Bonjour! Hola! Shalom! December is National Learn a Foreign Language Month, and learning to say “Hello” in different tongues is a good place to start. You could then move on to another set of wonderful words like sonrisa, lächeln and sourire, the Spanish, German and French words for “smile.”

But then again, smiling itself doesn’t need a translation—it’s common to every culture on earth. It’s one of our best assets for interacting with people, both at home and abroad. So, make sure your smile is the best it can be by taking care of the “stars of the show”: your teeth and gums.

Here are a few tips for keeping your teeth and gums healthy and your “international” smile attractive.

Brush and floss daily. It takes just 5 minutes a day to perform one of the most important things you can do for your long-term oral health. Brushing and flossing clean away dental plaque, a sticky bacterial film that causes tooth decay and gum disease. A daily oral hygiene practice helps keep your teeth shiny and clean and your gums a healthy shade of pink.

Get regular dental cleanings. Even the most diligent hygiene habit may not clear away all plaque deposits, which can then harden into a calcified form called calculus. Also known as tartar, calculus is an ideal haven for disease-causing bacteria—and it can’t be removed by brushing and flossing alone. Dental cleanings at least twice a year remove stubborn plaque and calculus, further reducing your disease risk.

Don’t ignore dental problems. While your dentist will check your mouth for disease during your regular cleanings, you should also be on the lookout for signs of problems between visits. Watch for odd spots on the teeth and swollen, reddened or bleeding gums. If you see any abnormalities like these, don’t ignore it; make an exam appointment as soon as possible. The sooner we identify and begin treating a potential dental issue, the less your oral health—and your smile—will suffer.

Consider cosmetic improvements. Keeping teeth clean and healthy is one thing, but what can you do about existing dental blemishes that detract from your smile? Fortunately, there are numerous ways to cosmetically enhance teeth and gums, and many are quite affordable. Teeth whitening can brighten up yellow, dingy teeth; bonding can repair minor chips and other tooth defects; and veneers and other restorations can mask tooth chips, stains or misalignments.

Like the ability to speak another language, a confident, joyful smile can open doors to new cultures, places and friends. Let us partner with you to make your smile as attractive as possible.

If you would like more information about improving and maintaining your smile, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “10 Tips for Daily Oral Care at Home.”

Although dental care has made incredible advances over the last century, the underlying approach to treating tooth decay has changed little. Today’s dentists treat a decayed tooth in much the same way as their counterparts from the early 20th Century: remove all decayed structure, prepare the tooth and fill the cavity.

Dentists still use that approach not only because of its effectiveness, but also because no other alternative has emerged to match it. But that may change in the not-too-distant future according to recent research.

A research team at Kings College, London has found that a drug called Tideglusib, used for treating Alzheimer’s disease, appears to also stimulate teeth to regrow some of its structure. The drug seemed to cause stem cells to produce dentin, one of the tooth’s main structural layers.

During experimentation, the researchers drilled holes in mouse teeth. They then placed within the holes tiny sponges soaked with Tideglusib. They found that within a matter of weeks the holes had filled with dentin produced by the teeth themselves.

Dentin regeneration isn’t a new phenomenon, but other occurrences of regrowth have only produced it in tiny amounts. The Kings College research, though, gives rise to the hope that stem cell stimulation could produce dentin on a much larger scale. If that proves out, our teeth may be able to create restorations by “filling themselves” that are much more durable and with possibly fewer complications.

As with any medical breakthrough, the practical application for this new discovery may be several years away. But because the medication responsible for dentin regeneration in these experiments with mouse teeth is already available and in use, the process toward an application with dental patients could be relatively short.

If so, a new biological approach to treating tooth decay may one day replace the time-tested filling method we currently use. One day, you won’t need a filling from a dentist—your teeth may do it for you.

If you would like more information on treating tooth decay, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

With summer vacation season in full swing, you and your family might be planning a trip away from home, maybe even far from home. If you’re vacationing out of the country, you’ll want to be as prepared as possible—including protecting your dental health.

Dental problems are difficult enough in the familiar surroundings of home, but even more so in a foreign locale. However, with a little preparation and planning, you can keep your exotic dream vacation from becoming a dental nightmare.

Here’s what you can do to avoid or minimize an unpleasant situation with your teeth and gums while on vacation abroad.

Take care of any dental problems before you leave. If you know or suspect you already have a problem with your teeth or gums, it’s better to have it corrected if at all possible before your trip. So, make an appointment to see your dentist if you notice things like a toothache or tooth sensitivity, unusual spotting on your teeth, or swollen or bleeding gums.

