Key Reason Found for Gum and Heart Disease Link

Scientists say they have established one reason why gum disease may increase the risk of heart disease. The link between gum and heart problems has long been recognized but it is unclear if poor oral health is simply a marker of a person's general well-being. UK and Irish experts now say bacteria enter the bloodstream via sore gums and deposit a clot forming protein. The findings are being presented at a meeting of the Society for General Microbiology. Earlier this year a Scottish study of more than 11,000 people found that people who did not brush their teeth twice a day were at increased risk of heart disease. It backed up previous findings suggesting a link, but researchers stressed the nature of the relationship still needed further analysis.

Scientists from the University of Bristol working with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland now suggest it is the Streptococcus bacteria responsible for causing tooth plaque and gum disease which may be to blame. Their work shows this bacteria once loose in the bloodstream makes a protein known as PadA which forces platelets in the blood to stick together and clot.

"When the platelets clump together they completely encase the bacteria. This provides a protective cover not only from the immune system, but also from antibiotics that might be used to treat infection," said Professor Howard Jenkinson, who led the research. Unfortunately, as well as helping out the bacteria, platelet clumping can cause small blood clots, growths on the heart valve, or inflammation of blood vessels that can block the blood supply to the heart and brain." While maintaining good dental hygiene could minimize the risk, the team is also investigating how the platelet activating function of the protein PadA can be blocked.

Professor Damian Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, said, "Research such as this makes a welcome contribution to further understanding the nature of the relationship between gum disease and heart disease. It also underlines the high importance to the relationship between gum disease and heart disease. It also underlines the high importance of brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, restricting your intake of sugary foods and drinks and visiting the dentist regularly in order to maintain good oral health."

The British Heart Foundation said that other factors besides oral health had a greater impact on heart health. But their senior cardiac nurse Cathy Ross added that combining good oral health care "with a healthy diet, not smoking and taking part in plenty of physical activity will go a long way in helping you reduce your overall risk of heart disease." To learn what dental services are available in Rochester, New York to maintain a healthy heart, visit http://www.dulski.com/services.html.

Tags: Gum Disease, Heart Disease, Oral Health, Risk of Heart Disease, Healthy Heart

Anethesia and Sedation

The question often arises from an anxious patient whether sedation such as nitrous oxide can substitute for "a shot." I think the anxious patient often poses the question in the hope of avoiding "the needle." The question can be answered by understanding the difference between anesthesia and sedation.

The purpose of local anesthesia is to eliminate pain during dental treatment. A topical anesthetic is sprayed to the area to make the injection more comfortable. Local anesthetics are injected into the tissues to block the nerves that transmit pain thereby numbing the mouth tissues. The numbness lasts during the one to two hour dental procedure.

Anti-anxiety agents, such as nitrous oxide, or sedatives, help you relax during dental visits and are used along with local anesthetics. Nitrous oxide provides a light level of sedation. The advantage is being able to drive to home or office shortly after the procedure. Conscious oral sedation uses oral medications in addition to nitrous oxide to produce a deeper level of sedation where a friend or relative will need to drive you home to recover after the procedure. The range of sedation is used to match the severity of the dental anxiety presented by the patient.

To better understand the range of sedation choices available to relieve anxiety, visit /www.dulski.com/oral.html. Anxiety need not be a barrier to safe and comfortable dental visits to keep your smile healthy.

Tags: Conscious Oral Sedation, Local Anethetics, Nitrous Oxide

The Value of Conservative Tooth Restorations

The Value of Conservative Tooth Restorations

Has there been a movement away from conservative tooth restorations in recent years towards large, deep, aggressive preparations and full crowns? Dr. Gordon Christensen, co-founder and senior consultant of Clinical Research Associates in Provo, Utah believes so ("What Has Happened to Conservative Tooth Restorations?" Gordon Christensen, DDS, J am Dent Assoc, Vol 136, No 10, 1435-1437).

The belief is that too many full-coverage restorations are provided when less radical restorations could have been placed. As an example, a popular speaker at a continuing education course taught that a tooth with any restoration to be replaced, regardless of the restoration size, should be replaced with a full crown. Instead, Dr. Dulski believes that conservative restorations should be encouraged. This report discusses some of the reasons full crowns are being accomplished more commonly than in the past, the rationale for returning to more conservative restorations, the financial implications of crowns versus conservative treatment, and the potential longevity differences between small and large restorations.

