Colorado Springs Dental Blog

Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, is quickly becoming an epidemic in America. This disease affects millions of Americans; even the rich and famous.  Just last week it was announced on the news that Food Network’s Southern queen of comfort cuisine, Paula Deen has finally admitted to having Type 2 Diabetes.

So what does this mean for the woman who has built an empire on fatty foods fried in butter and grease?  Well, it means that she will have to do what every type 2 diabetic does and keep her blood glucose levels under control. In order to achieve this, Ms. Dean will now have to change her diet, increase her exercise, and most likely take prescription medications that help with her type 2 diabetes.

Since type 2 diabetics with poorly controlled blood glucose levels are more susceptible to develop periodontal disease, it is also very important that Ms. Dean takes good care of her teeth.  Again, by keeping her blood glucose levels under control, brushing twice per day, flossing once per day, and visiting her dentist every six months.

Unfortunately, if a type 2 diabetic develops periodontal disease, this becomes a two-edged sword because the periodontal disease may in fact affect their ability to control blood glucose levels, which then excels the progression of diabetes.

Additionally, if tooth loss occurs in a type 2 diabetic with poorly controlled blood glucose levels, replacing those teeth with dental implants is not advisable because of higher risks and complications including impaired healing and bone loss.

However, the good news is that research studies have shown that diabetics with controlled blood glucose levels are in fact able to successfully have dental implants procedures conducted by an implant dentist like Dr. Andrew Hall at his Colorado Springs dental office .  After one year, the patients in the study did not show any signs of bleeding or other problems.

Therefore, if you are a type 2 diabetic with controlled glucose levels and are interested in dental implants, call and make an appointment for a free consultation with Colorado Springs implant dentist Dr. Andrew Hall.  He and his trained staff can help you achieve the smile you desire.

You look in the mirror and you see that the over-the-counter teeth whitening products you purchased are not working as well as you had hoped.  You are disappointed, but you had a coupon for some whitening strips and decided to give them a try.  You also thought that maybe if you enhanced your teeth’s appearance, you could hold off on making an appointment with the dentist, which you haven’t seen in ten years.  That is until your not-so-white white teeth start to throb, and your gums start to get inflamed because you have neglected professional teeth cleanings and regular dental checkups since the turn of the century.

The fact of the matter is that the health of your teeth and how well they appear are completely unrelated, and to some extent this can create a false sense of security that your teeth are in really good shape, when they are not. Neglecting to see the dentist for regular dental care based on appearances only can lead you down the dark road to gum disease and other oral health issues including cavities and abscessed teeth.

Additionally, even if your teeth are cavity-free, Periodontal disease (gum disease) could possibly be lurking above your pearly whites and destroying your gums, which could eventually lead to tooth loss. So it is very important to have a dentist check for gum disease even if your teeth and look good and feel all right on the surface.

Another reason to have teeth your gums checked on a regular basis, is that recent studies have indicated that there is growing evidence of a link between gum disease and your overall health.  According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, the inflammation in your mouth is directly correlated to the inflammation in your body, and treating gum disease can help improve circulation, reduce inflammation and also reduce the need for insulin if you are a diabetic.  So your gum’s health is even more important than you may have once thought!

In order to help prevent gum disease, brush your teeth twice per day and floss once per day to remove tartar build up.  Additionally, have your teeth checked and professionally cleaned twice per year by your dentist because only your dentist can reduce the hard plaque on your teeth that causes inflammation in your gums, which could lead to gum disease.

So with the New Year upon us, it’s a great time to get back on track with your oral health by scheduling an exam and teeth cleaning today with Colorado Springs cosmetic dentist, Dr. Andrew Hall.   His office offers the highest quality of general dental care from cleanings to dentures.  Once your teeth and gums are healthy, Dr. Hall can also help you get the smile you always wanted through cosmetic dentistry including professional teeth bleaching products.  That way you are guaranteed to get you the results you were looking for from the very start!

