7 Serious Health Concerns That Also Affect Your Teeth

Mouth and Body Go Hand-in-Hand

Did you know that poor oral health care can be the cause of many different health issues within your body itself?  There are many connections between taking care of your mouth, teeth and gums and the rest of your body.

People with gumdisease have a 40% increased risk of developing a chronic health condition. Bacterial build up on your teeth and gums give you a greater probability of infection which may then spread throughout other areas of your body.

Common Health Issues That Affect Oral Health

• ·         Diabetes: causes oral inflammation and affects the body’s ability to process sugar.
• ·         Heart Disease: about 91% of those with heart disease are also found to have periodontitis.  Inflammation in the mouth corresponds with the inflammation of blood vessels which then leads to less blood flow causing an increase in blood pressure.  There is also a chance of plaque that is attached to the blood vessel itself, breaking off and traveling to the heart and/or brain resulting in a heart attack or stroke.
• ·         Issues during Pregnancy: pregnant women with gum disease run the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and susceptible to developmental issues such as learning disorders, lung and heart conditions.
• ·         Osteoporosis: osteoporosis, like periodontitis, causes bone loss.  It’s common for those with osteoporosis to also have some degree of gum disease.
• ·         Rheumatoid Arthritis: those with rheumatoid arthritis battling gum disease have found gum disease treatment may also reduce overall body pain in regards to their arthritic symptoms.
• ·         Smoking:  bad for your health, both overall and oral.  Nicotine interferes with your gums’ ability to fight infection.  This also extends the recovery period for those gum infection treatments.
• ·         Obesity: those with 20% or higher body fat percentage have been linked to rapid progression of gum disease.

Taking excellent care of your oral health has a positive domino effect for the rest of your body.  Same can be said with your body – taking care of your health and body can positively affect your mouth, teeth and gums.

If you care about your health and yourself, you in-turn need to care about your mouth.  Be true to your teeth, or they will be false to you!

Dr. Mark Davies
Ye Olde Village Dentist
1664 Village Green
Crofton, MD 21114 (map)
Phone: (301) 261-3800

How Focusing on These 3 Points Will Help You Spring Out of the Winter Blues!

Happy Spring 2015

As we move out of winter, you may be changing your frame of mind from “Snuggly winter days…” to “Time for spring cleaning!” Have you ever considered a dental spring cleaning?  If you can spring clean your home, why not your teeth?!  Here are three easy points to focus on:

1.       Healthy eating

2.       Tooth care

3.       Dental check-up

Healthy Eating

When your tummy rumbles, instead of reaching for a bag of chips, grab some veggie sticks or slice up an apple!  We understand the convenience of snack foods as well as the deal you get when purchasing a bulk pack.  But most of these things lack nutritional value and do not fare well on your body, health or mouth.  Create a goal to reach for a healthy snack to fill the nutritional craving your body is after.  Your waistline and teeth will thank you! 

Foods that are high in sugar wreak havoc on your teeth contribute to the start of cavities.  Food consistency also plays a role in oral health. Very hard foods can harm the surfaces of your teeth, and there’s also the potential to cause significant damage by cracking or chipping a tooth!

                                      
Reach For                                                                    Pass On

Fruits	Sodas
Veggies	Candy
Whole Grains	Chips
Nuts	Ice Cream
Skinless Chicken	Sugary Cereals
Non-Breaded Fish	Hard and Sticky Foods
Low Fat/ Fat Free Yogurt	Cookies
Low Fat/ Fat Free Cheese	Cakes/ Pies

Tooth Care

·         Are you attentively brushing your teeth twice a day for 2-minutes?

·         Are you flossing daily (or at all)?

·         Have you changed your toothbrush in the last 3 months?

When brushing your teeth spend the full 2 minutes taking care to cover the front and back of each individual tooth. Before finishing up – give your tongue a once over as well! Many toothbrushes have a built in tongue brusher on the back of the toothbrush head.  Toothbrushes do wear out.  They can fray and lose the sturdiness to properly clean your teeth.  Toothbrushes should be replaced about every three months.

