406 woman Vol. 10 No. 3

Page 116

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What’s Luck Got To Do, Got To Do With It? by Dr. John F. Miller DDS

Welcome to Autumn. As I have stated in the past I’m not big on Fall, but presently as I type I’m staring out at the Swan Range in full alpenglow at the end of a pleasantly warm late September day. I can get on board with fall days like this. It’s just a gift to lay eyes on our beautiful mountains following this summer’s long fire season. A sincere & heartfelt thank you to the Fire Crews and everyone else involved. I very recently had the opportunity to examine a lovely lady that had not seen a Dentist, or a Hygienist for that matter, in over 12 years. This hiatus was due to a moderate level of dental anxiety. In all aspects of life there are the rules, and then there are the exceptions to those rules. Now in this case, the rule would have presented us with a mouth in dire need of maintenance. At minimum, if this mouth

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was LUCKY, we would anticipate the need for fillings and an advanced cleaning of the gums to address the gum disease caused by over a decade’s worth of plaque build-up. This gal proved to be the exception to the rule. An exam of her X-rays showed healthy enamel between her teeth with no evidence of bone loss. And clinically I was delighted to see bright and clean teeth that deposited absolutely no plaque on my examination instrument. I made an effort not to attribute this oral success to LUCK, instead commending this patient on her close attention to her oral hygiene. You could say her actions proved to me that she indeed had a fear of the dentist, because she took immaculate care of her teeth. There are so many factors that influence the health of your mouths. There are specific micro-organisms that produce acids that erode your enamel. These bacteria are fed and sustained by the carbohydrates in your diet and are protected by the layers of plaque

on your teeth. For information’s sake, most tooth decay is located in between teeth where plaque is not easily removed. Don’t rely on LUCK, and make sure you are brushing twice a day for 2 minutes and flossing once a day. There are specific micro-organisms that produce a destructive inflammatory immune response in the pockets of your gums. This inflammation causes your jaw-bone to recede, in turn causing your gums to recede. Visualize that, saying “gum recession” is just sugar coating the actual culprit, “bone recession.” The progression of gum disease is dependent on the bodies ability to heal, meaning that as we get older this disease is more and more damaging. Don’t rely on LUCK, and know your Hygienist on a first name basis. Also, brush and floss with the intention of not only cleaning your teeth, but also underneath your gums. Does Good LUCK ever factor in you might ask? Yes, if you had parents that taught you the importance of personal oral hygiene. That


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