My new web site is active.

Hello, everyone. My new website is active.

Please visit me at http://www.gotteethguide.com/ where I will continue to provide information and support about good oral health and keeping your teeth or losing your teeth with humor and grace. Periodontal disease, bone loss, tooth loss, and denture gain are the enemy.

You may contact me at saundra@gotteethguide.com. Your coments are welcome. See you there.

Keep smiling,

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.

http://www.gotteethguide.com/

http://www.gotteeth.blogspot.com/

New insight for brushing teeth at midlife.

Here's some new information about brushing, flossing, and chewing gum for healthier teeth and gums after the age of 40 when your saliva production diminishes.

Edmund Hewlett, DDS, UCLA School of Dentistry, says, “Brushing when you get up and before you go to bed is just fine.” Don't brush immediately after eating acidic food or beverages (wine, orange juice, soft drinks).

Dr. Hewlett said, “The acidity slightly softens tooth enamel.” Brushing right after eating or drinking acidic foods and beverages may contribute to tooth sensitivity and cavities.

You don't have to brush after every meal, but you still have to remove debris between your teeth after meals. Use a toothpick, a glass of water, mouthwash, or a piece of gum that contains xylitol, a sugar substitute that inhibits the growth of cavity-causing tooth bacteria. Chewing gum with xylitol can increase your saliva and decrease the acidity levels in your mouth.

You still need to floss.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/
http://www.gotteeth.blogspot.com/

Cigarette smoking is an addiction that causes gum disease.

Smoking restricts the blood capillaries in your gums so you can miss early warning signs of gum disease, such as swollen and/or bleeding gums. Gum disease leads to periodontal disease, which can lead to gum loss and tooth loss if you don't see a dental professional at least twice a year.

Smoking cigarettes, pipe tobacco, marijuana (even with a hookah pipe), cocaine, meth, candy (kids are smoking it to get high), or anything under the kitchen sink is hazardous to your health.

I won't go into the amount of money that went into marketing cigarettes to get you addicted or government-protected lobbyists and cigarette companies keeping you addicted by adding more addictive chemicals to cigarettes annually so it's harder to quit and then raising taxes on cigarettes. What are “they” smoking?

Uncle Sam wanted you to smoke because it made everyone rich. Smokers got hooked. Now Uncle Sam wants you to stop smoking because lung and heart disease is expensive. It's not about oral health. It's about health insurance companies that don't want to pay out.

Nobody takes responsibility for gum disease and tooth loss caused by the chemical addiction of cigarettes created in the population. They don't call smoking a disease like they do alcoholism and create government subsidized help for smokers.

Cigarette smoking is an addiction that kills. Millions of people (80% of the population) have gum or periodontal disease and they don't all smoke. Visit http://www.smoking.drugabuse.gov/ for more information.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/ for your Free Tips.

Financial stress takes the bite out of your teeth. Part III

Research shows that stress can make it difficult for our bodies to fight all infections, including periodontal disease and heart disease. Teeth grinding is an indication of stress.

The following techniques may help you stop grinding your teeth:

1. Find ways to reduce your stress level and relax.
2. Avoid or limit the amount of caffeine and alcohol you consume.
3. Ask your dentist about the use of a night guard.
4. If an abnormal bite is the cause of teeth grinding, your dentist can treat the improper alignment.

Teeth grinding is treatable and usually begins with a custom-made, plastic mouth guard that is worn while sleeping. Less intrusive and effective methods involve biofeedback and behavior modifications such as tongue exercises and learning how to properly align your tongue, teeth and lips. (Some of these methods are expensive.)

Constant teeth grinding will cause more stress and grinding if you wait too long. See your dental professional now.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep yor teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/ for your Free Tips.

Holiday tips for seniors includes dental health.

Special dietary care and concern should be taken into consideration by and for elderly people. Tooth loss, pain, and joint dysfunction (arthritis) can diminish the chewing abilities of elderly people who are on restrictive diets and under medical treatment. These people may be isolated or too weak to shop for, prepare, and/or eat the nutritional meals so vital to their existence.

Toothpaste and/or denture cleaner, a toothbrush and/or a denture brush in their favorite color, dental floss (waxed and unwaxed), and antiseptic mouthwash are things that they use and run out of all the time. I know I do. Throw in some soaps, hand creams, and shampoos you know they like to make a thoughtful gift basket. You’ll be helping people who are on a fixed income save money.

You may want to include some nutritious food in the basket such as crackers, cheese, single serving soups and cereal, tuna fish, peanut butter, canned fruits, their preference of coffee or tea, and their favorite cake or cookies.

That’s a great gift.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/ for your Free Tips.

Green Week: Save water and your teeth.

If you missed Earth Day 2007, you can still save Planet Earth and guard against periodontal disease. Encourage your family members and friends to turn the water off every time they brush their teeth - at least twice a day. Of course, everyone should be brushing after lunch, too. Run the water to rinse your mouth.

That’s all you have to do to be a Water Warrior and a good environmental citizen. You’ll have a better chance of saving your teeth, too. Flossing and brushing every surface of every tooth and brushing your gums every time you eat are your primary defenses against periodontal disease. Seeing your dentist or periodontist at least twice a year is your next best defense.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says, "The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of two gallons per minute. Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth in the morning and at bedtime can save up to 8 gallons of water per day, which equals 240 gallons a month!"Applying this practice equals saving 2,880 gallons of water each year for every individual in the United States who takes this simple step. You, your family, and your friends can participate in protecting the future of our nation’s limited water supply and your children’s future each time you brush your teeth.

