Reasons To Stop Tobacco Use

When you think of tobacco use, what generally comes to mind? You guessed it. Smoking. Smoking is the most common use of tobacco. If you have been thinking about quitting, there are several good reasons why you should. The damage that it can do to your lungs is very great. There are also some reasons that people usually don't think of. Smoking can do alot of harm to your mouth and your teeth. The use of tobacco can lead to calculus. It can also lead to damage to bone which supports teeth. This can ultimately lead to the loss of teeth. This can be an eye opener to many people. No one wants to lose their teeth. If you think smoking looks cool, just try and imagine how cool you will look with a toothless smile.

Tobacco use can also have other effects on the mouth also. If you are a tobacco user, your ability to heal can be affected. Chemicals found in tobacco can hinder the healing process of treatment like periodontal disease or implants. Approximately 90% of oral cancer deaths are associated with smoking according to the NIDCR. Smoking isn't the only harmful form of tobacco use. Smokeless tobacco, cigars, and pipes are also associated with oral and pharyngeal cancers.

Kicking the tobacco habit is not an easy thing to do. Many people need the help of their doctor. People who use tobacco have a chemical dependance for the substance. If you have had the ideal of quitting in the back of your mind, maybe the effects mentioned above will help you make the decision to stop. Help spread the word and let others know about what could happen if they continue to use tobacco.

Kids Dental Health

The time of year is here for heading back to school. Summer is coming to an end. Kids are getting back into the routine of going to bed on time and waking up for school in the morning. This is a great time to get your child started on a routine for brushing and flossing their teeth if they are not already on one. Maybe there routine has been relaxed over the summer and needs to be more regular. Brushing at least twice a day and flossing each day is very important when caring for your teeth. Encourage your child to be responsible when it comes to brushing. Also, get them on a cleaning schedule at the dentist. Every six monthes is the reccommended schedule for cleanings. Call today for your appointment to a healthier mouth.

What is Sleep Apnea?

There is alot of talk about sleep apnea. Some of your friends might even talk about wearing the mask hooked up to a machine at night while they sleep. You may not know what all the fuss is about. Sleep apnea is a disorder that often times goes undiagnosed because don't realized that they have the symptoms. It is a disorder that is characterized by a reduction in a person's airflow during sleep. The symptoms of sleep apnea are daytime fatigue, anxiety, irritability, and headaches. These are just a few warning signs associated with the disease. If you are concerned that you may have sleep apnea, I suggest going to your doctor and discussing this with them. There are tests that can be done that can help diagnose if you have that disorder. The subject should also be discussed with your dentist. There are several appliances that are available to help. Call Dr. Blaze Golik for an appointment today at Suwanee Dental Care.

Challenge To Men

Attention all men! Recent studies have shown that women are better than men about seeing their physicians for regular checkups and seeing the doctor when they are feeling sick. New studies also show that women are more likely to visit their dentist for routine checkups. The new research indicate that women are more proactive when it comes to mantaining their oral health than men.

A study conducted at the Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences had more than 800 participants between the ages of 18 and 19 who were asked to complete questionnaires about their dental knowledge, dental attitude, and oral hygeine habits. The study revealed that women are two time as likely to have had a dental check-up in the past year. Women were also more likely to schedule the treatment recommended following the visit.

Men it is time for you to show that you do care about the overall health of your mouth. Don't let the women outshine you in this department. We now know that our oral health can also affect our overall health. Having good oral hygeine habits at home and visiting your dentist for regular cleanings can have benefits that can last you a lifetime.

June Is Stroke Awareness Month

June is stroke awareness month. There are many things that we can do to improve our lifestyles that would help the prevention of strokes like eating a healthier diet and exercise. One thing that can be done that we have written about in the past is to prevent periodontal disease. Gum disease is caused by bacteria in the mouth which can lead to heart disease and strokes. Regular cleanings and home care can help to prevent gum disease. If you already have periodontal disease, there are treatments here in the office that help reverse the symptoms. You may not even know if you have gum disease. If this is the case, get to your dentist and hve him evaluate to see if you may need in office treatment. Help your future and the future of those you know. Help people become aware of the dangers of strokes and heart attacks and ways that they can prevent them from occurring.

Is Invisalign For You?

