient Egyptians. In 1970 a Brazilian dental academic professor  studied the mandibular specimen and took a series of x-rays. He discovered bone formation around two of the implants determined that the implants were placed DURING LIFE! The Mayans were a uniquely advanced civilization to say the least.

I Have a Fractured or Broken Tooth…..What Do I Do???

By • April 18, 2011 • Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories • Leave a comment

Although teeth are remarkably strong, they can chip, crack (fracture) or break. This can happen in several ways:

  • Biting down on something hard
  • Getting hit in the face or mouth
  • Falling
  • Having cavities that weaken the tooth

When a tooth chips or breaks, it may not hurt. However, your tongue usually finds the sharp area quite quickly. Minor tooth fractures usually don’t cause pain, but if you break off a large piece of the tooth, it can hurt. The pain occurs because the nerve inside the tooth may be damaged. If it gets exposed to air, or hot or cold foods or drinks, it can be extremely uncomfortable.

Pain from a broken or cracked tooth may be constant or it may come and go. Most people only feel pain when they chew because chewing puts pressure on the tooth.

What You Can Do

Cracked (Fractured) Teeth
It’s impossible to treat a cracked tooth at home. You need to make an appointment so Dr.Powell can check your tooth.  The tooth may look fine, but it can hurt only when you eat or when the temperature in your mouth changes, due to hot or cold food or drinks. If your tooth hurts all the time, it may have a damaged nerve or blood vessels. This is a serious warning sign, and you need to make an appointment to have us check the area.

Broken Teeth
If you have a broken tooth, see us as soon as possible. Dr. Powell can figure out if the break was caused by cavities, and if the tooth’s nerve is damaged. A damaged nerve usually will require root canal therapy.

Until you get to our office:

  • Rinse out your mouth with warm water.
  • Apply pressure with a piece of gauze on any bleeding areas for about 10 minutes. If this doesn’t work, use a tea bag with pressure on the area to stop the bleeding.
  • Apply a cold pack to the cheek or lips over the broken tooth, to help reduce swelling and relieve pain.
  • If your unable to get to our office right away, cover the broken tooth with temporary dental cement. You can find the cement at a local drugstore.
  • Take an over-the-counter pain reliever if needed.

What Dr. Powell Will Do

Fractured Teeth
There are several types of tooth fractures and breaks, each of which requires different treatments. These include:

  • Minor cracks — Also known as “craze lines,” are surface cracks that affect only the outer white surface of the tooth, called the enamel. Minor cracks don’t usually require treatment. However, your dentist may lightly polish the area to smooth out any rough spots.
  • Chips — Minor chips don’t always need treatment. Your dentist may recommend repairing the damage with filling material to prevent it from getting worse. A filling could also make the tooth look and feel better. If the chip is very small, the dentist may just polish and smooth out the chipped area.
  • Broken cusp — These breaks affect the pointed chewing surfaces (the cusps) of the teeth. They usually do not go deep enough to affect the pulp and are unlikely to cause much pain. Your dentist may repair the damage to restore the tooth’s shape. Frequently, however, an onlay or crown will be required, because you will need a strong material to withstand biting pressure.
  • Cracked tooth — This type of fracture involves the whole tooth, from the chewing surface all the way down to the nerve. The pieces may remain in place, but the crack will gradually spread. Cracks can sometimes be repaired with some type of filling material. The tooth will usually need a crown to prevent the crack from getting worse. If you have damaged the pulp, which includes nerve and other live tissues, you may need a root canal as well.
  • Serious breaks — These breaks go deep enough to expose the nerve. They almost always cause pain with the tooth and become very sensitive. Usually, the broken part of the tooth will bleed. You will need root canal therapy to remove the exposed nerve and probably have a crown placed to restore the tooth to normal function so you can eat and chew properly.
  • Decay-induced break — In this case, the tooth has broken because a cavity weakened it from the inside out. Your dentist will need to evaluate the cavity and recommend the best way to restore the tooth. In some cases, the decay may be too extensive and go down to the bone, then tooth may have to be removed.
  • Split tooth — This means that the tooth has split vertically into two separate parts. Some teeth, such as your molars, have more than one root. It may be possible to keep one of the roots, which will then be covered with a crown. First, you will need root canal treatment. Second, the dentist will remove any roots that cannot be kept. Third, you will need a crown to cover the root and replace the tooth. Sometimes if the root cannot be saved, the tooth will need to be extracted.
  • Vertical breaks or split root — These cracks start in the root of the tooth and extend upward toward the chewing surface. These breaks are often painful because the area around the root may be inflamed or infected. In most cases, the tooth will have to be removed.

Can You Save a Knocked-Out Tooth?

By • March 30, 2011 • Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories • Leave a comment

Yes. A tooth could be reimplanted if you act quickly.

Plants that are pulled up by the roots may survive if they’re put back into soil right away. The same is true of teeth. Teeth are alive and can often be saved as long as you act quickly.

