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Houston, TX Children’s Dentist Shares Facts about Tooth Decay

27

Sep
2013
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Categories :Children's Dentistry, Patient Education, Preventative Dentistry, Tooth Decay
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shutterstock_112352864-300x200Tooth decay is one of the leading dental ailments amongst children. Primary teeth, or baby teeth, can’t fight disease as effectively as adult teeth can. In other words, kids have less resilient teeth, and therefore, have a greater likelihood of developing tooth decay and cavities. However, with the proper oral care, you kids can fight off the onset of tooth decay at a young age.

In this fun and informative article, Dr. Deborah Gennero, your Houston, TX children’s dentist, shares some facts about childhood tooth decay.

Quick Facts about Tooth Decay

  • It’s the leading childhood illness. Childhood tooth decay is more common than hay fever and asthma, by seven and five times, respectively.
  • Untreated decay leads to greater issues. Just like amongst adults, leaving tooth decay untreated causes more problems. For example, untreated tooth decay amongst children can lead to difficulties speaking, eating, and even learning. Additionally, kids also become more susceptible to heart disease and pneumonia if their tooth decay isn’t eliminated.
  • Decay doesn’t end with baby teeth. Many parents believe that baby teeth don’t matter because those fall out anyway. Yet, if the baby teeth become damaged, the adult teeth have a greater likelihood of becoming plagued with disease. In fact, if baby teeth fall out due to an excess of decay before it’s time, adult teeth become more susceptible to decay in the future.

Preventing Tooth Decay Amongst Kids

The best way to help stave off childhood tooth decay is by taking your kids to your Houston, TX children’s dentist at any early age. By establishing sound oral care habits, your kids can learn to appreciate the value of healthy smiles.

Additionally, make sure to follow-up on those healthy habits at home. Take care to set up a regular teeth cleaning routine at least twice a day. If your kids need a little extra motivation, brush your teeth with them. Watching you brush shows them that you’re willing to maintain the same habits.

For Childhood Tooth Decay Prevention, Visit Your Houston, TX Dentist

If you would like more prevention tips to ward off childhood tooth decay, contact Dr. Gennero. She can explain the main causes of tooth decay amongst children to protect your children from enduring it. To schedule an appointment with your Houston, TX children’s dentist, call us at (281) 578-6200. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and to learn more about the team. We gladly welcome patients from Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, and surrounding cities.

Top-Rated Floss from Your Houston, TX General Dentist

13

Sep
2013
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Categories :General Dentistry, Just for Fun, Patient Education, Preventative Dentistry
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shutterstock_151699403-300x205Imagine this: you’re in the oral care aisle searching for floss. Each package promises it’s the most effective, gentle, and best tasting floss on the market. Yet, while each floss sounds convincing, you’re still unsure of which to choose.

With this article, you can learn the top-ranked flosses available, from your Houston, TX general dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero.

Flosses that Outrank the Rest

  • Glide Comfort Plus. As far as dental floss goes, Oral-B’s glide tends to top the list. With a strong nylon material to effectively remove plaque, this floss is gentle on the gums to prevent damage. Additionally, the waxy surface makes it easy to reach between tight spaces; plus, the floss is shred resistant with a clean, minty taste.
  • Dr. Tung’s Smart Floss. The smart floss has its name for a reason—it’s truly smart! When pulled and released, this floss expands to clear out a wider area between teeth. Moreover, Dr. Tung’s floss works quite excellently amongst large spaces. As per clinical reviews, the smart floss is 40% more effective at cleaning teeth than any other floss brand. With a number of fresh flavors, from cinnamon to mint, your Houston, TX general dentist recommends definitely trying this floss.
  • Oral-B Complete Deep Clean. Another Oral-B success is this the complete deep clean floss. The material also stretches, which makes this floss more flexible than most others. Furthermore, the floss comes textured to grip food particles and plaque with ease and the each piece is earmarked at the perfect length. This way you only use exactly what you need without wasting any floss.
  • Reach Total Care. This brand of floss seems to combine the best of the Oral-B complete deep clean and glide comfort plus. The stretchy, shred-resistant material contours between teeth with its micro-grooves. In other words, the floss contains microscopic grooves that allow lingering particles to latch onto the floss, which means a cleaner smile.
  • Oral-B Super Floss. The super floss works best for dental work, such as, braces and bridge work. The thicker design reaches below the gum line to pull out any food debris or plaque that’s started to accumulate. With a spongy material to bend and glide through teeth, super floss leaves your smile flawlessly clean.

