Is Your Cough Medicine Making Your Teeth Sick?

Coughs, stuffiness, colds, and the flu are at their peak this time of year. While we all try our best to keep germs away by washing our hands, avoiding other sick people, and exercising, there are times when catching the bug is basically unavoidable. At my dental office in The Woodlands, our goal is to help keep our patients’ oral and overall health in tip-top shape, and we’d like to share some surprising information about some of the medicine that’s meant to make you feel better.

Cough remedies like suppressing syrups or soothing drops help to ease your discomfort, however they not only have the traditional side effects like dizziness and queasiness that go hand in hand with any medication, they can also contribute to tooth decay.

The ingredients in many popular over-the-counter medications have been proven to lead to tooth decay and cavities.

High Fructose Corn Syrup & Sucrose

This duo of sugars is particularly dangerous to teeth. When these ingredients enter the mouth, bacteria begin to feed on them. This causes the sugars to break down into acids which are dangerous to the tooth enamel.

Alcohol

Alcohol reduces saliva production and may cause a mouth to become dry. In a normal mouth, quite a bit of saliva is produced every day – about 10,000 gallons in a lifetime! This saliva is great for the health of teeth since it helps wash away the dangerous sugars and acids that can lead to cavities.

So should you just suffer through the annoying symptoms of a cold? Not necessarily. There are a few ways to decrease your risk of cough syrup induced tooth damage.

• Trying taking the medication as a pill instead of a liquid. This will greatly decrease or eliminate the duration of dangerous ingredients lingering on teeth.
• Don’t take cough syrup right before bed. Saliva production naturally decreases at night, and since cough medicine also decreases saliva production, there is much greater risk for decay.
• Take liquid medicine with a meal when saliva production is greater.
• Brush your teeth after a dose of cough suppressant.

From all of us at my The Woodlands dental office, we hope you’re having a healthy winter. However, if this cold and flu season isn’t so kind and you find yourself under the weather, be careful  of how and when you take cough medicine, and keep your teeth healthy in the process.

Serving patients from The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, and surrounding areas.

Dentistry of the Past… Way, Way Past

Dentistry of the past differs drastically from what you’ve become accustomed to at my dental office in The Woodlands. There are now a multitude of options available: comfortable routine cleanings, painless fillings, aesthetically enhancing cosmetic treatments, all to get and keep your smile healthy. However, while dentistry has been around since at least 7000 BC., the level of care was extremely different.

Back in the day, the link between oral and total body health was not yet recognized. Dental care only occurred when there was already a problem, not before. Because of the lack of scientific information available, many civilizations crafted urban legends to explain tooth pain and devised excruciating treatments.

Teeth Worms

In 5000 BC., the Sumerians believed teeth worms caused tooth pain. It was widely accepted that the worms bored tiny holes through teeth, thus causing the pain. Some primitive dentists mistook the actual tooth root for a worm and extracted it (talk about painful!). Belief in teeth worms lasted until the 1700s when it was proven untrue.

Drill Like an Egyptian

Egyptians learned a lot about the human body from their practice of mummification. They figured out where things were, and developed methods for how to heal various problems, including teeth and mouth problems. The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus provides a guide for minor dental work available to early Egyptians. The guide shows evidence of drilling cavities and pulling teeth.

The Birth of Modern Dentistry

It wasn’t until sometime between 1650 and 1800 that dentistry as we know it came to life. French physician Pierre Fauchard, often called The Father of Modern Dentistry, developed many of the dental treatments we now use. Dental filling rationale was his brainchild, he helped link sugar to tooth decay, and his work  justified opening the first dental college in 1840.

Although dentistry of the past is frightening, the dentistry we perform at my dental office in The Woodlands continues to improve and evolve with breakthroughs  in dental technology and treatment options. If you’re ready to experience dental care that’s designed to keep you comfortable, pain free, and healthy, give us a call today.

Accepting patients from The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, and surrounding areas.