Flossing

Flossing cleans about 40% of your teeth surfaces.  Remember to reach your very back teeth.  Flossing helps to lessen plaque build-up and helps prevent gum disease. 

Dental Check-up

Remember how great your mouth feels after a dental cleaning in our office?  Now that the holidays have come to a close, your teeth may be in need of a professional cleaning.  Call us for a dental check-up and cleaning.  Check-ups are recommended every 6 months unless you are experiencing a problem area in your mouth.  And, if that is the case, call us as soon as possible.  Whenever you are in pain or have a question, call us.

Now that you have these things fresh on your mind, you are ready to take charge of spring!  And you can do so with a bright shining and CLEAN smile!

References:

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/still-not-flossing-more-reasons-why-you-should

Dr. Mark Davies
Ye Olde Village Dentist
1664 Village Green
Crofton, MD 21114
Phone: (301) 261-3800

How to Help Your Kids Create Good Oral Hygiene Habits Now

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and we’re dedicated to raising awareness! 

In America, 51 million hours of school is missed every year due to oral health issues. Although every month should be important when it comes to a child’s dental health, February is the one dedicated to it. Here are things to keep in mind when helping children become conscious of just how important dental hygiene is and exactly how to start creating good habits right away:

1. Keep the sugar intake to a minimum

2. Floss, floss, floss

3. Brush twice a day

4. When you brush, make sure you hit the 2 minute mark

5. Visit your dentist regularly

Have you ever seen that amazing “magic trick” when you ask your child “Did you brush your teeth?”  And they respond with a “yes” only because their toothbrush is wet?  Then come to find out, there was no brushing going on, they merely stuck their toothbrush under the faucet and wiped their front teeth once, maybe twice. Now is the perfect time to kick this bad habit!  Dental health can be fun for kids (and adults)!

Here are 4 ways to incorporate some fun and giggles into children’s daily oral care:  

Toothpaste – a plethora of choices

Let’s start off with toothpaste.  There are gels, pastes, and so many different flavors; such as cinnamon, vanilla, bubble gum, and variety of different mint flavors.  Let your child choose which one they would prefer.  

Flossing – 40% of cleaning your teeth comes from flossing

Floss comes in different flavors as well and also had a variety of textures.  There are waxed, woven, and even the hand held pick form to name a few.  

Toothbrush – the master tool

Choosing a toothbrush will probably be your child’s favorite thing to do.  Not only are there options as far as handheld or battery operated, there are TONS of different designs now!  Your child can pick their favorite cartoon character or stick to the basics-like their favorite color.  

Brushing Timer – brush 2 min 2x a day

While the tiny sand timers you flip upside down are always fun for kids to watch, there are now toothbrushes with built in timers. The brush will alert timer markers with a beep or a vibration for 2 minute duration, some even play a popular song. 

Giving Kids Something to Look Forward To

This is the perfect way to create a morning and nighttime routine to get your child excited about developing healthy habits.  Getting your child involved in the decision making of choosing some cool and fun dental products makes them more apt to look forward to brushing and flossing daily. 

Starting off good oral hygiene practice at a young age will propel your kids into the future for a lifetime of healthy pink gums and bright shining smiles!  A healthy smile is a smile you can be proud of!

References

http://www.ncohf.org/resources/tooth-decay-facts

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/still-not-flossing-more-reasons-why-you-should

Dr. Mark Davies
Ye Olde Village Dentist
1664 Village Green
Crofton, MD 21114
Phone: (301) 261-3800

Resolve to Improve Your Dental Health

Now that we are trying to adapt to writing “2015”, have you given any thought to a New Year’s Resolution?  If you haven’t, it isn’t too late.  And even if you have, you can never have too many!  Typically, dental hygiene and dental aesthetics aren’t usually considered when it comes to reflecting on self improvement.  More than daily flossing, consider your over all oral health.

Brightening up those pearly whites

Do you avoid smiling or find yourself talking while covering your mouth due to a missing tooth, an unsightly chip, large gap, or another imperfection affecting your teeth? Everyone is aware of teeth whitening; here are more options on how easy it is to improve your smile!

