"Your Mouth is Connected to your Body" Update from Dr Nijjar and Dr Ruchi

"Periodontal disease is independently associated with cardiovascular disease. Identification of periodontal disease as a risk factor for incident ischemic stroke raises the possibility that regular dental care utilization may reduce the stroke risk."

Translation? 

We already know that many people who have gum disease are also at risk for heart disease at some point in their lives. 

And now... we know that gum disease is a "risk factor" for strokes as well. This means that visiting Dr Nijjar and Dr Ruchi at their dental office in Fremont regularly -- could lower the risk of stroke. 

Yes. And there are so many other heath issues that we can be more at risk for if we do not go to the dentist regularly and control/prevent gum disease.

Here's a link to the full American Heart Association article: http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/early/2018/01/12/STROKEAHA.117.018990

See you in the office soon. 

Keep well, Dr. Nijjar & Dr. Ruchi

The Perfect Road Map For Your Child’s Oral Health

On July 3^rd, 1806, two years into their journey to chart the uncharted west of America, pioneer explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark reached a challenge of epic proportion – the Rocky Mountains. What next, they wondered? Without a map, they were forced to do what explorers do – explore, and hope for the best. So, that got us thinking. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a handy map you could use to chart your own dental health? With that in mind, and in honor of our “Dog Days of Summer” explorers, we at Dr. Nijjar & Dr. Ruchi's office wanted to share with you a few mile markers you can use to stay on top of your child’s health today, next year, and for years to come!
 

6 to 24 months
 

When you’re a new parent, life is a whirlwind, and the dental care of your newborn may not be top of mind when you look in their mouths and see no teeth! Here are some things to keep in mind: 

Schedule a visit: As soon as that first tooth comes in, you’ll want to give us a call at 510-794-7058 to schedule a visit and set up a periodic exam schedule. Also, be aware the ADA recommends fluoridated toothpaste now for all children under the age of three. Don’t wait!

Ask us about:

• Home hygiene basics: Things like, tips and tricks on brushing and other care. There’s nothing better than having our hygienists give brushing tutorials – they’re experts!
• Preventative dentistry: The possible need for fluoride supplements
• Dietary strategies: Achieving a balanced diet early in life for good oral health later
• Feeding practice awareness: Bottle, breastfeeding, and no-spill training cups
• Non-nutritive oral habits: Thumb sucking, pacifiers

2 to 12 years old
 

Ah, the little ones are growing up. Teeth are coming in at all sorts of crazy angles, and you’re going crazy from the rise in obligations. Here’s a quick list of what to consider during this time frame:

• Preventative dentistry: Pit and fissure sealants can do wonders for keeping your child’s dental bills down, and their teeth in their head until they’re ready to fall out naturally. Ask us about them. They’re affordable AND useful. And, super-fast, you’ll be in and out in no time.
• Orthodontic Consultation: Visiting an orthodontist for an early consultation is best done around your child’s seventh birthday. With today’s technology, early intervention can reduce the cost and duration of braces when your child gets older. 

The Teen Years
 

The years “everything” happens! As children start to come into their own, new habits and desires begin to unfold as well. You’ll have to address every imaginable concern during these years, from piercings, to calls for whitening, braces, and the need to refer yourself away from your pediatric dentist and to a general dentist for continuing oral care. So, speak with us about: 

• Cosmetic Dentistry: What solutions are advisable now, and what things should be avoided.
• Teen social pressures: Smoking, alcohol, intraoral/perioral piercings and the like. Believe it or not, we can help a lot with this. We might be able to arrange for that person to help when your teen comes in so they can address these concerns with an intermediary they trust. Give us a call at 510-794-7058 to see how we can help!
• Orthodontics: Options for minimizing appearance and health problems later in life.
• Home hygiene tips: Brushing, flossing, choosing the right mouthwash.
• Craniofacial injury prevention: With your children’s possible participation in sports, you’ll want to get them a mouthguard. Hands down it’ll be one of your best investments in a healthy mouth. And we make great ones at Dr. Nijjar & Dr. Ruchi's office!

Staying on top of your child’s oral health isn’t as hard as you think, and if you keep this schedule handy, you’ll be ahead of most of your neighbor's kids when it comes to a healthy mouth and body. Come to think of it … why not share it with them as well? They’ll thank you for the help.

The "Harmless" Habit That Could Make Your Teeth Fall Out. Literally.

