There are many who do not floss and yet do not have periodontal disease.

The correct answer is avoid seeing a dentist in your late teens and twenties. After you “grow up” and leave home stay away from any and all dentists for, oh say, a decade. That should do it.

Now some might say I’m being silly. Surely no one avoids seeing a dentist and having their teeth professionally cleaned for a decade. If this is what you think I’m sorry to tell you that you are sadly naive. Face it, people don’t normally come right out and tell friends they do not regularly see a dentist in spite of the fact that periodontal disease is considered the most common disease in the world. For one reason, who would date them?

It’s so ironic that young adults avoid the dentist because they have this idea that they will continue to be as healthy (and young) as they currently are forever. In the early 20′s many have yet to hit the wall where growth and physical maturation are no longer able to cover for bad habits. Also, because early periodontal disease is painless and so many have talked themselves into believing bleeding gums are normal, it actually seems so prudent, even thrifty, to avoid a lot of “unnecessary expenses” when the budget is tight. After all dental treatment is expensive, right?

Wrong. Preventive dentistry costs are in the neighborhood of routine car maintenance costs. It’s when, through neglect, that things start to really get out of hand… and expensive.

If I have described your experience with dentistry in any way, please consider doing two things for the benefit of others.

1.Make a comment here. Tell your story. Help those still in their teens and twenties understand the importance of regular check ups.
2.Pass this little post on to others who need to know this information while their oral conditions are still reversible.

(this article written by Ben Young D.D.S. 8/5/2011)

A study of over 3,400 women done in Western Australia found that women with periodontal (gum) disease took from seven months to more than one year to conceive a baby. This compares with an average of five months to conceive for women without gum disease.

Just another reason to keep up with your dental health.

Up to 1 in 5 people may be grinding their teeth due to stress

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (April 7, 2011) — The economy and the stresses of daily life may be causing as many as one in five people to clench and grind their teeth at night, a habit that could have far-reaching long-term health effects, according to Delta Dental of New Jersey. Fortunately, a visit to the dentist can help prevent the damage caused by this habit, known as bruxism.

“I’ve absolutely seen an increase in tooth grinding and clenching in my practice since the recession hit,” said West Orange-based Andrew Greenberger, D.M.D., periodontist and participating Delta Dental dentist. “As bills and economic pressures increase, it’s a normal physiological response to feel stressed. As a result, some people clench or grind their teeth. They may not even realize they are doing it. But bruxism can cause damage to a person’s teeth and bite. You have to be especially careful with implants, which don’t have the same natural shock absorbers that teeth have. Even more damage can be done to implants by tooth clenching and grinding.”

• Do you wake up with sore teeth?
• Does your jaw ache?
• Is there tenderness when you bite down?
• Do you have loose or chipped teeth?
• Do you catch yourself clenching your teeth during the day?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be clenching your teeth at night. Even if you don’t exhibit these symptoms, it’s a good idea to ask your dentist at your semi-annual exam. She or he can tell if you’re clenching and grinding.

“It’s important to stop the harmful effects of tooth grinding as soon as possible,” said Cherry Hill-based Mark L. Waltzer, D.M.D., F.A.G.D., a family and cosmetic dentist and participating Delta Dental dentist.  “Protecting your oral health goes a long way toward protecting your overall health. Stress puts unnatural forces onto the teeth. That additional trauma can actually increase the severity of periodontal disease, the number one cause of tooth loss today, as well as muscle pain and headaches.  Periodontal disease may be linked to such serious conditions as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Also, people who have some form of systemic disease like diabetes may be more prone to having periodontal disease. In those cases, stress can cause even greater bone loss and tooth loss.”

For patients who grind their teeth, Dr. Greenberger recommends wearing a nighttime appliance. The custom-made piece may be fitted at a dentist’s or periodontist’s office and consists of a flat piece of hard plastic between the teeth that also allows the muscles to move. Patients find it comfortable to wear, according to Dr. Greenberger.

