Tooth Cavities

Tooth cavities aren't uncommon - but with the right dental health know-how, you can help prevent them. It all starts with proper brushing, daily flossing, and fluoride. Get the details right here.

What Causes Tooth Cavities?
Cavities are holes in the teeth resulting from acid attack. They generally start in the enamel, but can spread to the softer inner layer of the tooth. Tooth cavities are caused by decay that can occur when foods containing carbohydrates become trapped between teeth, and are not completely removed with brushing and flossing. Bacteria living in the mouth digest these foods, generating acidic byproducts that can eat away at tooth enamel.

Help Prevent Tooth Cavities
Fluoride, which is found in most public drinking supplies, some mouth rinses, and Crest toothpastes, helps prevent tooth cavities by slowing the breakdown of enamel and speeding up the remineralization process. Check with your dental professional to see if your drinking water is fluoridated. If it isn't, he or she may recommend that you use high concentration fluoride treatments.

To help strengthen weak spots in tooth enamel, and help prevent the early stages of tooth decay, brush regularly with a fluoridated toothpaste, floss daily, and visit your dental office regularly for professional cleanings.

Above article from: Crest.com

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

What is Plaque?

Plaque is a sticky, colorless deposit of bacteria that is constantly forming on the tooth surface. Saliva, food and fluids combine to produce these deposits that collect where the teeth and gums meet. Plaque buildup is the primary factor in periodontal (gum) disease, including gingivitis.

How to Get Rid of Plaque

To help prevent plaque buildup, be sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day with an anti-plaque toothpaste such as Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste for around the clock protection against plaque buildup, and floss once a day.

Adding a mouth rinse such as Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Rinse to your routine can help against plaque buildup, without the burning sensation of alcohol. Eating well-balanced meals and brushing after snacks will reduce the formation of plaque. Visit your dental office regularly for oral exams and cleanings, during which your dental professional will scrape away any accumulated plaque with a special instrument.

Above article from: Crest.com

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

Sports Safety: Avoiding Tooth and Mouth Injuries

A few years ago, a dental newsletter published what seemed like an unusual story. A boy snagged his teeth on a basketball net while doing a slam-dunk.
A freakish accident? Not quite. After the article appeared, nearly 40 dentists wrote in with their own stories. They all told of would-be Michael Jordans who sacrificed their front teeth in pursuit of the perfect dunk.
In older children and adults, sports injuries are common. Dentists estimate that between 13% and 39% of dental injuries occur while playing sports.
About 80% of all dental injuries affect at least one of the front teeth. Damage to the tongue or cheek is common, too.
Basic Protection
Even if a tooth has been knocked out, it often can be saved if you get to a dentist quickly enough. Minor chips and cracks can be repaired. Dentists use tooth-colored materials that are nearly as strong as the original tooth. However, even "minor" injuries can cause serious and costly damage. If you enjoy sports or other high-risk activities, protect yourself. The use of mouth guards among football players, for example, is believed to prevent about 200,000 mouth injuries a year.
Depending on the sport, two types of protection are available:

• Helmets- A helmet is a must for activities that involve speed or impact. These include football, hockey, skating and bike riding. The helmet should fit correctly. It should also be appropriate for the sport you are playing.
• Mouth guards - Wearing a mouth guard is one of the best ways to prevent injury to your teeth, tongue and lips. A custom-fit mouth guard from your dentist is recommended. This type of mouth guard usually fits better than a ready-made one (found in sporting-goods stores). That means it may protect your teeth better.

If a custom-fit mouth guard isn't an option, try a "boil-and-bite" mouth guard. You can buy one in a sporting-goods store. You place the mouth guard in boiling water. Once the plastic is soft (but not too hot), you bite down on the mouth guard and mold the softened plastic around your teeth. If the mouth guard doesn't fit comfortably the first time, you can reheat it and do it again.

©2002-2013 Aetna, Inc. All rights reserved.
09/25/2013

The above article is from: Colgate.com

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

Clear Dental Braces

Orthodontics – A Clear Alternative
The ClearCorrect™ system makes it possible, in just 9 – 15 months, to have the straight teeth you have dreamed of! These aligners can correct overcrowding, widely spaced teeth, overbite, underbite, or crossbite. ClearCorrect uses gentle forces to move your teeth gently into position. The best part of ClearCorrect is that no one will know you're straightening your teeth because the clarity of the aligners renders them almost invisible! The aligners are all in one piece, with no metal or wires to be checked and adjusted, so you get to spend less time in the dentist's chair. Though you wear the aligners all day as well as while you sleep, they are easily removable for eating and brushing. You can eat and drink what you want while in treatment, with no food restrictions. 

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

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

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

Tooth Anatomy

What Are the Different Parts of a Tooth?

• Crown- the top part of the tooth, and the only part you can normally see. The shape of the crown determines the tooth's function. For example, front teeth are sharp and chisel-shaped for cutting, while molars have flat surfaces for grinding.
• Gumline- where the tooth and the gums meet. Without proper brushing and flossing, plaque and tartar can build up at the gumline, leading to gingivitis and gum disease.
• Root- the part of the tooth that is embedded in bone. The root makes up about two-thirds of the tooth and holds the tooth in place.
• Enamel- the outermost layer of the tooth. Enamel is the hardest, most mineralized tissue in the body - yet it can be damaged by decay if teeth are not cared for properly.
• Dentin- the layer of the tooth under the enamel. If decay is able to progress its way through the enamel, it next attacks the dentin - where millions of tiny tubes lead directly to the dental pulp.
• Pulp- the soft tissue found in the center of all teeth, where the nerve tissue and blood vessels are. If tooth decay reaches the pulp, you usually feel pain.

