Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Cut Your Health Care Costs

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Heart disease and gum disease are linked and new research suggests a way to cut health care costs if you suffer from both.

A study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine looked at the medical and dental records of people with gum disease and cardiovascular disease or other chronic health problems.

The researchers found that people who had at least one gum disease treatment had lower medical costs and fewer hospital visits compared to those who ignored their gum disease. Just one visit! Patients with heart disease or a history of stroke saw their health care costs reduced 10 to 40 percent.

Gum disease causes inflammation throughout the body. Treating the gum disease reduces this inflammation and the bacterial infection. This seemed to help people respond better to treatments for other health problems.

Preventing gum disease is pretty inexpensive - all you need is a toothbrush, some floss and a visit to your dental hygienist every six months. Once gum disease has taken hold, the cost of treatment can vary depending upon the severity of the disease. The good news today is that it is far easier to treat gum disease and to stop its advance!

Save your smile and save your health care dollars by keeping your gums healthy! Please contact Dr. Kenneth A. Mogell at 561-394-9000 today to schedule your next dental hygiene visit.

Labels: gum disease

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Cosmetic Dentistry - Choosing the Right Dentist

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Many of us have a smile that we aren't completely happy with. Cosmetic dentistry can drastically change the appearance of a smile in just a couple of visits. Because "cosmetic dentistry" is not a board certified specialty, how do you know which dentist you should choose for this important makeover?

Not all dentists are comfortable performing complex cosmetic procedures, although they may be wonderful dentists! Our office has seen referrals from other dentists for complete smile makeovers!

When choosing your cosmetic dentist ask about training - cosmetic procedures aren't covered in depth in dental school but require specialized coursework following graduation. Good dentists regularly attend continuing education courses to ensure that their treatment stays on the cutting edge.

Look at photographs of previous patients. You should be able to see before and after shots and have the work explained to you.

Some patients actually come in with photographs of what they want their smile to look like. However, cosmetic dentistry is an art as well as a science. The size, shape and color of the teeth that look great on a celebrity might not work well with your facial structure or the shape of your smile.

Creating a new smile can dramatically change your appearance and attitude. Imagine being able to laugh and smile freely without being self-conscious of crooked or discolored teeth. A bright, healthy smile also makes you look more youthful and energetic - always helpful in work and social situations.

Find out more about your options for creating a new smile today by contacting our office at 561-394-9000.

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Tooth Fairy's Rates Go Up

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

2014 was a good year for the Tooth Fairy - or more precisely it was a good year if you were a child with a loose tooth!

Every year Delta Dental performs the Original Tooth Fairy Poll to see how generous the Tooth Fairy has been during the year.

2014 saw the average gift for a tooth hit a record high of $4.36 versus the $3.50 per tooth in 2013. Southern children saw the largest amounts of cash, receiving $4.16 per tooth while Midwestern kids got about $2.83 on average. Size of the payment also depended on variables like age of the child, whether this was the first tooth lost and, how much spare change the Tooth Fairy had lying around.

Some Tooth Fairy's kept to the dental theme and left toothbrushes, floss or toys instead of cash.

Remember to take your child to the dentist by their first birthday. This ensures that those baby teeth stay healthy until the permanent teeth are ready to come in. Once your child has graduated from the pedodontist (children's dentist) please give us a call to schedule their appointment.

Labels: lost tooth

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World Oral Health Day March 20th

Thursday, March 19, 2015

If you have recovered from St. Patrick's Day and are looking for something a little healthier to celebrate, how about World Oral Health Day on March 20th?

The theme this year is Smile for Life - has a double meaning referring to keeping your smile for your lifetime and celebrating life.

Ok, so this isn't as exciting as green beer, but it is important.

Dentists are all about prevention because most dental disease can be prevented.

The simple acts of brushing, flossing and regular dental hygiene visits can eliminate the chance that small problems can become big ones. While some feel that fluoride is controversial, in the dental world it has proven to both prevent cavity formation and can even help heal teeth with minor damage to the enamel - preventing decay from gaining a larger foothold.

If you don't drink water that contains fluoride ask your dental hygienist about prescription strength fluoride toothpaste and if it might be right for you.

Keep your Smile for Life - don't smoke, avoid soda and other sugary stuff and floss every day! Have a happy World Oral Health Day and, what the heck, maybe we can have that beer anyway.

Labels: tooth decay

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Sugar and Tooth Decay

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Today the role of sugar in the formation of tooth decay is obvious - but many years ago the situation was a little different.

Recently it was discovered that the sugar industry influenced research into the eradication of dental caries (cavities) in the 1960's and 1970's. The industry helped shift the focus of research from reducing sugar intake as a way to prevent cavities to "alternative" strategies, including a tooth decay vaccine, that still let people eat as much sugar as they wanted. Needless to say, none of these alternatives were successful.You can read an article about this here http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/03/11/392092490/how-big-sugar-steered-research-on-a-tooth-decay-vaccine

Sugar is the perfect food for the oral bacteria that cause tooth decay. The bacteria eat the sugar and then create acids that attack the tooth enamel. Since sugar is sticky it tends to adhere to the teeth and isn't washed away by saliva as quickly as other substances. Avoid tooth decay and needing a filling by staying away from sugary stuff and brushing and flossing every day!

Protect your smile and your overall health by reducing sugar consumption. Since we each eat almost 150 pounds of added sugars each year, any reduction will help.

If it has been a while since your last dental checkup or you think you might have a cavity, please contact Dr. Kenneth A. Mogell at 561-394-9000 today.

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