The rationale for conservative restorations is preservation of tooth structure. Assuming that a given tooth has a significant amount of tooth structure remaining and that the structure is not discolored or cracked, conservative restorations have some significant advantages. Among these advantages is long-term esthetic acceptability for the tooth restored with a conservative tooth-colored restoration. When a tooth-colored full crown is placed in the smile zone of the mouth, the esthetic desirability of the crown is usually good for only the first years. Eventually, the gums around the crown begin to shrink and recede, and the margin joining the crown and the remaining tooth structure is revealed. The overall esthetic result is then unacceptable.

Most dentists agree that preservation of tooth is a desirable goal. Once enamel is removed, it cannot be replaced with anything as long-lasting. If tooth structure and restorative material can be bonded successfully, the result achieves the goal of preserving tooth structure. Bonding tooth structure, especially enamel, to restorative materials is a reality today.

It is well-known that restorations, including full crowns, have a finite life expectancy. People are living longer than ever before. At some point in the life of every restoration, replacement is inevitable. Why not restore teeth conservatively for a filling or two before a full crown is required? Full crowns can be placed in the future.

What are the financial implications of conservative tooth restorations? If a full-crown costs about $1000, a typical three surface white filling costs about one-sixth or $167. If the conservative filling can be placed with the confidence that it has a reasonable chance of achieving adequate longevity, such conservative placement allows several replacements before the patient's financial outlay reaches the cost of a crown.

There is a tendency in dentistry to place more full crowns than may be necessary. This report has discussed the rationale for a reduction in the use of full crowns and a preservation of enamel. Dr. Dulski supports the desirability of placing more conservative restorations to realize the financial and longevity benefits offered by more conservative restorative dentistry. Visit www.dulski.com to learn how contemporary methods give us the tools to give you a gorgeous, bright smile with minimally invasive treatments and fewer repeat visits.

Tags: Conservative Tooth Restorations, Crowns, Tooth-Colored Restorations, Conservative Restorative Dentistry, Minimally Invasive Dentistry

Choosing A Rochester Dentist

                             What Should You Look For When Choosing A Rochester Dentist?

You may wish to consider several Rochester dentists before making your decision.  During your first visit, you should be able to determine if this dentist is the right dentist for you.  Consider the following:

• Is the appointment schedule convenient for you? 
• Is the office easy to get to from home or job?
• Does the office appear to be clean, neat and orderly?
• Was your medical and dental history reviewed by the dentist with you?
• Was your pulse and blood pressure checked?
• Do you fully understand the nature of any discovered dental problems, the recommended treatment and the consequences of no treatment?
• Are your questions encouraged and fully answered?
• Is the dentist available for emergency calls after office hours?
• Are fees quoted for recommended care and payment options presented in writing before treatment is scheduled?
• Is the dentist a member of professional organizations such as the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD)?  ADA members agree to abide by the highest ethical standards of patient care.  AGD members are dedicated to the highest level of continuing education as a condition of their membership.

You and your dentist are partners in maintaining your oral health.  Contact this Rochester dentist www.dulski.com or search the ADA directory of member Rochester dentists www.ada.org to schedule a new patient appointment.

Tags: Rochester Dentist, Rochester Dentists

Bonding Breakdown? Time for Porcelain Veneers

How we perceive our smile and appearance affects our self-esteem, our moods and how we function in social and business relationships.  Common conditions that impact negatively on your smile include broken, cracked or worn teeth, discolored teeth, missing teeth, crooked teeth, gaps between your teeth and/or "gummy smiles."  Each patient and each specific circumstance must be evaluated on its own merits.  Factors such as occlusion (bite), oral habits, available space, health of the gum tissue, severity of the problem and patient expectation must be taken into consideration while planning your cosmetic makeover.  While in many circumstances bonding teeth with resin composites has its advantages, the resin materials are not as long lasting as ceramic materials.  Porcelains won't darken and their surface doesn't wear like acrylic resins might.

If there have been cracks, chips or discolorations in your composite restorations, they need to be redone or replaced with ceramic restorations.  When possible using porcelain veneers that are bonded to the teeth are less invasive than ceramic crowns that necessitate the removal of greater amounts of tooth structure.  This person chose to have a porcelain veneers to mask teeth discolored by tetracycline stains which typically will not respond to bleaching (teeth whitening) procedures.  www.dulski.com/gallery3.html

Visit us on-line at www.dulski.com or call our office at 585-442-1230 if you think that you are a candidate for this type of procedure.

Tags:Porcelain Veneers, Porcelain Crowns, Teeth Whitening, Cosmetic Dentistry