Dr. Ryan Paulson DDS and the team at Grand Traverse Smile Center are pleased to provide professional and caring dental services to their patients from Traverse City MI and the surrounding communities. Our dental services include: children's, cosmetic, family, implant, orthodontic, preventive, restorative and sedation dentistry.
For mild periodontal disease, very effective NON-surgical procedures, along with improved dental hygiene, can virtually halt the spread of the disease. This is usually covered under most dental insurance plans. Advanced gum disease requires surgical treatment. Gum surgery is never fun, but it is almost always successful in controlling the condition, and it’s also typically covered by common insurance plans. Grand Traverse Smile Center Ryan Paulson, DDS 928 S. Garfield Avenue Traverse City, MI 49686 (231) 935-4872 GTSmileCenter.com
Below is an excerpt from an article found on MouthHealthy.org Dentist Dr. Thomas Long has seen firsthand what can happen when “the puck stops here.” In addition to seeing everyday athletes in his private practice, Dr. Long (a former college hockey player himself) is the team dentist for the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes. No matter what sport or skill level, Dr. Long says athletes need to take care of their teeth both on and off the field. “Most athletes are careful about what they eat and their workout routine. Part of that routine should include taking care of your mouth and teeth every single day,” he says. "It would be a shame to miss practice or a game because you are in the dentist's office receiving treatment or recovering from a dental surgical procedure.” Here, Dr. Long shares his playbook for a healthy mouth.
Below is an excerpt from an article found on MouthHealthy.org When it comes to teeth whitening, you may see many different methods featured online and in magazines-from oil pulling to charcoal, and even turmeric. It's no surprise that DIY whitening is top of mind, either. When the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry asked people what they’d most like to improve their smile, the most common response was whiter teeth. Healthy smiles come in many shades, though it's tempting to think ingredients in our own kitchens could hold the key to a brighter smile. Still, just because a method is natural doesn’t mean it’s healthy. In fact, DIY whitening can do more harm than good to your teeth. Here’s how: Fruits
Fiction: The approach maintains you can make your teeth whiter and brighter household staples that are naturally acidic (like lemons, oranges, apple cider vinegar), contain digestive enzymes (such as pineapple or mango) and something that is abrasive (like baking soda). Fact: When eaten as usual, fruit is a great choice. However, fruit and vinegar contain acid, and you put your pearly whites at risk when you prolong their contact with your teeth or use them to scrub your teeth because acid can wear away your enamel. Enamel is the thin outer coating of your teeth that protects you from tooth sensitivity and cavities. To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org. The remainder of the article reveals fact vs. fiction for the following:
Would you like to spend a third less time in the dental chair? We are pleased to offer a new technology that not only makes shorter treatment times a reality but makes your time in the chair even more comfortable. Isolite combines a suction device with a brilliant light that illuminates the oral cavity, eliminating distracting shadows in addition to vacuuming away debris. You'll no longer suffer through the "gagging" feeling that can occur when saliva builds up. The advanced illumination also helps the doctor’s accuracy. Isolite keeps the teeth and gums dry and can often eliminate the need for a bulky rubber dam, which means less chance that you'll ever again experience over-extension fatigue in your jaws. Good news for your next visit to the dental chair.
Symptoms And Treatment Of Tooth Abscess If you have a toothache that goes beyond mild to moderate tooth pain and reaches a level of severe, throbbing pain, it could be a sign of a tooth abscess. A tooth abscess is a pus-filled lesion at the roots of a tooth, and is caused by an infection. The first sign is a throbbing toothache that won’t go away. At first, the tooth will likely be sensitive to chewing and biting, as well as to heat and cold. You also may develop a fever, swollen lymph nodes in your jaw or neck, or swelling on your face. If the abscess ruptures, you’ll know because of the nasty-tasting discharge in your mouth. Although the pain may recede if the abscess ruptures, you still need to be treated by a dentist in order to get rid of the infection, save the tooth and avoid complications. If the abscess doesn’t rupture, the infection can spread to other parts of the body. This is not a problem to ignore. Treatment will likely include draining the abscess if it hasn’t ruptured. Your dentist also may recommend that you take over-the-counter pain relievers, rinse your mouth with warm salt water, and take antibiotics. More severe abscesses may require a root canal to remove infected tissue, and the worst cases require extraction of the tooth. A tooth abscess can get its start as an untreated tooth cavity, so the best way to prevent an abscess is to prevent the cavity in the first place by following a consistent oral health routine of twice daily tooth brushing and daily flossing. Regular visits to your dentist are important too, especially if you’ve been treated for an abscess. This allows your dentist to confirm that the infection has cleared. The above article is from: OralB.com Grand Traverse Smile Center Ryan Paulson, DDS 928 S. Garfield Avenue Traverse City, MI 49686 (231) 935-4872 GTSmileCenter.com