Keeping a healthy mouth has always been a two-step process involving both brushing and flossing; however, one out of ten people openly admit that they never floss at all. Think of it like this: no one ever gets into the shower with the intent to only wash 65 percent of his or her body, but that is exactly the same percentage of your teeth that get cleaned by brushing alone.  The other 35 percent, the places in-between your teeth and under the gum line, can only be reached by flossing.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that you not only brush twice per day with ADA-acceptable fluoride toothpaste, but that you also floss your teeth daily.

Yet dentists still hear many various excuses from their patients as to why they continue to avoid this ever-so-important step in oral hygiene. What a lot of these patients do not understand is that the benefits of flossing go way beyond just oral health issues such as the reduction of plaque, tartar, and bad breath.  Studies have shown that flossing on a daily basis might actually save your life!

When you floss, your gums are less likely to become inflamed, and inflamed gums indicate a chronic bacterial infection in your mouth.  The bacteria in the mouth can find its way into your bloodstream, attach to your arteries, and therefore create inflammation that leads to plaque buildup and the narrowing of arteries.  This in turn makes your heart work harder to pump blood throughout your body, and can eventual lead to cardiovascular diseases, such as a heart attack and stroke, that may shorten or even end your life.

As you can see, the mouth is not independent from the rest of the body, and when it comes to cardiovascular disease – the number one killer of Americans, skipping a daily flossing of your teeth is overall just a bad decision to make for not only your oral health, but your cardiovascular health as well.

If you think that your gums are at risk, the following are some warning signs that will need to be checked out by a dentist: bleeding, bad breath, abscesses, receding gums, pockets and loose or separating teeth.   If you experience any of these signs, do not hesitate and make an appointment today for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Andrew Hall, an implant dentist in Colorado Springs.

Television advertisements and late-night infomercials constantly bombard American consumers with products that enhance one’s physical appearance.  The manufactures of these products have always leaned more towards women verses men, but as the baby boomer generation ages, and life expectancy grows longer and longer, more men than ever before are in search of the fountain of youth through both invasive and minimally-invasive procedures.

According to an article from Science Daily, an increasing number of men are going under the knife in an effort to look just as good as they feel.  Contrary to what you might first believe, these men are not celebrities, but come from all walks of life, could be considered your “average Joe,” and are typically considered a “man’s man.”

In 2010, the number one invasive surgery men opted for was a nose reshaping, followed by eyelid surgery, liposuction, male breast reduction, and lastly, hair transplantation. However, going under the knife was not the only way men chose to improve their physical appearance last year.  An increasing number of men also opted for minimal-invasive procedures.  Their first choice was having Botulinum Toxin Type A injections, also known under the trademark of Botox®, along with laser hair removal, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and soft tissue fillers rounding out the top five.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Beyond the typical appearance improving procedures mentioned above, is the ever growing desire in men to undergo cosmetic dentistry.  Having perfect teeth can really improve the youthful look that men are in search of, and because of this, more men are starting to visit a cosmetic dentist as a place to start their male makeovers.  Teeth whitening and even the replacement of teeth are some of the most desirable procedures for men because when a man’s teeth are in good condition, it not only increases his confidence and attractiveness, but it also makes him look younger.

Not everyone is born with a perfect smile, not even celebrities for that matter!  Even some top celebrities including Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas, Ben Affleck, and Nicholas Cage are reported to have undergone teeth makeovers, but you don’t have to be a celebrity to reap the benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry.  Implant dentist, Dr. Andrew Hall, offers the following cosmetic dentistry options at his Colorado Springs office: teeth whitened, porcelain veneers, white fillings, dental crowns, dental inlays and onlays, Invisalign, dental implants, and various other procedures to meet your specific cosmetic dentistry needs.

If cosmetic dentistry is on your radar, call today to make an appointment for a free consultation with Dr. Hall at his Colorado Springs dental office.

