Has it been a while since you've seen the Dentist? If so you are not alone. There are many reasons why someone will put off seeing a dentist. The one similarity seems to be that the longer you put off seeing a dentist the harder it seems to make that call to schedule an appointment. Many people will sight fear or embarrassment as a reason for waiting even after other obstacles have been over come. It is important to know that most Dentists do not want to embarrass you or judge you for staying away. Everyone has there own life to live and reasons for the order of their priorities. When you are ready to get back on track with your dental care it is important to find a dental team that will listen to not only why you were away but why you are back. Together you and your dental team can then develop a plan for keeping you on track. Most people know how important their dental health is to their over all health and it if usually extenuating circumstances that keep them away.

If you are among those who have been away from the Dentist for a while whether it be a year or 10+ years know that we are not here to judge you, but rather are here to help you get back on track and understand why you got off track in the first place. Call us today to get started on the path back to great dental health.

Okay, what is "natural" sedation?

Let's first talk about what we normally regard as chemically induced sedation methods.

Orally prescribed methods include the taking of drugs called benzodiazepines. This chemical method works by slowing down the central nervous system by potentiating GABA transmission. These inhibitory synapses quickly sedate the individual to a sleep like state. They are not without risk in that practitioners must act as part time anesthesiologists to manage a potential rescue for those more deeply sedated in managing airway and cardiovascular complications.

IV sedation is another chemically induced method of sedation. This involves administration of a number of differing drugs through an IV that is carefully adjusted to each individual. Again, this technique is not without the same risks.

Nitrous Oxide sedation is another chemically induced method of sedation. This involves the inhalation of a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide titrated to effect a sedated state in a particular person. Not as much risk.

Natural sedation involves the combine use of four sensory applications to induce a powerful relaxation within 5 minutes. This technique involves ingestion of GABA and L-theanine, both non-prescription natural substances with one intrinsically found in the human system and the other the main element in green tea that supports the formation of GABA in the brain.

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is used to facilitate the intrinsic release of alpha-rhythm neurotransmitters that promote deep stages of relation and anxiolysis. Alpha frequencies are at play in the brain in stage I of the sleep cycle, a deep relaxation level that does not involve deeper levels of REM sleep.

Neuroacoustic sound utilizing binaural beat is used to sustain a neuroacoustic entrainment of brainwave activity at the alpha level of 8-12 Hz. This part is what sustains this deep relaxation level.

Black out glasses are finally used to block light from the optic nerve, resulting in a 30% increase in alpha waves in the occipital cortex of the brain.

I know all this is very technical, but as you can see, we will have very soon a natural option for effective sedation without the typical risks involved and the individual leave more energized than when they came in for their appointment!

Stay Tuned!

Disclaimer

What Causes Bad Breath???

Halitosis -- known as bad breath to most -- is an embarrassing condition that can affect anyone at anytime, and is caused by several factors. The most common causes of bad breath are preventable and easily treated, however certain medical conditions may also cause bad breath. Chronic halitosis may indicate an underlying medical concern that should be addressed by your dentist or medical doctor.

Learn about the most common reasons why you may experience bad breath, and when you should see a dentist for your halitosis.

Cause: The Food We Eat and Digestion
Photo © Shawn Marie WatsonThe food we eat can adversely affect our breath. Odors from garlic, onions, cabbage, and certain spices may result in halitosis when the suspected food is absorbed into the blood tream after digestion. When the blood has transferred to the lungs, the smell from the food is evident when you exhale.

With eating comes digestion, another cause of bad breath. Gasses produced during the digestive process may escape through your mouth, emanating the odor it produces. Poor digestion resulting in constipation and disorders of the bowel may contribute to bad breath again, from the gasses that are produced during this process.

Cause: Infrequent Brushing and Flossing

It may seem like an obvious factor, but when you examine how limited and neglected brushing and flossing habits contributes to bad breath, the cause hits you like a brick wall -- decaying food particles and bacteria trapped in your mouth.

