Aging & Your Oral Health

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about aging and your oral health.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Quick Nutrition Tips

Nutrition Tips

Following a proper and nutritious diet not only helps keep your body healthy, but your mouth as well. Nutrition plays an important role in the health and cleanliness of your teeth, gums and mouth.

Limit Soda, Coffee and Alcohol
Although these beverages contain a high level of phosphorous, which is a necessary mineral for a healthy mouth, too much phosphorous can deplete the body's level of calcium. This causes dental hygiene problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Beverages containing additives such as corn syrup and food dye can make pearly white teeth appear dull and discolored. Therefore, it is best to choose beverages like milk, which helps strengthen teeth and build stronger enamel, giving you a healthy, beautiful smile.

Drink Tap Water When Possible
If bottled water is your main source of drinking water, you could be missing the decay-preventive benefits of fluoride.

Monitor Your Low-Carb Lifestyle
Despite their popularity, low-carb diets can cause bad breath. A balanced, dental-healthy diet can help reduce tooth decay.

Increase Your Calcium Intake
After age 20, both men and women lose more bone mass than they form so it is important to restore lost calcium with a daily supplement and by eating fruits and vegetables high in calcium, such as dark leafy greens. These foods will also help to lower the acid buildup in the saliva that can lead to breakdown of tooth enamel.

Take a Daily Dose of Vitamins C and D
These vitamins help support the absorption of healthy mouth minerals such as calcium and phosphorous, which support the bone and gum tissue, keeping it healthy. This is an easy way to maintain dental hygiene and fight gum disease.

Put Out the Cigarette
Smoking cigarettes is one of the greatest contributors to the aging mouth. According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 22 million women in the United States smoke cigarettes. In addition to staining teeth, smoking interrupts calcium absorption in the body and can also cause potentially life-threatening diseases such as oral cancer. So stop smoking and enjoy the health benefits as well as a healthy, beautiful smile.

The above article is from: OralB.com

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Saliva Shortage? Pay Extra Attention to Plaque Removal

Saliva has an important job to do in your mouth. For starters, it helps to remove food particles. But it also helps prevent tooth decay and infection by washing away plaque and keeping disease-causing bacteria from building up on your teeth and gums. But saliva can’t do all that work by itself. So it’s important to remove plaque yourself by practicing good oral hygiene, which means proper flossing each day, and twice-daily tooth brushing.

Most of us don’t think about the moisture in our mouths until our mouths become dry. A variety of conditions can cause dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, including the following:

• Cancer treatments. If you have any type of cancer of the head or neck and you receive radiation therapy, dry mouth is a common side effect because the radiation damages the salivary glands in addition to destroying the cancer. Some medications used to treat cancer in any part of the body can also cause dry mouth.
• Prescription medications. Hundreds of common medications, including many antidepressants and medications for high blood pressure, can contribute to a dry mouth. If you take medications that seem to make your mouth feel dry, be especially vigilant about tooth brushing and proper flossing.
• Nerve damage. Some types of injuries to the head or neck can damage the specific nerves that tell the salivary glands to produce saliva.
• Chronic illness. Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and Parkinson’s disease are among the diseases that can contribute to a chronic dry mouth.
• Drug use. Methamphetamines have been associated with dry mouth.

To read the entire article please visit: OralB.com

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Parts of the Tooth

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about about what makes up the tooth.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Lifestyle & Your Oral Health

Learn more about how your lifestyle can affect your oral health.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Dental Assistant

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about the role played by your Dental Assistant!

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Common Myths of Gum Disease # 1

Gum disease is not that common
On the contrary, gum disease is extremely common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of adults age 30 and older suffer from some form of gum disease. Gum disease, an infection of the tissues that surround and support your teeth, is caused by plaque, the sticky film of bacteria that is constantly forming on our teeth. Plaque that is not removed with thorough daily brushing and cleaning between teeth can eventually harden into calculus or tartar. 

The above article is from: MouthHealthy.org

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Understanding Tooth Sensitivity

Learn more about tooth sensitivity by watching this video from Colgate.com.

Understanding Tooth Sensitivity: Discover the causes, prevention and treatment of sensitivity.

The above video was found on both Colgate.com and Colgate's YouTube Channel.

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Dental Root Canal Dentist

Saving Hopeless Teeth
Teeth with roots that have been damaged or infected used to require extraction, which can cause a lot of problems and should be avoided whenever possible. The good news is that we are well experienced in advanced root canal therapy.
A root canal is a procedure to fix a tooth by removing the pulp chamber of a tooth and filling it with a filling material. This is often necessary when dental decay reaches the nerve of the tooth (or the tooth has become infected), and a simple filling will not be suitable.
In the not too distant past, the situation mentioned above would have required the tooth to be extracted. When dentists started performing root canals, they were quite painful, and the root canal has received a reputation as something to be avoided. However, with modern anesthetics and technology, the root canals we can perform in our practice are tolerable and sometimes even painless.

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Good Food for Dental Health: Water

Water Rules

Water, especially fluoridated water, is the best beverage for maintaining your oral health. That's because fluoride helps to make teeth more resistant to the acid attacks that can cause cavities. As of 2012, nearly 75 percent of the U.S. population had access to fluoridated water, so drinking water from your own kitchen sink can help prevent dental problems. 