Below is an excerpt from an article found on MouthHealthy.org Caring for your teeth means more than brushing and cleaning between them every day. It also means paying attention to the foods you eat. One of the most important nutrients for healthy teeth is calcium. Calcium strengthens the hard outer shell of your tooth called enamel, which is your teeth’s defense against erosion and cavities. To protect your teeth and get the 1,000-2,000 mg daily recommended amount of calcium, many people turn to dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt. If you’re lactose intolerant or need to limit dairy, there are a number of foods that can still give you the calcium you need. Calcium is found naturally in some foods, while others - such as juice, tofu and even waffles - are now fortified with added calcium. Here are some non-dairy options from the USDA Food Composition Database to help keep your body and smile strong. Orange Juice with Added Calcium
Oranges naturally have a bit of calcium, but many varieties of orange juice (already a top source of vitamin C) now come fortified with calcium. For example, frozen orange juice from concentrate with added calcium contains 1514 mg of calcium per cup. That’s your daily recommendation in just one glass! Juice, however, can be high in sugar, so drink it in moderation. If your child drinks juice, make sure to serve the recommended, age-appropriate limits. To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org. The remainder of the article highlights 7 over non-dairy, calcium-rich foods that are good for your teeth:
Recognizing and Treating Oral Thrush Oral thrush, also known oral candidiasis, is a condition that occurs when a fungus called Candida albicans builds up on the lining of your mouth. Anyone can develop oral thrush, but babies, young children, older adults, or anyone with a compromised immune system due to an illness such as HIV are more susceptible. Conversely, candidiasis lesions can be an early sign of an HIV infection. The main symptom of oral thrush is creamy white lesions in the mouth, usually on the tongue or inner cheeks. In some cases, the lesions may appear on the roof of the mouth or on the back of the throat. Interestingly, oral thrush is not caused by poor oral hygiene. Thrush is caused when the naturally occurring fungi in the body get out of balance, which is why the very old, very young, and people with weak immune systems are at higher risk. Good oral hygiene, however, is an essential part of treating oral thrush. Healthy adults and children can recover fairly easily from the infection, especially if they follow a complete oral care routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily proper flossing. To read the entire article please visit: OralB.com Grand Traverse Smile Center Ryan Paulson, DDS 928 S. Garfield Avenue Traverse City, MI 49686 (231) 935-4872 GTSmileCenter.com
A lighter option is nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. You breathe it through a mask and soon are relaxed to a point that allows local anesthetic to be administered with little to no pain. Recovery happens quickly, and you can drive yourself home. This is best for patients who are a little nervous or who need a simple restoration and don’t require the full relaxation of oral conscious sedation. Grand Traverse Smile Center Ryan Paulson, DDS 928 S. Garfield Avenue Traverse City, MI 49686 (231) 935-4872 GTSmileCenter.com
The American Dental Association has created informative videos called Ask the Dentist. Here is their video on: 'Should I Pull Out My ChildÃs Loose Tooth?'
Dentists complete 122 million composite tooth restorations in the United States each year, according to Oregon State University (OSU). But the average lifetime of posterior dental composites is only 6 years. Bioactive glass may improve their durability and provide some of the minerals that have been lost to tooth decay. “Bioactive glass, which is a type of crushed glass that is able to interact with the body, has been used in some types of bone healing for decades,” said Jamie Kruzic, a professor at the OSU college of engineering. The hard and stiff material can replace the inert glass fillers now mixed with polymers to make modern composite tooth fillings. “This type of glass is only beginning to see use in dentistry, and our research shows it may be very promising for tooth fillings,” he said. “The bacteria in the mouth that help cause cavities don’t seem to like this type of glass and are less likely to colonize on fillings that incorporate it. This could have a significant impact on the future of dentistry.” Bioactive glass is made with compounds such as silicon oxide, calcium oxide, and phosphorous oxide, and it looks like powdered glass. Its antimicrobial effect is attributed, in part, to the release of ions such as those from calcium and phosphate that have a toxic effect on oral bacteria and tend to neutralize the local acidic environment. “Almost all fillings will eventually fail,” Kruzic said. “New tooth decay often begins at the interface of a filling and the tooth and is called secondary tooth decay. The tooth is literally being eroded and demineralized at that surface.” To read the entire article, please visit DentistryToday.com Grand Traverse Smile Center Ryan Paulson, DDS 928 S. Garfield Avenue Traverse City, MI 49686 (231) 935-4872 GTSmileCenter.com