The blood vessels and nerves in knocked-out teeth (also called “avulsed” teeth) are usually damaged beyond repair. But microscopic ligaments in the jaw may reattach to the root of the tooth once it’s put back into place.

The odds of saving a tooth are highest in young children, but adult teeth can be saved as well. Even if the tooth reattaches, however, you most likely will need root canal treatment to clean out the damaged nerve. We have seen several of these cases in our office, after root canal is done we can sometimes bleach the tooth from the inside and simply fill. No crown required.

To improve the chances of saving the tooth take these steps:

  • Handle the tooth carefully. Avoid touching the root of the tooth (the part of the tooth that was embedded in the gum) because it can be damaged easily.
  • If the tooth is dirty, hold it by the upper part (the crown) and rinse it off with milk until most of the dirt is washed away. If you don’t have any milk available, then it is best to leave the tooth alone. Wiping it off with a handkerchief or shirttail may cause additional damage.
  • It is important to keep the tooth moist. If possible, drop it into a glass of milk. If no milk is available, then place the tooth in the mouth between the cheek and gum.
  • A young child who has had a tooth knocked out may not be able to safely “store” the tooth in his or her mouth without swallowing it, so don’t give the tooth to a young child for safe-keeping in his or her mouth. Place the tooth in milk or have the child spit into a container and place the tooth in the cup with the saliva. The most important thing is to keep the tooth moist. Use a cup of water if nothing else is available.
  • Get in to see Dr. Powell as quickly as possible. If getting into our office immediately after a tooth has been knocked out is impossible, then you may want to try slipping the tooth back into its socket. In many cases, it will slip right in. Make sure it’s facing the right way. Don’t try to force it into the socket. If it doesn’t go back into place easily and without pressure, then it’s better just to hold it between the cheek and gum or to keep it in milk, saliva or water.

 

ANUG aka “Trench Mouth”

By • March 29, 2011 • Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories • Leave a comment

Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis. ANUG is a condition of the mouth  commonly called “trench mouth”. It is caused by a bacterial infection of the gums; necrotizing periodonatal disease. It is a progressive painful infection with ulcerations, swelling, and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat area, due to the spread of infection from the gums.

ANUG, or trench mouth, occurs with higher prevalence in association with other diseases in which the immune system is compromised. Smoking and poor nutrition contribute to this disease as well.

Some sign and symptoms include:

  • Painful, bright red gums that bleed upon gentle munipulation.
  • Halitosis
  • Necrosis and/ or ulceration of the gum around and between teeth.

Treatment includes professional therapy available through our highly trained hygiene department. Our hygienists will irrigate and debride the necrotic areas. (Areas of dead and/ or dying gum tissue.) In many cases a site specific antibiotic, such as Arestin or Atridox, can be placed. Treatment is effective and can be successful if regular maintenance appointments are kept along with excellent home care.

Insurance 101

By • March 3, 2011 • Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories • Leave a comment

Many people don’t understand how their insurance works or how to get the most of the benefits they’re paying for. Some are mislead by companies, actually not really sure what they are spending their money on. Some pay premiums once a month and only show up for their cleanings, leaving cavities to get worse. You are paying to receive discounts on services that you are not taking advantage of.

If patient”X” pays $39.oo/ month (which is average) for dental coverage, he pays $468.00 per year in dental premiums. If all you come to the dentist for is for 2 cleaning, 2 exams, and one set of bite wing x-rays, you have overspent by more than $150.00 per year.

Your average yearly limit on your insurance is about $1200.00 per year, depending on your policy. A benefit you pay for and don’t use is essentially GIVING money to your insurance company.

Keeping up with your cleaning appointments is great, your cavities will be getting worse and more costly to repair in the end. Don’t wait around for your cavity to turn into an emergency. Use your insurance instead of letting it use you.

Although, here at Asheville Dental Care, we do not work directly with the insurance companies, we will do everything we can to help you maximize your dental insurance coverage.

How Acid Erosion Effects Your Teeth

By • March 3, 2011 • Bulimia and Other Eating Disorders, Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories • Leave a comment

Dr. Powell has seen an increase in the effects of acid erosion on our patients teeth. This is due to an increase in the consumption of sodas, energy drinks and coffee products. Acid erosion is a type of tooth wear that occurs when acid softens the surface of the tooth’s enamel. The constant attack from acids in our food, drink and stomach temporarily softens the enamel and it loses some of its mineral content. Even with the natural defense of saliva that slows this process, you are still fighting a loosing battle. If you combine this situation with aggressive brushing the result is significant wear leading to transparency, cracks, change of tooth shape, and thinning of the teeth. We have patients that are dealing with this issue, Dr. Powell can help prevent the progress of this problem.

Popular Energy Drinks Cause Tooth Erosion, Study Shows

By • February 4, 2011 • Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories • Leave a comment

For more than 10 years, energy drinks in the United States have been on the rise, promising consumers more “oomph” in their day.  While that may be great news for energy drink companies, it could mean a different story for the oral health of consumers who sometimes daily rely on these drinks for that extra boost.

