April 16th, 2012
Misinformation abounds when it comes to dental care. Many dental myths have gained a foothold among the general public, leading to confusion about basic general dentistry facts. For your benefit, we have debunked five of the most common dental myths below:
- Tooth decay in baby teeth doesn’t matter – Many people assume that tooth decay is not a significant problem in primary teeth since they will eventually fall out. This is unfortunately false: tooth decay in baby teeth can damage the developing teeth below. Additionally, if a baby tooth falls out too early due to decay, the permanent tooth below may grow in crooked or out of position.
- Poor oral hygiene only affects your mouth – Studies show that gum disease can aggravate chronic inflammatory conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Treating your periodontal disease can help manage these other conditions.
- More sugar causes more tooth decay – The amount of sugar you eat doesn’t matter as much as how long your teeth are exposed to the sugar. When soda and slowly-dissolving candy are in contact with your teeth for a long period of time, oral bacteria can form aggressive acids that heighten your risk of tooth decay.
- Brushing hard is better – If you brush your teeth too hard for too long, you may cause the enamel on your teeth’s surface to wear down, leading to increased tooth sensitivity and other dental problems later in life.
- Toothpicks can cause gaps between your teeth – Toothpicks do not affect the spacing of your teeth. However, gum disease is often a contributing factor to gaps between teeth.
If you are searching for a general dentist you can trust in the Springfield, Massachusetts area, please contact us today to schedule an initial consultation with our experienced Springfield dentistry team. Baystate Dental serves patients in our offices conveniently located throughout Hampden and Hampshire Counties.
Posted in General Dentistry | Comments Off
April 13th, 2012
Even though it will take about three years for your child’s baby teeth to all appear (10 upper teeth and 10 lower teeth), our Springfield dentistry team recommends introducing your child to the dentist as soon as possible. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry encourages parents to seek out a pediatric dentist as soon as their child’s first tooth appears. This usually happens between 6 and 12 months of age.
Why so early? Well, dental problems with your child’s teeth can begin very early. Nursing bottle syndrome is a common problem for an infant’s developing teeth. If you put your child to sleep with a bottle of milk, juice, or formula, the liquid can pool around their tooth/teeth and create acids that eat away at the enamel. Tooth decay is possible even at this stage.
Introducing your child to a dentist as soon as possible helps establish a thorough prevention program that will protect your child’s teeth both now and into the future. The earlier you make their first appointment, the better chance you will have of preventing future dental problems and effectively addressing current problems.
If you are ready to set up your child’s first dental visit, please contact our experienced dentists today to schedule an initial consultation. We look forward to meeting your child and giving them a positive first impression of going to the dentist.
Posted in Pediatric Dentistry | Comments Off
April 13th, 2012
Early Intervention or Phase 1 Orthodontics
Parents often ask me, “When is the best time to start orthondontics for my child?” Well, let’s just establish some general guidelines:
* Around age 6, the permanent incisors and 1st molars start erupting.
* By age 7, these upper and lower permanent teeth normally should be touching each other when a child bites down.
* Between ages 7 and 8, the need for early intervention usually starts to be obvious.
Some cases that early intervention is highly recommended are:
- openbite-deep bite (too much overbite-vertically)
- reverse/underbite (lower jaw is larger than the upper jaw)
- “gummy” smile
- crossbite (any lower tooth overlapping an upper tooth)
- severe crowding
- severe overjet (upper jaw is much larger than the lower)
- tongue thrust (which can cause openbite and increased overjet)
- thumb sucking (which can cause openbite, crowding & cross bite)
Parents sometimes ask me, “Why start now? Why not wait until all of the baby teeth fall out?”
In many cases, orthodontics is started after the baby teeth fall out. However, for the previously mentioned problems, waiting until all the primary teeth have fallen out (approximately 12 yrs old) will almost certainly make treatment more difficult. Early treatment, also known as Phase 1 treatment, can help reduce Phase 2 treatment time, reduce the likelihood of permanent teeth extraction, reduce the likelihood of jaw surgery to correct bite, and increase the stability of the treatment result. Early intervention can also boost the self image of a child who is selfconscious of the appearance of his/her teeth.
After we have done a thorough analysis of your child’s malocclusion, we will talk with you and recommend the best possible appliance(s) to begin correcting the problem(s). These appliances for the most part are intraoral (inside the mouth), like a space maintainer, a palatal expander, etc. We also provide extraoral (outside the mouth) appliances, like headgear, to correct underbite or overjet.
If you think your child might be a candidate for Early Intervention, or if you’d like to speak with one of our dentists about your child, please contact us now and schedule an orthodontic consultation. We have offices conveniently located throughout Hampden and Hampshire Counties in towns like Wilbraham, Longmeadow, Chicopee, Belchertown and Springfield.
