Healthy Smile Series ~ Five reasons to smile !

So much more than than a pair of upturned lips, the smile is the most scientifically studied human facial expression. 

Here, Five facts that may make you, well, you know.

1. People with big grins live longer. In a study published last year, researchers pored over an old issue of the Baseball Register, analyzing photos of 230 players. They found that on average, the guys with bright, big mouthed beams lived 4.9 years longer than the players with partial smiles, and 7 years longer than the players who showed no grin at all. We can't credit wide smiles for long life spans, of course, but smiles reveal positive feelings, and positive feelings are linked to well-being. 

2. Smiles exert subliminal powers. When study subjects are shown an image of a smiling face for just four milliseconds—a flash so quick, the viewers don't consciously register the image—they experience a mini emotional high. Compared with control groups, the smile-viewers perceive the world in a better light: To them, boring material is more interesting, neutral images look more positive, even bland drinks seem tastier.

3. There are three degrees of happiness... An article in the British Medical Journal reported that it is indeed possible to spread the love: Within social networks, when one person is happy, the feeling migrates to two people beyond her. So if you smile, a friend of a friend is more likely to smile, too.

4...and two types of smiles. Genuine smiles and fake smiles are governed by two separate neural pathways. We know this is true because people with damage to a certain part of the brain can still break into a spontaneous grin even though they're unable to smile at will. Scientists speculate that our ancestors evolved the neural circuitry to force smiles because it was evolutionary advantageous to mask their fear and fury.  

5. To spot a faker, check the eyes. When someone smiles out of genuine delight, a facial muscle called the orbicularis oculi involuntarily contracts, crinkling the skin around the eyes. Most of us are incapable of deliberately moving this muscle, which means that when a person fakes a smile, her orbicularis oculi likely won't budge.


Reference: Oprah.com

If you do not LOVE your smile contact our office. Our motto is creating picture perfect smiles. 

www.NylaanDental.com

Healthy Smile Series ~ Laser Dentistry - what is the buzz all about?

Brian S. Nylaan, D.D.S.

So I must admit at my last dental cleaning Dr. Brian found a cavity. Oh no - how could this happen?? I work in the dental profession. I brush, I floss. I have some acid re-flux - another great part of getting older; Not !

No one wants to have a cavity filled. Everyone flashes back to the dental drill, the fat lip, the sound of the dental drill, all the terrible things we remember from our dental visits as a child.

So much has changed in the dental profession. In our office we have electric handpieces. There is a lot less noise. This handpiece does not generate as much heat, so less cold water is needed. Bottom line is it is a lot more comfortable.

This is my tooth after having
the restoration placed.

Our office also uses Single Tooth Anesthesia (STA). This way we can numb only the tooth being worked on instead of numbing your lip, tongue and cheek. We also have Oraverse. This reverses the effect of the dental anesthesia, so you can have your entire area numbed, and we can reverse the numbing after your treatment, so the fat lip and cheek feeling goes away much more quickly.

Today I had my tooth fixed with the dental laser. Oh my goodness. While I would not recommend getting a cavity, if you need to have a cavity restored, laser dentistry is definitely the way to go. There is still a handpiece being used, but there is no noise and no heat. The laser evaporates the diseased tooth structure which is then replaced with a fluoride emitting tooth colored resin. If you looked at my tooth, you would not be able to tell I had a restoration placed today. I do not have a numb lip, so no droopy smile, no slurred speech.

If you would like to see S.T.A. in action watch our video. To schedule your appointment contact our office and experience our expert care and new dental technology for yourself. After all, don't you deserve the best dental care that is available?

We believe that you do deserve to have excellent dental care in a warm caring environment. ~ Kris

Kris ~ Office Administrator

         

www.NylaanDental.com

Healthy Smile Series: Waterpik's Water Flosser

A water flosser using warm water, the jet tip and  the pulsating action of the device will provide a gentle flushing out of food and debris. This is going to do a couple of important things for you. 

One, your tissue is going to start heal and become less sensitive. This will allow you to brush more effectively, or add a power toothbrush.

There should be a significant reduction in both bleeding and gingivitis. Not only will the water flosser be able to flush out food and debris in areas nearly inaccessible to other self-care devices, it will reduce plaque and keep gingivitis at bay.

In a recent study those who used the water flosser removed three times as much plaque as those who used string floss and five times as much as those who only used a toothbrush. 

The water flosser users also had a better reduction in bleeding, 26% better than floss, and 53% better than brushing alone. 

Schedule your dental visit.

Reference: Dentistry IQ

Healthy Smile Series: Denture Care

Contrary to popular belief, losing your teeth is NOT a natural part of aging anymore.

Disease and trauma are the main causes of tooth loss, and while trauma may be beyond your control, you can prevent disease in your teeth and gums with proper habits and teeth can be replaced with dental implants.

Your teeth CAN last for your entire lifetime.

If things do not go as planned and you do find yourself with dentures, good oral hygiene is still important.

Plaque builds up on your dentures like natural teeth and can damage the surrounding gum tissues and cause bad breath. Brush your dentures and your gums as often as you would your natural teeth.

