St. Louis Sedation, Sleep & Special Needs Dentistry :: The Dental Anesthesia Center

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oral health

The Connection Between Oral Health and Your Overall Health

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You can protect yourself and those you care for, by learning more about the connection between your oral health and your overall well-being.

Your oral health offers insights into your overall health. Problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body. You can protect yourself and those you care for, by learning more about the connection between your oral health and your overall well-being.

Oral Health and Overall Health – How are They Connected?

Like all other areas of your body, your mouth contains a lot of bacteria, mostly harmless. However, your mouth is the entry point to your respiratory and digestive tracts, and some of the bacteria in your mouth can cause disease.

The body’s natural defenses, combined with good oral health routines, such as daily brushing and flossing, keep the bacteria under control. But, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that can lead to severe oral conditions, such as infections, tooth decay, and gum disease.

There are certain types of medications that can reduce the flow of saliva. Saliva has an essential job and is necessary to wash away food and neutralize acids, which helps protect you from harmful microbes that can multiply and lead to disease.

There have been studies done that suggest that bacteria in the mouth and the inflammation associated with periodontitis, might play a role in certain diseases. Also, conditions such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes can lower the body’s resistance to infections, making oral health issues more serious.

Conditions Linked to Oral Health

There are various diseases and conditions that your oral health may contribute. Some of these include:

  • Cardiovascular disease – While the connection is not entirely understood, some research suggests that heart disease, stroke, and clogged arteries may link to the infections and inflammation that bacteria in the mouth can cause.
  • Endocarditis – This generally occurs when fungi, bacteria, or other germs from other areas in the body travel through the blood and attach to damaged areas of the heart. Those most at risk are people with artificial or damaged heart valves or other heart conditions.
  • Pneumonia – Certain types of bacteria in the mouth can be drawn into the lungs, causing pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
  • Birth complications and pregnancy – Research suggests that periodontitis, bacteria that cause inflammation in the gums, can travel into the bloodstream and target an unborn baby, which could lead to premature labor and low-birth-weight babies.

To protect your oral health, it is essential to practice good oral hygiene every day. It’s also important to contact your dentist as soon as you have an oral health issue. Taking care of your mouth is an investment in your overall health!

Call Us Today

The Only Board Certified Dental Anesthesiologists in the State of Missouri, including the St. Louis Metro Area.

Call (314) 862-7844

Does Your Child Have Braces? Help Them Keep Their Teeth Clean

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Braces are an investment in your child’s future smile, so keeping their teeth clean and in good shape is essential.

Brushing teeth with braces isn’t too different than brushing without braces. But maintaining clean teeth with braces is just a bit more time consuming and involves the help of some other tools.

As a parent, you may find it a little frustrating if you have to continually remind your child to brush their teeth and to do it correctly. However, braces are an investment in your child’s future smile, and like any other important investment, it’s wise to help them keep their teeth and braces clean.

When to Brush with Braces

There are a couple of essential times your child should be brushing their teeth if they have braces. First, they should brush their teeth in the morning, after they wake up, and at night, before going to bed.

Second, they should brush their teeth after every meal. However, the problem with brushing after every meal is that it can be impractical. If your child is at school, they may not be able to find a good place to brush, or they may not have a toothbrush with them all the time.

One suggestion that can help is for them to rinse their mouth out with water right after eating so they can rinse away any particles, sugars, and starches that could lead to plaque buildup. This is often a more practical solution if brushing isn’t possible.

How to Brush Teeth with Braces

Having the right kind of toothbrush goes a long way in helping a child brush their teeth effectively. An orthodontist will typically recommend a soft-bristled toothbrush or power toothbrush. They must brush their teeth thoroughly and be sure not to rush through a cleaning. Some good points to keep in mind include:

  • Brush each side of every tooth
  • Brush around all parts of the brackets
  • Brush along the tongue, gumline, and roof of the mouth

The amount of time spent brushing is essential too. To get all of the above areas thoroughly cleaned, a child should brush for a full two minutes. Playing a song in the background can be helpful. Also, some toothbrushes have a built-in timer and will signal when two minutes is up.

Flossing with Braces

Flossing can be challenging with braces, but it’s important to floss at least twice a day because particles of food and plaque can easily get stuck in between the teeth. An oral irrigator, or a water flosser, is a useful tool that works just as well as traditional floss. Another way to floss is by using a reusable floss-threader along with regular dental floss.

Have a Tooth-Friendly Diet

No matter how much your child brushes and flosses their teeth, eating the right foods, and staying away from the wrong ones, goes a long way in keeping their teeth healthy while they have braces. Sugary food and drinks can increase the likelihood of your child developing cavities. Acidic food and drinks can damage tooth enamel. Foods high in starch can stick to the teeth for long periods and cause tooth decay.

