Baby Boomers | Loveable Smiles Dentistry

Jan 19

How is rheumatoid arthritis related to your mouth?

This blog post is part of a series of Total Health Dental Care articles to inform our readers about the connection between your oral health and your overall health.

It’s called the “Mouth-Body Connection,” and it means that poor dental health can severely deteriorate your body, especially your lungs and heart, and it can also lead to a host to other conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and even some Cancers.

Rheumatoid Arthritis & Gum Disease Statistics

People with RA are 8 times more likely to develop gum disease than people without RA.
Studies have shown that when people with a severe form on RA, cleared up their gum disease, their pain and other arthritic symptoms got better.
People with RA sometimes have a hard time maintaining good oral hygiene because the disease can affect the joints in the hands, making brushing and flossing difficult. Electric toothbrushes and the AirFlosser by Sonicare can make dental care easier.
Common Arthritis medications target the immune system, which can weaken the immune system’s ability to fight infections, including gum disease.

So, how is rheumatoid arthritis related to your mouth?

The number one cause of death is inflammation.

The number one cause of inflammation is gum disease.

Inflammation is a protective immune system response to substances like viruses and bacteria. In autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis the immune system mistakenly triggers inflammation, although there are no bacteria or viruses to fight off. The inflammation causes joints to become swollen, painful and stiff.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gum Disease both have inflammation in common, which may explain the connection.

Controlling the inflammation with proactive dental care could play a role in reducing the incidence and severity of RA.

Medications and Dry Mouth

Pain relievers used to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis have a very common side effect: Dry Mouth.

Dry mouth is a growing problem in dentistry. On a daily basis, Dr. Korenman and his staff see patients who suffer from dry mouth and the issues associated with dry mouth including tooth decay, gum disease and mouth sores.

Shocking Truth About Gum Disease

80% of people have Gum Disease and DO NOT KNOW IT! There is usually no pain involved for people until extremely late in the degeneration. Many gum problems will go unnoticed until they are diagnosed by a dentist.

The good news is that Dr. Korenman and his team are dedicated to educating the public about the dangers of gum disease and they check all their patients for it.

If you are diagnosed with gum disease, Dr. Korenman can design a treatment plan to help you keep it under control. He even carries a line of natural oral care products called Effervess, specifically designed to help patients who suffer from dry mouth.

Additionally, if you suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis, sometimes shorter appointments scheduled later in the day when joints are less stiff can make you more comfortable. We can also provide a neck or leg pillow for better support in the dental chair.

We urge you to call Loveable Smiles for your Total Health Dental Care appointment at 972-231-0585.

This is just one of many examples of how we treat people, not just teeth.

#arthritis

#drymouth

#medicationsideeffects

Aug 29

Missing Teeth & Bone Loss Will Age You

When teeth are lost the damage goes well below the surface of the gums.

The bone that once supported and surrounded the roots of those teeth starts to deteriorate painlessly.

When bone resorption occurs, it causes the face to collapse. These changes can become so severe they make the person look many years older than they actually are.

The more missing teeth, the quicker and more severe the bone loss. For those missing all or most of their natural teeth, bone loss can become so severe within just a few years it can become difficult to wear removable devices such as partials and dentures. There is simply little bone left to support them.

Dental Implants: A Solid & Permanent Foundation

It’s so vital to replace the tooth root with a dental implant which becomes integrated in the bone, and thus, preserves it.

The bone forms a bond to the implants which then function as natural tooth roots – providing a solid and permanent foundation for biting and chewing.

The implants have no sensation in your mouth, you do not notice their presence at all and your mouth feels very natural and comfortable.

Dr. Korenman of Loveable Smiles has invested in the advanced technology of a dental CAT-scan x-ray machine that provides 3-D information including whether there is enough bone for long-term function and stability, the location of nerves, and sinuses and helps determine if implants can be placed safely and predictably.
With the advances in implant dentistry now available from Loveable Smiles, you can soon be eating what you want, when you want and where you want.

