Acid reflux – Your Dentist May Notice Before You Do

Most people know that painful burning sensation radiating from inside the chest – heartburn. Persistent symptoms, more than twice weekly, may be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. But not everyone with GERD has the symptoms of heartburn. In fact, you may have GERD and not even know it.

How can your dentist tell?

GERD, commonly called acid reflux, is caused when the esophageal sphincter, which separates the stomach from the esophagus, allows acid to seep out of the stomach. Many times this acid causes heartburn, but not always. In the absence of heartburn symptoms, the first indication that a person may have GERD is the erosion of the enamel on the molars or on the backside of teeth.
"Stomach acid can eat away at the enamel on your teeth," says Dr. Ken Sutherland, DDS, a Delta Dental senior dentist consultant. "Your dentist may be the first to notice symptoms of the disease when he or she detects enamel loss." If detected, your dentist may refer you to a specialist, who may prescribe treatment or recommend lifestyle changes specifically for the treatment of GERD, such as avoiding acidic foods.

What can you do?

Loss of enamel is permanent, and if left unchecked, may lead to the rapid decay of affected teeth. In addition to loss of enamel, GERD can do other long-term damage to your body, such as irritation and inflammation of your esophagus, which may even lead to esophageal cancer.
That's why getting a regular oral exam from a dentist is so important—your dentist may find early symptoms of a potentially serious problem before it progresses. In fact, more than 90 percent of systemic diseases have oral manifestations that may be detected during an oral exam by a dentist.


Please visit us at www.klfamilydental.com or call 630-653-0020 and make your appointment today!

Foods That are Good for Your Teeth

           Here are a few teeth-friendly foods that help improve your smile!

 

•  Milk and Yogurt: In a study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, it was found that drinking a glass of milk AFTER eating sweets lower the levels of acid in the mouth more than drinking water did. Milk neutralizes the acid produced by plaque bacteria. Also, the high calcium content strengthens teeth and makes enamel healthier and whiter.

• Fiber-rich foods: Chewing crunchy foods may disturb plaque and serve as a cleaning mechanism. Eating foods such as apples and cucumbers keep plaque from settling on your teeth and helps clear bacteria away.
  
• Green and Black Teas: Both contain polyphenols that interact with plaque bacteria. These substances either kill or suppress bacteria, preventing them from growing or producing tooth-attacking acid. Polyphenols in tea also help fight bad breath. They suppress the genes of bacteria that control the production of smelly compounds in the mouth. Depending on the type of water you use to brew your tea, a cup of tea can also be a source of fluoride.
  
• Though they may be red, strawberries actually contain malic acid, a natural astringent that helps remove surface stains and discoloration.
  
• Sugarless gum: Chew gum after eating. Chewing boosts saliva secretion, clearing away bacteria. Just make sure it's sugarless!
  
• Water: Not only is water the best drink out there for you, it also washes away pigmented food and reduces the acidity in your mouth. It is recommended to drink a sip of water after each time you consume dark colored food and drinks.

The Connection Between Dental and Heart Health

Many dental practitioners stand by the belief that the mouth is a reflection of a patient’s overall health, including harmful habits and nutritional status. But does the condition of one’s mouth have an effect on other parts of the body?

Does Dental Health Reflect Overall Health?

Many dentists and hygienists stress the importance of dental health and how it is crucial to maintain an overall healthy state. There are patients who suffer from diabetes, immune disorders, and have a history of heart conditions.
In cases such as these, taking good care of the teeth and gums can possibly prevent further damage elsewhere.
There have been extensive studies aimed at finding the connection between dental and heart health. These studies are currently inconclusive, however many have shown that people with dental problems are either already battling heart conditions, or are well on their way.

Our Mouths Are Dirty

The mouth carries a lot of different bacteria, many of which could be very harmful. The bacteria formed in the mouth could potentially enter the blood stream via the gums, causing blood cells to swell, thereby leaving the body susceptible to clogged arteries.
Periodontal diseases such as gingivitis may have a hand in arteriosclerosis, which is the hardening of arteries.
Interestingly, the process is similar to the formation of plaque, where a hard film clogs the gums, causing inflammation. Even the bacteria are similar.

What Can You Do?

A dental practitioner should take the time to educate his or her patients about the importance of not only keeping a healthy mouth, but also in keeping a healthy cardiovascular system. He or she should inform every patient that gum disease could potentially lead to more serious and complicated issues down the road, and not just in the mouth.
Not only should patients regularly brush, floss, and have regular visits to the dentist, but they should also take care to eat nutritious foods, exercise, and concentrate on achieving physical fitness.
This also goes for smoking and other habits that help run the risk of heart conditions. Patients would also do well to inform their medical doctor of any gum disease so that they can monitor the health of that patient’s heart.

