Gingivitis and Periodontis – you know both have something to do with the gums and neither one is a good thing to hear your dentist say you have. Maybe you’re confused about the difference? Is one worse than the other? Are both treatable? Both of these share some of the same symptoms making it hard to know the difference between Gingivitis and Periodontitis. At Berkshire Dental Group, we want our patients to be educated and informed about what goes on in their mouth, so we are offering some information on both here for all of our patients and prospective patients:
Gingivitis is the beginnings of gum disease and infection. It is usually identified by your gums being redder than normal and irritated and just the gum tissues around the teeth are effected. Gingivitis is caused by that sticky white that you find on your teeth called plaque. Plaque builds up from food deposits that creates bacteria. When it is left on your teeth, it becomes tartar, which hardens and builds up along your gum line. Thus the extremely irritated and red gums that lead to gingivits.
Now Periodontis has much of the same symptoms, but gets deeper into the gum line, resulting in all periodontal areas including bone cavity entirely around the teeth. Periodontis has the same symptoms as Gingivitis with the inflammation and irritation of the gum area. Also, the same as Gingivitis, it comes from the consequences of allowing plaque and tartar build up on the teeth and gum line. Periodontis leads to untimely loss of tooth. Periodontitis can also lead to more severe gum disease and can affect the deeper structures inside the tooth cavity requiring a much invasive treatment including surgery to restore the inside of the tooth.
One thing that Berkshire Dental Group can tell you about that both Gingivitis and Peridontis have in common is that both can be prevented. Good oral hygiene that consists of brushing and flossing. Eating a healthy diet, avoid smoking and eliminate as much stress as you can. Along- with you taking care of those things, keeping your regular check ups with us Berkshire Dental Group will help us protect you from experiencing either of these unpleasant diseases.
Grinding of teeth and clenching of the jaw is medically known as Bruxism, which is Greek for ‘brygmos’ or gnashing of teeth. Most of us will experience this at some point in our life as an unconscious act. As it is most likely to occur when we are asleep, it is known as the most common of sleep disorders.
Bruxism is thought to be caused by a physiological or psychological issue since it primarily is experienced by people who are afraid, angry, anxious, or frustrated. Young children experience this during teething. Some medications have been known to cause Bruxism as well as misalignment of lower and upper jaws and / or teeth. People that consume large amounts of caffeine or nicotine may experience Bruxism as well.
For some people, Bruxism is a habit responding to stimulation and does not have any connection to brain activity since chewing and clenching motions are controlled either by subconscious process or by conscious process with the brain. While Bruxism can be annoying, it doesn’t cause any health problems other than interrupt sleeping patterns.
Your MD may prescribe a muscle relaxer that will loosen the jaw while you sleep and ease the action of grinding. However, early diagnosis is the best remedy to treat Bruxism. when caught early enough and consult with a doctor, often times the person with Bruxism can be trained to break this habit.
Should it be determined that your Bruxism is dental oriented, Berkshire Dental Group will fit you for a dental guard. This piece of equipment is a plastic cover and will be fitted to your upper and lower teeth. It will help relax the muscle strain letting the lower and upper jaw move easier and protect your teeth from the grinding motion. This instrument is worn while you sleep for a time determined by Dr. Hodge, Dr. Mongrain or Dr. Do. During examination,we may determine misaligned teeth are the cause of your Bruxism and layout a treatment plant of corrective or reconstructive procedures.
At Berkshire Dental Group, we don’t only want your smile to be bright and beautiful, but we want you to have healthy mouth even while you sleep! If you are having a tooth grinding problem, give us a call to set up a consultation. A good nights sleep could be just a phone call away.
Everyone should have good dental hygiene and this is just as important for children with Autism as well, However for them, a dental routine is not easy. Begin teaching them dental hygiene by using a fingerstall type toothbrush and brush gently around their teeth. Make this a daily routine just as you would with any other child. Autistic children learn best by repetitiveness so doing this the same time of the day, every day, will help them learn the routine and overcome any fear they may have of something in their mouth.