When the food we eat is left behind either because it is trapped in hard to reach places such as the wisdom teeth, the tiny hair-like follicles on the tongue, or simply because brushing and flossing is neglected, it begins to decay in your mouth. The human mouth is 98.6 F, an ideal temperature for food to begin to decompose. When you exhale, the odor from the decomposing food, bacteria, and plaque causes the offensive odor.

Cause: Oral Diseases and Infections

Periodontal disease is directly related to improper or neglected brushing and flossing. One major sign of this potentially irreversible oral disease is halitosis. The accumulation of plaque, bacteria, and decomposing food particles contribute to bad breath as they destroy the delicate tissue that surrounds our teeth. The same bacteria that cause gum disease, tooth decay, and abscessed teeth are also responsible for halitosis.

Cause: Dry Mouth

Xerostomia is a condition that causes a decrease in the production of saliva, resulting in a dry mouth. Several factors cause xerostomia, some of which may need to be treated by your doctor. Saliva is necessary to provide lubrication the mouth to allow for proper chewing and swallowing. Saliva naturally cleanses the mouth and helps prevent cavities. If you are experiencing dry mouth, bad breath may occur because the food particles remain trapped in the mouth to rot and cause the unpleasant smell when you exhale.

Cause: Cigarette Smoking

The effects of smoking on our overall health and wellness are frightening. Over 4,000 chemicals have been identified in cigarettes, 200 of which are poisonous. Lung cancer and COPD are obvious diseases that come to mind when you consider the health risk associated with the habit. But did you know smoking is also a major cause of periodontal disease? How does this relate to halitosis you ask? The smoke produced from a cigarette is inhaled into the lungs, and then exhaled through the nose and mouth. This causes an immediate effect on your breath because the chemicals and residue from the smoke remain in your mouth and airways. Continued use of cigarettes contribute to gum disease, a major cause of bad breath.

Cause: Medical Conditions

Unexplained or chronic bad breath may be an indication of an underlying medical condition or disease. Ketoacidosis occurs in diabetics when there is insufficient glucose in the blood for the body to use as energy. An obvious sign of this is a fruity-smelling odor in the breath. People with eating disorders may experience halitosis, as well as frequent dieters. Breath that has a fishy smell or is reminiscent of urine or ammonia may be obvious in people with chronic kidney failure. After prolonged vomiting or if an obstruction is in the bowel, the breath may smell like feces. Sinusitis and lung infections also cause bad breath. Children with a foreign body trapped in their nose may experience halitosis. If suspected, see your doctor.

Treating and Preventing Bad Breath

In order to treat your bad breath, the root cause of halitosis needs to be identified. Visit your dentist if you experience chronic bad breath (in other words bad breath that never goes away).

Over-the-counter breath fresheners such as gum, mints, breath strips, breath sprays, and certain mouth rinses will only provide a temporary relief from bad breath. These general guidelines will assist you in managing, and hopefully eliminating, your experience with bad breath.

Studies show that chewing gum sweetened with Xylitol can help prevent tooth decay. The key to achieving results is to use products sweetened with Xylitol only so read labels carefully. Chewing gums available at the grocery store so not contain enough Xylitol to achieve benefits even though these popular chewing gums advertise Xylitol on their packaging they have other sweeteners that are listed before Xylitol in the list of ingredients. Chewing gums and candies that are sweetened with Xylitol only may be found in health food stores. In fact if you find a good health food store in your area see if they carry 100% Xylitol-sweetened products such as Spry or Xlear products.

Xylitol is an exciting ingredient that can make preventing dental disease easy and tasty. Try this out: use your tongue to feel the plaque on the inside of your lower front teeth. Feel how fuzzy they feel? Chew 100% Xylitol sweetened gum after meals and snacks and in one day you will feel a reduction in the plaque build up or the fuzziness of your teeth.

Happy Chewing!

This is from the vitamin D concil:

Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.

It is imperative that you request a vitamin D blood test profile from your primary physician. Until you you specificaaly know exactly what your profile is, you will not know if you need to suppliment with Vitamin D.