Dental Fillings

We see many patients with those old silver and gold fillings. Those unsightly things are no longer the standard of care. Tooth colored composite fillings ones are crafted to match your natural color and are near invisible to the naked eye.

Bonding

Chipped teeth are often healthy, and like gaps, they too cause uneasiness in social situations. Often making you feel like the center of unwanted attention. Dental bonding is one of the least expensive cosmetic procedures, and the color is matched to restore your natural looking smile.

Pain

There are a few different types of tooth pain, all of which should be reported during your dental visit: brief sensitivity to hot and cold foods, sharp pain when biting, dull aches, constant pressure, lingering pain. There is no reason to endure the pain, call so we can help!

Benefits of a Healthy Smile

Enhancing your smile offers huge gains. Not only does it boost a person’s confidence, it can improve a person’s overall health and well being.  It’s like getting a spectacularly wonderful haircut.  You feel better about yourself and notice a new glow surrounding you.  When you have a smile that you are proud of, you naturally show it off to the world! Smiling is known to lower heart rate and reduce stress. Who would say no to that?

This is your year to shine with a healthy smile

Start the year off with your best foot forward and set your mind toward some dental goals.  No matter how big or how small they may be, you will be happy with the results as well as yourself for making it happen!

Prioritize your health and take the first step by calling to schedule an appointment: (301) 261-3800

Works Cited:
http://www.aae.org/patients/symptoms/tooth-pain.aspx

http://pss.sagepub.com/content/23/11/1372.short

Dr. Mark Davies
Ye Olde Village Dentist
1664 Village Green
Crofton, MD 21114
Phone: (301) 261-3800

Common Dental Myths Debunked

Facts About Dental Myths

With the magnitude of information available to us these days, it’s harder than ever to separate facts from myths; especially when it comes to your health. There are a million dental related myths that might steer you in the wrong direction when it comes to a healthy smile. It’s important to be informed and know the facts. Here are a few common dental myths, followed by the facts.

Oral Hygiene Only Affects Your Teeth

Many people hear the phrase “oral hygiene” and they think of the simple act of brushing or flossing. While oral hygiene is important for keeping your teeth healthy, poor oral hygiene can be linked to several other health problems- including heart disease. Taking care of your mouth actually means taking care of a lot of things within your body. Untreated periodontaldisease contributes to more low birth weight babies than both drinking and smoking combined.  Having poor oral hygiene can cause a multitude of problems- not all of them related to your teeth.

You Shouldn’t Get Your Wisdom Teeth Out Until They Start to Hurt

Typically, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, and your dentist will generally advise you of the same. If you wait for your wisdom teeth to become painful, they might have already done other damage to your gums or teeth. Many people believe that as long as they have no pain, there’s no reason to have an unnecessary surgery. In rare cases, wisdom teeth can stay intact as long as they are not interfering or causing damage. One of the most common reasons to remove wisdom teeth is because they are so difficult to keep clean and rather than incurring costly repairs to those teeth many dentists will suggest having them removed.  Frequent exams are necessary in this case to monitor and maintain your health. It’s generally better to have your wisdom teeth removed before any pain, rather than take the gamble.

White Teeth Are Healthier Teeth

Teeth are actually not meant to be pure white. Tooth color can vary widely, for example, depending on your race, pigmentation varies greatly.  Also, as you get older, your teeth will naturally take on a more faded color as things do with time, however they can still be perfectly healthy. A color beyond a light yellow could be cause for concern, but generally the pinkness of your gums is a better indication of oral health as opposed to how white your teeth are.

If Teeth Look Healthy, and Are Not Hurting, There is No Reason to Visit a Dentist

The most common mistake people make regarding their dental health is skipping regular preventive visits because they do not see or feel any problems. Even in the absence of a visible problem or discomfort, regular visits for x-ray exams, cleaning and necessary restorative care are necessary to maintain your teeth and gums for life. Discovering diseases in the mouth earlier rather than later will typically reduce cost, recovery time and severity of dental treatment that may need to be performed.