 Fluoride helps to reduce cavities in children and adults

There are more sources of fluoride now than when the guidelines were last reviewed in 1962

• The optimal level of water fluoridation was reduced from 0.7-1.2 mg/l to 0.7 mg/l
• The only hazard of excess fluoride consumption (except where it naturally occurs at much higher levels) is dental fluorosis—evidenced by the occurrence of  white streaks or speckles on the teeth  
• Children aged one to four are at the most critical age for overexposure to fluoride.  People older than eight years are no longer at risk of fluorosis
• Dental fluorosis is a cosmetic issue. It is usually so mild as to be barely detectable
• There are no adverse health effects on adults at recommended levels
• Parents should closely supervise the use of fluoridated toothpastes, especially for children younger than 8

 Obviously, you should ask your dentist about specific recommendations for your family. The full report can be viewed at http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/fact_sheets/cwf_qa.htm#5

The ADA also commented on the report at http://www.ada.org/5194.aspx

Each year my staff and I resolve to take more than the required number of continuing education credit hours.  And our dental team really does follow through with that resolution!

The State of NJ requires 20 hours of continuing education per year and the Academy of General Dentistry requires 25 hours per year.  Each year our office team continually exceeds the number of required hours.   Our goal in taking these courses is to make sure my staff and I provide you with the best and most up-to-date dental care possible.  We try to attend courses that are relevant to our patients dental care needs.

When we close the office for a day or two to attend these courses, what are some of the courses we take?  Well, here is just a partial (no pun intended) list of courses (over 40 class hours) I took in 2010 :

Implementing CAMBRA: Best Methods

The More Than Just Straight Teeth Seminar

CAMBRA Implementation Made Simple

Early Treatment or Overtreatment? That is the Question

The Esthetic Full Mouth Rehabilitation

Ethics in Dentistry- Musings from Glass Houses: Where did the teeth go? Was it Attrition, Abrasion, Abfraction, Erosion, Bruxism,   Dysfunction, or Parafunction?

Dental Photography and Computer Imaging for Smile Design

Conquer the Complex Implant Case

Ultimate Occlusion- Level One

Nerve Injuries and their Management

Invisalign Optimized Attachments

Periodontal Improvements with Invisalign

Integrating Invisalign and Pre- Prosthetic Treatment

The Interdisciplinary approach for Better Esthetics

Your Mouth, Your Body, Your Health: Advancing Wellness through Salivary Diagnosis

Have a happy, healthy, and enjoyable 2011.

Dr. Mark Waltzer

This study asked the question ” How many times a day do you brush your teeth?”  People who reported that they brushed less than once a day had a 41% increase in heart disease compared with those who brushed twice a day—after adjustment for established risk factores.

The authors of the study, Professor Richard Watt, C. de Oliveira, and M. Hammer, noted that it is known that inflammation in the mouth and the gums plays an important role in the buildup of plaque in the arteries to the heart.

This means that your toothbrush might just carry the key to keeping your heart and your teeth health!

Have a wonderful day and take care of your heart with your toothbrush.

Dr. Mark Waltzer

If you choose to invest in an electric toothbrush, make sure the toothbrush is comfortable to hold and easy to use. Your dentist might suggest a model with a rotating-oscillating head. Other specific features — such as adjustable power levels, timers and rechargeable batteries — are up to you.

Whether you choose an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush, what’s most important is daily brushing and flossing.

 The culprit? Many believe it is bottled water. While most of us know the dangers of drinking sugar loaded soft drinks and their sneaky cousins, the “sports drink,” we often don’t remember that bottled water is replacing the fluoride fortified tap water that exists just about everywhere in North America. The Centers for Disease Control reports that bottled water has become so prevalent in the diets of Americans that many are not getting the proper amount of fluoride they need to keep their teeth healthy. 

 According to the International Bottled Water Association (sounds like a wild and crazy group) – bottled water consumption has recently doubled and the average American now drinks thirty gallons per year! Believing that it is healthier, many parents are not only having their kids drink bottled water, they are preparing baby formula with it too! Even bottled water that is basically tap water in a fancy container is micro-filtered, a process that can remove fluoride.  Of course, if your area does not have fluoride in the tap water, your children may need fluoride supplements.  You can discuss this with your dentist.

At Mark Waltzer, D.M.D. , Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Cherry Hill, NJ it is our goal to keep your smile beautiful and your teeth cavity-free. Drinking tap water instead of bottled water whenever possible will not only save you money and keep millions of plastic bottles out of landfills, it can help you keep your teeth healthy!

 Should you have any questions about this or any other dental related topic, including the latest ways to give you a beautiful smile, please contact us at 856-429-6412. We look forward to seeing you soon!