Why Dental Examinations and X-rays Are So Important

Why are dental examinations and x-rays so important?

Dental conditions can change rapidly. Unfortunately, tooth decay and gum disease and even abscessed teeth often don't hurt. This is especially true with gum disease but tooth decay as well. The reason I say unfortunately is that if it hurt you would do something about it. Often times clients mistake no pain in the teeth and no bleeding gums when they brush as everything is fine. Virtually every day that I see clients we find something significant that the client was unaware of. The earlier we find a problem the easier it is to correct. My focus is on prevention of disease, and minimally invasive bio-compatable dentistry. Often times a client can prevent problems by making a few changes, such as: changing the way they clean their teeth, a diet change or taking anti inflammatory foods and herbs. The key to doing that is early detection. Find it before the problem is not reversible. Once problem is not reversible, we want to find it before it is a big problem. In the early stages the problem is easier to correct and less expensive. Even if it is more advanced when we find it we can often prevent bigger problems such as root canals and/or surgery. Again, the key is early detection. Early detection depends on having a dental team that focuses on excellence in diagnosis. Yesterday a patient told our receptionist, Kendra, that it is too expensive to come in twice a year for an examination and preventive care. I completely understand that. The challenge is that I saw several clients last week that had not come in for one to three years. Some of these people needed significant dental treatment. Most of it was preventable. So much can change in a relatively short time in the mouth. The best dental insurance isn't Washington Dental Insurance. It is brushing your teeth and gums at least 2 times a day. Floss your teeth at least one time a day. Avoid refined sugars. Come to the dental office two times or more per year for examination and preventive care. It is not a guarantee you won't have problems but it absolutely minimizes them. If there are problems we can prioritize them to reduce the impact of said problems.

Yesterday I had a client who refused x-rays. I understand why. I am sensitive about x-ray myself. I do not let TSA x-ray me at the airport because a hand search is simple. I have taken precautions to make our dental x-rays as safe as possible. I got one of the first digital x rays systems in Seattle in 1996 because it reduced x-ray exposure 80-90%. By getting this system I was able to eliminate the toxic developing and fixing solutions from our office so we don't have to breathe them or dispose them into the environment. The state of Washington inspector visited us last fall and found our system to be working perfectly. He commented that our system put out about 40% less than even other digital systems.

We use a lead apron to cover potentially sensitive areas. We even have a green tea extract that has been reported to have protective effect when exposed to x-ray.

Here is an actual patient x-ray showing what can be found underneath. None of these things hurt but the abscess is dumping toxins into the body. The decay is almost to the nerve. It looks like three root canals would be necessary with build ups and crowns. The back tooth might need to be removed. So there is a real benefit to having x-rays at the recommended interval which I customize to each patient depending on their risk factors. If you ever have questions about the reason why we make a recommendation do not hesitate to ask.

Be well,

Richard Stickney

The Importance of Oral Systemic Health

Today's blog is just a few facts about how your oral health effects the rest of your body, and the importance of having a healthy mouth. This is a little fact sheet that I received at the first annual meeting for the American Academy of Oral Systemic Health, and I thought I'd pass along this information!

• The Surgeon General reports that at least 80% of American adults have gum disease

• Gum disease can cause heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

• If you have diabetes and bleeding gums, your risk of premature death increases by 400 to 700 percent.

• Gum disease and tooth loss increase risk of Alzheimer's disease

• Pregnant women with gum disease have a 1 in 7 chance of giving birth to a healthy child of normal size.

• Harvard studies state gum disease increases Pancreatic and Kidney cancer risk by 62%.

• Eliminating gum disease adds 6.5 years to your life.

• 93% of people with gum disease are at risk for diabetes.

• Gum therapy improves blood vessel health and helps prevent heart attack and stroke.

• Healthy gums help prevent diabetes.

• People with gum disease are twice as likely to die from heart disease and three times as likely to die from stroke.

• Gum disease increases risk for head and neck cancer.

• Cavities are caused by a germ that spreads during kissing and sharing food.

The first annual meeting for The American Academy for Oral Systemic Health was held in Chicago, IL on June 24, 25, 2011 and I was happy and excited to be a founding member. To find out more information please visit the website: www.AAOSH.org.

Hoping that all of you are well,
Richard Stickney

Advanced Laser Diagnostics: Diagnodent

Today we wanted to talk about something that we use here in the office when we diagnose treatment. This particular instrument is called Diagnodent and it is a laser specifically used to measure density in the tooth. When we shine the laser light onto tooth structure, the light is then reflected back into the device and gives us a reading of how dense the tooth is. A loss in density means decay is starting. When we look at the readings, anything under 20 on the scale is considered a "watch tooth". We mark it on the chart to recheck this tooth at your next exam. Anything over a 20 is considered needing treatment, which could mean something as simple as a composite filling, or something more involved such as an onlay or a crown. This device is helpful because sometimes decay is not visible to the naked eye, or even under magnification! And x-rays can only show us about 30% of non-visible decay, so having the Diagnodent is a useful tool for early detection of decay, and for "seeing" what we cant see!

Here is an example of a tooth that to the eye, looks normal. No visible decay.