Houston, TX Dentist about Proper Oral Care

For more information on proper oral care, talk to Dr. Gennero. She can provide a list of products that have been proven most effective for teeth cleaning purposes. To schedule an appointment with your Houston, TX general dentist, call us at (281) 578-6200. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and to learn more about the team. We gladly welcome patients from Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, and surrounding cities.

Eating Disorders Affect Teeth, Says Houston, TX Dentist

06

Sep
2013
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Categories :General Dentistry, Patient Education, Preventative Dentistry, Restorative Dentistry, Uncategorized
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Having an eating disorder is a serious disease that stems from misconceived mental thoughts about one’s self-image. Those who suffer from an eating disorder not only suffer with unhappy thoughts about themselves, they inflict damage to their bodies and smiles. In fact, many extreme cases of eating disorders have resulted in multiple tooth extractions due to tooth decay caused by acid erosion.

Dr. Deborah Gennero, your Houston, TX dentist, discusses the effects of eating disorders on overall and oral health in this blog.

Types of Eating Disorders

  • Anorexia. Patience who suffer from anorexia, have an incredible fear of becoming fat or gaining even the slightest amount of weight. Regardless of what their actual weight is, these patients refer to themselves as fat and even obese. To control their fears, anorexic patients go through bouts of extreme fasting, which only includes drinking water. Paired with their lack of eating, anorexic patients also exercise excessively.
    Additionally, when their hunger overtakes, anorexic patients binge and then purge, similar to those who suffer from bulimia. According to your     Houston, TX dentist, this persistent purging causes damage to the enamel, since it’s making frequent contact with stomach acid.
  • Bulimia. Patients with bulimia share similar traits to those with anorexia. However, rather than the occasional bout of binging and purging, bulimia patients do this daily—sometimes even multiple times a day.
    For example, a bulimia sufferer will gorge on foods high in fat and carbs. Then, once they’ve finished eating, a great sense of guilt overtakes them. Thus, these patients utilize laxatives and vomiting to rid their bodies of the food they have consumed. As aforementioned, the purging exposes teeth and oral tissues to stomach acids. Yet, with bulimia patients the effects of acid erosion on teeth is worsened since purging occurs daily.

Talk to Your Houston, TX Dentist Restoring Your Smile

If you’ve recently overcome an eating disorder and would like more information on repairing your smile, talk to Dr. Gennero. She can listen to your situation and devise a treatment plan that can make your smile beautiful again. To schedule an appointment with your Houston, TX dentist, call us at (281) 578-6200. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and to learn more about the team. We gladly welcome patients from Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, and surrounding cities.

Cough Syrup Can Cause Cavities, Says Houston, TX Dentist

30

Aug
2013
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Categories :Just for Fun, Patient Education, Preventative Dentistry, Tooth Decay
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shutterstock_72001891-300x271Oftentimes, when children need antibiotics, the medicine is prescribed in liquid form, since most kids can’t swallow a pill. However, as an adult, you should opt for pill-based medicines whenever possible. Drinking cough medicine or other liquid-based medicines doesn’t bode well for teeth. In fact, frequent exposure to syrupy medication can lead to more visits to the dentist.

To teach her patients about the effects of liquid medicine on teeth, Dr. Deborah Gennero, the lead dentist of your Houston, TX dentist office, provides this blog post.

What’s the Link Between Cough Syrup and Tooth Decay?

When medicine was first introduced into the market, you had one choice: liquid, bottled medicine. It wasn’t pleasant tasting and the common remedy was to have a spoonful of sugar afterward. As time progressed, liquid medicine formula changed and became tastier and easier to take. With fruity flavors, like, grape, orange, and cherry, the days of cringe-worthy medicine were over.

Unfortunately, the improved taste was the addition of corn syrup and sucrose, which oral bacteria feed upon and inevitably leads to cavities. Additionally, syrupy medicines contain citric acid, which promotes the breakdown of tooth enamel. With prolonged use, the acidity combined with sugar can cause tooth decay.

Steps to Prevent Damage to Your Smile

In order stave off any damage to your teeth, take these precautionary measures when taking liquid-based medicines.

  1. Take liquid medicine during mealtimes rather than before bedtime to ensure your mouth has plenty of saliva to ward off the effects of the syrup.
  2. Rinse your mouth with water or chew sugar-free gum after taking the medicine. If it’s possible, brush your teeth and rinse with a fluoridated mouthwash.
  3. Whenever possible, your Houston, TX dentist office suggests opting for the pill-based version of the medication, which shouldn’t negatively affect your oral health.

