The new survey lists unpleasant activities Americans would choose over flossing: washing a sink full of dirty dishes (18 percent) or waiting in a long check-out line (14 percent). Nearly one in ten U.S. adults would rather sit in gridlock traffic for an hour or do their taxes (9 percent each).

If you were to pick one, flossing is more important than brushing. Just imagine you are washing your hands, but never clean in between the fingers. How would you feel? Your hands would start to smell after a while, just like bad breath can develop if regular flossing is avoided. Lack of flossing can lead to gum disease or periodontal disease, which is a chronic inflammatory disease caused when bacteria in plaque below the gum line lead to swelling, irritation, and possibly receding gums and tooth loss. Periodontal disease has been linked to many chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction, Alzheimer’s disease, and even cancer. Periodontal disease is hardly ever discussed, resulting in a lack of urgency for people to take action in treating it, probably because it doesn’t hurt, even in it’s advanced stages.

According to the survey, among the top 10 U.S. markets, Chicagoans are more likely to opt for an hour of gridlock traffic over daily flossing. However, New Yorkers are more likely than those in other metro areas to include flossing in their personal care routine. When i work in New York, I do find floss on the street more often than in LA!

What about the South? Those who live in Atlanta are more likely than those in other top metro regions to be honest with their dentist about their flossing routine. Atlantans also are more likely than those in other top metro regions to tell friends when they have something stuck in their teeth. On the contrary, those who live in D.C. are more likely than those in other top metro regions not to alert a friend of any potentially embarrassing lunch leftovers.

So how do we treat gum disease today? There are more than 500 bacterial species that can be found in plaque, and brushing alone does not remove the bacteria that live below the gum line, especially once periodontal disease has set in. Poor oral hygiene is a primary cause of periodontal disease, but several other risk factors play a role in the development and progression of the disease including smoking, age, and genetics. The earlier we treat it, the better the results. In my office, I treat periodontal disease with laser gum surgery, which is much more comfortable than the traditional procedures. I also use ozone to eliminate the bacteria which live inside the bone, tissue and teeth. With an appropriate diagnosis and treatment, the damage from periodontal disease is reversible in many cases.

For more information on flossing contact Dr. Sanda Moldovan to schedule a consultation.

The post Are You Honest About Flossing? appeared first on Dr. Sanda Moldovan.

I was invited to give a lecture at NYU together with Dr. Olga Malkin. We presented cases that have to do with transitioning someone from a full mouth of teeth into dental implants without the use of a denture. Traditionally, someone who is losing all their teeth due to decay from dry mouth, or rampant periodontal disease, or an accident, will go through a temporary phase of wearing a removable denture. However, things have changed.

Some of my patient’s biggest year is going into a denture, especially women. It’s a Hallmark that says “now you are old”. Professor Branemark, the inventor of dental implants said that that “no one has to die with their teeth next to their bed in a glass”.

That dream he had, is now a reality. Scientific evidence has shown that dental implants placed immediately following the removal of teeth is predictable and highly successful. Our lecture and NYU showed success story after a success story of transitioning patients smoothly into All-on-4 prostheses.

One of the important questions that came up was what do we do when an implant fails, given the fact that there are four implants supporting a full set of teeth.

Even though this procedure has been over 92% successful in the last 20 years, implant failure can happen, but there are ways to get around it. What exactly does it mean when an implant fails? It either can get infected, or it gets loose from too much force. If one implant gets loose, then we simply replace, and engage the prosthesis on it that same day.

But it is important to prevent these things from happening in the first place. As a patient, it is important to follow your doctor’s instructions for oral hygiene immediately post implant placement. A pulsating water flosser, such as the WaterPik, is a must! There’s lots of bacteria in your mouth which can affect the health around an implant, so it’s important to keep your mouth clean. In the first four months following implant placement, there is a period of osseointegration, when the implant fuses to the bone. During this time, it is important to eat soft foods and don’t overuse of them. The bone is not fully ready for maximum bite force until four months post surgery.

To see if you’re candidate for this dental implant procedure watch this video:

In great health,
Dr. Sanda

For more information on dental implants contact Dr. Sanda Moldovan to schedule a consultation.

The post What If My Implant Fails? appeared first on Dr. Sanda Moldovan.

Martha is a dear patient of mine in her late 60s. She is the caretaker of her husband, Bob, who is in his early 80s. He used to be a teacher, and was never active. His muscles started atrophying at his balance slowly went downhill. He is unfortunately confined to a wheelchair now, and slowly declining in his health. Martha was telling me that he had two falls in the last six months and both times he knocked out his teeth. The first time on the right side and the second time on the left side, where he had a dental bridge made it just in the last two years. Martha is very frustrated now because of the expense she is incurring.

According to a new study, falls among the elderly are on the rise, by almost 30%. Falls are the real leading cause of fatal injuries, not only tooth related, but also fractures, subluxations, and worse, internal bleeding. Falls result in more than 2.4 million injuries treated in the emergency departments annually, out of which approximately 21,000 result in death.

The Center for disease control and prevention gives the following advice to prevent falls:

• get regular exercise to improve strength and balance
• some medications may cause dizziness, make sure you read the label.
• get your eyes checked and where are your glasses on a regular basis
• remove things that you can trip over at home, such as shoes on the floor and small rugs.
• install handrails and lights on staircases
• use tape to keep rugs from slipping
• put the grab bars in the tub, shower and next to the toilet
• put nonslip mats in the tub and shower
• improve the lighting in your home
• avoid wearing slippers and going barefoot in the house
• think about wearing an alarm device that will bring help in case you fall and can’t get up

But how do we prevent dental injuries? I suggested to Martha that we make him a day guard, which is similar to a nightguard, but a little bit thinner, that Bob could wear throughout the day. It is almost like a sports guard, that would protect his teeth against an impact, in case of falling. I also recommended her to hire a personal trainer, who specializes in elderly. Bob can slowly get his balance back this way.

