January 2013 - Darlene Sand Wall DMD

Erlanger Dentist: What Flossing Can Do for You

Remember the way it feels to get corn stuck between your teeth? It isn’t very pleasant. Luckily, we have dental floss for just such a problem. But dental floss can do far more than remove pesky food from between your teeth. It’s an excellent tool for cleaning the areas of your mouth that are more difficult to access. Your Erlanger dentist, Dr. Darlene Henry, elaborates on the vital role flossing plays in the health of your mouth.

What Flossing Does for Your Mouth

Flossing cleanses areas of the mouth, where the toothbrush is ineffective. These areas are between each of your teeth. When most people think about the parts of a tooth that need cleaning, they probably think of the top, front, and back of the tooth. The surfaces between teeth tend to slip through the cracks. However, there is a whole surface hidden there, and that’s where flossing comes in. It cleans where brushing can’t.

Colgate has a great advertising campaign right now that tries to make flossing more memorable. Follow this link to check it out: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/colgate_total_dental_floss_photoshop_disasters_2. It’s a great ad because it draws our attention to the disparity between the things we see that are stuck between our teeth and the things we don’t see like disembodied hands or the hidden surfaces of our teeth.

Tips for Flossing Effectively

Flossing is an easy process once you get the hang of it. Dr. Henry recommends flossing once a day. Try the following tips to floss more effectively:

Use about 18 inches of floss.
Leave 2-4 inches between your hands.
Be sure to hold the floss tight between your index fingers and thumbs.
As you floss, continue to use clean sections of the floss.
Be gentle. Slide the floss between your teeth and up and down along the side of each tooth.
When you are finished, rinse your mouth with water or mouth wash.

Visit Your Erlanger Dentist

Have you visited Dr. Henry in the past six months? Regular six-month checkups and cleanings are a good practice for maintaining a healthy mouth. Call our 41018 dentist office at (859) 344-8500. We serve patients from Erlanger, Cincinnati, Crestview Hills, Fort Mitchell, Florence, Union, Independence, and Taylor Mill.

insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, Darlene Sand Wall DMD, dentistry

Dental Care

OTC Sleep Aids: A Problematic Solution for Occasional Insomnia

Americans leads incredibly busy lives. Between the demands of work, family, and leisure activities, it seems we never get any down time. Unfortunately, this on-the-go lifestyle can have a significantly negative impact on your ability to get a good night’s sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, approximately 48% of American adults report having occasional insomnia and many of them turn to over-the-counter sleep aids as a way to get the sleep they need. While OTC sleep aids can help you fall asleep, they can also cause problems. Your Erlanger dentist, Dr. Darlene Henry, discusses the impact OTC sleep aids can have on oral health and offers some solutions to help you rest.

About OTC Sleep Aids

Most conventional over-the-counter sleep aids contain an antihistamine as the primary ingredient. Normally used to combat allergies and colds, the most common side effects of antihistamines include feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. While an antihistamine-containing sleep aid can certainly help you achieve a good night’s sleep on occasion, they also have several unwanted side effects, including:

Feeling groggy or sleepy the day after usage.
Most people build up a tolerance to these sleep aids very quickly, so they have to take a higher, potentially unsafe dosage.
OTC sleep aids counteract badly with alcohol and some prescription medications.

OTC Sleep Aids and Dry Mouth

One undesired side effect of sleep aids that contain antihistamines is their drying effect on the mouth. In addition to an unpleasant, cotton-mouthed feeling, dry mouth can lead to significant oral health problems. Saliva serves several key purposes in the mouth, including washing away dead cells, bacteria, and particles of food. If healthy saliva levels drop, all of these materials begin to build up on the tongue, at the gum line, and between teeth. This can result in bad breath and an increased risk of gum disease and tooth decay.

A Surprising Cause of Insomnia (and How Your Dentist Can Help!)

