Diabetes and Your Mouth # 6: Floss Every Day

Flossing helps control plaque. It can reach where a toothbrush can't, like between the teeth. Floss daily with floss and interdental cleaners that carry the American Dental Association (ADA) seal. Ask your dentist for tips if you're not sure how to floss. Like everything else, flossing gets easier with practice.

The above article is from: WebMD.com

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   
SiouxCityDentist.com

What to Know About Gingivitis

What Is Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is an early stage of gum disease caused by the buildup of plaque bacteria on the tissues that surround the teeth. Plaque, a naturally occurring biofilm containing bacteria, can lead to gingivitis if not removed by daily brushing. 

Who Can Get Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is quite prevalent. But while almost 80% of adults will experience some symptoms of gingivitis, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s inevitable. It’s important to note that occasionally there might be no noticeable pain or apparent signs, leaving people unaware that they have it. That’s another good reason to schedule regular checkups with your dental professional every six months so he or she can identify it and suggest treatment options.

Gingivitis Symptoms
Some symptoms of gingivitis include red, swollen, and bleeding gums. Chronic gingivitis can lead to periodontitis and chronic bad breath. If these symptoms persist, it's important to talk with your dental professional to determine the best treatment. In the meantime, learn what you can do to protect against gingivitis.

To read the entire article visit OralB.com.

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   
SiouxCityDentist.com

Dental Caries: How They Are Formed and What You Can Do to Prevent Them

Dental caries (cavities) are the most common form of oral disease known to man, and the process of getting caries is called tooth decay.
Tooth decay is the destruction of your tooth enamel -- the hard, outer layer of your teeth. This issue can affect children, teens and adults. Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, is constantly forming on your teeth. When you eat or drink foods or beverages containing sugars, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel. The stickiness of the plaque keeps these acids in contact with your teeth, and over time the enamel can break down, according to the American Dental Association (ADA).

The types of caries formed can be broken down into two major groups:

Pit and fissure caries. These are found most often on the chewing surfaces of the back (molar and premolar) teeth, and the back of the front (anterior) teeth. Your teeth are composed of several sections of enamel, and where these sections meet, pits and grooves can trap plaque, causing decay. The proper application of pit and fissure sealants, a hard plastic material applied to seal the grooves and pits when the teeth have erupted, can prevent this type of dental caries. The sealants also make it less likely that you will need restorations (fillings) on those surfaces of the teeth.

Smooth surface caries. These are found most often along the gumline or where two teeth touch (interproximal or the space between teeth), if plaque forms in those areas. With the proper use of dental floss, you can prevent most smooth surface caries in the interproximal area, and using a manual or power toothbrush along the gumline can prevent caries in that area as well.

To read the entire article written by Richard A Huot, DDS, please visit Colgate.com

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  

1855 Indian Hills Drive   

Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   

SiouxCityDentist.com

6 Habits That Harm Your Teeth (And How to Break Them): Chewing Ice Cubes

The habit: “Tooth enamel is a crystal. Ice is a crystal. When you push two crystals against each other, one will break,” Dr. Messina says. “Most of the time it’s the ice, but sometimes the tooth or a filling will break.”

The solution: Drink chilled beverages without ice, or use a straw so you're not tempted. “The risk of chewing ice is greater than any pleasure that comes from chewing it,” he says. “Besides, ice is really cold!”

To read the entire article please visit MouthHealthy.org

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   
SiouxCityDentist.com 

6 Habits That Harm Your Teeth (And How to Break Them): Nail Biting

The habit: This nervous habit can chip teeth and impact your jaw. “Placing your jaw for long periods of time in a protruding position can place pressure on it, which is associated with jaw dysfunction,” says Dr. Ruchi Sahota.

The solution: Bitter-tasting nail polishes, stress reduction and setting small, realistic goals can help. If certain situations are triggers, hold something to keep your fingers busy.