Autistic children have a tendency to bite down on things in their mouth and your fingers aren’t an exception. As you begin to teach them how to brush their, place the fingerstall on their fingers and give them directions. By letting them use their own fingers, if they do bite down, they will relate the pain and learn not to bite. Once your Autistic child has learned the process of brushing using the fingerstall, when they get older, give them a wet toothbrush and let them mimic you as you brush your teeth.
With the wide choices of toothpaste flavors, you should be able to find the one your Autistic child likes, even if it takes a few tries. Autistic children won’t comprehend the swish and spit routine, so you’ll need to supervise this process each time. If swish and spit is too much of a challenge for your child, put just a tad of mouthwash on a wipe and let the child wipe out their mouth and front of the teeth when they are done brushing. This will freshen their breath as well as remove the excess toothpaste before they swallow it.
Because Autistic children have speech impairment and aren’t able to describe pain, they can often have a high level of toothache pain and it be unknown to you. This is why maintaining dental visits on a regular basis are even more important for the Autistic child so that your dentist can detect any problems that may be on the horizon and take care of them right away.
When you start your search your Autistic child’s dentist, keep in mind that not every dentist is equipped to treat Autistic children. There are many dentist that specializes in children, don’t be afraid to ask if they treat children with with disabilities and how. Line up a few different dentist and schedule an appointment for consultation and interview. Letting your Autistic child visit with the dentist and the staff before their first treatment appointment will make the experience better for everyone, especially your child. There are dentist that include in their offerings the dental care for children with disabilities and there are dentist that specialize in that area only. It is important that you find a dentist that your Autistic child feels comfortable with and who is comfortable working with your child.
As you approach their first visit with a dentist, it can be stressful for anyone with children, even more so when your child is Autistic. Keep calm yourself and your child before the visit and during the visit too. An Autistic child can pick up on your positive attitude and calm being which will make this adventure easier on both of you.
Remember, your teaching them dental hygiene and keeping a routine in place is going to be much easier on every one than if they have to go to the dentist when in pain. Give us a call at Berkshire Dental Group and talk to us about your Autistic child as well as the rest of your family. We are here to make sure your family is a smiling family!
Football and Friday night lights! Here at Berkshire Dental Group, just like everyone else, loves that time of the year! Excitement in the air as you cheer your favorite team on along with the cheerleaders, the mascot, the band, the crowd, who couldn’t get even just a little bit excited, right? How about the down side of this beloved sport though, and we don’t mean losing the game either.
At Berkshire Dental Group, we also are aware that over 3 million brain injuries occur during football season. What’s even more shocking is that it has been reported that almost 95 percent of death from playing foot ball are from brain injuries. So you may be saying “If they’re wearing helmets, how is this still happening?”.
From the first day of football, even kindergarteners, all athletes, of all ages are taught the proper fundamentals of the sport.
However, it is the protection gear that is the best line of defense when it comes to brain injuries. Regardless the sport, it is imperative to wear the correct equipment to protect the cranial bone or tissue, the mouth and face. The correct type of mouth guard is what can make the difference in life or death when it comes to contact sports. Along with many athletic organizations of schools, little league and pro, Berkshire Dental Group is concerned with these numbers.
The potential for a concussion happens when forces are delivered to the jaw bone, such as in football during a tackle. It is then carried on to the skull bones around the brain. Studies have shown that by using a mouth guard to cushion the hit, it absorbs the force by dispersing it and can cut down the incidence or severity of concussions. With this finding, many athletes, or in the case of children, they are looking to get the best mouth guard protection possible.
Most of us parents today grew up with the common, standard mouth guard that you the boil and bite style mouth guard. By boiling the plastic mouth piece, it becomes flexible and the player then bites down on it, sucking the air from it and it shapes to the individual’s mouth, becoming custom fitted.
To get an even better protection for every cranial, dental, facial bone and tissues, Berkshire Dental Group is pleased to announce our association with the Brain Pad mouth guard. By securing the lower jaw away from the base of the skull, the Brain Pad provides the highest level of protection for the player. With this design, the Brain Pad mouth guard stays in place during collisions on the field.
