Month: March 2020

The Importance of Regular Dental Cleanings

Posted on by gpmadmin

Everyone knows that your bi-annual visits to the dentist help get your teeth squeaky clean. After all, they’re called hygiene visits for a reason. But your dentist in Lewisburg believes that these twice-a-year appointments are more important than the cleaning alone. In fact, your bi-annual dental appointments do so much more. 

Prevention is Key

Every six months, you head on over to your dentist’s office for your cleaning, and in between those appointments, you make sure to brush and floss your teeth every day. So why, exactly, does your dentist in Lewisburg need to see you two times a year (at least)? Isn’t that a little much? Quite the opposite. Your dental checkups and cleanings serve a bigger purpose and can help identify and treat any lingering problems related to your oral health as well as keep your overall health protected. How? We’re glad you asked. 

The Truth is in The X-Rays

You’re probably familiar with getting dental x-rays taken at least once a year, and these images can tell your dental team a lot about what’s going on below the surface. Your dental hygienist and dentist will review your x-rays in detail will be able to see things such as decay that is not yet visible to the naked eye, the overall health of your gums, as well as identify an abscess before you may even know you have it. As a result, your dental team will be able to treat any problems early, before they have a bigger effect on your oral health or even your overall health. 

Gum Disease

Let’s say that your dental x-rays show some concern with your gums. Perhaps your gum pockets are too deep or your gums bleed when you brush or floss. Usually, those are the top signs that gum disease is lurking. Gum disease is an infection in the gum tissue and can be treated if caught early. However, if it’s left untreated, gum disease can cause problems in the mouth as well as the rest of the body. Gum disease has been linked to an increased risk of: 

  • Tooth loss
  • Heart disease
  • Respiratory disease
  • Diabetes
  • Stroke 

Seeing your dentist in Lewisburg twice a year can help diagnose and treat gum disease before it has a chance to affect the rest of your body. 

It’s About Than Just Teeth

There’s a very clear connection between oral health and whole-body health. Besides the risks of gum disease discussed above, many other health problems may first show signs in the mouth. Some of the things that can be identified at your bi-annual dental visits include, but are not limited to, diabetes, kidney disease, certain cancers, and heart disease. So while your dental team is certainly focused on getting your teeth clean during your appointments, they are also keeping an eye out for other possible problems that can affect your overall health. As with many health problems, the earlier these conditions are properly diagnosed and treated, the more successful treatment tends to be. That’s why we want to see you every six months, so we can proactively protect both your oral health and overall health. 

The truth is, your dental team is an extension of your healthcare team, and your dental cleanings are the best way to prevent any serious problems from affecting your body. Besides maintaining a good at-home oral hygiene routine of brushing and flossing, make sure to see your dentist at least twice a year. 

Accepting new patients from Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Williamsport, and nearby areas. 

Best Foods for Teeth

Posted on by gpmadmin

nutrition monthNational Nutrition Month, which is celebrated every March, strives to help Americans better understand how eating right can help keep them healthy. While it’s certainly true that what we eat affects our overall health, your dentist in Lewisburg wants you to know that our food choices also play a key role in our oral health. 

Understanding Nutrition

Most of us know that proper nutrition involves increasing the intake of vegetables and decreasing foods that contain a lot of sugar or fat, but outside of those basics, nutrition isn’t really well understood. The truth is, nutrition is complicated and recommendations vary from person to person based on age, gender, height, weight, as well as activity level. Nutrition is so confusing that the Food Pyramid Guide from the United States Department of Agriculture has changed two times since it was originally created in 1992. However, the Department of Agriculture is trying to simplify nutrition and has created a website called MyPlate. This is the best place to find out what’s best for you and your family’s nutritional needs. Now, even though nutrition as a whole can be complicated, you’ll find that some of the simple basics you already know are the same. This includes eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy.

The Connection Between Good Nutrition and Good Oral Health

Focusing on choosing good foods is beneficial for overall and oral health, just like how eating too much bad food can negatively affect both. Take your Lewisburg dentist’s least favorite thing — sugary foods and drinks, for example. Sugar is high in calories and can cause weight gain and an increased risk for heart disease. Sugar also poses dangers to our mouths by fueling bacteria and causing them to release an acidic byproduct. This acid easily eats away at tooth enamel which makes teeth more susceptible to decay, cavities, and sensitivity. One of the harder parts of nutrition is understanding that just because a food doesn’t taste sweet doesn’t mean there isn’t a risk of sugar complications. Take carbohydrates as an example. Carbs are sneaky and result in something called the hidden sugar effect. They break down into simple sugars as we eat them, which again fuels mouth bacteria and increases the likelihood of decay. 

What Should You Eat to Protect Your Teeth?

There are plenty of tooth-friendly foods to choose from, and many aren’t only nutritious but also delicious. When picking foods and snacks for your family, try some of these foods that are good for your oral health: 

  • Cheese
  • Fatty Fish
  • Poultry
  • Eggs
  • Vegetables
  • Water

There is a direct correlation between what we eat and how healthy we are. This also applies to how healthy your mouth is. Select foods and portions from your MyPlate recommendation, limit your intake of sugary foods, including carbs, and drink plenty of water to help fuel your body and protect your overall and oral health. 

Lastly, don’t forget to also brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and see your dentist in Lewisburg to further keep your teeth in tip-top shape. 

Accepting new patients from Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Williamsport, and nearby areas.