How to Help Your Kids Create Good Oral Hygiene Habits Now

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and we’re dedicated to raising awareness! 

In America, 51 million hours of school is missed every year due to oral health issues. Although every month should be important when it comes to a child’s dental health, February is the one dedicated to it. Here are things to keep in mind when helping children become conscious of just how important dental hygiene is and exactly how to start creating good habits right away:

1. Keep the sugar intake to a minimum

2. Floss, floss, floss

3. Brush twice a day

4. When you brush, make sure you hit the 2 minute mark

5. Visit your dentist regularly

Have you ever seen that amazing “magic trick” when you ask your child “Did you brush your teeth?”  And they respond with a “yes” only because their toothbrush is wet?  Then come to find out, there was no brushing going on, they merely stuck their toothbrush under the faucet and wiped their front teeth once, maybe twice. Now is the perfect time to kick this bad habit!  Dental health can be fun for kids (and adults)!

Here are 4 ways to incorporate some fun and giggles into children’s daily oral care:  

Toothpaste – a plethora of choices

Let’s start off with toothpaste.  There are gels, pastes, and so many different flavors; such as cinnamon, vanilla, bubble gum, and variety of different mint flavors.  Let your child choose which one they would prefer.  

Flossing – 40% of cleaning your teeth comes from flossing

Floss comes in different flavors as well and also had a variety of textures.  There are waxed, woven, and even the hand held pick form to name a few.  

Toothbrush – the master tool

Choosing a toothbrush will probably be your child’s favorite thing to do.  Not only are there options as far as handheld or battery operated, there are TONS of different designs now!  Your child can pick their favorite cartoon character or stick to the basics-like their favorite color.  

Brushing Timer – brush 2 min 2x a day

While the tiny sand timers you flip upside down are always fun for kids to watch, there are now toothbrushes with built in timers. The brush will alert timer markers with a beep or a vibration for 2 minute duration, some even play a popular song. 

Giving Kids Something to Look Forward To

This is the perfect way to create a morning and nighttime routine to get your child excited about developing healthy habits.  Getting your child involved in the decision making of choosing some cool and fun dental products makes them more apt to look forward to brushing and flossing daily.  

Starting off good oral hygiene practice at a young age will propel your kids into the future for a lifetime of healthy pink gums and bright shining smiles!  A healthy smile is a smile you can be proud of! 

References

http://www.ncohf.org/resources/tooth-decay-facts 

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/still-not-flossing-more-reasons-why-you-should

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George A. Malkemus, DDS

Dentist in Rohnert Park
2 Padre Parkway Suite #200
Rohnert Park, CA 94928

MalkemusDDS.com Phone: (707) 585-8595

Good Questions, Good Answers

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As a patient, you should always understand the risks, benefits and alternatives to any treatment.  You want to make sure to receive the health care you need and deserve. Healthcare professionals try to help you decided what is the best treatment for your special needs.  It is important that you receive enough information to make an informed decision. It is always a good plan to ask questions during your office visits. Sometimes it is hard to know what exactly to ask. To help you, I have put together some sample questions, particularly with dentistry in mine.

What is the recommended procedure?

           

            Ask for a detailed description of the procedure, why it is recommended, and what typically happens while it's performed. Ask how long will the procedure take and the numbers visits necessary to complete treatment.  Some procedures take more than one appointment, and you will be better able to plan your schedule. Having this discussion will reduce the chance of surprise, and it may also bring to mind other health issues that are important.

For example, if you were having a fixed dental bridge to replace a missing tooth, you must know what a bridge is, why you need the bridge and its advantages and disadvantages, as well as the alternatives to a bridge, such as an implant or partial denture. Plus, you will want to know how to best take care of your new bridge.

What are my options for controlling discomfort?

Many people are surprised to learn that modern dentistry is generally pain-free. There are a variety of methods available for avoiding pain, discomfort, and anxiety. Some of these include nitrous oxide, headphones and conscious sedation.  Your comfort needs are important questions for you to consider.

What results should I expect from the procedure?

The answer will explain the benefits of the procedure. With cosmetic dentistry you should have a smile design.  Using models of your teeth and digital photos of your smile, you will see how your teeth and mouth will look and function. 

What are the alternatives to the procedure?

Depending on your oral health needs, a variety of solutions will be offered.  The best choice can depend on a number of considerations, including the conditions in your mouth, your time requirements, your financial situation, and your general heath. For example:

• A missing tooth can often be treated with an implant, a bridge, or a partial denture; whichever best fits your situation.

• Early periodontal disease can be treated with scaling and root planning, while a more advanced infection may require medication or surgery.

• Discolored teeth can be treated with whitening, but if you would also like to improve the alignment of your teeth, you might prefer veneers, crowns, or a combination of bleaching and braces.

