Dr Wiedie's Blog

Technology update

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:28:00 GMT

New dental software, new phone system, new music options, new electronic claims submission.....we are learning a lot.

Earlier this month we switched from a land line phone system to an VOIP phone system. The concept that one phone number can handle all our phone calls at the same time was a little hard to get used to. No one should ever get a "busy" signal again when they call our office. At the front desk alone, we can now handle up to 12 calls at the same time. When I leave the office on Tuesday night, I now take a phone home with me,plug it into my router, and now I can answer the phone at home. Same thing on the weekends. With the remote access I have from home I can schedule, answer all billing questions, e-mail x-rays, pretty much do all things, except dentistry, that is done at the office.

When we ported our land line number our dial up electronic claim submission also went away - which turned out to be a great thing. With a little luck, and a lot of research, we found a company who submits electronically, verifies eligibility, and can send statements if we'd like them to.

As far as the music goes.....let me know what you like to listen to and it will be playing at your next visit!

A little dental humor is never a bad thing.....

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:43:00 GMT

http://youtu.be/Xw0df0wNnVQ

Help children learn good dental habits

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:11:00 GMT

Sometimes it hard to get young children to brush their teeth. But brushing teeth is the best way to for them to have great oral health. To help you there are many kids television shows that touch on the subject. Another great resource is YouTube where there are many videos created for young children that encourage children to brush their teeth. Here is an example from The Super Dentists! Click to watch video.

Let us know what you think about this. Share with us on how you help your children build the habit to brush their teeth regularly. Fill out the comment form below.

Tooth whitening

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:09:00 GMT

Dental bleaching, also known as tooth whitening, is a common procedure in general dentistry but most especially in the field of cosmetic dentistry. A child's deciduous teeth are generally whiter than the adult teeth that follow. As a person ages the adult teeth often become darker due to changes in the mineral structure of the tooth, as the enamel becomes less porous.[citation needed] Teeth can also become stained by bacterial pigments, foodstuffs and tobacco. Certain antibiotic medications (like tetracycline) can also cause teeth stains or a reduction in the brilliance of the enamel.[1]

According to the FDA, whitening restores natural tooth color and bleaching whitens beyond the natural color. There are many methods to whiten teeth, such as brushing, bleaching strips, bleaching pen, bleaching gel, laser bleaching, and natural bleaching. Traditionally, at-home whiteners use overnight trays containing a carbamide peroxide gel which reacts with water to form hydrogen peroxide. Carbamide peroxide has about a third of the strength of hydrogen peroxide. This means that a 15 percent solution of carbamide peroxide is the rough equivalent of a five percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. Over the counter kits whiten with small strips that go over the front teeth. The peroxide oxidizing agent penetrates the porosities in the rod-like crystal structure of enamel and bleaches stain deposits in the dentin. Power bleaching uses light energy to accelerate the process of bleaching in a dental office. The effects of bleaching can last for several months, but may vary depending on the lifestyle of the patient. Factors that decrease whitening include smoking and the ingestion of dark colored liquids like coffee, tea and red wine. Dentures can also be whitened using denture cleaners.

Internal staining of dentin can discolor the teeth from inside out. Internal bleaching can remedy this. If heavy staining or tetracycline damage is present on a patient's teeth, and whitening is ineffective, there are other methods of whitening teeth. Bonding, when a thin coating of composite material is applied to the front of a person's teeth and then cured with a blue light can be performed to mask the staining. A veneer can also mask tooth discoloration.

Article from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooth_bleaching

Kids cautioned on energy drinks and sports drinks

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:45:00 GMT

Dentists routinely caution patients about the over-consumption of soda pop, juice and sports drinks that pack little if any nutritional value and take a toll on teeth. Now the American Academy of Pediatrics is taking aim at energy and sports drinks, saying that in most cases, kids don't need them and some products contain substances that can be harmful to children.

First, the co-authors explain the differences between sports drinks and energy drinks. Sports drinks—which contain carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes and flavoring—are intended to replace water and electrolytes lost through sweating during exercise. Sports drinks can be helpful for young athletes engaged in prolonged, vigorous physical activities, but in most cases they are unnecessary on the sports field or in the school lunchroom.