Well… That’s Awkward – Handling Embarrassing Dental Moments with Ease

An important business lunch. A promising first date. Meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time at a fancy restaurant. There are plenty of times in our lives when we’re nervous about picking out just the right outfit, deciding what to say and what not to say, and when it’s really important to make sure you’re on your game. While we’re not really qualified to give you fashion direction or small-talk advice, all of us at my dental office in The Woodlands can help you quickly fix any awkward dental moment with ease.

Bad Breath

While bad breath may be hard to avoid after eating a garlic-loaded pasta dish, there are several ways to beat post-dinner bad breath. Some solutions do require a bit of preparation. Before you head out to the meal, stop and grab some sugarless gum. After you eat, pop a piece in your mouth and chew quietly to successfully curb any bad smells from lingering throughout the night. If no gum is available, drink water. Water has cleansing properties that can help remove the bad-smelling agents from your tongue. If your breath is less than fresh all the time, see your dentist in The Woodlands as it could be a sign of something serious.

Something’s Stuck in Your Teeth

It happens, and while there are several ways to successfully remove the pestering piece, not all of them are appropriate at the dinner table, and some can even end up causing damage to your teeth, gums, or mouth. Play it safe. If something’s stuck in your teeth, swish some water around in your mouth to try to loosen it, or chew a piece of sugarless gum to unstick the culprit. If the food is really wedged in there, it’s best to excuse yourself and head to the restroom. Floss is always the best choice, but if you don’t have it, you can use your fingers or try the corner of a folded paper towel. However, never ever use a tool that could cause damage. Avoid wires, pens, keys, tweezers, and bobby pins.

Occasionally, one of your dining partners may be victim of the wedged parsley stuck between the canines. If this occurs, you can help them avoid that crushing moment later, when they’re looking in the mirror, see the piece of food, and wonder how long it was there and why nobody mentioned it. Be a hero. Nonchalantly point to your own mouth which will instinctively tell your pal that something is stuck in his or her grin.  

No matter what the occasion, a little stop for sugarless gum, a habit of carrying floss, and a plan can go a long way toward avoiding what would be an awkward dental moment. With the right tools and tips, you’ll be an expert at easing the worry of dental faux pas.

Serving patients in The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, and surrounding communities.

The 12 Days of Cosmetic Dentistry

A smile can say a lot about a person, and if you’re not comfortable with yours, it can inhibit self confidence. If you’re someone who’s more likely to hide your smile in the upcoming holiday photos, my dental office in The Woodlands has some great news for you.

Cosmetic dentistry isn’t just for the rich and famous. In fact, many procedures we perform every day fall under the category of cosmetic dentistry. This holiday season, we wanted to celebrate 12 days of some of the most popular smile-changing treatments. Ask your dentist in The Woodlands which ones are appropriate for you!

Day 1: Smile whitening for simple, quick, effective brightening. This year, make your pearly whites brighter and banish stains from all the red wine you had at the office holiday party.

Day 2: Tooth-colored fillings because it’s so easy to eat too many candy canes!

Day 3: Dental implants. You don’t need to ask Santa for your two front teeth. Just ask us!

Day 4: Porcelain veneers to make your teeth look better than your Christmas tree or Menorah or your Festivus sweater!

Day 5: Fixed bridges. Make up with your Uncle Lenny or fix the gap between two molars for the holidays. We pick molars.

Day 6: Porcelain crowns. You don’t need to be King Wenceslas to wear a crown!

Day 7: Dental bonding is even better than family bonding! We’ll make your teeth so beautiful, you’ll be the envy of the holiday party.

Day 8: Tooth Recontouring. Smooth the shape of your teeth. It’s like the gym for your smile!

Day 9: Traditional orthodontics. Get your teeth lined up nice and straight like toy soldiers.

Day 10: Clear orthodontics to reduce the chance of a dangerous, metal-locked kiss under the mistletoe.

