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Here’s to Mom!

Who can forget that this month we celebrate Mother’s Day? As we honor mom – and recognize that for most of us, mom’s the one who set the example on caring for our teeth – it’s a great time to remind her about the oral health concerns that face all women.

For example, did you know that women have special oral health concerns that arise during the unique phases in their lives? One of those is gum disease. Changes in female hormonal levels during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause exaggerate the way gums react to plaque, the harmful germs that stick to your teeth. This can lead to gum disease and destroy gum tissue and teeth.

Your mouth is pretty important and, while it’s a relatively small space, there’s a lot going on in there. Your mouth, after all, is teeming with bacteria, and while most are harmless, things can get out of control and cause you problems. Here are 10 of the most common (and how to avoid them):

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Oral cancer, which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat), can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated early. Its high lethality rate is mainly due to the lack of screening, and unfortunately, it is not a rare disease. Oral cancer kills one person every hour of every day, with more than 100 new diagnoses every day.

"You need to brush from the first tooth," says Beverly Largent, past president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), which has also determined that tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases of children. By kindergarten, more than 40% of kids have tooth decay.

At Austin City Dental, we’re committed to helping you ensure a lifetime of good oral health for your infant or child. Here are a few basic steps to follow:

1. Start Early

Your child should see a dentist by the time he or she is 1 year old. Getting preventive care early saves money in the long run, and costs for dental care are nearly 40% lower over a five-year period for children who received dental care by age 1 compared to those who didn’t go to the dentist until later.

At Austin City Dental, we know that you try to ‘Go Green’ in everything you do. Whether it’s buying an eco-friendly car or appliances, or recycling and buying organic when possible, you live the Green Lifestyle because you care about your health, your family’s health, and the health of the environment.

Hello again friends,

Greetings friends,

I recently read an article from Dr. Oz that sums up how our oral health relates to our overall health and I want to share it with you. We love being part of your health team and would love to answer any questions you may have after reading the article.

In good health,

Steve Cook, DDS

Greetings and Happy Summer,

Greetings,

Dental x-rays made the news a recently when the journal, Cancer, published a study that linked dental bitewing and panoramic x-rays with meningioma, a tumor of the lining covering the brain. I’m sure most of you heard about it and I wanted to start a discussion about the report.

Hello Friends,

It’s starting to feel like summer again. We have a red-shouldered hawk couple living right outside our office windows. Many of our patients have been enjoying watching them get their nest ready. If you would like to stop by and see them in action, please feel free to do so.