Are You Struggling With Halitosis or Bad Breath?

Twohig Dentistry is your source for oral health questions!

  What to Do 
•Brush and floss regularly: This may seem like a no-brainer, but good oral hygiene is key to achieving fresh breath. To further maximize a minty mouth, brush and floss as soon as possible after eating to reduce the amount of bacteria build-up.
• Clean your tongue: Millions of organisms can touch your tongue per day, making it a bacteria bull’s-eye. It’s always a good idea to brush your tongue with a regular toothbrush, but the best way to clean your tongue is with a tongue scraper. Place the scraper as far back on the tongue as you can to remove the most bacteria as possible
• Take your vitamins: Fortunately, vitamins C and D create an unwelcoming atmosphere for bad breath-causing bacteria. Load up on vitamins by taking a daily supplement, or enjoy vitamin-rich foods. Citrus-based fruits are loaded with vitamin C, while milk and other dairy products contain vitamin D.

  What to Avoid
• Foods including garlic, onions and coffee: These foods can affect your breath for up to three days after eating them. After you eat fragrant foods, they are absorbed by your bloodstream, carried to your lungs and released in the form of bad breath. Brushing and mouthwash can only mask the odor for so long. Your bad breath will continue to come back until the food is completely out of your system.
• Smoking: Not only does smoking cause several oral health problems and diseases, but it also makes for wretched breath. Do yourself a favor and nix the nicotine.
• Dry Mouth: Bad breath thrives when you have a dry mouth. Saliva helps wash away bacteria that cause bad breath. Stimulate saliva production by drinking plenty of water or chewing a sugar-free gum.

Original: http://www.deltadentalarblog.com/2014/08/live-every-day-like-its-national-fresh-breath-day/

Keep track of how often you floss with this app

One of the most important things anyone can do to prevent cavities and gum disease is to floss regularly. Flossy, from SlyBits, reminds users to floss each day. This essential step in daily oral care is also the most unpopular and dentists tire of having to remind patients of its importance. Only available on iTunes for Apple users, professionals now have a partner in reminding themselves, their families, and their patients to floss. By pressing the “I Flossed Today!” button each time they floss, they record their flossing history. Users can view how often they did or did not floss as well as the ability to set alarms for different times of the day to send alerts if they have missed a number of days. This app is great for recommending to patients that could add more flossing to their daily regimen. – See more at: http://www.thedentalgeek.com/2014/07/using-apps-to-get-your-patients-to-pract Twohig Dentistry Albuquerque Original article

Invisalign - Braces for Adults

You've probably wanted to have straighter teeth for a while, but at this stage in your adult life, metal braces are not a choice you are willing to consider. Invisalign® offers the convenience and flexibility to live life without the hassle associated with other types of treatment. From the moment you start Invisalign treatment, you'll enjoy a better smile every day.

Invisalign aligners are made of a virtually invisible plastic. In fact, you’ll be surprised to find out how many people won’t even notice you’re going through treatment. That means not having to feel self-conscious about how you look. One thing people may notice, however, is that you’re starting to smile a whole lot more.

With Invisalign smooth, comfortable aligners, there are no irritating brackets or wires to worry about and no food restrictions that will change your eating habits. Plus with fewer doctor visits, Invisalign fits conveniently into your busy lifestyle.

Orthodontists developed Invisalign and it is used in dental practices worldwide. A wide variety of dental challenges of over 1.5 million patients have been treated successfully with Invisalign.

Invisalign treatment not only straightens your teeth, it allows you to continue to brush and floss as normal since the aligners are removable. As you know, having straight teeth can not only affect your oral health, it can impact your professional and social life as well.

FREE Mobile Tooth Brushing Game for Kids

The Kids' Health Mouths Campaign- joint effort between the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives and the Ad Council- has released a free interactive game, Toothsavers, which is available online and as an app for Android and iOS devices.  The game geared toward 3 to 6 year olds, was designed to motivate children to take care of their teeth by brushing two minutes, twice a day.  The Toothsavers app is available for download at 2min2x.org/toothsavers.

At Twohig Dentistry in Albuquerque, we strive to treat all members of your family in a convenient and comfortable manner.  

The Root of the Problem

Inside your teeth is a soft material called pulp that contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. If this pulp becomes infected, it can cause severe tooth pain. In some cases, that infection will require root canal therapy.

What is a root canal?

Nerves enter at the tip of the tooth’s roots and run through the center of the tooth in small, thin root canals, which join up in the pulp chamber. Each tooth has at least one root canal but may contain more.

Why might I need root canal therapy?

Injury or trauma to a tooth may cause the pulp to become inflamed or infected; eventually, the pulp may die. Damaged or dead pulp leads to increased blood flow and cellular activity, creating pressure inside the tooth that cannot be relieved. This may result in pain when biting down or chewing with the affected tooth, or when consuming hot or cold drinks. Without treatment, the infection may spread, the bone around the tooth may degenerate, and the tooth may fall out.

