Dr. Phil DDS - Hicksville, NY

Choosing a Toothpaste

2010-12-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

Choosing A Toothpaste

While toothpaste [dentifrice] is a valuable adjunct to a toothbrush in oral hygiene, it is the correct brushing action that removes the plaque [sticky mixture of bacteria, food & debris] from your teeth.

• Fluoride Any brand toothpaste that contains fluoride and the ADA Seal of Approval, to attest that there is evidence of its safety, reliability and effectiveness through clinical trials, is acceptable. It makes no difference if the toothpaste is a gel, paste or powder or which flavoring agent is used. However, from an individual motivational standpoint, and assuring its use, these characteristics may be important. Other than fluoride, which strengthens the enamel and fights decay, toothpastes contain abrasives to remove stain and polish the teeth and ingredients to leave the mouth with a clean, fresh feeling.

• Sensitive Teeth If your teeth are sensitive to hot or cold, choose a desensitizing paste with either strontium chloride or potassium nitrate as an added ingredient. Expect about 4-6 weeks to see real improvement.

• Tartar Control There are brands of toothpaste that advertise "tartar control" and usually have the active ingredient pyrophosphate. While it will not remove tartar, studies have shown it will reduce tartar formation up to 36%. Tartar [calculus] can only be removed with a professional prophylaxis [cleaning].

• Abrasiveness Many toothpastes now contain baking soda, which is less abrasive. This is advantageous for reducing tooth sensitivity in people with gum recession or those who have eroded their teeth by rigorous brushing with an abrasive toothpaste.

• Whitening Bleaching teeth to make them lighter has become popular. If you desire a whitening toothpaste, look for the active whitening agents of carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. These toothpastes serve best to maintain the tooth shade after bleaching procedures. Call our office if you have bleaching questions.

• Dentures If you wear partial or full dentures, they will also stain and absorb odors. Ask your pharmacist to recommend an ADA Accepted denture cleaning paste and/or solution. When brushing, it is not necessary to overload your brush with toothpaste. Squeeze a "pea-sized" amount on the top of the bristles. Correct brushing techniques will cause the paste to foam and cover all of your teeth.

Philip Tornatore DDS
404 Jerusalem Ave
Hicksville, NY 11801
(516) 931-5483
philtorn@optonline.net
www.drphildds.com

Green Tea

2010-07-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

A Toast To Good Health With Green Tea

Civilizations around the world have used natural herbs and plants to treat sickness and pain. All tea comes from a plant, Camellia sinensis. Unlike black tea, green tea is not fermented, so its active ingredients remain unaltered. Green tea's protection comes from a powerful antioxidant, a polyphenol called EGCG. [Graham HN. Green tea consumption, and polyphenol chemistry. Prev Med 1992;21:334-50.]

There is evidence to show that green tea can be effective in the prevention and treatment of certain types of cancer, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and impaired immune function.

Because our mouths are an oxygen-rich environment closely connected to our blood vessels, they provide an ideal habitat for the growth and rapid proliferation of cancer cells. Scientists have confirmed that green tea not only halts the growth of new oral cancer cells but it actually breaks down and kills existing oral cancer cells. A double-blind study of people with leukoplakia (a precancerous oral condition), showed that those in the green tea group compared to those in the placebo group had significant decreases in the pre-cancerous condition. [Li N, Sun Z, Han C, Chen J. The chemopreventive effects of tea on human oral precancerous mucosa lesions. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1999;220:218-24.]

This is why we examine your mouth closely on each visit to determine any changes in texture or color that might indicate the presence of oral cancers. This early screening is just one more reason to make sure you don't miss your regular checkup.

Ingredients in green tea may reduce the risk of getting dental cavities. One study compared two groups. The one that rinsed each night with an alcohol extract of oolong tea leaves had significantly less plaque formation than the group who did not. [Otake S, Makimura M, Kuroki t, et al. Anticaries effects of polyphenolic compounds from Japanese green tea. Caries Res 1991;25:438-43.]

Another benefit of green tea is that it stunts the growth of odor causing bacteria, thus helping you maintain a fresh breath.

And just how much green tea should we be drinking? To fully obtain the benefits, we should have at least four to six cups a day. And if you don't want to drink it down, simply use it as a mouthwash. Decaffeinated tea is recommended to reduce the side effects associated with caffeine, including anxiety and insomnia. Supplements, in the form of tablets are also available.