You should also have sinus problems like pain or congestion checked too, since these may actually involve your teeth and gums. If at all possible, undergo recommended procedures like gum disease treatment or root canals pre-trip—just be sure you allow adequate time for recuperation before your departure date.

Know who to contact in a dental emergency. Even with the best of planning, you should also prepare for the possibility of a dental injury or emergency while you’re on your vacation. So be sure you pack along with your other travel documents the names and contact information of individuals or organizations near your vacation destination that might be of assistance in a dental emergency. These might include hotel concierges, military personnel or other English speakers living in the area, or the nearest embassy or consulate.

In addition, the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers and the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention are online resources that can help you with your trip planning and give you medical and dental information specific to your destination.

A vacation trip to a foreign land can be a unique and fulfilling experience. Just be sure a dental problem or emergency doesn’t spoil the moment—be prepared. If you need to take care of any dental issues before you go on vacation, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Dental & Medical Tourism” and “10 Tips for Daily Oral Care at Home.”

It’s been a long road back to oral health for you after periodontal (gum) disease. But after several plaque removal sessions and perhaps even surgical procedures to address deep infection, your gums have regained their healthy pink appearance.

But now you must face a hard reality: because you’ve had gum disease you’ll need to be extra vigilant with your oral hygiene to avoid another round with this destructive disease. But don’t worry—you won’t have to fight your prevention battle alone. We’ll continue to provide you care that reduces your risk of re-infection. We call that care periodontal maintenance (PM).

The heart of PM care involves regular dental visits for monitoring, cleanings and treatment when necessary. While most patients may visit their dentist at least twice a year, as a previous gum disease patient we may advise more frequent visits, especially if you’ve just finished periodontal treatment. Depending on the extent of your disease, we may begin with a visit every other week or once every two to three months. If your mouth continues to be disease-free we may suggest increasing the time between visits.

During your visit we’ll carefully examine your mouth, as well as screen you for any signs of potential oral cancer. We’re looking for both signs of re-infection or new issues with your teeth and gums. We’ll also assess the effectiveness of your oral hygiene efforts and advise you on ways you can improve.

If we find any signs of disease, we’ll then formulate a treatment plan to effectively deal with it. With frequent visits we have a better chance of discovering re-infection early—and the earlier the better to minimize any further damage. We may also need to take steps to make future PM care easier. This could include gum surgery to alter the tissues around certain teeth for easier access for examination and cleaning.

Our main focus with PM care is to look ahead: what can we do now to prevent a future bout of gum disease or at least lessen its effect? With continued monitoring and care we can drastically reduce your risk for further damage from this destructive disease.

If you would like more information on post-gum disease maintenance, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Periodontal Cleanings.”

Did you make any New Year's resolutions this year? For many of us, these pledges reflect a sincere desire for self-improvement—whether it's in terms of our career, our personal lives, or our health. Yet it isn't always possible to keep every promise we make…and while exercising every day and cutting out desserts are worthwhile goals, they may also be very difficult to maintain. Fortunately, when you resolve to improve your oral health, there are some simple things you can do to help keep your smile looking healthy and bright.

Get Into the Oral Hygiene Habit

Got a minute? How about two minutes, twice a day? If so, you have time to brush your teeth properly. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), brushing twice daily with a soft-bristled brush that fits comfortably in your mouth—and replacing that brush every three to four months—is essential to good oral hygiene. The ADA also recommends flossing once a day to clean all the places where your brush can't reach—like in between teeth and under the gum line. Brushing and flossing are the best ways to maintain good oral hygiene at home.

Think Before You Drink

Here's another way to make a big difference in your oral health: Pass up those sugary and acidic drinks, and choose plain, refreshing water instead. We're talking about regular and diet soda, as well as fruit juice and those so-called “sports” or “energy” drinks. The sugar and acid in these drinks can spell disaster for your teeth: Sugar promotes the growth of bacteria that can cause tooth decay, while acid softens the hard enamel covering of your teeth, allowing cavities to get started. Water, on the other hand, satisfies your body's need for hydration without adding calories or harmful ingredients. That what makes it the best drink for your diet—and your oral health.

See Your Dentist Regularly

There are some jobs best left to the pros—like removing the hardened deposits called “tartar” from your teeth, and checking for tooth decay, gum disease and other oral health problems. We'll take care of all that at your routine dental checkup. Plus, you'll get a thorough cleaning and a chance to “brush up” on oral hygiene techniques that can help you keep your mouth healthy throughout the year.

If you have questions about improving your oral hygiene, please contact our office or schedule a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Daily Oral Hygiene” and “Think Before You Drink.”