Depending on where your water resources come from, turning off the water while brushing your teeth can have a positive impact on springs, rivers, and wetlands habitat for wildlife that would otherwise be damaged by water treatment plants. The impacts from taking water out of processing can be lessened in small ways that will positively affect the future of Planet Earth.As model citizens of Planet Earth, you are trustees of the little things that will make a big difference and ensure efficient use of our water supply.

Make a conscious effort to turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Each person in each family can use water more efficiently to preserve water supplies for future generations and protect our planet’s environment. It’s easy.Visit www.epa.gov/watersense/ to learn more ways to use water and energy more efficiently.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/ for your Free Tips.

Five vitamins and minerals that help maintain healthy teeth and gums.

1. Vitamin A: Beef, eggs, liver, salmon, shrimp, fortified milk, cheddar cheese and Swiss cheese.

2. Vitamin C: Bell peppers, broccoli, potatoes, spinach and fruits and fruit juices (especially citrus). Studies have revealed that people who consume less of Vitamin C tend to be 25% more likely to suffer from gum disease.

3. Vitamin D: Fortified cereals, fortified milk, fatty fish (helps absorb Calcium).

4. Calcium: Cheese, fortified juices, milk, tofu, salmon, sardines with bones, yogurt, and leafy green vegetables (including broccoli and kale, but not spinach or Swiss chard, which have binders that lessen absorption). 99% of the calcium in your body is your bones and your teeth. Dietary calcium is needed to make sure they’re in good shape.

5. Phosphorus: Almonds, broccoli, eggs, dairy products, green peas, fish, liver, meat, milk, potatoes, and poultry.

If you don’t eat fresh fruits and vegetables, take vitamins to supplement your diet.
If you have, or will soon have dental or periodontal surgery, it is especially important to include Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin E.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/

The trouble with teeth: October is National Dental Hygiene Month.

More than 30 million denture wearers in the United States didn’t see a dental professional in time to save their teeth: 75% of new patients don’t know they have gum disease until they are diagnosed.

If you haven’t been to a dental professional this year, now is the time to begin your oral health regime. Regular check-ups will identify gum disease and help you save your teeth and half of your bank account.

Early gum disease (gingivitis) is reversible with professional treatment and diligent oral home care.

1. Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day.
2. Get your teeth professionally cleaned at least every six months to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

If left untreated, early gum disease can lead to periodontal disease, which can result in jawbone loss, tooth loss, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pre-term low-birth weight babies, stroke, and more.

Don't ignore the warning signs of gum disease:

1. Red, swollen or tender gums.
2. Gums that bleed when you brush (pink in the sink).
3. Recurring bad breath.

Go to your dental professional this month and keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivors' Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/ for your Free Tips.

Control periodontal disease with laser surgery.

My Halloween highlight was Laser Periodontal Therapy™ surgery at 9:00 AM, October 31, 2007 to save and restore two hopeless teeth and the gums that surround them.

The laser-based surgery is new in town and is cutting edge (no pun intended). It offers no cutting and no stitches, which means less pain, less bleeding, less swelling, less tissue removal, less down time, and less recovery time.

This was my first laser surgery and I was so nervous walking through the parking lot into the dental office, I think I developed an eye twitch.

The staff smiled and helped me relax while the vanilla-scented nose cone was attached to the Nitrous Oxide hook-up. My periodontist administered numerous Novocaine injections and I was given goggles with green lenses to wear, which would protect my eyes from the laser. It was the ultimate Halloween experience.

My periodontist and his team have the newest equipment and training to control periodontal (gum) disease. If you’ve been told you need periodontal surgery to save your teeth, ask about this new laser technique. It can save your teeth and your money.

What I know for sure is that it’s all connected.

Saundra

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
www.gotteethguide.com

Menopausal women, postmenopausal women and gum disease.

It just never stops.

Dry mouth, pain, burning sensations, and changes in taste (peppery, salty, sour) are mild compared to the risk factors that include poor diet and low calcium intake, diabetes, cavities, and poor oral hygiene.

Menopause can cause gums to be sore and sensitive. A small percentage of women are affected by menopausal gingivitis, when gums might look shiny or dry, bleed, and range in color from pale to deep red.

Postmenopausal women can acquire something that is not clearly understood or easily pronounceable called desquamative gingivitis. This disease causes layers of the gums to shed and leaves the gum tissue raw and the nerves exposed.

What does this mean to you?

Debate continues among professionals regarding hormone replacement therapy. Some say it can cause gums to redden, bleed, and swell, and some say it will relieve the symptoms. So give us a break already.

Prevention is the key. Speak to your dental and health professionals and do your own research if you are menopausal or post-menopausal. Visit your dental professional at least twice a year for check-ups and professional cleaning.

What I know for sure is that it’s all connected!

Saundra
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/

October is National Dental Hygiene Month.

If you haven’t been to the dentist this year, now is the time to begin your oral health regime. Regular check-ups will identify periodontal disease (gum disease) and help you save your teeth and half of your bank account.

Gum disease (periodontal disease) is silent and painless when it begins and affects 75% of the population. That’s 3 out of every 4 people. Are you one of them?

What I know for sure is that it’s all connected.

Saundra

Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/