We know that proper nutrition is an essential ingredient of long life. We also know that raw fruits and vegetables are the most important part of the diet for generating antioxidants that fight cancer and heart disease. You just do not see people with dentures snacking on apples, celery and broccoli. It has been estimated that dentures provide only 15% of the chewing efficiency of your natural teeth and many denture wearers have gastric and other stomach problems. The question most often asked is "Why did they lose their teeth?"
Seventy percent of tooth loss is not caused by cavities. The main reason for this loss is periodontal (gum and bone) disease. Today it has been documented that people who have periodontal disease are at higher risk of developing heart disease, stroke, uncontrolled diabetes, preterm births and respiratory disease. In fact, more health issues are being linked to this disease every year. It has been found that periodontal bacteria can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs and begin new infections.
You can improve your health by following these guidelines.
- Keep your regular six month wellness visits with our office. At this time we will assess your overall health including an oral cancer screening, watch for signs of periodontal disease and recommend actions needed to save your teeth.
- If your gums do bleed when you brush or floss or if you have signs of bad breath, make sure we discuss this at your exam. These are signs of periodontal disease and you need to control the infectious plaque. When periodontal disease is diagnosed in early stages, our recommended treatment can control this disease without surgery.
- If your gums are healthy, you want to keep them that way. We recommend using Rowpar's Closys toothpaste and rinse. These products help to keep your mouth healthy without using alcohol as is found in many over the counter mouth rinses.
- Having a toothache does not mean that you have to have the tooth extracted. Quite often the tooth can be saved by treating it with a root canal and crown. Dr. Charles Mayo, founder of the Mayo Clinic, said that people who kept their teeth had over 10 years greater life expectancy than those relying on dentures. We feel that you deserve the opportunity of watching your families grow up and being in good health to enjoy them.
- Remember, it is never too late. If you have missing teeth, consider implants as a replacement instead of a denture. Quite often, you can save for this option with your "Flex Plan" through your employer.
We have many of our guests ask about dental insurance. Dental insurance was not designed like medical, fire, theft or casualty insurance. It is really a way of your employer providing some basic necessities in a way that is tax deductible for you. However, it will not likely pay for more advanced procedures that may be best for your long term health. We will work with you and your insurance plan to help you complete the procedures that you need. Your health is important to us and we want to work with you so that you can enjoy that extra "10 years" that you may have if you keep your teeth.
We look forward to working with you to provide a lifetime of health, self esteem and eating pleasure. To schedule an appointment call Dana today and she will be happy to serve you.
Vitamin D, a key nutrient in bone health, was found to be greater in individuals with regular exposure to solar or artificial ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, said the study. This kind of exposure is an added plus to tanning at a place like Glo Sun and Shades.
We here at Glo know that vitamin D is important to bone health and deficiencies can lead to impaired bone mineralization, bone softening diseases and can, possibly, contribute to osteoporosis. Since vitamin D is absorbed by the body through sunlight, we here in Michigan pay close attention to studies that help us counteract the health effects of our long winters.
The study's authors, Catherine A. Peterson, Mary E. Heffernan, Kay A. Sisk and Susan M. Ring, from the Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, studied healthy women ages 25 to 82 years old, comparing women who regularly use tanning beds with women of minimal UVB exposure.
"Our results show healthy women with regular UVB exposure via tanning beds have significantly greater vitamin D status and lower serum osteocalcin concentrations than those without," the study reported.
Clinical Medicine: Women's Health is an open access, peer reviewed electronic journal that covers diagnosis, management and prevention of disorders specific to women.
Within the last decade advancements have been made in the successful treatment of varicose veins. New minimally invasive procedures such as radio frequency ablation, high ligation, miniphlebectomy, sclerotherapy and dermal laser are now available and have improved not only the symptoms but the physical appearance of many legs.
Radio frequency ablation is performed in the office with local anesthesia, utilizing heat to close the greater and/or lesser saphenous vein. The surgeon places a catheter in to the vein through a small opening in the skin. Radio-frequency energy delivers heat to the vein wall. As the thermal energy is delivered, the vein wall shrinks and the vein is sealed closed, rerouting the blood to other healthy veins.
High ligation is an office procedure used for patients with saphenous veins that cannot be accessed with a radiofrequency catheter. After injecting local anesthesia, the surgeon makes a small incision in the groin area, the saphenous vein is tied off and the skin in closed with dissolvable suture.
Miniphlebectomy is a procedure usually performed on large varicose veins. The procedure is preformed in the office using local anesthesia. It involves small incisions in the leg that allow the doctor to access and remove small segments of the vein. After the unhealthy vein is removed the blood is able to reroute itself to healthy veins.
Sclerotherapy involves injecting a medication (sclerosing agent) into the vein which scars the vein from the inside out, no longer allowing blood to flow through this vein. In some cases, ultrasound guidance is needed to access veins.
Dermal laser uses focused laser energy to the skin's surface, shrinking the vein. This is reserved for the smallest of spider veins. Dermal laser may be used in conjunction with sclerotherapy.
The first step in treating varicose veins is as simple as scheduling a free consultation with a vascular surgeon in our office. No referral is needed. At this appointment the doctor will evaluate the severity of the varicose veins and go over individual treatment options. In some cases a Venous Doppler may be needed to determine the underlying cause of your condition. Before you know it your legs with be feeling and looking better than ever.