Sunshine Smile Designs Family, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry Blog Sunshine Smile Designs Family, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry Blog en-us 2021 Sunshine Smile Designs Family, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry, All Rights Reserved, Reproduced with Permission Sat, 12 Jun 2021 04:30:08 GMT Sunshine Smile Designs Family, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry Blog <![CDATA[Is my mouth linked to heart attacks?]]>The Center for Disease Control reports that cardiovascular disease causes about 610,000 deaths every year.  That’s about 1670 people per day which makes it the #1 killer of both men and women in the United States.  It is absolutely crazy to me that these statistics don’t get more attention!  But, what does this have to do with your teeth?  One of the most important mouth-body connections is your heart and mouth.  One study found that having gum disease increases the risk of a first heart attack by 28%.  I know that I for one would love to reduce my odds of having a heart attack by almost 30%.  So, what do we have to do?

Inflammation in the mouth is the problem.  The theory behind this is that the oral bacteria that causes periodontal disease gets in the blood stream and then attaches to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries which can contribute to clot formation.  Coronary artery disease, which contributes to heart disease, is characterized by the thickening of the walls of the coronary arteries due to the buildup of fatty proteins.  Eventually these thickened arteries block blood flow and this leads to heart attacks.  This is why it is extremely important to keep this oral bacteria to a minimum.  Why a minimum?  Why wouldn’t we just get rid of it altogether?  Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.  Periodontal disease, which is the disease caused by this bacteria, is like diabetes in the sense that once you have it, it doesn’t just go away.  We can put it into remission, but it always has to be monitored and treated.  With periodontal disease, research has shown that it takes the bacteria approximately 90 days after a deep cleaning to get back to inflammatory levels.  This is why once you are diagnosed with periodontal disease, it is imperative that you continue on a three month cleaning schedule for as long as your dentist recommends.  This is what keeps the bacteria that affects your heart under control.  

We all know that taking care of your teeth and gums is important.  However, this takes it to a whole new level.  It is no longer just your teeth, but your heart that is affected.  So please, call your dentist today and make sure you are doing everything you can to help your heart. 

]]>, 11 Jun 2021 12:35:00 EST
<![CDATA[6 Ways to Calm Your Dental Anxiety]]>About 95% of dental patients have some form of anxiety.  Whether it’s the shot, the fear of the unknown, the fear of pain, or just the unpleasantness of the dentist hands in your mouth, there are an undetermined number of reasons why most people are scared.  Unfortunately, no matter how you feel about the dentist, at some point it has to be done.  So, let’s go over some ways to help you through it.  


  1. Ask your dentist to walk through the procedure with you.  There are many times when the fear is really just a fear of the unknown.  As dentists, we do the same procedures all day every day.  We sometimes forget that something we have done thousands of times is completely unknown to you.  Often just a short explanation of what we are going to do can alleviate all of your fears.  
  2. Tell your dentist about your specific fears.  We can’t help what we don’t know.  If you have a fear of needles, we can make sure you don’t see it.  If you hate impression material, we have tricks to make it easier.  If we know what you are particularly in fear of, we can do our best to help you through it.  
  3. Watch your food and drink intake.  Drinking a coffee with extra shots of espresso when you are already nervous will only make you more jittery.  Caffeine is not calming.  The same goes for high sugar foods.  They will only amp up your body’s anxiety level.  
  4. Plan your day.  If possible, make your appointment for dental work on a day where you don’t have a bunch of other stressful things going on.  This will allow you to be as calm as possible.  
  5. Visit your dentist routinely.  I know this seems counterintuitive, but often patients are scared of what we will find in your mouth.  With regular visits, not only will you get used to the process of seeing the dentist, but in addition, there is less of a chance that we will find something major if we just saw you 6 months ago.  
  6. Sedation!  Finally, if your anxiety is too much and the above suggestions just aren’t cutting it, ask your dentist for sedation.  There are many different kinds of sedation.  From nitrous oxide or laughing gas, to oral sedation, to iv sedation.  Ask your dentist about your sedation options.  


Please keep in mind that, as your dentist, we want you to be happy.  A relaxed, happy patient makes our job easier.  So, let us know what we can do to help you.  Remember we can’t read your mind!  In the famous words of Jerry Maguire, “Help me Help You!”  That way we can all be happy. 