Additionally:

Your facial muscle tone will be restored.
You’ll put 20 years of life back in your smile.
You’ll regain the self-confidence and quality of life you lost when you lost your teeth.

For more information, please call Loveable Smiles in Richardson at (972) 231-0585 and schedule a complimentary consultation.

Jan 19

How is heart disease related to your mouth?

This blog post is part of a series of Total Health Dental Care articles to inform our readers about the connection between your oral health and your overall health.

It’s called the “Mouth-Body Connection,” and it means that poor dental health can severely deteriorate your body, especially your lungs and heart, and it can also lead to a host of other conditions including Alzheimer’s disease and even some Cancers.

Gum Disease – The Silent Epidemic

The number one cause of death is inflammation.

The number one cause of inflammation is gum disease.

The startling news is that 80% of people have Gum Disease and DO NOT KNOW IT! There is usually no pain involved for people until extremely late in the degeneration. Many gum problems will go unnoticed until they are diagnosed by a dentist.

So, how is heart disease related to your mouth?

Several studies exist to explain the link between gum disease and heart disease.

Oral bacteria can affect the heart via the blood stream and then attaching to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries (heart blood vessels) and contributing to clot formation.
As the body fights the inflammation caused by periodontal (gum) disease, swelling of the arteries can occur which contributes to their deterioration.

Researchers have found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease.

Medications for Heart Disease and Dry Mouth

If you take any medication for dry mouth including blood pressure medications and diuretics, you have probably experienced a common side effect of these popular medications: Dry Mouth.

The combination of two or more of these medications dramatically increase dry-mouth effects.

The Good News for Heart Patients

The good news is that Dr. Korenman and his team are dedicated to educating the public about the dangers of gum disease and they check all their patients for it.

If you are diagnosed with gum disease, Dr. Korenman can design a treatment plan to help you overcome it and then to keep it under control.

Additionally, if you suffer from Dry Mouth, Dr. Korenman provides the following tips for treating this dangerous condition:

He highly recommends Effervess Oral Care products, which can help relieve the symptoms of dry mouth caused by medications. (Available at Loveable Smiles and Amazon.) The line includes toothpaste and a whitening gel.
Swish with water in addition to drinking it.
Chew sugarless gum.
Patients with dry mouth should have regular dental checkups with Dr. Korenman and his staff for evaluation and treatment. Please bring up-to-date medication list with you to your appointment at Loveable Smiles.

We urge you to call Loveable Smiles for your Total Health Dental Care appointment at 972-231-0585.

This is just one of many examples of how we treat people, not just teeth.

Aug 17

Attention Dallas Baby Boomers! Get to the dentist!

Attention all Baby Boomers who want to look good and enjoy their health, please get to the dentist!

You overall health depends on it!

Links Between Oral/Overall Health
The risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease increases with age. Research has proven that these diseases often manifest themselves in the mouth.

It’s called the “Mouth-Body Connection,” and it means that poor dental health can severely deteriorate your body, especially your lungs and heart, and it can also lead to a host to other conditions including Alzheimer’s disease and even some Cancers in addition to worsening Diabetes.

Your Dentist Is Your Key Health Care Partner

Since your dentist is the only medical professional to check you from the neck up, these connections allow dentists to be a key player in helping you to become aware of any possible systemic imbalances. Loveable Smiles prides itself on being a leader in health for your future. We often refer patients to other medical professionals as we treat people not just teeth.

If you have been avoiding going to the dentist, usually due to unknown fear, your dental appointment needs to be a priority. Don’t worry, if it’s been a while since you’ve been to the dentist, we will never scold you. We will be thrilled to see you. Call our office for that much needed dental appointment. 972-231-0585

Now is the time to get your wellness check to make sure you are as healthy as you can be.

Your mouth is the gateway to your health.

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