Paople often say: "Oh, this missing tooth is in the back no one will see it, i am not going to replace it."  People do not take missing back teeth as seriously as missing front ones. I tell my patients that when all teeth are present, they keep each other in line. The gap that results from a missing tooth, make other teeth shift from their place causing spacing betwen the rest of the teeth in the same arch, and a shift of the teeth in the apposing arch. This shifting will result in changing the bite overall. This gap also causes cavities, gum disease, loss of other teeth, and potentially jaw pain.

When a patient starts loosing more teeth, his or her chewing habits change, and the person tends to put more force on the remaining ones. This leads to tooth fractures, excessive wear, headaches, and TMJ problems. The deterioration of the bite happens faster with some people than others. Bone density plays a role in how fast this process happens, periodontal disease accelerates the shifting,  also biting and chewing habbits plays a role.

Make sure you replace every missing tooth as soon as you loose it.  Do not take teeth and oral health lightly, remember everything you put in your mouth goes to your body.

Finally I say to you all:  healthy mouth, healthy life.

Enjoy the summer.

Diabetic patients are prone to periodontal disease, which can cause bone loss and subsequently tooth loss.

 Oral signs of diabetes:

• Dry mouth
• Sore or loose teeth
• Burning mouth or tongue
• Chronic bad breath
• gingivitis or periodontitis

Diabetic patients need to increase their frequency of their cleaning per year, this means having a cleaning every three or four months. These patients need to be vigilany with their home care. Remember bacteria thrives in a diabetic mouth because of the high glucose levels, this increase with the weak resistance to infection lead to gum disease. Diabetic patients need to eat before their dental appointment, especially if they take insulin, it is best to come in the morning after breakfast.

I wish you all an everlasting healthy mouth and life 

Nail biting is so common especially among children. It can cause unpleasant and expensive dental issues.

• Front teeth can chip, get worn down, or get cracked which in turn will need bonding, veneers, or crowns.
• the normal bacteria in the mouth can infect the nail bed and can reach the blood which can be life threatening in immune compromised patients, or weak patients.
• braces wearers can cause too much pressure on the root which in turn can cause shortening to the roots. This shortening of the roots can compromise the longevity of the teeth in the mouth.
• Nail biting can permanently affect nail growth and cause deformed nails.

Solutions to nail biting:

• Professionally take care of the nails, trim them, file them, or wear a nail polish.
• paint a bitter-tasting liquid and keep re-applying it evry time the hands get rinsed or washed.
• pick up another habbit like squeezing a ball, playing with silly putty, playing with an elastic band.