]]>, 25 May 2021 11:54:00 EST
<![CDATA[How much will this hurt???]]>One of the biggest questions that dentists get is, “How much is this going to hurt?!?”   Some patients come right out and ask, but most people just sit in silence and assume the answer.  I can literally see the horrifying images they are envisioning as they sit in the chair and stare at me in horror.  So, here is the truth.  Yes, you will be in pain after some dental procedures.  Yes, your mouth is going to feel weird for a couple days after most dental visits.  However, those horrifying images of blood poring out of your mouth really only happen in horror movies.  I’m going to give you a run down of what you can really expect.  

During your dental procedure, you should not feel pain.  With the advancements we have in anesthetics today, there is no reason for any pain in the dental chair.  Your dentist will get you numb, which is uncomfortable, but should not be painful.  Once you get numb, you will know your dentist is doing stuff in your mouth, you may feel pressure, but there should be no pain!  So please don’t worry about that.  

After your dental procedure, you may feel pain or discomfort.  Your mouth is a very sensitive area.  Think about the last time you ate either chips or a piece of bread with a really crusty exterior.  I don’t know about you, but I get these annoying little cuts in my mouth that bug me for a couple days.  But, it doesn’t stop me from eating the chips and the bread!  Dental work is similar.  We have to get underneath your gums for cleanings, deep cleanings, and routine dental procedures.  So, odds are, you are going to be a little sore and irritated for a couple days.  Kind of like eating some really good crusty bread!  

Extractions and surgical procedures are a little different.  This is more like if you fell off your bike and hurt yourself.  You will be swollen and uncomfortable for a few days.  The swelling is part of how your body heals itself.  It means that everything is working right!  Almost all people heal in the same timeline because it is the way your cells work together to heal you.  You will be the most uncomfortable on day 3 after a surgical procedure.  So think of a hill.  You are heading up the hill until the 3rd day and then it’s just all downhill fun.  You should start feeling much better!  

So, there you have it.  Trust your dentist when they tell you what to expect.  Dentists really only do a few procedures, so we know exactly what you are going to feel.  In addition, we are patients as well.  We are our classmates first patients that they practice on in dental school.  We have experienced all the shots, and a lot of the procedures as well.  We don’t want you to be surprised.  We want whatever procedure you’re having done to go seamlessly and we want you to know exactly what to expect after the procedure when we can’t be there with you.  If you are experiencing pain or symptoms that are unexpected after your procedure, we want to know.  At our office, we have someone who answers the phone 24 hours a day so that we can help you anytime.  So ask the question, get the work done.  We are here for you!

]]>, 21 Apr 2021 10:26:00 EST
<![CDATA[Where do my cavities come from?]]>In order to answer this question, you have to know where cavities come from.  Teeth are made of minerals, and cavities are caused by the teeth being demineralized.  Think of an egg.  It has this strong outer shell, but if you leave the egg in Coke overnight, what happens?  The shell gets soft and eventually breaks down.  This is what happens to your teeth.  Anytime you eat anything sugary or starchy, it feeds the bacteria in your mouth.  When the bacteria eat, they produce acid.  This acid causes the pH in your mouth to drop creating an environment similar to the egg in Coke.  Over time, the outer layer of your tooth softens, it becomes even more susceptible to this pH drop, and this is how cavities are formed.  

So how do you stop it?  I like to think of it as a game.  The object of the game is to get your mouth back to normal pH.  Now, it isn’t always convenient to run off and brush your teeth every time you eat, but there are a lot of little things that you can do.  The first thing is the easiest and what I always tell my high risk patients to try first.  DON’T sip on anything besides water all day.  When you sip on anything besides water, you are bathing your teeth constantly in something that is hurting them.  So, drink the Coke, drink your coffee with all the sugar you want, but do it in a short period of time and then let your teeth rest from the assault and get back to normal.  If at all possible, drink some water after your sugar drink to get the process started quicker.  You can also chew on a sugar free gum.  Some of them, like Orbit, contain Zylitol that actually fights cavities.  

And what about brushing?  Brushing is a double punch!  The actual process of brushing helps remove the plaque and bacteria that causes the pH drop that causes the cavities!  The more plaque and bacteria you remove, the better off you are.  In addition, if you choose to use fluoride, fluoride actually remineralizes the teeth.  So fluoride actually makes your teeth more resistant to cavities.  

