I remember seeing a commercial for a cholesterol medication in which the person playing the doctor says, “I wish my patients could see what I see.” I think there are two ways to look at that statement.

The commercial showed an image of animated artery walls clogging with particles of plaque clinging to one another, making the opening of the artery smaller and smaller. This is a visual that is easy to understand.

The second, and more subtle way to take this statement, is the doctor wishing that patients could see what happens to people over time, with and without compliance to taking medication or changing their diet. If patients could only understand and use the vast experiences of the doctor to make better decisions for themselves, wouldn’t everyone choose to do all the “right” things for a better and healthier life? Conventional wisdom would say “yes”, but reality says something different.

I have been photographing teeth since dental school…..a long time ago. So long ago, that I had to take the film to be developed to have slides made. When I tell a patient that I am going to take a series of pictures of their teeth, the response I often hear is, “I just had x-rays taken.” When I explain that they are pictures and not x-rays, it is not uncommon for the patient to ask, “Why?”, or say, “No one has ever done this before.” I explain that the photographs are used for documentation and communication.

Showing a patient visual images of their own teeth is by far the most powerful tool I use in practice. Patients often get frustrated when a dentist explains and recommends treatment they can’t see. You should be able to see and understand why something is recommended, even without a dental degree. Pictures help in telling the story, and help patients make better informed decisions. 

When displaying the images and giving the patient a tour of their own mouth, the patient will often say, “Wow, that doesn’t look good. I can’t believe that is in my mouth.” Photographs help in explaining why things look the way they do. From there it is easier to explain to patients what to expect in the future. Photographs are invaluable for this exercise, and most patients appreciate being able to see what I see.

If a patient has not been to a dentist in a while, or is seeing a new dentist who is doing a complete exam, photographs help patients with decision making. It is important to try to get the patient to look beyond the pictures, and envision where they want to be 5, 10, 20+ years down the road. The goal is for the dentist to tie their experience together with where the patient is currently, where they are headed, and give them the opportunity to potentially change the course of their future.

This approach may be different for some patients. It is easy to get overwhelmed by any new approach, but it is important to keep an open mind. Photographs of your own mouth in the dental office are an important part of the doctor/patient relationship, because communication is the key to any relationship.

You, as a patient, should look beyond today and make choices for ANY aspect of your health based on where you want to be in the future. Take advantage of the knowledge you gain from all your experiences, and make decisions that you feel are right for you.

Dr. St. Clair maintains a private dental practice in Rowley dedicated to health-centered family dentistry. He has a special interest in treating snoring, sleep apnea and TMJ problems. If there are certain topics you would like to see written about or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com

If you’ve recently invested in dental implants, you’ve made a wise decision. You can enjoy many summer foods you might have avoided, thanks to your new teeth. Dental implants are unlike any other tooth replacement method because they have the support of your jawbone to regain 70% of your natural biting force. Although you can eat just about anything, your implant dentist recommends a few precautions to protect your investment.
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There are many people who suffer with pain involving some area of the head. Toothaches can cause pain, but these are mostly avoidable with proper diet, home care and regular visits to your dentist. Teeth can also play an indirect role in facial/head pain.

Orofacial pain includes a number of clinical problems involving the chewing (masticatory) muscles and/or temporomandibular joints (TMJs). Problems can include TMJ discomfort involving muscle spasms in the head, neck, shoulders and/or jaw, migraines or other types of tension headaches, pain with the teeth, face or jaw; and can even play a role in anxiety and/or depression.

You swallow approximately 2,000 times per day, which causes the upper and lower teeth to come together and push against the skull. People who have an unstable bite, missing teeth, or poorly aligned teeth can have trouble because the muscles work harder to bring the teeth together, causing strain. People with seemingly good teeth/bite are also susceptible. Pain can also be caused by clenching or grinding teeth, trauma to the head and neck, or poor ergonomics. Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) affect more than 10 million Americans. Your TMJ’s are located where the skull connects your lower jaw to the muscles on the sides of your head and face controlling the joint’s movements. Women between the ages of 20 and 40 are often more frequent sufferers because of the added estrogen in their bodies.

One in eight Americans suffers from headaches. Experts estimate that 80 percent of all headaches are caused by muscle tension, which may be related to the bite. Clenching the jaw muscles creates tension in the muscles that close the jaw, the main one of which is the temporalis muscle. Signs that may indicate a headache from dental origin include: pain behind the eyes, sore jaw muscles or “tired” muscles upon awaking, teeth grinding, clicking or popping of the jaw joints, head and/or scalp is painful to the touch, earaches or ringing, neck and/or shoulder pain, and dizziness. Keep in mind that in a 24-hour period of time, your teeth should only touch 10 minutes total. If you clench or grind your teeth, your teeth are touching much more than that and I can promise you that something in the masticatory system is being affected.

