My Blog

Posts for: December, 2019

By Peter Brusco DMD
December 24, 2019
Category: Oral Health
Tags: celebrity smiles   retainer  
MargotRobbieKnowsAGreatSmileIsWorthProtecting

On the big screen, Australian-born actress Margot Robbie may be best known for playing devil-may-care anti-heroes—like Suicide Squad member Harley Quinn and notorious figure skater Tonya Harding. But recently, a discussion of her role in Peter Rabbit proved that in real life, she’s making healthier choices. When asked whether it was hard to voice a character with a speech impediment, she revealed that she wears retainers in her mouth at night, which gives her a noticeable lisp.

“I actually have two retainers,” she explained, “one for my bottom teeth which is for grinding my teeth, and one for my top teeth which is just so my teeth don't move.”

Clearly Robbie is serious about protecting her dazzling smile. And she has good reasons for wearing both of those retainers. So first, let’s talk about retainers for teeth grinding.

Also called bruxism, teeth grinding affects around 10 percent of adults at one time or another, and is often associated with stress. If you wake up with headaches, sore teeth or irritated gums, or your sleeping partner complains of grinding noises at night, you may be suffering from nighttime teeth grinding without even being aware of it.

A type of retainer called an occlusal guard is frequently recommended to alleviate the symptoms of bruxism. Typically made of plastic, this appliance fits comfortably over your teeth and prevents them from being damaged when they rub against each other. In combination with stress reduction techniques and other conservative treatments, it’s often the best way to manage teeth grinding.

Orthodontic retainers are also well-established treatment devices. While appliances like braces or aligners cause teeth to move into better positions, retainers are designed to keep teeth from moving—helping them to stay in those positions. After active orthodontic treatment, a period of retention is needed to allow the bite to stabilize. Otherwise, the teeth can drift right back to their old locations, undoing the time and effort of orthodontic treatment.

So Robbie has the right idea there too. However, for those who don’t relish the idea of wearing a plastic appliance, it’s often possible to bond a wire retainer to the back surfaces of the teeth, where it’s invisible. No matter which kind you choose, wearing a retainer can help keep your smile looking great for many years to come.

If you have questions about teeth grinding or orthodontic retainers, please contact our office or schedule a consultation. You can read more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Teeth Grinding” and “The Importance of Orthodontic Retainers.”


0 Comment(s) Permalink
By Peter Brusco DMD
December 14, 2019
Category: Oral Health
Tags: dental injuries  
FollowTheseHolidayToyTipsforYourKidstoAvoidDentalInjuries

The holidays draw families together like no other season as loved ones gather from near and far to eat, drink and be merry—and exchange gifts. For the little kids that means toys (and sometimes for the big “kids” too!). Unfortunately, a toy meant to delight children could instead cause them harm, including injuries to their teeth and gums.

Be selective, then, when giving toys to the special children in your life this holiday season. Here are a few tips to remember to help protect their teeth and gums from injury.

Avoid toys with small parts. Given infants’ and toddlers’ propensity to put objects in their mouth, try to avoid choosing toys with small parts. While the main concern with smaller toys is the risk for choking, small, hard objects in the mouth could also cause dental damage. The danger is especially acute if a child falls while a toy or similar object is in their mouth.

Watch out for hard, sharp-edged toys. Younger children especially like to bite and gnaw on things. It’s prudent, then, to stay away from hard plastic toys or those with sharp points or edges—these could chip teeth or cut into the gums. Instead, look for toys made of more pliable plastic or fabric, and with rounder surfaces. When in doubt, look for labeling on packaging that indicates the appropriate ages for a particular toy.

Discard damaged toys. With your kids’ toy boxes brimming over with new holiday treasures, it’s a good time to do a safety inventory of their older toys. Besides those they’ve outgrown, look for toys that may have been damaged or broken. Although initially they may have been safe, toys in poor condition might pose many of the dangers to teeth and gums we’ve previously mentioned. Damaged toys should be either repaired or discarded.

Supervise their playtime. You might also want to keep a watchful eye out as your kids play with their new toys. While they do need their own time to be imaginative during play, children could put their toys to uses not intended for them, increasing the risk of injury. A bit of gentle supervision is a good idea to prevent unintended—and unwelcome—consequences.

The holidays are a magical time for all of us, but especially for children. Follow these holiday toy tips to prevent dental injuries that could ruin your family fun.

If you would like more information about protecting your child’s dental health, please contact us or schedule a consultation.


0 Comment(s) Permalink
By Peter Brusco DMD
December 04, 2019
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: gum recession  
4CommonCausesforGumRecession

Your gums play an important role in dental function and health. Not only do they help anchor teeth in the jaw, the gums also protect tooth roots from disease.

But you can lose that protective covering if your gums recede or shrink back from the teeth. An exposed tooth is more susceptible to decay, and more sensitive to temperature and pressure.

Here are 4 causes for gum recession and what you can do about them.

Gum disease. The most common cause for gum recession is a bacterial infection called periodontal (gum) disease that most often arises from plaque, a thin film of bacteria and food particles accumulating on teeth. Gum disease in turn weakens the gums causes them to recede. You can reduce your risk for a gum infection through daily brushing and flossing to remove disease-causing plaque.

Genetics. The thickness of your gum tissues is a genetic trait you inherit from your parents. People born with thinner gums tend to be more susceptible to recession through toothbrush abrasion, wear or injury. If you have thinner tissues, you’ll need to be diligent about oral hygiene and dental visits, and pay close attention to your gum health.

Tooth eruption. Teeth normally erupt from the center of a bony housing that protects the root. If a tooth erupts or moves outside of this housing, it can expose the root and cause little to no gum tissue around the tooth. Moving the tooth orthodontically to its proper position could help thicken gum tissue and make them more resistant to recession.

Aggressive hygiene. While hard scrubbing may work with other cleaning activities, it’s the wrong approach for cleaning teeth. Too much force applied while brushing can eventually result in gum damage that leads to recession and tooth wear. So, “Easy does it”: Let the gentle, mechanical action of the toothbrush bristles and toothpaste abrasives do the work of plaque removal.

While we can often repair gum recession through gum disease treatment or grafting surgery, it’s much better to prevent it from happening. So, be sure you practice daily brushing and flossing with the proper technique to remove disease-causing plaque. And see your dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups to make sure your gums stay healthy.

If you would like more information on proper gum care, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Gum Recession.”


0 Comment(s) Permalink


Kinnelon, NJ Dentist
Peter Brusco DMD
170 Kinnelon Rd # 29A
Kinnelon, NJ 07405
(973) 838-5862
Dental Tooth Call for Pricing Options

Our Blog

Archive:

Tags