Philip Tornatore DDS404 Jerusalem AveHicksville, NY 11801(516) 931-5483philtorn@optonline.nethttp://www.drphildds.com

Cracked tooth syndrome

2009-11-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

It's Not What it's Cracked Up To Be - Hicksville, Ny

While the enamel [outside covering of the crown of a tooth] is the hardest substance in the human body, undue stress on your teeth may cause them to crack. Causes include chewing hard foods [such as a popcorn kernel], biting on ice cubes, biting on a hard object such as a pen or pipe and/or clenching or grinding your teeth [bruxism].

Cracked Tooth Syndrome is very common in teeth with large fillings in them and most often is seen in your back teeth. If the crack goes untreated, it may deepen or expand like a crack in a glass window, causing part of the tooth to break off. If this occurs, the tooth may have to be extracted or might need root canal treatment in an attempt to save the tooth.

Some of the symptoms of this occurrence are: pain on chewing, unsolicited pain, pain from cold air, no x-ray evidence of the problem and no dental decay present. Often it is difficult for the patient to determine which tooth is causing the pain. However, the absence of pain does not rule out the presence of a crack.

To determine if a tooth has developed a crack that is not visible to the naked eye, the dentist will take a through dental history including history of trauma to your teeth and history of any bite adjustments that were performed. The teeth in the problem area will be examined with a dental explorer. Hot and cold sensitivity of the teeth will be tested. If a severe pain is elicited with temperature, and the pain rapidly subsides with removal of the stimulus, it is usually indicative of a fracture. Sometimes, transillumination [light source] with magnification is used to help visualize the suspected crack. The diagnosis can be further confirmed when the dentist uses a plastic or wooden instrument or cotton roll that rests on one part of a tooth while you are asked to bite down. Pain in a specific areas helps isolate the position of the crack. In certain instances, removal of a restoration [filling] may be necessary to visualize the crack and assess its potential to harm the pulp [nerve].

Can cracks be treated so that the tooth can be saved? Yes. Unfortunately, cracked teeth don't heal themselves like your bones. Early diagnosis leads to a better chance of success. The best solution is to have a full crown [cap] placed over the tooth to strengthen and hold the tooth together. In about 10% of cracked teeth, the nerve dies and root canal [endodontic treatment] will be required, along with the cementation of a post into the nerve canal before the crown and be completed and the tooth restored.

Call our office for questions or to set up an appointment if you are experiencing any of the cracked tooth symptoms.

Philip Tornatore , DDS

404 Jerusalem Ave

Hicksville, NY 11801

(516) 931-5483

philtorn@optonline.net

http://www.drphildds.com

Maximizing Dental Insurance

2009-10-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hicksville, NY – Maximizing Dental Insurance

As the calendar turns to November, many people are throwing money away and unfortunately they don’t even know it!! Many people have invested hard earned income to obtain dental coverage through insurance and do not utilize this benefit. Unlike medical insurance, dental insurance has yearly maximums and these benefits are lost if not used within that year. They do not roll over or accumulate in the following year.

Although yearly maximums don’t reflect the true value of present day dollars and has not been increased due to inflationary rises and general dental cost increases, there is still significant benefit that is being wasted. Yearly maximums range from $1000 to $2000 and a deductible of $50 to $100 is applied to non preventive procedures.

In order to maximize your use of dental insurance, you really need to know what your dental coverage is. You need to know the coverage percentages for the different types of dental procedures. You need to know if there is any waiting period for having treatment done. You need to know how frequently procedures can be done. All of this information should be in the booklet provided by your employer or you can ask our Hicksville dental office if you have any questions about your coverage.

The good news is, IT’S NOT TOO LATE!!

By scheduling an appointment in our modern Hicksville office, we can evaluate your oral health with a thorough oral evaluation, x-rays and prophylaxis. We can help you maximize your benefits by determining what procedures need to be done and how we can get the most benefit from your insurance before the end of the year. If you need extensive work, we can plan your treatment so that work can be completed in the beginning of 2010 thus utilizing 2 years of benefits. Also, you can coordinate your contribution to your 2010 flexible spending account to cover deductibles and out of pocket expenses. These contributions when used are pretax deductions.

Time is running out! Be proactive, make an appointment and maximize your dental benefits. Remember small problems usually are taken care of with small solutions, and larger problems require bigger and more costly solutions. If you have any questions, please contact us at www.drphildds.com.