It is easy to take for granted all of the scientific ingenuities available to us in the modern day times that we live in.  Sometimes it takes a simple power or water outage to remind us how fortunate we are to live in an age where almost anything we need is right at our fingertips.  Once those comforts are temporarily taken away, we quickly realize how much we are dependent upon them. This includes modern day dentistry.  When we experience a toothache, we simply go to the dentist and he fixes it, and for anyone who has endured the throbbing pain of an achy tooth, thank heavens for this luxury!

In fact, in today’s world, the science of dentistry has advanced so far that we can now have our actual teeth replaced right in the dentist’s chair through the modern technology of implant dentistry. So just exactly how did the dental implant come into existence?

The history of the dental implant takes us back to 600 AD where archeologists have found quite possibly the very first recorded use of an implant within the Mayan civilization.  In 1931, the excavation of a Mayan burial site led to the discovery of a female skull with three tooth-like shells in her jaw.  After several decades passed, it was discovered within the dental academic world that the shell teeth were not just used a as burial ritual, as formerly believed by the archeological world, but were in fact placed in the woman’s mouth while she was still alive.

The beginning of modern day dental implants; however, did not begin until the 1950s when researchers at Cambridge University embedded a titanium chamber into the ears of a rabbit for the sole purpose to study blood flow in vitro.  This research eventually led to the discovery that the titanium became permanent within the soft tissue of rabbits ears because the bones in that area actually adhered to the titanium implant.  This knowledge launched further studies on both animals and humans to conclude the unique properties of titanium and bone, and most importantly its potential involvement in the future of dental implants.  Osseointegration, or the scientific term given for the adherence of titanium to bone, was thus discovered.

From the first discovery of Osseointegration in the 1950s, researchers continued to work on and perfect implantology, the study of dental implants. However, it wasn’t until 1982 at a Toronto Conference in Clinical Dentistry when the actual guidelines, safety, and standardization were set for the use of the dental implant.  Yet from there on, dental implants became more and more common practice among the dental community and with all of the successful results, the science of dental implants continued, furthered, perfected and eventually advanced to the place it is today.

In today’s society, dental implants are not only used in place of dentures and bridges, but are also used to replace a single missing tooth.  They are quicker, easier, and less painful than ever before.   For more information about the benefits of dental implants, schedule an appointment today for a free consultation with Colorado Springs implant dentist, Dr. Andrew Hall.

It’s no secret: sugar has been getting a bad reputation for years and overly consuming it on a regular basis can wreak havoc on your general health.  When it comes to our teeth – the story is no different.  As most of us already know, the correlation between sugar consumption and tooth decay has been a well-known fact for years.   So just exactly how does sugar cause cavities?

When “simple sugars” or “simple carbohydrates” found in candy and sweets are consumed, certain types of bacteria in our mouths go on a feeding frenzy. The stain of bacteria that responds to the sugar and is responsible for cavities is called streptococcus mutans.   According to an article published in the New York Times, it only takes about 20 seconds for sugars to be broken down in the mouth.  So the sugar in that candy bar you just consumed is actively being broken down by these streptococcus mutans, and the dangerous relationship starts its course.  Plaque, which is a term for the colonies of these types of bacteria, build up just hours after you have finished eating. They work quickly to convert the sugar into a harmful acid that eats away at the enamel on your teeth creating holes commonly know as cavities or tooth decay.

What about Diet Soda?

If you are under the impression that switching from regular soda to diet soda will help reduce enamel acid erosion, think again.  Researchers have shown that the carbonic acid found in diet soda causes the same types of enamel damage that you see from other sugary soda drinks and sweet snacks.  Based on research conducted by the Minnesota Dental Association, the Missouri Dental Association, and the University of Cincinnati Biology Department, the pH level in a regular can of Coke was 2.63, which is highly acidic.  The pH level in a can of Diet Coke was almost as bad at 3.39!  Our mouths are slightly more acidic than neutral.  So for those who are not familiar with the pH scale, pH is measured in liquids by using water as the neutral pH, which reads at a level of 7.00.  From there, the lower pH numbers are more acidic, and higher pH numbers are more alkaline (non-acidic). So as you can see, regular soda is more acidic than diet soda, but diet soda is still not as neutral as water.

