Everyone knows Vanna White as the elegant co-host of the popular game show Wheel of Fortune. But here’s one thing you may not know: White is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as television’s most frequent clapper, with an average of 720 claps per show — that’s over 28,000 per season! And here’s something else: the star with the megawatt smile wore braces as a kid, and she’s not too shy to talk about it. “I only had to wear them for a year and it was a good experience for me,” she told an interviewer for Dear Doctor magazine. But when it was time for her son to get them, White noticed something different. “We used to have those silver bands that went all the way around each tooth, and they don’t have that anymore. It is fascinating to see how far they have come.” We’re glad she noticed! In fact, orthodontic appliances have advanced a good deal in the past decade or so. Instead of using metal bands, brackets holding the wire part of braces are now typically attached directly to the teeth with a dental adhesive. For an even less obtrusive look, ask about using colorless brackets instead of metal ones — that way, the only part that’s clearly visible is the thin wire itself. And in some situations, braces can be placed on the lingual (tongue) side of the teeth, making them all but invisible. Another type of nearly invisible appliance is the Invisalign clear orthodontic aligner. The aligner system consists of a series of precision-made transparent “trays” that fit over the teeth. Each tray is worn for a few weeks, and each moves your teeth by a small amount; together, they can help correct mild to moderate orthodontic problems. And the best part — they’re really hard to notice! That makes them perfect for both adults concerned about a “professional” look, and image-conscious teens. So if you’re a TV star — or if you’d just like to have a brighter and better smile — it’s never too late to get started! If you would like more information about orthodontics, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “The Magic of Orthodontics” and “Clear Orthodontic Aligners.”

Battling Bruxism and Saving Your Teeth

Posted by Cindy Sumarauw on  March 6, 2013
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Category: grinding teeth
Do you clench your jaw or grind your teeth? Bite your nails? Chew on pencils or toothpicks? Or, heaven forbid, unscrew hard-to-open bottle caps using your precious pearly whites? Over time, habits such as these — referred to in dentistry as “parafunctional” (para – outside; functional – normal) or beyond the range of what nature intended — can inflict excessive wear and tear on your teeth. Besides the impact damaged teeth can have on your smile, so called “tooth to tooth” and “tooth to foreign object” behaviors can cause physical problems, such as jaw joint and muscle pain, headaches, earaches, and even neck and back pain. Use of Excessive Force Parafunctional behaviors exert an abnormal amount of force on your teeth — up to 10 times the amount used for biting and chewing. Tooth grinding or “bruxism” (from the Greek word brykein – “gnash the teeth”) is particularly detrimental and is commonly seen in individuals who are experiencing a stressful time in their life. Some medications can also trigger it. Since bruxism often occurs while people sleep, it’s possible to be unaware of it unless a partner comments (it can be noisy!) or a dental professional points out the tell-tale signs of wear. To counter the adverse effects of nocturnal tooth grinding our office can create a customized night or occlusal (bite) guard. Typically fashioned from a hard, clear “processed acrylic” (wear-resistant plastic), this type of guard is amazingly inconspicuous. It is made to fit over the biting surfaces of the upper teeth only and is thinner than a dime. When it is worn, the lower teeth easily glide over the upper teeth rather than chomping into and gnashing with them, which minimizes the likelihood of erosion, chipping and uneven or excessive wear of the biting surface of the teeth. The guard is so unobtrusive, that some people even wear it as they go about their daily activities. Remember: In addition to proper dental hygiene, you can help keep your teeth healthy by using them wisely! If you would like more information about parafunctional habits like bruxism and ways to protect your teeth, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Stress & Tooth Habits” and “How And Why Teeth Wear.”

Are You at Risk for Oral Cancer?

