Don't Cast Your Pearls Before SWINE FLU

The FLUstache

OK ... I know I know it was lame, cheesy and a cheap shot , but I just couldn't help myself... I am sorry.


Anyways, as I was curiously browsing through our dental professional sites there were numerous postings on this topic: Swine Flu. Apparently, it is all the rage.

But seriously, I thought it might be something to post about because recently someone asked if it is OK to go to a cleaning appointment if they have a sore throat. Good question, huh. Yesterday I would tell you it is probably OK to go; unless it is to uncomfortable to sit for 1hr or even if you want to be courteous to your hygienist, then it would be nice to reschedule. But as of today we have been recommended to Reschedule ANY patients with signs or symptoms of the flu including a sore throat. According to OSAP (Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures )they are requesting we refer you to your MD and get checked to verify that it is NOT the swine flu , especially if you have been to Mexico, or you have been in contact with anyone who has been to Mexico in the past 7 days. The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised their level of influenza pandemic alert from Phase Four to Phase Five and is stressing early detection.

Symptoms:

fever (greater than 100ºF)
chills
head and body aches
fatigue
cough
stuffy nose
sore throat
vomiting and diarrhea
More serious illnesses such as pneumonia or respiratory illness have also been reported.

Below are links to more info if you have any questions.


Good tips for preventing ANY FLU here I think #2, & # 5 are the hardest but probably the most important.

ADA ( American Dental Association) here breakdown on the swine flu

CDC (Center for Disease Control ) here updated stats and info on # of cases in US and what is being done to help .

OSAP (Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures) here

NEW MOMS

I am back it has been quite busy lately but I have been meaning to post so here it is...

A good way to instill good oral hygiene habits in your children is to start early. Even as early as infancy. It is also a good idea to clean your child's gums after you feed him/her/them (Octomom). This not only feels good to the child, but it will stimulate their gums, remove food/plaque/ debris, and get them used to you brushing there teeth. Stores now have little gauze like pads that slip right over your finger for this very purpose, but you don't need to waste your money on that (you 'll spend plenty of it on diapers...) instead take a soft wash cloth, soak it in water and gently massage the gums.

When your child's teeth begin to erupt go ahead and brush them with a small, soft toothbrush and a dab a children's toothpaste(a pea size amount).

Around ages 2-3 yrs old they will likely want to brush their teeth, go ahead and teach them but always get in there yourself after they brush to make sure they didn't miss any teeth. Children don't often have the dexterity to brush on their own until about age 8 , so this is really important to do.(some adults lack the dexterity too )

TIP: A great way to check if they are getting all the plaque off is to get a rubber tip stimulator. You can sweep this along the margin of the gum line and across the tooth surface; if white stuff (plaque) comes off it is a pretty safe bet you need to brush their teeth after they do because they are not getting it all off . OR you can wait till they become cavities :(

What is a rubber tip stimulator?

Well they actually used to put this on the other end of our toothbrush when we were younger but they have seemed to disappear. For some odd reason these are very hard to find but still very practical. Most dental office still hand them out for free but you can also get them online if you can't find them in stores.

The Freshmaker's Favorite Dental Products

So I have decided in addition to informative posts, that I also wanted to share my favorite dental products. Of course, everyone is unique and your hygienist may recommend a certain product for your specific dental needs but I will be listing my favs with pics in between posts. As always, Please don't be shy if you have any questions or comments.

I am not receiving any compensation, this is my personal and professional opinion based on personal and patient(client) experience.

FRESHMAKER'S PICK FOR:

Favorite Manual Toothbrush (yes, I do own this toothbrush)

Oral-B® Advantage® Glide™ Sensitouch

This toothbrush is made by Oral B. What I love about this toothbrush is that it is amazingingly soft! It has compact head,easy for accessing molars, full of extra soft bristles that not only sensitive gums and teeth benefit from but is perfect for those patients who have problems with gum recession, and abrasion.

Because of its extra soft bristles it will help maintain gums and enamel and be, "oh so gentle" like a massage.

It also claims the bristles get 35% deeper into grooves, pits and fissures than other toothbrushes.( I have no factual proof of this one, this is just what they claim on their website.)

The blue bristles will fade indicating when to change your toothbrush. Although you should be switching every 6 months anyways. And definately, when the bristles start to flare.

TIP: If you find your bristles are flaring before six months and you are going through toothbrushes like crazy; you are pressing way too hard when you brush. Review my "How to Brush" dental post here and maybe you should enroll in a yoga, pilates, or kick boxing class to relieve some stress ; so you don't take it out on your teeth ; ) It will probably be cheaper in the end anyways.