Many people who suffer from insomnia or who report feeling chronically tired or sleepy during the day can blame obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, for their problem. When a person sleeps, the muscles in their airway relax. In a person with OSA, the airway relaxes so much that it interferes with their ability to breath. The airway closes and the person’s brain, sensing that the body isn’t receiving enough oxygen, forces the person to wake up. These episodes of wakefulness can occur hundreds of time a night, resulting in poor sleep quality. Many OSA sufferers take OTC sleep aids in an attempt to get better sleep but they do nothing to address the root of the problem. Your dentist can prescribe a custom-fitted mouthpiece that pushes your jaw forward and reduces the level of airway obstruction. Once the underlying problem of sleep apnea is addressed, most patients no longer need to rely on sleep aids to get the sleep they need.

Schedule an Appointment for a Better Night’s Sleep

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Darlene Henry, call our Kentucky dental office at (859) 344 – 8500. We gladly serve patients from Cincinnati, Crestview Hills, Fort Mitchell, Florence, Union, Independence, Taylor Mill, and surrounding communities.

earache, headache, TMD, Darlene Sand Wall DMD, dentistry

Dental Care

Erlanger Dentist Explains TMD and Earaches

Experiencing jaw pain is not uncommon. In fact, if your jaws ache occasionally or feel fatigued, you may have no need to worry. But when your jaw pain coincides with other maladies, you should see your dentist. Your pain could stem from a problem with your temporomandibular joints. Typically, a TMJ disorder (TMD) causes localized pain affecting your head, neck, and ears. Relieving the pain can be simple and non-invasive, if treated early enough. You can avoid complications from TMD, like worn and broken teeth, by seeking council from a dental professional. In this article, Erlanger cosmetic dentist Dr. Darlene Henry explains the connection between TMD and earaches.

Earaches from TMJ Disorder

The temporomandibular joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull are sensitive. A thin disc rests between the jaw and temporal bones to smooth common motions associated with chewing, talking, and yawning. When your jaw sustains injury from physical trauma or excessive stress from clenching or teeth grinding (bruxism), the TMJs can become unbalanced, and you can experience pain in various places. An unbalanced joint irritates nerves that cause earaches and ear ringing, which TMD treatment may remedy.

TMD Treatment

Usually, preventing teeth grinding can lessen pain from TMD dramatically. To achieve this, Dr. Henry can prescribe a custom-fitted oral appliance for you to wear at night. We also offer Botox treatments to relax jaw muscles and stop bruxism. The effects of Botox last for approximately three months, so you may need additional treatments if bruxism continues to cause pain. Teeth grinding wears down teeth and could break them, which can be the source of earaches or radiant pain. Dr. Henry offers color-matched restorations that strengthen teeth to relieve pain.

Schedule an Appointment with Your Erlanger Dentist

Visit our 41018 dentist office to talk with Dr. Henry about the right TMD treatment for you. We make going to the dentist a relaxing, welcoming experience. If your pain is caused by malocclusion or crooked teeth, she can suggest a respected orthodontist to help directly treat your condition. Call (859) 344-8500 to schedule an appointment. We welcome patients from Erlanger, Cincinnati, Crestview Hills, Fort Mitchell, Florence, Union, Independence, and Taylor Mill.

dental phobia, children, Darlene Sand Wall DMD, dentistry

Dental Care

Dental Phobia Affects Children, Says Erlanger Dentist

If you suffer from a fear of going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Almost 30-40 million American adults fear or feel anxious about a dental appointment. A recent study indicates that a fear of visiting the dentist can start in childhood and that parents can influence kids’ impressions of oral care. Avoiding regular dental appointments puts you at a heightened risk for oral and general health issues. In this article, Erlanger cosmetic dentist Dr. Darlene Henry explores the effects of fearing dental appointments.

Parental Fear of Dentists

Research indicates that when only one family member feels anxiety or fear toward visiting a dentist office, the entire family also feels some degree of apprehension. Typically, fathers transmit dental fear to children, either directly or via mothers. Even when mothers lower anxiety, fathers influence a mother’s actions through their actions at a dentist office. A palpable dental fear displayed by parents spreads to children, who carry a fear of going to the dentist with them through their lives. Fearing the dentist leads to infrequent dental checkups, which can cause oral problems to go unnoticed.

