Sunday, September 22, 2013

Giuliana and Bill Rancic Talk Tooth Decay

For some kids, having a cavity or two is just part of growing up. Not for Giuliana Rancic. When she was a child, the TV personality didn't have a single cavity - and she still doesn't. But for her husband Bill, co-star of the Style Network reality show Giuliana and Bill, it was a different story. A cavity-prone kid, he was never certain what a visit to the dentist might hold in store. "I can still remember the anticipation," he recently told Dear Doctor magazine. "I always hoped I would get out of the checkups without a cavity!"

Why do some people get more cavities than others? There are a number of factors at work, but to understand it better, let's look at how tooth decay occurs.

How Cavities Form
Cavities - also called dental caries - are small pits or holes in the teeth that are caused by tooth decay. Tooth decay itself is a chronic disease that can flare up when plaque isn't kept under control. A thin, bacteria-laden film, plaque sticks to tooth surfaces both above and below the gum line, and can build up in the absence of effective oral hygiene.

Of course, everyone has bacteria in their mouth, both "good" and "bad" (pathogenic) types. But when the bad guys outnumber the good, trouble can start. When you consume sweets, plaque bacteria process the sugars and release acid as a byproduct. The acid eats into tooth surfaces, causing decay - and cavities that need filling. Left untreated, decay can work its way into the tooth's pulp, resulting in infection and pain. Eventually, treatment might involve a root canal - or, in the worst case, extraction.

What can you do if you seem to be prone to cavities? One effective way to fight tooth decay is by maintaining good oral hygiene. Brush at least twice daily, for at least two minutes each time. Use a soft-bristled brush and a dab of fluoride toothpaste to clean all around your teeth. Most importantly, floss above and below the gum line, every day. And just as important, don't forget to have regular dental checkups every six months.

A Healthy Balance
Another cavity-fighting strategy is eating a balanced diet. Avoid soda, sugary "energy" drinks and sweet treats - but if you choose to consume sugar, have it with meals instead of between meals. This will give your saliva, which has natural cavity-fighting properties, a chance to work.

"It's all about maintaining a healthy balance," Giuliana told Dear Doctor. And Bill agrees: "I love nuts and fruit for a healthy snack," he said, adding that he's meticulous about brushing and flossing. And when the couple smiles, you can see how those healthy habits pay off.

If you would like more information on preventing tooth decay, or any topic of dental interest, please see our website at www.myParkDental.com or call us at (239) 263-1151 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more about this topic in the Dear Doctor magazine articles "Tooth Decay" and "Tooth Decay - How To Assess Your Risk."

How to Handle a Knocked Out Tooth

It can happen in an instant - your child takes a hard hit to the mouth while playing football, basketball or some other contact sport. Suddenly, he or she faces the severest of dental injuries: a knocked out tooth.

There's both good and bad news about this situation. First, the good news: the knocked out tooth can be reinserted into its socket and take root again. The bad news, though, is that the tooth has only the slimmest of chances for long-term survival - and those chances diminish drastically if the reinsertion doesn't take place within the first five minutes of the injury.

Outside of the five-minute window, it's almost inevitable that the tooth root won't reattach properly with the tiny fibers of the periodontal ligament, the sling-like tissue that normally holds the tooth in place to the jawbone. Instead, the root may fuse directly with the bone rather than via the ligament, forming what is called ankylosis. This will ultimately cause the root to melt away, a process known as resorption, and result in loss of the tooth.

Of course, the resorption process will vary with each individual - for some, tooth loss may occur in just a few years, while for others the process could linger for decades. The best estimate would be four to seven years, but only if the tooth receives a root canal treatment to remove any dead tissue from the tooth pulp and seal it from possible infection. Over time the tooth may darken significantly and require whitening treatment. Because the tooth may be fused directly to the jawbone it can't grow normally as its neighbor teeth will and thus may appear uneven in the smile line. From a cosmetic point of view, it may be best at that time to remove the tooth and replace it with an implant or other cosmetic solution.

In many ways the longevity of the tooth post-injury really depends on time - the time it takes to reinsert the knocked out tooth into its socket. The quicker you take action, the better the chances the tooth will survive.

If you would like more information on treating a knocked out tooth, or any topic of dental interest, please see our website at www.myParkDental.com or call us at (239) 263-1151 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article "Knocked Out Tooth: How Long Will a Tooth Last After Replantation?"