DENTAL FEARS AND TREATMENT

This blog goes out to a VIP in response DENTAL PHOBIA. To all of you out there feeling like you are the only one who fears the dentist, I am sorry to disappoint but maybe you can seek comfort and support, in numbers. It is sad but true. I hear on a daily basis from my patients "I don't want to be here," or"I will be better once I am out of here" or "I hate the dentist" (it is no wonder dentist are high on the suicide ratings) my response is usually "well, your in luck, I'm the hygienist :)" probably not what you want to hear either, sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood. But on a serious note most hygienist want you to feel as comfortable as possible and make it hopefully a relaxing appointment... But today I will be giving you some tips for those phobics out there.

Don't give up hope, you have options.

First of all, you need to do your research on offices... this includes referrals from friends, family and coworkers. You are obviously not alone, about your detest for the dentist; so I am sure there is someone out there who can give you a heads up on who to steer clear of and who is really great with working with patients who have dental anxiety. If you can't find one near your home it may be worth it to travel. I have seen patients come from out of state and several hours because they trust a certain dentist and plan their vacation time or days off around dental appointments this may be an option.

What to expect

• If you do not go regularly or have not been in years, expect there to be a lot of work to do. Then if you don't have any it will be a happy surprise instead of the opposite.("the best kind of prize is a SURprise...")
  

• If you have not had a cleaning in 3- 5 yrs expect you will need a Scaling and Root Planing(S/RP's) or aka a " deep cleaning" it is rare to find someone who has gone 5 yrs with out a cleaning who doesn't need S/RP's but if you are that diamond in the ruff , kudos to you, but don't make it a habit because it may soon catch up to you.

• Often patients with a fear of the dentist put off dental appointments until they absolutely have to go because of a some toothache or abscess. DO NOT DO THIS. This only instills another bad experience to write down in your dental nightmare journal.

When there is infection in the tooth already and you are in pain; the pain is automatically associated with the treatment. Instead of the treatment being associated of relieving the pain. Also the worse the infection is, the harder to anesthetize the tooth (this is what we call a hot tooth, not fun). But if we catch it early, on routine appointments before it gets to a root canal or abscess, the anesthetic will be more effective, and the treatment less memorable :) .


DON'T PANIC YOU HAVE OPTIONS

Things to look for if your have a fear of the dentist or dental treatment...

• EXPERIENCE with treating anxious patients or phobic patients (very important) I worked in an office known for treating phobic patients . We treated phobics on a daily basis this is what I mean about lots of experience. Our patients absolutely loved our dentist and staff and eventually were able to come in routinely with out meds or being sedated.
  
• Do they offer nitrous oxide (aka laughing gas)
  
• Do they offer twilight or conscience sleep sedation
• A focus on overcoming your fear of dental treatment
  

Patients phobias range in different levels of anxiety and the dental staff will work with you to help with best option to help you over come your fear. I know what your thinking, "overcoming my fear, that's not going to happen."
Well, it most likely will not happen in one appointment nor two. But the hope is that over many appointments of relaxed painless dentistry and trust, that it will reduce your anxiety level where it is controlled with out meds. This will also help with lowering dental bills, too :). Offices that truly focus on dental phobics are sympathetic to your dental fear and want to help. We know that for what ever reason it may be (trauma, bad experience, stories...) it is real to you and heightens your sensitivities.

COST

Just like anything else when it requires a little more effort and resources needed; it is going to cost more.

Some dentist will assess your anxiety level and say "lets put you to sleep get it all done in one appointment, so you are all caught up , and then just bring you back for routine cleanings."
Positive side: conscience sedation, no pain ,no memory of the experience, lots of sleep .
Negative side: $$$, but it may be worth it , No DRIVING, you will need a ride to and from home
Recommended for patients with high anxiety

Some may offer making numerous appointments for a limited time frame doing as much as they can do with what you can handle under local anesthetic.
Positive side : short appointments, some may feel more in control
Negative side: many appointments, memory of everything, $$
Recommended for patients with slight anxiety

Some may do a hybrid of limited time appointments and nitrous oxide and/or anti anxiety med with local anesthetic.
side: compromise of the above$ may still need a ride to and from home depending on the anti anxiety med.
Recommended for patients with moderate anxiety

TIP: Once you get caught up try really hard to keep your routine appointments this will help reduce anxiety and prevent further nightmarishly bad experiences. It only takes one missed appointment to go back to where you started.

