Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Who Says You Don't Grind Your Teeth?

Monday, February 23, 2009

Who says you don't grind your teeth?

Grinding of your teeth, or Bruxism is something that many of us if not all us do to some extent. It usually is an unconscious habit that we are just not aware that we are doing. Some of us clench while we are sleeping. Some of us clench while we are concentrating. Others of us will clench and grind when we are under stress. Either way the forces generated when bruxing are nearly 10 times greater than normal chewing.
The bottom line is no matter when you clench or grind damage to your teeth can occur as a result of placing these abnormal forces on your teeth. It is said that bruxing can exert as much as 600 pounds per square inch. These forces also can do great harm to your TMJ's and the muscle associated with your TMJ’s.
What can you do about this? There are options to help. If you are aware that you have a bruxism habit during your waking hours, biofeedback can help to break the cycle. Bruxing during sleep can only be treated by wearing an orthotic appliance of the called a "night guard". The appliance is worn over your lower teeth and creates an "ideal bite" that helps to break the "habit". I always tell our patient's that it is better to grind on plastic than to grind on your own teeth.
If you have noticed the effects of bruxism; sore teeth, sore muscles or chipping or cracking of teeth, please consider having an applaince made to protect your teeth and TMJ's.
We want to help! We can be reached for an appointment at 561-394-9000.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Periodntal Disease and it's Potential Impact!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

I have continually written about the relationship that periodontal disease may have with our overall health. Previous research has shown that periodontal disease is linked to diabetes, heart disease and low birth weight babies. There was even a study done by the Harvard School of Public Health which reported a positive association between tooth loss or periodontal disease and pancreatic cancer in United States male health professionals! WOW!
Now the last threat that periodontal disease is providing has been provided by Professor Kuniyasu Ochiai. Professor Ochia chairs the Microbiology Department at Nihon University in Tokyo. His research ahs shown that an acid that is produced in the presence of periodontal disease could activate the virus the could lead to AIDS!
As reported in the Agence-France Presse, Ochiai said "serious periodontal disease could lead to the development (of AIDS) among HIV-positive people.. although the probability largely depends on the individual physical strength". The study will be published in the March issue of the Journal of Immunology.
Although this finding applies to only a small sector of the population, it again bring home the fact of the importance of maintaining the best periodontal health possible! Please call our office at 561-394-9000 to arrange for a comprehensive examination and cleaning.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Is There a Relationship Between Obesity & Periodontal Disease?

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Relationship between Obesity and Risk of Gum Disease

We have known for quite some time about the relationship of periodontal disease and our general health; now a research study is revealing a relationship between overweight individual and periodontal disease. Actually this is not a new finding. What is enlightening about this study, performed at Forsyth Institute is the identification of the specific bacteria that are associated with increase risk of periodontal disease in the obese individual.

Dr. Anne Haffajee, head of the Department of Periodontology at The Forsyth Institute, found in her study to be published in the Journal of Periodontology online that young females overweight were at a greater risk of periodontal disease. The suggests that changes in periodontal health may be due to metabolic changes associated with obesity might affect the bacterial proliferation patterns in the mouth and compromising host tissue defenses, altering the progression of periodontal disease.

So again we are seeing more evidence of the fact that dental health is not just about your teeth. Your periodontal health can and will affect your general health if it is not taken care of. Please call our office at 561-394-9000 to schedule your next visit with our hygienist to protect your periodontal health.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Can we regrow teeth?

Monday, February 16, 2009

Mission to Grow Teeth

Although the loss of teeth does not occur quite as often as it did decades ago, people still do lose teeth. In Pennsylvania, nearly half of all adults are missing some of their permanent teeth. 4 % of those adults 65 or older are missing all of their teeth. Unlike sharks who have the ability to replace a missng tooth by growing another, we do not those means. The closest we have are dental implants.
At the University of Pittsburg School of Dental Medicine, dentists, engineers and stem cell specialists are working together with a common goal to eliminate the need for dentures in the near future. They are doing so by attempting to grow a human tooth from scratch. Dr Charles Sfeir, the director of the Center for Craniofacial Regeneration believes "the potential is huge." Pamela Yelick, the director of Tufts University Division of Craniofacial and Molecular Genetics, believes that her group may be ready to test its ability to grow teeth within 5 years.
Many research organizations are all striving to create a solution to eliminating the need for people to live without natural teeth. Again, dentistry is trying to go where no man has ever gone before.
If you are concerned about your dental health and our ability to help you maintain the ultimate oral health, please give us a call to arrange an appointment at 561-394-9000.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Periodontal Disease and Diabetes

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Many patient's ask why our examinations take so long! One of the reasons is due to the improance of detecting, diagnosing and prescribing the proper treatment for periodontal disease.
One reason is there are many diseases associated with periodonyal disease.

