The Daily Herald
Saturday, 08.15.2015 D3
Open wide for the lowdown on your teeth By Quinn Russell Brown Special to the Herald
There’s more to your teeth than keeping them pearly and white. To make the most out of your trip to the dentist, schedule both a cleaning and a checkup. “One is maintaining your hygiene, and one is maintaining the integrity of your teeth,” said Dr. Ann Liou, a prosthodontist in Edmonds. One is remedy, the other prevention. Both are equally important to your oral health. You know what happens in a cleaning: the hygienist picks, pokes and scrubs the hidden crevices reached only by cola, jelly beans and ice cream. But what goes on when the dentist hovers over you in a checkup? What’s taking so long, and why can’t you just get up and leave already? The hygienist hunts down your plaque and tartar. The dentist looks at what all that icky stuff has done to your teeth, and what it threatens to do in the future. It’s a survey of your oral health — tongue, tooth and tonsil. Liou, a specialist who restores and replaces teeth on top of her regular dental duties, says a checkup takes 10 to 15 minutes for returning patients. First-timers get a whole hour. She never knows what she’ll find inside. “It’s hard to appreciate how complex some people’s mouths are,” she said. Only a checkup can reveal how unique yours is. When the dentist comes in, you’ll be asked to — you guessed it — open wide. And stick your tongue out while you’re at it. The dentist scans the inside of the cheeks, the palate and the jaw tissue, inspecting your trap from
It’s hard to appreciate how complex some people’s mouths are.
Dr. Ann Liou Prosthodontist in Edmonds
WHAT TO EXPECT DENTAL EXAMINATION roof to floor. The parts of your mouth work as a team: the teeth are the stars, but they need a good supporting cast. “In order to have good oral health, you need to have soft tissue and hard tissue,” Liou said. Soft tissue is the tongue, cheeks, gums, lips and even lymph nodes on the head and neck. Hard tissue is your teeth. The big stuff stands out: abscessed teeth, bleeding gums, wear and tear from grinding in your sleep. A closer inspection can root out bacteria buildup, gum disease, dry mouth and even cancer. When the lead vest hits your chest, it’s time for the X-ray. You’ll bite down on a mouthful of plastic and pose for a panorama of
unglamorous closeups. “Our eyes can only see so much,” Liou said. “We need a visual exam, but also a radiographic exam.” Thanks to digital imaging, X-rays show up on the computer in seconds. Peek back at the monitor to see a freaky 180-degree view of your skeletal mouth. The white stuff is enamel. The dark means something’s missing. “Sometimes you can see cyst inside of the bones,” Liou said. “Maybe the tooth is dead, maybe there is a cavity. Cavities don’t always give you symptoms.” When the dentist has seen enough, the two of you will chew over a treatment plan together. The goal: cure your current toothaches and avoid more in the future. If you’re at risk for
disease or decay, for example, you might be asked to visit every three months. Bummer, but better than bidding ciao to your chompers. This stuff goes beyond your mouth. Dental issues can become mental issues. “With gum disease and bleeding, it’s hard to have a healthy mind,” Liou said. And shallow as it may be, our teeth can affect our social lives and self-confidence. You might not have bright white teeth. That’s OK. Bleaching your way to a Hollywood smile isn’t necessary. Instead, Liou said, you should aim for natural, healthy teeth. “When you’re healthy and your smile is shiny, you’re going to have confidence to conquer the world,” she said.
Lifetime of dental health begins early Plain soap may be What new parents can do to ensure healthy baby teeth
about when to introduce fluoridated toothpaste. Once your child is 6 months old, your pediatrician may prescribe an oral fluoride supplement if your drinking water is not already fluoridated.
By Dr. Sara Tamarin Mill Creek Pediatrics
Taking care of your baby’s teeth begins before a first tooth ever appears. There are many things you can do as a parent to help assure that your child will have a healthy and beautiful smile for years to come.
It starts with you A parent’s oral health has a major impact on his or her own child’s oral health. Children born to mothers with high rates of dental cavities are more likely to develop childhood cavities themselves. This occurs in part because the oral bacteria responsible for cavities are passed from parent to child through common daily contacts. To minimize bacteria, parents should be sure to
Bottles and bed
Dr. Sara Tamarin
maintain their own dental health with regular brushing, flossing and dental check-ups. It’s always a good idea to avoid such practices as sharing utensils or cleaning the pacifier by putting it in your mouth.
Early hygiene Start cleaning your baby’s gums before teeth even appear. Once teeth do show, be sure to brush them each morning and evening. Talk to your pediatrician
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A major source of early onset cavities comes from putting a baby to bed with a bottle. Sugars in the formula, juice, or milk sit on the teeth throughout the night, allowing bacteria to prosper and eventually cause decay. By avoiding the practice from the start, everyone wins. If your baby already has become accustomed to falling asleep with a bottle, talk to your pediatrician about how to help your baby learn to fall asleep without it. Prolonged use of the bottle is also a common cause of tooth decay. In most cases, it’s best to discontinue bottle use completely by around 15 months of age. Introducing your baby to a sippy
Dr. Tamarin practices at Mill Creek Pediatrics. Content shared by the Everett Clinic.
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Chicago Tribune Soap may seem to be keeping germs at bay, but in many homes, it’s doing harm. The potential culprit is antibacterial soap that contains triclosan. Why is it harmful? This was widely believed to be more effective than regular soap, but a 2013 Food and Drug Administration report found that long-term daily use of the active ingredient triclosan could have unanticipated hormonal effects and may lead to antibiotic resistance. While the agency continues to collect additional information on antibacterial soaps and body washes, consumers are advised to wash their hands with plain soap and water. If you aren’t near running water, use an alcoholbased hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol, said Andrea Fischer, FDA spokeswoman.
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cup at six months is one way to ease this transition later down the road. Your pediatrician will check your baby’s mouth and teeth regularly as part of routine well child visits. Your pediatrician will also talk to you about when your child should have his or her first check-up with a dentist. Working together, you, your pediatrician and your dentist can help give your child a head start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
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Providence: Growing to Meet the Needs of the Community Please join us in welcoming Martin C. Holland, MD, Neurosurgeon to Providence Medical Center Everett. As the new Chief of Neurosurgery and the Neuroscience program at Providence Everett, Dr. Holland is committed to expanding Neurosurgical care in Northwest Washington. He will lead Providence, in partnership with the Swedish Neuroscience Institute, as we continue to expand as the first rate, patient-centric neurosurgery and neuroscience program for the region. Patients in the region will benefit from a wider range of neuroscience and spine specialists, and the technologies and leading-edge clinical research close to home. www.Providence.org
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