• You also have the option to do nothing and to know the outcome of that non-treatment choice.

What are the risks or complications of the procedure?

           

Understanding the risks of treatment and also the risks of not proceeding with the treatment are an important part of having an informed consent. Considering the risks or complications of each treatment alternative can help you decide on the best one for you.

All healthcare procedures have some risk. However, in dentistry risks are exceedingly small. Dental training, professional standards, and the state regulations are designed to insure patient safety.  This is done through measures like wearing masks and gloves to control infection, using a rubber dam or isolite to protect a patient’s mouth and throat, prescribing antibiotics for some patients prior to certain dental procedures, and finding out about a patient’s health history.

How soon should I have the procedure?

Depending on the circumstances, some dental problems need treatment right away. In others, treatment can be delayed for a short time. It all depends on how advanced your condition is, your general health, and the thoroughness of your homecare routine. I don't advise permanently putting off dental treatment because problems in the mouth can become more serious, requiring more extensive—and expensive—treatment and costing you more time and money. Here are a couple of examples:

• If a tooth gets a cavity that is left untreated, that cavity can infect the tooth’s nerve, leading to root canal therapy. If the decay in the tooth’s nerve is left untreated, an abscess can form around the tooth’s root, causing pain and eventually spread the infection to other parts of the jaw and face.

• If the gums become inflamed with untreated gingivitis, periodontal disease can develop. If this is left untreated, the gum infection can eventually cause loose teeth.  Most teeth that are lost are due to gum disease.

You should feel comfortable about your health decisions and never feel pressured into having a treatment that you do not feel is right for you.  It is important to keep the lines of communication open with your health professional.   And remember—there is no such thing as a silly question!

ENJOY LIFE AND KEEP SMILING!

George A. Malkemus, DDS

Dentist in Rohnert Park
2 Padre Parkway Suite #200
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Phone: (707) 585-8595
MalkemusDDS.com 

Resolve to Improve Your Dental Health

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Now that we are trying to adapt to writing “2015”, have you given any thought to a New Year’s Resolution?  If you haven’t, it isn’t too late.  And even if you have, you can never have too many!

Typically, dental hygiene and dental aesthetics aren’t usually considered when it comes to reflecting on self improvement.  More than daily flossing, consider your over all oral health.

Brightening up those pearly whites

Do you avoid smiling or find yourself talking while covering your mouth due to a missing tooth, an unsightly chip, large gap, or another imperfection affecting your teeth? Everyone is aware of teeth whitening; here are more options on how easy it is to improve your smile!

Dental Fillings

We see many patients with those old silver and gold fillings. Those unsightly things are no longer the standard of care. Tooth colored composite fillings ones are crafted to match your natural color and are near invisible to the naked eye.

Bonding

Chipped teeth are often healthy, and like gaps, they too cause uneasiness in social situations. Often making you feel like the center of unwanted attention. Dental bonding is one of the least expensive cosmetic procedures, and the color is matched to restore your natural looking smile.

Pain

There are a few different types of tooth pain, all of which should be reported during your dental visit: brief sensitivity to hot and cold foods, sharp pain when biting, dull aches, constant pressure, lingering pain. There is no reason to endure the pain, call so we can help!

Benefits of a Healthy Smile

Enhancing your smile offers huge gains. Not only does it boost a person’s confidence, it can improve a person’s overall health and well being.  It’s like getting a spectacularly wonderful haircut.  You feel better about yourself and notice a new glow surrounding you.  When you have a smile that you are proud of, you naturally show it off to the world! Smiling is known to lower heart rate and reduce stress. Who would say no to that?

This is your year to shine with a healthy smile

Start the year off with your best foot forward and set your mind toward some dental goals.  No matter how big or how small they may be, you will be happy with the results as well as yourself for making it happen!

Prioritize your health and take the first step by calling to schedule an appointment: 

http://www.aae.org/patients/symptoms/tooth-pain.aspx   http://pss.sagepub.com/content/23/11/1372.short

George A. Malkemus, DDS

Dentist in Rohnert Park
2 Padre Parkway Suite #200
Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Phone: (707) 585-8595

Facts About Dental Myths

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COMMON DENTAL MYTHS DEBUNKED

With the magnitude of information available to us these days, it’s harder than ever to separate facts from myths; especially when it comes to your health. There are a million dental related myths that might steer you in the wrong direction when it comes to a healthy smile. It’s important to be informed and know the facts. Here are a few common dental myths, followed by the facts.