Is there a correlation between periodontal disease and Type II diabetes? Recent research shows there might be.
According to the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, their studies show periodontal disease may be a predictor for Type II diabetes. Currently we know having diabetes predisposes you to periodontal disease. However, new research is asking the question of whether having periodontal disease may contribute to you developing diabetes.
Researchers followed a sample of patients without diabetes and found that those with a more advanced stage of periodontal disease were more than twice as likely to develop Type II diabetes. All factors were weighed in to this study. So, what does this mean? It means that "this data adds a new twist to the association and suggest that periodontal disease may be there before diabetes," said Ryan T. Demmer, PhD, MPH, associate research scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health. The study showed that those who did have periodontal disease had a greater chance of developing Type II diabetes later on in life as compared to those who did not have periodontal disease.
Of course, more studies need to be done. The direct connection between periodontal disease and Type II diabetes needs to be found. Until then, we do not know if preventing or treating periodontal disease will also prevent Type II diabetes. In the mean time, please discuss this with our hygienists on your next visit. We do a complete periodontal exam at each hygiene visit and would be happy to discuss the findings with you and advise you on what steps you need to take to prevent periodontal disease from developing.
Please call our office to schedule an appointment at 561-394-9000!

Faith Tracey, R.D.H.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Canker Sores

Monday, February 09, 2009

Canker Sores
We all get them from time to time, so just what is a canker sore? A canker sore is also called an aphthous ulcer and it is a small sore inside the mouth. They are sometimes white, yellow, or even light gray in color and have a red ring or border around them. You can usually tell one is developing by a small bump or red spot that may appear inside your cheeks, on the gums or lips, on or under the tongue, or the roof of your mouth. You will feel a slight burning or tingling feeling when they are developing. They can become quite painful. Canker sores are not contagious and usually last from seven to ten days. If your canker sore lasts more than two weeks, you need to call us and schedule an appointment to see us. The cause of canker sores is uncertain. Some of the causes currently associated with canker sores are:
Genetics
Fatigue
Stress
Weakened immune system
Undergoing chemotherapy
Biting the cheek, lips or tongue
Chewing sharp bits of food
A sharp tooth rubbing against the cheek
A dental or orthodontic appliance rubbing against the cheek
Nutritional problems
Menstrual issues
Food allergies
There is no cure for canker sores but there is treatment for them. Some of the most common treatments are:
Dilute one part hydrogen peroxide with one part water. Use a Q-tip to dab this on the canker sore. Next, dab a little milk of magnesia with a Q-tip onto the sore. Repeat two or three times a day. This is very soothing and can speed up the healing time.
Rinse with an antimicrobial mouthwash
Use Tylenol or Ibuprofen for pain relief.
To help ease the discomfort you can let ice chips melt on the canker sore.
If you are currently undergoing chemotherapy, you may develop numerous canker sores. We can prescribe a mouth rinse for you that are made for cancer patients.
Over the counter topical applications such as oragel or cankaid.

If you or any of your family suffers from frequent canker sores, please call us or ask us at your next visit. Katherine or Shari will be happy to help you find relief from them!
.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Snoring keeping you up?

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

IS THERE SNORING IN YOUR HOUSE?

The experts estimate around 80 million people snore in the US alone. If you also add in the spouses and children who listen to the snoring, that total is far greater!

Snoring causes many health related problems, not just the anger and frustration from listening all night. Some of these health problems are high blood pressure, increase chance of stroke, and depression from lack of sleep.

Many of you may think your family member can control their snoring, but that's far from the truth. Snoring happens after you fall asleep, the muscles and the soft tissues in your throat relax. When they relax, this makes your airway smaller and there is less space for air to flow through. When there is less space for air to flow through, the air that does get through causes the soft palate (softer part of the roof of your mouth) to vibrate. It is the vibrations that cause the snoring sound. The other reasons for snoring are being over weight, drinking alcohol, using sedatives, and having enlarged tonsils and adenoids.

What can be done? There are a few solutions, one being surgery to remove those enlarged tonsils, adenoids and the soft tissue causing the snoring. While this is a solution, the success has not been overwhelming. The success rate has been somewhere around 20-40%. This is also a costly procedure to have done.

The most inexpensive and least invasive solution is an oral snoring device that Dr. Mogell can prescribe and make for you. How does this work? The device keeps your lower jaw in a forward position. When your jaw is in this position, it increases the space the air flows through which prevents the soft palate and soft tissues in your throat from vibrating. Your family member does not snore and you get some much needed sleep!!

If you or someone you love snores, please call our office for a consultation for a snoring device.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

It's National Pet Dental Health Month!

Monday, February 02, 2009

February is National Pet Dental Health Month

That's right! Your pet needs dental care, also. Regular care from your veterinarian and home care from you is important for the dental health of your pet. The American Veterinary Dental Society recommends that as a pet owner, you follow these three steps to dental care for your pet:
· Ask for a dental check up at your veterinarian's office when you have your pet's yearly exam
· Take care of your pet's teeth at home. You should be brushing your pet's teeth at home. There are special pet toothbrushes available from your veterinarian or pet store. Don't use toothpaste designed for people because it could upset your pet's stomach.
· Feed your pet one of the specially formulated foods that are proven effective in combating plaque or calculus build up.
Oral disease in both cats and dogs is one of the most frequent health problems seen at the vet's office. 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of dental problems by the time they reach 3 years of age. In small dog breeds, periodontal disease is very common and most cats will develop at least one periodontal lesion during their lifetime.
As an owner, you should look for the following signs of periodontal disease. If any of them are noticed, then your pet needs to be seen as soon as possible:
Bad breath
Change in eating habits or chewing habits
Pawing at the face or mouth
Depression
Remember, your pet’s dental needs are as important as yours. If you have any questions about their needs, please call and ask us. As always, we look forward to seeing you at your next appointment!

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.