Tips for a Tooth-Friendly Halloween

Sweet, sticky candy is everywhere this time of year, and people are naturally having a harder time maintaining their oral health. While the rest of the holiday season isn’t as candy-oriented as Halloween, it does abound with sweets and present similar challenges. We’re particularly concerned with fighting gum disease here at the Massachusetts dental offices of Dr. Martin Urban, and we have many patients who want to preserve their prosthetic teeth. Therefore, we thought we’d provide a guide to a tooth-friendly Halloween.

Implants are strong structures. They integrate with a patient’s jaw bone structure and artificial crowns are cemented onto them. But patients with dentures and partial crowns should still exercise reasonable caution about eating sticky candy. Better options include chewy sweets, such as those made with peanut butter or chocolate. These foods still have high sugar content, but even foods with low amounts of sugar or complex sugars will fuel decay if they are allowed to linger in the mouth for too long. Patients should quickly dislodge food debris by brushing and flossing shortly after meals. They should also limit their time eating candy to meals, when they will be producing a large amount of saliva. Sugary drinks such as apple cider are also an oral health hazard, so patients should be drinking plenty of water to wash away sugary residue.

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

 

Lip Care in Cold Weather

As the weather cools and we head into the winter, many people are struggling with chapping on their lips. This isn’t just painful or inconvenient, although that would be bad enough. Lip damage can lead to dry mouth and create problems for oral health. People who have recently undergone procedures such as implant placement and are drooling more than normal can be especially impacted. So to help our patients maintain good oral health, we at Dr. Martin Urban’s Massachusetts dental practice wanted to provide guidance on lip care.

Our lips become chapped because of the low moisture content in cold air. But if we add moisture to them by licking or chewing on them, that moisture will evaporate, leaving them even more chapped. Instead, we should use balm to lock moisture in. When picking a balm, it is important to avoid spice, eucalyptus, menthol, or salicyclic acid, as these often cause inflammation and can further burn pre-existing fissures. By contrast, chemicals like titanium oxide and zinc oxide will provide protection against sun damage. Other good options include balm derived from mineral oils.

Balm has to be applied throughout the day and before a person goes to bed. Other lip care strategies include staying hydrated and using a humidifier in the bedroom, at a desk, and anywhere else we spend a lot of time. It is also tempting to take long showers this time of year, but this will likely increase chapping on the lips and the rest of the body.

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

 

Causes of Filling Failure

As specialists in dental restorations, we at the offices of Dr. Martin Urban want our patients’ new teeth to last. When properly cared for, implants, artificial crowns, and fillings can last for over ten years. But there are some newly discovered factors that put people at elevated risk for premature filling failure, which is why we want patients to know if they need to be especially attentive to their oral hygiene.

According to a new recent study, smokers and people who frequently drink alcohol are likelier to experience a filling failure after just two years. This adds to the high number of oral health problems smokers face, which include gum recession, tooth discoloration, and higher rates of oral cancer. The study also found a possible genetic influence on filling loss, suggesting that people with a family history of poor dental health are at risk even if they don’t adapt a lifestyle that is riskier for their oral health. However, filling and implant failure are still rare events when the patient engages in regular oral hygiene.

Another finding was that composite resin fillings do not have higher failure rates than amalgam fillings. This means that mercury-free, naturally colored prosthetics are viable alternatives, and that patients suffer no drawbacks from having amalgam fillings replaced with prosthetics that are healthier and more aesthetically pleasing.

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

 

Retained Baby Teeth

As a dental office that specializes in implants and periodontology, we at the practice of Dr. Martin Urban have seen some unusual conditions. Among those are patients who have retained their baby teeth past puberty. This often results in a need for replacement teeth, so we wanted people to know what options are available for their assistance.

Deciduous teeth, or baby teeth, usually fall out when the incoming adult tooth causes the baby tooth’s root to dissolve. This may not happen if the adult tooth never developed or if it is coming in at an unusual angle. Usually, if a patient has both the adult and deciduous versions of the same teeth, it is the lower central incisors or upper canines that are affected. The upper lateral incisors are the teeth that are likeliest to be missing. Either way, a patient’s teeth are will be jumbled, and they may also be overcrowded or misaligned enough to cause bite problems.

Usually, extracting retained baby teeth is a simple process. Once they are out, a patient may be referred for orthodontic therapy to correct their adult teeth’s alignment. If they need prosthetic adult teeth, the orthodontist will make space for them, and we can place implants in the newly opened gaps.

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