Lybrook Dental

Are you prepared for a dental emergency?

Ryan — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:15:23 +0000

Kids are prone to accidents and we as parents need to be prepared. To celebrate National Children’s Oral Health month, I wanted to talk about the unpredictable and how to prepare for a dental emergency.

Thousands of dental emergencies-from injuries to a painful, abscessed tooth-take place every day. Would you know what to do if your child broke a tooth or had a tooth knocked out while playing outdoors? What if you had a bad toothache in the middle of the night and couldn’t get to the dentist until the next day? Knowing what to do can lessen the pain and save a tooth that might otherwise be lost.

Keep your dental office phone number and an emergency number where the dentist can be reached after hours with other emergency numbers, such as your family doctor, and fire and police departments. Some families post these numbers on the refrigerator or inside a kitchen cabinet door near the phone. Call the dentist immediately for instructions on how to handle a dental emergency.

Toothache: Rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss or an interdental cleaner to remove any food or other debris that may be caught between the teeth. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth. This could burn gum tissue. If the toothache persists, try to see the dentist. Don’t rely on painkillers. They may temporarily relieve pain but your dentist should evaluate the condition.

Knocked-out (avulsed) tooth: Try to find the tooth! This may not be as easy as you think if the injury took place on a playground, basketball court or while skateboarding, so try to stay calm. Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse the root in water if the tooth is dirty. Don’t scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If it’s possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket while you head to the dentist. If that’s not possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and bring it to the dentist. Time is critical for successful reimplantation, so try to get to your dentist immediately.

Broken tooth: Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. Use cold compresses on the outside of the cheek to help reduce the swelling. Sometimes a broken piece of the tooth can be bonded back into place. Make sure you bring it with you when you visit the dentist.

Tongue or lip bites or wounds: Clean the area gently with a clean cloth and apply cold compresses to reduce any swelling. If the bleeding can’t be controlled, go to a hospital emergency room or clinic. You may able to reduce bleeding from the tongue by pulling it forward and using gauze to put pressure on the wound.

Objects caught between teeth: Try to gently remove the object with dental floss. Never use a sharp instrument to remove any object that is stuck between your teeth. If you can’t dislodge the object with floss, contact your dentist.

Possible broken jaw: Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Get to the hospital emergency room immediately.

To learn more about the preparation of a dental emergency, talk to dentist and define the plan that works for you and your family.

A Visit To Your Dentist Could Detect Diabetes

admin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:51:18 +0000

Visiting your dentist is not just about the care of the teeth you use on a daily basis. It could detect risk factors that identify other health issues like diabetes.

According to the American Dental Association, a new study conducted by researchers at Columbia University College suggests that dental visits are an opportunity for dentists to identify patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes who were previously unaware of their condition.

Periodontal disease is an early complication of diabetes, and about 70 percent of U.S. adults see a dentist at least once a year. Oral health care settings have not been evaluated before, nor have the contributions of oral findings ever been tested prospectively.

The study, which appeared online in the April 29 Journal of Dental Research, developed and evaluated an identification protocol for high blood sugar levels in dental patients. They recruited approximately 600 individuals visiting a dental clinic in Northern Manhattan who were 40-years-old or older (if non-Hispanic white) and 30-years-old or older (if Hispanic or non-white), and had never been told they have diabetes or pre-diabetes.

According to the ADA, the researchers chose some 530 patients with at least one additional self-reported diabetes risk factor, such as having a family history of diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension or being overweight or obese for participation in the study. The patients received a periodontal examination and a fingerstick, point-of-care hemoglobin A1C test. The patients were asked to return for a fasting plasma glucose test to help determine whether a person had diabetes or pre-diabetes.

They discovered that looking at two dental parameters—in this case the number of missing teeth and percentage of deep periodontal pockets—was all that was needed to correctly identify 73 percent of patients with unrecognized pre-diabetes or diabetes. Adding the point-of-care A1C test resulted in correct identification of 92 percent of these patients

Early recognition of diabetes has been the focus of efforts from medical and public health colleagues for years, as early treatment of affected individuals can limit the development of many serious complications. Relatively simple lifestyle changes in pre-diabetic individuals can prevent progression to frank diabetes, so identifying this group of individuals is also important.

