by Dr. Richard J. Walicki | Dec 21, 2012 | Dentistry
theyIll-fitting dentures have about four dentist-related remedies and two patient-related ones.
Let’s look at the latter category first:
When patients experience loose dentures, they typically try an adhesive to stabilize them. The use of adhesives for well-fitting dentures is generally not a problem. Even a perfectly made denture can dislodge under certain circumstances. Sneezing, for example, can cause a denture to come loose. The added security provided by an adhesive gives people confidence that they won’t experience an embarrasing moment.
The second patient-remedy for a poor fit is that many people simply stop wearing them — especially the lower denture.
As one might imagine, its not much of a solution.
On the dentist’s side, here are the most common remedies:
- Adjustment: If an irritation is minor, this may be the simplest appropriate solution.
- Reline: When a denture is still in good condition, but your mouth has changed — as can occur even with losing or gaining weight — it can often be re-fitted to the current shape of your palate or lower ridge.
- Re-make: Sometimes, the best solution is a new set of dentures. Too many adjustments, relines or repairs can so compromise the fit that it opens the door to new problems. Unfortunately, many people hold on to old dentures like an old pair of shoes. They don’t fit well, they will visibly move while speaking and eating — and yet the person becomes so used to this, it can be difficult for the individual to part with their “old friend”.
- Implants: A loose lower denture can be secured to either two conventional implants or four mini-implants. You will typically require an evaluation to determine which is right for you. Many patients have considered this procedure to be a “life-changer” for them, transforming a set of dentures that simply could not be worn because of inadequate support, to comfortable, retentive dentures that allow for eating, speaking and good appearance.
Check with your dentist to see which solution is right for you.
by Dr. Richard J. Walicki | Oct 22, 2012 | Dentistry, Periodontal Disease, Tooth Decay, Toothache
Do you put on a seat belt when you drive?
If so, why?
My guess is that it is either because you are compelled to do so by law, or (if you live in the U.S.) you believe the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), who claim that seat belts save about 13,000 lives a year, nationwide.
The few seconds it takes you to snap on your seat belt buckle reduces the chance of dying in a car crash by 45%, and of being injured by about half. Nevertheless, seat belts are not likely to play a big role in saving your life, because chances are you won’t find yourself in a serious automobile accident. Let’s face it, fortunately, most people never find themselves in that circumstance.
On the other hand, gum disease (either gingivitis or periodontal disease) affects up to 80 percent of the population.
In other articles, you may have heard that periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. The shocking reality is that this is probably the least notable consequence of periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is a significant risk factor for stroke, heart disease, certain respiratory problems, low birth-weight infants, and some forms of cancer.
While very few people will die in a car crash, a great deal more will die from a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. Addressing periodontal disease via preventive techniques can significantly reduce your chances of dying from any one of these afflictions.
If this simple logic is not enough to convince you of the need to brush after meals, floss daily and eat a healthy diet, it may help you to know that over the past few decades, there have been hundreds of peer-reviewed medical studies published in journals showing periodontal disease to be a risk factor for heart attacks.
While periodontal disease is certainly not the only factor in the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases or cancer, there is definitely a link. The modern thinking regarding the connection has to do with the long-term inflammatory nature of gum disease. In simple terms, periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of the gums and bone supporting the teeth. As with most any infection in the body, this leads to inflammation.
Often having no symptoms that are detectable by the patient, bacteria from periodontal disease can affect blood vessels on the walls of your heart. If you have gum disease, the bacteria can easily invade the blood stream through one of many open portals. Let’s face it, it is a relatively short trip from the mouth to the heart after all.
Bacteria in the blood may also stimulate liver production of C-reactive proteins and fibrinogen. Both these substances have been linked to heart attacks.
Persons who successfully treated their periodontal disease have also been shown to experience improved cholesterol levels and demonstrated lowered blood pressure. Most readers will recognize these as factors frequently associated with cardiovascular disease.
The bottom line: while we generally don’t hesitate to snap on a seat belt because it may save our lives, not enough of the population understand that oral health basics save more lives than buckling-up! Added benefits? Saving teeth (which leads to better digestion and less need for heartburn medications), fresher breath, and avoiding painful toothaches or complicated dental procedures — which also translates to more dollars in your pocket.
by Dr. Richard J. Walicki | Mar 9, 2012 | Cavities, Cavity, Periodontal Disease, Tooth Decay, Toothache
In an ideal world we wouldn’t get cavities, have gum problems, or ever lose a tooth. Perhaps, the world might not be ideal, even then, but at least we wouldn’t have those problems.
Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that many people do lose their teeth – either to tooth decay or periodontal disease – and then require tooth replacements. Despite the growing popularity and acceptance of dental implants as prosthetic tooth substitutes, removable dentures still constitute the most common solution to missing teeth.