GIVE ME THE DRUGS

It is important to note that certain medications affect people differently and may have side effects. The staff should go over these clearly with you before treatment and have you sign a consent form.

Conscience sedation: sleepy, emotional, weepy (crying, for no reason). Must have a person in the room at all times watching you.
Nitrous oxide : patients may become silly or violent when inhaling through the nose. This will become apparent within minutes and is quickly reversed. N2O does not stay in the system and is completely out of your system after 5 minutes of oxygen. Must have a person in the room watching you at all times.
anti-anxiety: very relaxed, sleepy, depending on med my need a person watching them at all times

They will also inform you of the very rare slim chance of fatality as with any medication or dental procedure, but the patient still has to be informed. If you have concerns you can ask how often the doctor performs this treatment and if their has been any incidents. The doctor I worked with did conscience sedation three times a week, if not daily. Not all will be able to do daily if there is not another dentist in the office because it is very time consuming. It should be noted that it is considered to one of the safest way to do treatment since it can be immediately reversed if any complications arise. But the dentist AND RDA must be trained properly.


I'M DRUG FREE
tips for dealing with anxiety the zen way

COUNSELING/ THERAPY: Believe it or not but there are therapists and counselors who also help with dental fears
HYPNOTHERAPY
MEDITATION
CREATE A DISTRACTION: I PODS, mp3 players...
EXPLANATION: Some patients prefer to have every step explained to them as the treatment goes, it helps with understanding, what to expect, and control.
FENG SHUI: OK ,this one is a bit silly... but I do have a patient who comes in and situates the room to her liking ...such as closing the blinds, dimming the computer screen, wearing sunglasses and situating the chair to her liking. whatever floats her boat and makes her calmer is fine with me.

I think I covered it all if there are any other questions or comments please post. I am sure there are a lot of concerns I did not address or skipped over so please do not be shy.

All I Want For Easter is My Two Front Teeth...

OK, so I know it is "All I want for CHRISTMAS...." but it is closer to Easter so I substituted. :)
Anyways, today we are learning about eruption patterns... for those MOMS and DADS who have little ones at home. A common concern or question parents have is about when to expect their kids first teeth and when do they start to fall out. So I have pasted eruption patterns of first, the "baby teeth" aka milk teeth,primary teeth, deciduous teeth, then the permanent teeth eruption pattern . This shows teeth when they start to erupt but keep in mind every child is different and sometimes may get theirs early or later than others. If you have a concern, ask your dental professional. Sometimes you may want to have a space maintainer placed to allow room for the incoming permanent tooth to come in that may prevent braces in the future or less time in braces. Also when it comes to wisdom teeth, its a crap shoot. Some people get them, some people don't, and some may only have one or two or three wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth are the wild card of teeth. They come in all different sizes from tiny to large and some people may have room enough for them to grow in but most don't. (to be frank, it is much easier to keep clean and prevent any further decay, if you have them taken out ...if that is the option. I mean, think about it, isn't it hard enough to floss those second molars. Can you imagine a third set and trying to get that toothbrush head back there, gee whiz!)
Children will have 20 teeth usually by age twelve if not sooner. Don't freak out if there is spacing this is good, it allows room for the permanent teeth to come in. (baby teeth act like a guide,kindof, to the permanent teeth so if their close together it is a good indicator the permanent teeth might be crowded and need braces in the future.)
Adults- if all four wisdom teeth are present you will have 32!yikes, that's alot of teeth (not including exceptions)
Exceptions to the rule...Some people may have congenitally missing teeth or the opposite; they may even have extra teeth.

Tip: Always speak well about the dentist to your child(well, in general is not a bad idea either:). Don't use fear to instill good brushing habits, such as" Do you want the dentist to pull your teeth out? You better brush your teeth, then." Although, your intentions may be good this instills fear of the dentist and will make it harder for the child to trust the dentist when in the chair,or to even get them there. INSTEAD, bring them to your cleaning appointment and let them watch as the hygienist or dentist cleans their teeth. They will usually explain it to your child so they can understand. Set up their first visit around two or three years of age if not sooner. The first visit will be a ride in the chair and "counting teeth" (exam) and a polish if possible, to help them get comfortable and excited to visit the dentist. Most dental offices have a treasure box for them to choose a toy after they are all done.

Movies to avoid prior weeks coming up to your dental visit : Finding Nemo, Little Shop of Horrors ... If you have any more please feel free to comment ...


Stay tuned for more helpful parenting dental tips...

Below is a fun link for your kids to learn and play about teeth
http://www.adha.org/kidstuff/links.htm