Ask a dentist - Dr. Stephen Perry. My gums hurts! Tell me how to stop pain? Quickly see a dentist. Pain in your gums, particularly in the presence of bleeding is a serious symptom. Many people ignore it too long and end up with systemic blood vessel lining inflammation. Bacteria have overcome your local immune system in the gums and saliva and now can gain access through wounds to seed themselves within your body. Serious consequences have been identified. Treating it requires wound management. How do u stop gum pain and swelling? You need help. Gum pain and swelling is a serious symptom, particularly if bleeding is present. Bacteria have created infection that leads to open wounds that if you had them on your hand, you would be very concerned. In the mouth they are hidden from view. You just feel pain and see bleeding. You are at risk for transient … [Read more...]
Oral Bacteria From Periodontal Disease Can Contribute Towards Hip or Knee Prosthesis Failure
A new Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine study suggests the possibility that oral bacteria from periodontal disease can contribute towards hip or knee prosthesis failure. These same bacteria may also be a factor in arthritis. In a recent university news release, Dr. Nabil Bissada of the department of Periodontics, noted that “For a long time, we’ve suspected these bacteria were causing problems in arthritis patients, but never had the scientific evidence to support it.” The study looked for oral bacterial in the synovial fluid of patients with arthritis, periodontal disease and failed prosthetic joints. The investigators found a correlation between the failed knee and hip joints and the presence of oral bacteria in these failed joints. The authors suggest that patients with arthritis or failed prosthetic joints be examined for the presence of periodontal … [Read more...]
Ask Your Hygienist – Pregnancy and Prevention
What to Expect at Your Dental Visit When You’re Expecting Pregnancy is not an isolated bodily experience, as any pregnant woman can attest to. From morning sickness to mood swings to leg cramps, pregnancy affects your body as a whole and your teeth and gums are no exception. Questions like “In what trimester should I have dental work done?” and “Is it safe to get my teeth cleaned while I’m pregnant?” may not be crossing your mind as you pray for the constant waves of nausea to pass. Rest assured, giving your mouth the attention it needs during these 9 months will be worth it, not only for you but for that beautiful bundle of joy as well. 1st Trimester This can be the trickiest time in pregnancy to have dental work done. Due to the massive amounts of hormones coursing through their bodies, most women are dealing with morning sickness, not to mention food and smell aversions. Another … [Read more...]
Ask a Dentist – Dental Bridge, Filling, Excess Saliva and Tooth Abscess
Dr. Howell answers this round in our "Ask a Dentist" blog. Increase your dental IQ and improve your dental health by staying up to date on health information from a trusted dentist. You can read more about Dr. Howell at Longmont Dental Health. What is the definition or description of: Dental filling? A filling is a dental material to replace a portion of the tooth lost due to fracture or decay. It can be composite (white), silver or gold. Does it hurt when using a dental ultrasonic scaler? Normally no. An ultrasonic scaler is normally not painful to use. If the gums are inflamed or covered with calculus it may be painful to use but hand scaling would also be uncomfortable. What is the definition or description of: Dental bridge? Replaces teeth. A dental bridge is a dental appliance to replace a missing or lost permanent tooth. Normally it is attached to adjacent … [Read more...]
Increase your Dental IQ with Dr. Bruce Howell – Longmont Dental Health
At Dental Health Colorado, we believe that increasing your dental IQ can increase your chances of maintaining good oral health. In order to accomplish this goal, oral health education should take place both inside and outside of our dental office, especially because access to dental care is declining in Colorado. Feel free to ask one of our Dental Health Colorado dentists an oral health question and they will get back to you as soon as they are able. Currently, we have two dentists, Dr. Bruce Howell of Longmont, CO and Dr. Stephen Perry of Boulder, CO signed up to answer your dental IQ questions. Dr. Bruce Howell of Longmont Dental Health has answered a number of oral health questions that are detailed below. Currently, Dr. Howell has been recognized for 70 awards for his responsiveness, reliability and peer recognition. You can learn more about oral health and ask your own … [Read more...]
Mommy & Me Raw Foods Lunches Class
In 2012, we accomplished a critical step on the road to deliver healthier food to our nation’s school children when the U.S. Department of Agriculture released new rules that will boost the nutritional quality of the meals eaten by school children every day. The rules represent the first major revision of school meal standards in more than 15 years and make sure our kids' lunches and breakfasts will have more whole grains, vegetables and fruits, and less fat and sodium in conjunction with sensible calorie limits based on the age of children being served. Based on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, the new school meals include these changes: More whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk dairy products and less sodium and fat. The right portion. Menus are planned for grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 and will demonstrate to your child the right size … [Read more...]
Keeping Patients Relaxed in the Dental Chair
Did you know that between 5% and 8% of Americans avoid dentists out of fear, according to Peter Milgrom, DDS, Director of the Dental Fears Research Clinic at the University of Washington in Seattle and author of Treating Fearful Dental Patients. A higher percentage, perhaps 20%, experiences enough anxiety that they will go to the dentist only when absolutely necessary. With offices in Longmont, Boulder, Westminster and Denver, there are many options for comfortable dentistry. You can visit our dental contact page for our locations. Your Dental Health is Very Important We at Dental Health Colorado know that your trip to the dentist is incredibly important. You may know how essential regular dental visits are for keeping your teeth and gums in good shape. But what you might not know is that there is a strong relationship between your oral health and your overall health. Taking … [Read more...]
Raw Foods Heart Healthy “Cooking” Class
Both of my parents suffer from heart disease so February’s Heart Healthy class meant something really special to me. I choose the recipes carefully, with my parents in mind. I asked my self what would they want to eat and what could they make that was easy enough and tasty enough to integrate easily into their diet. Many times people think healthy food can’t possibly taste good. Some even refer to it as rabbit food. They think that you can't possibly have all of the health benefits of eating raw and have tasty food at the same time. I am here to show you how to have both flavor and health! I teach these classes out of our Coda Health Kitchen, sponsored by and located in Dental Health Colorado, to educate people on how delicious and easy eating healthy really is. Our dentists have made it a point to support preventive oral health through healthy food alternatives and supporting these … [Read more...]
Improve Bad Breath with food!
Dental hygiene depends a lot on what we eat (which makes sense, since it goes through the mouth). Coda Health Kitchen and Dental Health Colorado want you to use food as your treatment for bad breath! Please read below for tips and tricks and ingredients that you can incorporate into your diet to get you on the better breath bandwagon. First, here's the problem, halitosis is usually caused by bacteria that live in your mouth that put off waste products called volatile sulfur compounds. When you (or your partner) smell your breath, you are smelling the by-product of hundreds or thousands of VSCs on your tongue produced as bacterial waste. You can tell by looking at your tongue; if it is covered by a thin white substance, bacteria has begun to flourish and you will need to do something about that. We offer tongue scrapers at Coda Health Kitchen to maintain this film as part of an oral … [Read more...]
Post-Surgery Soft Food Recipes
Coda Health Kitchen is the first and only kitchen on-site at medical facilities to support, inspire and educate clients towards better health. Our nutritionists provide on-site clinical counseling, support, programs, products and patient education in order for patients to develop overall systemic health. We know how important food is! Coda Health Kitchen has put this list of soft food recipes together to help you cope with the difficulty of selecting and preparing food after an oral-surgery. After your surgical procedure it is important to eat nutrient-dense foods to aid in the healing process and help keep your energy levels high. Any fruits or vegetables that are soft and can be mashed are good choices. We have listed some additional nutritious meal ideas that are soft and delicious. We recommend buying the ingredients and preparing these delicious, easy to eat meal ideas … [Read more...]