(This next part of this post is taken from www.smilestudio.com/prevention.html)

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Before opening the tooth after use of Diagnodent dental laser. There is no visible decay and often these types of cavities do not show on x-ray.


This is the giant cavity found below the surface with the Diagnodent. It would have been impossible to notice until total disaster struck.


Think all you need to do to prevent dental problems is brush your teeth? THINK AGAIN!

The brush is an important thing you can do to keep teeth and gums healthy. The brush can disrupt the bacteria that cause decay and gum problems. That helps. But the floss is probably your best line of defense-- AT EARLY STAGES OF THE DISEASE PROCESS.

Later on, though, other specialized tools and techniques may be needed to get rid of the germs and germ waste products that plaque your gums and your teeth.

This is where our staff can really contribute to your long-term success by crafting a personalized preventive program just for you.

And this needs to be revisited every time you come back to see us. Things are always changing!
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The Diagnodent is used in harmony with our philosophy of being minimally invasive. We like to preserve as much natural tooth as possible. Treating decay early helps us preserve more of your natural tooth, and this tool is invaluable in detecting that at it's very first signs.

To your health,
Dr. Richard Stickney

What to do in case of a dental emergency

In case of a dental emergency please Call our office. I consider an emergency anything you feel is an emergency. During our work weeks usually Kendra or another team member will answer the telephone and help you. Sometimes the lines are busy or we are unable to answer the telephone. Please leave a message on our urgent care line. We will callback as soon as possible. Most days we are able to get back to you shortly so do not hesitate to call back if you need help. Thursday afternoon through Sunday we are in meetings or out of the office. My home telephone is on the urgent care line. If you want to write it down it is 425-999-4664. If I am on vacation another dentist will be covering my emergency calls. That information will be left on the office answering service.

Reduce Decay and Protect your smile

Our diets as Americans have changed drastically over the last several decades. It includes a substantial amount more of acidic and carbohydrate related foods. These cause oral and systemic acidity. There are several kinds of bacteria that use simple carbohydrates to breakdown a tooth’s minerals, creating opportunity for decay and cavities. Cavities are a preventable infectious disease if you balance your oral chemistry.

Sodas, fruit juices and sports drinks are highly acidic and have seemed to replace our water and milk consumption. Teeth start to demineralize at a pH level of 5.5. On average soft drinks to fruit juices, etc. have a pH level of 2.6-4.6 depending on the type of drink. Sports drinks and energy drinks have the strongest potential for tooth erosion.

Many medications diminish the protective flow of saliva resulting in acid buffering and micro repair to slowing or completely stopping. As we get older this protection lessens and the saliva available is less effective. It is important to not dilute remaining saliva with frequent drinking in these cases.

Enamel is about 98 percent mineralized; the crown of a tooth is much stronger and more resistant to acid attacks, than its roots. When roots are exposed due to bone and tissue loss they are at a higher risk for decay. So making better food choices, eating fewer fermentable carbohydrates and processed and acidic foods can help protect you teeth.

Two actions you can take to protect your health

You would think our government would want to protect our rights and our freedoms. However you have to wonder when you see what’s up in the realms of nutritional supplements and organic foods. If having actual organic food and access to nutritional supplements is important to you please read the attached newsletters from Dr Mercola and Dr Rowen. Both of these doctors push their own brands of nutritional supplements so I always read their newsletters with some caution. However both of them are fighting for our basic freedoms to eat foods that are not laced with GMO foods and for us to be able to freely take the nutritional supplements of our choice. I have personal experience with this as the FDA shut down a company that made a chelation product that I used with good success over the years.

I have had great success in my personal life using nutrition, exercise and supplements to keep me off of all prescription drugs. Many of you are likewise taking no prescriptions. I am always looking toward the future. I think what if the government did ban our nutritional supplements?

I recently added 2 books to our office library, written by Jeff Primack. Conquering any Disease and his accompanying Smoothie Formulas, these books provide really good information on how to have radiant health by using the whole food (seeds and all). They are available on this website qirevolution.com

I have the books at the office and every person that looks at them doesn’t want to put them down. These are not part of our lending library but feel free to peruse them when you are in the office.

To your health and well being.

Rick

Newsletters:
http://www.secondopinionnewsletter.com/Health-Alert-Archive/View-Archive/1980/Stop-the-FDA-from-banning-your-supplements.htm

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/19/mark-kastel-cornucopia-good-food-movement.aspx?e_cid=20111119_DNL_art_1

For Patients With Dental Insurance....Use It or Lose it!!

Many of our patients have Dental Insurance that they use when getting their treatment or continuing care.
The way dental insurance companies help is by giving a annual benefit maximum amount. Most companies base this benefit period on the calender year, January thru December. Once the calender year is up that benefit amount refreshes, so any of the benefit amount that was not used the previous year goes away. We wanted to send out a reminder to all of you, to come in and get any of your treatment done before the end of the year so you can fully maximize your insurance benefits!
Our office will be open its normal business hours through this holiday season. We will only be closed on November 24th and December 26th.

Gives us a call and we would love to see you and help you get all you can out of those insurance companies!