Why does this happen?

Dental problems are faced by everyone from gingivitis to tooth loss. What causes these problems? How can they be prevented? I hope to answer these questions in this entry and those to follow.

Dental problems are caused by two different factors. One is bacteria. The bacteria in the mouth can attack both the gums and teeth. Daily cleaning, prescribed by a dental professional, is meant to disorganize the bacteria so that problems are averted. If the bacteria is not removed, both gum disease and tooth decay may result. It is the goal of my team to make sure each patient understands the reason for daily cleaning, and also how to clean the teeth and gums properly.

We are seeing more and more folks who are living longer, and also keeping their teeth for their entire life. We are also seeing many whose daily cleaning habits are inadequate. As these patients age into their 70's and 80's, this inadequacy is causing increases in decay and gum disease. We don't see as much decay in children, but now we are seeing an increase in decay in the older patients.

If this concerns you, then you must be diligent in your daily care. Daily Brushing and Flossing are a must. You must keep the teeth and especially the gums clean every day. If you are unsure about how to do this, talk with your dental hygienist. She will be happy to help you become accomplished at the art of bacterial removal.

Treating bacterial caused disease, is what every dentist in the land does every day. The decay in teeth is caused by bacterial infection. The gum disease and resulting bone loss is caused by bacterial infection. This however is not the only factor in dental disease.

The second factor is force. The way the teeth come together and strike each other is responsible for other dental problems. The wearing of teeth, bone loss, receding gums, TMJ, sensitive teeth, and head and neck pain are some of the problems caused by misaligned force on the teeth. Unfortunately, there is nothing a patient can do to help these situations. They are a result of your acquired bite.

Most dentists don't have the knowledge to deal with force problems. This is not tought in dental schools. This is why I have dedicated myself, for the last five years, to studying bioesthetic dentistry. Bioesthetics has given me the knowledge to solve the problems caused by force. I am honored to be the first dentist in central Vermont to offer this treatment.

Our body has the ability to adapt to many things. Once the ability to adapt is overwhelmed, breakdown occurs. Think of all the knees being replaced with titanium. The mouth is much the same. I used to think that we wore our teeth down as a result of aging. Now I understand that this is a result of the teeth having too much force. Tooth enamel is the hardest structure in the body. However, with enough misdirected force, even enamel can be break down. I used to think that aggressive brushing caused gum recession. Now I know that it is the bones' response to excessive torque on the tooth.

I am going to expand on these thoughts in future blogs. I want you to think about the health of your mouth. Is it as healthy as you would like? What is keeping you from having your mouth in a state of optimal health? You are meant to have your teeth for your entire life. This is possible with proper care. Are you flossing every day? Are you having regular cleanings and checkups? Did you know that there are studies linking heart disease with gum health. It is also believed that the health of the gums is a window to the health of the body.

email me with your thoughts.

Mark Luttrell D.D.S.

Remember, floss only the teeth you want to keep.