It’s important to educate yourself on the facts surrounding whole body health and well-being. Muddled information and common misperceptions can leave people confused. The best way to combat myths and augment dental health is to see and speak with your dentist regularly. Have open dialogue and productive conversations about what is and is not true. Being informed, savvy and educated will keep you and your dentist smiling.

Dr. Mark Davies

Ye Olde Village Dentist

1664 Village Green

Crofton, MD 21114

Phone: (301) 261-3800

The Dentist with the Coolest Patients!

Meet one of our most amazing patients, Pastor Russell Fink, who competes nationally in tennis. This year, Pastor Fink was ranked NUMBER 2 in the National Men's Individuals for those 85 and over! He's ranked at number ONE for the National Men's 85 and Over Individual Doubles. He travels to tournaments all over the world and recently took home the bronze medal at the Nationals in California. He also earned a championship this year in West Virginia.

Pastor Fink is a multifaceted tennis player, competing on hard courts, clay and grass. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife Barbara, leading his weekly men's Bible study, and even filling in for other Pastors on Sundays. Root for him this August and September when he competes in the Nationals on Grass and Nationals on clay. Russel Fink is an amazing inspiration for us all!

You can read more about his accomplishments in the Capital Gazette: http://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/other_sports/tennis-annapolis-fink-draws-top-usta-national-ranking/article_f19cfb40-0d9a-5bf4-bd8b-8a31f6f69b72.html

Ye Olde Village Dentist
1664 Village Green, Crofton, MD 21114
www.drmarkdavies.com
(301) 261-3800
(410) 721-8688

Community is Happening at the Dentist

A serendipitous meeting of friends is normal at our office!
Sly (in the chair) and Kris.

In 2014, most of the businesses we visit on a day-to-day basis are dominated by large corporations; where profit trumps personal relationships, and community sensibilities have been forgotten. In a time when busy schedules may get in the way of offering up a simple "hello" to your neighbor,  we believe it's important to offer a dentist's office that feels a little bit more like home.

In the last few months we've had the pleasure of noticing something unique and wonderful in our reception areas and even in the doctor's chair. Everyone knows everyone, and we absolutely love it. We've watched our patients have sudden reunions with old friends in the waiting area, and had the pleasure of seeing friends spot their co-workers, neighbors and even relatives right there in our office.  We realized that being a genuine "neighborhood dentist" helps put our patients at ease, adds an element of warm intimacy, and keeps filling the office with hearty laughs and friendly sightings.

Visiting a dentist is never going to be a "fun" experience. But by creating a community environment, a real "everyone knows everyone" atmosphere, our office has really become a special place.  And we’re truly grateful for every individual that has chosen to call Ye Olde Village Dentist home. With this in mind we hope that folks will keep running into old acquaintances, students will keep seeing their teachers, and each patient will leave with a brighter smile (and maybe even plans for coffee with an old friend)!

Help us build a community around our practice by following us on Facebook, checking in when you're here, and sharing your experience with your friends and family!

Ye Olde Village Dentist
1664 Village Green, Crofton, MD 21114
www.drmarkdavies.com
(301) 261-3800
(410) 721-8688

Meet the Team: Dr. Mark Davies

Dr. Davies was raised in Cranbury, NJ and moved to the Maryland area when he was in his late teens. He
attended Roanoke College in Salem, VA, where he attained a B.S. in Chemistry. Dr. Davies graduated from Howard University, College of Dentistry in 1983.

Dr. Davies has had additional continuing education in occlusion (the way you bite as it relates to the jaw joint) and his primary focus is on restorative dentistry (fillings, crown, and bridge work). He has also had further training in restoring implants (placing crowns over the already embedded implant) for missing teeth and dentures. He is a member of the American Dental Association, Maryland State Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry.

Dr. Davies relocated his practice to the Village Green in Crofton after practicing nineteen years in Bowie. He is married to Kris and has one son, Bryn, who is pursuing a career in Computer Science.

Dr. Davies hobbies include continuing education, reading, traveling, gardening, self-improvement, investing, and golf.

Ye Olde Village Dentist
1664 Village Green, Crofton, MD 21114
www.drmarkdavies.com
(301) 261-3800
(410) 721-8688