Above article from: MouthHealthy.org

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Top Dental Symptoms: Bleeding or Sore Gums

Bleeding or sore gums can be a sign of gingivitis, an early and reversible stage of gum disease, or simply the result of brushing too hard or starting a new flossing routine. If your gums bleed regularly, or enough to worry you, make an appointment with your dentist or physician, it could be a sign that something else is wrong.

Above article from: MouthHealthy.org

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

How to Brush

Learn the technique recommended for the best cleaning.

From the video library at Colgate.com we have a short video providing educational tips on the best method to brush your teeth.

To view this video in its original library, please visit: Colgate.com

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Wine Tasters, Beware

Wine tasters may be at high risk for enamel stain and erosion.

Why? Sipping wine many times a day -- and swishing it in the mouth -- increases the enamel's exposure to damaging acids.

That is why it's better to drink a glass of wine, soda, or sweet tea with a meal instead of sipping it over several hours.

Above article from: Webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Tooth Decay and Sensitivity

What Causes Tooth Enamel Damage?
What happens when tooth enamel is damaged? The exposed part underneath becomes vulnerable to decay. Cavities aren't the only problem.

Teeth with damaged enamel can become sensitive to extreme temperatures. Suddenly, eating ice cream or sipping hot coffee can be painful or unpleasant.

Above article from: WebMD.com/oral-health

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler Highland Dental  3253 North Windsong Drive  Prescott Valley, AZ 86314  Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Habits That Wreck Your Teeth: Opening Stuff With Your Teeth

Opening bottle caps or plastic packaging with your teeth may be convenient, but this is one habit that makes dentists cringe. Using your teeth as tools can cause them to crack or chip. Instead, keep scissors and bottle openers handy. Bottom line, your teeth should only be used for eating.

Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Habits that Wreck Your Teeth: Cough Drops

Just because cough drops are sold in the medicine aisle doesn't mean they’re healthy. Most are loaded with sugar. So after soothing your throat with a lozenge, be sure to brush well. Whether the sugar comes from a cough drop or a hard candy, it reacts with the sticky plaque that coats your teeth. Then bacteria in the plaque convert the sugar into an acid that eats away at tooth enamel. Hello, cavities.
 

Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Habits That Wreck Your Teeth - Tongue Piercings

Tongue piercings may be trendy, but biting down on the metal stud can crack a tooth. Lip piercings pose a similar risk. And when metal rubs against the gums, it can cause gum damage that may lead to tooth loss. The mouth is also a haven for bacteria, so piercings raise the risk of infections and sores. Bottom line, discuss the health risks with your dentist first.

Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler

Highland Dental

3253 North Windsong Drive

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Habits That Wreck Your Teeth - Chewing on Ice

It’s natural and sugar free, so you might think ice is harmless. But munching on hard, frozen cubes can chip or even crack your teeth. And if your mindless chomping irritates the soft tissue inside a tooth, regular toothaches may follow. Hot foods and cold foods may trigger quick, sharp jabs of pain or a lingering toothache. Next time you get the urge for ice, chew some sugarless gum instead.

Above article from: webmd.com/oral-health

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler
Highland Dental
3253 North Windsong Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body

You already know that in order to avoid cavities and more serious dental problems, you have to take good care of your teeth. But consistent brushing and flossing habits do more than just protect your oral health — they also help keep a host of other serious conditions at bay. Heart disease and stroke, for instance, have both been linked to poor dental hygiene.

Above article from everydayhealth.com/dental-health/101.aspx

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler
Highland Dental
3253 North Windsong Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Telephone: (928) 775-7433

12 foods that naturally whiten your teeth

We've all been told to avoid red wine, dark berries, and black coffee in our quests for pearly whites, but what about foods that actually brighten your smile? Try these natural solutions for a brilliant beam. | By Julia Marino

Strawberries
They may be bright red, but malic acid, a chief component of this summery fruit, acts as a natural astringent to remove surface tooth discoloration, says Dr. Irwin Smigel, president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics. Fresh, juicy strawberries taste great in any meal—salads, desserts, cereal—and are widely available at farmers markets this time of year, so getting your daily dose is both simple and delicious.

Apples
The loud crunch you hear when you bite into this hard fruit may be annoying, but it's also good for your choppers. Apples' crispiness strengthens gums, and their high water content increases saliva production, dispersing and neutralizing colonies of bacteria that lead to bad breath and plaque, says Smigel.

Water
Drink lots of water to keep your mouth hydrated and your smile bright, advises Smigel, who recommends sipping and swishing between glasses of wine and when eating dark, pigmented foods to prevent staining. However, while water reduces the acidity in your mouth and the resulting damage to your enamel, Dr. Smigel warns against imbibing too much sparkling water, which has greater potential to erode enamel and harm teeth.

To view all 12 foods go to: Yahoo - http://tinyurl.com/p6mru46

Above article by: Julia Marino

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler
Highland Dental
3253 North Windsong Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Telephone: (928) 775-7433