Blog – Page 5 – Karen P. Meyers, DDS

Do it Yourself Dentistry: A Bad Idea

June 8, 2015

There are lots of fabulous ideas for do-it-yourself projects out there including gardening, interior decoration, and creating kids’ birthday cakes. You can log onto youtube and find thousands of videos about car repair, washing machine repairs and how to use complicated software.

But not everything is a DIY project.

A generally bad idea is DIY dentistry and a particularly awful idea is DIY orthodontia.

But just because it is a bad idea doesn’t make it illegal to post harmful videos and other information on the Internet about home orthodontic treatments.

The Internet includes all sorts of bad advice like utilizing rubber bands and hair elastics around teeth, even paper clips and dental floss.

The use of clear bands, often called gap bands, is the most ubiquitous of the DIY orthodontic tips. These bands are deceptively harmful. These gap bands can move up the teeth and actually dislodge the tooth from the underlying bone. Then, instead of a straightened tooth, you will have a weakened tooth, one that may not be reparable, even one that requires an actual implant to fix.

Dentists and orthodontists’ expertise includes understanding the structure of your teeth, the condition of the surrounding gum and knowledge of which appliances are the safest and most effective.

People embark on DIY projects to save money and because they have some skills in the project area. In the case of orthodontia, there are no savings, there is ordinate potential for great harm and the do it yourselfer clearly has no expertise in the practice of orthodontics.

Instead of going down the DIY road, it is better to visit your oral health care provider and work together on how to make your care affordable. That is the most effective and safest approach to this project.

Old Teeth Tell Tales: Oral Hygiene in the Middle Ages

May 26, 2015

How do our teeth compare with the teeth of our European ancestors in the Middle Ages?

Surprisingly, our ancestors weren’t as backwards as we would think. How could that be?

Those who lived in the Middle Ages lacked the greatest element that causes teeth decay: sugar!

Sugar was very rarely used, and could be prohibitively expensive. Honey was occasionally a medieval cooking ingredient and naturally sweet fruit products were also eaten. As a consequence, those who lived in that time period had a diet that was actually better for their oral health in many ways than ours: low in sugar and high in grains, fruits and vegetables and calcium.

We may also mistakenly think that these oldtimers didn’t use teeth cleaning products, because they had no access to commercial dental care products. But archaeological evidence indicates that our ancestors did manage to use homemade tooth powders and mouthwash, residue of which has been found on their dental surfaces as well as in ancient containers. We know through diaries and excavations what some of these potions contained. Sage, charcoal and pepper were popular ingredients.

The greatest risk to Middle Age teeth, then, was not diet. It was actually damage. Food was “heartier” in the bad sense. It was grittier, meat was tougher, bread was denser. Chewing on these items caused more extensive wear and abrasion on the enamel and even tooth loss.

What was clearly inferior in the Middle Ages was the practice of dentistry. It was primitive at best, fatal at worst.

In the end, the actual physical evidence of Middle Age teeth tells us the whole story. There was lower incidence of cavities but higher examples of worn enamel. Our ancestors appreciated clean, white teeth, they did the best they could with the knowledge they had, but their teeth were also subject to certain environmental stressors that we can avoid now.

The Info on Implants

May 11, 2015

What are dental implants? What are they used for? How do you take care of dental implants?

Dental implants are more common than you think. They are used typically when a tooth is no longer salvageable due to disease or breakage. A dental implant is a permanent solution to a loss of a tooth. It is an attractive new artificial tooth with a great track record for longevity, and with none of the issues that accompany non permanent dentures and bridges.

The implantation procedure is as follows:

Permanent removal of the tooth or teeth in question.
Implantation of a screw (or screws) directly into either the upper or lower jaw. These are typically made of titanium and either shaped like a screw or are cylindrical.
After the jaw has accepted the screw, then a porcelain tooth or teeth are installed.

Following the dental implantation, patients are able to eat normally and the porcelain teeth are as attractive as your natural teeth and even tougher.

Patients should be aware that dental implants still require excellent oral hygiene including regular brushing and flossing. In addition, patients with dental implants require regular dental check-ups to assess the continuing health of the dental implant and the gum surrounding it and to make sure any disease processes that may have caused the initial tooth loss are under control. Patients with dental implants are also advised to quit smoking.

Getting Ready for a First Visit to the Dentist

April 27, 2015

If you will be taking your child or grandchild to their first dental appointment soon, good for you! Early dental care is crucial for continued good oral health among the youngest of dental patients. Dental visits may have changed since you were a kid. What can you expect to happen at that first visit?

