Filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Oral Health | Tags: Beth Snyder DMD, broken tooth, health
Have you experienced damage to your teeth or existing dental work but aren’t quite sure how it happened? Here are three bad habits that cause serious damage:
- Chewing on ice. Mom was right when she told you to stop chewing ice. Crunching something hard like an ice cube can cause breakage but the cold temperature actually makes it worse for your teeth. The combination can actually cause teeth to fracture or can cause microscopic cracks in the enamel. Those small cracks can lead to big problems over time.
- Using teeth as tools. Teeth are not scissors, pliers or anything else. We’ve seen people who have used their teeth to open bags of snacks and we’ve seen people who attempted to unstick the top of their nailpolish bottle with their teeth. It is no wonder that so many people chip and break perfectly healthy teeth in this fashion. Of course if you have a dental restoration in the teeth you are using instead of your pliers you know it has to end badly. For some reason this is a habit that is especially hard to break. The good news is that cosmetic dentistry is able to restore your fractured tooth back to its natural looking beauty.
- Scrubbing too hard. Some people feel that their teeth are getting cleaner if they use a hard bristle toothbrush or scrub really hard. No, they are not! You are damaging your teeth and gums when using those brushes or when you press too hard. The teeth may become sensitive and gum tissue can be damaged. Use a soft bristle toothbrush and brush gently, but thoroughly. Combined with a good flossing every day, your soft bristle toothbrush is your smile’s best friend.
For more information about proper tooth brushing techniques and to schedule your appointment please contact Dr. Beth Snyder‘s Doylestown PA office at 215-348-9922 today.
Filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Technology | Tags: Beth Snyder DMD, facelift dentures
How would you like to have the most comfortable dentures you’ve ever worn and look several years younger without undergoing plastic surgery? It might seem too good to be true but FaceLift Dentures can take years off of your appearance while allowing you to eat, smile and laugh with confidence.
The reason there are so many denture adhesive commercials on television is because most people are wearing dentures that don’t fit. Making dentures correctly has become somewhat of a lost art. Many patients shop for the lowest price when they need dentures. This usually leads to a new set of dentures after a short period of time because the “bargain” denture is uncomfortable or loose.
Bargain dentures also tend to leave your face with a “sunken” or shortened appearance which makes you look older than you are. Using neuromuscular dentistry techniques we can now create a denture that places your bite in the optimal position for comfort and, because the muscles in your face are relaxed and stable, your face looks years younger.
Contact Dr. Beth Snyder in Doylestown, PA today at 215+348-9922 to find out more about FaceLift Dentures and neuromuscular dentistry. Your appearance and comfort are important — call us today to schedule your consultation appointment.
A combination of good home care and regular dental visits are needed to keep gums healthy. Some risk factors for periodontal disease include those outside our control like hormonal changes, certain diseases and some medications. There are risk factors we can control – whether or not we use tobacco and, equally as important, our diet. Poor nutrition increases your risk of developing periodontal disease but some nutritional supplements may help.
- Coenzyme Q10 is a nutrient that is needed by every cell in your body to make energy. It is beneficial for a variety of diseases, including gum disease because of its role as an antioxidant. CoQ10 can help reduce deterioration of the gums and allow healing to occur as researchers discovered in 1976.
- Calcium. 3/4 of all Americans don’t get adequate calcium each day and studies have shown that people with low calcium intake are twice as likely to have gum disease.
- Folic Acid. Folic Acid not only protects against birth defects and heart disease, it has also been shown to reduce the risk of gum disease. Scientists are studying whether folic acid mouth rinses would be effective.
- Green Tea. Green tea is wonderful stuff and full of good-for-you antioxidants. It possesses two specific types of polyphenols that have been shown to fight oral plaque and bacteria. Green tea extract has been shown to inhibit the type of bacteria that causes cavities.
- Vitamin C protect against scurvy and gum disease. Studies have shown that people with periodontal disease who consumed additional vitamin C improved the health of their gum tissue in only 6 weeks.
The best way to get the nutrients you need is by eating a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables with lots of low-fat dairy for calcium. If you don’t feel that you are getting the nutrients you need from your diet remember to talk to your doctor before starting supplements.
If you would like to learn more about nutrition and your healthy smile feel free to ask at your next visit to our Doylestown, PA office. Please contact Dr. Beth Snyder today at 215-348-9922 to schedule your dental hygiene visit.
Who knew that oral bacteria behaved a lot like teenage cliques. The high school cafeteria popularity contest is going on in our mouths every day. It seems that some of our oral bacteria hook up with other types to cause gum disease and tooth loss. A new study published in the journal Microbiology discovered a way to stop potential gang members from joining forces.
