Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Diabetes and Dentistry!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Diabetes and Dentistry

Diabetes is a very serious chronic disease that is marked by abnormally high levels of sugar in your blood due to a lack of insulin being produced by your pancreas.
Diabetes increases your risk for many serious health problems. Diabetics are susceptible to infections and other chronic diseases from the complication of the disease.
The International Diabetes Foundation has made a point of stressing the importance for diabetics to have optimal dental health in their just released new clinical guidelines.
Diabetics are particularly susceptible to periodontal disease. According to Dr. Sam Low, President of the American Academy of Periodontology; "Periodontal disease triggers the body's inflammatory response which can affect insulin sensitivity and ultimately lead to unhealthy blood sugar levels. Establishing routine periodontal care is one way to help keep diabetes under control.
Maintaining regular dental hygiene visits every 3 to 4 months will help to minimize the risks of periodontal disease. If you have any questions about dentistry and diabetes, please do not hesitate to give us a call at 561-394-9000. We will arrange for a comprehensive examination to help you maintain the high level of dental health you desire.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Your tooth is hurting.....

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Ouch, your tooth is causing you pain.....

You notice that your tooth is hurting, so you call your dentist and make an appointment to be seen before the toothache becomes incredibly painful. After the dentist examines you, the news comes that you have a very large cavity on the tooth. The doctor informs you that you need a root canal to save the tooth and then the tooth will need to be restored. What should you do?

Today there are various options to the problem of a bad cavity. One question is why did you get the cavity? A root canal is certainly going to get you out of pain and traditionally after the root canal is completed the tooth is restored with a post and a crown. This is a great solution to the problem. Another solution depending on the extent of the decay is to have the tooth extracted and have an implant in to replace the tooth. The advantage with the implant because it is made of titanium, decay will never be an issue on that tooth again.

Dentistry is always changing and developing advanced techniques to help everyone maintain the best dental health they desire. If you have any questions regarding root canal or implants, please do not hesitate to give us a call at 561-394-9000. We will arrange an appointment to help you determine the best options for your dental health.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Sleep Apnea And Your Golf Game

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Sleep Apnea and Your Golf Game

Those of us who are golfers, even the worst of us, know how difficult a game it is. To be good at golf requires lots of practice and patience. Hours on the driving range and the putting green must be put in to lower your scores.
Here’s an interesting tip on how to improve your game.
If you are a golfer who suffers with untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a study performed by Marc Benton, MD, of Atlantic Sleep & Pulmonary Associates in Madison, N.J. and presented at the American College of Chest Physician, showed a decrease in golf scores when treatment was initiated.

Twelve golfers with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea participated in the study. These golfers who started nasal positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment saw a drop in their mean handicap from 12.4 to 11.0.
Compliance to use the CPAP is usually a big problem for patients with OSA. The preliminary results suggest that improving their golf game served as motivation for the patients to keep up their treatment, which is important given that compliance with using the CPAP is a significant problem in the management of the sleep disorder, and “compliance was off the charts” according to Benton. For those who cannot or will not tolerate the CPAP there is an alternative – oral appliance therapy is a safe, effective and approved method of treating obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea is a very serious condition with potential fatal consequences. This blog is not meant to make light of OSA, but to show that changes in your life style can have effects in unimagined ways. If you suspect that you may indeed be suffering with a sleep disturbance such as OSA, please call us at 561-394-9000 to arrange an appointment to begin the process of helping you to get a healthier nights sleep.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Cavities Make A Comeback!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Cavities Making a Comeback

Through the middle of the 1990’s the rate of dental cavities in children had been decreasing 2-5% annually. Recently, the Center for Disease Control discovered an incredible increase of 28% in children’s cavities. Unfortunately the Center is unsure why this change is happening but they speculate that dietary changes such as highly processed foods and foods high in carbohydrates have made an impact. More bottled water consumption may also be to blame. Why these items? Carbohydrates are the favorite feast of the bacteria that cause cavities and bottled water, unlike most tap water, does not contain fluoride which has been proven to present cavities.

Current research into cavities is focusing on the genetics of the bacteria involved. At the Dental Research Institute, scientist appear to have temporarily stopped the buildup of dental plaque by these bacteria. Dr. Dennis Cvitkovitch and his team are hoping that one day a mouthwash can be created that would prevent the bacteria from growing and causing cavities.