However, diet isn’t the only way to get cavities.  I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss how most of my patients got cavities.  My average patient age for the last 15 years has been over 60.  This population doesn’t get cavities the same way younger people do.  Most of the time, they get cavities from the effects of their medications.  Saliva is one of the biggest protectors of teeth.  It is a natural buffer for the teeth from the acid that destroys them.  Many medications have a side effect of decreased saliva.  The more medications you are on, the more this side effect is compounded.  Often physicians don’t discuss the effect that lack of saliva can have on your teeth.  I can’t even tell you the number of times where I have seen a great, healthy patient come back with many cavities after just 6 months when they start a new medication.  It is always so frustrating for the patient who wasn’t told the risk.  This is why it is super important to update your dentist when you start a new medication so that we can help you combat the effects on your teeth.  

So, yes, your dentist would love for you to brush your teeth at least twice a day.  But, even if you do, we can’t guarantee you won’t get cavities.  It is important to protect your teeth from too much sugar and also to be aware that your medications can cause major dental problems.  As always, if you have any questions, please reach out!

]]>, 16 Apr 2021 09:48:00 EST
<![CDATA[What is the difference between upper and lower dentures?]]>I belong to several online dentist groups where dentists discuss cases and treatment plans together to try and further their education.  Last week, one of the dentists posted this title, “Dentures without implants are for smiling, not chewing,” and it really resonated with me.  

In the beginning of my career, I would happily complete a lower denture on anyone who wanted and/or needed one.  I had learned the best techniques and was taught that in cases with hopeless teeth, dentures were standard of care.  Over the years, I began to realize that my denture patients and specifically my patients with conventional lower dentures, were my “problem” patients.  They were the patients who were never happy.  They often just couldn’t function with the lower denture.  So, I took a denture course.  I thought surely it was something I was doing wrong.  And, thanks to an amazing dental school (Go Gators!), I didn’t learn any new techniques.  I was taught, and was doing the best techniques for completing dentures that were available.  

My next plan of action was to create a new policy for myself.  And, this is the policy I have stuck with for many years now.  I just don’t do lower dentures without implants anymore.  I hate when patients are unhappy or disappointed.  I want to know that when I finish my work, I will have a happy, healthy, functioning patient.  I couldn’t guarantee that with lower dentures without implants.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some patients who are completely happy with anything.  You literally put a denture in their mouth and they happily start chewing and functioning with it and never look back.  But, those patients are few and far between.  The rest of the time, patients who get conventional lower dentures are sorely disappointed.  They can’t eat and often can’t speak properly.  Most of the time, they end up putting the dentures in a drawer and only using them for special occasions.  

So, what is the difference between upper and lower dentures?  People think, well I have 2 jaws, so they must be the same.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  As I would tell my patients, most people can tolerate an upper denture.  While it is not the most fun experience, and it is definitely not like having your own teeth, most people can learn to function with an upper denture.  Lower dentures are a whole different ballgame.  Let’s talk about the difference between your upper and lower jaws.  Feel the roof of your mouth with your tongue.  It is mostly hard, and where the hard part meets the soft part, back by your throat, this is what helps the denture suction to the roof of your mouth.  Now feel your lower jaw.  Most of it is covered by your tongue and it is soft moveable tissue in the middle of your teeth.  Your jaws are completely different.  Therefore, the dentures have to be completely different.  An upper denture covers the entire roof of your mouth.  It has a lot of surface area to help it suction and have retention.  

A lower denture on the other hand is horseshoe shaped.  It follows the horseshoe area where your teeth would be, but the entire middle is left open so that your tongue has space to move.  But it doesn’t stop there.  Not only is a lower denture missing all that area that creates suction, but in addition, there is nowhere for the lower denture to suction.  Your tongue is attached to the floor of your mouth in the middle of your lower jaw.  Every time you speak or chew, your tongue moves and it moves all of that soft tissue around it.  Most of the time, this displaces a lower denture.  This is what makes lower dentures intolerable for most people.  Unless you have the patience to retrain your mouth to use your tongue and cheek muscles to hold the lower denture in place, then it will be a miserable experience.