Sleep disorders can also play a role. I am not just talking about sleep apnea. There are a wide range of sleep disorders and some of them will cause people to clench and/or grind as a defense mechanism of the body to achieve proper air flow.

Dentists have a variety of ways to help relieve orofacial symptoms. One way to treat these problems is called an orthotic, or splint, that is worn over the teeth to help stabilize the bite; kind of like an orthotic some wear in their shoes for alignment and balance when standing. Permanent correction may require equilibration (reshaping teeth), prosthetic dentistry and/ or orthodontics. Many use a splint on a daily basis to avoid having these other treatments done.

Orofacial pain can range from tolerable to debilitating. Maintaining or correcting your bite ensures optimal health, and proper care will help reduce or eliminate orofacial pain or discomfort. If your dentist can not help you, ask for a referral.

Most important lesson of the day: The optimal rest position of the jaw (minus the 10 minutes the teeth touch in 24 hours) is lips together, teeth slightly apart, the tip of the tongue resting just behind your upper front teeth, and you should be breathing through your nose.

Dr. St. Clair maintains a private dental practice in Rowley dedicated to health-centered family dentistry. He has a special interest in treating snoring, sleep apnea and TMJ problems. If there are certain topics you would like to see written about or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com

Bad breath is breath that has an unpleasant odor. It’s also known as halitosis. This odor can occur from time to time, or it can be long lasting, depending on the cause.

Millions of bacteria live in the mouth, particularly on the back of the tongue. In many people, they are the primary causes of bad breath. The mouth’s warm, moist conditions are ideal for the growth of these bacteria. Most bad breath is caused b1y something in the mouth.

Some types of bad breath are considered to be fairly normal. They usually are not health concerns. One example is “morning mouth.” This occurs because of changes in your mouth while you sleep. During the day, saliva washes away decaying food and odors. The body makes less saliva at night. Your mouth becomes dry, and dead cells stick to your tongue and to the inside of your cheeks. When bacteria use these cells for food, they produce a foul odor.

In addition, bad breath can be caused by the following:

Poor dental hygiene – Infrequent or improper brushing and flossing, allows bits of food that are stuck between the teeth to decay inside the mouth. Poor oral hygiene eventually will lead to periodontal (gum) disease, which also can cause bad breath.

Infections in the mouth – These can be caused by either a cavity in a tooth or by periodontal (gum) disease.

Respiratory tract infections – Throat, sinus or lung infections.

External source – Garlic, onions, coffee, tea, cigarette smoking, and chewing tobacco, all contribute to halitosis.

Dry mouth (xerostomia) – This can be caused by salivary gland problems, medicines or “mouth breathing.” A large number of prescriptions and over the counter medicines cause dry mouth. Xerostomia is a major contributor to bad breath and advanced dental decay.

Illnesses – Diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, lung disease, sinus disease, reflux disease and others.

Bad breath caused by dental problems can be prevented easily with proper home and professional care. Your dentist will review your medical history for conditions that can cause bad breath and for medicines that can cause dry mouth.

Your dentist may refer you to your family physician if an illness is the most likely cause. In severe cases of gum disease, your dentist may suggest that you see a periodontist (a dentist who specializes in gum problems).

If the cause is systemic, you will need diagnostic tests to check for lung infection, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease or Sjögren’s syndrome. The type of tests you get depends on the suspected illness. You may get blood tests, urine tests, X-rays of the chest or sinuses, or other tests.

The treatment for bad breath depends on the cause. As with all medical issues, it is best to follow regular professional maintenance appointments.

One of the best things you can do daily is scrape your tongue with a…..you guessed it……tongue scraper. Brushing the tongue is not advised as this pushes bacteria further into the tongue. A tongue scraper is designed to pull and collect millions of bacteria that accumulate on the tongue. If you don’t have one, ask your dentist for one at your next appointment.

Dr. St. Clair maintains a private dental practice in Rowley dedicated to health-centered family dentistry. He has a special interest in treating snoring, sleep apnea and TMJ problems. If there are certain topics you would like to see written about or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com

Does your jaw hurt in the morning? You might attribute it to your sleeping position or another minor issue, but it can be a sign of an underlying problem. You might have a habit of grinding or clenching your teeth while you’re sleeping. Not only can this damage your teeth, but it can also cause a disorder of your temporomandibular joints (TMJ). Here’s what might be behind your jaw pain and what you can do to stop the discomfort.
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In the first segment of this series, I discussed the role of caregivers in early dental care. Prevention starts as early as 6 months into pregnancy and continues with essential steps early in a child’s life. The second segment discussed dental care for children as they develop. In this final segment I will discuss easy prevention and maintenance steps to take to help ensure dental health for a lifetime.

