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3 Procedures You May Need Before Getting Dental Implants

May 4, 2023

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 7:31 pm
patient viewing x-ray with dentists

For individuals with missing teeth, dental implants serve as an excellent solution. These titanium artificial tooth roots are surgically inserted into the jawbone to provide support for replacement teeth restorations, like dental crowns. Not only do dental implants offer a natural appearance, but they can also last for decades when properly maintained. However, in certain cases, patients may require preparatory procedures to ensure the successful placement of implants. keep reading to learn about three preliminary procedures that you may need prior to receiving dental implants.

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Why Dental Implants are the Pinnacle of Tooth Replacement

April 5, 2023

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 9:59 am
3-D model of a dental implant

If you’ve been looking into replacing missing teeth for any time at all, you’ve probably heard something about how incredible dental implants are. They’re one of the top methods of tooth restoration that dentists recommend, and one of the most celebrated among patients.

But are they really all that they’re cracked up to be? If you want to know why so many people call dental implants the pinnacle of tooth replacement, here are a few good reasons.

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5 Reasons You Should Replace a Missing Back Tooth

December 7, 2022

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 2:31 pm
a patient who replaced a missing back tooth in Framingham

It can often feel overwhelming when losing a permanent tooth, especially since you’ll typically have to consider your tooth-replacement options. While missing one of your front pearly whites may make you feel self-conscious about your smile, you might not find it a big deal if you’ve lost a molar. But is it necessary to replace a missing back tooth? Read on to learn five major reasons why you should consider getting restorative dentistry after losing a molar.

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How Long After a Tooth Extraction Can You Get a Dental Implant?

September 14, 2022

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 4:21 pm
closeup of tooth extraction in Framingham

Missing teeth can affect more than just your appearance – it can negatively impact your overall quality of life. Some people may have a gap as a result of a dental emergency, and others because they had a tooth extraction. Whatever the case is, you need to replace that missing tooth to prevent complications down the line. Are you thinking about getting dental implants after tooth extraction? Here’s everything you should know about the process.

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When Can I Return to Work After Dental Implant Surgery?

August 4, 2022

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 8:23 pm
puzzled expression mature man

You are probably wondering about the recovery process after surgery if you are considering getting dental implants. How long before you can go back to work? What factors affect your recovery? Keep reading to learn from your implant dentist in Framingham about what to expect during the days after dental implant surgery.

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4 Facts About Dental Implants You Might Not Have Heard

July 25, 2022

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 2:20 pm
smiling businessman with dental implants standing in an office

If you’re interested in replacing your missing teeth, then you’ve probably heard of dental implants. Odds are you’re aware that they’re the closest thing to recreating your original teeth because they replace the tooth roots in the jawbone. However, if that’s basically the extent of your knowledge about dental implants, then you should continue reading to learn four surprising facts about this superior method of tooth replacement!

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Tongue microbiome research underscores importance of dental health

September 10, 2018

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 1:57 pm

Elderly individuals with fewer teeth, poor dental hygiene, and more cavities constantly ingest more dysbiotic microbiota, which could be harmful to their respiratory health, according to new research published in the journal mSphere. The findings come from a large, population-based study that identified variations in the tongue microbiota among community-dwelling elderly adults in Japan.

“Fewer teeth, poorer dental hygiene, and more dental caries (cavities) experience are closely related to dysbiotic shift in the tongue microbiota composition, which might be harmful to the respiratory health of elderly adults with swallowing problems,” said corresponding author Yoshihisa Yamashita, PhD, DDS, Section of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth, and Development, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka.

Prior to this study, researchers knew that constant aspiration of saliva can lead to pneumonia, a major cause of death among elderly adults with swallowing impairments, and that tongue microbiota are a dominant source of oral microbial populations that are ingested with saliva. Previous research has also shown that in institutionalized frail elderly adults, the dysbiotic shift of indigenous tongue microbiota is associated with an increased risk of death from pneumonia.

In the new study, Dr. Yamashita and colleagues set out to understand the variations in tongue microbiota composition related to oral health conditions among community-dwelling elderly adults and to identify factors associated with the dysbiotic shift in the tongue microbiota. They investigated the tongue microbiota status and dental conditions of 506 adults aged 70 to 80 years living in the town of Hisayama, Japan who received a dental examination during a health examination of the town’s residents performed in 2016. The scientists collected the tongue microbiota from the center area of the tongue dorsum using a modified electric toothbrush as a sampling device, and used next-generation sequencing approaches to analyze the samples.