If a person still has some natural teeth, they may get what we term a “removable partial denture.” If they have lost all of their teeth, typically they will get a full denture. A commonly observed problem, however, is that once the dentures are made, patients tend to wear them far beyond the point where the denture continues to function well. A little background regarding the problem with dentures may help clarify why this is so:
Some people think that if they get rid of all of their teeth and get dentures they will finally see an end to their dental problems. This is far from reality. Actually, what happens is that patients simply trade one set of dental problems for another. While many patients will tell you that they eat just fine with their dentures, it has probably been so long since they had their real teeth, they have forgotten what it is like to eat normally.
What are some of the disadvantages of wearing dentures?
- You lose up to 50% of your biting force.
- A full upper denture covers your palate and interferes with your ability to taste your food.
- Dentures can move when you eat, speak, cough, or sneeze.
- Food accumulates around your dentures after a meal.
- Sore spots can develop when the hard denture rubs against your gums.
- Patients with an active gag reflex may not be able to even wear a denture without feeling as though they will gag.
- Multiple relines of the denture may be required as the shape of your mouth changes. This can happen as a result of gaining or losing weight, or as a result of bone shrinkage and aging.
- Atrophy of the upper or lower jaws can make it impossible to develop suction with the denture.
How long do they last?
This is an interesting question, because it is not unusual to encounter patients who tell you their denture was made twenty or even thirty years ago. Believe me, at that point, they are seldom good-looking dentures! But it underscores something about denture wear that is not well understood.
Once a denture is made and, assuming it fits well at the time of delivery, most patients expect – and can experience – good retention and stability.
But the key point is – once made – the dentures don’t change. Yet your mouth can – and often does. New medications can also cause your mouth to become dry, leading to irritation and sore spots. Osteoporosis could lead to shrinkage of the jaw. Despite these changes, many patients attempt to make up for new problems with denture adhesives. Unfortunately, this can open the door to even more irritation, and denture creams containing zinc have even been linked to other health problems such as numbness, tingling and muscle weakness.
While relines can assist with these changes and correct the fit of your denture to improve retention, many patients would do well to consider re-making their dentures after about five years to seven years. In my experience, waiting too long beyond that time period can make the transition to a new denture more difficult.
200 Year-Old Denture
When the change is minimal, such as one might expect after about five years, the transition is generally quite easy. It also helps to have a spare denture for those “oops!” moments. Over the years, I have experienced patients dropping dentures into the sink while cleaning them, accidentally dropping them into garbage disposals, having dogs and cats chew them, and more. Patients will bite into hard objects and break a tooth, they take them out at night and sometimes sit on them, they get stepped on – and one, believe it or not, was even stolen! That was simply too strange a story to recount here.
If your denture is over five years old, talk to your dentist about whether it is time to reline or remake your denture. You will be glad you did.
by Dr. Richard J. Walicki | Feb 22, 2012 | Dentistry
There can be many contributory elements in the development of temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ). These can range from a misaligned bite, stress from clenching or grinding, to trauma — such as might result from an automobile accident, a blow to the head, or a fall. To this degree, spinal mis-alignments can also cause jaw-joint symptoms. TMJ pain may even be the result of bacterial infections. Each cause requires the appropriate solution. The following article written by a Minneapolis-based chiropractor highlights those aspects of the disorder that may benefit from chiropractic care.
By Dr. Passig
Back and neck pains are not the only the concern of chiropractors. There are other disorders that they deal with and one of these is temporomandibular joint disorder.
Temporomandibular joint disorder is characterized by distress or pain in the jaw muscles and joints. Some experience it briefly while a few experience interminable symptoms.
Following are the signs of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
- Soreness that extends to the face, neck and shoulders.
- Limited jaw movements.
- Grating sounds when opening and closing the mouth.
- Dizziness, headaches, ear pain and hearing difficulties and eating and drinking difficulties.
TMJ disorder is categorized as follows:
- Tenderness of the jaw, neck and shoulder muscles known as myofascial tenderness.
- Dislocated jaw or disc.
- Weakening joint condition like rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
The reasons or origins of TMJ
- Physical stress. TMJ is more prominent among women than men because of their fondness for high-heeled shoes. Long hours of sitting also lead to the development of TMJ. Both of these situations affect one’s posture.
- Emotional stress. Most people who are undergoing emotional stress have the tendency to clench their teeth.
- TMJ can also result from injuries such as receiving a blow on the jaw, one-sided chewing and gum chewing.