The Brain Pad is being recognized by many sports associations other than football around the world including, karate and kickboxing. Still think that by wearing the proper helmet, the players are protected enough? It is not uncommon for that helmet to be knocked off during a tackle, thereby the player loses all head protection.
Many pro players have had to end their career due to repeated concussions, such as Steve Young and Stan Humphries. The Brain Pad not only reduces the risk of dental, facial injury, but it also is more comfortable for the players which will make them more prone to wear the protection.
The Brain Pad is durable and will last a complete season, unlike the boil and fit style that usually get worn out and bit through losing their protection level. No special product to tools for cleaning the Brain Pad either. Your standard mouthwash or toothpaste will suffice or you can purchase an anti-microbial cleaning agent if desired.
As a fan of your family and Friday night lights, Berkshire Dental Group encourages our patients to contact us today for appointment to be fitted for the Brain Pad. Your player will heal from bruises, cuts and broken bones. But brain damage can be permanent.
Liquidation Expo
Mar 2 – Mar 4, 2012
Exhibit Hall A – Tulsa Convention Center
Liquidation of millions of dollars of inventory such as audio, computers, electronics, designer clothing, perfumes, jewelry, watches, shoes, tools and more.
The Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal Show
Mar 4, 2012
Tulsa Ballroom – Tulsa Convention Center
STOMP
Date : March 6 – 11, 2012
Location : Chapman Music Hall
The international percussion sensation uses everything but conventional instruments to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms.
GREATER TULSA HOME & GARDEN SHOW
Date : March 8 – 11, 2012
Location : Expo Square – QuikTrip Center
The Show has been a Tulsa tradition since 1949. THE home improvement event of the year for the Tulsa area and one that you don’t want to miss.
Always…Patsy Cline
Mar 9 – Mar 18, 2012
Tulsa Convention Center
The show is based on a true story about Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger, who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk in l961, and continued a correspondence with Cline until her death.
LUCKY SKATE AT THE BOK CENTER
Date : March 17, 2012
Location : BOK Center
The public is invited to enjoy ice skating on the NHL regulation-sized 17,000sf frozen floor. A giant disco ball, festive lighting, and music will add to the nostalgic ambiance on the ice.
Trampoline & Tumbling U.S. Elite Challenge
Mar 30 – Apr 1, 2012
TCC Arena
More than 400 gymnasts are expected to head to Tulsa for trampoline and tumbling’s 2012 U.S. Elite Challenge competition
Trampoline events involve athletes using trampolines that can propel them up to 30 feet in the air, during which they can perform single, double and twisted somersaults.
WANENMACHER’S TULSA ARMS SHOW
Date : March 31 – April 1, 2012
Location : QuikTrip Center
World’s largest Gun Show! Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show
Berkshire Dental Group has done some research on this subject!
It is believed that the first tooth fairy tale originated from ancient Europe many, many, many teeth ago. There are various versions to this story. Children were told when they lost a tooth, to bury it in the ground and a new one would grow in it’s place. Now as adults and just common sense, we all know that burying a tooth in dirt doesn’t grow a new tooth!
Another version of this tale, with a little twist, children were told they must bury their lost tooth in the ground so that a witch couldn’t get it. Once a witch had their tooth, she could cast a spell on them. By today’s standards of parenting, that seems to be a cruel tale, but let us hope that it sufficed in getting children do as they were told.
As people migrated to other parts to the world, the stories changed to accommodate people living in cities and towns. When living in cities, there wasn’t all the bare land as there was in the countryside in Europe to bury those lost teeth. So the tale changed to tell the children to put their lost tooth in flower pots or planter boxes.
As less and less space was available for burying teeth, over time, the tradition changed for children to place their tooth under their pillow when they went to bed that night. As times past, children most likely became too wise to know teeth don’t grow in dirt, so to keep the tale believable, the exchange of a tooth for money began, with the tooth fairy at the base of it all! And so the tale continues, even today.