As I stated a few weeks ago, in preventive-based dental practices we go far beyond saying to patients, “you need to brush and floss more.” We truly believe that dental disease, both dental caries (cavities) and gum disease, is very preventable. However, we recognize that not every individual is equal when it comes to susceptibility. Each person presents with their own unique genetic pool, good and bad habits, number and position of teeth, and willingness to truly make a change. The one constant is that most of us have room for improvement.

Here are 4 simple things that will help maintain dental health for a lifetime:

Professional Maintenance – It is easy to put professional hygiene visits on the backburner. We are pulled in many different directions in life, and the absence of pain in our mouths sometimes grants us permission to skip regular dental appointments. Some people will use the excuse of lack of insurance for not going on a regular basis. The most important thing you can do to prevent dental disease is to commit to a lifetime of professional dental visits. This is a choice. Your cell phone costs more per year than these visits will. Some people require four visits a year to maintain health and others may only require one. There are no set rules. However, it is up to you to make the commitment.

Home Care – Most people have significant room for improvement with their home care. Coaching, in anything, increases an individual’s potential for improvement. Think of us as your dental coach. We routinely ask patients to bring their toothbrushes with them to their appointments to review technique. As simple as it sounds, constant evaluation and improvement of your home care can only decrease your chances of dental disease.

Diet – What we put in our mouths, when we do it and how often are all choices as well. As with everything, some people can get away with things that others cannot. Decay rates are different for different people and can change during the course of a lifetime. This is an important topic to routinely discuss at regular visits.

Dental Orthotics – This is in reference to any oral appliance, typically worn while sleeping, but there are some worn during the day. This is another situation where absence of any symptoms sometimes allows us to ignore what is really going on. It is easy to get someone to wear an appliance in their mouth if they present with TMJ issues or headaches. On the other hand, it is often difficult to convince someone to routinely wear a nighttime appliance if they have no symptoms. For example, people who have had braces should be wearing retainers. People who have sleep apnea may have the option of wearing an oral appliance. However, those who have evidence of clenching and/or grinding are the most undertreated. It is my firm belief that if more people committed to unfailing routine use of a properly made nighttime appliance (if they show any indications they need it), many potential dental problems would be avoided.

I believe that most dental disease is preventable. What it takes to prevent dental disease in one person may very well not be the same for another. Choose and commit to these four things and you are guaranteed fewer dental problems over your lifetime.

Dr. St. Clair maintains a private dental practice in Rowley dedicated to health-centered family dentistry. He has a special interest in treating snoring, sleep apnea and TMJ problems. If there are certain topics you would like to see written about or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com

Last week I talked about oral care for mothers-to-be and babies. Preventive care truly does start before birth. This week we journey past those early years of life.

In preventive-based dental practices we go far beyond saying to patients, “you need to brush and floss more.” We truly believe that dental disease, both dental caries (cavities) and gum disease, is very preventable. However, we recognize that not every individual is equal when it comes to susceptibility. Each person presents with their own unique genetic pool, good and bad habits, number and position of teeth, and willingness to truly make a change. The one constant is that most of us have room for improvement.

It goes without saying that preventive care includes regular visits to the dentist. Based on my experience, even many of those who visit the dentist on a regular basis have significant room for improvement. However, it is up to your caregivers, hygienists and dentists, to have that preventive frame of mind to go beyond just telling you to brush and floss more.

Technique is vital when it comes to home care. Although daily removal of plaque (the thin, sticky film of bacteria that creates cavities and gum disease) can be accomplished with a manual toothbrush, the proper power toothbrush is more appropriate and effective for most people. We routinely ask patients to bring their toothbrushes with them to their appointments to review technique. The same goes for the water pik. Think of your dentist and/or hygienist as your dental coach. Coaching, in anything, increases an individual’s potential for improvement.

The same approach goes for kids. Although we do the same thing with children, they need that additional coaching from home. The best way to guide your family to good oral health is to lead by example. Parents should supervise toothbrushing by children younger than age 8 to make sure they are doing a thorough job. This also goes for flossing. This is done until the child is consistently getting good homecare reports at dental visits.

