Periodontics & Implantology Blog

If you hate flossing, you’re not alone. In fact, only 32% of Americans floss every day, and 1/3 of Americans don’t floss at all! Though it’s comforting to know you’re not alone, this shouldn’t serve as an excuse to skip flossing. The choice not to floss comes with a whole slew of health complications. Considering the stats on flossing in America, it’s no surprise that 47.2% of adults over 30 have some form of periodontal disease.

If you’re wondering if you can skip flossing, the short answer is no. There are many reasons to floss, and there are also plenty of ways to make flossing easier and more enjoyable. Read along to learn more!  

If you’re a person who has a mouth and who has ever eaten a meal with garlic or onions, it’s likely that you’ve had bad breath. The unpleasant, sometimes embarrassing experience plagues nearly everybody indiscriminately, affecting those with immaculate and poor dental hygiene alike. However, some people experience bad breath more intensely than others. Though bad breath is virtually inescapable, there are things you can do to combat it. Read on to learn our 5 fool-proof strategies for keeping bad breath at bay.

This is a good question and one that you should investigate before making the sizable investment of dental implants.  Not everyone’s results are the same, so consulting with your dental professional and diagnosing your particular needs are necessary when making important decisions about your dental health.

Modern dental implants have been a successful option for over 30 years.  They are the strongest devices available to support replacement teeth – and even better, they allow these new teeth to feel, look and function naturally.

Paired with the proper dental implant surgery, performed by an experienced dental implant professional, and a daily regimen of adequate flossing and brushing, your implant can potentially last a lifetime. With normal wear and tear, a crown or replacement tooth may last for about 10-15 years.  Excellent dental hygiene could extend this beyond 15 years.

It seems like every day the public gets bombarded with tips and suggestions on how to be healthier. And sometimes, just when you’ve gotten into a new “healthier” regimen, the news comes out that new studies suggest that particular regimen isn’t so healthy after all! So, when your dental professional tells you that good oral hygiene is important to your health, you may be asking why.

Even though it seems like summer has just gotten started, the reality is that many children and teens will head back to school in a month or less. As you are probably aware, good oral hygiene habits need to be encouraged and started early in life to avoid serious dental problems down the road. But can you do anything besides policing the recommended twice daily brushing and flossing? Yes, as a parent or guardian, you sure can!

But First… When Should I Start Taking My Child to the Dentist?

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), ideally you should take your child to the dentist when the first tooth appears or by their first birthday. Here’s a startling statistic – according to the AAPD, tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease!  This is almost entirely preventable by early starting and maintaining of good oral habits.

Many people believe that dental work is painful, but with today’s technology and knowledge, beneficial dental work will most likely cause only minor discomfort, in most cases. At San Antonio Periodontics & Implants, our staff is trained to be gentle and to make sure your experience with us is as comfortable as possible.

Scaling and root planing, while sounding a little scary, is actually a very beneficial procedure that can help you keep your teeth is the best of shape. Scaling and root planing is not a surgical procedure, but more of a deep cleaning that is necessary when harmful bacteria-caused plaque begins to threaten your healthy teeth and gums.

Today’s typical American diet carries much of the blame for tooth decay. Back in the 1930s, a Cleveland dentist undertook a study to compare the diets of isolated Australian Aborigines, remote tribes in Africa, Canadian Indians and isolated groups of Eskimos and found they had no tooth decay. Once exposed to modern foods and food habits, there was a rapid loss of immunity to tooth decay. At San Antonio Periodontics & Implants, we want your teeth and oral health to be the best it can be.

We Are What We Eat

We’ve all heard the saying “You are what you eat”. First coined in 1826 in French, the term simply means that in order to be fit and healthy – and that includes oral health – you need to eat good food. It’s always possible to change your eating habits and become a healthier consumer. It’s better to start children at a young age on a path of lifetime healthy eating habits.

