Laser Miracle for Diseased Gums
Time was, only a very short while ago, that dentists had to treat serious gum disease through highly invasive oral bone surgery. But a new laser procedure does away with cutting and stitches. It removes deteriorating gum tissue (while leaving healthy tissue intact), restores the height of the tissue around the teeth, reduces the patient's pain and discomfort, closes the disease-produced pocket between gums and teeth, and lets healing proceed apace.
The technique is known as LANAP, short for Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure. It's approved by the Food and Drug Administration and patented for reattachment of gum and bone tissue around teeth.
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Dental Screening Can Be a Lifesaver
Bleeding gums can be a key early-warning sign for over 20 serious medical disorders, including diabetes, heart disease, pre-diabetes, Hodgkin's lymphoma and cancers of the colon and other organs. And which doctor is best positioned to notice bleeding gums? The dental doctor, of course!
In addition, according to Dr. Ronald Schefdore, a Chicago dentist with over 25 years of experience, people usually visit their dentist more often than their doctor.
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As Goes Oral Health, So Goes General Health
Many studies are showing a persistent connection between gum disease and other ailments that afflict corners of the body far afield from the teeth.
Specifically, when gingivitis (early-stage gum disease) or full-blown periodontal disease is present, it's often the case that doctors find that a patient has diabetes, kidney disorders, preterm labor, certain types of cancer, osteoporosis or even Alzheimer's disease.
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Whitening ToothPaste
So you want to flash those pearly whites?
Sure you can get yourself lasered, you can go to your dentist to get bleached, but what about the low tech method: toothpaste.
Dr. Marc Liechtung, a cosmetic dentist and owner of this laser whitening center, says they do have a role. “These products have become an adjunct to in office bleaching. So we tell our patients to go out after bleaching, and get whitening toothpaste.”
In whitening toothpastes, there are two general categories of whiteners—abrasives--the most common one is silica, and anti-tartar agents.
Unlike bleaching agents like hydrogen peroxide, which get into the tooth, these superficial whiteners clean surface stains--mostly along the gum line and in between teeth.
They get to stains from things like coffee and smoking.
“People want to get like 7-8 shades lighter they’re not going to do it with just toothpaste,”says Dr. Liechtung.
But Dr. Robert Gerlach, who leads the studies on whitening at crest, says the right whitening toothpaste can make a huge difference. “The before and after images are remarkable; the patient clearly looks remarkably better. But we haven’t affected the underlying tooth color. To do that we have to diffuse peroxide in. So if you don’t have stain on your teeth, we can’t remove that stain.”
Dr. Gerlach says there are innumerable studies to back up the whitening claims. And to add to that, four crest and three Colgate pastes have the ADA seal of approval for whitening.
Dr. Clifford Whall, Director of the ADA Acceptance Program, says, “Our guidelines set specific levels of whiteness that they have to achieve in order to receive our seal.”
That’s not to say other toothpastes with whitening on the label but without the seal don’t whiten…in fact, if they contain silica, for example, they probably do.
“The second thing the whitening toothpaste do, however, is they prevent daily stain accumulation,” states Dr. Gerlach.
The ADA seal adds a layer of guarantee that there is clinical data to back up the claim.
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DENTAL DECAY
Megan Moynihan never suspected that her regularly scheduled visit to the dentist would have her facing the drill. “I came in for a check-up and a cleaning and they took X-rays. It turned out that I had 7 cavities,” says Megan.
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