Do you have teeth that need straightening or have a gap that may need closing? If you answered yes to these questions, then orthodontics may be in your future. If this is something that you have thought about and know that it would make you have the perfect smile, but the thought of having the metal braces is holding you back, we have the answer for you. Invisalign. What exactly is invisalign? It is a form of orthodontic treatment. Instead of wearing the traditional metal braces, you would wear something that is like a clear retainer. Every few weeks, based on your personalized treatment, you would come in and have your retainers or invisalign trays switched out for a new pair. At the end of your treatment you will have the smile you have always wanted without the monthes of having metal braces. This procedure is very appealing to adults. Make an appointment with your dentist to see if you would be a good candidate for invisalign.

April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer is a word that many people just do not want to hear. It is a terrible disease that affects so many different people. Young or old it doesn't matter. Cancer is real and almost everyone's life has been touched by this disease in some way or another. Early detection of this disease could be a life saver. We have mammograms, pap smears, and prostate screenings to detect certain kinds of cancer. Another type of cancer that we have a screening for now is for oral cancer. A majority of oral cancer cases aren't discovered until the later stages because most cancer lesions can't be seen during traditional screenings. A screening here at Suwanee Dental Care with our Velscope will help to detect any cancer lesions that are present. This screening will allow us to detect any lesions that may be in the early stages and favoring a higher survival rate.

The month of April is National Oral Cancer Awareness month. Suwanee Dental Care is offering our oral cancer screening with the Velscope at half price. We think this is a very important screening to have. We would love for any one, patient or not, to call and schedule an appointment for this screen. Please make all of your friends aware of this and just how important a simple screening could be.

Does Having Your Wisdom Teeth Make You Wiser?

The old saying that we have all heard is that if you have your wisdom teeth, you are a wise person. Let's talk about if this is true or maybe just a funny little saying. Your wisdom teeth are considered to be your third molars. Some are born without them. Most dentists reccommend that if you have your third molars, you should have them evaluated to see if they are doing more harm than good. The extraction of your third molars maybe discussed to protect the overall health of your mouth. Extraction is usually reccommended when the wisdom teeth are only partially erupt. Wisdom teeth that are partially erupt leave an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause an infection. Wisdom teeth that ar impacted are generally reccommended for extraction also. Impacted wisdom teeth can continue to grow without enough room causing movement of the adjacent teeth. Extractions can be performed by your general dentist or if you are in need of a dentist, we here at Suwanee Dental Care would love to welcome you as a patient. Our dentists will evaluate and help you decide if this is a route you should take.

The Right Toothbrush For Your

Do we always put alot of thought into choosing what kind of toothbrush we use. Well, as a general rule, I would have to say no. Most people are mainly interested in the color of toothbrush they purchase. Many family's have a system where every member has a color that has somehow been assigned to them. This way no one uses the wrong toothbrush. This is great, but when picking out our toothbrush, we need to start thinking about what we are getting it for. The job of a toothbrush is to reach and clean most areas of the teeth. The bristles of a toothbrush are very important when deciding on which one is the best for you. Soft bristled toothbrushes should be chosen as opposed to hard bristles which tend to cause gingival recession. Soft bristles are just more flexible and clean beneath the gingival margin without causing damage to your gums. We should also notice the size of the head of the toothbrush. The head should be small enough to get to the hard to reach areas of the teeth. We should replace our toothbrush every 3 months or when the bristles start to wear. You should also change your toothbrush after a cold, flu, sore throat, or mouth infection. Maybe this information will help you and the health of your mouth the next time you purchase a toothbrush.

Can Stress Affect Your Dental Health?

Are you battling stress in your life? These days it is more like who doesn't have some sort of stress in their life. It seems that there just aren't enough hours in the day to do all that we "think" we need to get done. A recent stress in America Survey found that nearly 40 percent of adults experience wakefulness at night because of stress. Stress can have many different side affects on our bodies. It can also have an impact on our dental health. One common side affect of stress is teeth grinding. Some people grind their teeth at night during their sleep and not even realize they are. This can cause headaches, sore jaws, or pain when biting. Making small changes in your lifestyle can reduce stress levels. Eating healthier would be a great place to start. Until your stress becomes more managable, there is an appliance that can help with your teeth grinding. A mouth guard. It will act as a cushion for teeth when you are grinding. This will take the pressure off of your teeth which is causing your discomfort. The dentists here at Suwanee Dental Care can evaluate and determine if teeth grinding maybe the cause of your pain and discomfort. Come in today and get on your way to feeling better.