Monthly Archives: March 2016

What Energy Drinks Do To Your Teeth

It’s been a busy few days and all the work’s starting to take its toll on you. You find yourself tired and sleepy, worse still is that you still have a day or so worth of work ahead of you. So, you go down the hall, find the vending machine, look for an energy drink of your flavor of choice, toss in a few bucks and voila, you’ve just found a way to get yourself out of that mid-shift funk.

All is well and good, right? Well, not exactly.

Fact is, even if most people know that drinking energy drinks regularly is bad for the body, it seems that the energy boost isn’t all that worth it, especially since it comes at the expense of your beautiful smile.

How Energy Drinks Are Eating Away At Your Teeth

The main root of the problem is a mix of extremely high sugar content and a citric acid pH that’s usually as low as 2.9 all in one drink.

Now, sugar, as we all know, is bad for the teeth. It’s basically the main cause of cavities and a whole bunch of other dental problems. But, even the extremely high sugar content alone isn’t enough to fully describe just how bad energy drinks are for one’s teeth.

It’s the combination of the sugar content and pH levels that makes energy drinks such a danger to the teeth.

Given that the lower the pH level, the more acidic it is and that an increase in numerical value means the acidity intensifies tenfold, most energy drinks are.

The pH level is what really makes the problem more worrisome, as experts consider anything that has a pH in between 3.0 and 4.0 detrimental to one’s dental health, especially with regular exposure.

With a citric acid pH that’s around 2.9, energy drinks shouldn’t, in any way, be found close to your teeth.

What Does This All Mean?

Anything acidic, when consumed regularly and in high amounts, can cause damage to tooth enamel, which in time can lead to a myriad of dental problems, including tooth sensitivity, tooth discoloration and pain or discomfort in the teeth.

While it is true that a lot of what we consume everyday are somewhat acidic in nature. Like for example, fruits such as oranges and apples has a pH ranging in between 2.8 to 4.0, the teeth are not exposed to as much of it, even if you eat it frequently, as when consuming energy drinks.

With energy drinks, the teeth are exposed to a huge amount of these acidic substances, which leads to it having a similar detrimental effect on teeth as that of carbonated drinks and juices.

Given the negative light carbonated drinks and juices have been put on recently in regards to dental, as well as overall health, it would be wise to limit one’s consumption of energy, as well as sports drinks. And experts actually agree to this.

In addition to minimizing the consumption of sports and energy drinks, plenty of dental professionals recommend chewing sugar-free gum or rinsing their mouth with water after consuming such drinks to promote salivary flow and help the acidity levels of the mouth return to normal.

Brushing one’s teeth immediately after consuming such beverages is not recommended as well. Instead, dentists recommend waiting for an hour to avoid spreading the acid onto the tooth surfaces.

While totally avoiding energy drinks is near-impossible, considering the busy world we live in and how we need the occasional energy boost, it’s important to remember that the dangers of drinking such beverages and what to do after consuming.

For more information regarding your oral health, contact Dr. Larry Lieberman, DDS at 727-785-8017 or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com.

Dr. Larry Lieberman, DDS accepts patients from Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, Clearwater, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs and surrounding areas.

Everything You Need To Know About Dentures

Dentures are dental appliances used as replacements for missing teeth that can be taken out and placed right back in the mouth when necessary.

While a fairly effective replacement, both in terms of esthetics and function, for real teeth, dentures often are criticized for how long it takes to get used to them and how they’ll never feel the same as one’s natural teeth. However, today’s dentures have been improved to look much better and be much more comfortable to wear.

How Dentures Work

There are three types of dentures – the conventional full denture, the partial denture and the immediate full denture.

The dentist will be the one to recommend which of the three fits your particular case best, or if you’ll benefit better from a different type of dental treatment.

For the dentures, they are custom-made dental appliances that are made in a dental laboratory using impressions that were taken based on the exact specifications of your mouth.

Conventional Full Dentures – The conventional full denture is placed in the mouth only after the remaining teeth have been removed and tissues have been given enough time to heal. The healing process typically takes several months, during which time you will be without teeth. Special care instructions are given to prevent complications resulting from the lack of teeth. Also, it is often recommended to change one’s diet until the gums and its tissues have fully healed.
Immediate Full Dentures – his type of denture is inserted immediately after all the remaining teeth have been removed. Thus, it is a viable alternative for those who don’t want to go through the hassle of living without their teeth for months. The drawback, though, is that multiple dental visits are necessary as the dentures will have to be relined because the bone supporting the teeth changes its shape as it heals, which if not corrected will cause the denture to become loose.
Partial Dentures – Partial dentures are placed on top of a metal framework that’s attached to the remaining natural teeth. In many cases, crowns are placed on top of some of the natural teeth to serve as anchors for the dentures and to ensure a better, more stable fit. Partial dentures are often advised to those who dislike the permanent nature of dental bridges.