It’s important to be aware of the foods that can damage enamel and lead to tooth decay so that your child doesn’t have stains on their teeth when their braces come off.

If your child has braces, discuss these things with them. If they are struggling to do it right, find a solution to at least one of the issues. Many of these things take time to put into regular practice, so don’t give up!

Call Us Today

The Only Board Certified Dental Anesthesiologists in the State of Missouri, including the St. Louis Metro Area.

Call (314) 862-7844

How Anemia Can Have an Impact on Oral Health

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At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we provide gentle, safe, and relaxing dental care.

It is known that oral health can have an affect on your general health and that it is connected to the other functions of your body. Poor oral health might contribute to numerous diseases and conditions, like digestive issues, bone erosion, extended infections, and possibly cardiovascular disease. But your oral health can also be influenced by other conditions in your body.

How can anemia impact oral health and oral health treatments?

What Is Anemia?

Anemia is a condition that directly affects your body’s blood cell numbers. A low number of blood cells is the main indicator that you have anemia, and it leads to various symptoms in your body. One of the most common symptoms of anemia is having pale gums. This symptom also shows how oral health is directly impacted by this condition.

Blood cells transport oxygen and nutrients to every cell of your body, so having a low level of blood cells will deprive your body of the necessary vitamins, minerals and from the needed amount of oxygen.

There are many types of anemia, the most common ones being: iron deficiency, sickle cell anemia, and vitamin deficiency anemia. Getting the right diagnosis is important for choosing the best treatment and for understanding its impact better.

How Does Anemia Affect Your Oral Health?

When your gums and teeth don’t get the nutrients they need through the blood, they are much more susceptible to disease. Patients with anemia can get cavities, gum disease, ulcers, infections and even problems with the tongue, like soreness or pain.

Iron deficiency anemia can have pica as a side-effect. Pica is an eating disorder in which patients tend to eat things that lack nutrients: chips, paper, cardboard, etc. This not only makes them ingest items with no nutritional value, but it can also damage the teeth.

Sickle cell anemia leads to different types of problems: glossy, sore tongue, demineralization in the tooth enamel, delayed tooth eruption.

Vitamin deficiency anemia shows symptoms like gum disease, mouth ulcers and a reduced feeling of taste.

There are many other associated symptoms that may show up in your oral health, and proper diagnosis is important in solving the underlying issues. Be sure to see your general practitioner if you suspect having anemia.

St. Louis Sedation Dentistry

At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we provide gentle, safe, and relaxing dental care. During your consultation, Dr. Hoffmann, Dr. Thoms, or Dr. Daugherty will decide which level of sedation is best for you based upon your medical history and current physical health.

Call us today to schedule an appointment at (314) 862-7844. We look forward to meeting you!

Is Milk Really Good for Your Child’s Teeth?

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The simple answer is yes! But some parents have heard differently – so why the confusion?

Calcium is a necessary component for building strong teeth and bones, after all, your teeth and bones store 99% of your body’s calcium. A baby’s teeth begin to form while in the womb and for this reason a pregnant mother should be taking the recommended daily allowance of calcium. Then, from infancy and through the teen years, calcium intake continues to be a key element for healthy growth and development.

So, is milk good for your child’s teeth? The simple answer is yes! But some parents have heard differently – so why the confusion?

Is Milk Good for Your Child’s Teeth?

Milk is good for your child’s teeth because it contains important nutrients needed by the bones and teeth. Milk naturally has calcium and phosphate, two compounds that harden the tooth enamel and protect your child’s teeth from cavities.

Giving your child milk and other foods rich in calcium, like oranges, yogurt, canned sardines (bones included,) beans, spinach, soy milk, etc. will ensure that he or she receives the recommended calcium intake. Be careful about giving them an extra dose of calcium, as excess is just as bad as a lack of calcium. Calcium enriched products should only be given when the doctor recommends it based on blood tests that show a need for extra calcium into the body.

It Depends on Certain Circumstances

Milk itself is very good and necessary to create strong teeth but it can cause negative results depending on certain circumstances. For instance, milk is not good for your child’s teeth if it lingers over the night in your child’s mouth, or if it contains sugar and other additives.

If you are used to giving your child milk in a sippy-cup or baby bottle before bedtime to make them fall asleep more easily, stop this habit as soon a possible. Even when the milk is simple and does not contain any added sugar, it still has naturally occurring sugars that will attack the tooth enamel if the child doesn’t brush their teeth before sleep. With bottle-fed babies, this phenomenon is actually well-known as “bottle cavities.” There is a common misconception that breastfed babies also get cavities because of nursing before bedtime, but studies show that breast milk protects against cavities and nursing doesn’t let the milk linger in the mouth.

So, giving your child milk to drink will make their teeth stronger, will protect their tooth enamel, and will strengthen their jaw bone. However, it really comes down to when you let them drink the milk. However, the same is true for any type of drink other than water. Giving your child a sippy-cup or bottle with milk, juice, or formula can cause tooth decay if they drink it to go to bed without brushing their teeth.

