Generations Dental Care Blog

Helping Children Develop Healthy Smiles with Children’s Dentistry

March 26, 2014

children's dentistryChildren need healthy smiles, just like adults. But where can you take your child for quality children’s dentistry? To Generations Dental Care!

At Generations Dental Care in Concord, our doctors are happy to see patients three years old and older.

Even though your child will lose his or her baby teeth in time, keeping them healthy until then with brushing, flossing, and regular checkups is still important. That’s because baby teeth are like placeholders for adult teeth. As your child grows, his or her baby teeth will help guide adult teeth into their proper position. When baby teeth develop cavities, this can actually have a long-term effect on the adult teeth that will come in later one. Poor oral health can also have an impact on your son or daughters overall health, wellness, and self-confidence.

To help protect your child’s developing smile, we recommend that he or she see our Concord children’s dentistry team twice a year, or about every six months. During your little one’s appointment, we’ll check to see that teeth are developing properly, and we can talk to both you and your little one about correct brushing and flossing.

Dental sealants and fluoride treatments will help us provide even more protection for your child. Dental sealants form a physical barrier between bacteria and the chewing surfaces of teeth. Meanwhile, fluoride treatments attract minerals that are important for building strong, healthy enamel.

Do you need to schedule a children’s dentistry appointment? Call Generations Dental Care today. We serve children and adults from Concord, Penacook, Bow, Canterbury, Chichester, Pembroke, Manchester, Hooksett, Boscawen, Epsom, Hopkinton and Loudon.

Restorative Dentistry for Concord and Beyond

February 17, 2014

restorative dentistrySometimes our smiles need extra help. For that there’s restorative dentistry. With restorative dentistry, your dental team at Generations Dental Care in Concord can help you improve how your smile looks and, more importantly, how well it works.

A functional smile is important for enjoying a healthy diet and for talking and smiling. When your smile isn’t everything it could be, your oral and overall health can suffer. So can your self-confidence. Generations Dental Care will work with you to produce amazing results that improve oral and overall wellbeing, and boost your confidence at the same time.

Our restorative dental services include:

Regardless of which service you need, our Concord dental office is committed to a conservative approach. The goal of conservative dentistry is to preserve as much of your natural smile as possible. To figure out which of our conservative services are right for you, we’ll assess your needs and then explain exactly which options are right for you. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask. We want to give our patients all the information they need to make an informed decision.

Has an accident, injury, decay, or disease made it necessary for you to seek restorative dentistry? Call Generations Dental Care today for an appointment with one of our doctors. We see families from all over the greater Concord area and surrounding communities, including Penacook, Bow, Canterbury, Chichester, Pembroke, Manchester, Hooksett, Boscawen, Epsom, Hopkinton and Loudon.

Cosmetic Dentistry for Concord, NH and Beyond

January 30, 2014

cosmetic dentistryWhat happens when you have a beautiful smile? You’re more likely to smile around others, improving your own sense of welling being and helping others to see you as a more open and inviting person.

Not everyone was born with a naturally beautiful smile, though. That’s why dental offices like Generations Dental Care in Concord, NH offer a branch of services known as cosmetic dentistry. With any of our cosmetic dentistry services we can help patients repair chipped or cracked teeth, fix misalignment or spacing issues, and enjoy whiter, more dazzling smiles.

Our Concord cosmetic dental services include:

As part of our commitment to delivering customized care, our doctors are happy to look at your smile and recommend one or more specific services to help you. If you have any questions about what we recommend, don’t hesitate to let us know. Many of our Concord cosmetic dentistry services can be administered in just one appointment, while others can be done in just a few visits.

Do you want to transform your smile? Talk to one of our Concord dentists about what we offer and how we can help. Call Generations Dental Care today to schedule a consultation. We’re happy to serve patients from Penacook, Bow, Canterbury, Chichester, Pembroke, Manchester, Hooksett, Boscawen, Epsom, Hopkinton, and Loudon.

Oral Cancer Part II

August 18, 2011

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 4:27 pm

In my last blog, I discussed the increasing prevalence of oral cancer in the U.S. This month, let’s talk about what we can do in the office to catch this awful disease before it starts to spread.