You might have more anxiety than your child. You may have your own preconceived notions about childhood dentist visits. It is really important that you do not somehow transmit these fears to your child.

For a child, a first visit to the dentist is a happy milestone. It can be a little exciting, and if all goes well, a very positive experience. Many children list their dentists among some of their most trusted adults in their lives. Dentists see them regularly, ask the kids to smile, put the kids in a cool comfy chair, and dentists are trained to be gentle and positive.

What will happen at the first dental visit? In general, the answer is “Nothing scary”. The dentist will look at the teeth very gently and count them. Some dentists will engage the children in helping to count the teeth, too. Dentists will discuss with the caregivers any oral health concerns, including eating and drinking habits, current oral hygiene practices and any worrisome areas, like thumb-sucking. If the children are old enough, the child’s teeth will be gently cleaned and polished. Dentists can also give parents a timeline as to when teeth should erupt and even when to expect visits from the Tooth Fairy.

Dentists are teachers. Dentists and their staff will help work with older children to make sure they understand how to brush their teeth and why it is important. For parents, having another adult authority who values teeth brushing is very helpful. Whenever there is pushback at home about brushing or flossing, parents can invoke the authority of the dentist, saying, “But Dr. ___said….”

So, make your appointment for that little one and help usher them into a lifetime of great habits and pearly whites.

The Story of Fritz Pfeffer, Anne Frank’s dentist

April 13, 2015

We thought our readers would be interested in the story of a dentist made famous by a young girl. That dentist, Dr. Friedrich “Fritz” Pfeffer, was Anne Frank’s roommate, her dentist, and her sometimes nemesis.

Unfortunately, our knowledge of Fritz has been sullied somewhat by Anne’s resentment of him. The truth is that Anne didn’t like sharing such a small space with a strange man. In her diary, Anne calls Fritz by the alias “Dussel”, which means fool. Anne never seemed to understand Fritz. She never seemed to know about his family or his struggles. But Fritz was indeed a heroic man who lived through impossible circumstances, and who died, like Anne, far too early.

Fritz Peffer was born in Giessen, Germany. He went to school to become a dentist and a jaw surgeon. He served the German Army during World War I, like many other German Jews. These Jews were proud of their German-ness and truly never could wrap their heads around the fascism of Adolf Hitler and their rejection as loyal citizens of Germany.

As a young man, Fritz was athletic and social. He rowed with the Undine rowing club (a Jewish club), he rode horses and he traveled extensively in Europe.

Pfeffer was briefly married and had one son, Werner, but he later divorced from Werner’s mother, Vera. Fritz retained custody of young Werner. Fritz then met Charlotte Kaletta, who came to him as a dental patient in 1936. They began to date and later they were engaged. Charlotte was not Jewish. As a result, the couple was unable to marry, because Germany’s Nuremberg Laws forbade marriages between Jews and non-Jews.

Fritz could not ply his trade publicly as a dentist in Germany after the Nuremberg Laws, but he managed to moonlight a little secretly and take in a bit of money.

The situation in Germany continued to deteriorate and after Kristallnacht in November of 1939 (the Night of Broken Glass), Fritz and Kaletta managed to leave Germany and flee to Holland. Before Pfeffer left Germany, he arranged for his young son Werner to be on a Kindertransport (a program where Jewish children could be sent to England to stay with families there, ostensibly to keep them safe during the war). Werner was sent to England, a move which saved Werner’s life.

The Frank family had been in Holland since 1933, as they had moved from Frankfurt, Germany. In Amsterdam, these expatriates (Otto Frank and his wife Edith, Fritz Pfeffer and Charlotte Kaletta) became friends. Pfeffer told his friends that after the war, he hoped to move with Charlotte to South America, where they would send for Werner, reunite and be free to marry and start a new life.

The Nazis invaded Holland in May of 1940. At this point, Pfeffer was forced to hide in order to save his life, and so he moved in with the Frank family of four (Otto, Edith and daughters Anne and Margot) along with the Van Pels family of three (Hermann Pels, his wife Auguste and son Peter).

Pfeffer arrived at the annex with some money from Kaletta, along with his dental instruments. While in the annex, he convinced the inhabitants that they needed to take care of their teeth for their health and in order to be able to withstand being in such close proximity. He regularly checked the inhabitants’ teeth and tried to maintain good oral health for the annex inhabitants.

The group of eight managed to hide out for 2 years (Pfeffer just for 18 months) until they were discovered by the Nazis in August of 1944. All the inhabitants of the annex were deported first to Westerbork, and then to other concentration camps including Auschwitz. Pfeffer was deported from Auschwitz to Neuengamme, a concentration camp in Germany where he died in December of 1944. Of the eight people who lived in the annex, only Otto Frank survived. He was instrumental in the publication of his daughter’s diary.