Do you wake up some mornings with a headache of origins you can’t define? Do you experience vague muscle pain in your face? If so, you may be experiencing symptoms of bruxism. What’s bruxism? You likely know it by its more informal name – two names, actually: “clenching” and “grinding.” It’s also not something you’ll want to ignore, because bruxism wears down the surface of your teeth and sets you up for cavities and tooth fractures. Severe cases can even contribute to tooth loss. Let’s find out how to stop this menace in its tracks. 

What Causes Bruxism?

At the office of Dr. Nijjar and Dr. Ruchi, we’ve seen many factors can combine to create a bruxism habit. Stress and anxiety are believed to be leading causes, as are a misaligned bite, missing teeth, and sleep abnormalities. Some medications can also trigger episodes, as can neurological or musculature illnesses. If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort due to bruxism, give us a call at
510-794-7058.

Why Should I Be Concerned About Teeth Grinding? Isn’t It Normal?

Teeth grinding may be common, but it’s not “normal,” per se. Because the stresses of bruxism affect the entire jaw, this pressure can create cracks and chips in teeth, and over time can contribute to a shortening of lower face height due to bone loss. If that sounds scary, it should. It’s also a change you’ve seen before – in individuals who have lost all their teeth and do not wear dentures. We’re pretty sure that’s not a look you’re aiming to achieve.

How Do I Know I Have a Problem, and What Treatments Are Available?
 

In many cases, we’ll be able to see evidence of bruxism in your X-rays – and on the surface of your teeth – and will alert you to the problem long before you exhibit a single symptom, particularly if you sleep alone.  Occasionally however, you may start to clench and grind between visits and begin to notice symptoms on your own. If that’s more like your situation, and you find that you often wake with a sore jaw, a headache that goes away shortly after rising, or if a loved one tells you your teeth are making clickity-clankity noises all night, mention it the next time you’re visiting us.

As far as treatment goes, because the causes of bruxism are varied, the treatments vary as well. If we determine stress is the primary cause, we’ll likely recommend you abstain from excessive caffeine and alcohol, and attempt some form of daily relaxation. Even something as simple as a warm bath before sleeping can work wonders.

If your bite is a concern, we may suggest you visit an orthodontist for an evaluation, and if prescription medicine or neuromuscular illnesses are believed to be the cause, referral to the appropriate specialist would be part of your plan to break the habit. Call us at the office of Dr. Nijjar and Dr. Ruchi if you need such a referral. You can reach us at 510-794-7058

In each of these cases, though, we’ll likely recommend a splint, or occlusal mouth guard to protect your teeth and bone from further damage. These protective devices are easy to wear, and contrary to what you may believe, will not impede your ability to get a good night’s sleep. In fact, they tend to enhance the quality of your sleep so you’ll wake up more refreshed. 

So, the next time you’re sitting in one of our super-comfy chairs at the office of Dr. Nijjar and Dr. Ruchi, ask if some sort of guard may be right for you. Many people go years without being aware they’re clenching and grinding since it takes time for symptoms to show in your mouth. Getting a mouthguard or splint once you know you have this habit, though, will help you with headaches and muscle pain now – and tooth trouble down the road. And, we make some beautiful, comfortable mouthguards at the office of Dr. Nijjar and Dr. Ruchi.

Fluoridated water isn't just for kids

If you are an adult who thinks that the cavity-fighting benefits of fluoridated water are limited to children, think again, because recent research points to the fact that adults also reap benefits. Studies show that, after adjusting for socioeconomic factors and variables in oral health care (frequency of brushing, etc.), people aged 15 years and older who spent at least three-quarters of their lives in communities with fluoridated water had 10 to 30 percent fewer cavities than people who spent less than one-quarter of their lives in such areas. If you are an adult who drinks lots of bottled water and has doubts as to whether you are getting enough fluoride, consult with your  dentist. 

It is pretty cool to see how fluoride works. Check out this infographic!

Why should you care about that missing tooth?

If you are missing one or more teeth and think that you can get along fine without them, keep in mind the old adage “nature abhors a vacuum.” 

If missing teeth are not replaced with a bridge or implant, the teeth adjacent to the open space(s) will shift out of their normal positions and fill in the empty spaces on their own. Moreover, the corresponding teeth in the opposing jaw will begin to protrude, because there are no biting forces holding them down. 