Now you can see why the above quote resonated with me.  I have been trying to find a succinct way to explain my policy on dentures to my patients for years…and there it was.  Often people don’t realize how big of a difference just two implants underneath a lower denture can make.  It turns a vanity item into a useful appliance.  Throughout the years, my patients that have gone from a conventional lower denture to an implant supported denture are always my happiest patients.  I can’t even tell you how many of them have told me that it changed their life.  They can go back to chewing and eating foods that they haven’t had for years.  They can socialize without fear of their denture moving around during conversation.  And for many it even changes their intimate life as well.  They feel so much less self conscious.  It is always amazing to me how two little snaps can truly change a person’s life.  I could honestly go on speaking about it for hours!   I won’t bore you with the details, but if you or someone you know is suffering, or just “getting by” with a lower denture, I implore you to look into getting two implants on the bottom.  With payment plans, it is more affordable now than ever and it will change your life.  Let’s get you back to smiling and chewing again!

]]>, 07 Apr 2021 12:16:00 EST
<![CDATA[Digestive Problems Linked to Teeth]]>More than 70% of the adult population in the US is suffering from digestive symptoms and diseases.  So, it is now more important than ever to understand what is leading to your digestive issues.  We’ve all heard about heart burn, GERD, Crohn’s and the myriad of other digestive diseases, but how do your teeth come into the mix?  Teeth are the beginning of the digestive process.  Chewing food is the first step in converting your food into the molecules that the body needs.  Research has actually proven that the ability to chew your food properly is just as important as the quality of food you eat!  

As a dentist, I have had patients come to me more times than I can count and they just want to fix their front teeth.  They want me to pull the back ones, as long as their smile looks good.  Here is just one of the problems with that.  Not all teeth are alike.  We all know this, but until you actually think about it, you may not realize that are teeth are specifically placed where they are needed.  Your front teeth, or incisors, are made for cutting or tearing food.  They are too delicate to put the amount of force needed to actually chew food on them.  This is why when people lose their back teeth, they start having problems with their front teeth.  Your next teeth back, the premolars, are basically a hybrid between a front tooth and a back tooth.  They can cut and tear a little and they can crush food a little, but they are not adept at doing either very well.  They are the quintessential middle man.  Your back teeth or molars are the key to good digestion.  Their size and design helps to grind and crush the food you eat into little particles that are easy to chew and digest.  

The next problem is misalignment of teeth.  If a tooth is lost and not replaced in a timely fashion, teeth will start to shift.  Even a shift of a millimeter is a huge change in your mouth.  It can take teeth that fit perfectly together and make it so all of your teeth are only contacting at one point in your mouth.  This makes proper digestion impossible.  Think about a time when you got a seed of some sort stuck in your tooth.  I’m a big raspberry fan so this is the easiest analogy for me.  That tiny raspberry seed stuck on top of your tooth feels like a boulder.  Your bite immediately feels off and I personally have to take care of it before I can keep eating.  When your teeth shift after you lose one, it is the same phenomenon, but it happens gradually and often people are completely unaware that it is happening.  Over months and years their bite just changes and they adapt to their new bite and then wonder why all of the sudden they are having all of these new digestive issues popping up.  

Obviously, there are thousands of reasons why you might be having digestive issues.  However, if you want to start at the beginning, keep in mind that the first step is having a good bite and chewing your food properly.  There are so many different ways to replace missing teeth and restore proper function.  Nobody should have to suffer with digestive issues.  Let us help get to the root of your problem so you can feel good again!

]]>, 02 Apr 2021 15:50:00 EST
<![CDATA[How to Save the Most Money at the Dentist]]>I promised a follow up in my last blog about the best way to get affordable dental care and here it is!  It’s going to seem counterintuitive and you may not like it, but this is it!  The best way to avoid expensive dental care is to go to the dentist.  

    Let me explain.  Think of a new car.  As long as you get your oil changed and your brakes and tires fixed at the right intervals, then unless you have a lemon, all is good!  Your mouth is the same way.  Everyone starts with a clean slate.  Most people are born with a perfect set of teeth.  It’s what we do to those teeth that causes problems.  However, if you go to the dentist for regular check ups, two things happen.  

    The first is that we clean your teeth thoroughly which you can’t do at home without training.  This is important, but not as important as the second.  The most important thing we do is x-rays and an exam.  This is your money saver.  And here is why.  

    If you go to the dentist regularly and start to get a cavity, when a cavity is small, a filling can be done.  A filling costs between $250 and $500 depending on where you live.  While this is significant, it is nothing compared to what will be needed if you don’t catch the cavity fast.  

    Take that same tooth and wait a year or more and now that cavity can no longer be filled with a filling.  The cavity is too big and filling material is only made to support a certain amount of pressure on it.  Therefore, once you are missing more than 50% of tooth structure, you need a crown so that the tooth can still be used without breaking more.  A crown will cost around $1000-$2000 or more depending on where you live.  So, now your price has at least doubled.  