The most important thing we do to find oral cancer is an annual tissue exam. This exam is done at lease once a year during your doctor exam, and every time you see the hygienist. Even if you have full dentures, you should be in for a doctor exam at least once per year to check your tissues. At this exam, we are looking for changes to your oral tissues, including discoloration, ulceration, increases in size, and changes in shape. Remember, oral cancer is typically painless! So you need someone looking for these lesions, especially if you have any risk factors in your history.

One problem we often run into is that by the time these lesions are visible, they are also fairly advanced. For this reason, we have invested in the Velscope system. The Velscope exam consists of a high intensity light that normal tissues reflect, creating a “green glow”. Tissues that are potentially diseased show up as “black holes”, completely absorbing the light. This exam is available at your hygiene visit, and we recommend it for most of our adult patients, especially if you are in a high risk category (i.e. smoker, drink alcoholic beverages, or are sexually active).

If we find any suspicious areas during either the tissue or Velscope exam, we may recommend a Brush Biopsy. That exam will be the focus of my next and last blog on this subject.

Oral Cancer is on the Rise!

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 4:24 pm

April is Oral Cancer awareness month, so I thought I’d bring you some sobering facts.

This year, over 37,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer.  It will kill over 8,000 people.  That’s one person per hour, twenty hour hours per day, and only half of those diagnosed will survive more than 5 years.

The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that for cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, laryngeal cancer, testicular cancer, and cancers of the endocrine system such thyroid and skin cancer (malignant melanoma).

Oropharyngeal cancers associated with the human Papillomavirus (HPV) are on the rise, especially among younger patients (under age 45).

So that is the bad news.  What is the good news?  There are many things you can do to help prevent oral cancer:

·        Stop smoking

Smokers are six times more likely to develop oral cancers.

·        Reduce excessive consumption of alcohol
Oral cancers are six times more common in drinkers than in non-drinkers

·        Reduce excessive sun exposure
Especially at a young age

·        Stop using smokeless tobacco
You are 50 times more likely to develop cancers of the cheek, gums or lips if you use snuff, dip or chewing tobacco.

·        Visit your dentist for a yearly exam
When it comes to saving lives, early detection is key.  We have several new technologies in the office to help diagnose oral cancers which I will talk about in my next blog.  Until then make sure to reduce your risk factors for oral cancer, and if you haven’t been seen in the office in the past year be sure to call to get checked out.

Does Gum Disease Trigger Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 4:22 pm

There has been a great deal of research lately that is making connections between periodontal disease and several disease processes including diabetes, coronary artery disease (also called heart disease) and preterm low birth weight babies. In a recent article, researchers found that there may now be a connection to rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory process similar to chronic periodontitis (CP).  It has been suggested that an inflammatory cyst in a susceptible host could trigger the RA process.  DNA from periodontal pathogens has been found in the fluid within the joints where it triggers an inflammatory response that in turn affects the joint.

What does this mean for you?  Well, we already know ho important regular visits are for good oral health, but now we can add a growing list of systemic diseases that may be connected to that good health.

Make sure you don’t miss your regular cleanings and exams.  It could make a difference in more than just your smile!

Martinez-Martinez, R., Abud-Mendoza, C., Patino-Marin, N., Rizo-Rodriguez, J., Little, J., Lyda-Rodriguez, J.: Detection of Periodontal Bacterial DNA in Serum and Synovial Fluid in Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.  J Clin Perio 36: 1004-1010, 2009.

Could Your Tooth Save Your Life?

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 4:19 pm

I’m sure most everyone reading this blog has heard of stem cells and the potential they may have for healing diseased tissue and/or curing disease. What most people don’t know is that we all have these cells within the dental pulp tissue of our teeth. The youngest amongst us have the most of these cells, and they decline in number as we age. Research is being done on these cells, and they have the potential to offer therapies and possibly cures to many common diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig disease), heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, Diabetes, liver disease and Multiple Sclerosis. They are also showing promise in the treatment of stroke, spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy and bone regeneration.
 

There are companies that are now available to freeze and store extracted teeth for future possible use. The ideal situations are in primary (baby) teeth that are slightly loose, teeth removed for braces, wisdom teeth and some adult teeth. Stem cells harvested from these teeth are a perfect genetic match for you or your children. They are stored in a lab and available in the event that they are needed, and that current science is able to utilize them in a particular therapy.