What is root canal therapy?

Root canal therapy is a procedure to remove damaged or dead pulp. After the pulp chamber and root canal are cleaned out and reshaped, the canal is filled with a rubber-like substance called gutta percha to prevent recontamination, and the tooth is permanently sealed.

Treatment usually involves one to three appointments. After cleaning and reshaping, the dentist may seal the tooth with a temporary crown, leave it open to drain, or fill the canals, depending on the tooth’s condition. A topical medication also may be applied in the area to fight bacteria.

Temporary fillings will be removed on subsequent visits. If the tooth is still weak after the pulp chamber and canal are filled, a metal or fiber-reinforced resin post may be used to reinforce the tooth.

Finally, the area is permanently sealed, and a gold, porcelain-fused-to-metal, or ceramic crown usually is placed over the tooth to reinforce its structure and improve its appearance.

How will I feel after treatment?

Tissue inflammation in the area may cause some discomfort. This usually can be controlled with over-the-counter pain relievers. Aftercare includes maintaining regular visits with your dentist, brushing for two minutes twice a day, flossing once a day, and avoiding chewing hard foods with the treated tooth.

Are there any potential complications?

On rare occasions, new infections may occur. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including an undetected crack in the root of the tooth, a defective restoration, or the breakdown of an inner sealing material. In these cases, additional follow-up and treatment may be necessary.

Are there any alternatives to root canal therapy?

The only alternative to root canal therapy is extraction of the infected tooth. This can eventually cause the surrounding teeth to move, which may result in a bad bite that ultimately requires an implant or bridge. It’s always best to keep your original tooth if possible, and root canal therapy allows you to do so.

To learn more about root canal therapy and determine whether it’s the best option for you, talk to your general dentist.

Call Twohig Dentistry at 505-881-9867 for more information.

Periodontal Maintenance

in Twohig Dentistry, Albuquerque

If you have had scaling and root planing or gum surgery, we become partners in maintaining your periodontal health. We need you, the patient to do your part at home brushing, flossing, and using the aids prescribed. The visits that we recommend at various 3 or 4 month intervals, called periodontal maintenance visits help to maintain your health. Studies show that patients who follow through with periodontal maintenance therapy will do better than those who do not comply. Help us to help you keeping your maintenance appointments and providing daily effective home care.

Dental Implants: A missing tooth can be replaced by a dental implant with harming the adjacent tooth. The implant prevents further bone loss and provides a pleasing smile. As us how we can help restore your smile!

Supplemental fluoride in Albuquerque’s drinking water

Over the last 40 years you, your children and your families have safely benefitted from supplemental fluoride in Albuquerque’s drinking water.  Since 1972, this simple public health measure has been a part of our daily lives, saving our community countless millions in dental costs and protecting innumerable healthy smiles.  Unfortunately, two years ago supplemental water fluoridation was stopped unilaterally without a vote by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA ).   The move was not publically announced for almost a year.   

As concerned dentists, the members of the Albuquerque District Dental Society (ADDS) urge the ABCWUA to reinstate supplemental fluoridation to the optimum level of .07 parts per million recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Fluoride has been shown to be extremely effective at reducing the presence and progress of tooth decay in persons of all ages.  Although fluoride naturally occurs in Albuquerque’s water, it is at levels too low to provide measurable health benefits and requires supplementation to reach optimal beneficial levels.

Water fluoridation is accepted as a best practice by countless community water systems, and the benefits are recognized by more than 125 national and international health, service and professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, American Medical Association, and the American Cancer Society.  The CDC has called community water fluoridation one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century, and nearly 70 years of research and practical experience has consistently indicated that fluoridation of community water supplies is safe. 

The cost savings for our community and individuals provided by this reduction in disease far outweighs the cost of implementation, and will be realized for generations to come.  According to a CDC study, every $1 invested yearly in water fluoridation yields $38 savings in dental treatment costs.  By taking away this valuable preventative tool, we are putting pressure on Albuquerque’s health care system, forcing more people in dental pain to seek overcrowded emergency rooms instead of qualified oral health professionals, and thus shifting the costs to taxpayers. 

And, perhaps of greatest concern, removal of supplemental water fluoridation will especially affect the health of our children.  In a 2010 report, the Surgeon General recognized dental caries (cavities) as one of the most common childhood diseases, costing an estimated 51 million school hours lost to kids with dental related illnesses. Additionally, underprivileged children suffered nearly 12 times more restricted-activity days than children from higher-income families.  Currently, fluoridation in places like the South Valley remain well below the .07 parts per million levels necessary to have a positive impact on oral health. 

Supplemental water fluoridation has been a part of our lives for 40 years.  Regardless of income, education or race, the oral health of everyone in Albuquerque has been safeguarded by the preventative benefits of supplemental fluoridation. The ADDS respectfully asks the ABCWUA to reverse their decision to erase decades of good policy by reinstating supplemental fluoridation to optimal levels.

Mary Rose Twohig

Twohig Dentistry Albuquerque