Dental & Health Care

These are exciting times for anyone who has considered improving their smile. Yesterday, many people thought that only Hollywood movie stars could get dazzling smiles, but today people know that anyone can enhance the smile that Mother Nature gave them.

Just look at the results of a recent survey of several thousand dentists. They are eye-opening. It perhaps is not so surprising that more women than men are changing their smiles—67 percent to 33 percent. What catches the eye is the number of men who are jumping into the smile makeover arena. And their numbers are steadily increasing.

But here is the real wow factor: Most patients (53 percent) are 41 to 60 years of age! It is not just Baby Boomers who want to improve their smiles. Many patients on both sides of the age range are saying they have had enough of misshapen or stained teeth. Read the rest of this entry »

We occasionally have patients who tell us they have a “simple toothache,” and could we please write them a prescription and send them on their way. We wish it were that simple, but a painful tooth can be caused by many factors, and sometimes a prescription is not the answer. If you are experiencing tooth pain, we need to do a thorough examination to determine the cause of your pain.

Diagnosis: pulpitis

When you called in for an appointment, you told us that you had a fever and your tooth hurt when you bit down. During the exam we found you had other symptoms:

* The gum is swollen.
* Your have a nasty tasting discharge.
* The pain gets worse when you lie down.
* The pain worsens when you eat or drink hot or cold foods and beverages. Read the rest of this entry »

A current complex dental issue is the concern about osteoporosis medications causing healthy bone to die. There are things you need to know if you are taking these medications. Please ask your Bonham Family Dentist about this and he will help educate you on what you need to know.

There are studies indicating the bisphosphonates in osteoporosis medications can cause a serious dental condition called “osteonecrosis,” a rare condition in which healthy jawbone dies. Image

Early research shows that certain cancer patients who take an intravenous bisphosphonate are more likely to develop osteonecrosis than other patients.

Here is what is important for you to know if you are taking a bisphosphonate. Read the rest of this entry »

A growing number of people are suffering from dental health problems due to a national upsurge in teeth grinding caused by stress over the stagnant economy, according to a recent study.

Researchers from the Chicago Dental Society surveyed more than 250 of its members and found that nearly 75 percent of dentists said their patients reported increased stress in their lives. Moreover, approximately 65 percent of dentists said that they have seen an increase in teeth grinding and jaw clenching among their patients.

“It’s been because of the economy,” said Chicago dentist William Frericks told the Sun Times. “‘Can I pay for food on the table or my next rent check or mortgage?’ Those kinds of things have really come into play lately.” Read the rest of this entry »

In the beginning of March, American Dental Association President Dr Ronald Tankersley testified before the Institute of Medicine Committee on Oral Health Access to Services (IOM), explaining the ways that the organization is working to improve access to dental care for underserved populations.

Before outlining the ADA’s new initiatives, Tankersley heavily criticized the IOM for its recent decision to exclude private practice dentists from two U.S. Department of Health and Human Services panels put together to study the nation’s oral health delivery system.

“The nation’s 167,000 private practice dentists represent some 92 percent of professionally active dentists in the U.S.,” he stated. “Without them, there can be no significant impact on access to oral health care, regardless of the delivery system.” Read the rest of this entry »