See Your Dentist  Doctor Regularly

Heart conditions can be devastating to deal with, but they can sometimes also be prevented. Regular dental checkups involving scaling (scraping plaque and tartar off the teeth) can keep gum disease at bay and possibly even preventing a heart attack further down the road.
A nice smile is a good thing to have, but overall good health and a healthy heart are much more important. Keeping a vigilant and effective dental regime can achieve both.

(This article found here.)

Introducing Total Facial Esthetic Services for Our Patients: Part Two

A few questions for you:

1. Do you wish you didn’t have those expressive wrinkles around your mouth, eyes and forehead?
2. Do you have tension headaches and or pain in your jaw from grinding during the day when you can’t wear your night guard appliance?
3. Do you wish you didn’t have that big gummy smile or wrinkles around your lips when you pucker?

We can now safely and effectively treat these concerns with Botox. Treatments can last up to 4-6 months.

A few more:

1. Do you wish you didn’t have those sagging corners or smile lines (“parentheses”) around your mouth?
2. Do you wish you could have fuller lips that look incredibly natural?
3. How about those open black triangles at your gum line where age has caused loss of gum tissue and food gets stuck there every time you eat? It’s embarrassing when you’re at a restaurant and have to excuse yourself after lunch or dinner to go floss in the bathroom!

We can now safely and effectively treat these conditions with dermal fillers (Juvederm). Treatments can last up to 9-12 months.

These procedures are safe, fast, easy, and virtually painless. They’re both curative and preventative when properly administered by a well-trained dentist. We can even combine these appointments with your dental cleanings and/or treatment!

We joined the American Academy of Facial Esthetics so we could continue to learn the latest techniques that best serve your ongoing and changing needs. We will continue to attend courses that provide us with higher levels of training so we can offer you the latest and most advanced procedures --- procedures that will address the bags under your eyes, “jowls”, sagging eyebrows, and more.

Please visit us today at our website to learn more, or call us at (630) 653-7700 to schedule a complimentary consultation!

Sincerely,
Dr. Lora Riccolo & Dr. Karyn Krueger-Swade

Introducing: Total Facial Esthetic Services for Our Patients!

Our never-ending thirst for knowledge and the ability to offer our patients the best possible range of treatments continues here at KL Family Dental, LLC. From the day we entered dental school 24 years ago, we learned two things in great depth:

First, how to gently use a needle to administer local anesthetic. Who knows this better than your own dentist, who performs these procedures dozens of times every week?

Second, we did a year-long, in-depth dissection and study of facial muscles, nerves, and arteries. We quickly became conversant in muscle names like frontalis, temporalis, masseter and levator labii superioris alaque nasi. (Wow, try saying that three times fast!) What we were studying and learning intimately were muscles: the ones that lifted our brows, that caused our jaw to move, and that gave our lips the ability to rise as we smiled.

Now, in our never-ending efforts to widen our services, keep up with technological changes, and perform particular procedures as well (if not better!) than any other health care provider, we at KL Family Dental, LLC  are offering therapeutic and cosmetic uses of Botox and dermal fillers.

As you’re reading this, you may wonder if we’re still focusing on being the best possible general  healthcare provider that we can be for our patients. The answer is a 100% resounding yes! We have invested considerable time and expense to offer these services at a world-class level. We’ve become members of the American Academy of Facial Esthetics and continue to study and deepen our skill set to provide these services in the best way possible.

A couple questions:

1. Who knows and understands better how a properly balanced and healthy smile should look? For instance, where does a smile end…with the teeth? With the lips? With the “smile lines” around the mouth? With the way your smile lines around your eyes look when you smile?
2. Who knows better how to offer total facial esthetics?

The answer: the same person who studied proper injection techniques as well as the  mechanisms and actions of all the facial muscles…your dentist!

What you’re witnessing now is one of the fastest-growing trends in dentistry and medicine. What we’re offering are world-class facial esthetic and therapeutic injectable services.

It makes perfect sense when you stop and think about it…if you had a crystal ball and could gaze 5 years into the future, you would realize that KL Family Dental, LLC was just way ahead of the pack.

Isn’t that the type of person you would want as your dental health care provider? One who is constantly looking to further their skill set and depth of knowledge and procedures? At KL Family Dental, LLC we’re thrilled to be able to offer these services on a daily basis in the best and most thoroughly mapped-out way.

Stay tuned for more information about specific esthetic services we'll be offering!
Dr. Lora Riccolo & Dr. Karyn Swade