Did you know that people have been brushing their teeth since 3500-3000 BC? History actually confirms that Babylonians and Egyptians used a twig with a frayed end to “brush” their teeth. “Toothsticks” have been found alongside their owners in tombs. The Chinese also started “brushing” their teeth around 1600 BC, by using aromatic tree twigs to freshen their breath.

You might be interested to learn that the first “toothpastes” used were varied and included powdered ox hooves’ ashes, burnt eggshells, crushed bones, oyster shells, powdered charcoal and bark, ginseng, herbal mints and salt. Although today’s toothpastes don’t generally use those ingredients (whew), the reasons why ancient cultures brushed their teeth – and why it’s important for you to brush yours – contain some of the same reasons: keeping teeth and gums clean, whitening teeth and freshening breath.

These ancient peoples faced some pretty tough challenges, but they didn’t have to face the challenge of walking into the toothpaste aisle at the grocery store or drugstore and being faced down by a huge variety of toothpastes – all touting their reasons why you should pick them. So how do you choose a toothpaste for you and your family? There are some simple things to keep in mind as you decide. Remember, teeth should be brushed at a minimum twice a day for two minutes each time.

Flossing: the bane of human existence. We’ve all been there (aside from a few outliers who actually have their lives together), laid back in a dental chair, bright light shining in your face. Maybe you’re wearing awkward sunglasses, maybe you’re not, but you feel that stinging in your gums as your dentist pokes you with a metal tool. Then they’re looking down at you with that face, telling you that your gums wouldn’t be bleeding if you would just floss more! Maybe you floss every once in a while, maybe you do it every single day or maybe you don’t do it at all.  

The New Year is upon us and we all know what that means. Lots of reflecting over the past year, fresh starts and New Year’s resolutions. Most resolutions are doomed to fail since people try to immediately implement major lifestyle changes as soon as the new year begins. Despite that reality, we’ve got a few potential resolutions that we think you’ll find a bit easier to integrate into your everyday life at whatever pace feels most comfortable to you. San Antonio Periodontics and Implants is here to provide you with the best information to maintain your dental health. We believe that a healthy smile goes a long way and some of these resolutions can be a benefit to you in more areas of your life than just one. 

Your teeth are an important part of you. Not only are they vital to your everyday functioning, allowing you to chew, talk, bite your nails, etc., but they also help you to brighten the lives of those around you by allowing you to flash a dazzling smile! Your teeth do so much for you, and you owe them the absolute best treatment possible, which means that choosing the right dental specialist for your complex treatments is vitally important. If you’re in need of dental implants, bone grafting or treatment for any periodontal-related issue, you can never go wrong with San Antonio Periodontics and Implants, where we are committed to providing you with the absolute best service catered to your individual dental needs. 

San Antonians are ready to come out of hibernation after a milestone winter where we actually enjoyed snow for the first time in a long time and saw plenty of freezing, rainy days and nights. Spring Break is right around the corner and many of you may be planning a family trip. College students are getting ready for the annual free-for-all in more southern climates. As you prepare for your get-away, don’t forget to put some mental to your dental.

Many people don’t realize that medications, whether they are over-the-counter drugs or prescription treatments, can take a toll on their teeth. A lot of medications include symptoms that are damaging to your oral health such as dry mouth, oral thrush, burning mouth syndrome, and various gum issues. What is even more threatening is if you are taking more than one type of medication, it can be much harder to pinpoint the exact source of the problem.

Did you know that half of Americans have some form of periodontal disease? According to a CDC report from 2012, half of Americans (47.2%) aged 30 and older are afflicted with mild to severe cases. Although more common in men than women (56.4% vs. 38.4%), other factors related to a woman’s health and hormone levels may make women more susceptible at certain times in their life.

What is gum disease?

Periodontal diseases are infections or inflammation that affect the gums or bone surrounding and supporting your teeth. Gums can become red and swollen and bleed easily, and in the worst cases a tooth may loosen and fall out. This can be avoided by ensuring that plaque and related bacteria are removed through regular at home dental care, such as brushing and flossing, as well as regular visits to the dentist for semiannual cleanings.