The researchers found that the total bacterial density was independent of the conditions of teeth surrounding the tongue, whereas the microbiota composition, especially the relative abundances of predominant commensals, showed an association with tooth conditions. “Commensal microbiota composition, especially the relative abundances of predominant commensals, showed an association with tooth conditions,” said Dr. Yamashita. “Two cohabiting groups of predominant commensals exist in the tongue microbiota; one of which was primarily composed of Prevotella histicola, Veillonella atypica, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus parasanguinis, which have been previously associated with an increased risk of mortality due to pneumonia in the frail elderly. This bacterial group was more predominant in the elderly with fewer teeth, a higher plaque index, and more dental caries-experienced teeth.”

The study highlights the importance of dental health. “Careful attention should be given to the tongue microbiota status in elderly adults with poorer dental conditions,” said Dr. Yamashita.

Can Tooth Loss Lead To Cardiovascular Disease?

April 29, 2018

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 12:08 pm

Losing just two teeth in middle age can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2018.

In a collaborative effort between the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, researchers analyzed the impact of tooth loss in large studies of adults, who ranged in age from 45 to 69 years old. Participants reported on the numbers of natural teeth they had, and then in a follow-up questionnaire they reported any recent tooth loss. None of the adults had cardiovascular disease when the studies began.

The team of researchers prospectively studied the occurrence of tooth loss during an eight-year period. They found that, among adults with 25 to 32 natural teeth at the study’s start, those who lost two or more teeth had a 23 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to those with no tooth loss. The researchers determined that the increased risk occurred regardless of reported diet, physical activity, body weight and other cardiovascular risk factors, like high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure.

In addition, adults with less than 17 natural teeth at the study’s start were 25 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

The team reported that there wasn’t a notable increase in cardiovascular disease risk among people who reported losing just one tooth during the study period.

“This study highlights an interesting trend that shows that dental issues actually do play a role in coronary heart disease,” says Dr. Vincent Bufalino, a cardiologist and director of the Advocate Heart Institute in Chicago. “We’ve been looking for this association for years.”’

Lu Qi, MD, Ph.D., study author and professor of epidemiology at Tulane University, explains that past research has shown that tooth loss in middle age is likely related to inflammation, but the connection hadn’t been made until now between middle-age tooth loss and cardiovascular disease risk.

The researchers noted that a limitation of the study was that participations self-reported their tooth loss, which could lead to some misclassification. Dr. Bufalino added that smoking is also a significant risk factor and something that should be taken into account. However, he says the study serves as a reminder for doctors to be paying more attention to oral health.

Tooth loss“A typical primary care doctor or cardiologist isn’t overly focused on a patient’s oral hygiene or their oral care or tooth loss,” he says. “I never ask that question. It does put a bit of a warning light out there to say we should be paying attention to this, and that folks who have had significant tooth loss, that may be contributing to their risk.”

Patient education is also key, Dr. Bufalino says, and if patients are reaching out to specialists with concerns or if they’re referred to a cardiologist by a dentist or their primary care doctor, then there’s a greater chance that heart disease can be fixed or controlled.

“First, it’s recognition for the public that if you’re having significant tooth loss that there could be other causes here,” Dr. Bufalino says. “Second, it’s another sign that good eating habits, controlling your blood sugar and cholesterol, stopping smoking, all of those are contributing risk factors to cardiovascular disease. So, if you have tooth loss plus those, you should recognize that you’re definitely at an increased risk and you should seek an evaluation.”

For more information on the study, visit the American Heart Association.

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Breast Feeding and Decay

March 24, 2018

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 2:12 pm

Does breastfeeding after introducing other dietary carbohydrates place children at greater risk for early childhood caries? Current recommendations are inconsistent. New research presented on March 22 at the 2018 American Association of Dental Research (AADR) annual meeting in Fort Lauderdale, FL, examined this issue.

Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics reinforce the health benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and children, although an American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry policy statement labels breastfeeding after a child is consuming other carbohydrates and inadequate oral hygiene as risk factors for early childhood caries.

“These recommendations are currently inconsistent,” AADR presenter and study co-author Lisa Bosch told DrBicuspid.com. Bosch is a third-year dental student at the Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health in Kirksville.

“I would recommend and encourage mothers to continue breastfeeding after the introduction of other carbohydrates to the infant’s diet.”