Until this science becomes a retail reality we will have to prevent cavities in ourselves and our children the old fashioned way – brushing and flossing. Fluoride remains one of the most effective means for strengthening your teeth and for fighting cavities. If you have any questions about cavity prevention for your family please call 561-394-9000 to schedule an appointment. A regular dental examination and cleaning will put your mind at ease and set you on the path to a healthy smile.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Periodontal Disease and Prostatitis?

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

The benefit of having a healthy mouth free of periodontal disease is often discussed, particularly with regards to the relationship of periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. Now a recent article published in The Journal of Periodontology (JOP) suggested that there is a relationship between men who have periodontal disease and prostatitis! How can that be? The mouth and the prostate gland are obviously nowhere near each other so what’s the connection?

It seems that when men have periodontal disease they often have elevated PSA’s; Prostate Specific Antigens. These antigens are inflammatory markers when at elevated levels indicate prostate irregularities. The study in the JOP involved 35 male patients who had recently had a biopsy performed on their prostates due to elevated PSA levels or due to the identification of a malignancy. These individual also had a comprehensive periodontal examination performed. The study discovered that the men that had both prostatitis and periodontitis had significantly higher PSA levels than those men that either had prostatitis or periodontitis alone.

The belief is that the reduction of periodontal disease can minimize the severity of prostatitis or even possibly prevent its onset. If you have any questions or concerns about your periodontal health, please give us a call at 561-394-9000. We will arrange an appointment for a comprehensive examination. Let us make sure that we are doing everything we can do to help you maintain the best health possible!

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Cut Your Heart Attack Risk by Treating Sleep Apnea

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Cut Your Heart Attack Risk by Treating Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a dangerous condition that affects us in many adverse ways. The affect that OSA has on the human cardiovascular system has been well documented. In diabetics, if left untreated OSA can wreak havoc on sugar levels. The level of daytime sleepiness caused by OSA has been shown to be the cause of many motor vehicle accidents. Yet OSA is one the most undiagnosed conditions in North America.

The urgent need to diagnose and treat this potentially fatal condition is found in research conducted at Yale University. The researchers noted in their investigation that OSA more than doubled the risk of stroke or heart attack in patients over 50 years old!

Importantly, they discussed that OSA is a “modifiable risk factor” - meaning that if OSA is treated the risk of stroke or heart attack can be greatly diminished. Proof of this was shown by Minoguchi et al in his article in the American Journal Respiratory Critical Care Medicine. Patients who suffer with OSA have “markers” in their brains which indicate inflammation and damage to the brain. In the study, the OSA patients who used their CPAP for three months significantly lowered the level of those inflammatory “markers”.

Treatment of OSA whether with CPAP, oral appliance or life style changes works! If you believe you may be suffering with Obstructive Sleep Apnea please call us at 561-394-9000. We will arrange an appointment to help you determine if you are living with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Let us help you get back on the path to a healthier nights sleep.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.

Temporary Crowns Are Importnat!

Monday, March 01, 2010

How to Take Care of Your Temporary Crown

I think too often routine procedures are taken for granted by all members of the dental team and even our patients. Such was the case recently where a patient of ours returned to our office to have two crowns placed. Unfortunately the patient’s temporary crowns had fallen out and he didn’t understand why we take the time to make a temporary crown.

One of the reasons for a temporary crown is for your comfort. Without the temporary crown the tooth may become exceptionally sensitive. Even breathing cool air can elicit a painful response from the tooth.

A temporary crown is also placed to maintain the tooth position in the jaw. It is possible that without a temporary in place the tooth can begin to erupt because there is nothing for the tooth to occlude against. The temporary crown also is there to protect your gums and help them to stay healthy while awaiting the final crown. All of these facts add up to that the temporary crown helps to make the cementation of the permanent crown easier.

If you should have a temporary crown that comes off prematurely, please call us at 561-394-9000. We will arrange an appointment to have the temporary recemented. If you can’t get to office, you can place some denture adhesive or tooth paste in the temporary crown and place it back on the tooth.

Your temporary crown is an integral part of the restorative process to ensure a smooth transition to the permanent crown. If there is a problem with your temporary crown please contact us as soon as you are able to.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.