Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Adult teeth, by nature, are much stronger than baby teeth. That’s why children always seem to get more cavities than adults. Some parents feel that their children's oral health isn’t as important, due to the fact that baby teeth will eventually fall out. This isn’t at all true. The good dental habits taught now will be with them for the rest of their lives. Dr. Martin Urban of Waltham, MA, recommends partaking in pediatric dental care to avoid Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.

 

What exactly is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay? It’s tooth decay, also known as cavities, that can affect babies, infants, and other young children. Cavities are formed when a surplus of bacteria develop in the mouth. This is often due to sugary substances left on the teeth. Your child's bottle contains the biggest source. The American Dental Association recommends only filling bottles with breast milk, formula, or milk. Do not give your children drinks that are high in sugar like sugar-water, juice, and soft drinks. Older children should primarily drink water, as it contains fluoride. This greatly reduces the risk of developing cavities.

 

Tooth decay is also caused by moisture. Avoid giving your child access to a bottle during the night. Pacifiers are another great conduit for germs. Make sure to wash them properly. Do not dip them in substances like honey.

 

Bacteria are commonly introduced to a child by the mother. Your saliva contains harmful pathogens. Resist the need to share food, clean pacifiers with your mouth, or engage in unnecessary mouth-to-mouth contact.

 

Schedule your infant's dental appointment with Dr. Martin Urban. It’s recommended that the first dental examination be done as soon as the child gets their first tooth or turns one. Learn more by visiting our office in Waltham, MA. To schedule your appointment, visit our website or call 508-425-9640.

Pericoronitis

Extractions and gum disease are of particular interest to us at Dr. Martin Urban’s Waltham dental practice. Sometimes, extractions need to be done to prevent or combat periodontal disease, particularly in cases described as “pericoronitis.” This term describes infection of gum tissue surrounding a dental crown that is impacted.

Impacted teeth are those that are unable to fully erupt. This is a common risk with wisdom teeth, which are the largest teeth and the last to come in. There is often not enough room for them, leaving them stuck only partially erupted. In some cases, a portion of the tooth is still covered by a flap of gum tissue, which is called an operculum. The space between the operculum and the tooth becomes an ideal hiding place for bacteria, causing gum infections that can easily get out of control.

A partially-erupted tooth will likely prove difficult to clean. A patient can swish warm saltwater in their mouth as an anti-bacterial measure and can take oral antibiotics, but in the long term, oral surgery may be necessary. We may cut away an operculum, but the impacted tooth will probably continue to cause misalignment until it, too, is removed. In younger patients, it may be possible for an orthodontist to use braces to guide an impacted tooth into place after some of the gum tissue covering it has been cut away.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Martin Urban, call 508-425-9640 or visit us at Martin Urban DDS.

 

Bite Checks

Bite checks are a regular part of any dental health check-up. At the Waltham office of Dr. Martin Urban, where many of our patients have implants or dentures, we’re particularly concerned with ensuring that their prosthetics still fit correctly. When a tooth or jaws are out of place, pain is likely to only get worse without intervention.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) is a condition affecting the joints that connect the lower jaw to the head. It may cause pain, tingling, or numbness along the jaw, neck, or shoulder muscles. TMD often exists in a vicious circle with bruxism, also known as teeth grinding. As people clench or grind their teeth in their sleep, their enamel is eroded and their teeth are pushed out of place. The pain from this can trigger more clenching, although people have also been known to grind their teeth in an unconscious effort to keep their airways open or as a way of coping with psychological stress.

Bruxism can crack teeth and deform dentures. During a dental examination, our hygienists will be able to recognize it by wear patterns in a patient’s teeth. We’ll also need patients to demonstrate how they close their teeth together and allow us to take x-rays to search for further evidence of misalignment. If a tooth or jaw is out of place, we can talk about corrective options. Patients may also need oral appliances to protect their teeth as they sleep.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Martin Urban, call 508-425-9640 or visit us at Martin Urban DDS.

 

Tooth Sensitivity

It’s the season of ice cream, but for people with sensitive teeth, there’s less cause to be happy about that. We at Dr. Martin Urban’s Waltham office hope that all our patients are free of dental pain. If they do suffer from sensitivity, it could be a red flag for loss of enamel.

Each natural tooth contains a nerve and blood supply. Surrounding the dental pulp is a layer of hard material called dentin, which is a yellow-grey color. Enamel is the outermost layer of a dental crown and when it is thin, dentin may be visible through it. The roots of the teeth are surrounded by a substance called cementum, which is not as hard as enamel and serves to seal the tooth to its gum pocket.

Dentin is made up of tiny tubes and easily transfers heat to or from the dental pulp. When enamel has been reduced or gum tissue has receded, there is little to shield the sensitive nerve. Although a tooth may crack under pressure, it is more common for acid caused by bacterial infection or regurgitated by the stomach to dissolve enamel and gum tissue, making a tooth more sensitive. Implanted-supported crowns don’t have this problem, but we still work to preserve patients’ natural teeth by filling in cavities after drilling away infections. Patients may also try remineralizing their enamel by using extra-fluoridated toothpaste.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Martin Urban, call 508-425-9640 or visit us at Martin Urban DDS.

 

Gum Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis

It seems that every day we learn something new about the importance of gum health. As a dentist with special training in periodontics, Dr. Martin Urban is an expert in repairing and preventing gum damage. Recently, scientists found new evidence of a connection between gum disease and a certain kind of arthritis, so we wanted to make sure our patients understand why they should prioritize their gums.

Although Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is characterized by swollen joints, it is an autoimmune disorder. It occurs when the immune system attacks synovium, a joint lining tissue that shares a molecular similarity with gum tissue. Scientists have long known that people with RA are at particular risk for periodontitis and that this is not entirely due to their difficulty brushing and flossing, since gum disease symptoms tend to appear before their fingers swell up. New research has focused on how else the bacteria that cause gum disease affect the body.

Researchers found that the acid produced by some oral bacteria causes hypercitrullination, the excessive break-down of proteins. The body produces a large number of antibodies to destroy the deformed proteins, and the antibodies harm gum tissues as well as synovium. Currently, scientists are investigating whether treating gum disease can cause reduction in joint swelling. But regardless, it seems clear that it is good for patients’ joints to prevent gum disease from developing in the first place. If you’ve noticed your gums bleeding, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Martin Urban, call 508-425-9640 or visit us at Martin Urban DDS.