HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM OUR TEAM TO YOU!!! When you think about your New Year's resolutions...make sure to include your oral health! Check out this great article with some good starting points! FROM ARTICLE - Add Oral Health to the Top of Your 2013 List - Delta Dental of New Jersey With the New Year approaching, you've probably begun to think about setting some resolutions. New Year's resolutions often include goals for losing weight or living a healthier lifestyle, but why not make one (or many) of those resolutions to improve your dental health? For those who aspire to better their oral health in 2013, Delta Dental offers the following suggestions to help make these resolutions work. Resolution #1 – Brush and floss regularly. The daily routine of brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily is the foundation for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. The sooner you can brush following a meal, the better. The longer food stays stuck to your teeth, the more acid is produced that erodes tooth enamel. Make sure you are brushing and flossing correctly by checking out these brushing and flossing step-by-step videos. Resolution #2 – Visit a dentist in 2013. When was your last check-up? Dentists do more than just check and clean teeth. So don't delay making an appointment for the New Year. They can also check for signs of serious health problems like oral cancer and gum disease and alert patients to signs of potential medical conditions on up to 120 diseases. If you've been avoiding a check-up because you have a phobia of the dental chair, this video has tips to help you fight your fear of the dentist. Resolution #3 – Quit Smoking! Consuming products like cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco is arguably the single most destructive oral health habit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of the cases of severe gum disease in U.S. adults can be attributed to cigarette smoking, and the prevalence of gum disease is three times higher among smokers than non-smokers.1. To get started on the right foot, check out this video for some tips on how to quit smoking. Resolution #4 – Eat sweets in moderation. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle advised, "Moderation in all things" and that rings especially true for sweet snacks. Tooth decay occurs when sweets or simple carbohydrates like those in chips or crackers mix with bacteria in the sticky plaque that forms on your teeth to produce acid, potentially destroying tooth enamel. The more times during the day that your teeth are exposed to sugar, the longer the acids attack. Try incorporating healthy snacks that can help fight plaque and keep enamel strong. Resolution #5 – Wear a mouthguard when playing contact sports. Participating in a competitive adult sports league is a fun way to incorporate exercise into your schedule but there can be significant risk of contact with your teeth. There isn't sufficient evidence to suggest that mouthguards prevent concussions, but they do absorb and distribute forces that impact the mouth, teeth, face, and jaw when an athlete takes a hit to the face. Wearing a mouthguard can prevent chipped, fractured, displaced or dislodged teeth, fractured or displaced jaws, TMJ trauma, and lacerations to the lips and mouth that result from the edges of the teeth. Make it your New Year's resolution to take better care of your mouth and teeth. A healthier smile will give you confidence! So, when you're shopping for new workout clothes, don't forget to pick up a new toothbrush too!

The Importance of Your Dental Hygienist

ARTICLE FROM DENTAL HEALTH MAGAZINE... Why You Should be Visiting a Dental Hygienist Regularly Your dental hygienist could be your best defense against tooth loss and your best asset in protecting your oral and general health. A dental hygienist is an integral part of the dental team who is specially trained to manage and prevent periodontal (gum) disease and to educate you about keeping your mouth healthy. Periodontal Disease Approximately 75% of tooth loss in adults is caused by periodontal disease, a disease that is totally preventable. It is estimated that 3 out of 4 adults aged 35 and over are suffering from some level of gum disease. With an ever increasing amount of research linking periodontal disease to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer and cancer it has never been more important to know how to look after your mouth. Your dentist assesses your gum health by completing a basic periodontal exam or a BPE, this is done by using a specialised measuring probe to measure the space between the tooth and the gum at specific points around your mouth. The space between the tooth and the gum in a healthy mouth is very small and healthy gums will not bleed when probed. As periodontal disease progresses the bone supporting the tooth is destroyed causing a ‘pocket’ between the tooth and the gum, it’s this that your dentist is measuring and the results of your BPE will determine the type and frequency of hygiene treatment you will require. Gum Disease Gum disease is caused by the accumulation of plaque on the tooth surfaces; this is a thin sticky deposit of bacteria that is constantly forming. If allowed to accumulate, the by-products released by this bacteria cause irritation to the gums and eventually damage to the surrounding tissues. Other factors affecting gum disease include smoking, stress, diabetes, hormonal changes, genetics, medication and nutrition, it is important to note that 50% of all cases of gum disease are caused by smoking. For some people the diagnosis of gum disease can be a real shock as the disease has very few symptoms, many of which people assume to be normal. In the early stages of gum disease you may notice swelling, soreness and/or bleeding of the gums, this is known as gingivitis and is the only reversible stage of gum disease. As the disease progresses it is known as periodontal disease, the inflammation spreads to the deeper periodontal tissues (tissues surrounding the teeth) and eventually to the bone. Symptoms include bad breath, bad taste, tender gums, bleeding, recession, mobility of teeth and eventual tooth loss. If you are a smoker these symptoms may be absent, this does not mean the disease is not present and active. Although periodontal disease is irreversible, your hygienist can halt its progression and help you preserve your natural teeth and restore health to your mouth. To learn more about periodontal disease and how Dr. Sutor's office can help, Follow us on Facebook or visit our website at www.sutordds.com