    Take that same tooth and wait another 6 months to a year.  The cavity will continue to grow and once it reaches the nerve there are only two options.  Option 1 is to save the tooth and do a root canal.  The root canal alone will cost anywhere from $1200-$2500 depending on where you live and then you still have to restore the tooth.  This requires a post and build up as well as a crown.  Now you are looking at a minimum of $2600 to over $5000 depending on where you live.  Again your cost has doubled.  Option 2 is to pull the tooth.  Which leads us to our next scenario for the same tooth.  

    If you wait longer on the same tooth, it will no longer be restorable.  Now you have to pull it.  This is usually your cheapest option which leads people to think, “why go to the dentist?”  But, pulling a tooth is by far your most expensive endeavor.  Yes, the actual extraction will probably only cost between $150-$500 depending on where you live.  However, you are getting rid of a vital piece of your body.  It begins a domino process of problems in your mouth and body.  

    Once a tooth is pulled, your body is genetically programmed to try to replace that space in your mouth.  The tooth’s purpose was to help you digest your food, so your body is trying to help you achieve that in the only way it can.  The tooth next to the space will start to lay over into the space, and the tooth opposite it will try and grow into the space.  This was a great solution back when we were cave people and didn’t have a long life expectancy because it is a good short term solution from the body.  Over time, however, this domino effect of the teeth will make you lose more teeth, as well as jawbone.  As you lose more and more teeth, you cannot digest your food properly which leads to a myriad of digestive problems as well as overall health problems because your body is unable to absorb the nutrients it needs.  Again this leads us to a different blog which I will cover next time.  So, I will finish today’s with this.  Losing a tooth leads to a domino effect that at a minimum will be the cost of an implant, and at a maximum will cost you the decline of your health over time.  

    So, don’t put off your trip to the dentist, or your dental work that’s needed.  It will only end up costing more money and pain the longer you wait.  Believe it or not, this is actually another dental secret I’m letting you in on!  Dentists don’t make any money on our “good” patients.  We love to see you, and you become like family.  My favorite patients are the ones I can count on like clockwork.  I love to catch up with them and keep up to date on their families and travel.  But, the patients that don’t come in for 5-10 years is what keeps dentists in business.  So, if you’re looking to help out your local dentist, don’t come in for years.  But, if you’re looking to get the most inexpensive dental treatment, become a regular. 

]]>, 24 Mar 2021 14:34:00 EST
<![CDATA[What is an All on 4?]]>There are commercials and information or should I say, misinformation, all over the place now about All on 4’s or Hybrid dentures.  I have so many patients asking questions about it.  The commercials from the big corporations make it seem like a perfect fairy tale, so I figured I would go over the facts.  










]]>, 03 Mar 2021 15:20:00 EST
<![CDATA[So What's the Deal With Wisdom Teeth?]]>Wisdom teeth are a hot topic, even among dental professionals.  If you stick 10 dentists in a room with an x-ray of some wisdom teeth, odds are you will get 10 different opinions on how to handle the patient.  That being said, all I can do is teach you what I learned in school and through the years.  

So let’s start out with the basics.  Why do we have wisdom teeth if we need them taken out?  Wisdom teeth are left over from our ancestors.  Basically, in cavemen days, humans didn’t practice any oral hygiene and were really rough on their teeth.  Therefore, teeth are genetically programmed even today to move forward in your mouth.  For instance, if you were to chomp on bones like our ancestors did and loose a front tooth, the other teeth in your mouth are constantly applying force in a forward direction to fill that space.  Wisdom teeth, also known as 3rd molars, are basically extra teeth supplied to our ancestors so that when they lost their other teeth, from lack of hygiene and rough treatment, there was an extra set to fill in.  

Now fast forward to today.  With the invention of the toothbrush and toothpaste, we don’t typically need an extra set of molars.  In addition, over time, our mouths have become narrower and smaller and most don’t have the space to accommodate 3 sets of molars.  Therefore, what tends to happen is that wisdom teeth grow in at an awkward angle.  This presents problems.  