So as your child places that recently lost tooth under their pillow, dreaming of the tooth fairy’s arrival who will swap their tooth for money, do you know if their ‘adult’ teeth are healthy? By starting your child’s dental care at an early age with us at Berkshire Dental Group, we can be aware of any issues that may arise and take care of them before they become a problem.
Our entire staff here at Berkshire Dental Group understands children and how scary it can be for them when they begin to lose their baby teeth. Beyond the loss of the tooth and the anticipated visit from the tooth fairy, the growth of the new tooth can be painful as well.
Start by teaching your child good dental care at home with brushing as soon as they are old enough and keep their check ups with Berkshire Dental Group every six months. Some children have trouble losing their baby teeth and this is something that we will recognize during those regular visits.
So maybe the tooth fairy isn’t real, but taking care of your child’s teeth right from the beginning is and Berkshire Dental Group is here to help you. Give us a call today and set their appointment up!
The staff here at Berkshire Dental Group knows that you brush your teeth on a regular basis, right? However, do you brush your tongue? Your tongue is just as important to brush as it is your teeth and gums. Think of it as washing the dishes you eat from, when they are clean, it’s santized, healthier and the food taste better. Same is true for cleaning your tongue!
Your taste buds are inside those tiny bumps on your tongue, which are called papillae, and taste buds are what help you taste and savor all the wonderful flavors of mouth-watering desserts and salty snack and everything in between. So when your tongue isn’t clean, you are missing some of those delicous tastes!
As well, it allows things you don’t want to savor, such as bacteria and dead skin cells. That’s why it’s important to take a little extra time to clean your tongue. You don’t need any special tools. Simply go over your tongue with your your toothbrush and toothpaste as you brush your teeth and gums will suffice. No need to be aggressive and brush too hard as you can damage your taste buds.
For those who have an easy gag reflexes, you may want to discuss using a tongue scrapper at your next check up with us at Berkshire Dental Group. YOu eed to get to the back of the tongue for a thorough cleaning. That is where the majority of food debris and bacteria hide. Using a tongue scraper will help you to reach the back and won’t gag you as easily.
As you examine your teeth and gums in between your visits with us a Berkshire Dental Group, examine your tongue too. If you see a white coating on your tongue after brushing, make an appointment with your doctor or dentist immediately. This could be the results of taking antibiotics or something more serious such as diabetes or an immune deficiency. To make sure it’s nothing more serious though, have this looked at and diagnosed as soon as possible is best.
Keeping your tongue clean also prevents halitosis, or more commonly known as bad breath. When bacteria is left on your tongue, it produces odors. So by brushing your teeth, gums and tongue, you can keep your breath sweet and inviting to your loved one! Or not destroy that important job interview!
Give us a call at Berkshire Dental Group if you have any concerns or questions. We will be glad to show you brushing techniques that will get your teeth, gums and tongue healthy and keep them healthy. Remember your smile includes more than just your mouth and teeth!
As we have discussed on these pages before and as Berkshire Dental Group tells their patients, daily dental regiment is necessary for everyone to have healthy teeth, whether they are their own or if they partial or full set of dentures. Same is to be said for people with diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis. A good dental hygiene routine is just as important, maybe even more so, than those of us with a full set of our own teeth.
For those suffering Multiple Sclerosis, also known as MS, it is a progressive disorder that affects the central nervous system. Some of the common effects of this disease are paralysis and demyelination, a term for diseases where the substance and causes myelin sheath is damaged. The results are impairment of muscle functions, cognition and sensation.
The MS patient’s loss of muscle control affects many things that rest of us take for granted. It can be hard for the MS patient to brush their teeth or if they can brush their own teeth, the lack of control over the muscles makes it difficult to get a good solid brushing job done. It can become necessary for family members or care givers to assist the MS patient with regular brushing and the staff at Berkshire Dental Group is here to show you how you can help them.
Not being able to control the facial muscles, it is recommended that MS patients not wear dentures. They can become dislodged, fall out and be damaged. What family members and care givers should know is that it is difficult for MS patients to sit still and relax. The lack of muscle control may make it even impossible for them to sit in a dental chair for long periods of time. Berkshire Dental Group recommends making dental visits limited to help eliminate stress and discomfort for the patient.
