J. Peter St. Clair, DMD, PC Blog

Last year I wrote a column about a study I saw in an article from over a decade ago. It was about the poor odds people have making changes in their life actually happen. The article was an outpouring of concern from healthcare experts and doctors, all looking for a way to change the behavior of people who love their lifestyle so much that they were willing to literally die from it.

In the Johns Hopkins study, 9 of 10 heart surgery patients chose to return to their unhealthy lifestyle, rather than make the changes needed to live longer. Very few were convinced by their doctors to make radical daily changes.

Based on my own… (Read More)

Do you have any problems with dental decay (cavities), gum recession, and/or dental erosion (the chemical breakdown of tooth structure)? These dental issues are complicated multifactorial diseases of epidemic levels affecting both children and adults. A healthy mouth sometimes requires more than brushing, flossing, and “fillings”. With current scientific evidence and new technologies, patients and practitioners need to begin to look at these problems not just from a drilling and filling approach, but also from a medical (preventive/therapeutic) approach.

There are over 19,000 different bacteria that have been found in mouths and every person has about 1,000 different types. Not all of them cause decay, but many of them have also been found to grow… (Read More)

It seems I have more and more patients telling me about their upcoming shoulder, hip, and knee replacement surgery. There are other parts that people have replaced, but those are the top three. Most of these people decide to go under the knife to improve their quality of life.

If you were born in the Paleolithic era, you could expect to live to 33 years old. The average global life expectancy in 2010 was more than double this number at 67 years. The main reasons for this are advances in hygiene, food production, and medical care.

On the bright side, if you were born in the Paleolithic era, you would most likely never need a… (Read More)

Like many dental practices today, our office sends an email request for patients to leave comments about their visit to our office. Most comments are positive, for which we are grateful. However, all comments are helpful to the business to understand what patients are thinking. If one person is thinking it, most likely there are others.

We recently received the following comment on our website from a patient who was in to see the hygienist:

“My hygienist is always very pleasant, conversational and professional in her services. However, I can do without the constant sales pitch to buy an electric toothbrush from your office. There is no evidence that an electric is any better than… (Read More)

Last week I discussed clenching, which is vertical force put on teeth. Grinding or bruxism is lateral (excursive) forces put on teeth that cause teeth to rub together and wear. Both of these are very destructive to teeth, joints, and muscles.

Some people present with symptoms relating to these two issues, but more often than not, people do not have symptoms. We dentists know that patients who present with signs of tooth wear are riskier to treat. Riskier because the “issues” are often times, and maybe even most often, not treated. This is a significant reason for tooth structure breakdown and shorter life-span dental work.

There are many reasons people grind or clench their teeth.… (Read More)

Of the many issues that this pandemic is causing, stress may be at the top of the list. Dentists are seeing a sizable increase in patients complaining of symptoms of joint, muscle and/or tooth pain directly associated with an etiology of grinding and/or clenching.

Although methods of relaxation are important to get through the stresses of life, it may not be enough to prevent symptoms in the TMJ, muscles and teeth, especially in the subconscious (i.e. sleeping). Many times, patients are aware of the symptoms, but don’t realize the origin of the problem.

Studies have shown a link between tooth grinding, clenching and headaches. For people who grind or clench, the muscles that open and… (Read More)

Most people will admit that nice looking teeth make a person more attractive than not so nice-looking teeth. Apparently, there are other benefits as well. In a study conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) they found:

• Virtually all Americans (99.7%) believe a smile is an important social asset.
• 96% of adults believe an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to members of the opposite sex.
• 74% of adults feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success.

The survey then went a little deeper. Photographs of individuals with different levels of attractiveness in their smiles were shown to 528 adults who represented a statistically valid cross section of… (Read More)

Full of scary décor, haunted houses, and creepy costumes, Halloween really is the most “spooktacular” time of year. However, it just wouldn’t be the same without tons and tons of candy! Whether you’ve bought a few bags for trick-or-treaters or your little one comes home with enough to feed a small army, it is important to remember how a few too many pieces can impact your oral health. With this in mind, read on for five Halloween candy tips to keep your teeth and gums in tip-top shape this time of year.

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If you have read these columns in the past, you have seen me write about periodontal (gum) health and its relationship to systemic health. There is a slew of scientific evidence that poor periodontal health is not good for you systemically. It has been linked to heart disease, stroke, low birth weight babies, diabetes and more.

Gum tissue health is an easy thing for patients to be lax about, or even ignore. Why? The main reason is that gum problems do not hurt, unless they are so severe that tooth loss is inevitable. It is the chronic inflammation in the gum tissue, regardless of whether it hurts or not, that has the potential to affect… (Read More)

Dental practices are as different as people are different.  Some practices may feel clinical and efficient, while others feel somewhat more home spun and laid back.  The dentist’s personality is reflected in his or her treatment preferences as well.  The fact that different dentists will suggest different plans to treat your condition does not necessarily mean that one plan is better than another. 

As I ended last week, the most important thing any health care provider can give is their time. Listening to patient desires and expectations is the key to a long-lasting dentist or other health care provider relationship. Patients who feel comfortable with their provider are able to be better participants in health… (Read More)