What are the problems that wisdom teeth cause?  There are two major issues.  The first, is pericoronitis.  This is an infection of the tissue surrounding the wisdom teeth caused by trauma.  Since there is limited space in the back of the mouth, wisdom teeth often have excess tissue surrounding them.  As people are chewing, the tissue tends to get traumatized by the opposing teeth.  This causes swelling and infection and is often extremely painful.  The only treatment for pericoronitis is to take out the tooth causing the trauma.  This eliminates trauma and the infection will subside.  The second problem is decay.  Wisdom teeth are so far in the back of the mouth, that it is very difficult for most people to keep them properly cleaned.  Therefore, they tend to get decayed more quickly.  This eventually leads to infection.  

So, here is my recommendation based on what I was taught at the University of Florida as well as by various oral surgeons throughout the years.  Most people should have their wisdom teeth removed before the age of 25.  Here is the reasoning.  Most young people are healthy.  In addition, wisdom teeth are easier to remove before the roots are fully formed.  We know that as people age, manual dexterity diminishes.  Therefore, in elderly people, wisdom teeth are a double edged sword.  Not only, have they lost the dexterity to keep the wisdom teeth clean and free of infection, but now, removing wisdom teeth at that age becomes a major surgery.  The difference between a 25 year old recovering from wisdom teeth removal versus even a healthy 65 year old wisdom teeth removal is night and day.  Therefore, the younger you are when we remove wisdom teeth the easier it is.  We remove wisdom teeth to prepare for a healthier future.  I got my wisdom teeth removed when I was 18 and I am so thankful that my dentist recommended it and I don’t have to face that as I march on toward my “golden years.”  I hope this helped clear up the wisdom tooth debate, message me with any questions!

]]>, 03 Feb 2021 11:03:00 EST
<![CDATA[What is Gum Disease?]]>So we know that gum disease is linked to COVID, but what exactly is gum disease?  Gum disease, or periodontitis, is a serious gum infection that destroys the tissue and bone around your teeth.  In addition, it can cause teeth to loosen or make your teeth fall out.  Scary, right?!?  However, periodontitis is largely preventable!  

Healthy gums should be firm, pale pink, and tight around the teeth.  Symptoms of infection, or periodontitis are swollen or puffy gums, bright red or purple gums, sore gums, gums that bleed, seeing pink or blood when you brush your teeth, bad breath, loose teeth, pain, and sometimes even puss.  

How does it start?  Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease.  Gingivitis occurs when the bacteria in plaque build-up irritate the gums and cause them to become inflamed and bleed.  Gingivitis is completely reversible.  However, when left untreated by not getting regular dental cleanings, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis.  

Periodontitis occurs when the inner layer of the gum and bone pull away from the teeth and form pockets.  The pocket then collects debris and becomes infected.  This causes the body’s immune system spring to action.  So, now we have the toxins from the bacteria and plaque combined with the body’s immune system.  This combination starts to break down the jaw bone and ligaments that hold the teeth in place.  This creates a snowball effect where the pockets continue to get deeper and more and more bone is destroyed.  As more bone is lost, the teeth become loose.  This process is not reversible, but it is treatable.  

There are many contributing factors to periodontal disease such as poor oral hygiene, genetics, smoking, and illnesses that affect your immune system like diabetes.  Some medications are also risk factors for developing gum disease.  

Now the question becomes, how do we prevent it?  Early prevention is easy!  Brushing and flossing you teeth after meals and getting checked every 6 months at the dentist will help prevent periodontal disease.  If you already have periodontal disease though, that is another story.  Periodontal disease is irreversible, and once you have it, you’ll always have it.  The good news is that your dentist can help you keep it in remission and under control.  The only way to accomplish this is to get a deep cleaning followed by maintenance cleanings every three months called periodontal maintenance visits.  Research has shown that once the bacteria is completely cleaned out of the gum pockets by a deep cleaning, it takes approximately 90 days for the bacteria to get back down in the pocket and start breaking down the jaw bone and surrounding tissue again.  This is why we recommend 3 month periodontal maintenance visits.  We are trying to stay ahead of the jaw destruction, and research shows we need to clean the teeth and gums 90 days in order to have the highest chance for success.  

There have been many times where I have seen a patient and diagnosed gum disease and they have gotten the deep cleaning, and then they just disappear and fail to do maintenance cleanings afterwards.  After being in practice for a while, I started to see those patients turn back up.  They were confused as to why their gums were bleeding and inflamed again after they had gotten the deep cleaning done years ago.  The periodontal maintenance visits are as important as the original deep cleaning.  Without them, the disease cannot be kept in remission.  

