A Discussion on Periodontal Health and Heart Disease

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girl listeningNot a lot of media attention is given to periodontal (gum) disease, but the chronic illness affects nearly 80% of America’s adult population and is the number one cause of permanent tooth loss. You may have diligently brushed and flossed your teeth for as long as you can remember, but you may still be vulnerable to this disease. Destruction from periodontal disease can effect far beyond your teeth and gums, and may contribute to an increased risk of heart disease and other systemic illnesses. To help exemplify the importance of preventing and treating periodontal disease, your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, explores the connection between the dental malady and your risk of potentially fatal heart disease.

The Humble Beginnings of a Serious Problem

One of the pillars of the oral-systemic connection lies in the humble beginnings of dental issues like tooth decay and gum disease. Have you ever run your tongue over your teeth, only to grimace at the sticky, uncomfortable mass that covered their surfaces? That substance is dental plaque, which consists mostly of the bacteria that reside in your mouth and is largely responsible for the development of major oral health issues. (more…)

What Could Make a Dental Bridge Better?

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woman with crossed armsLosing a tooth can be a traumatic blow to both your oral health and your confidence. Replacing it, therefore, can be vital to your self-esteem, as well as to protecting your mouth from further damage and loss. Although the idea of a dental bridge is not a new one, it remains a popular and effective method for replacing a single lost tooth, although the materials and anchoring apparatus have improved greatly over time. A conventional dental bridge consists of one or more false teeth, or pontics, with crowns on either side of the device. The outside crowns are placed on the teeth adjacent to the gap, called anchor teeth, to hold the bridge in place. As efficient as a dental bridge is, however, it is not always an ideal solution when considering every consequence of tooth loss. Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, explains how securing your replacement tooth to a dental implant can address the loss of your tooth root as well as the visible crown.

Another Option

Because the outside crowns of a traditional bridge must be placed on your natural teeth, those anchor teeth must be recontoured by removing a small portion of enamel. While the amount removed is carefully calculated to disturb as little of your tooth as possible, most dentists would agree that leaving healthy teeth undisturbed is preferable whenever possible. A dental implant, on the other hand, serves as a prosthetic tooth root and offers a base for your restoration that is fused to your jawbone.   (more…)

Why Your Smile Needs a Solid Foundation

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thoughtful smileLast week, we discussed the various stages of gum disease and how it can destroy your smile as the disease progresses. Unlike tooth decay, gum disease does not directly attack your tooth structure, but rather it slowly erodes the foundation that holds your teeth in place and nourishes them. To underscore the importance of preventing and controlling gum disease, Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, explains why a strong and healthy foundation is important to your smile.

Jawbone–Like Soil for Your Teeth

The lower portion of your teeth extend into one, two, or three roots (on average), depending on the tooth. The roots are embedded in your jawbone via ligaments, which anchors your teeth in place and provides them nutrients through their roots. When periodontitis (severe gum disease) advances past your periodontal tissue, this supporting structure of jawbone is its next target.

When your roots are stimulated by biting or chewing, your body knows to send your jaw a certain allotment of nutrients to support them. If one or more of these teeth are lost, your jaw receives fewer nutrients and begins to atrophy,this may result in a lack of support for your remaining teeth and lead to further tooth loss. Gum disease, which is the number one cause of adult tooth loss in America, can work in tandem with nutrient-deficiency to render your jawbone unable to perform its duties. (more…)

Encinitas Periodontist Explores the Stages of Gum Disease

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girl with her hand over her mouthPeriodontal (gum) disease is complicated, and treating it can be just as much so. Depending on what stage the disease is in by the time it’s detected, treatment can range from a deep cleaning and improved dental hygiene to invasive surgery to repair damaged or missing gum tissue. As a periodontist in Encinitas, Dr. Ann Kania has extensive experience diagnosing and treating periodontal disease in all of its forms and restoring excellent periodontal health to her patients.

A Growing Problem

Many people may not consider periodontal disease a serious concern, but it affects over 80% of adults in America under the age of 60. The disease is progressive and will continue its destructive course until you take action to stop it. The two main stages of periodontal disease are: (more…)

Why Your Mouth Hates Cigarette Smoke

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stop smokingThere was a time when the dangers of cigarette smoke were debatable, and the act of smoking was nowhere near controversial. Today, however, modern science and medicine have done away with the veil by providing irrefutable evidence of tobacco smoke’s detrimental effects on your physical health. Similarly, tobacco smoke can also devastate your oral health, causing or exacerbating destructive dental disease like gum disease and, in extreme cases, oral cancer. To help raise awareness of the dangers that smoking can pose to your teeth and gums, Encinitas periodontist Dr. Ann Kania explores how tobacco smoke interacts with the tissues in your mouth.

Cigarettes and Oral Health

Studies have shown that people who smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or any other form of tobacco are more likely to develop periodontal disease. There are various theories concerning the exact mechanisms that account for the increased risk, many of which involve smoking’s tendency to cause your blood vessels to constrict, inhibiting the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your periodontal tissue (gums) and stunting its ability to heal. Consequently, many harmful oral bacteria are anaerobic, meaning they thrive in the lack of oxygen and can attack your gum tissue more effectively. (more…)

A Two-Sided Debate on Coffee

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coffee beansIf you’re an avid coffee drinker, then chances are that you’re familiar with the many warnings that are often spouted about coffee’s damaging effects to your smile. Some reports have even claimed that drinking coffee can increase your risk of certain health conditions, including bad nerves and heart troubles. While over-indulging can most certainly cause more harm than good, more recent studies suggest that drinking a moderate amount of coffee (one or two cups a day) can actually prove beneficial to your health. To help clarify, Encinitas periodontist Dr. Ann Kania discusses both sides of the coffee debate and how the beverage really interacts with your teeth and health.