To evaluate the existence of temporomandibular disorder, the chiropractor puts his 3 fingers inside the patient’s mouth and asks him to bit on his fingers. The patient is also requested to open and close his mouth and to chew continuously. By doing this, the chiropractor will be able to assess the dimensions of the patient’s joints as well as the steadiness of his jaw muscles. An MRI of the jaw will be requested if no difficulty was seen in the aforementioned procedure.
Managing TMF via Chiropractic
- Patient will be taught the proper way of using cold and hot compress.
- He will also be taught how to massage the jaw joints and to do specific exercises.
- Patient will likewise be advised to refrain from doing hard jaw movements like grinding on meat or chomping an apple.
- If the patient did not respond to the aforementioned management, he will be asked to see a dentist or orthodontist to undergo dental surgery or intervention. This is because the temporomandibular joint disorder may be caused by a poor set of teeth.
Take time to visit a chiropractor should you feel any hardening on your jaw muscles that are brief or constantly occurring. Remember, it is always better to treat a forthcoming disease in its early stage than letting it get worst.
Looking for a chiropractor? Please visit our office for chiropractor Minneapolis Google Map: chiropractor Minneapolis.
by Dr. Richard J. Walicki | Feb 19, 2012 | Uncategorized
Essential oils have many benefits, from curing athlete’s foot or controlling fungal infections, to helping with gingivitis. The article below discusses tea tree oil — also known as melaleuca oil. Many patients in our office have benefited from the essential oils present in two products available for purchase in our office: Tooth and Gums Tonic and Tooth and Gums Paste. Used properly, natural remedies can be of great benefit, without many of the side effects associated with traditional cures.
Dr. Walicki
________________________________
Natural Ways to Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy
By Kathy Jenkins
Whether you’re trying to cure a toothache, make your teeth whiter or prevent gum disease, there are many natural remedies that can be helpful in between visits to the dentist. Eating right, and brushing and flossing your teeth are certainly important, but there are numerous other methods available that can give your oral health a boost. Among these are herbs, oils, and the like. We will be giving you a few examples you may choose to follow that can give your oral hygiene a positive boost.
Going to the dentist is something that most of us would like to avoid. But if your teeth hurt right now, that is exactly where you should go. One such instance is if you have an abscessed tooth. This is a potentially serious condition where your tooth gets infected, and this can spread to other parts of your body. There are many symptoms that can be associated with this circumstance, including a bitter taste in your mouth and a swollen neck or jaw. Antibiotics from your dentist will usually help to control or get rid of the infection. Typically, your doctor will also prescribe pain medication for any discomfort you are feeling. An emergency room may be your best bet for getting relief from an abscessed tooth, especially if you are lacking dental insurance or the funds to cover your bill.
Natural antibiotics exist, and tea tree oil is considered one of them. Because it has powerful healing properties doesn’t mean you can take it without following directions, and if it says not to take it internally, you shouldn’t. If you need a good toothpaste or mouthwash, you should consider tea tree oil. It can also be useful in controlling gingivitis. Rinse your mouth with a small amount in a glass of water, because it can be too strong undiluted. If you are looking for the safest way to use tea tree oil then get a mouthwash or toothpaste which already contains it, or some other commercially prepared product. This works really well for giving you fresher breath as well as help to prevent gum disease. A product with tea tree oil in it can be harmful if you swallow it, so use caution when rinsing and be careful not to administer it to children that might be prone to swallowing rather than rinsing and spitting.
There may be a dentist in your area who favors holistic techniques. Consult with them about natural ways to care for your teeth and gums. You may be surprised how many dentists can be found that have this orientation. Holistic dentists went to the same kind of dental schools as anyone else, but they focus on natural and holistic techniques and substances. If you need to have any filling done, a holistic dentist would never use a filling that’s mercury based. When you have this kind of dentist, you will always have someone to consult when it comes to natural ways to keep your mouth healthy. In some cases, you may have to travel a little further to find a good holistic dentist, depending on where you live. Our overall health is greatly affected by our mouth because it is often the first place where infections and toxins are likely to be found. If you can maintain clean teeth and gums, and you eat the right foods, you will be less likely to have many cavities. Hopefully the above will give you some orientation to alternative options, but keep in mind that it’s also necessary to get regular dental checkups.
Kathy Jenkins gives suggestion about your teeth as well as how to handle Angular Cheilitis (cracking at the corners of your mouth.) She also has a link to book I have not reviewed concerning the subject. Many cases of angular cheilitis can be resolved, however, by supplementing with vitamins B12, vitamin C, and zinc. An over-the-counter antibiotic cream may also help. Some cases of angular cheilitis are caused by ill-fitting dentures. This can only be remedied by having a new set of dentures made that fit properly. If you are interested in the book Kathy Jenkins references, you can find it here: Angular Cheilitis.