Posted by Cindy Sumarauw on  February 22, 2013
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Category: oral cancer
Oral cancer accounts for approximately 3% of cancers in men and 2% in women. That may not sound like a lot, but the disease often isn’t detected until it has progressed to its later stages when it’s harder to treat and the outlook for survival is significantly diminished. The main areas where oral carcinomas (cancers) occur are: the tongue (most common location, particularly the sides and underneath) the lip (especially the lower one), the oral cavity (the mouth), and the pharynx (back of mouth and throat). Risk Factors You Can’t Control Even if you can’t change these risks, awareness helps raise your vigilance in order to catch potential problems early when treatment options and positive outcomes are greatest. Heredity Aging — More than 90% of all oral cancers occur in individuals over 40. However, the incidence among younger people has been on the uptick recently, perhaps related to lifestyle behaviors. Race — African Americans have a higher incidence of oral cancer than Caucasians. Risk Factors You Can Address Smoking and chewing tobacco — Smokers are at five to nine times greater risk and snuff and tobacco chewers at about four times greater risk Alcohol — Moderate to heavy drinkers are at three to nine times greater risk; the higher the alcohol content, the greater the risk Diet — A high intake of fruits/vegetables, which are high in antioxidants, has been found to have a protective effect against a variety of cancers, including oral. Chronic sun exposure — Often connected with lip cancers. Viral infections — Namely the human papilloma virus “HPV 16,” which has been linked to sexual transmission (oral sex) and cervical cancer in women. As part of your routine oral hygiene, you should be closely monitoring any non-healing changes in your mouth (e.g., ulcers or sores, white or red patches on the tongue). And rest assured that as part of your regular check-ups, our office performs a comprehensive visual screening for signs of oral cancer. If you would like more information about oral cancer prevention and detection, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Oral Cancer” and “Diet and Prevention of Oral Cancer.”
All during February, we are taking part in the celebration of National Children’s Dental Health Month. This annual observance is sponsored by the American Dental Association (ADA) to raise awareness of how important it is to develop good oral hygiene habits at an early age. Good dental health will promote your children’s overall health and even their performance at school. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, an estimated 51 million school hours are lost per year due to dental-related illness. To get every child off to the best possible start, we recommend that the first dental visit take place around the time of your child’s first birthday. This will establish a “dental home” for your little one and allow caring professionals to respond to any issues that come up early on. Regular, semi-annual visits should follow to maintain healthy baby teeth, which in turn will have a positive affect on the permanent teeth that will replace them. If your children are of school age, they will probably enjoy some of the games, puzzles and coloring sheets the ADA has created to help instill healthy habits. You can access the whole collection at http://www.ada.org/5578.aspx#sheets. If you have any questions about oral health for children, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for your child. You can read more about the importance of the “Age One Dental Visit in Dear Doctor magazine.
One went over the handlebars of his mountain bike. Another got an elbow going for a lay-up. For a third, it was that tricky maneuver on her new snowboard… These are just a few of the ways that kids’ teeth can be injured. (No doubt, parents can think of plenty more.) The good news is that modern dentistry offers more options than ever for treating the injury and restoring the appearance and function of the teeth. Teeth that are fractured or dislodged are a serious condition that requires immediate, comprehensive treatment. The majority of dental injuries, however, are less severe: most often, they involve chipped teeth. If chips occur in the upper front teeth — as some 80% of dental injuries do — even small flaws can have a big affect on the appearance. And, especially in the teenage years, appearance can mean everything. In many cases, small chips in the teeth can be repaired effectively using a procedure called “bonding.” In this treatment, we use a tooth-colored material made by mixing a plastic matrix and a glass-like filler, which provides adequate strength and aesthetic qualities similar to the natural teeth. In fact, this composite material can be matched to an individual’s tooth color so accurately that it’s hard to notice any difference. Composite resins can be successfully bonded to most healthy teeth — and they offer some advantages over other restoration methods, particularly for children and teenagers. The bonding procedure avoids making tiny “undercuts” in the natural substance of the tooth, while metal fillings need to “lock in” to the tooth’s structure. This means that bondings generally require less tooth preparation, which usually makes bonding a quick and relatively easy method of restoration. It’s true that, over time, some bonded restorations may not stand up to the tremendous biting forces of the jaw as well as porcelain restorations — but in young people whose permanent teeth have large pulp (nerve) chambers, the removal of too much tooth structure could compromise the long-term health of the tooth. Later on, we can look at performing a different type of restoration. If you have questions about cosmetic bonding or sports-related dental injuries, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Repairing Chipped Teeth” and “An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry.”
Of major importance in all wedding day plans is to ensure that you have your special day captured on film. And it is that fact that influences most brides and grooms to take a long and hard look in the mirror to observe their smiles. Not only do wedding dates motivate many brides and grooms to address concerns regarding their smile, it also serves as the perfect time for their parents to pursue their smile makeover dreams so that they too feel good about themselves in your wedding photos. A proper smile makeover should have a two-fold design plan that ensures you obtain optimal functionality and oral health while creating the cosmetic look you want. Starting with the basics, a thorough dental cleaning is the least expensive way to remove stains and freshen both your smile and breath. We will also use this consultation to learn about your concerns, goals, expectations, and wedding day timeline to create the action plan for future treatments in reaching your smile makeover goals. You may also want to discuss whitening your teeth during your appointment, as whitening teeth is an effective way to brighten your smile a few shades in as few as 1 to 2 appointments plus whitening while at home. If your smile makeover is a bit more challenging, relax. There are a wide variety of tools and techniques available that include bonding, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, and dental implants for restoring your smile. Or we may work closely with a specialist such as an orthodontist to straighten your teeth or a periodontist for periodontal plastic surgery that can alter your gum tissues and their relationship with your teeth. The most important tip to remember is to schedule your first dental appointment soon after you become engaged so that you have plenty of time prior to the big day to attain your picture perfect wedding day smile. Want to learn more? Contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment to discuss your smile makeover questions. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor article, “Planning Your Wedding Day Smile.”