I hope this helps you to understand!  In a quick rundown, gum problems start with reversible gingivitis and if left untreated progress to periodontal disease which is an irreversible disease that must be treated every 3 months to avoid future problems.  Now go brush and floss your teeth!  :)


Ariana Clayton, DMD

]]>, 27 Jan 2021 11:04:00 EST
<![CDATA[The link between COVID and gum disease.]]>I’m sure I’m not the only one this year who weighs my every action in life against the risk of getting COVID.  I feel like every decision I make is based on which is more likely to cause me to die, the activity I might miss, or the chance of me getting COVID.  Therefore, getting my yearly mammogram screening was a necessary evil and worth the risk of COVID.  But, I have not seen the inside of a salon since last March, hence my nails and hair are scary.  Everyone has their own pros and cons, but I thought I would share some research as to why the dentist should be on everyone’s necessary risk list.  It is particularly important for people over the age of 30!


One of the latest discoveries in this terrible disease is the effect of gum disease on COVID patients.  In a 3 month study, hospitalized COVID patients with high levels of IL-6, which is a protein produced by gum disease, were at significantly higher risk of suffering life threatening respiratory problems.  Since previous research has shown that IL6 is linked to other breathing problems such as pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, when researchers first began trying to figure out COVID, they looked to proteins that they already knew were linked to breathing problems. In Germany, they found that patients who were unable to breathe due to COVID tested positive for IL6.  The doctors were shocked that this tiny inflammatory protein could rob people of their ability to breathe.  Further research showed that patients with COVID and gum problems and hence higher IL6 levels, are 22 times more likely to suffer from acute respiratory problems and be placed on a ventilator.  Of the COVID patients placed on a ventilator, almost 80% have died.  


The researchers stress that their findings indicate a need for people who believe they may have gingivitis or more serious gum disease to get their teeth and gums checked and cleaned as soon as possible. Researchers are even urging doctors who screen COVID patients to take a moment with each patient and check them for gum disease, a diagnosis that would prompt them to be extra vigilant over watching the patient’s breathing.  Because, while we can’t stop COVID, we may now know something that can reduce its severity.  Since gum disease is the most under diagnosed problem in dentistry, the researchers are urging everyone who thinks it may even be a possibility to get tested and treated as soon as possible because its link to COVID is real and deadly.  


The CDC now predicts the virus will be the leading cause of death in the United States and since we have now confirmed that gum disease makes it even deadlier, it is imperative that if you’re worried that you may have any gum problems, your next trip to the dentist may actually change your life.  Since the CDC states that in the US, 47.2% of adults over the age of 30 have some form of gum disease, I know if I wasn’t already a dentist, a trip to the dentist would be the first thing on my list of, “definitely worth the risk.”  


Ariana Clayton, DMD

]]>, 13 Jan 2021 14:28:00 EST
<![CDATA[What does COVID do to your teeth?!?]]>

Throughout the last year, we have all faced the unknowns of COVID. However, as time has passed, experts are learning more and more about the long term effects of COVID. Since the CDC now estimates that more than 15% of Americans have had COVID, it is time to examine the long term affects that we all could face. The CDC is still trying to determine the number of people who have long term effects after facing COVID, and part of the reason is that COV|D can affect every system in the body. So, while one person’s long term effect could be cardiovascular, another’s may be dermatological, and still another’s neurological. As I write this, there are clinics being set up around the country solely to treat the long term symptoms and try to understand more about them.

Being a dentist, I can only really discuss the effects of COVID on the mouth. I have done quite a bit of research, and the result is astonishing. There are thousands of reports of COVID affecting people’s teeth. There are many cases of people’s teeth becoming loose during, as well as, months after COVID. Even teenagers have reported their adult teeth, “falling out.” Currently, research is being done to determine the cause of this, but there are several theories.

The American Academy of Periodontology(The Gum Specialists) has reported that the tongue and oral mucosa are among the body parts that have the highest level of ACE2 receptors which are highly linked to COVID. Research indicates that these cells and their high level in the tongue, oral mucosa, and nasal mucosa are the basis for the loss of taste and smell being a common symptom of COVID. They are continuing research into these receptors to determine if tooth loss is a continuation of the virus. A study published in June 2020 by the National Institute of Health, already proved a connection between people suffering from severe cases of COVID and people with periodontal disease, but now the question is, in people who survive, does it reverse and cause more problems?

