A few oral health problems associated with Type 1 Diabetes are thrush, dry mouth, cavities and gum disease. 

How Diabetes affects gum disease:

1. Uncontrolled Type I Diabetics are at a higher risk for gum disease.
2. Severe gum disease can affect blood sugar.
3. Diabetics have a decreased ability to fight bacteria that invade the gums.
4. A dry mouth can exacerbate the side effects of diabetes, which will then lead to an increase in glucose levels, wreaking havoc on the body.
5. Having a dry mouth, especially as a diabetic, can lead to rampant tooth decay, which means blood sugar increases as the body tries, and fails, to fight infection.
6. Sometimes if the blood glucose levels are higher than they should be, the result is dry mouth.

Preventing Dental Complications Linked to Diabetes
The first step is keeping the child’s blood glucose level under control. If blood sugar is high, the sugar can appear in the saliva. Sugar is a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause gum disease and other oral health problems.

According to the American Dental Association, it’s recommended to brush teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste because that helps protect the teeth against tooth decay Flossing at least once a day is recommended as well because it helps remove the plaque and food particles between the teeth. Lastly, make sure to make a trip to the dentist twice a year to ensure there are no problems arising with the teeth and/or gums. Be sure to notify the dentist that your child has diabetes so that they can check the mouth for swollen gums, dry patches, bleeding and more.

If you’re looking for a gentle children’s dentist, contact the team at Loveable Smiles today.  972-231-0585

How often should you see your hygienist for dental cleanings?  Some people may say that you should go every six months, some people may say every 3-4 months, and others may only visit the dental office when they are experiencing pain.

So, which one is right for you?

The answer is not as black and white as you may think…

Dental cleaning frequency is completely dependent upon the patient and their individual needs.

It is the same concept as when someone goes to physical therapy or rehab and the therapist creates a custom program for each individual in order to get them back to health (there is no blanket solution).

Patients who have seen the dentist regularly and practice good oral home care may only need to have a dental cleaning every six months because they have minimal build up and little to no bleeding in the gums.  On the other hand, some patients who have not seen the dentist regularly and/or do not practice good oral home care may need to have their teeth cleaned every 3 to 4 months because they have moderate to severe build up and bleeding in the gums or they have been previously diagnosed with periodontal disease (loss of bone around the teeth).

The goal is to get your teeth cleaned frequently enough to keep the bacterial plaque build up at a minimal level so that either healing can occur or so that the tissues can stay in an optimum state of health.

In order to see what frequency is right for you, you should see your hygienist and discuss what treatment cycle will give your teeth and gums the best outcome.

Call for your dental hygiene appointment! 972-231-0585

One of the most promising aspects of laser dentistry is improved patient comfort, less damage to surrounding tissues, and better healing.

Dr. Korenman uses laser technology in his office for a variety of issues including:

• Dry Mouth
• Bad Breath
• Tongue Tie & Lip Tie in Babies
• Canker Sores

Learn more about the dental technology used at Loveable Smiles by clicking here.

It’s been said that a grandchild fills a space in the heart that you never knew was empty.

This is certainly true for one of our patients who has helped her grandson with extensive dental work here at Loveable Smiles. A full mouth restoration for her grandson has been life changing for this young man.

To protect identities, we’ll refer to this precious grandmother as J.P.

It had been such a long time since J.P.’s grandson had been to the dentist, that he was afraid and embarrassed to go.

Additionally, due to his dental situation, he had a hard time eating and was embarrassed by his mouth.

He didn’t smile, he didn’t show his teeth and J.P. says her grandson’s lack of self-confidence was the cause of his struggle to find direction and move forward in life.

J.P. had heard that Dr. Korenman of Loveable Smiles was the one to see if you had a fear of dentists. He’s known for his is dedication to reversing the trend of miserable dental events.

J.P. made an appointment for her grandson and she admits she was nervous about how he would react to the experience.

Once J.P.’s grandson met Dr. Korenman, she says he felt comfortable and felt a connection with not only the dentist, but the entire staff.

J.P. shares, “Everyone at Loveable Smiles was very warm and very compassionate. We both felt comfortable immediately. Dr. Korenman has the technology and the skills – the whole package to help his patients.”