Teeth Can Suffer From Holiday Stress, Too!

Posted by Cindy Sumarauw on  December 21, 2012
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Category: stress
Once again, it’s that time of year when the holiday spirit is in the air: the time when you start hearing those old songs and seeing those pretty lights (not to mention the shopping crowds and the bad weather.) But for lots of us, along with all the good cheer comes a measure of holiday-induced stress. In all the hustle and bustle of the season, could your teeth be suffering from holiday stress too? We’re not just talking about what may happen when you bite down on an uncooked kernel in a popcorn ball, or use your mouth to do what you should be doing with a nutcracker — although that certainly does occur. But for many people, the holidays are a time when we’re eating lots of sugary snacks and rushing around without really taking care of ourselves. In fact, people in recent surveys have said they expect to gain an average of about five pounds during the season (although their actual weight gain is probably less.) Still, that’s a lot of extra calories — and many come from the sugar in holiday treats. Aside from the added weight (which may be hard to take off), this can create a host of dental problems, including one very common — and preventable one — tooth decay. Here are a few friendly reminders about how you can prevent your teeth from “stressing out.” If you’re going to indulge in some sweet treats, wait until after a meal — but resist between-meal snacks, and don’t feed your sweet tooth right before bed. Why? It’s all because of your saliva! Saliva is the body’s natural way of neutralizing acids in the mouth that promote tooth decay — but it takes about an hour to work. If you’re constantly putting sugars in your mouth, your saliva has no time to do its job. What if you brush your teeth right afterward? You might think this would be effective, but research shows otherwise. Sugar creates acid, and acid softens tooth enamel, which helps protect your teeth from decay. After acid attack, enamel can take 30-60 minutes to re-harden. If you frequently brush while the enamel is soft (more than twice per day), you might actually begin brushing enamel away. So too-frequent brushing may do more harm than good. What’s the good news? Fluoride toothpaste, used properly, is effective at preventing cavities. Calcium, which is often added to beverages as a nutritional supplement, may also help protect tooth enamel. And — perhaps surprisingly — eating cheese may also be beneficial, as it too can help neutralize acids in the mouth. So pass on the candy canes, enjoy the cheese plate — and have a happy holiday! If you have questions about tooth decay or oral hygiene, contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Tooth Decay” and “Oral Hygiene Behavior.”
The holidays are traditionally a time when friends and family from near and far can get together and make merry. In this joyful season, many folks look forward to re-connecting with old friends… and maybe making new ones. But if you’ve been hesitant to show your holiday smile because your teeth are less than pearly white — then why not stop fretting: Did you know that your teeth could be dramatically brighter after just one visit to the dental office? With in-office tooth whitening, it’s not to late get dazzling white teeth in time for the holidays! Our professionally-administered whitening procedure is far different from over-the-counter (OTC) or even take-home treatments. These treatments can be effective — but they typically take weeks to produce noticeable results. Using an in-office treatment, your teeth can be lightened up to ten shades in about an hour! Before you begin any whitening system, however, it’s important to find out what’s causing your teeth to look dull in the first place. Otherwise, whitening teeth is like papering over a hole in the wall: it hides the defect, but doesn’t fix the problem. We start by performing a through exam to check for hidden trouble, such as a root-canal problem or another issue. After the exam, we can begin the whitening treatment. The reason our in-office procedure works so well is the high concentration of the whitening gel. When it’s done under professional supervision, whitening gel may contain 35-45% of the active ingredient, as compared to about 6-10% in take-home or OTC products. Of course, during the treatment, we constantly monitor the whitener’s action, and ensure that the lips, gums, and other mouth parts are protected from exposure to chemicals. Numerous studies have shown that tooth whitening is generally a safe, conservative, and effective procedure. When it’s carried out under the supervision of trained professionals, you have the opportunity to get the most dramatic results in the shortest time. So if you’ve been dreaming of white teeth for Christmas — why not give us a call? If you have questions about tooth whitening, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Teeth Whitening” and “Important Teeth Whitening Questions Answered.”