Effects of Dental Phobia

By not visiting your dentist regularly, you invite a host of dental problems, such as tooth decay and gum disease. In as little as 26 hours, food particles and plaque that stick between teeth harden into tartar, or dental calculus. Brushing and flossing cannot remove tartar, so seeing your dentist for a six-month checkup serves a necessary purpose. Plaque and tartar host acid-producing bacteria that de-mineralize tooth enamel, causing cavities. These same bacteria infect gums and can reach tooth roots, destroying
the connective tissue that holds your teeth in place. In advanced stages of gum disease, tartar forms beneath the gum line, where bacteria breed and cause gums to swell, bleed, and lose grip on teeth.

Schedule an Appointment with Your Erlanger Dentist

Visit Dr. Henry and show your kids they have nothing to fear at our 41018 dentist office. Simple keeping up with six-month checkups can keep teeth free of tartar and harmful bacteria. Call (859) 344-8500 to schedule an appointment. We serve patients from Erlanger, Cincinnati, Crestview Hills, Fort Mitchell, Florence, Union, Independence, and Taylor Mill.

confident smile, Darlene Sand Wall DMD, dentistry

Dental Care

Renew Your Confidence with Your Erlanger Dentist

How often do you smile? Studies show that smiling, even insincerely, boosts a person’s mood.Crooked teeth or tooth stains may keep you from showing off your smile. Stifling a smile can send the wrong message, and people may interpret a straight face to represent sadness or aggression. Don’t let dissatisfaction with your smile keep you from properly expressing yourself when cosmetic dentistry can improve the appearance of teeth and boost your confidence. In this article, Erlanger cosmetic dentist Dr. Darlene Henry explains the benefits of cosmetic dentistry.

How to Restore Your Smile

Dr. Henry can offer various treatment plans to correct crooked, stained, or chipped teeth.

Porcelain veneers will make your teeth appear straighter, while simultaneously whitening your smile. Dr. Henry places thin shells of handcrafted porcelain over surfaces of front teeth.
Veneers can withstand the pressures of biting and chewing, and resist stains.
Tooth contouring can reshape teeth to smooth rough or sharp edges for a a softer-looking smile.
We also offer take-home, professional teeth whitening trays to brighten your smile.
Color-matched bonding material can fill cracks or chips, close gaps, or be applied as a veneer to brighten permanently stained teeth.

Health Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry

You may want to show off your straighter, whiter teeth, but cosmetic dentistry offers more reasons to smile. Cosmetic dentistry not only improves the look of your mouth, but can also restore the way it functions. Restoring damaged teeth and replacing one or more missing teeth also lowers your risk of gum disease, which research links to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, if you suffer with TMD-induced headaches, realigning your bite may also relieve your pain.

Schedule an Appointment with Your Erlanger Dentist

Talk with Dr. Henry to explore options for your cosmetic dentistry procedure. We offer a variety of teeth whitening treatments and porcelain veneers to straighten front teeth and make you smile more. Call our 41018 dentist office at (859) 344-8500 to make an appointment. We serve patients from Erlanger, Cincinnati, Crestview Hills, Fort Mitchell, Florence, Union, Independence, and Taylor Mill.

Erlanger Dentist: What Flossing Can Do for You

What Flossing Does for Your Mouth

Tips for Flossing Effectively

Visit Your Erlanger Dentist

OTC Sleep Aids: A Problematic Solution for Occasional Insomnia

About OTC Sleep Aids

OTC Sleep Aids and Dry Mouth

A Surprising Cause of Insomnia (and How Your Dentist Can Help!)

Schedule an Appointment for a Better Night’s Sleep

Erlanger Dentist Explains TMD and Earaches

Earaches from TMJ Disorder

TMD Treatment

Schedule an Appointment with Your Erlanger Dentist

Dental Phobia Affects Children, Says Erlanger Dentist

Parental Fear of Dentists

Effects of Dental Phobia

Schedule an Appointment with Your Erlanger Dentist

Renew Your Confidence with Your Erlanger Dentist

How to Restore Your Smile

Health Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry

Schedule an Appointment with Your Erlanger Dentist

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