To read the entire article please visit MouthHealthy.org

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   
SiouxCityDentist.com 

Sports Safety: Avoiding Tooth and Mouth Injuries

A few years ago, a dental newsletter published what seemed like an unusual story. A boy snagged his teeth on a basketball net while doing a slam-dunk.
A freakish accident? Not quite. After the article appeared, nearly 40 dentists wrote in with their own stories. They all told of would-be Michael Jordans who sacrificed their front teeth in pursuit of the perfect dunk.
In older children and adults, sports injuries are common. Dentists estimate that between 13% and 39% of dental injuries occur while playing sports.
About 80% of all dental injuries affect at least one of the front teeth. Damage to the tongue or cheek is common, too.
Basic Protection
Even if a tooth has been knocked out, it often can be saved if you get to a dentist quickly enough. Minor chips and cracks can be repaired. Dentists use tooth-colored materials that are nearly as strong as the original tooth. However, even "minor" injuries can cause serious and costly damage. If you enjoy sports or other high-risk activities, protect yourself. The use of mouth guards among football players, for example, is believed to prevent about 200,000 mouth injuries a year.
Depending on the sport, two types of protection are available:

• Helmets- A helmet is a must for activities that involve speed or impact. These include football, hockey, skating and bike riding. The helmet should fit correctly. It should also be appropriate for the sport you are playing.
• Mouth guards - Wearing a mouth guard is one of the best ways to prevent injury to your teeth, tongue and lips. A custom-fit mouth guard from your dentist is recommended. This type of mouth guard usually fits better than a ready-made one (found in sporting-goods stores). That means it may protect your teeth better.

If a custom-fit mouth guard isn't an option, try a "boil-and-bite" mouth guard. You can buy one in a sporting-goods store. You place the mouth guard in boiling water. Once the plastic is soft (but not too hot), you bite down on the mouth guard and mold the softened plastic around your teeth. If the mouth guard doesn't fit comfortably the first time, you can reheat it and do it again.

©2002-2013 Aetna, Inc. All rights reserved.
09/25/2013

The above article is from: Colgate.com

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   
SiouxCityDentist.com

Antimicrobial Therapy for Gum Disease

Below is an article written by by Tracey Sandilands and found on Colgate.com 

Antimicrobial therapy is a form of oral treatment used to eliminate or reduce the development of bacterial infections in the mouth. The therapy aims to prevent periodontal diseaseresulting from infections, which can cause painful, bleeding gums and loosening of your teeth.

Preparation and Treatment
If your dentist decides you will benefit from antimicrobial treatment, they will likely start with scaling and root planing. This process removes plaque and calculus (tartar) from the sulcus area around the teeth using either a scaler or instruments as well as an ultrasonic scaling device. In severe cases where there are periodontal pockets greater than 5-6 mm deep, the dentist may recommend that the patient be seen by a periodontist to evaluate the area with deeper pocketing and determine if gum surgery may be necessary. The scaling and root planing and gum surgery treatments require local anesthesia to reduce the patient's discomfort. The dental hygienist performs the scaling and root planing procedure.

During gum surgery, the periodontist makes an incision into the gum tissue, flaps the tissue back and cleans and scales the surface of the affected teeth and bone to remove the diseased tissue and infection. The gum tissue is then put back in place and sutured and the gum tissue will heal, and the periodontist will check the area a week or so after surgery. The use of an antiseptic mouthwash or antibiotic medication may be recommended for the next seven to 10 days.

Antiseptic Mouthwashes
Mouthwashes containing antiseptic ingredients help control the reproduction of the bacteria, which grow on the gum tissue in the mouth, and help to clean out the pockets around the individual teeth. The ingredients in antiseptic mouthwashes may include chlorhexidine, essential oils, and metal salts Sn11 and Zn11 to help control dental plaque and halitosis.

To read the entire article visit Colgate.com

The remainder of the article details the following:

• Antibiotic Medications
• After Treatment

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   
SiouxCityDentist.com 

Kids' Healthy Teeth During the Holidays

Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by Elizabeth SanFilippo

Chances are good that visions of cookies, desserts and candy canes may be dancing in your children's heads this holiday season. While you will do what you can to limit their intake of these sugary treats, your kids will probably be eating their fair share of sugar at your family holiday parties. Despite their consumption of sugar, there are ways to keep your kids' healthy teeth and gums in shape and to minimize damage to their dental health.