The Value of Mouthguards

Posted by Cindy Sumarauw on  November 22, 2012
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Participating in athletic activities offers numerous well-documented health benefits — not to mention instilling the intangible values of discipline, teamwork and goal-setting. Of course, in nearly every sport, the possibility of injury exists as well. But don’t let that stop you or someone you love from playing! Instead, you can learn about the potential hazards of dental injury, and take some practical steps to minimize the risk. It should come as no surprise that injury to the mouth is an ever-present possibility in so-called “collision” sports like football and ice hockey. But did you know that the greatest number of dental injuries result from the games of baseball and basketball, which are often played informally? Even non-contact sports like skiing, bicycling and skateboarding carry a real risk of injury. Who suffers dental injury? Men are slightly more likely than women — but only by a small percentage. Injury peaks in the teenage years, and seems to decrease afterward — but older athletes tend to have more severe problems. In short, most anyone who participates in sports is subject to possible dental injury. Besides the obvious aesthetic imperfections, a damaged or missing tooth can also result in functional problems with the bite — a potentially serious condition. If a tooth can’t be immediately replanted, restoring it can be expensive: The total cost of each tooth replacement is estimated at $10,000-$20,000 over a lifetime. So tooth damage or loss can cause a multitude of troubles. The American Dental Association (ADA) has recommended that participants in all of the sports mentioned above — as well as two dozen others — should wear a custom-fitted mouthguard. Why? Because when it comes to dental injury, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Numerous studies have shown that wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard is an effective way to prevent dental injury. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, mouthguards prevent some 200,000 injuries each year. And the ADA says that athletes who don’t wear mouthguards are 60 times more likely to sustain harm to the teeth than those who do wear them. Off-the-shelf mouthguards in a limited range of sizes are available at many sporting-goods stores. But these can’t compare to the superior protection and durability offered by a mouthguard that’s custom-made just for you. Using an exact model of your teeth, we can individually fabricate a piece of protective gear that fits correctly and feels comfortable in your mouth. A custom mouthguard may be more economical than you think — yet its real payoff comes in preventing dental injury. If you have questions about mouthguards or sports-related dental injuries, please contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Athletic Mouthguards” and “An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry.”
Plenty of parents use little tricks to persuade young ones to eat their vegetables, wash their hands, or get to bed on time. But when actress Jennie Garth wanted to help her kids develop healthy dental habits, she took it a step further, as she explained in a recent interview on Fox News. “Oh my gosh, there’s a froggy in your teeth!” the star of the ’90s hit series Beverly Hills 90210 would tell her kids. “I’ve got to get him out!” When her children — daughters Luca, Lola, and Fiona — spit out the toothpaste, Garth would surreptitiously slip a small toy frog into the sink and pretend it had come from one of their mouths. This amused the kids so much that they became engaged in the game, and let her brush their teeth for as long as necessary. Garth’s certainly got the right idea. Teaching children to develop good oral hygiene habits as early as possible helps set them up for a lifetime of superior dental health. Parents should establish a brushing routine with their kids starting around age 2, when the mouth is becoming filled with teeth. A soft, child’s size toothbrush with a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste and plenty of parental help is good for toddlers. By around age 6, when they’ve developed more manual dexterity, the kids can start taking over the job themselves. Here’s another tip: It’s easy to find out how good a cleaning job your kids are doing on their own teeth. Over-the counter products are available that use a system of color coding to identify the presence of bacterial plaque. With these, you can periodically check whether children are brushing effectively. Another way of checking is less precise, but it works anywhere: Just teach them to run their tongue over their teeth. If the teeth fell nice and smooth, they’re probably clean, too. If not… it’s time to pull out the frog. And don’t forget about the importance of regular dental checkups — both for your kids and yourself. “Like anything, I think our kids mirror what we do,” says Garth. We couldn’t agree more. If you need more information about helping kids develop good oral hygiene — or if it’s time for a checkup — don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Cindy Sumarauw at 801-281-3500 to schedule an appointment. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine article “How to Help Your Child Develop the Best Habits for Oral Health.”
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