"For most children engaging in routine physical activity, plain water is best," said Holly J. Benjamin, M.D., a member of the executive committee of the AAP Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness and report co-author. "Sports drinks contain extra calories that children don't need, and could contribute to obesity and tooth decay. It's better for children to drink water during and after exercise, and to have the recommended intake of juice and low-fat milk with meals. Sports drinks are not recommended as beverages to have with meals."

Energy drinks contain substances not found in sports drinks that act as stimulants, such as caffeine, guarana and taurine.

Caffeine—by far the most popular stimulant—has been linked to a number of harmful health effects in children, including effects on the developing neurologic and cardiovascular systems. Energy drinks are never appropriate for children or adolescents, said Dr. Benjamin and co-author Marcie Beth Schneider, M.D., a member of the AAP Committee on Nutrition. In general, caffeine-containing beverages, including soda, should be avoided.

"In many cases, it's hard to tell how much caffeine is in a product by looking at the label," Dr. Schneider said. "Some cans or bottles of energy drinks can have more than 500 mg of caffeine, which is the equivalent of 14 cans of soda."

Children and adolescents should avoid (or restrict) intake of carbohydrate-containing sports drinks because they can increase the risk of overweight and obesity and dental erosion, says AAP. Water, not sports drinks, should be the principal source of hydration for children and adolescents.

"There is a lot of confusion about sports drinks and energy drinks, and adolescents are often unaware of the differences in these products," said Dr. Schneider. "Some kids are drinking energy drinks—containing large amounts of caffeine—when their goal is simply to rehydrate after exercise. This means they are ingesting large amounts of caffeine and other stimulants, which can be dangerous."

The report, issued May 30 and published in the June issue of Pediatrics, is called "Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks for Children and Adolescents: Are They Appropriate?"

Dentists share a concern with the article's central focus: the over-consumption of sports drinks.

Foods that contain sugars of any kind can contribute to tooth decay. When teeth are not cleaned after eating, plaque bacteria in the mouth use the sugar to produce acids that can destroy the hard surface of the tooth, called enamel. After a while, tooth decay occurs. When teeth come in frequent contact with soda pop, juice drinks, sports drinks and beverages with added sugars, the risk of decay increases.

The American Dental Association not only reminds patients to restrict intake of these beverages, but also opposes "pouring contracts" in schools that include the promotion of soft drink products and require schools to allow pervasive marketing to children that can influence their consumption patterns.

For more information on diet and oral health, visit ADA.org.

Click here to view archived ADA articles.

©2010 American Dental Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction or republication is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission from the American Dental Association.

Diet’s role in oral health

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:43:00 GMT

Changing your eating habits could help reduce the risk for cavities. The December 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association reminds patients that maintaining a balanced diet is important to maintaining a healthy smile.

Cavities are caused by plaque—a thin film of bacteria that coats the teeth. After you eat or drink, plaque bacteria digest any sugar and produces acids that weaken tooth enamel. The more you consume foods and drink that contain sugar, the bigger risk there is of plaque developing and eventually leading to cavities. The best way to protect your teeth from plaque is to keep an eye on the amount of sugar in your diet.

Almost all foods, including milk or vegetables, have some type of sugar, but to help control the amount of sugar you consume, read food labels and choose foods and beverages that are low in added sugars. Added sugars often are present in soft drinks, candy, cookies and pastries.

To counter this, it’s important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and to clean between the teeth with floss. When plaque builds up, it can cause the gums to bleed or swell—which, if not treated, could lead to gum disease and tooth loss.

If your diet lacks certain nutrients, it may be more difficult for tissues in your mouth to resist infection. Although poor nutrition does not cause gum (periodontal) disease directly, many researchers believe that the disease progresses faster and could be more severe in people with nutrient-poor diets.

For more information about diet and oral health, visit ada.org.

Click here to view archived ADA articles.

©2010 American Dental Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction or republication is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission from the American Dental Association.