The researchers cited statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that say one in four people affected with type 2 diabetes in the U.S. remains undiagnosed. The CDC also says that individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes have an increased risk for heart disease, stroke and other vascular conditions associated with diabetes.

To learn more about this study of diabetes detection, talk to your dentist. It’s not just about your oral health that’s important … it’s about your overall health.

Good habits encouraged while students head back to the classroom.

admin — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:20:10 +0000

As children across the grand valley start their 2011-2012 school year, dentists are advising parents to encourage healthier snacking and drinking.

According to the American Dental Association, more and more children are consuming large amounts of soft drinks that could increase their risk for obesity and dental disease. As dentists, we are recommending that parents urge children to consume nutritious drinks in school and at home.

Children age 6 to 19 consume significantly more ounces of soft drinks each day than milk or juice. Teenage boys and girls are drinking twice as much soft drink as milk and one-third of teenage boys drink at least three cans a day. Consumption of milk, the principle source of calcium in the typical American diet, decreases as soft drinks become a favorite choice for children.

Sweetened drinks are the primary source of added sugar in the daily diet of children. Each 12-ounce serving of a carbonated, sweetened soft drink contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar. Not only should parents be discouraging their children from drinking soda, but they can set a good example by choosing to drink healthier alternatives themselves.

When teeth come in frequent contact with sweetened soft drinks and other sugar-containing substances, the risk of tooth decay, which is the most common childhood disease, is increased as is the potential for erosion of tooth enamel.

Dentists recommend parents to encourage children to choose beverages that hydrate and contribute to good nutrition.

The beverages we recommend for good oral health include:

Fruit Juice with No Sweeteners
Low-Fat and Non-Fat White or Flavored Milk
Vegetable Juice
Water

In promoting good health, parents are also encouraged to make dental exams a regular part of the back-to-school routine, including completion of all health examinations and necessary immunizations in time for the new school year.

To learn more about a healthier 2011-2012 school year, visit with your dentist today and take action for healthier lifestyles for our students.

Good habits encouraged while students head back to the classroom.

Ryan — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:17:05 +0000

As children across the grand valley start their 2011-2012 school year, dentists are advising parents to encourage healthier snacking and drinking.

Dentists recommend parents to encourage children to choose beverages that hydrate and contribute to good nutrition.

The beverages we recommend for good oral health include:

Fruit Juice with No Sweeteners
Low-Fat and Non-Fat White or Flavored Milk
Vegetable Juice
Water

To learn more about a healthier 2011-2012 school year, visit with your dentist today and take action for healthier lifestyles for our students.

How to Choose the Right Dentist!

Ryan — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:01:21 +0000

Finding the right dentist for you and your family involves a combination of factors. According to

the American Dental Association, it all comes down to the four C’s: Competence, convenience,
compatibility and cost.

First and foremost, you need your dentist to be competent, which means that he or she maintains a
high level of professionalism and knows the latest treatments and developments in the dental field.
To ensure competent dental care, look for a dentist who is a member of the Academy of General
Dentistry. Dentists who are members of the AGD must meet requirements for continuing education
and are pledged to uphold the highest standards of ethics and patient care.
A dentist may have a degree that says DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) or DDS (Doctor of Dental
Surgery). These degrees apply to general dentists and represent the same training programs, but
different dental schools use different terms.

Convenience is another important factor in finding a dentist. You’ll be much more likely to keep
appointments if you choose a dentist whose office is convenient to your home or workplace. Also,
look for a dentist whose office hours fit with your schedule. Do you need evening or weekend
appointments? Do you have children who could see a dentist after school? These are the type of
questions to consider.

Also, a convenient dentist is one who participates with your dental insurance plan. Most dentists in
the United States participate with the large dental plans offered by most employers, but you
won’t know until you ask. If you have insurance, your insurance company can provide a list of
dentists who participate with your plan. Take that list and ask your friends, family, neighbors and
co-workers for recommendations.

Next, consider compatibility. For example, some dentists are specialists in treating patients who
are fearful of dental procedures, whether it’s filling a cavity or performing a root canal. So if you
tend to be a nervous dental patient, ask your friends and colleagues to recommend a dentist that
they like because he or she puts patients at ease. And ask a potential dentist whether he or she
offers sedation dentistry, which involves treating you with a sedative via a pill, inhaled gas, or
intravenous drug therapy prior to a dental procedure to help you relax.