Do Dentures Really Feel Awkward?

Yes, especially for the first few months. Eating and speaking with dentures will take a lot of time getting used to. Even your cheeks and tongue will have to learn how to hold your dentures properly in place, resulting in you feeling that the dentures are a bit loose.

It is also not uncommon for you to experience excessive saliva flow and feel that the tongue is a bit cramped inside your mouth, or that you’re suddenly developing minor irritations and soreness.

If, however, the irritations are no longer what you’d consider as minor, be sure to see your dentist.

How Can I Make My Dentures Last?

Like many other dental appliances, dentures will have to be taken special care of to last for as long as intended, or even longer.

Here are a few tips to help you take better care of your dentures.

As much as possible, stand over a folded towel, or a basin of water, or carpeted floors, or basically, anything clean and soft, when handling your dentures. This is so as the denture doesn’t break when accidentally dropped.
Dentures should be placed in a glass of plain water or denture cleanser soaking solution when not being worn. Warm water is not advised as it can cause warping.
Dentures will have to be brushed like natural teeth to rid them of food deposits and prevent plaque build-up, as well as stains.
The gums, tongue and palate should also be brushed at least once every day. Preferably, use a soft-bristled brush and do this every morning, before the dentures are inserted.
Any breaks, chips, cracks on the dentures should be reported to the dentist immediately. So too should be any feeling of looseness. Any attempt of adjusting the dentures yourself may only result in irreversible damage.

Missing teeth don’t only look bad, they’re also bad for the health.

Visit your dentist today to have your missing teeth replaced with dentures so you can have your smile back again and for you to not have to suffer from further health complications resulting from missing teeth.

If you are interested in denture and would like more information, contact Dr. Larry Lieberman at 727-785-8017 to schedule a consultaion today. Or visit www.dentist-lieberman.com to learn more.

Accepting patients from Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, Clearwater, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs and surrounding areas.

The Benefits in 3D ConeBeam Imaging in Dentistry | Palm Harbor Dentist

186932212 Modern dentistry is slowly seeing an influx of the application of new techniques, procedures and technology, with the use of 3D digital imaging being just one of the many.

The use of 3D digital imaging marks an important achievement, as the technology offers dentists a wide variety of perspectives of the face, neck and teeth of their patients, making a more complete treatment plan.

3D ConeBeam Imaging, in particular, is considered as such a technology that can help dentists do a lot more than ever before. The technology is fast, simple and completely non-invasive. All the patient has to do is sit in the chair for a scan and that’s it. The dentist has a computer-generated view of the patient’s face, teeth and other important details from various perspectives.

For dental practitioners, access to accurate and complete information is important in planning treatment. The use of 3D ConeBeam Imaging helps in providing that information, making it beneficial for both dental practitioners and patients alike.

How Does 3D ConeBeam Imaging Work?

To put simply, the imaging system is basically an X-ray scanner, only it’s mounted on a rotating arm. The name “ConeBeam” stems from the system’s use of the scanner to project x-rays in a cone-shaped beam.

Patients simply have to sit in the chair will the scanner moves around their head to gather all the data necessary. There’s no preparation of any kind involved.

After the imaging system goes through the patient’s head, the dentist can then call up any necessary view on a computer monitor.

The imaging system allows dentists to view images of their patient’s entire mouth from just about any angle imaginable, with different magnifications. This accessibility makes it easier to see bones, teeth, airways, nerves, as well as tissues and see the relationship between them in order to create a more effective treatment plan.

3D ConeBeam Imaging produces high-quality images similar to that of a CT (CAT) scan, but only with much less radiation, making it a much safer approach.

What Makes It Different?

Traditionally, dentists relied on x-rays focused on their patient’s teeth to create treatment plans. While effective, the process is not exactly foolproof and there have been many cases of unintentional lapses because of the limited information given out by x-rays.

With the 3D ConeBeam Imaging system, dentists have a more complete visual guide to study their patient’s case from just about any angle they can think of. Even better is that the scan data is easy to duplicate for storage purposes and to make it easier to send out to different specialists later on.

The 3D ConeBeam Imaging System can benefit just about any patient, from those who’re just beginning treatment to those with recurring problems or those who are having their results evaluated.

Thanks to the more accurate, high-quality, detailed visual information produced by the imaging system, dentists have all the information they could possibly need to diagnose and plan out the proper course of action.

As the patient, you should be happy that your dentist has access to such technology, as the improved information allows you to be more confident and more satisfied with the treatment you’re receiving.

To find out more about the 3D ConeBeam Imaging system, contact Dr. Larry Lieberman and make an appointment 727-785-8017 or visit our website at www.dentist-lieberman.com.

Accepting patients from Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, Clearwater, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs and all surrounding areas.