So how do you stop acid from harming your teeth? Well, other than cutting out all simple sugars and carbonated beverages from your diet, the combined forces of brushing and flossing are still the best methods for removing harmful bacteria and acid over your teeth. We all have our guilty snack pleasures, but consistently brushing and flossing goes a long way towards curbing the likelihood of cavities.

It is also very important that you schedule a visit with a Colorado Springs dentist because only a dentist can diagnose any enamel damage created by acid.  Dr. Andrew Hall, an implant dentist in Colorado Springs offers a variety of cosmetic dentistry procedures including Teeth Whitening, Porcelain Veneers, Clear Braces and more. Visit us for a complimentary consultation today.

Many of us like to sweeten up our tea and coffee each morning with sugar or sugar substitutes, and there are many alternative sweeteners on the market for us to choose from. Did you know that for more than 40 years, people have been using a natural carbohydrate called xylitol as an alternative to sugar? Xylitol, unlike some of the other choices, is a natural low-calorie sweetener that looks and tastes just like regular sugar. It is most commonly extracted from birch bark, but can also be found in fruits and fibrous vegetables. However, unlike sugar and its other competitors, xylitol has added benefits for maintaining healthy teeth.

The Benefits Of Xylitol For Your Teeth

When your teeth come into contact with regular sugar it provides fuel for the bacteria in your mouth to multiply and create acids that destroy enamel, forcing a visit to a cosmetic dentist. Since xylitol does not break down in the same way as sugar, the bacteria in your mouth do not recognize it as “food” and therefore the pH balance inside your mouth remains neutral. Thus preventing an acidic breeding ground inside your mouth.

Xylitol not only reduces the growth of bacteria by neutralizing the pH in your mouth, but it also helps prevent tooth decay because that very same bacteria need the acid in order to attach to your teeth and form harmful plaque that can lead to tooth decay.

Lastly, xylitol has been shown to even repair damaged tooth enamel by providing the mouth with alkaline saliva. The following scientific explanation of how this works was provided on www.xylitol.org:

“After taking xylitol products, the concentration of basic amino acids and ammonia in saliva and plaque may rise, and plaque pH rises as well. When pH is above 7, calcium and phosphate salts in saliva start to move into those parts of enamel that are weak. Therefore, soft, calcium-deficient enamel sites begin to harden again.”

In conclusion, because xylitol neutralizes acid in the mouth, it therefore prevents bacterial growth and attachment, and helps to repairs tooth enamel. So the next time you reach for sugar, remember that nature has given us a better alternative called xylitol. Your teeth will thank you.

You don’t have to be a rock star to have your teeth restored
with implant dentistry

When it comes to dental work and celebrities, usually we read and hear about how certain celebrities have million dollar smiles that the rest of the world oogle and fawn over. However, celebrities are just like the rest of us and at some point, they too experience a very unfortunate situation. Take Steven Tyler for example, Aerosmith front man and American Idol judge. While showering in preparation for a show in Paraguay, Tyler unexpectedly fell in the shower due to dizziness which resulted in bumps, bruises, and two broken front teeth. With two broken front teeth, it was obvious that the band’s concert would need to be cancelled and/or postponed.

But, thanks to some of today’s most advanced dental technologies, Tyler was able to be fitted with dental implants in order to protect and restore the damaged teeth. With very little down time, the band was able to resume normal concert dates, playing the originally scheduled show the following Wednesday night.