Even if you have full dentures you should visit a dental professional on a regular basis to ensure that your dentures fit as they should and that your gum tissues are healthy.

Brought to you by Nylaan Dental 

Healthy Smile Series: It is well known that pain from toothache and gum problems can spread to various parts of your head but are you aware that head and face pain can also arise from perfectly healthy teeth?

There are two main causes:

Occlusion – the way the teeth meet when they close together.

Parafunction – destructive habits such as grinding or clenching your teeth (grinding the teeth during sleep is also known as ‘Bruxism’)

Occlusion: 

If your teeth don’t fit together properly, it can cause problems with your teeth, you gums, your jaw joints (TMJs – Tempero-Mandibular Joints) the muscles that open and close your mouth, and the muscles that move your jaw from side to side.

Teeth

As with most things in the body, this is a two-way thing. If your teeth are out of line or broken down or missing or painful, it causes you to bite differently in order to avoid pain or to be able to chew. Similarly, if you bite abnormally, it puts strains on your teeth that they aren’t equipped to deal with. This can make your teeth feel bruised and tender, it can make them loose and it can break fillings and shatter veneers.

Gums

The abnormal strains mentioned above will have a more dramatic effect on teeth that are already mobile, making them looser and speeding up gum recession.

TMJ

If your jaw joints click when you open your mouth, if they are tender or painful, or if you have difficulty opening or closing, it’s likely that this is caused by either occlusal problems or parafunction – or both.

Muscles

If your jaw is not in the correct position, it forces the muscles that move your jaw to work abnormally. This can cause them to go into spasm (similar to cramp in your leg), leading to headaches, facial pain and stiff neck and shoulders.

Parafunction:

Grinding and clenching of the teeth is usually stress-related and often occurs during sleep. This causes pain, which is an extra source of stress, so you clench or grind more… and so on.

If you clench or grind your teeth when you’re awake – perhaps when things go wrong at work or if you’ve been kept waiting at the dentist (which would never happen here, obviously), simply being aware of the problem generally solves it – because you can make the decision to stop. It’s not so simple if it happens when you’re asleep, though.

Clenching and grinding your teeth causes the same problems as those mentioned above for occlusion. If you have an unbalanced occlusion AND parafunction, the problems multiply because not only are you overloading the teeth and their supporting structures but you are doing it in directions they were not designed to withstand even at normal levels.

So what can you do about it?

Your dentist will be able to treat the treat the problem in most cases.

The dentist will ask questions such as : Are you particularly stressed at the moment? Do your jaw joints ever click or grate? Do you wake up with a headache or a sore face? Has a sleeping partner mentioned that you grind your teeth at night? Are you aware of clenching your teeth when you’re concentrating on a difficult task?

Dr. Nylaan will examine you, checking your bite, feeling how your jaw joints move, testing for tender muscles, looking for worn or damaged teeth and so on.

As with most problems in life, the best solution is to treat the essential cause. If this is an incorrect bite, it needs to be remedied and there are various ways of doing that – for example, by reducing high spots or replacing missing teeth. Some people get instant relief from these measures. For others, it can be a lengthy business.

 When someone is clenching or grinding, it’s less straightforward because stress is usually the cause and that is not always easy to eliminate. In the past, psychoactive drugs were sometimes used but that is rare these days because they bring their own set of problems.

If we can’t eliminate the cause of parafunctional activity, we have to minimize its effect of the on the teeth and their supporting structures while trying to break the self-reinforcing habit cycle.

This is usually achieved by means of a bite guard, made to fit over either your upper or lower teeth. The bite guard is made of plastic and can be either soft or hard, depending on individual need. With a bite guard in place, it’s impossible to clench or grind your teeth. This prevents the chewing muscles going into spasm and causing pain, either directly or by pulling the jaw joints into an abnormal position in their sockets. Some people may need to wear a bite guard permanently for sleeping but in many cases, all that’s required is a couple of weeks to break the habit cycle. Then you can leave the bite guard out – but keep it safe in case you need it again. Unfortunately, this problem does tend to recur from time to time.

Bite guards are available over the counter but it is far better to have one specially made for you. A ‘one size fits all’ guard can put more pressure on certain vulnerable areas and actually make the problem worse.

Discomfort can also be reduced by the application of heat (hot water bottle), anti-inflammatory analgesics such as Ibuprofen and, sometimes, physiotherapy.

For more information visit our website.

~ Kris
C.D.A., R.D.A.
Office Administrator

reference: hub.com

Healthy Smile Series: Tips for a healthy smile

Start with regular visits and brushing twice a day to ensure cavity-free teeth
The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays, dating back over 4,000 years.

Making a New Year’s resolution is a long standing tradition.

The logic behind the tradition is to chase away the bad habits of the previous years, leaving a clean slate that provides for good health and fortune in the coming year.

This is a great time to resolve to follow through on healthy changes to establish or re-establish good oral health habits.

NEW TOOTHBRUSH  

Start the New Year with a new toothbrush. A toothbrush should be replaced when the bristles bend or look worn, usually every three or four months. Always replace your toothbrush after you have been sick. Children’s toothbrushes may have to be replaced more often.