The oral bacteria join together to form dental plaque, an icky mixture of bacteria, saliva and food debris, which is the main cause of gum disease and inflammation. Untreated dental plaque leads to progressively worsening periodontal disease and eventual tooth loss.
University of Bristol scientists found a molecule on the surface of a certain type of bacteria that allows it to latch onto other types of bacteria. Blocking this mechanism could lead to new therapies for stopping dental plaque from destroying gum tissue. “If a drug could be developed to target this factor, it could be used in people who are at higher risk from developing gum disease” said lead researcher Dr. Howard Jenkinson.
Until a treatment from this research comes to market we need to brush, floss and visit your dental hygienist for professional cleanings every three to six months. Your schedule will depend upon your own oral health.
Keep oral bacteria from joining the popular crowd. Schedule your next dental hygiene visit by contacting Dr. Beth Snyder in Doylestown, PA at 215-348-9922 today.
Filed under: Oral Health | Tags: bacteria, Beth Snyder DMD, gums, pregnancy
Did you know that being pregnant can affect your smile? No, not just because you’ll be smiling more but because the hormonal changes your body is going through affect your oral health.
Good oral health is essential for both mother and baby and you should start by visiting your dentist as soon as you start planning your family. Starting a pregnancy with healthy gums protects you and your baby.
Even women who have healthy teeth and gums can experience pregnancy gingivitis. This temporary condition causes the gums to become red, inflamed and bleed easily. It is very common and usually disappears three to six months after delivery as long as good oral hygiene care is followed.
Visiting the dentist during pregnancy used to be avoided but now we know that receiving dental care during pregnancy is not dangerous to the mother or baby. Avoiding your dentist at this time is a more dangerous choice because several studies have linked the bacteria in gum disease to a higher risk of pre-term birth.
Please contact Dr. Beth Snyder in Doylestown, PA at 215-348-9922 to schedule your appointment. Working together we can ensure a healthy smile for you during your pregnancy.
Filed under: TMJ Disorder | Tags: Beth Snyder DMD, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, TMJ
TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint, or jaw joint. This joint is the most complex in the human body and has the ability to cause great pain because of its proximity to large facial nerves.
TMJ pain can manifest as severe headaches which are frequently misdiagnosed as migraines. The jaw joint can also cause facial pain, pain in the neck and shoulders and even symptoms in the ears. No two patients have quite the same experience.
The causes of TMJ dysfunction vary. Some patients have damaged their jaw in an accident. Some people suffer from bruxism, a condition that causes them to grind their teeth which places stress on the jaw. Others have developed jaw damage over time due to misaligned teeth or old dental work that has caused their bite to be misaligned. In most people, all of these are connected, for example a poor bite causes unconscious tooth grinding which leads to TMJ pain.
Dentists who have been trained in neuromuscular dentistry understand the relationship between the joint, muscles and teeth which enables them to solve TMJ pain. In Doylestown, PA your neuromuscular dentist is Dr. Beth Snyder. Please contact our Doylestown office at 215-348-9922 to schedule your TMJ consultation. You can wake up without a morning headache – call today.
Filed under: Sleep Apnea & Snoring | Tags: Beth Snyder DMD, Doylestown, obstructive sleep apnea, oral appliance therapy
Sleep apnea has been linked to strokes in many studies but new research shows a relation between sleep apnea and silent strokes. Silent strokes are those that cause tissue death in the brain but no symptoms.
The research from Dresden, Germany evaluated stroke patients for sleep apnea. They found 91% of the study population had sleep apnea. The researchers also performed brain scans on the patients and found that those with sleep apnea were more likely to have silent strokes. Having more than five episodes of apnea per night was linked to the silent strokes and the worse the case of sleep apnea, the more likely the patient experienced silent strokes.
This frightening research underscores the importance of treating sleep breathing disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. There are two problems healthcare providers face.
First, most people who have sleep apnea do not know it. Patients are usually diagnosed only when a bed partner complains about the snoring and gasping or their daytime sleepiness forces them to seek a medical opinion.
Secondly, once a diagnosis is made the first line of treatment is usually CPAP. While CPAP is a lifesaving therapy about half of patients find it impossible to sleep with a CPAP machine. They find the masks uncomfortable, the machine annoying and refuse to continue the therapy.
For mild to moderate sleep apnea a wonderful alternative for these patients is an oral appliance. An oral appliance is a small device that looks like a mouthguard. The appliance is created by a dentist who has special training in the field of dental sleep medicine. The appliance is designed to place the jaw in a position that enables the airway to stay open all night long – no more stoppages of breathing.
To find out if you may suffer from sleep apnea or if you have been diagnosed and cannot tolerate your CPAP please contact Dr. Beth Snyder in Doylestown, PA at 215-348-9922. We will be happy to schedule a consultation to see if you may be a candidate for oral appliance therapy.