Yom HaShoah, the day to remember victims of the Holocaust, begins on Wednesday evening. Each of the people who died had a story. Now you know the story of Fritz Pfeffer, Anne Frank’s roommate and dentist.

Keeping our Seniors Smiling

March 30, 2015

If you are responsible for the care of an elderly person or have an elderly loved one who requires care, we urge you to check out their teeth.

Many elderly folks who were diligent about their oral care throughout their adult lives are currently suffering because they no longer are able physically or cognitively to take care of their teeth. These same people who had regular cleanings and check-ups may be long overdue for dental care and may also not be brushing or flossing as often or as effectively as they did in the past.

For frail elderly, poor dental health can also have a negative impact on nutrition. Recently, Citymeals-on-Wheels in New York partnered with Columbia University College of Dental Medicine to determine the extent of this problem among the low income seniors who receive meals. Their initial findings were startling: 40% of their clients reported that they had difficulty eating, not because of poverty but because their teeth problems (often from years of neglect) had made eating solid food sometimes impossible. Further, some of the seniors physically could not demonstrate an ability to brush their teeth, often because of poor grip strength or other muscular-skeletal issues, often the result of other diseases like stroke or diabetes.

Tooth loss in the elderly is another serious issue. For many, tooth loss is a sign of declining physical and mental health. Tooth loss can often be tied to unhealthy activities like smoking and drinking. Elderly adults who don’t smoke and who drink moderately are more likely to have good overall health and better dental health. When you witness an elderly person begin to lose teeth, however, this is a clear sign that more rigorous action regarding their oral health needs to occur.

When an elderly person is edentulous (has no teeth), that does not mean that they no longer need oral health attention. Many homebound elderly have dentures that need repairing or that fit poorly. In addition, they may not be taking care of their dentures appropriately.

A common problem in senior care facilities is loss of dentures. When this occurs, a cascade of catastrophes can happen. If the resident quits wearing the dentures, their regular food will by necessity modified to only soft foods or pureed foods. For many seniors, even those who complain about their food, meals are stimulating and can be social, too. When the nature of these meals becomes purely nutritive and a rather tasteless soft diet ensues, these seniors have higher incidence of depression.

Often, when dentures are eventually found, after an extended period of time of not wearing them, they may no longer fit or may be painful.

Poor dental care also causes halitosis (bad breath). This impacts socialization and even relationships with family members.

There are many aspects to taking care of our elderly loved ones. Part of ensuring their safety and their quality of life is making sure that their mouths are healthy.

Your Pregnant Mouth

March 15, 2015

Photo by David Roseborough

Does it seem like there are more visibly pregnant women than ever? Now is the time when you will notice them! More women give birth in the month of September than any other month, followed by August, June and then July. So that makes these next few months high pregnancy months and the early fall are the lowest numbers of pregnancies.

Pregnant women have a higher risk of gum disease during their pregnancy. Pregnancy is a time of changing hormone levels and these fluctuations affect the blood supply to the gums, which can prevent the gum tissue from effectively fighting off infection. This can result in inflamed gum tissue, which looks like swollen, red gums.

Pregnancy gingivitis is often one of the first signs of pregnancy. There are lots of anecdotes of women being asked by their dentist if they were pregnant before scheduling their first visit to the obstetrician!

Pregnancy is not just a time for new gum disease; it can also be a time when existing oral health conditions worsen. So pregnant women who already are prone to gum disease may find the months while they are expecting particularly challenging.

Gum disease, left untreated, can become periodontal disease, an advanced gum condition. Periodontal disease is not just unhealthy for pregnant women; women with untreated periodontal disease have a higher risk of pre-term or low birth weight babies. One more note: a mother with untreated cavities can pass along the cavity-producing bacteria to her newborn.

Pregnant women need to take the following steps:

Stay current with your dental appointments and cleaning procedures.
If you are prone to gum disease, increase the number of cleanings during your pregnancy to once every 3-4 months as opposed to twice a year.
Continue to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss daily.
Be vigilant about cleaning carefully right along the gum line.
Drink water between meals and rinse your mouth out when you cannot brush your teeth.
If you suffer from nausea, do not brush your teeth right after you vomit. Instead, rinse your mouth out with water and a mouthwash. You may brush your teeth ½ hour after throwing up. This ensures that the acids from your stomach don’t get brushed into your enamel.
Avoid food that can do damage to teeth and dental appliances like ice, popcorn kernels and sticky treats.

Canker Sores! Ouch!