If you have someone in a wheelchair who is prone to falling, ask your dentist about a day guard, to protect their teeth, and their pocket book from expensive dental work.

In great health,
Dr. Sanda

To discuss your situation and dental options one on one, contact Dr. Sanda Moldovan to schedule a personal consultation.

The post Falling – How to Prevent It and Protect Your Teeth appeared first on Dr. Sanda Moldovan.

Stress – every single one of us experiences stress at least once in our lives, but let’s face it, some of us deal with it more often than we’d like. Many of my patients nowadays are stressed every single day due to a job or family situation. Take Adam J. for example. He is a financial executive for a major company and works long hours. He needs to produce results at work and all that stress is showing up as wear on his teeth from grinding and clenching.

April is Stress Awareness Month. Become aware of your stress and where in your body it shows up. What stresses you the most? Are you able to release the stress or do you bottle it up in some area of your body? I, for example, hold on my stress the upper part of my body and my neck. The way I release it is through exercise, yoga and massage. But if you’re like Adam and manifest your stress through grinding and clenching, it could rack up your dental bills quite a bit. Grinding can cause cracks in the teeth which can lead to tooth loss. It also causes wear, which can cause collapse of the bite and pain in the TMJ, right in front of the ears. Here are some tips to help you relieve the stress manifested in your teeth and jaw:

– If you grind your teeth at night, take the time to stretch your jaw muscles in the morning – do mouth yoga! 5 minutes go a long way! Open your mouth wide and massage the sides of your jaw. Close and repeat.

– Get a custom made night guard. The over the counter ones can do more harm if the bite is not in balance. A night guard will act like a shock absorber between your teeth and will prevent cracks. If you find yourself clenching during the day, wear your night guard as a day guard.

– If you are a gagger, try a lower night guard instead of an upper one. It’s much easier to wear from my own experience.

– Try meditation. Five minutes a day can go a long way. You can easily download a guided meditation/hypnosis app on your mobile device and listen to it before bedtime. One of my favorites is Dr Marc Schoen’s audio files. http://marcschoen.com/products/

– Use lavender essential oils in a cold diffuser or on the back of your neck to help you relax.

Now let’s talk about the effect that stress has on the rest of your body. Researchers from UCSF found that poor sleep leads to accelerated aging and a decreased performance of the immune system, especially in those who are obese. Poor sleep decreases the effectiveness of daily function, not only at the office, but also inside our cells. It is only normal that we see how poor healing is related to stress. When I was a student at the Ohio State University, a study was conducted to show that students during final exams heal a lot slower from oral surgery, than during spring break. So if you’re planning on having any kind of surgery, try to plan it during a period when you can take time to heal. Try to find at least a couple of days after your procedure where you can rest.

In great health,
Dr Sanda

For more tips on managing stress and healing from periodontal surgery contact Dr. Sanda Moldovan to schedule a consultation.

The post 5 Easy Ways to Deal with Stress appeared first on Dr. Sanda Moldovan.

Oral health affects not only how we feel on the inside, but it influences the world around us. We know that the mouth tells a story of what your body looks like on the inside: it shows signs of diseases such as diabetes and measles, as well as nutritional deficiencies. How we smile also tells the world how we feel. Our friends and family perceive us through our smile and they will react to that. Are you proud of your smile? Does it reflects how you feel on the inside?

March 20th is World Oral Health Day. This is organized by the FDI, the world dental federation, to take the time and appreciate oral health. Did you know that 90% of the world’s population will suffer at some point from oral diseases, such as gum disease, carries, or tooth infections. Sadly, only 60% of these people have access to oral healthcare. I remember taking a trip to Fiji and visiting one of the villages. The closest dentist was two hours away. There are over 1 million qualified dentist or world wide, but unfortunately they are not equally distributed. Some of the poorest countries have one dentist for more than 300,000 people. I’d like to express my gratitude towards my teachers for giving me the skills to be able to serve my patients. I am thankful that where I live, we have access to great dental and medical services.

I believe that good oral health begins with prevention. If you have been brushing two minutes twice a day and flossing once a day, give yourself a pat on the back! It does take a commitment to be healthy! During my consultations, I take the time to discuss prevention because I feel it is the most important thing you can do for your oral health. So here are my tips for the 2015 World Oral Health Day:

1. Use a soft brush, either manual or electric for 2 minutes twice a day.

2. If you choose electric, pick a small brush head with sonic technology, such as Waterpik Sensonic.

3. Do not brush the gums, but aim to get under them slightly through small circular motion. Brushing the gums can create permanent damage, called recession.

4. Floss using the Waterpik water flosser once a day, at least.

5. Choose a natural toothpaste or tooth powder, such as Eco-DenT.

6. Visit your dentist twice a year to make sure small problems are detected early.

7. Perform an at home oral self-exam weekly to check the health of your gums, teeth, cheeks, tongue and throat.

In great health,
Dr. Sanda

To further discuss nutrition and dental hygiene contact Dr. Sanda Moldovan to schedule a consultation.

The post Smile For Life! World Oral Health Day 2015 appeared first on Dr. Sanda Moldovan.