Periodontal Splinting

Losing a tooth was exciting when you were six, but not so much anymore. A visit from the Tooth Fairy is now a visit to the dentist. At Bridge Smiles Dental Group P.A., Drs. Meghadri and Grewal offer a technique called Periodontal Splinting. This lets you keep your natural teeth while keeping them strong. Your loose teeth are attached together, creating widespread stability. It’s used to treat looseness caused by periodontal disease, injury, or even misalignment. Contact our offices in Neshanic Station and Somerville, NJ, to learn more.

 

Periodontal splinting is an economical and ingenious dental technique. Splinting saves you the cost and pain of extraction and replacement. Teeth are meant to come in a complete set, and splinting keeps yours together. Temporary and permanent splints are available. Temporary is best for short-term looseness, possibly due to an injury. They come in two types: intra-coronal and extra-coronal. These differ in the way they attach to your teeth. The extra-coronal splint attaches to the enamel. Creating a channel on the back of the teeth sets the stage for intra-coronal splints. Permanent splinting takes longer due to its advanced nature. It’s a long-term solution. Each loose tooth receives a dental crown. Between them is a splint. This fuses the crowns together, creating a connected section.

 

Contact your NJ dentists as soon as you notice a loose tooth. The earlier you seek treatment the better the chances of success. Otherwise, your loose teeth will cause damage to the surrounding areas or lead to infection. It’s always a sign that a dental examination is necessary. Personal injury is the leading cause of looseness. This can happen in a variety of ways. You could experience a hit to the face, a sports injury, or even by falling. Set up an emergency dental appointment immediately. Advanced periodontal disease is another factor. Once the disease progresses to a certain stage it results in tooth loss. A daily dental routine and regular dental appointments can prevent this. Lastly, bruxism or teeth grinding leads to misalignment. The pressure pushes your teeth out of their natural places. A night-guard protects your top set of teeth from the bottom.

 

Don’t wait to contact Bridge Smiles Dental Group P.A. when you notice a loose tooth. It requires immediate treatment. Schedule your appointment with Drs. Meghadri and Grewal by visiting their website or calling. For the Neshanic Station, NJ, office, call 908-782-4418. For Somerville, NJ, call 908-725-0400.

Adding Mouthwash To Your Dental Routine

Drs. Meghadri and Grewal recommend adding mouthwash to your daily dental routine. It’s the best and most effective way to fully clean your mouth. The results are twofold: it prevents smelly breath and dental problems like tooth decay. Just make sure that you aren’t using mouthwash as a replacement for brushing and flossing. Learn more by contacting Bridge Smiles Dental Group P.A. in Neshanic Station and Somerville, NJ.

 

Therapeutic and cosmetic are the two available mouthwash types. Depending on your needs, you will want one over the other. Cosmetic focuses on clearing up bad breath. Therapeutic is used to prevent dental problems like cavities or plaque buildup. Keep this in mind when buying a new mouthwash.

 

When using mouthwash, follow these general instructions:

-Follow the recommended dosage and pour the amount into the cap or a separate cup.

-Swish it around your mouth thoroughly for at least 30 seconds. Try to reach every area of your mouth.

-Once you're done, spit the solution into the sink. Never swallow it! Mouthwash contains chemicals that can be harmful when ingested.

-Don’t eat or drink for 30-minutes following. This gives the effects of the mouthwash enough time to kick in.

 

Trying out mouthwash in your oral hygiene routine? No need to be worried! Your N.J. dentists have a few tips for you. Depending on your dental needs, you’ll want specific types of mouthwash. So if you’re looking for cavity prevention, buy a mouthwash that specializes in that! Same goes for things like gingivitis, plaque and tartar buildup, etc. Pay attention to the ingredients if you’re sensitive to certain dental products. Invest in a sensitive or more organic mouthwash brand. Don’t forget that certain brands contain alcohol in them too.

 

Your teeth and gums are a lifelong investment! Take care of them by partaking in good dental hygiene practices and biannual dental examinations. Only through a professional cleaning can your teeth get the total care they need. In need of a six-month checkup? Contact Bridges Smile Dental Group P.A. We are located in two locations: Neshanic Station and Somerville, NJ. Call the Neshanic Station office at 908-782-4418. For the Somerville location, call 908-725-0400. Schedule your appointment with Drs. Meghadri and Grewal by calling or visiting their website.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

You might not think so, but baby teeth need just as much if not more care than adult teeth. By nature, baby teeth aren’t as strong as their counterparts. It’s easier for dental decay to sit in. This includes younger children like infants or toddlers. Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is the phenomenon involving cavities in this age group. That’s why it’s important for you to schedule your child’s dental appointment with Bridge Smiles Dental Group P.A. Drs. Meghadri and Grewal offer pediatric examinations to avoid and detect Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. Learn more at our offices in NJ.

 

Large amounts of bacteria in the mouth cause cavities. They’re attracted to sugary substances left by food and drinks on the teeth. This is true regardless of age. But in infants, these sugary byproducts are caused by the drinks placed in their bottles. Hence the name Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. The American Dental Association states that bottles should only be filled with breast milk, formula, or regular milk. Avoid drinks that are high in sugar, like juice, soft drinks, and sugar-water. Water is the recommended choice for older children. It contains fluoride which naturally helps fight off cavities.

 

There are other steps you can take to minimize your babies exposure to bacteria. Resist giving your child access to a bottle during the night. Moisture in the mouth is a breeding ground for harmful pathogens. Be meticulous when cleaning their pacifiers. Never dip the pacifiers in substances like honey.

 

Mouth-to-mouth contact from the mother is the other biggest source of infiltration. The mother's saliva can kickstart baby bottle tooth decay. Avoid unnecessary mouth contact. Don’t share food or use your mouth to clean off pacifiers.

 

Schedule your child's dental examination with Bridge Smiles Dental Group P.A. To schedule an appointment with Drs. Meghadri or Grewal, call the office or visit our website. We have two conveniently located offices in the NJ area. For our Neshanic Station office, call 908-782-4418. To contact our Somerville office, call 908-725-0400.

Gum Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis

If you suffer from gum disease, you may be at risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). That’s the conclusion drawn by several recent studies into the long-established connection between the two diseases. At the Bridge Smiles Dental Group, we work hard to eliminate gum infections, but we need our patients to understand why it’s so important for them to keep regular appointments and practice oral hygiene.

Gum disease is caused by bacterial infection, but the causes of RA have remained unclear. The latter is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s own synovium, which is the soft tissue that lines joints. As a result, synovium becomes thick and stiff. Scientists used to think that people with RA had high rates of gum disease because they struggled to brush and floss, but it’s often the gum disease symptoms that develop first. Recently, scientists discovered that synovium and gum tissue share similar cellular structures.

New studies have found that the acid secreted by oral bacteria triggers hypercitrullination, which is a process by which proteins are deformed at a higher rate than is necessary to regulate them. The immune system responds by overproducing anti-protein antibodies, which then damage synovium. Researchers are currently investigating whether treating gum disease can reduce inflammation in people already suffering from RA, but in the meantime, patients suffering from gingivitis should schedule appointments with us to prevent joint pain as well as periodontitis.

Drs. Meghadri and Grewal run Bridge Smiles Dental Group at 820 US Hwy 202 North Neshanic Station, NJ, and 15 North Bridge St. Somerville, NJ. To schedule an appointment, visit Bridge Smiles Dental.