Despite the 3-hour drive, J.P.’s grandson never wavered in his commitment to maintaining the various appointments that were needed to complete his dental work.

J.P. proudly reports that this dental work has been life changing for her grandson. He’s moving forward in life again. He’s making plans, meeting goals and living on his own.

Best of all, his beautiful smile has returned. It’s the same smile J.P. remembers from when her grandson was a young boy of 8.

If you are someone you love has a fear of dentists, Dr. Korenman will never cause his patients pain and he listens to all of their concerns.

If it’s been some time or even a long time since your last appointment, we want you to know that we never will scold you or make you feel guilty about that because we are just glad to see you.

We are here to serve you for a healthy future.

We invite you to have an enjoyable and painless dental visit at Loveable Smiles in Richardson. Please call 972-231-0585.

Give her the gift of a bright smile with a Laser Teeth Whitening Gift Certificate.

Extend Mom’s Life with the gift of a Dental Implant

Charles Mayo of Mayo Clinic said 100 years ago, “You will live an extra 10 years if you keep your mouth healthy.”

Give her the gift of a Straighter Smile With Invisalign for as low as $140 a month!

Call us Today to Order Your Gift Certificates.

(972) 231-0585

Dr. Korenman is known as the “Listening Dentist” and I would also say he is the “Gently Explains” dentist.

He took the time to talk about and demonstrate each step of the procedure to put my daughter at ease. He showed her the cool water that comes out of the Biolase laser and the red “laser light.”

I think all of this explanation and Dr. Korenman’s gentle nature helped my daughter to remain calm during the entire procedure.

It was fascinating to watch and I’m thankful Dr. Korenman has invested in the latest dental technology to be able to conduct these types of services painlessly.

Thank you Dr. Korenman for taking great care of my daughter!

Here are more photos of babies Dr. Korenman has been able to help recently!

The Laser Frenectomy at Loveable Smiles in Richardson uses cool water during the procedure. There is virtually no bleeding, no pain, no risk of infection and the healing is almost instantaneous for infants. The procedure takes less than 1 minute.

Dr. Korenman was featured on WFAA Channel 8 about the service.

You can watch it here. http://www.wfaa.com/videos/news/health/2015/02/24/simple-solution-helps-nursing-babies/23965539/

To schedule a consultation to check your baby for a lip or tongue tie, please call our office at Loveable Smiles at 972-231-0585.

Pediatric dentist Dallas Ft. Worth

Baby Neilah, 7 weeks old, was recently in the office to have a frenectomy for both her lip and tongue ties.

Before her frenectomy, Neilah’s mom, Hillary, shares the following:

• She had a lot of discomfort with nursing.
• She could hear “clicking” whenever Neilah nursed and a lot of milk would leak out of the corner of her baby’s mouth.
• Neilah seemed to be swallowing a lot of air and experienced a lot of gassy, abdominal pain.

During the laser procedure, Hillary was able to swaddle her baby in a blanket and hold her during the entire procedure, which lasted about 1 minute.

Hillary shares that Dr. Korenman and his staff made the procedure very easy. She is grateful that the office hours at Loveable Smiles in Richardson were convenient and Dr. K’s fees were more reasonable that other providers she had researched.

After her laser procedure to fix her lip and tongue ties, Hillary reports that Baby Neilah is doing great! There is no clicking and she’s eating more when she nurses. Baby Neilah hasn’t been as fussy since the procedure and mom thinks this is due to Neilah not swallowing so much air when she nurses.

The Laser Frenectomy at Loveable Smiles in Richardson uses cool water during the procedure. There is virtually no bleeding, no pain, no risk of infection and the healing is almost instantaneous for infants. The procedure takes less than 1 minute.

Dr. Korenman was featured on WFAA Channel 8 about the service.

You can watch it here. http://www.wfaa.com/videos/news/health/2015/02/24/simple-solution-helps-nursing-babies/23965539/

To schedule a consultation to check your baby for a lip or tongue tie, please call our office at Loveable Smiles at 972-231-0585.