Oral Hygiene Only Affects Your Teeth

Many people hear the phrase “oral hygiene” and they think of the simple act of brushing or flossing. While oral hygiene is important for keeping your teeth healthy, poor oral hygiene can be linked to several other health problems- including heart disease. Taking care of your mouth actually means taking care of a lot of things within your body. Untreated periodontal disease contributes to more low birth weight babies than both drinking and smoking combined.  Having poor oral hygiene can cause a multitude of problems- not all of them related to your teeth.

You Shouldn’t Get Your Wisdom Teeth Out Until They Start to Hurt

Typically, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, and your dentist will generally advise you of the same. If you wait for your wisdom teeth to become painful, they might have already done other damage to your gums or teeth. Many people believe that as long as they have no pain, there’s no reason to have an unnecessary surgery. In rare cases, wisdom teeth can stay intact as long as they are not interfering or causing damage. One of the most common reasons to remove wisdom teeth is because they are so difficult to keep clean and rather than incurring costly repairs to those teeth many dentists will suggest having them removed.  Frequent exams are necessary in this case to monitor and maintain your health. It’s generally better to have your wisdom teeth removed before any pain, rather than take the gamble.

White Teeth Are Healthier Teeth

Teeth are actually not meant to be pure white. Tooth color can vary widely, for example, depending on your race, pigmentation varies greatly.  Also, as you get older, your teeth will naturally take on a more faded color as things do with time, however they can still be perfectly healthy. A color beyond a light yellow could be cause for concern, but generally the pinkness of your gums is a better indication of oral health as opposed to how white your teeth are.

If Teeth Look Healthy, and Are Not Hurting, There is No Reason to Visit a Dentist

The most common mistake people make regarding their dental health is skipping regular preventive visits because they do not see or feel any problems. Even in the absence of a visible problem or discomfort, regular visits for x-ray exams, cleaning and necessary restorative care are necessary to maintain your teeth and gums for life. Discovering diseases in the mouth earlier rather than later will typically reduce cost, recovery time and severity of dental treatment that may need to be performed.

It’s important to educate yourself on the facts surrounding whole body health and well-being. Muddled information and common misperceptions can leave people confused. The best way to combat myths and augment dental health is to see and speak with your dentist regularly. Have open dialogue and productive conversations about what is and is not true. Being informed, savvy and educated will keep you and your dentist smiling. 

George A. Malkemus, DDS

Dentist in Rohnert Park
2 Padre Parkway Suite #200
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
 Phone: (707) 585-8595

Dental Treatment for Patients on Blood Thinner

Blood thinners do not affect most dental procedures.  However, blood thinners can have an effect on blood clotting during dental surgery.  Depending on the medication, the dosage and the extent of dental surgery, bleeding can be a concern.  The low level of aspirin use for blood thinning is rarely a concern.  However, stopping aspirin use the day before dental surgery is usually recommended. 

Warfarin use presents the most common potential bleeding problems that dentists encounter.  Stopping coumarin medication prior to dental treatment is controversial.  Since it takes 48 to 72 hours for warfarin to be effective, it must be stopped 2-3 days before treatment, which puts the patient at risk for serious blood clotting complications.   So the risk-benefit has to be determined, that is, uncontrolled bleeding verses blood clot formation in the vessels.

Warfarin should not be stopped for most dental procedures including most extractions and implant placements.  But with any dental surgery, a consultation with the patient’s physician and a recent INR blood test should be reviewed.  Usually an INR up to 2.5 is acceptable and safe for dental surgery, thus coumarin does not need to be stopped or lowered.  With a common sense approach, I ask my patients if they clot, that is, the bleeding stops, in a reasonable amount of time with direct pressure on a skin cut.  During dental surgery, treatment can be done to enhance clotting, such as, the use of clotting agents, stitches, bone grafts and membranes.  Bone grafts and membranes preserve bone in an extraction site as well as reduce bleeding.

Last year I saw a dental phobic 57-year–old patient Todd, who was taking warfarin for deep venous thrombosis from poor circulation in his lower legs and thighs.  He was in severe pain from a split lower left molar and needed an extraction.  After consulting with his physician and determining his INR was 2.2, Todd continued his normal warfarin regime.  With conscious sedation, his tooth was removed and a bone graft and membrane were placed with no bleeding complications.  He was comfortable throughout the procedure with no memory of the event.  Eight weeks later, a root replacement titanium implant was placed under conscious sedation with him continuing his warfarin use.  Just as during his first treatment, Todd had no bleeding problems and happily had no memory of the implant procedure.   4 months later, an implant crown was fabricated and placed with the same great results.

While a risk-benefit assessment, bleeding verses clotting, must be made for each patient, dentist can perform most dental treatments safely for patients taking warfarin without the need for stopping warfarin therapy.     

Enjoy Life and Keep Smiling!