The Good: Reduced Oral Health Risk

Although experts are not exactly sure how, studies suggest that participants who consistently drank a moderate amount of coffee every day were significantly less likely to develop heart disease or other chronic illnesses. Along with the study, conducted by researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California, other research also suggests that ritual coffee consumption helped increase participants’ defense against oral health issues, including gum disease. According to the authors of the more recent studies, previous reports about coffee’s damaging effects did not take into account other habits commonly practiced by coffee drinkers at the time, including smoking cigarettes and habitual inactivity.  (more…)

Encinitas Periodontist Explores Vitamin D and Periodontal Health

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vitamin dVitamin D is often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin” because of our ability to synthesize the vitamin when ultraviolet B rays stimulate the skin. Its purposes are diverse, but vitamin D’s importance is clear; numerous reports have shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with many illnesses, including some cancers, inflammatory diseases, and poor periodontal health. To help highlight this importance, Encinitas periodontist Dr. Ann Kania explores vitamin D’s benefits to your oral health.

Periodontal Benefits of Vitamin D

One of vitamin D’s most beneficial properties to your physical health is the role that it plays in helping to mediate bone health. While keeping your jawbone strong is essential to maintaining your dental health, emerging research also suggests that the vitamin may also serve as an effective anti-inflammatory agent. Inflammation is the mechanism by which your immune system fights off unwanted biological invaders. It is also the mechanism that oral bacteria utilize to progress the damage of periodontal disease, which attacks your supporting dental structures (i.e., periodontal tissue (gums), jawbone, etc.). Controlling inflammation with an adequate supply of vitamin D helps reduce the risk of developing periodontal disease, or increase your chances of successfully treating it. (more…)

Is Your Smile Ready for the Holidays?

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smoochingKissing is an important ritual during the end-of-year holiday celebrations. For instance, couples often kiss at the strike of the New Year’s first minute in hopes that it will bring them love and good luck throughout the year. Whatever the reason, chances are that you will enjoy a kiss or several this holiday season. Make sure your mouth is prepared by following these tips to a kissable mouth, brought to you by your Encinitas periodontist Dr. Ann Kania.

Tips for a Kissable Mouth

  • The first step to a kissable mouth is to ensure that it is attractive, which requires a strong and healthy foundation. Although the advice is so common that it is almost clichéd, Dr. Kania stresses the importance of brushing and flossing your teeth to help them remain free of infection and disease. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that you brush your teeth at least twice a day, and floss at least once, to keep them clean of food debris and harmful bacterial plaque.
  • Most people can be a little self-conscious about their breath during social functions, or other events that involve the congregating of other people. However, detecting your own bad breath can be rather difficult. Many times, foul exhalations can stem from poor oral hygiene. Some oral bacteria release noxious, volatile sulfur compounds that assault the sense of smell. Brushing and flossing your teeth helps inhibit bacteria from gathering in your mouth, helping to eliminate bad breath. (more…)

Encinitas Periodontist Explains Why Teeth Hurt

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young woman with a tooth acheWhile there are numerous reasons for your teeth to hurt, some of which are not even-dental related, the discomfort is never benign and should not be ignored. However, treating a toothache depends first on determining its cause. To help you learn why your tooth is giving you trouble, Encinitas periodontist Dr. Ann Kania explains some of the more common causes behind a toothache.

Common Toothache Causes

  • Cavities—Cavities are the small holes that form in your tooth as decay eats away at its structure. Directly underneath your enamel is the softer portion of your tooth called dentin, whose surface contains tubules that lead back to your tooth’s pulp (home of the nerves and blood vessels). When decay exposes this tissue, or the pulp itself, discomfort can spring at the slightest irritation, such as sweets, hot and cold temperatures.
  •  Periodontal Disease—Although periodontal disease affects your gum tissue, it can also lead to tooth sensitivity by exposing sensitive parts of your teeth. Your teeth’s roots, which extend below the gums and are secured in your jawbone, are not protected by enamel. When your gums recede, such as with the onset of gum disease, these roots become exposed and may be sensitive to food debris, bacteria, and other irritants. (more…)

Don’t Let Stress Dampen Your Holiday Spirit

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This time of year, tension can be as common as shopping and decorating. Extended family and holiday celebrations make the season joyous, but dealing with and planning the holiday season can pull you in more ways than your mind and body are used to throughout the year. Some tension can be good for your concentration and problem-solving abilities, but elevated stress levels for extended periods of time can be detrimental to your health in many ways. To help keep your holiday season jolly, your Encinitas periodontist Dr. Ann Kania explains how stress affects your health and offers tips to help you relax.

Detrimental Effects of Stress

Your Immune System

Anxiety has long been linked to illnesses such as depression and heart disease. Studies have shown that people who are, or have recently been, under stress were more likely to develop a cold because their immune systems were less effective. The results showed that participants who were anxious had immune systems that were less sensitive to cortisol, a hormone that helps control the immune system’s inflammatory response. (more…)