The Importance of Dental Hygiene

One question you may ask yourself is, “Why do I need to have my teeth cleaned every 3, 4, or 6 months?” The answer is easy. It is to prevent periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease.

Periodontal disease is often a painless infection of the gum tissue and is the number one cause of adult tooth loss. The great news is that gum disease can be treated and in some cases reversed is diagnosed early. If not treated, gum disease can become more serious.

So how can we combat this problem? It can be achieved by getting regular cleanings and check-up visits by a dental professional along with daily brushing and flossing. Of course regular check-ups are important to help maintain a healthy smile, but did you know that studies have linked heart attacks, strokes, premature labor in pregnant women along with low birth weight babies and even stillborn births to gum disease and poor oral hygiene?

The bacteria composition of a person’s mouth is completely unique to them, so please follow the advice of your dental professional as to how often you should get your teeth cleaned. Some individuals need professional cleanings 3 or 4 times per year, while others need cleanings twice per year.

To help you maintain your beautiful smile, your dental professional will compile a treatment plan that is individualized just for you.

Ami-RDH

Eola Dental-Aurora, IL

Sports Guards

The Importance of Wearing a Sports Guard

Children as well as many adults love to play sports. Many of these sports that Americans enjoy participating in are contact sports. Although, a sense of healthy competition and physical activity are beneficial, there is always a risk of injury. For the sake of brevity, I will concentrate on the risk to mouth and jaw.

To protect the soft tissue like the tongue and cheek and to protect teeth and the jaw bone from injury, everyone, should wear a sports guard, especially children and teens whether they participate in contact or non-contact sports.

It has been noted that severe damage to primary and permanent teeth may arise if a blow to the mouth or jaw area occurs. A blow can occur from a bat, ball, elbow or even a fall.  However, the damage may not be identifiable immediately.  Most times it is not until after the permanent teeth come in that the damage can be assessed.

 A sports guard is a necessary, preventive measure to ensure that the athlete is protected and to help minimize any damage that may occur during competition. Although there are several different types of mouth protectors, consult your dental professional for more information about protecting yourself or your child with a custom-fitted sports guard.

Dinesh Patel D.D.S.

Importance of Bite Guards

In the past several years, more and more people have been grinding and clenching their teeth due to stress. We are living in worrisome times with high unemployment and legitimate concerns about our financial future. Stress from external forces cause an array of health problems, but one way it can manifest itself is through the clenching and grinding of teeth.

Not only does clenching and grinding cause sensitivity and loss of tooth structure, such as loss of enamel, it may lead to infection of the root tips. It can also create muscle tension and discomfort. Most people do not realize they are clenching and or grinding. It is a subconscious habit. People may clench during the day in somewhat stressful situations such as when stuck in heavy traffic, but many people are clenching and grinding during sleep.

So, what can be done to help prevent the effects of clenching and grinding? The best preventive measure is to wear a bite guard that is customized to the individual.  It is specially made for better protection, fit, comfort and longevity.

Interested in learning more about bite guards? Consult your dental professional for more information.

Dr. Dinesh J. Patel

Fostering Dogs or Other Pets

Fostering Dogs or Other Pets

Although I work full-time as a Dental Assistant, one of my biggest passions is caring for foster pets and educating others about the benefits and challenges of fostering or rescuing animals.

Fostering animals can be a very rewarding experience.  However, it can also be hard work and it is not for everyone.  As someone who fosters animals on a regular basis, there are some suggestions and advice that I have for those who are interested in becoming a rescuer. 

 For those who are interested in fostering a pet, space, schedules and other pets are important considerations in deciding if this is something that is feasible.  It is important to realize that when the “right” adopter comes along, you have to be able to let the animal go.  Also, I suggest that the prospective rescuer familiarize themselves with the type of shelter or rescue they wish to work with.  Some facilities are small.  Others are large. There are advantages to both.   Some allow the individual who fosters the pet to choose what type of animal they will foster while others may not. The amount of time a foster pet will be in the home will vary from a few days to a year or more.  It depends on the pet, the adoption process, and how the facility advertises the pet.