Day 11: A complete smile makeover so at least you can be confident about your smile even if you aren’t about your outfit for the office holiday party.

Day 12: Dentures. With these chompers, you can eat all the fruitcake you’d like without the worry of cavities!

With the holiday season well upon us, there’s never been a better time to reward yourself with the gift of a new smile. At my dental office in The Woodlands, we’d love to talk to you about your smile goals and recommend the best cosmetic dentistry treatment for you.

Serving patients in The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, and surrounding areas.

Dental Habits of Pilgrims & Native Americans

Since 1863, the United States has been celebrating a day of feast, complete with turkey, pies, stuffing, and too much more deliciousness to name. But Thanksgiving isn’t just about eating a plentiful dinner and slipping into a tryptophan-induced afternoon nap, it’s a day dedicated to reflecting on all we are thankful for, gathering around the table with friends and family, and enjoying a meal prepared by all.

While Thanksgiving has only been an official holiday since the days of Abraham Lincoln, the tradition of gathering together to enjoy a large dinner with friends has been in around since the Pilgrims and Native Americans enjoyed the first Thanksgiving meal together. Although the custom of joining together and eating hasn’t changed much since those first Thanksgiving dinners, oral health care sure has.

With all of the advancements in modern dentistry, it’s difficult to imagine a life where there weren’t toothbrushes available at every supermarket, drug store, and gas station, but there was a time when folks didn’t even know what a toothbrush was. At my dental office in The Woodlands, we want to dedicate this seasonal blog to talking about how Pilgrims and Native Americans took care of their grins and how dental health, along with dental care, has changed.

The Pilgrims

It’s a bit of an understatement to say that the Pilgrims didn’t have the best oral hygiene standards. They didn’t have access to proper toothbrushes and toothpaste because they hadn’t been invented yet! Instead, Pilgrims used leaves, herbs, and salt rubbed directly onto their teeth to clean their not-so-pearly whites. For a toothbrush, pig hair was affixed to a twig or animal bone, or sometimes pine bristles were used. Basically, the Pilgrims, who were new to the States and unfamiliar with what was available to them, used whatever items they could find to clean their teeth. Today, we have multiple types of toothbrushes, toothpaste flavors, floss, and other dental hygiene products. Not to mention we have the ability to see a trained dentist in The Woodlands twice a year for checkups and when we have a problem.

The Native Americans

Chances are, the Native Americans had better overall dental health than the Pilgrims. Not only were they more familiar with the land and what was available to them, their diet was healthier. Like the Pilgrims, they also used herbs like sage to clean their teeth, but they used the cucacua plant to make a substance similar to toothpaste. Additionally, while the Pilgrims were eating dried meat and fruits, beans, and a lot of hardtack –  a dry biscuit made of flour, water, and salt – the Native Americans were living off the land and eating more balanced meals of veggies, nuts, and berries. Therefore, they were eating fewer smile-damaging foods to begin with.

This Thanksgiving, take a tip from the Native Americans and try to eat a well-balanced plate (or plates!) of food and try to take it easy on the sugar-filled sweets. And when you’re reflecting on what you’re thankful for, don’t forget to be thankful for toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and modern dentistry as a whole. For it is these advancements in dentistry, plus visits to my The Woodlands dental office, that allow us to have healthy, white smiles every Thanksgiving and all the days in between.

Serving patients in The Woodlands, Spring, and Conroe.

Diabetes and Oral Health

 

November is American Diabetes Month, during which we dedicate the entire 30 days to encouraging communities to come together and raise awareness of diabetes. While there is no cure for this disease that plagues nearly 30 million Americans, research continues to bring us closer to answers, make advancements in treatment, and link diabetes with other health problems.

Those with diabetes have surely learned that uncontrolled diabetes can contribute to problems throughout your body – your eyes, nerves, kidneys, and heart can all be affected by diabetes. However, we find at my dental office in The Woodlands that many of these individuals aren’t aware of the potential oral health complications that may also arise.