Why Is Sugar Bad for Dental Health?
Whether your kids are eating chocolate cake, sugar cookies or peppermint candy, they are ingesting sugar. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth feed on this sugar, and the byproduct is acid. This acid can eat away at tooth enamel, which can lead to tooth decay and cavities. The more time teeth spend exposed to sugar, the higher the risk that your children will face dental health problems. Hard candies, and sticky candies such as taffy and caramel, can be worse for teeth than other treats such as cake and cookies.

Brush after Eating a Sugary Treat
In general, the ADA recommends that everyone brush their teeth and gums at least twice a day for at least two minutes each time. Flossing should also be done at least once a day. During the holidays, encourage your kids to brush and floss even more than this, particularly right after they finish dessert. If a toothbrush is not handy, the next best thing to do is rinse. Encourage your kids to rinse their mouths with water - not soda or even sparkling grape juice ó which will help wash away sugar, acids and any other food that may be stuck to their teeth.

To read the entire article visit Colgate.com.

The remainder of the article details the following:

• Limit Sugar Time
• Make Dessert a Part of the Meal
• Make Toothbrushing Fun
• Schedule a Dentist Visit

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   
SiouxCityDentist.com 

Healthy gums could lead to a healthy heart

The association between gum diseases and heart disease is not a secret anymore. It has always raised a question in my mind if maintaining good oral health can help me achieve good overall health. Well, the answer is “yes.” Maintaining good oral health can save us from spending thousands of dollars on preventing heart diseases. We can say that proper brushing and flossing can help us maintain a healthy heart. According to the American Academy of Periodontolgy, people with gum diseases are twice as likely to develop coronary artery disease, one of the leading causes of heart attacks.

Atherosclerosis also known as “hardening of arterial wall” is one of the major etiological factors of heart disease. This occurs due to deposition of plaque (formed by accumulation of fat and other blood substances on the arterial wall). This can eventually clog the artery leading to complete blockage of coronary arteries precipitating into stroke.

To read the entire article written by Swati Yadav, please visit ASDABlog.com


Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   
SiouxCityDentist.com 

Like Parent, Like Child: Good Oral Health Starts at Home

Parents are a child's first teacher in life and play a significant role in maintaining his or her overall health. Providing oral health education to mothers and families is essential to teaching children healthy habits and preventing early childhood tooth decay, according to an article published in the May/June 2010 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

With all of the challenges that new parents face, they may not think much about the link between their child's oral health and overall health. In fact, an understanding of oral hygiene can help parents to prevent tooth decayóthe single most common chronic childhood disease in Americaóand to create a lifetime of healthy habits for their child.

"Ideally, the oral health education for any family will begin with prenatal education and the establishment of a dental home by the time the child is 12 to 18 months of age," says Tegwyn Brickhouse, DDS, author of the study. "Many people don't realize that the oral health of the mother affects both the infant's future oral health and the child's overall health. In fact, some studies show that periodontal disease has been linked to preterm labor. That's why pregnant women should be evaluated for cavities, poor oral hygiene, gingivitis, loose teeth and diet."

After the child is born, families should become familiar with their child's dental and oral health milestones, which will be determined by discussion with the family dentist or a pediatric dentist. Children should have their first dental visit at age 1 or within six months of the eruption of their first tooth. A dentist will be able to discuss when parents can expect to see a child's first tooth and the best technique for brushing his or her new teeth.

Diet is another factor that affects a child's oral health. Frequent and long-term exposure to liquids that contain sugars commonly results in tooth decay. In addition to eliminating sugary drinks altogether from a child's diet, parents can adopt other habits to prevent tooth decay due to beverage consumption.

"Parents should avoid giving their children milk, formula, juice or soda at naptime or nighttime," says Bruce DeGinder, DDS, MAGD, spokesperson for the AGD. "The sugars will linger on their teeth and gums for a prolonged period of time, promoting decay."

Parents are responsible for their child's oral hygiene practices and are advised to meet with a general dentist to determine the best way to establish and maintain their child's oral health. A general dentist also can provide families with oral health literature that is designed to educate both the parent and child. This education has multiple benefits; as Dr. Brickhouse notes, "Healthy teeth in early childhood can provide a positive self-image and improve the child's quality of life."