If you have a broken tooth or teeth, your best bet is to seek help from a local implant dentist immediately. Remember, you don’t have to be a rock star to get an implant. No matter if you’re Steven Tyler or Joe Schmoe, anyone can be properly fitted with a dental implant in order to restore a broken tooth.  A broken tooth not only jeopardizes the health of the effected tooth, it also puts your overall smile at risk.  Schedule an appointment with Dr. Hall in order to have your emergency dental work completed using the latest equipment and training techniques for successfully and flawlessly placing a dental implant.

While many of us don’t realize it, our brains are naturally programmed to notice symmetry within whatever passes our eyes, including faces, words on a page, and so on. When we look at a person, we usually immediately notice their eye color, hair color, skin tone, and of course their smile. In most people, the smile is symmetrical and falls in line with the shape and location of the nose, lips, and the rest of the face, which then creates an even flow.

However, some patients may suffer from an occlusal cant, sometimes known as a crooked smile. Facial asymmetries within the jaw skew the face creates a smile that does not align properly which can lead to a smile that looked crooked or just “off balance.” Since our eyes naturally create an invisible plane that bisects the face, the asymmetry is usually very obvious.

Fixing A Crooked Smile with Porcelain Veneers

Though many patients have probably never heard of the term occlusal cant, it’s likely that they’ve at least heard about or know about the fix for them. In order to give the smile and overall face more symmetry, porcelain veneers can be used so that the smile can be reshaped and rebalanced to match the rest of the face. Using dental veneers not only means a smile that is no longer crooked, it also means that a patient is able to enjoy a completely revamped look. Dental veneers are well known and well sought for providing patients with an entirely new smile that is bright, straight, and beautiful.

With the help of Dr. Hall and his experience and professional techniques used to place porcelain veneers, you’ll no longer have to live with a smile that doesn’t fit your face perfectly. Using veneers, Dr. Hall, a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs will be able to fix your occlusal cant while providing you with a new smile that you never hesitate to show. Contact our Colorado Springs dental office today, by phone or through email, to learn more about occlusal cants and dental veneers.

Did you know that by the time you reach 44, you may be one of the 69% of adults that has lost a permanent tooth? Did you know that when you reach age 74, 26% of seniors are missing all of their original teeth? Nowadays society doesn’t take proper care of their teeth, and the statistics show it. A recently conducted study by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) not only discovered the above statistics, but also found that there is a 92% prevalence of tooth decay in today’s society. So why is tooth loss so common?

The fact is that not many people consider their oral health to be overly important. Rarely will you find someone who brushes and flosses more than twice a day, and in today’s world it’s becoming less and less common for patients to go to their dentists regularly simply because of financial situations. When the health of the teeth and mouth are neglected, tooth loss is found to occur. Commonly tooth loss is caused by tooth decay, gum disease, and a failed root canal. Accidents also contribute to the tooth loss statistics as well.

The problem is that patients usually don’t seek medical condition until it is too late and by that time a relatively simple problem with an easy fix now becomes a much more complex situation. Patients should try to focus more on fixing the problem as soon as it comes about instead of waiting until medical attention is a dire need.

Using Dental Implants To Fix A Smile

Thankfully adults, seniors, and children alike have various options available to them when looking for ways to make the smile whole again. When working with Dr. Hall in his Colorado Springs dental office, the fix for your tooth loss will be the use of dental implants. Dr. Hall is extremely knowledgeable in placing tooth implants, in fact he instructs several different classes on the proper procedures for placing dental implants. While having anything implanted into your mouth seems scary and risky, Dr. Hall uses the most advanced and latest equipment and technology to ensure that patients are completely safe as well as happy with their new smiles.

If you are missing a tooth or many teeth, dental implants are a great option available to you. With dental implants you will have a beautiful smile again and functionally your smile will work better than ever as implants are able to act as natural teeth and equally distribute the force that is created when chewing and eating. Call Dr. Hall’s office to learn more about dental implants and how they can help you!