By; Dr. Obioma Okafor, DMD
Posted in Braces, Invisalign, Pediatric Dentistry | Comments Off
April 9th, 2012
Even though they aren’t visible yet, all of your child’s baby teeth already exist in their jawbone once they are born. To make sure these teeth emerge and develop properly, it is important to provide your baby with pacifiers that encourage natural swallowing and tongue habits. Our Springfield pediatric dentistry team recommends the NUK brand of pacifiers and nipples to stimulate these habits.
Although pacifiers are a great help for young babies, you should wean your child off the habit before the age of three. Using a pacifier past the age of three can cause dental malformations. The most common type of malformation is an open gap between the front teeth, or an overbite where the upper teeth protrude.
If you are bottle feeding your child, you should also ensure that their lip, tongue, and cheek positions are correct. This helps prepare their upper and lower jaw for the emergence of their first teeth. The lower front teeth are usually the first to break through a baby’s gums. This can happen as early as six months after your child is born. All of your child’s baby teeth should be visible by the time they are three.
If you have further questions about pediatric dental care, please contact us today to schedule an initial consultation with our experienced dentists at Baystate Dental. We serve patients throughout Western Massachusetts.
Posted in Pediatric Dentistry | Comments Off
April 5th, 2012
Protecting your child’s teeth begins before they are even born. Baby teeth start forming between the third and the sixth month of your pregnancy, which means pregnant mothers should pay close attention to their own diet and oral hygiene at this time. If you have periodontal disease, bone loss, or pyorrhea, your baby’s birth weight may be lower, and any bacteria from gum disease can have a negative effect on your child’s development.
Once your child is born, all 20 of their primary teeth will be present in their jawbone, even though they are not yet visible. After feeding, we recommend wiping your baby’s gums with a damp face cloth or gauze pad to preserve their oral health. When bottle feeding your baby, it is important to ensure that his or her tongue, cheek, and lip positions are correct, as this helps the upper and lower jaw prepare for the emergence of the first teeth.
Tooth decay can occur as soon as your child’s teeth appear. Nursing bottle syndrome is a common problem that occurs when infants are allowed to drink from their bottle at night or during naps. If milk, sugar water, fruit juices, or formula juices are allowed to pool around your child’s teeth for too long, their teeth will become bathed in acid, which can burn holes in the new enamel. Plain water is recommended if you must use a bottle to put your child to sleep.
When your child is between one and three years old, we recommend introducing them to our experienced Springfield pediatric dentistry team at Baystate Dental. Establishing good oral hygiene habits now will help protect your child’s teeth for many years to come.
If you are ready to set up your child’s first dental visit, please contact us today to schedule an initial visit. We can help you prepare your child for a fun and positive first experience with dentistry.
Posted in Pediatric Dentistry | Comments Off
April 4th, 2012
Last week’s Women’s Night of Comedy was a huge success! The comedienne’s were hilarious and the event raised a lot of money for some great charities. Thank you so much to everyone who attended and who came by the Baystate Dental table. The lucky winners of our giftbaskets filled with whitening products and a professional Vitality electric toothbrush were Kathy L., Carol Ann L., and Shelly L. (Apparently there was an abundance of women whose last names started with L at the event.) Congratulations to the winners! Thanks again to everyone who came; we hope to see you next year!
And this Saturday, April 7th, Baystate Dental is the platinum sponsor of the 2nd annual Cold Spring Swift River PTO’s Family Fun 5k Walk/Run in Belchertown. This year’s race is being held in honor or Marilyn Higgins. The race starts at 10am but get there early to visit the Baystate Dental tent. We’ll be there as part of the Health and Safety Vendor Fair with our prize wheel, raffle, and other fun and informative things. The Health Fair is from 8:30-12. Whether you’re walking, running or spectating, please stop by and say hi!
SEE YOU SATURDAY!
Posted in Baystate Dental | Comments Off
April 2nd, 2012
If you want to keep your teeth and mouth healthy for life, choosing the right general dentist is important. The dentist who is closest to you may not be the most qualified or the best match for your specific needs. Choosing a dentist who has a personality that is compatible with yours is also key to ensuring you have a positive experience each time you visit.
When researching the background of a general dentist, be sure they have graduated from dental school and use either DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) or DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) after their name. If the dentist has a website, take a look at their technology page to get a better idea of how up-to-date their tools are. A state-of-the-art dentist should have dental lasers (instead of scalpels), a digital camera, early cavity detection devices, digital X-rays, Air Abrasion, and other current tools. If sedation dentistry is important to you, check to see which options the dentist provides.