Trust your instincts: Is the office clean and neat? Are your records in order when you arrive? Is
there a plan in place for after-hours dental emergencies? Find a dentist who makes you feel
comfortable about asking questions, and who explains treatments and procedures so you can
understand them. Finally, consider cost. Some people are very loyal to a dentist they like and will
stick with him or her regardless of what their insurance does or doesn’t cover. Others give more
weight to cost.

Many insurance plans cover 100 percent of the cost of at least one basic dental checkup and
professional cleaning per year, and many plans cover two checkups per year. So it’s always worth
the effort to find a quality dentist who participates in your insurance plan.

The search can be frustrating. Be patience and the follow the four C’s to continue good oral health.

Choose your beverages wisely this summer for good dental health.

Ryan — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:03:37 +0000

By Dr. Carol Lybrook, DDS

Editor’s Note: The author, Dr. Carol Lybrook and her husband, Dr. Scott Lybrook, operate Lybrook Dental Center in the Kokopelli Professional Plaza in Fruita.

These hot summer days … there are a bevy of beverages to choose from when you’re thirsty, from sodas and energy drinks to premium bottled waters and fancy coffees, but is your drink of choice healthful for your teeth and gums?

The American Dental Association recommends that consumers choose beverages that hydrate and contribute to good nutrition. Drinking 8-12 cups of water a day is important and consuming optimally fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. More health-conscious consumers are sipping bottled water. One study shows that Americans consumed more than 5 billion gallons of bottled water in 2000, more than double the amount from a decade earlier. If bottled water is your main source of drinking water, you could be missing the decay-preventive benefits of fluoride provided by many community water systems.

Other dental-friendly drinks for both kids and adults include beverages that contain at least 50 percent fruit juice with no added sweeteners, low fat milk and non-fat milk.

Even babies and toddlers can develop severe tooth decay-sometimes called baby bottle tooth decay-when the baby’s teeth have frequent, prolonged exposure to liquids that contain sugar, like sweetened water and fruit. Tooth decay can occur when the baby is put to bed with a bottle, or when a bottle is used as a pacifier for a fussy baby. The sugary liquids pool around the teeth while the child sleeps. Bacteria in the mouth use these sugars as food. They then produce acids that attack the teeth. Each time your child drinks these liquids, acids attack for 20 minutes or longer. After multiple attacks, the teeth can decay.

The American Dental Association cautions consumers to limit drinking beverages high in added sugars. Some non-diet soft drinks can have as many as 11 teaspoons of sugar per serving and increased dietary sugars can increase the risk of tooth decay. Lots of soft drinks-even diet soft drinks with non-sugar sweeteners-also contain acids that can erode tooth enamel.

Coffee, tea, sports and energy drinks, wine, colas and other sodas are often the culprits behind tooth stains as well. Sipping these drinks through a straw, rinsing and/or brushing after drinking them and regular brushing and dental visits can help keep your pearly whites bright.

Good oral care is vital to preventing tooth decay. The ADA recommends consumers brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, clean between teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaner, eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacking and visit the dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral examination.

The Important Factors of Good Oral Hygiene

admin — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 15:46:19 +0000

However, just because we learned these habits as children doesn’t mean we remember them today, and proper technique can make all the difference in the world. In this article, I’ll elaborate on that elusive virtue called oral hygiene — specifically, brushing your teeth, flossing, whitening teeth, eating an anticavity diet, and visiting the dentist.

According to the American Dental Association, here are important factors in good oral hygiene:

How to Brush Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth is important to remove stray food particles, massage the gums, eliminate plaque, and freshen breath. It also helps to defend against cavities and periodontal disease. Proper brushing technique is just as important as vigilance — be sure you bone up on the proper way to wield that toothbrush.

How to Floss Your Teeth
Regular flossing is your best defense against gum disease, and it also fights cavities and decay. Good flossing technique will help you remove debris between the teeth, preventing gingivitis and periodontitis. Using the right floss and dental-cleaning equipment will aid in this process.

How to Whiten Your Teeth
Some stains can be cleaned by regular visits to the dentist, while others require more aggressive measures. Brushing and flossing regularly is the best way to prevent stains. Professional bleaching can be effective in returning your teeth to a glimmering state.