What Are the Different Types of Teeth?
Every tooth has a specific job or function (use the dental arch in this section to locate and identify each type of tooth):

• Incisors- the sharp, chisel-shaped front teeth (four upper, four lower) used for cutting food.
• Canines- sometimes called cuspids, these teeth are shaped like points (cusps) and are used for tearing food.
• Premolars- these teeth have two pointed cusps on their biting surface and are sometimes referred to as bicuspids. The premolars are for crushing and tearing.
• Molars- used for grinding, these teeth have several cusps on the biting surface

 

The above article is from: Colgate.com

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

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

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

Professional Teeth Cleaning

Hygiene Visits are Necessary for Good Health!
We recommend regular teeth cleaning by our professional hygienists for overall good health. Plaque can build up in hard-to-reach areas, and after it hardens into tartar, daily brushing cannot remove it. If it gathers below the gumline, you will have an additional problem. Periodontal (gum) disease will result, and advanced cases of infected gums have a contributing effect to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Medical research has proven the link between infected gums and these serious health conditions. Please take our recommendation seriously to stay healthy!

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827 
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

Good Food for Dental Health: Fruits & Veggies

Fruits and Veggies Pack an Extra Punch
Fruits and veggies are an important part of any balanced diet, and they are also good for your teeth. Since they are high in water and fiber, they help to balance the sugars they contain and help to clean your teeth. Chewing also helps to stimulate saliva production, which washes harmful acids and food particles away from your teeth. 

Above article from: MouthHealthy.org

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

Preventive Dentistry

The Main Reason for Tooth Loss
Most of the time, people lose teeth as a result of gum disease. Infected gums are not always easily detected, and the disease can advance to the point of losing your teeth. Bleeding gums from brushing or flossing and loose teeth are symptoms of this condition. If this is treated in the earlier stages, gum surgery can be avoided and nonsurgical methods can be effectively used instead. Once the infection is advanced, gum surgery is usually needed.
Gum Disease Linked to Serious Health ConditionsA startling medical discovery has been revealed. Gum disease has an effect on serious health conditions such as stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. The American Dental Association projects the number of Americans with periodontal (gum) disease to be as high as 80%. Dentists are now regarding bacterial infection of the gums to be a more serious condition than simply losing teeth. It contributes to potentially life-threatening problems.

Bacteria affecting the gums also circulates throughout the bloodstream, traveling to the heart and other vital organs. The American Academy of Periodontology reports that "studies found periodontal infection may contribute to the development of heart disease, increase the risk of premature, underweight births, and pose a serious threat to people whose health is already compromised due to diabetes and respiratory diseases."

Treating Gum Disease
We recommend coming to our office at the first signs of gum disease because early detection is important. In advanced cases, surgery is most likely necessary. If the disease is caught early, there are various methods to control the infection, together with better daily dental hygiene. Both approaches are covered by the majority of dental insurance plans.

Is Missing a Tooth That Much of a Problem?
Missing teeth are generally due to gum disease or decay. Trauma to a tooth is another reason, but not the most common. No matter what the cause, even one missing tooth can cause other problems. Your other teeth will start to shift or move. This affects chewing and the absorption of nutrients from your food. Weight gain can result if softer foods are mostly eaten because of the inability to chew properly. Your face can take on a sunken look without the structure of a full set of teeth, adding years to your appearance. Also, speech may not be as clear as it normally would be.

We believe that implants are the best way to replace one or many missing teeth. They are natural looking and function just like the real teeth, so they are just like growing new teeth.

Bleeding Gums? Chronic Bad Breath? Receding Gums? We Can Help!
If you experience any of these symptoms, you may have bacterial infection of your gums. The American Dental Association has projected that an overwhelming 90% of American adults between the ages of 33 and 45 have some stage of this gum problem. There are various treatments to reverse the infection, from deep cleaning to scaling and even surgery. Recent advancements have produced Perio Protect™. It is an FDA-approved treatment that saves many patients from having to undergo surgery. Dr. Bork is very pleased to offer this treatment that has been referred to as "miraculous." It is totally painless and effective, and the treatment process is as easy as wearing whitening trays on your teeth.

The medication is most effective when it is kept below the gum line and between the teeth. Otherwise, if the flow of saliva quickly removes the medication from the site of infection, it will not be effective. These special trays keep it where it needs to be for a prolonged period of time. The result – healing will occur much more rapidly. Patients experience results in just a few days. If you are at the point of gum surgery, first check with us to find out if you are a candidate for Perio Protect!

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com

Good Food for Dental Health: Nuts

Nourishing Nuts
Nuts contain protein which help strengthen and protect your teeth. Also, chewing helps to stimulate saliva production, which naturally cleans your mouth. Remember: Not only is a balanced, nutritious diet essential to healthy living, your eating patterns and food choices play an important role in preventing tooth decay and gum disease. You may eat with your eyes first, but your mouth, teeth, and gums are more than just tools for eating.

Above article from: MouthHealthy.org

Hampton Family Dental  
George F. Bork, DMD  
Route 31 N  
One Manor Drive  
Hampton, NJ 08827  
(908) 574-4670  
HamptonFamilyDental.com