For example, people battling diabetes have an increased chance of developing gum disease. Not simply because those with diabetes have an increased susceptibility to bacteria, but they also have a decreased ability to fight it off. This makes flossing, brushing, and visiting your dentist in The Woodlands regularly extremely important so the bacteria that thrives in the mouth doesn’t cause major problems.  

Not only that, but gum disease can affect blood glucose and make diabetes more difficult to manage and can even make it worse. Gingivitis, an early stage of gum disease, can be treated fairly easily if caught early. However, periodontitis, a more advanced form of gum disease, is more difficult to treat and can eventually lead to tooth loss.

When gum disease hits the severity of periodontitis, your gums pull away from your teeth, and create pockets where germs and bacteria love to hide. The bacteria causes the pockets to deepen and, if left untreated, the infection will destroy the bone holding your teeth in place, causing the teeth to move, become loose, or fall out.

Other oral health problems that can result from diabetes include thrush (a fungal infection of the mouth) and dry mouth. These can create even more issues like ulcers, infections, cavities, and more.

The best way to prevent oral health problems for a patient with diabetes is to control their blood glucose level, and brush, floss daily, and maintain visits to my dental office in The Woodlands at least twice yearly. People with diabetes have unique oral health needs, so it’s important to let us know about your health history including any medication and changes to your diabetes. We’re here to help you maintain optimal full-body health, not just your teeth.

Serving patients in The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe.

Top 5 Foods for Your Smile

At my dental office in The Woodlands, we’re not just focused on making sure your mouth is healthy, we’re dedicated to ensuring your whole body is healthy too. One of the key aspects to living a healthy life is choosing the right foods. Not only can healthy food choices help your body be strong and well, eating the right foods can also lead to a happy, healthy mouth.

Some of the basic rules of nutrition still apply when eating with your smile in mind. You should eat well-balanced meals and continue to follow the food pyramid guidelines. Filling your diet with plenty of veggies and fruits, lean meats, whole grains, and dairy keeps your body balanced and healthy, and most of these foods are great for your grin.

Some of the best foods for your smile, and your body, are:

Cheese. Cheese is high in phosphate and calcium and helps balance the acidity levels in the mouth. This can help keep keep bacteria away, which prevents cavities and gum disease.

Celery. Celery is made mostly of water, which is always good for your smile. Chewing on this crispy favorite also produces saliva, which helps neutralize bacteria and keeps cavities away. Additionally, celery can act as an abrasive, cleaning between teeth and massaging gums.

Apples. Like celery, apples contain a lot of water, which dilutes sugars in the mouth, including the ones found in the apples themselves. They also cause saliva flow to increase, again protecting against decay and washing away food particles and bacteria.

Onions. Onions are packed with powerful antibacterial sulfur compounds, making them great for your oral health. They can be consumed cooked or raw, but they pack the biggest benefit when they’re eaten uncooked. Just be careful of the onion breath that tends to follow.

Water. Your dentist in The Woodlands will always encourage you to drink more water. Water isn’t only great for your organs and whole-body health, it’s also beneficial to your mouth. By staying hydrated, your mouth is defended against bacteria.

In addition to eating things that are good for your smile, you should also avoid foods that aren’t so smile-friendly. Stay away from, or limit the amount of, sweets, acidic foods, dried fruits, breads, pretzels, popcorn, and cakes and pies. Not only can these foods provide a great environment for bacteria to thrive, which can lead to tooth decay, some can cause tooth damage or even broken/chipped teeth.

Besides eating right, another way to keep your smile in tip-top shape is to keep your regularly scheduled appointments at my dental office in The Woodlands. We’ll make sure that your smile is in its best condition and ensure that there aren’t any problems lurking in your mouth. Give us a call to schedule your appointment today!

Serving patients in The Woodlands, Spring, and Conroe.