EAT HEALTHY SNACKS

Choose nutritious foods that are low in sugar, such as cheese, raw vegetables, plain yogurt or a piece of fruit.

FLOSS EVERY DAY

It just takes a few minutes to remove the plaque between your teeth. If you don’t floss, you are missing cleaning about 35 percent of the total tooth surface.

EMERGENCY VISITS

Contact your dentist immediately if you notice changes in your oral health between dental visits. 

 Sore, puffy or bleeding gums, or a tiny white or red spot or sore anywhere in the mouth may be a sign of an infection or oral cancer.

Don’t wait until your next appointment to tell your dentist.

DRINK SUGARY DRINKS IN MODERATION

Drink soft drinks, juice and other sugary beverages in moderation.

Consider using a straw to keep the sugar away from your teeth.

Sipping sugary beverages for long periods of time prolongs sugar and acid attacks on your teeth, which can lead to cavities.Never drink soda pop or juice before bedtime because the liquid pools in your mouth and coats your tongue and teeth with sugar and acid.

Once a beverage has been opened, set a fifteen minute timer.

If it is not gone before the timer expires, dump out the remainder and then wait a few hours before opening another.

BRUSH TWICE A DA Y

Brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day. A good time to brush is after breakfast and then again after you have finished eating and drinking for the day.

Of course, it’s great if you can brush after meals during the days. 

CONSUME WATER

Drink lots of water. It has no sugar, no acid and no calories.

THINK DAIRY

Eat cheese. After eating, the mouth naturally becomes more acidic to aid digestion. Cheese keeps the mouth less acidic, and therefore, healthier for teeth. Cheese coats the teeth with calcium and prevents the loss of minerals such as calcium from tooth enamel.

SUGARLESS GUM

Chew sugarless gum. Sugarless gum increases saliva, which helps to clear food from tooth crevices and replaces essential minerals on teeth. Look for gum sweetened with the natural cavity fighter  Xylitol.

REGULAR UPDATES

Visit your dentist regularly.

Regular dental visits are important to your oral health and overall health.

Since the condition of the mouth mirrors the condition of the body, your dentist may be the first to spot signs of a health problem in another part of the body.

Brian S. Nylaan, D.D.S.
Member of the West Michigan Dental Society

Brought to you by the 650 members of the West Michigan District Dental Society in Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Mecosta and Montcalm counties. West Michigan District Dental Society dentists also are members of the Michigan Dental Association and the American Dental Association 

Healthy Smile Series: Water Flosser ~ Helping you achieve bacterial reduction

  It reduces the periodontal infection

One of the primary benefits of the Water Flosser is that the pulsating action creates a compression / decompression phase that expels subgingival bacteria from the pocket.

    It reduces the inflammation

Study after study, many of six months duration has shown that people who add the Water Flosser to daily self-care do better at reducing bleeding and gingivitis than people who do not use the Water Flosser.

   It helps people with diabetes

People with diabetes tend to be at greater risk for periodontal disease and often have more severe gingival inflammation. A study on people with diabetes found that those who used the Water Flosser for three months had a 44% better reduction in bleeding and a 41% better reduction in gingivitis over those who did not use the Water Flosser.

   It is safe and gentle around dental implants

Maintenance of implants is critical to their long-term survival.

    There is nothing better for cleaning around orthodontic (braces) appliances

Keeping orthodontic (braces) appliances clean can be tedious and challenging. Water Flossing makes it easier. Adolescents age 11 -17 who used a Water Flosser with the Orthodontic Tip very day for four weeks had three times the reduction in plaque versus those who used a manual brush and floss and fives times the reduction than those who only brushed.

    It gets deeper into the pocket that string floss

Findings indicate that using the Water Flosser with the Classic Jet Tip results in penetration of approximately 50% of the depth of the pocket. In contrast, it is widely accepted though not scientifically documented that ideally, floss reaches about 3 mm due to technique / anatomical constraints.

   It removes plaque

A study at the University of Southern California Center for Biofilms found that a three-second application of water flossing with the Classic Jet Tip at medium pressure removed 99.9% of the plaque biofilm from the treated area.

    It is easy to use

Using the Water Flosser is easier than string flossing because it requires less manual dexterity. It takes about one minute to cleanse the entire mouth. Beyond the initial investment, all you need is water, although the Water Flosser can accommodate most mouth rinses.

    It is a clinically proven effective alternative to string floss

Studies have directly compared the Water Flosser to string floss. The Water Flosser with the Classic Jet Tip was up to 93% more effective at reducing bleeding and up to 52% more effective at reducing gingivitis than string floss. Plaque removal was also better.

    It is evidence based

The Water Flosser has been evaluated more than 50 times since its introduction in 1962. Clinical findings reducing bleeding and gingivitis are supported by positive outcomes from more than 20 clinical trials.

 Reference: RDH magazine

For more information visit our website; Office of Brian Nylaan facebook page; or Brian S. Nylaan, D.D.S. facebook page.

Schedule an appointment.