If you have a busy schedule, gone long hours or your own pet cannot tolerate a dog or a cat, then maybe a caged animal may be a perfect fit for you. There are many pets that are in need of foster homes such as rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, birds, hamsters, chinchillas, rats and other small animals.  In my opinion, the biggest reward is knowing that a pet was saved from euthanasia and has been placed in a loving home for the rest of its life.

For more information on rescues and shelters in your area go to: www.petfinder.com.

Deb     

 Eola Dental  -  Aurora, IL

A More Comfortable Visit

 

Most people do not enjoy going to the dentist.  The complaint I hear the most is that patients really dislike or are fearful of receiving the injection. Over the years there have been many positive changes in the field of dentistry, but one change that has made a great impact regarding reducing injection pain is the advent of DentalVibe.

So, what exactly is DentalVibe and how does it work?  DentalVibe is a small hand-held device that is used while the dentist is anesthetizing the gum tissue. This breakthrough technology uses rapid vibrations to block the pain sensation felt during the numbing process.  

Because providing quality and gentle care is of the utmost importance to me, I decided to start offering DentalVibe to my patients. So far, the results have been astounding! Several of my patients have even told me that they did not feel any discomfort whatsoever.  Many thought I did not even start the injection, when in fact; we had already finished the numbing process. 

We at Eola Dental are very excited to be able to provide for a more comfortable and relaxing visit to the dentist with the help of DentalVibe.

Dr. Dinesh Patel 

Eola Dental-Aurora, IL

Stress Awareness

 

According to a national survey conducted by the APA (American Psychological Association), 1/3 of Americans are living under extreme stress.  Therefore, it is imperative that one is aware of the signs and effects of stress.  Some of the signs and symptoms of stress are headaches, neck and back pain, forgetfulness, irritability, sleep disturbances, and gastrointestinal problems, just to list a few.

Stress is considered by the APA as a natural reaction by the body to any demands that may disrupt your normal schedule. Some amount of stress is natural and beneficial to your wellbeing. However, long-term stress is detrimental to your health. 

As a dental professional, I have learned to recognize when I am under stress and I have learned how to identify the cause of my stress.  If the cause of my stress is within my control, then I make changes to reduce or alleviate the stress.  Some stressors are not within my control, when that is the case, I recognize that I cannot change the situation, but I can learn to adapt and deal with the problem.

In order to reduce stress in my life, I try to take care of myself by eating healthy, nutritious meals, getting plenty of exercise and quality sleep and taking time to enjoy my hobbies.  Having a good support system also helps tremendously.

Stress is inevitable. The key is to recognize when you are under its influence and to identify the cause.  Once you are aware of the stressor, you can better handle the situation. 

For more information visit the American Psychological Association at www.apa.org.

Dinesh J. Patel DDS

Eola Dental – Aurora IL

Going Green

For over 40 years we have been celebrating Earth Day on April 22 and for the last few decades I have made some type of change or made some small difference to make the world a “greener” place to live. I have seen many changes over the years and one area that I have witness a great deal of change is in the field of dentistry.

I began my dental career almost 25 years ago and I have seen these changes first hand.  Environmentally friendly procedures and practices are something our dental office strives to achieve.  Several years ago we transitioned from standard film x-rays to digital x-rays significantly decreasing radiation exposure. Since our doors opened in 1998, we have been placing mercury-free fillings instead of silver fillings. Although we have been recycling for years, we are in the process of converting Eola Dental to a chartless office. Reducing the use of paper in our practice has become our mission. So far, we have made some great progress. 

Those of us in the dental field care about our patient’s overall health, not just their oral health. This is why we have adopted a more eco-friendly environment for ourselves, our patients and our planet. Adopting just a few small environmentally conscious changes can make a big difference.

Remember to reuse, recycle, reduce and recharge what you can and we will reap tremendous benefits to our health and the health of our planet.

Here’s to your health!

Cindy – Office Manager

Eola Dental - Aurora, IL