The challenge of good home care increases with the addition of braces. Children and adults in braces need extra coaching on technique and more time spent on their daily routine. I am a firm believer that preventive visits to the dentist should increase during orthodontics. There is too much at risk during this time and the extra professional care and coaching are vital to escaping the pitfalls of poor homecare while braces are on.

As life goes on, your genetic make-up, the amount of professional care and coaching you receive, your effectiveness at home, and your willingness and ability to improve, will shape your oral health. The fact of the matter is, there are those who need more professional care and more rigorous homecare than others.

As I stated earlier, I believe that most dental disease is preventable. What it takes to prevent dental disease in one person may very well not be the same for another. Between finding the right fit with a dental office, utilizing the coaching expertise of those individuals, using the right homecare products, and always striving to improve, excellent oral health for a lifetime is possible.

In the final segment of this series next week, I will discuss some simple ideas to maintain good dental health for your entire adult life. It is simpler than you think.

Dr. St. Clair maintains a private dental practice in Rowley dedicated to health-centered family dentistry. He has a special interest in treating snoring, sleep apnea and TMJ problems. If there are certain topics you would like to see written about or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com

Research shows that babies are born without any harmful bacteria in their mouths. However, once bacteria colonize in the mouth, children are more prone to cavities in their baby teeth and permanent teeth. How do they get the bacteria? Caregivers.

Most parents don’t know that they can pass harmful bacteria from their mouth to their baby’s mouth. The most critical time is during the child’s first 2 ½ years of life. Most children are born without a single tooth. Can bacteria passed to children without teeth affect their decay potential for their whole life? According to research the answer is yes.

Here’s a shocker…..If you have a history of poor oral health, including many fillings in your mouth, you are much more likely to transfer these harmful bacteria to children. How? Typically, this takes place through common parental or caregiver behaviors such as sharing utensils or cleaning a baby’s pacifier with your own saliva.

Prevention starts as early as 6 months into a pregnancy. Research shows that expectant mothers who chewed gum containing the sweetener xylitol are much less likely to have decay-causing bacteria in their saliva. So, take-home point number one, it is essential for expectant parents and caregivers to keep their own mouths healthy. If you reduce the bacterial levels in your own mouth, you are not only benefiting yourself but also that of your unborn child. Visiting a dentist regularly, even more often when you are pregnant, improving your homecare, and using products that specifically reduce bacteria are all essential.

Your baby is born; now what? First, eliminate potential ways of transferring saliva to your baby. Do not share utensils or let grandma or grandpa lick a cloth to clean around a baby’s mouth. Wiping your baby’s gums with a clean cloth after meals is also good practice to help reduce bacterial levels.

Once a child starts getting teeth, diet plays a significantly greater role. Minimizing snacks and drinks with fermentable sugars is key. This starts with the bottle. Bottle syndrome, also known as baby bottle tooth decay, occurs when teeth become exposed, at length and frequently, to liquids containing a form of sugar. All liquids that contain sugar can cause bottle syndrome, including breast and cow’s milk (which contain the sugar lactose), formula, fruit juice (which contains the sugar fructose), soda and other sweetened drinks. It is caused by the constant presence of milk, formula, or fruit juice in a child’s mouth during the night, during breastfeeding, during naps, or for extended periods during the day. The liquid pools around the teeth and gums, providing food for the bacteria in plaque. The bacteria produce acid as a byproduct when they consume the sugar. This acid attacks your child’s teeth and causes decay.

When your child feels comfortable with a toothbrush, brush their teeth and gums twice a day with an extra-soft toothbrush. Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste without fluoride until your child is old enough to spit.  If your child doesn’t like toothpaste, it’s fine to brush without it.

Prevention starts before babies are born. It starts with taking care of your own mouth.

Next week, in the second part of this 3-part series, we will explore some important issues to consider during the next phase of life.

Dr. St. Clair maintains a private dental practice in Rowley dedicated to health-centered family dentistry. He has a special interest in treating snoring, sleep apnea and TMJ problems. If there are certain topics you would like to see written about or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com

You’ve heard it before – three in four adults over 35 have some form of gum disease. A preponderance of clinical research reveals that gum disease poses a far greater threat to health than just losing a tooth. Periodontal disease may actually increase your risk for a variety of health concerns including heart attacks, low birth weight babies, diabetes, stroke, and other bad things.

Dr. Isadore Rosenfield, noted cardiologist and media health consultant once said – “People with chronically infected gums have twice as much heart disease as the rest of us. We have an imperative to treat gum disease – to save not only teeth but also patients.”

