Dental Health FAQ

  • 3 Things Your Dentist Wants You to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine
  • COVID-19: What should I expect at my dentist’s office?
  • How do I brush my teeth? How long should I brush?
  • How often do I have to go to the dentist?
  • How do I find a dentist?
  • What should I look for when choosing a dentist?
  • What can I expect during a dental checkup?
  • Is it safe to go to the dentist when I’m pregnant?
  • What happens if I knock out a tooth?
  • How do I treat a toothache?
  • Why do I need fluoride?
  • Should my children have fluoride?
  • Are dental X-rays safe?
  • Is Dental Amalgam Safe?

Homebound Dental Services

The Homeward Bound Dentist provides dental services in the home to those that can’t get to the dentist’s office. He treats elderly and disabled patients, including victims of stroke and patients with difficult health problems such as dementia, crippling arthritis, MS, ALS, and heart conditions. He provides a full range of services, including exams, x-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions, crowns, dentures, and in limited cases, root canal... all in the comfort of the patients’ home. 

Please contact our member about information and appointments:

Dr. Alan Toporovsky

Phone: 917-664-9193


Oral Health and Systemic Health

Oral health touches every aspect of our lives but is often taken for granted. Your mouth is a window into the health of your body. It can show signs of nutritional deficiencies or general infection. Systemic diseases, those that affect the entire body, may first become apparent because of mouth lesions or other oral problems.

Whether you are 80 or 8, your oral health is important. Most Americans today enjoy excellent oral health and are keeping their natural teeth throughout their lives; however, cavities remain the most prevalent chronic disease of childhood. Some 100 million Americans fail to see a dentist each year, even though regular dental examinations and good oral hygiene can prevent most dental disease. Many people believe that they need to see a dentist only if they are in pain or think something is wrong, but regular dental visits can contribute to a lifetime of good oral health. If you are experiencing dental pain, don't put off seeing a dentist. With dentistry's many advances, diagnosis and treatment are more sophisticated and comfortable than ever.

You can practice good oral hygiene by always brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between your teeth once a day with floss or another interdental cleaner, replacing your toothbrush every three or four months and by eating a balanced diet and limiting between-meal snacks. Don't forget to schedule regular dental check-ups to keep your smile, and yourself, healthy.

 

Heart Disease and Oral Health

 

Take care of your gums...help your heart?

The American Heart Association published a Statement in April 2012 supporting an association between gum disease and heart disease. The article noted that current scientific data do not indicate if regular brushing and flossing or treatment of gum disease will decrease the incidence, rate or severity of the narrowing of the arteries (called atherosclerosis) that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. However, many studies show an as-yet-unexplained association between gum disease and several serious health conditions, including heart disease, even after adjusting for common risk factors.

Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that support the teeth and is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. The ADA and MouthHealthy believe that the most important thing you can do to avoid gum disease and maintain good oral health (including prevention of tooth decay or cavities) is:

  • Brush teeth twice a day with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste.
  • Clean between teeth daily with floss or an interdental cleaner.
  • Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks.
  • Visit your dentist regularly for oral examinations and professional cleanings.

 

Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you are at greater risk of developing some oral health problems. The most common oral health problems associated with diabetes are:Diabetes is a chronic disease which affects your body’s ability to process sugar. The resulting high blood sugar can cause problems with your eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart and other parts of your body. Diabetes can lower your resistance to infection and can slow the healing process.

  • Gum disease. Recent research suggests that the connection between gum disease and diabetes goes both ways. On the one hand, because of lowered resistance and a longer healing process, gum disease appears to be more frequent and more severe among those with diabetes. Conversely, it appears that treating gum disease in people with diabetes can help improve blood sugar control.
  • Fungal infections. Since diabetes compromises your immune system, you may be prone to developing fungal infections. Symptoms include painful sores and difficulty swallowing. If you develop a fungal infection, see your dentist.
  • Infection and delayed healing. If you are having extensive oral surgery, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics to minimize the risk of infection. To help the healing process, keep your blood glucose levels under control before, during and after surgery.

Manage Your ABCs from the National Diabetes Education Program

Control your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol—also known as the ABCs of diabetes—to take care of your teeth and your overall health. Teach your family about your diabetes and the ABCs so they can help you, too.

  • A is for A1C: The goal set for many people is less than 7 percent for this blood test, but your doctor might set different goals for you. 
  • B is for Blood pressure: High blood pressure causes heart disease. The goal is less than 140/80 mmHg for most people, but your doctor might set different goals for you. 
  • C is for Cholesterol: LDL or “bad” cholesterol builds up and clogs your blood vessels. HDL or “good” cholesterol helps remove the “bad” cholesterol from your blood vessels. Ask what your cholesterol numbers should be. 
  • Don’t smoke: Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for support.

Good oral hygiene habits, including professional cleanings at the dental office, are important if you are to control the progression of gum disease and other oral health problems. Regular dental checkups and periodontal screenings are important for evaluating overall dental health and for treating dental problems in their initial stages. Your dentist may recommend more frequent evaluations and preventive procedures, such as teeth cleaning, to maintain good oral health.

Why Public Water Fluoridation is Needed on Long Island

 

Unfortunately at the present time Long Island does not have Fluoride added to it water supply. Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in many water sources, including oceans, lakes and rivers. Research shows that fluoride helps prevent cavities in children and adults by making teeth more resistant to the acid attacks that cause cavities. Fluoride is nature’s cavity fighter, helping repair the early stages of tooth decay even before the decay can be seen.

There are two ways that you can benefit from fluoride: topically and systemically.

Topical fluoride is the type of fluoride you receive at the dental office or when you use dental products—such as toothpastes or mouth rinses. Systemic fluoride is ingested, usually through a public water supply, which in the United States applies to nearly 74 percent of the population. While teeth are forming under the gums, the fluoride taken in largely from drinking water and other beverages strengthens tooth enamel making it stronger and more resistant to cavities. This provides what is called a “systemic” benefit. After teeth erupt, fluoride helps rebuild (remineralize) weakened tooth enamel and reverse early signs of tooth decay. When you brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste, or use other fluoride dental products, you are providing a “topical” benefit because the fluoride is applied to the surface of your teeth.

In addition, drinking fluoridated water and other fluoridated beverages continues to provide a topical benefit because it becomes part of your saliva, constantly bathing the teeth and helping to rebuild weakened tooth enamel. The maximum reduction in tooth decay occurs when fluoride is available systemically and topically. Studies show that community water fluoridation, the addition of fluoride to water to a recommended level for preventing tooth decay, prevents at least 25 percent of tooth decay in children and adults. In fact, community water fluoridation is noted as the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proclaimed community water fluoridation as “one of 10 great public health achievements.”

The American Dental Association and more than 100 other national and international organizations recognize the public health benefits of fluoridated water in preventing tooth decay.  More information about fluoride and fluoridation.
 
 
 
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