March 2, 2015

Canker sores are also known as aphthous ulcers. They are small, shallow lesions and they can be found on the soft tissues of your mouth or on the gums. Canker sores are not the same as cold sores; they do not appear on the lips and they are not contagious like cold sores. But canker sores can be painful, irritating or just plain annoying.

We are not always sure what causes each individual canker sore, but these are typical culprits:

A small or minor injury to your mouth. This could be caused by aggressive brushing, or a collision (particularly a sports-related one)
Accidentally biting your cheek
Sharp edges on dental appliances
Eating spicy food
Food sensitivities
Insufficient B-12
Changes in hormones as a part of the menstrual cycle
Allergic reactions
Stress, anxiety or depression
Celiac disease (gluten sensitivity)
Gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn’s Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
HIV/AIDS

Canker sores typically go away on their own within one to two weeks. But you should seek advice from your health care professional if your canker sores recur, if they grow, if they last longer than three weeks, if they extend into the lip, if the pain is intolerable or if you develop a high fever.

Of course, see your dentist immediately if any dental or orthodontic appliances develop sharp edges, so she can make needed repairs and prevent further mouth injury.

False Teeth, Dental Intelligence and the Presidency

February 16, 2015

Presidents’ Day is a great time to think again about…George Washington’s teeth. It’s amazing how much George Washington’s dental troubles impacted his life, and unbelievably the life of the nation. It’s a reminder that dental issues can affect us all, famous and not so famous.

So, here are some fun facts about Washington’s teeth:

· Washington did have terrible trouble with his teeth, which resulted in his need for dentures.

· Washington was embarrassed about his dental troubles and he kept the issue secret. However, his confidential correspondence with a dentist was intercepted by British spies during the Revolutionary War and actually changed the course of history. Washington noted in a letter to his Philadelphia dentist that he wouldn’t make it back to Philadelphia, so he wanted the dentist to send him a dental scraper in New York. The British believed from this “dental intelligence” that Washington was not heading to Yorktown (which he was). So, Washington’s teeth hastened the end of the war and Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown.

· By the time of Washington’s inauguration, he only had one natural tooth.

· Washington’s dentures were not made of wood; that is a myth. They were an amalgamation of material from his teeth that were previously pulled, possibly the teeth of African-American slaves (we know he purchased 9 teeth) and other materials that were used at the time like animal bones, and metal objects.

· Just because Washington’s false teeth weren’t made of wood didn’t mean that they were a great match. Washington complained bitterly about his dentures; they were poor fitting and the technology just didn’t seem to exist to help him. Modern dentists believe that the most famous painting of Washington (Gilbert Stuart’s shown above) is evidence of how poor his dentures were. They clearly push out his upper lip, and maybe his lower lip, as well.

· Washington was known to be somewhat reticent socially. Looking back, he may have been embarrassed about his appearance and reluctant to speak in public because of his ill-fitting dentures.

You can check out all of this information and more at the Mt. Vernon website, Washington’s home just outside Washington, D.C. Mt. Vernon is also a fabulous location to tour, a lovely Virginia estate on the shores of the Potomac River with beautiful vistas, gardens, outbuildings and terrific tour guides.

February is National Pet Dental Health Month

February 2, 2015

No, we are not going to the dogs, but February is National Pet Dental Health Month. So today, we’ll move from our mouths to theirs and give some great oral health tips for our favorite four-legged furry friends.

1. Sniff your pet’s breath. Most dogs and cats don’t have fabulous breath, but if it is really offensive, it could be a sign of dental disease or even gum deterioration.

2. Smile for the camera. About once a week, try to get Fluffy or Fido still and check their mouths fully, including their lips and teeth. You should see white teeth and pink gums. Be aware of any missing or broken teeth, which can often go unnoticed because pets will continue to eat even if they are having tooth issues. Any tooth issues, bumps or areas that are discolored are cause for a trip to the veterinarian.

3. Brush your dog’s teeth daily. There are plenty of products for brushing pet’s teeth. They really do work and they also give the owner a chance to look around at the teeth.

4. Use doggie dental chews. Doggie dental chews are terrific for removing bacteria and plaque. The evening is a great time to distribute these treats, just prior to bedtime. When you brush your teeth, doggie gets his dental chew.

5. See the veterinarian for well checks. Veterinarians will also check out pet’s mouths. Often a thorough examination may require anesthesia at a follow-up appointment.

Do you have pictures of your pet’s smiles? We would love to see them!

Monday:	9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday:	9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday:	Closed
Thursday:	8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday:	By appointment only
Saturday:	By appointment only
Sunday:	Closed