George Malkemus has had a Family and Cosmetic Dental Practice in Rohnert Park for over 27 years at 2 Padre Parkway, Suite 200. Call 585-8595, or email info@ malkemusdds.com.  Visit Dr. Malkemus’ Web site at http://www.malkemusdds.com

Antibiotics and Your Heart

If you have had to take antibiotics prior to dental treatment because of your heart condition, you may not need to any more.  The recent guidelines from the American Heart Association recommend not taking antibiotics prior to dental treatment in most heart condition cases.  You should contact your cardiologist, physician, and dentist to see if you should stop or continue.

For decades, the American Heart Association [AHA] recommended that patients with certain heart conditions take antibiotics shortly before dental treatment.   This was done with the belief that antibiotics would prevent infective endocarditis [IE], an infection of the heart’s inner linings or valves.  The idea was bacteria in the mouth could enter the blood stream during dental treatment and travel to the heart.  It was thought that with a heart murmur, turbulence in the blood flow caused by the heart valve would allow the bacteria to eddy out and start a growth on the valve – not a good thing.  However, a growing body of scientific evidence has shown this is not the case.

The scientific evidence shows that the risks of taking preventive antibiotics out weigh the benefits for most patients.  The risks include adverse reactions to antibiotics and development of drug-resistant bacteria.  Adverse reactions range from upset stomach, nausea and diarrhea to allergic reactions such as hives or life threatening anaphylactic shock.  Allergic reactions to medications, as well as, foods, environmental substances including insect bites and stings can occur after years of never being allergic.  If you have redness, swelling or itchiness after taking medication, stop future pills and call your doctor.  If you have accelerating symptoms especially difficulty breathing, seek immediate emergency help, i.e., call 911.  Use an epi-pen if available, which is found in some emergency kits or carried by people who are allergic to bee stings.

The over use of antibiotics causing the development of drug-resistant bacteria is another reason the AHA guidelines have changed.   Drug-resistant bacteria are formed from antibiotic use.  The inappropriate use of antibiotics increases the risk of drug-resistant forms and prevents their effectiveness when antibiotics are really needed.

Scientists also found no compelling evidence that taking antibiotics before a dental procedure prevents IE in patients who are at risk of developing a heart infection.  There is actually more exposure to bacteria from their mouths during basic daily activities such as eating, drinking, brushing or flossing.  People with gum disease are at a much higher risk of having bacteria enter their bloodstream and causing infective endocarditis and heart disease. So a person’s best defense against IE is preventing gum disease through good oral hygiene, brushing and flossing, healthy diet, and regular professional cleanings with a registered dental hygienist.

A bacterial infection of the gums, called periodontal disease, can affect the entire body.  Gum disease is correlated with heart disease, diabetes, strokes, ulcers and pre-term births.  Bacteria that build up between the tooth and gum can enter into the bloodstream when gums bleed. These bacteria can travel throughout the body and cause serious health problems. Periodontal disease can be prevented with good oral health habits; such as, brushing and flossing, and regular professional cleanings.                                                     

                                                                                                                            AHA Guidelines: Who Should Take Prophylactic Antibiotics Before Dental Treatment

The AHA guidelines state that patients who have taken prophylactic antibiotics routinely in the past, but no longer need them include people with mitral valve prolapse, rheumatic heart disease, calcified aortic stenosis, or most congenital [present from birth] heart conditions.

Certain heart conditions still require pre-medication with antibiotics in patients who would have the greatest danger of a bad outcome if they developed a heart infection.  Preventive antibiotics before a dental procedure are advised for the following patients:

-Artificial heart valves

-A history of infective endocarditis

-Certain specific, serious congenital heart conditions

-A cardiac transplantation that develops a problem in a heart valve

If you have any of these heart conditions, you should consult your cardiologist for the use of antibiotics prior to dental procedures.

The new recommendations apply to any dental procedures that could involve possible bleeding in the gums or oral tissues.  Antibiotic use prior to dental treatment is not necessary for an examination or x-rays, but is mandatory for teeth cleanings and oral surgery treatment like extractions.

The AHA guidelines emphasize that maintaining optimal oral health and practicing oral hygiene are more important in reducing the risk of infective endocarditis than is the taking antibiotics before a dental visit.   So keep brushing and flossing and have regular dental cleanings.

ENJOY LIFE AND KEEP SMILING!

George Malkemus has a Family and Cosmetic Dental Practice in Rohnert Park at 2 Padre Parkway, Suite 200. Call 585-8595, or email info@ malkemusdds.com.  Visit Dr. Malkemus’ Web site at malkemusdds.com

George A. Malkemus, DDS

Dentist in Rohnert Park
2 Padre Parkway Suite #200
Rohnert Park, CA 94928

MalkemusDDS.com Phone: (707) 585-8595