Another theory is that the cytokine storm or hyper- inflammatory reaction that we have heard so much about in regards to COVID can actually manifest in the mouth. We know that gum disease is very sensitive to hyper- inflammatory reactions, so the researchers are putting together the pieces of the puzzle that seem to show that people who already have even mild forms of gum disease can have significant worsening, or even more concerning, severe tooth issues, from the inflammatory response of the body to COVID.

We already know that 47% of people over the age of 30 have periodontal problems or gum disease. Therefore, physicians are now alerting the dental profession to be on the lookout for the long term effects of COVID. They are recommending that physicians and dentists work together with patients to really understand and, therefore, help patients with these long term and relatively unknown COVID effects. Our doctors are staying current on all the research so that we can help our patients in every way possible. Dr. Ladzinski, along with our board certified Periodontist (gum specialist) is available to help anyone who has been affected by this horrible disease. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any concerns or questions. We are all learning how to fight the COVID battle together and I know that together we will win.

Ariana Clayton, DMD

Viviana Pitones-Rubio, E.G. Chávez-Cortez, Angélica Hurtado-Camarena, Anna González-Rascón, and Nicolás Serafín-Higuera,Is periodontal disease a risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness? articles/PMC7303044/, June 2020.

US Dept of Health and Human Services. Long Term Effects of Covid., November 13, 2020.

BriannaAbbott, Morethan15%ofAmericansHaveHadCovid. card/vNkshCuxwSGLw7zkSx4z. November 27, 2020.

Wudan Yan, Their Teeth Fell Out, Was it Another Covid-19 Consequence? health/covid-teeth-falling-out.html, November 28, 2020.

]]>, 06 Jan 2021 09:04:00 EST
<![CDATA[My dentist said I need a crown...I was like, "I know, right?!?"]]>So, your dentist said you need a crown...and not the princess kind.  Why? What is a crown?

A crown is basically a hat for your tooth.  A crown covers the entire tooth and prevents it from breaking.  A tooth can need a crown for many different reasons.  Basically, anytime a tooth is missing more than half of its tooth structure, it needs a crown.  So, if a tooth is broken, or has a large cavity, or has an old large silver filling it may require a crown.  It is very common for teeth with older silver fillings to need crowns.  Silver fillings are harder than tooth structure.  Therefore, if you have a large silver filling, through normal wear and tear, it will cause the tooth to break down around it.  The tooth will develop crack lines and eventually break.  I will often recommend crowns on teeth with large silver fillings that have crack lines.  If we can restore the tooth before it breaks, it will almost always save the patient time and money.  

Crowns are also used cosmetically.  Almost every smile you see in Hollywood has been altered.  When people come in looking for the Hollywood smile, they often need crowns on their front teeth to create the perfect smile.  Using crowns, teeth can be reshaped, recontoured, and even repositioned to create a more optimal appearance.  

So, if your dentist says you need a crown, smile!   Your dentist is either trying to save your tooth or make it prettier!!!


]]>, 11 Apr 2018 12:46:00 EST
<![CDATA[If nothing is bothering me, why go to the dentist?]]>So, I'm going to try this blogging thing.  For those of you who know me, I tend to have a lot to say, so it shouldn't be hard!  I was trying to decide what to start with, and I figured I would just start with the basics.  A comment I hear a lot is, "Nothing was hurting, so I didn't come in."  So, the big question is, "If nothing is bothering me, why go to the dentist?"  

And, the answer everyone cares about is money!  Dental problems tend to have a snowball affect.  What starts as something tiny can become an avalanche before you know it!  Almost 100% of the time, by the time something is bothering you or painful in your mouth, it is going to cost way more money than if it was caught before it started bothering you. 

For instance, if a tooth has a small cavity or decay, it typically will not hurt.  A small cavity can almost always just get a filling which will cost less than $200 at my office.  As the cavity gets larger, even before it starts to hurt, it may require a crown.  A crown will cost around $1000.  Once the tooth begins to hurt, it almost always needs a rootcanal in order to keep the tooth.  A tooth that has a rootcanal will almost always require a crown as well, so now the cost has doubled from just the crown and way more than quadrupled from the original filling.  A tooth that could have been fixed for less than $200 may cost upward of $2200 or more to fix.  

So, my take home for today is, unless you want to spend more of your hard earned money at the dentist, come in for regular check-ups.  This will almost always save you money in the long run!  

]]>, 06 Apr 2018 09:19:00 EST