Why dentist offices are taking patients' pictures?

"Smiling" may not be the only thing you are asked to do at your next dental appointment.  You may also be asked to say "cheese."

When patients arrive at our practice, they now have their picture taken with a digital camera. The photographs help to put faces with names and also protect our patients identities. It's also meant to cut down on insurance fraud.  There are people out there that do not have insurance that will get a friend's insurance card, bring it in and pass it off as themselves.  So the photographs are to protect our patient's privacy and insurance benefits.

Taking photographs are all part of a new federal healthcare law.  Doctors and dental offices are not going to have a choice before long.  Offices must follow many federal guidelines that mandate a switch to electronic medical record keeping, also known as E.M.R.  Instead of writing in the charts, it's getting rid of paper.  This means everything is in the computer and regulated by federal guidelines and mandates.  There are guidelines for just about everything that we have to do.

The photos are simply an added safety precaution.  With the ongoing healthcare debate in Washington, D.C., the medical industry really isn't sure if the federal guidelines will change.  So for now it's smile and say "cheese."

Does it matter which toothpaste you use?

Many dentists feel that fluoride toothpastes are best, suggesting consumers check to be sure they select fluoridated toothpastes.  Generally it is true that any toothpaste you buy today will clean your teeth perfectly well, since they almost all contain fluoride.

According to many dental experts, the toothbrush is what really matters.  The brush does 95% of the work.  In all honesty, you do not need toothpaste.  The friction of the toothbrush is the most important thing!

So what is the take-away message for consumers?  Some toothpastes are good for sensitivity, some for canker sores, some for fresh breath, etc.  However for the average patient, just choose the one that is most pleasing to your taste.

Why missing teeth need to be replaced?

Teeth need each other for support.  When you lose a tooth, the biting forces change on the teeth next to the space, causing the teeth to shift.  In addition the opposing teeth no longer have anything to chew against, so they begin to drift out of their sockets.  These changes create places around the teeth that make it difficult to keep clean, causing plaque and bacteria to build-up.  This build-up can cause tooth decay and gum disease. 

When teeth are missing, a fixed bridge is a good choice for replacing the missing teeth.  A dental bridge is a great way to maintain a stable bite and restore your beautiful smile.  It can also prevent a chain reaction of problems including:

• Shifting teeth.
• difficulty keeping teeth free of plaque and bacteria.
• loss of bone in the jaw.
• difficulty chewing.
• grinding and clenching.
• pain in the jaw and joint, the TMJ.

Jump Start Your Teeth

Your teeth are made of a hard but porous material called enamel.  Every time you eat, bacterial plaque forms on your teeth, producing acids that can begin the process of decay.  That acidic environment starts to demineralize your teeth, or cause calcium and phosphate (critical parts of the enamel) to be dissolved.  Fortunately, saliva helps to reverse this process.  It flushes away some of the bacterial acids and it's naturally rich in calcium and phosphate.  That means saliva can remineralize your teeth, putting those minerals back into your enamel where they belong.

Fluoride is like a jump-starter for your saliva.  In laboratory tests, scientists found that calcium and phosphate were incorporated back into teeth at a much faster rate when fluoride was added to saliva.  The new structure formed on your teeth, composed of calcium, phosphate, and fluoride, is actually stronger than calcium and phosphate alone, and is more resistant to future acid attacks. 

If your water isn't fluoridated, let us know.  We can prescribe fluoride gels, mouth rinses, drops, or tablets that will keep your teeth strong and resistant to decay.