An Anticavity Diet
To promote strong, heathy teeth, eat a diet rich in calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C and fluoride. Simple sugars and starchy foods are a banquet feast for oral bacteria. A diet that is full of sugars and over-processed foods (or one devoid of vitamins, minerals, and crunchy fruits and vegetables) can eventually lead to decay, even in the mouths of the most avid brushers and flossers.

Visiting the Dentist
Don’t let anxiety keep you away from the dentist’s office — the dentist is an important partner in maintaining your oral health. During a professional cleaning, the dentist or hygienist removes tartar and polishes the surface of your teeth, making it harder for plaque and tartar to adhere to them. The dentist then thoroughly examines your teeth and gums to search for any problem areas.

If you feel you have lost the habit of keeping good oral health, call a dentist today and schedule a complete oral health exam and screening. It will help you get the real picture of your current oral hygiene status. It’s time to get back to the basics we learned when we where children. It’s important!

The Important Factors of Good Oral Hygiene

Ryan — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:09:44 +0000

Of all the health problems that can plague us, those involving our teeth are probably the most preventable. A few simple habits that most of us learned as children are pretty much all you need to maintain good oral hygiene.

However, just because we learned these habits as children doesn’t mean we remember them today, and proper technique can make all the difference in the world. In this article, I’ll elaborate on that elusive virtue called oral hygiene — specifically, brushing your teeth, flossing, whitening teeth, eating an anticavity diet, and visiting the dentist.

According to the American Dental Association, here are important factors in good oral hygiene:

Ryan B. Lewis
Marketing & Public Relations
The Lewis Agency, LLC
P.O. Box 1771
Grand Junction, CO 81502
(877)218-0003-Phone
(866)742-2448-Fax
www.thelewisagencyllc.com

Are you prepared for a dental emergency?

admin — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 22:04:41 +0000

Thousands of dental emergencies—from injuries to a painful, abscessed tooth—take place every day. Would you know what to do if your child broke a tooth or had a tooth knocked out while playing outdoors? What if you had a bad toothache in the middle of the night and couldn’t get to the dentist until the next day? Knowing what to do can lessen the pain and save a tooth that might otherwise be lost.

Possible broken jaw: Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Get to the hospital emergency room immediately.

To learn more about the preparation of a dental emergency, talk to dentist and define the plan that works for you and your family.

Good oral habits should be top of resolution list.

admin — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 17:40:04 +0000

By Dr. Carol Lybrook, DDS

Looking for a New Year’s resolution for 2011? How about rededicating yourself to taking care of your mouth, teeth and gums? It’s a resolution that will pay dividends for your health and your smile for a lifetime. According to the American Dental Association, one out of 10 individuals who make a resolution will carry through with the promise. This is a resolution you can’t afford to let slip.

Here are a few ways to get started:
Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of cleaning your teeth.
Clean between teeth daily with floss or an interdental cleaner. Decay-causing bacteria still linger between teeth where toothbrush bristles can’t reach.
Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks.
Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral exams.
Antimicrobial mouth rinses and toothpastes reduce the bacterial count and inhibit bacterial activity in dental plaque, which can cause gingivitis, an early, reversible form of periodontal disease.
Fluoride mouth rinses help reduce and prevent tooth decay. Clinical studies have demonstrated that using a fluoride mouth rinse and fluoride toothpaste can provide extra protection against tooth decay over that provided by fluoride toothpaste alone.
Fluoride mouth rinse is not recommended for children age six or younger because they may swallow the rinse. Always check the manufacturer’s label for precautions and age recommendations and consult with your dentist about the use of fluoride mouth rinse and any other oral health care product.

According to the American Dental Association, you should plan on visiting your dentist twice a year. A few people can get away with fewer visits; others may need more frequent visits. People with high risk of periodontal disease(because of current gum disease, a weak immune response to bacterial infection or a predisposition to plaque buildup or cavities) might need to see the dentist every three or four months, or even more frequently, for the best care. The schedule for any person may change during a lifetime. If you take good care of your teeth and gums at home and your dentist doesn’t find any cavities or gum disease for a few years, he or she may choose to lengthen the time between visits.

Start off the New Year with healthy resolutions that will make you smile and create healthy dental habits that can last a lifetime for you and your family. Happy New Year from all of us at Lybrook Dental Center.