St. Louis Pediatric Dentistry

At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we value our patient relationships, making it our priority to deliver gentle dental care that you deserve from sedation dentists in St. Louis. We work hard to make you feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere. We strive to develop lifelong relationships with our patients by combining the latest dental technology with a professional and compassionate team.

Call Us Today

The Only Board Certified Dental Anesthesiologists in the State of Missouri, including the St. Louis Metro Area.

Call (314) 862-7844

How Starchy Food Can Affect Your Child’s Teeth

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child eating chips

When it comes to their children’s oral health, many parents know that diet plays an important role in how strong our teeth and gums are. But many don’t know that it’s not only sweets that should be avoided, but also starchy food that might not taste sweet at all, but still break down into sugars.

What Is Starch?

Starch is a carbohydrate and it’s one of the main sources of energy for our bodies. Starch is crucial in our diet, and we are far from recommending banning it from the diet of your child, as you will deprive him of important macronutrients.

Starchy is contained by many products and it’s either native or modified, meaning it’s contained naturally by the product or it has been added during the processing. This distinction is important, as it will give us a better idea of what starchy food is good for your child and what you should consider avoiding.

So What Makes Starchy Food so Bad for Your Child’s Teeth?

Cavities form when the bacteria in the plaque – a thin film that covers your teeth after you eat – attack your teeth’s enamel and makes them vulnerable to decay. This bacteria feeds mostly on the sugars found in food, which is why sweets are so bad for your teeth. But starchy food also breaks down into sugar, making certain starch-rich products bad for your oral health.

Processed starchy food like chips, pretzels, crackers or corn puffs can have a bad effect on your teeth’s enamel because they tend to stick to your teeth, prolonging the exposure to sugars. The plaque that lingers in your mouth is not so easy to remove by simply brushing and can lead to cavities, demineralization and even gum disease.

What Alternatives Can You Offer?

As said before, it’s important to differentiate between naturally contained starches and processed ones, as the latter should be avoided as much as possible. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t feed your child starch-rich products, but be sure to choose items like fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain bread and cooked food made from scratch.

Oral hygiene is equally important in promoting dental health, so make sure that your child brushes at least twice a day, flosses and rinses his mouth with water after eating starchy and sugary foods.

Regular visits to your St. Louis pediatric dentist will also keep cavities away from your child’s teeth, as they can get professional cleanings, tooth sealing and other preventive treatments that protect the enamel from decay.

If you still have questions about how to keep your child’s teeth healthy, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist and ask about the best options in terms of diet and oral hygiene for your little one. Give us a call today at (314) 862-7844 to learn more or schedule an appointment!

Why You Should Discuss Your Medical History with Your Dentist

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Having this information available and updated regularly will help your St. Louis sedation dentist paint a better picture of your overall health and give you the best treatment option for your oral health.

Sedation dentistry keeps patients calm enough to receive needed treatment safely and with no discomfort. Sedation is used during long and complex procedures, or when treating patients with dental anxiety, children, seniors or people with certain disabilities.

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While sedation has certain associated risks, its benefits generally outweigh them in most cases. Moreover, the doctors are prepared to stabilize the patient in case something falls out of the expected parameters.

During preliminary talk, your St. Louis sedation dentist will want to hear about your medical history before deciding what type of sedation best fits your case best. Here is what your doctor needs to know.

Medications You Are on

Keep a list of all the medications you are on at the moment and present it to your doctor during your preliminary consultation. Even if you have recently interrupted a treatment, mention that to your dentist, as you might still have the active substance in your system.

Other Special Conditions

Besides the medication you are taking, it is important for the dentist to know if you have any condition that could interfere with the treatment. For example, if you are trying to have a baby, make sure to mention a possible pregnancy to your dentist, especially before getting sedation dentistry, as not all forms of sedation are safe for pregnant women.

Other conditions that are relevant to your dentist are related to major surgery, respiratory conditions, allergies, heart conditions, etc. If you are currently receiving treatment for something, it is not a bad idea to mention it to your dentist, especially if you are scheduled for a more complex dental procedure.

Other Mentions

If you think that any health mention would have an impact on your dental treatment, mention it. This may include medication you are taking (including plasters with active substances, ointments or inhaled substances,) chronic conditions like asthma or epilepsy, drugs you have taken recently, smoking, and so on. Some may seem irrelevant to a dentist visit, but oral health is connected to your overall health. Therefore, it is important for your dentist to have an updated medical archive.

Having this information available and updated regularly will help your St. Louis sedation dentist paint a better picture of your overall health and give you the best treatment option for your oral health. This practice can avoid dangerous combinations of medication, and can help your dentist diagnose you better.