If you are searching for a general dentist in the Springfield, MA area, we encourage you to schedule an initial consultation today to see what makes our experienced general dentistry team at Baystate Dental stand out. We serve patients in our offices conveniently located throughout Hampden and Hampshire Counties.
Posted in General Denistry | Comments Off
March 30th, 2012
Children are very active, being involved in sports, running around outside, and even as babies curious about everything as they develop their motor skills and coordination. Due to all the activity, facial trauma is a common injury that happens to children. Studies show that the most common injuries to teeth are caused by falling, violence, sports & traffic accidents.
When a dentist sees a child that has traumatized a tooth, he/she will first try to determine the history of the injury and what type of damage was done to the tooth. X-rays may also be taken in order to properly diagnose the tooth and its surrounding tissue & bone. With traumatized teeth, patients are generally given several follow-up visits to assess the tooth. One type of common tooth trauma is avulsion.
Avulsion is when the whole tooth comes out of the socket. When a dentist sees this type of trauma, he/she will try to save the tooth if it is a permanent tooth by replanting and splinting it for several weeks, if no contraindications are present. Avulsed baby or primary teeth are generally not replanted due to possible damage to the developing permanent tooth underneath it.
But what can you do to ensure the best prognosis for an avulsed tooth?
Prognosis is mainly dependent on two things: How long has the tooth been out of the socket? And how developed is the tooth? It usually has the best prognosis if a tooth can be replanted within 5 minutes of coming out, granted the child’s tetanus shots are up to date. If a tooth cannot be immediately replanted, the second best option is to place it in a solution called Hank’s Balance Salt Solution or in cold milk. Water can work, but is not as effective as the other two. If a tooth has been outside of the mouth for more than 1 hour, the chances of the replantation being successful are very low. If the tooth is dirty, rinse it quickly with water but do not brush the tooth! Brushing may remove the cells that are needed for a successful replant.
So if you or your child’s tooth ever becomes avulsed, try and replant the tooth immediately and go see your dentist; If you can’t replant it, place the tooth in a solution like Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution or cold milk and see your dentist as soon as possible. We at Baystate Dental encourage the use of protective gear like mouthguards to reduce the risk of injury to teeth. Custom-fitted athletic guards will fit your mouth a lot better and provide more protection compared to the boil-and-bite ones bought at stores. Contact us to learn more about the types of custom athletic guards offered here at Baystate Dental.
And if you ever have a dental emergency, contact Baystate Dental because we have weekend and evening hours and have a doctor on call 24/7…
By: Dr. William Sung, DMD
Posted in Baystate Dental, Pediatric Dentistry | Comments Off
March 28th, 2012
Baystate Dental is thrilled to be a sponsor of the 19th annual Women Business Owners Alliance, Women’s Night of Comedy! As a locally-owned business ourselves, we understand the importance of supporting and promoting local businesses, especially in this day and age.
The Women’s Night of Comedy will be held tomorrow, Thursday, March 29th, at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, MA. The event is benefitting three other local non-profits: Safe Passage, Ricks’s Place, and Dress for Success. Headlining the evening will be comedienne Patty Ross, who will be supported by fellow comediennes Linda Belt, Jessie Baade, and Michelle Mortenson.
For more information on the event or any of the organizations mentioned, visit www.wboa.org. Baystate Dental hopes to see you there!
Posted in Baystate Dental | Comments Off
March 22nd, 2012
Gum disease, or periodontal disease, affects nearly 30 percent of the adult population in the US. It is also the leading cause of tooth loss. It begins with bacteria growing in your mouth, and damaging teeth, gums, and jawbone if it is not taken care of. Bacteria feed on plaque, which attaches itself to your teeth when you eat or drink. So, plaque breeds bacteria, which may cause tooth loss due to gum disease, which then leads to the need for dental implants.
Before you can get dental implants, your gum disease must be treated. Once this is under control, the implant dentists at Baystate Dental PC will fill the gaps in your smile and bite. However, just because you have been treated for gum disease and received dental implants, this does not mean you can simply go back to your previous dental habits. Gum disease is chronic, and plaque is part of eating. Neither will go away, and both can affect your dental implants.
You must continue to brush and floss, and visit us for your biannual cleaning, or possibly every three months for patients who have had very serious periodontal disease. Gum tissue can still pull away from your implant causing it to fail if your gum disease becomes serious. Plaque will still affect the crown used as a tooth replacement.
If you would like to learn more about gum disease or dental implants and are in the Springfield, Massachusetts area, please contact the experienced implant dentists at Baystate Dental PC today to set up an appointment.
Posted in Dental Implants, Gum Disease | Comments Off
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