Maintaining a healthy oral hygiene is just as important for MS patients as it is for the rest of us. They still have all the typical dental concerns like bad breath, gingivitis, halitosis and even tooth decay. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with MS, let us know at your next appointment with Berkshire Dental Group feel free to discuss any concerns or questions you may have.
The medical field has making it more and more aware to the public that diabetes is one of the top diseases killing Americans, many people aren’t aware that there is an even stronger need for diabetics to maintain a healthy dental regiment but need to get good dental care too.
For most of us, the twice a year visit to the dentist for check up and cleaning is sufficient. For diabetics though, the frequency is increased to a recommendation of every three months. Since diabetics have an increase of glucose (sugar) in their system, it increases the likelihood of bacteria breeding even more on the teeth and gums and therefore causing tooth decay and leading to gum disease.
Dental studies have shown that gum disease can worsen diabetes, and vice versa. As well, those who are borderline diabetic now, with improper dental care, it is believed that poor oral health can increase the person’s probability to develop a diabetic condition.
For everyone, there are areas of your mouth that you can no clean thoroughly, you just don’t see everything and reach every area that your dentist can. When you have your routine appointments with us at Berkshire Dental Group, we check for plaque build-up and detect potential threats that lead to tooth decay or infections early on. This is very important for everyone, but extremely so for diabetic or borderline diabetics.
Even for those who have a strict, daily dental hygiene routine of brushing and flossing, one of the first things we will do for you is a cleaning. Our cleaning removes any plaque that you and your toothbrush might miss. .As we clean and polish your teeth, we are not only removing plaque and stains, but we are applying fluoride as well to protect your teeth and build up a resistance to tooth decay.
After a thorough examination of your teeth and their condition, there may be other dental procedures that we’ll recommend. One of those procedures includes x-rays of your teeth, gums and mouth. This procedure gives us the ability to see the areas of our teeth that are not visible by the naked eye and find any potential problems early on.
At the end of each three month visit, we will give you instructions and advise on how to care for your teeth and maintain a preventive dental hygiene routine. For all of our patients, and even more so for diabetic patients, it is imperative that you follow the recommendations we make as well as maintain your regular check ups.
For diabetics, your regular scheduled consultations will include discussion of your blood sugar levels and your overall medical condition. You should keep us updated with any changes of medications and treatments. By keeping an open line of communication with us and asking questions when you are uncertain of things discussed is crucial in your dental health as well as your general health.
Diabetes can seem like a life sentence. However with the right attitude, proper dieting, staying on your medication and practicing a healthy dental regiment and keeping your visits current with Berkshire Dental Group, you can live a long, smiling happy life!
TULSA BOAT SPORT & TRAVEL SHOW
QuikTrip Center
Monday, Jan 30 – Sunday, Feb 05
www.tulsaboatshow.com
FREE STYLE MOTOCROSS
February 4, 2012
BOK Center
bokcenter.com
The world’s most daring FMX riders will run the gauntlet to perform tricks never thought possible on a dirt bike.
WWE SMACKDOWN
February 7, 2012
BOK Center
bokcenter.com
RONNIE DUNN
February 9, 2012
The Joint – Tulsa Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
hardrockcasinotulsa.com
Ronnie Dunn is an singer-songwriter, known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn.
THE GET MOTIVATED SEMINAR
February 13, 2012
BOK Center, 3rd Street and Denver, Tulsa
BOKcenter.com
The Get Motivated Seminar featuring America’s Mayor, Rudy Giuliani; World Famous Soldier-Statesman, General Colin Powell; Renowned Notre Dame Head Coach, Lou Holtz and Former First Lady, Laura Bush is coming to the B.O.K. Center. This day-long presentation
JEFF DUNHAM
February 26, 2012
BOK Center, 200 S Denver Ave, Tulsa
The man whose standup concerts rule the comedy world, Jeff Dunham, offers his millions of fans brand new laughs and hilarious additions to his famed troupe of sidekicks.
bokcenter.com