Talk to Houston, TX Dentist about Liquid Medications

Before opting for medications, consider your oral health. Dr. Gennero can detail the dental benefits of taking pill-based medications rather than using the liquid variety. To schedule an appointment with our Houston, TX dentist office, call us at (281) 578-6200. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and to learn more about the team. We gladly welcome patients from Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, and surrounding cities.

Houston, TX Dental Office Suggests Fortifying Foods for Your Teeth

09

Aug
2013
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shutterstock_129173642-300x200Did you know that food can either improve or weaken your smile? In fact, healthier food choices not only make you feel better, your teeth become stronger and can fight off oral diseases more effectively. To teach her patients which foods to enjoy more often for a nicer smile, Dr. Deborah Gennero, your Houston, TX dental office dentist, recommends tooth-friendly foods.

Eat More of These Foods for a Stronger Smile

  • Fruits and veggies. Foods that have a high fiber content help maintain your smile cleaner and healthier. Fiber-rich foods, such as crunchy vegetables and fruits, require more chewing. The extra efforts causes your mouth to produce more saliva, which is the mouth’s natural defense against cavity-causing bacteria.
  • Dairy products. Enamel is the hardest element in your body and it’s made from two components: calcium and phosphorous. Dairy—especially cheese—contains high levels of calcium and phosphates, which helps remineralize your teeth. By incorporating more dairy-based products, you’re essentially creating a more resilient smile.
  • Teas. Do you like to drink green or black teas? If you do, then your teeth, alongside your body, benefit greatly. Both green and black tea contain polyphenols, which suppresses and even kill oral bacteria by eliminating the acidic qualities these have.
  • Sugar-free gum. Much like enjoying more fibrous food, chewing sugar-free gum stimulates saliva production to keep your smile in top-notch shape. Furthermore, the stickiness of the gum and chewing motion, removes some of the leftover food particles.
  • Fluoride-rich foods. Patients who enjoy bottled water over tap water, increase the possibility of cavities. Oftentimes, bottle water doesn’t contain fluoride, which is used to allow teeth to mend themselves at more microscopic level. If you’re concerned about the recommended amount of fluoride, talk to your Houston, TX dental office dentist.

Consult with Your Houston, TX Dentist about Proper Oral Care

For more information on healthy foods for your teeth, talk to Dr. Gennero. She can explain which foods benefit your smile the most and why. To schedule an appointment with our Houston, TX dental office, call us at (281) 578-6200. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and to learn more about the team. We gladly welcome patients from Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, and surrounding cities.

Houston, TX Dentist Has Some Suggestions for Minimizing Morning Breath

02

Aug
2013
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Everyone has a serious case of morning breath when they wake up. While eliminating it altogether isn’t entirely possible, you can reduce its intensity by making a few nighttime changes. Dr. Deborah Gennero, from your Houston, TX dentist office, offers her patients some tips for fresher breath in the morning.

These Tips May Help Reduce Morning Breath

  • Use non-alcoholic mouthwash. Many mouthwashes contain alcohol, which tends to cause a dry mouth. Oral bacteria thrive better in drier environments; therefore, to reduce morning breath, using an alcohol-based mouthwash isn’t the way to go. Instead, opt for a alcohol-free variety.
  • Rinse with baking soda. This makes your mouth more alkaline, which is helpful for killing off bacteria. To use this method, simply add a teaspoon of baking soda to a cup of water. Gargle with the solution, and go to bed without rinsing your mouth.
  • Breathe through your nose. Just like the mouthwash, breathing through your mouth cause the oral cavity to dry out. Plus, having an open mouth while you sleep allows dust and other allergens to enter the body.
    The main reason why people sleep with their mouths open is due to blockages in the nasal passages. Your     Houston, TX dentist office recommends using BreatheRight strips or clearing your nose with a NetiPot before going to bed.
  • Brush and floss. This tip is a no-brainer. Dentists always advise patients to brush and floss at least twice-a-day; however, brushing in the morning and at night is absolutely crucial. In the morning, your mouth is teeming with bacteria that accumulated throughout the night. If it’s left unattended, the bacteria has even more time to attack the soft tissues and your enamel, which leads to cavities. The same logic applies to the nighttime brushing.

Consult with Your Houston, TX Dental Office for Excellent Preventative Care

If you’re looking for exceptional preventative care for you and your family, visit Dr. Gennero. She can treat patients regardless of age or dental ailment. To schedule an appointment with our Houston, TX dentist office, call us at (281) 578-6200. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and to learn more about the team. We gladly welcome patients from Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, and surrounding cities.

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