Previous scientific research findings have helped to warn consumers that the pH (potential of hydrogen) levels in beverages such as soda could lead to tooth erosion, the breakdown of tooth structure caused by the effect of acid on the teeth that leads to decay. The studies revealed that, whether diet or regular, ice tea or root beer, the acidity level in popular beverages that consumers drink every day contributes to the erosion of enamel.

However, in a recent study, the pH level of soft drinks isn’t the only factor that causes dental erosion. A beverage’s “buffering capacity,” or the ability to neutralize acid, plays a significant role in the cause of dental erosion.

The study examined the acidity levels of five popular beverages on the market. The results proved that popular “high energy” and sports drinks had the highest mean buffering capacity, resulting in the strongest potential for erosion of enamel.

According to the study, the popularity of energy drinks is on the rise, especially among adolescents and young adults. Their permanent teeth are more susceptible to attack from the acids found in soft drinks, due to the porous quality of their immature tooth enamel. As a result, there is high potential for erosion among this age demographic to increase.

In fact, Raymond Martin, DDS, MAGD, AGD spokesperson, says he treats more patients in their teens to 20′s for tooth erosion. “They drink a great deal more sodas, sports drinks, and energy drinks,” he says. “The results, if not treated early and if extensive, can lead to very severe dental issues that would require full mouth rehabilitation to correct,” says Dr. Martin.

Drink responsibly for your oral health:

  • Use a straw positioned at the back of the mouth so that the liquid avoids the teeth
  • Rinse the mouth with water after drinking acidic beverages
  • Limit the intake of sodas, sports drinks and energy drinks

Suffering From Cold Sores?

By • January 21, 2011 • Random Facts: tooth, insurance, stories • Leave a comment

Suffering From Cold Sores?

If you suffer from oral or facial herpes, you’re not alone. Roughly one hundred fifty million people in the United States experience recurrent oral herpes lesions or sores. We now have a package to help you get rid of this inconvenient problem. It involves some laser treatment in conjunction with Viroxyn, a great fix for your cold sore.

Here are some helpful facts about oral herpes.

  • Cold sores and fever blisters are popular names for the lesions caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus, usually Type 1 (HSV-1). These oral herpes outbreaks create sores that are usually found on the outside of the mouth – on the lips.
  • Oral or facial herpes infections are highly contagious and can be easily spread to other parts of the body or to others through kissing, touching, or secondary contact with objects that have come in contact with an oral herpes lesion such as a shared eating utensil, drinking glass, lipstick or washcloth.
  • After touching an oral herpes lesion or cold sore, it is important to wash your hands immediately. Do not touch your eyes, genitals, or other parts of the body. Touching the eyes after touching a cold sore could cause ocular herpes, which is a leading cause of blindness. It is estimated that 30 percent of all cases of genital herpes is oral herpes which has spread to the genital area either orally or through touching. Cold sores or fever blisters should not be considered a “nuisance disease” – HSV-1 is not a trivial infection.
  • Currently there is no cure for herpes. The herpes simplex virus remains in the nervous system and can move down to the skin to cause oral herpes outbreaks when there is sufficient skin irritation, sun exposure, winter weather, hormonal changes, or weakened immune system from fatigue, stress or sickness. Notice what conditions trigger outbreaks for you and take precautions to avoid or minimize them when possible.
  • Cold sores or fever blisters usually last about 10 days, but they may sometimes take up to two weeks to heal. When there is no cold sore or fever blister treatment, there is a predictable cycle of 5 stages. Early treatment with Viroxyn at the first signs of an oral herpes outbreak can provide rapid relief and faster onset of healing.

Stages

Stage 1 - Tingle: An early localized tingle, itching or burning sensation may signal the start of a lesion for the first day or two.

Stage 2 – Blisters: Painful and embarrassing blisters filled with fluid form.

Stage 3 – Ulcers: The inflamed sore may be the most painful at this stage as it often breaks creating a weeping sore or ulcer.

Stage 4 – Scabbing: A crusty scab forms as the cold sore dries, sometimes creating cracks and causing bleeding. Burning and itching often accompanies this stage.

Stage 5 – Healing: Skin flaking and some swelling may accompany the cold sore healing and the scab falling off. The skin may remain red for a period of time.

Viroxyn provides rapid relief from the pain, itching, and burning associated with cold sores/fever blisters, and has been shown to greatly reduce healing time.

Background on Viroxyn
What most people don’t realize is that cold sores are actually a highly contagious herpes simplex virus infection on the lips. For most people, Viroxyn is a single-application treatment, and has been proven to shorten the duration of outbreaks from 10 days to three to four days. Many people report pain relief within minutes of application. Used in conjunction with our laser treatment, we can stop it before it progresses to Stage 2. Ask us how today. Asheville Dental Care  274-3882

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