To read the entire article please visit KnowYourTeeth.com

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  

1855 Indian Hills Drive   

Sioux City, IA 51104   

(712) 239-5900   

SiouxCityDentist.com 

How to Brush Your Teeth Properly: A Quick Guide

Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by AM Hopkins

Everyone knows that brushing their teeth plays a major role in their overall health, but they may not be aware of the correct way to brush their teeth. The American Dental Association recommends that you brush your teeth at least twice each day; here is a quick guide to ensure you know how to do it properly.

Purchase the right toothbrush. Before you even begin the process of brushing your teeth, it's important that you have the right toothbrush. The type of toothbrush you select depends on your specific needs. If you need a toothbrush mostly for removing plaque, a soft-bristled brush is best. On the other hand, if you are concerned about reaching hard-to-reach spaces, you should consider a toothbrush with a smaller head. in the Colgate Oral Care resources.

Take your time. You should spend at least two minutes brushing your teeth. This may seem like a long time - the average person usually falls short of this goal - but it is necessary ensure that your teeth are clean. If you're worried about reaching this goal, consider investing in a toothbrush that has an automatic timer or use a stopwatch.

Be thorough. Tilt your toothbrush to a 45 degree angle and ensure that you are cleaning both the outer and inner surfaces of your upper and lower teeth. It is equally important to clean the chewing surfaces of your teeth, as well.

Be gentle. When brushing your teeth, it's important to use short, precise strokes. This ensures that you don't cause any trauma to your mouth and that you reach the specific areas you are trying to target. You should brush the entire surface of the tooth in a gentle back and forth motion.

Don't forget your tongue. Brushing your tongue is an essential part of maintaining proper oral care. Many people often overlook this step, but it is important to both your overall oral hygiene and the freshness of your breath.

To read the entire article visit Colgate.com.

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900   
SiouxCityDentist.com 

Periodontal Screening

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about Periodontal Screening!

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104    
(712) 239-5900  
SiouxCityDentist.com 

What 10 Common Mouth Issues Really Look Like (Part 3 of 3)

You know good dental habits can help prevent things like cavities and gingivitis, but you may not know what conditions like these really look like or how they can affect your mouth. Use this visual guide to learn more about some of the most common dental health issues, symptoms to watch for and the potential treatments that are available. Please note: This content is for informational purposes only. Only a dentist, physician or other qualified health care professional can make a diagnosis.

Darkened Tooth

There are two reasons your tooth may change color after trauma: It’s either trying to protect the nerve or it’s dying. If it’s protecting the nerve, your tooth may look a little darker than the ones next to it. If it changes colors like a bruise (from pink to gray), this means your tooth is most likely dead. You may need a root canal, usually followed by a crown. In some cases it may be necessary to remove the tooth. If it is a baby tooth, you may be able to leave it alone until it falls out.

Canker Sores

Canker sores are small white or gray sores with a red border that appear your lips, the back of your throat or under your tongue. Their exact cause is uncertain but some suggest that immune system problems, bacteria or viruses may be play a role. They are also more common in women.


Canker sores aren’t contagious and usually heal on their own after one or two weeks. Over-the-counter creams and mouthwashes may give you temporary relief. Until it heals, stay away from hot, spicy or acidic foods because these can irritate the sore.


Cancer

Each year, approximately 40,000 new cases of oral cancer and cancers of the throat, tonsils and back of the tongue are diagnosed. Tobacco use, alcohol abuse and HPV all increase your chance of developing these cancers. Men are twice more likely to get oral cancer than women. During regular checkups, your dentist will check your mouth for symptoms like red or white patches, sores that won’t heal and rough, crusty spots. If anything suspicious is found, your dentist will order more testing or refer you to a specialist. The image above is only one example of how oral cancer might appear.

To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.

Ivan K. Salmons, DDS  
1855 Indian Hills Drive   
Sioux City, IA 51104   
(712) 239-5900  
SiouxCityDentist.com