Pediatric dentist Dallas Ft. Worth

If you have an accident and your tooth is still in your mouth:

• Straighten it and quickly apply ice.
• Call your dentist right away. Loveable Smiles can be reached at 972-231-0585 and we answer our phone 24/7.

If your tooth is knocked out during an accident:

• Find the tooth and clean it off.
• Place the tooth in a small container of milk. The calcium in the milk helps keep your tooth moisturized.
• See your dental professional as soon as possible, preferably within 30 minutes.
• Don’t forget to take the tooth with you.

With prompt attention, a permanent tooth may be re-implanted into the tooth socket and saved. The dentist will then monitor it and determine what other treatment may be necessary depending on how it reattaches.

If you can’t get a hold of your dentist, you should go to an emergency room.

At Loveable Smiles in Richardson, TX, Dr. Korenman provides his cell phone number on his business card.

Additionally, we have someone answering our business line 24/7. That number is 972-231-0585

We pride ourselves on being a pain-free dental office.

We will do everything possible to help you stay out of pain.

“Baby teeth do not matter since they are going to fall out anyway.”

Here is an alarming statistic:

Tooth decay is still the most common chronic childhood disease and left untreated, it can impair a child’s ability to eat, speak, sleep and learn.

Your child’s teeth need to be strong and healthy to chew, speak, sing, smile with confidence, play a musical instrument and most important, act as “space savers” for adult teeth.

If your child prematurely loses a tooth/teeth, the tooth beside it may drift into the empty space, which then doesn’t allow for the adult teeth to erupt into its proper place.

If your child has a cavity, it’s usually painless at the beginning. If left untreated it will become quite advanced, often with no symptoms at all. The tooth can become abscessed without the child having any noticeable symptoms until it’s too late and it becomes infected and then there IS pain!

Baby teeth may be temporary, but giving them proper care can help you achieve a lifetime of oral health as well as overall health.  Simple preventive checkups twice a year can prevent childhood decay and help you and your child learn how to protect their teeth throughout their lifetime as well as helping your child to have a great attitude about having dental care.

All the adults who fear having dental treatment and who hate seeing dentists tell us the horrible problems they had as children. This is extremely sad because it is so simple to prevent those bad experiences if we get to meet early enough.

Caring for Your Baby’s Teeth

Running a damp washcloth over your baby’s gums following feedings can prevent buildup of damaging bacteria.

Once your child has a few teeth showing, you can brush them with a soft child’s toothbrush or rub them with gauze at the end of the day.

The best type of toothbrush to use at first, is a long handled brush with a small head. This design makes it easy to reach all areas of your baby’s mouth.

Your baby’s toothbrush should have rounded, soft filaments. You should replace it every 10-12 weeks, or sooner if the filaments become splayed.

It isn’t absolutely essential to use toothpaste to clean your baby’s teeth – the brushing action itself is actually the most important part of keeping them clean. If you prefer to use toothpaste, then you should choose one that is designed specifically for infants, because they contain very little – if any – fluoride. In fact, the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry guidelines suggest that babies under the age of 2 receive NO fluoride at all.

Putting your baby to sleep with a bottle in his or her mouth may be convenient in the short term — but it can harm the baby’s teeth. When the sugars from juice or milk remain on a baby’s teeth for hours, they may eat away at the enamel, creating a condition known as bottle mouth.

If your baby is “stubborn” and fusses about having their teeth brushed, gently continue trying every few days.  Children who are nearly 2 have a passion to copy everything they see done around them. If a 2-year-old girl sees her parents brush their teeth, she one day grabs one of their brushes and insists on trying it herself. This is a good time to buy her a brush and let her go to it. Naturally, she won’t be very efficient at first, but you can help her tactfully.

During summer vacation, kids are more likely to indulge in sugary snacks like popsicles, ice cream and slushies.  Parents, should be helping their child brush their teeth every night until the child is 9 or 10 years old. After that, they should have the dexterity to properly clean their teeth.

The Oral Systemic Connection is the driving force at Loveable Smiles.  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.

If our children have healthy mouths, they are more likely to have healthy bodies and can ward off serious health issues later in life.