Although this is very exciting news, and there are many families now choosing to harvest and store their children’s teeth to potentially help them in the future, I’d like to stress the word POTENTIAL. This is still a developing science, and it is unknown what use, if any, these stem cells will provide.

The opportunity is now here, however, to store these cells in the event that you or your children will ever need them. For about $10 a month you can have the peace of mind that you did all you could to take advantage of this beginning science.

If you are interested or would like more information, please contact the office and one of our doctors would be happy to discuss it with you.

Teeth Whitening: Options

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 4:18 pm
Many people ask us what the best way to whiten their teeth is, and what kind of results they can expect. The answer to that question is that it depends on what you are trying to achieve.  Teeth Whitening can take decades off the color of your teeth, but some methods have better results than others.

The first option is an over-the-counter product called Crest White-Strips. This is the most inexpensive option, and good if you are not looking to change color dramatically. The strips are worn twice a day for thirty minutes each application. We offer professional strength strips that cannot be found in stores, and full results are usually achieved in ten days.

The second option is an at-home system that uses whitening gel and trays that are custom fit to your mouth. The gel is much stronger than the over-the-counter systems, and results are usually seen within a week. With the tray system (we use at-home Zoom! Gel) results are longer lasting, and more noticeable.

The final, and by far the most popular option is Zoom! In-office whitening. The results are immediate and will last the longest of any of the options. You will get the maximum amount of whitening with this system, and best of all, it only takes about an hour of your valuable time! Our typical results with the Zoom! In-office whitening system usually knock ten to twenty years off the color of most people’s teeth.

If you are interested in any type of whitening, call us to schedule a free whitening consultation at 603-225-6331. We will find a system that fits your budget and gets you the kind of results you have been dreaming of!

This Month’s Top 10 Dental Trivia Facts!

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 4:10 pm

1)  If you don’t floss, you miss cleaning 35% of your tooth surfaces.

2)  Regular dental cleanings can help prevent heart attacks.

3)  90% of systemic diseases have oral manifestations.

4)  A sneeze zooms out of your mouth at over 600 mph! So make sure to cover your mouth.

5)  Most children are brought to the dentist for their visit at the age of three

6)  Not only is tooth decay the most common and widespread disease of humankind, it is the oldest. Skulls of pre-historic humans have been examined and tooth decay has been found.

7)  George Washington was the most famous dental patient of Dr. Greenwood. He had several sets of dentures that were made out of ivory. His teeth were not made out of wood!

8)  The average human produces 25,000 quarts of saliva (spit) in a lifetime. That is enough saliva to fill 2 swimming pools!

9)  Over 40% of North Americans have at least one tooth that could benefit from some type of treatment.

10)  Most tooth loss in people under 35 years of age is caused by athletic trauma, fights or accidents. The causes of most tooth loss in people over 35 is periodontal disease.

Our Warranty

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 4:09 pm

Often times once I finish a restoration for someone (i.e. filling, crown, etc.) they joke, “this will last forever…right!?!” While I’d love that to be true, nothing lasts forever.  And if dental work isn’t cared for with good oral hygiene, it won’t last long at all.  Because of this necessary upkeep we have developed a new restoration warranty plan.

Warranty:
We are very proud of the dental services we provide and we stand behind our work.  We will replace any defective filling with an equivalent restoration FREE up to two years after it is placed.  We will replace any defective crown that needs replacing for up to five years with an equivalent crown at NO CHARGE.

Important:
This warranty remains valid ONLY if you come for your regular 3 to 6 month cleaning visits, including examinations and x-rays as recommended by the doctor.

Let me be the first to tell you that there aren’t many dental offices that stand behind their work in this way.  We at Generations Dental Care, however, are very confident about the high quality of work that we do.  Confident enough that we are putting it on paper.  So as long as you do your part at home and visit us as recommended, we have you covered.

But remember, you MUST come in for your regularly scheduled cleanings, exams and x-rays in order for the warranty to remain valid.

« Newer PostsOlder Posts »
Request an Appointment
Review us on Google
Like Us on Facebook
$
Make an Online Payment
Request Like UsReviews