SLO dentist asks: Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart?

Dr. Amorteguy, a SLO dentist, has a personal interest in making sure her patients are both mouth and heart healthy. Recently, heart health and oral health have been linked. Find out how:

Paying attention to your dental hygiene and health -- especially your gums -- may pay you back with more than a gleaming, healthy smile and manageable dental bills. It may keep your heart healthy too. 

However, experts emphasize that the keyword is may. Cardiologists and periodontists, the dentists who treat gum disease, have long debated the link between dental health and heart disease. But the issue still isn't completely resolved, says Robert Bonow, MD, past president of the American Heart Association and chief of cardiology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. 

"It isn't clear whether gum disease actually has a direct link to heart disease," Bonow says. ''There are threads of evidence, but they’re not yet tied together. If it's true that people with poor oral health have more heart attacks, it doesn't mean the poor oral health leads to them. People with good oral hygiene may just be taking better care of themselves." In other words, people who floss and brush their teeth may also exercise regularly and follow other heart-healthy habits. 

Gum Disease and Heart Disease: How Could They Be Linked? 

Experts do agree that there are plausible reasons why dental health and heart health may be intertwined. For example, inflammation is a common problem in both diseases, Bonow says. Hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, ''has a strong component of inflammation. Much of the progression of plaque [building up in the arteries] is actually an inflammatory process." 

Gum disease also has an inflammation component, says Sam Low, DDS, associate dean at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville, and president of the American Academy of Periodontology. Gingivitis, the beginning stages of gum disease, occurs when gums become inflamed and bacteria overtake the mouth.

SLO dentist

To continue reading this article, Dr. Amorteguy your SLO dentist recommends going to WEb MD for the full version: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/healthy-teeth-healthy-heart

Deborah Amorteguy DDS

1250 Peach Street
Suite F
San Luis Obispo 
California 93401

805-543-3016

Smile@DrAmorteguy.com

www.dramorteguy.com

Dentist in San Luis Obispo Says: No More Excuses

Dr. Amorteguy, your dentist in San Luis Obispo sees a lot of people who take care of their teeth while there are some who forget to do basic steps like flossing daily. Since flossing is such an integral part of keeping your teeth healthy, Dr. Amorteguy is posting this article from Web MD about how you can keep your smile healthy with this simple act:

Do you floss? Or, like many people, do you always seem to find a reason not to? 

A 2008 survey found that only 49% of Americans floss daily, and 10% never floss. That’s most unfortunate, dentists say, because flossing is even more important than brushing when it comes to preventing periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss.  

"If you were stuck on a desert island and a boat could bring only one thing, you’d want it to bring floss,” says Samuel B. Low, DDS, professor of periodontology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville, and president of the American Academy of Periodontology. “But I’m convinced that the only time some of my patients floss is an hour before showing up in my office.” 

Dentists say they hear all sorts of excuses for not flossing. Yet they insist that simple workarounds exist for just about all: 

Excuse #1: Food doesn’t get caught between my teeth, so I don’t need to floss.Flossing isn’t so much about removing food debris as it is about removing dental plaque, the complex bacterial ecosystem that forms on tooth surfaces between cleanings. Plaque is what causes tooth decay, inflamed gums (gingivitis), periodontal disease, and eventually tooth loss. Flossing or using an interdental cleaner is the only effective way to remove plaque between teeth. 

To continue reading this entire article, Dr. Amorteguy, your dentist in San Luis Obispo recommends going to Web MD: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/healthy-teeth-10/flossing-floss-sticks?page=1

Deborah Amorteguy DDS

1250 Peach Street
Suite F
San Luis Obispo 
California 93401

805-543-3016

Smile@DrAmorteguy.com

www.dramorteguy.com

SLO Dentist: 9 Things You Can Do About bad Breath

One of the biggest oral health issues that drives self-consciousness in people is that of bad breath, or halitosis to use the scientific term. Dr. Amorteguy, a SLO dentist, has found this informational article about how you can prevent this common affliction:

Worried about bad breath? You're not alone. Forty million Americans suffer from bad breath, or halitosis, according to the American Dental Hygienists' Association. Bad breath can get in the way of your social life. It can make you self-conscious and embarrassed. Fortunately, there are simple and effective ways to freshen your breath. 

1. Brush and floss more frequently. 

One of the prime causes of bad breath is plaque, the sticky build-up on teeth that harbors bacteria. Food left between teeth adds to the problem. All of us should brush at least twice a day and floss daily. If you're worried about your breath, brush and floss a little more often.  But don't overdo it. Brushing too aggressively can erode enamel, making your teeth more vulnerable to decay. 

2. Scrape your tongue. 

The coating that normally forms on the tongue can harbor foul-smelling bacteria. To eliminate them, gently brush your tongue with your toothbrush. Some people find that toothbrushes are too big to comfortably reach the back of the tongue. In that case, try a tongue scraper. "Tongue scrapers are an essential tool in a proper oral health care routine," says Pamela L. Quinones, RDH, president of the American Dental Hygienists' Association. "They're designed specifically to apply even pressure across the surface of the tongue area, removing bacteria, food debris, and dead cells that brushing alone can’t remove."  

To Continue reading this article, Dr. Amorteguy, your SLO dentist, recommends visiting Web MD: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/healthy-teeth-2/get-rid-bad-breath?page=1

Deborah Amorteguy DDS

1250 Peach Street
Suite F
San Luis Obispo 
California 93401

805-543-3016

Smile@DrAmorteguy.com

www.dramorteguy.com

Dental Care -- What To Expect During Routine Check Ups

Many people avoid going to the dentist because they're afraid of pain or what the dentist will find lurking in their mouth. Fortunately, Dr. Amorteguy a dentist in San Luis Obsipo, has found an article detailing the steps you should take before your next check-up in order to avoid any uncomfortable situations:

Your dentist will recommend how often to have routine checkups. Many people should see their dentists once or twice a year. Your dentist will examine your teeth and gums for signs of tooth decay,gum disease, and other health problems.

• Your dental hygienist will begin to clean your teeth by scraping hard mineral buildup (tartar) off of your teeth with a small metal tool. Then the hygienist will floss your teeth, use a polishing compound, and apply fluoride. Cleanings usually aren't painful.

• Occasionally your dentist will want to take X-rays. The X-rays take only a few minutes.

• Your dentist or technician will have you put on a heavy apron to shield your body from X-rays. Everyone else in the room will either wear a protective apron or step behind a protective shield.

• Your dentist or technician will have you bite down on a small piece of plastic. This will help align the teeth properly for the machine. Your dentist or technician will repeat this process several times to get pictures of all your teeth.

To continue reading this article, Dr. Amorteguy recommends visiting Web MD for more information: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/tc/basic-dental-care-routine-checkups