JOINT DETERIORATION LINKED TO PERIODONTAL PROBLEMS

Joint Deterioration Linked To Perio Problems

Research is now beginning to link bacterial problems in the mouth to joint deterioration. Read more about this at: http://pandaperio.com/2012/05/21/joint-deterioration-linked-to-periodontal-problems/ If you are one of thousands of people that suffer from daily joint paint, you may want to consider a periodontal exam. We would love to have the opportunity to talk with you about ways to improve your oral health as well as physical health. For more information, please call 812-333-4550, or email us at info@sutordds.com

BENEFITS OF DIGITAL XRAYS

For just a moment, think back to the last time you had conventional x-rays. I'm sure you remember the discomfort of sharp edges against your gums and cheeks as you were asked to bite down on the film. Then, once the films were taken, you had to wait for them to be developed. If any didn’t turn out just right, you had to start all over and bite down on those sharp film packets all over again. GREAT NEWS!!! All that is a thing of the past with digital x-rays.



Digital x-rays don’t require film. Instead, we capture the images via a small computer sensor placed directly in your mouth. Most people find this technique more comfortable, even when we must take the images at difficult angles. And once each x-ray is taken, you can see the results right along with us in real time on a computer that is attached to your dental chair.

But ease of use is not the main reason we chose several years ago to become one of the first practices the area to rely on digital imaging. Most important are the health benefits, superior imaging and user-friendly results.

Although digital x-rays, like conventional, use radiation to capture the images, they require much less of it. Reported results have suggested that the amount of exposure is almost halved. Tests continue to be run to determine the exact amount, but even if the exposure is reduced by less than we currently think, it’s still less. And the less radiation, the better!

In addition, digital images are typically of higher quality than conventional films. They can also be improved through image manipulation. By enlarging, brightening and otherwise clarifying images, we – and you – can get a better view of the condition of your teeth, gums and bone. Consequently, we can often catch problems in their earlier stages – see where bone loss is beginning to occur or the start of interproximal caries (cavities between teeth).

Even better, you, as a client, can more easily view the images. You can see what we see and so better understand your dental situation and our recommendations for care. If you need to be referred to a specialist, it’s also easier for us to get your x-rays to him or her; we can just e-mail them.

The digital x-ray system we use here at Dr. Sutor's office also allows us to view the images in ways that are awkward or time-consuming with conventional films. For instance, we can do side-by-side comparisons of images taken at different times to better chart changes in your dental health. We can switch images from year to year without having to go through your whole chart to find the films we want. Being able to view and compare images more efficiently, we can further broaden our understanding of your dental health and better work with you to maintain or improve it, supporting you in your quest for optimum dental health.

To learn more about the technology used in Dr. Sutor's office visit our website at www.sutordds.com

BATTLE OF THE SEXES?

According to the Journal of Periodontology, research is showing that WOMEN are winning the Periodontal Health Battle of the Sexes! Women are twice as likely to have received a normal dental cleaning as well as schedule recommended treatment following a routine cleaning. Women had better indicators of periodontal health including lower plaque, calculus and bleeding...Read more from this article at

http://www.perio.org/consumer/gender-differences.htm

Maintaining Oral Health During Cancer Therapy

Oral complications that compromise periodontal health, are sometimes a result of cancer therapy. It is extremely important to keep your teeth & gums healthy during this difficult time by seeing a periodontist, Dr. Sutor.



The American Academy of Periodontology gives some possible side effects of cancer treatments:

Inflamed gums and mouth ulcers
Dry mouth
Difficulty speaking, chewing, and swallowing
Erosion of tooth enamel
Loss of taste
Jaw stiffness
Delayed healing

The AAP also suggests before beginning your cancer treatment, an oral evaluation is very important. It will give you the ability to correct potential problems in your mouth and keep them from getting worse or interfering with your cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy and radiation can cause excessive dryness of your mouth. Some helpful tips during treatment are to keep your mouth moist by sipping cool water, ice chips, chew sugarless gum, apply lip balm and use a humidifier at night.

Your periodontist may also prescribe a fluoride treatment for you, or suggest a dry mouth toothpaste or rinse such as Biotene (www.biotene.com)

As your cancer therapy comes to an end, this relationship with your periodontist is still very important to maintain your healthy mouth for a lifetime.

LOVE HEARING FROM OUR PATIENTS!

WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR PATIENT'S THIS WEEK! THANK YOU ALL! IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE A PART OF YOUR CARE!

"Hard to get Too Rhapsodic about getting my Teeth cleaned,BUT,as always,Dr.Sutor and Holly were Perfect and It was an important step in my continued Dental Health...Thanks"...Jan B.

"Everyone at the Sutor office seems to take seriously the mission of the office - to provide the absolute best dental care. After my procedure, they met and exceeded that goal. Thank you."...Alicia H.

"Up to date and state of the art technology makes this the Mercedes Benz of Periodontics. Dr. Mark Sutor presents a confident can-do attitude, which suggests competence and high quality care. Staff also projects a caring, professional and personable demeanour, underscoring every nuance of the visit.. There is a payment program for those who can indenture themselves, ..hehe..pun..with differing terms and levels of interest. I would absolutely entrust Dr. Sutor with my care. Two thumbs up to him and his staff!"...Janas W.

"When I first stared coming to Dr. Sutor I was in pretty bad shape. I feel as if we are a team in the effort to help me keep my teeth and prevent further damage."...Lila J.