Dr. Steven Offenbacher, former director of the Center for Oral and Systemic Disease at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – “In many ways, periodontal disease is like high blood pressure – it’s painless and only becomes evident when it’s quite severe.”

All gum disease begins with the accumulation of plaque, a sticky deposit of bacteria, mucus and food particles that build up along the gum line and between the teeth. Plaque can cause gingivitis – inflammation of the gums. Plaque must be removed daily to prevent buildup. Excellent home care, coupled with a minimum of twice-yearly professional cleanings, will combat gingivitis in most people.

There is a strong genetic component to periodontal disease. One of the questions I always ask my patients is whether or not they know their familial history with regards to gum disease. If a patient says that both of their parents had dentures, for example, there is a stronger likelihood that the patient carries the gene for gum disease. There are two main reasons that people lose teeth – gum disease and decay. Decay is 100% preventable. Gum disease, like diabetes, is controllable but not curable; it requires intervention.

If gingivitis is not treated, or is not treated soon enough, the result can become periodontitis. This occurs when plaque invades beneath the gum, turning into a hard substance called tartar or calculus. Calculus can only be removed during a professional cleaning. At this stage, skilled care is essential to stave off tooth loss. In more advanced cases, a procedure called scaling and root planning (aka deep cleaning), is performed to remove hidden plaque and tartar from below the gum line.

Do you have gum disease? Warning signs may not be evident to you but may include red, swollen, tender, bleeding or receding gums, loose teeth, persistent bad breath, changes in tooth position, and the development of pockets between gums and teeth. Having said that, if you have any of those symptoms, you’ve waited too long.

For most people, good health requires investment. Today, periodontal disease can be successfully treated BEFORE teeth get loose from bone loss. Your hygienist can measure the pockets and bleeding points around your teeth and institute non-surgical treatment before you suffer the irreversible bone destruction of periodontal disease.

So, remember two things: First, lack of pain is NOT a good indicator that you don’t have problems – Second, the hygienists of the 21^st century don’t just clean teeth – they save lives!

The mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body; take good care of it.

Dr. St. Clair maintains a private dental practice in Rowley dedicated to health-centered family dentistry. He has a special interest in treating snoring, sleep apnea and TMJ problems. If there are certain topics you would like to see written about or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com

What is your definition of oral health? Is there even a standard definition of oral health? One thing is clear; the definition of oral health is not solely the absence of pain. Pain is also not necessarily an indication of poor oral health.

It wasn’t until the year 2000 that oral health was brought to the forefront of the surgeon general’s report as a critical component to overall health. This was an important event, but unfortunately never amounted to much in terms of being incorporated into most healthcare policies. This has led to continued poor to non-existent cross-over coverage between medical and dental insurance.

In 2005 at the World Congress of Preventive Dentistry, participants from 43 countries made it clear that oral health is an integral part of general health and overall well-being. They even concluded that oral health is a basic human right.

More recently, the United Nations recognized oral disease as an integral part of other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases and cancer. This association with these other diseases was based on common social determinants such as socioeconomic status, diet, tobacco and alcohol use, and not on the basis of transmission. However, there is still no solid definition of what oral health really is.

According to a column in the Journal of the American Dental Association, the American Dental Association is working on a proposed definition of oral health. The authors of the column state, “A proposed definition is necessary to achieve a common understanding of the scope of oral health, to help understand the array of complex oral and systemic health issues facing dental and medical professions now and, in the future, and to provide a rationale to position oral health professionals as partners within primary health care.”

The authors go on to say that the definition of oral health needs to align with the current definition of dentistry. That definition currently states, “dentists are responsible not only for the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity, the maxillofacial area and adjacent areas but also for assessing their impact on the human body.”

As new tests and knowledge in the area of oral health increases, the days of simply recording missing and decayed teeth and poking patients with instruments to chart periodontal (gum) issues may not be enough to best serve patients. What we can learn from things such as genetic testing and salivary diagnostics will change the way we interact with our medical colleagues and greatly benefit our patients.

In conclusion, the authors state, “As the definition of oral health evolves and likely will continue to evolve well into the future, no matter how oral health is defined, the message remains: Oral health is essential to an individual’s general health and quality of life.”

So, while the powers that be work on the definition of oral health, it is our individual responsibility to take care of ourselves. If we know that oral health is connected to the rest of the body and if we care enough to take care of our body, then regular professional maintenance and constantly improving our home care should be at the forefront of our self-care.

Dr. St. Clair maintains a private dental practice in Rowley dedicated to health-centered family dentistry. He has a special interest in treating snoring, sleep apnea and TMJ problems. If there are certain topics you would like to see written about or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com