As a result of all these unchecked movements, missing teeth can lead to chewing problems and looseness of remaining teeth. Instead, work with Dr Nijjar & Dr Ruchi to develop a plan to replace missing teeth  before further problems arise. 

You have options: a bridge, an implant, or a partial denture.

While a bridge may cost less than a dental implant, implants provide greater value, have a more natural look and feel, and require no preparation of surrounding teeth.

Does Gum Health Affect the Heart?

While there have been many recent studies showing that people with gum (periodontal) disease are at increased risk for heart disease, a 2012 American Heart Association review cast some doubt on this conclusion. 

However, a more recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association provides proof of a causal link between gum disease and heart disease. In the most recent study, researchers tracked the gum health of 420 people (average age 68) for three years by conducting clinical exams and analyzing certain bacteria that cause gum disease. This information was correlated with changes in narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the carotid artery observed via ultrasound. They found that, as gum health improved, carotid narrowing slowed significantly. 

In addition, the study controlled for factors such as smoking, diabetes, age, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol, provides the “most direct evidence yet” that treating gum disease can prevent or slow atherosclerosis. 

Brush twice a day, floss once a day, and see Dr Nijjar and Dr Ruchi regularly to help keep your heart healthy!

When should you replace your toothbrush?

We've all heard the "3 month rule". Do you know what that rule is all about? Why do dentist's usually recommend that you replace your toothbrush after three months?

Experts say that bristles usually wear away in about 200 uses. If bristles are worn away, they may not be cleaning your teeth properly.

You should also replace your toothbrush after you have been sick. Bacteria can stick to the bristles and you do not want those bugs sticking around after you have gotten over being sick!

The most important thing you need to know about your toothbrush is: how to use it!

Check out this video of Dr Ruchi Sahota on www.mouthhealthy.org for some great tips:

How to get rid of your bad breath

There's an app for everything these days... even an app for figuring out why you have bad breath!? That's hard to believe... bad breath is usually a puzzle only a dentist can solve. 

Ridding yourself and those around of you of your bad breath starts with determining the real cause!

Dr. Ruchi has been interviewed about this topic a few times. Check out these articles:

1. Oprah Winfrey OWN 
2. Completely you: The guide to looking and feeling great

According to the American Dental Association, bad breath is usually caused by the following factors: 

• Food. What you eat affects the air you exhale, like garlic or onions. If you don't brush and floss daily, particles of food can remain in the mouth, collecting bacteria, which can cause bad breath. Dieters may develop unpleasant breath from infrequent eating.
  
• Gum disease. Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth can also be one of the warning signs of gum disease; which is caused by plaque.
  
• Dry mouth. This occurs when the flow of saliva decreases and can be caused by various medications, salivary gland problems or continuously breathing through the mouth. Without enough saliva, food particles are not cleaned away. If you suffer from dry mouth, your dentist may prescribe anartificial saliva, or suggest using sugarless candy or increase your fluid intake.
  
• Smoking and tobacco. In addition to staining teeth and being bad for overall health, tobacco can add to bad breath. Tobacco reduces your ability to taste foods and irritates gum tissues. Tobacco users are more likely to suffer from gum disease and are at greater risk for developing oral cancer. If you use tobacco, ask your dentist for tips on kicking the habit.
  
• Medical conditions. Some diseases have symptoms related to bad breath. Sinus or lung infections, bronchitis, diabetes, and some liver or kidney diseases may be associated with bad breath.

Gum disease linked to Stroke

Over the past few years, there has been increased awareness that periodontal (gum) disease is linked with other health conditions. Much of the problem has to do with the fact that gum disease is fueled by bacteria that cause inflammation. 

Patients may therefore want to note the finding of a study recently published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, which involved examination of over 500,000 individuals with untreated periodontal disease and over 200,000 without gum problems over a ten-year period. This study linked periodontal disease to an increased risk of stroke. Those study participants who had regular dental cleanings and/or extensive treatment for advanced gum disease (periodontitis) had the lowest risk of stroke.

If all you did is brush...

Did you know you miss 35 % of the tooth if you don't floss.

Dr. Nijjar and Dr. Ruchi recommend that you floss once a day, every day.

Not doing so, can lead to periodontal disease.

As the disease progresses, which I can do quickly, teeth become loose, painful, and ugly!

Avoid this by brushing twice a day, flossing one today, eating a nutritious diet, and seeing Dr. Nijjar and Dr. Ruchi regularly.