— Lisa Bosch, third-year dental student from the Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health

Therefore, Bosch and her colleague conducted a laboratory study on the role of additional carbohydrates in caries development in breastfed children, as well as in those receiving infant formula or cow’s milk. They investigated how the addition of 10% sucrose affected biofilm growth of Streptococcus mutans in human milk, formula, and cow’s milk.

The addition of 10% sucrose significantly increased biofilm growth in all three solutions, and infant formula had significantly greater biofilm formation than human milk or cow’s milk, they found.

“Our hypothesis was confirmed that human milk would be the least capable of forming a biofilm,” Bosch told DrBicuspid.com.

So how do these results relate to recommendations for consumption of human milk?

“In regard to the findings of this study, within the clinical setting, I would recommend and encourage mothers to continue breastfeeding after the introduction of other carbohydrates to the infant’s diet along with sound oral hygiene instruction,” Bosch stated.

The second part of the study examined in vitro caries progression over a six-week period in extracted noncarious teeth placed in solutions containing human milk, cow’s milk, or infant formula. However, data on these results are still being analyzed, Bosch noted.

Is Sparkling Water Safe For Your Teeth

September 4, 2017

Filed under: Uncategorized — dr_tutin @ 4:18 pm

 

Chances are you or someone you know prefers sparkling water like trendy La Croix over tap or still mineral water. Whether it’s the allure of the fizz or dissatisfaction with the run-of-the-mill beverage, people flock to what’s more exciting.

But does this excitement compromise the safety of your teeth? In short, the answer is no.

That’s according to Dr. Edmond Hewlett, a professor in the University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry. A dentist for more than 35 years, he tells U.S. News when you drink sparkling water, carbon dioxide breaks down in your mouth and becomes carbonic acid. The question then becomes whether the acid is harmful.

Hewlett says the best knowledge available shows no evidence indicating sparkling water harms tooth enamel – the hardest substance in the body though he notes it’s not an area studied intensely.

A study published last year in the Journal of the American Dental Association found that most commercially accessible U.S. beverages “are potentially erosive to the dentition,” aka teeth‘s arrangement or condition.

The study characterized beverages like numerous Gatorade and Powerade drinks as extremely erosive, while other Gatorade and Propel drinks were simply erosive. Comparatively, S. Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water was listed as “erosive,” while Perrier carbonated mineral water was tagged “minimally erosive.” The American Dental Association pointed out the Pellegrino is on the edge of “erosive” and “minimally erosive,” per the data. Its pH could range from 5.05 (minimally erosive) to only 4.87 (erosive).

The Atlantic cited a 2007 study that said, “It would be inappropriate to consider these flavored sparkling waters as a healthy dental alternative to other acidic drinks.”

But Hewlett, also a consumer adviser for the American Dental Association, says that the acidity occurring in sparkling water is less in magnitude than what you might get with citrus juice or many sodas and sports drinks on the market. The more acidic the drink – think carbonated sodas with citric acid or bottled water with fruit derivatives – the greater the risk of tooth erosion with frequent consumption, he says.

So is there risk in drinking sparkling water after all?

“There is a theoretical risk of tooth erosion, but the drinks would have to be consumed over a long period of time,” Damien Walmsley, a professor of dentistry at the University of Birmingham in England, told The Atlantic last year. “My advice is to keep acidic drinks to meal times, and if you have to sip drinks between meals, then plain water is the safest.”

“For an average, healthy person, carbonated, sugar-free beverages are not going to be a main cavity-causing factor,” Andrew Swiatowicz, a dentist in Wilmington, Delaware, told The Atlantic. “If you are at all concerned, you can always dilute the carbonated water with regular water, or even just swish with regular water after.”

There’s something else to keep in mind when drinking potentially erosive beverages. Hewlett says it’s well-known in the dental community that people can have a habit of swishing or holding carbonated beverages in their mouths. Doing this with drinks that have higher erosion potential could evidently increase erosion risk.

One of his students found this out the hard way, seemingly developing tooth erosion from this habit when drinking diet cola beverages.

On a positive note, sparkling water serves as a good source of hydration, which can help temporarily increase saliva flow. This reduces your risk of tooth decay and buffers acid in the mouth as a protective factor.

Hewlett says the best beverage to drink for your oral health is water with fluoride, and head to a professional if you have erosion questions.

“Consulting with your dentist is the best way to address any concerns about erosion and get expert advice on what to do to either prevent it from happening or stop it from happening if it’s already occurring,” he says.

 

 

 

 

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