Dentistry From the Heart was Huge Success for Third Year!

Shwedel Dental, in Taylor, Michigan, held their 3rd Annual Dentistry From the Heart event on Saturday, September 24, 2011.  Dr. Steven Shwedel and his team of 50+ volunteers, including Dr. Caroline Okonkowski, Dr. Michael Chaben, Dr. Chris Paulson and Oral Surgeons Dr. Paul Ho and Dr. William Ruskin, provided FREE dentistry to 125 people in need.  Each person received a filling or an extraction or a dental cleaning.  In total almost $36,000 in dental services were performed between 8:00am and 5:00pm. 

“As a growing number of Americans are out of a job or just don’t have dental insurance, we felt this was a great way to help address the problem and to give back to the Taylor community,” said Dr. Shwedel.

Dentistry From the Heart is a non-profit organization with a simple mission – making people smile.  “Believe me, the smiles and thanks we received from all the people we treated made the long hours and hard work one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives,” said Dr. Shwedel.

Thanks and appreciation goes to all the businesses and groups that through their generous donations helped us make this event so successful.  Benco Dental Supply, Crest/Oral B, City of Taylor DPW and Parks & Rec., Olson’s Party Rental, Acee Deucee, MI Custom Sign, Shopping Savvy Magazine and the Taylor Rotary as well as Texas Roadhouse for providing food for the patients as well as the volunteers.

Dr. Shwedel and his volunteers have already marked their calendars in anticipation of their fourth annual Dentistry From the Heart event to be held on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYiRtJlEB4c

The Sahara Desert and Your Mouth???

Do you ever feel like your mouth and The Sahara Desert have something in common?

If so, you are not alone. Over 25 million Americans suffer from dry mouth. And it’s not just the discomfort of dry mouth (called “xerostomia” by dentists) that is the problem.  It is often accompanied by trouble chewing and swallowing, difficulty in speaking, a rise in dental cavities and gum disease, and most noticeably to some, bad breath. If people act like there is a fire drill taking place every time you open your mouth, this could be the culprit!

So why do so many of us have what is often referred to as “cottonmouth?”

According to The Food and Drug Administration, over 400 medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, can lead to dry mouth. It’s also caused by mouth breathing, dehydration (drink your water!!), and lack of salivary flow due to aging. In rare instances, dry mouth may be caused by an underlying serious disease – so it is not something to take lightly.

Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking are also among the leading causes of this problem, so if you need another reason to put away the cigarettes for good and cut down on the “adult beverages,” now is a great time!

There are several things you can do to help reduce the symptoms of dry mouth, including:

·         Chewing a sugar-free gum containing Xylitol

·         Drinking plenty of water

·         Breathing through your nose instead of your mouth (easier said than done!)

·         Frequent brushing and rinsing with a fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse

·         Using a room vaporizer to humidify the air in your home

·         Using an over-the-counter saliva substitute

Since dry mouth can also be a sign of a serious illness AND cause an increase in cavities and gum disease, excellent oral hygiene and regular dental visits are a must. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please call us immediately at 313-292-5900 for an appointment or visit our website at www.ShwedelDental.com. Your health is important to us and we are here to help you.

SPECTRA IS HERE!!!

We are pleased to announce that Shwedel Dental now has the latest technology in the battle against tooth decay.  The early cavity detection device is called SPECTRA and uses technology similar to Doppler Radar.  It gives us the ability to evaluate all surfaces of your teeth. While traditional technology allows us to evaluate only the deep pits and grooves, SPECTRA also check along the margins of old restorations and crowns for new or recurrent decay.

Spectra displays colored images on the computer screen so you will be able to see for yourself what is happening. Each color corresponds to differing degrees of decay:

v     A green image means the enamel is sound and there is no decay. For teeth that display only green or sound enamel, we strongly recommend that you have sealants, which will seal off the deep pits and groove in hope of preventing future decay.

v     A blue image means decay is in the beginning stages (de-mineralization has begun) and we recommend that you begin using a fluoride supplement, such as Prevident Rinse or MI Paste to help remineralize the teeth.

v     A red image means there is deep decay in the enamel, an orange image means deep decay through the enamel and into the dentin (the second layer of tooth), a yellow image means deep decay into the dentin.  For teeth that display red, orange and/or yellow images, we recommend that you have the areas of decay removed and new restoration placed.

 

At Shwedel Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, it is our goal to keep your mouth healthy and your smile beautiful.  Any questions?  Call us at #313-292-5590 or visit our website http://www.shwedeldental.com/

We look forward to showing you how SPECTRA can help in your fight against tooth decay.

Less Taste, More Fillings?

The band Steely Dan once sang a song about “Gold Teeth” – but more of us probably have silver in our teeth than gold.

Recently many patients have been asking about the difference between traditional “silver” fillings and the more modern tooth colored or “white” fillings.  Here is a little history (we will try to make it fun!) and then some answers to many questions people seem to be having.

Ancient dentists used materials as diverse as cork, turpentine, gum, lead and stone chips to restore decayed teeth.  Then in China (long before they were making iPods and Nike tennis shoes) dentists began experimenting with silver as a material to plug unwanted dental holes.

After experimenting with many formulations over the years, in the early 1800’s a French dentist, named Louis Regnart, added mercury to the mix, creating the first version of the modern day silver filling, known as dental amalgam.  The formula was so controversial that when it was first introduced in the U.S. by two other Frenchmen, they were run out of the country!  Eventually the formula was perfected and it became the material still in use today which we typically call “silver fillings.”  Most Americans who visit the dentist on a regular basis (especially those of us over thirty or so) have a few of these gems in our mouths.

Lately some groups have pointed out that mercury can be a very unhealthy thing to have in your body, and have actually called for all of these fillings to be removed!  While it is true that in large quantities mercury is toxic, after extensive studies the American Dental Association has concluded that there are NO significant health risks to using the time-tested material.

However, we feel it is important to point out two major differences between these traditional silver amalgam fillings and more modern tooth colored materials.  A silver filling does not actually bond to the healthy tooth structure; it is kept in place by placing the material using a wedge effect.  So while it may do a good job of replacing a decayed area in your tooth, it also weakens the tooth and makes it more susceptible to cracks and fractures, often leading to more extensive treatment such as a crown which covers the tooth completely.  For this reason, we are extra careful to check these fillings and surrounding tooth structure very closely during your examination for any signs cracking or breakdown.

On the other hand, a tooth colored filling (known as “composite”) actually bonds to healthy tooth and creates one big strong healthy tooth unit.  The major difference is obvious – a composite filling is a beautiful almost invisible way to treat a decayed tooth while an amalgam filling looks like metal.  Do you ever see a famous singer on TV open wide to reveal a mouth of silver?  We see it all the time. (Of course, we are dentally obsessed and may be looking more closely than you!)

So keep brushing and flossing well, eating a healthy diet and getting regular dental visits, and maybe you will never have to worry about this!  But should you have a cavity – we will be glad to discuss all of the options with you and work together to figure out the best way to treat your individual situation.  Our goal is to provide treatment which is strong and beautiful too!  At Shwedel Dental, we always want to recommend the absolute best options to suit your needs and keep your mouth healthy for the rest of your life.  Should you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please give us a call at 313-292-5590 or visit us a www.ShwedelDental.com.  We are Taylor’s Dentist for the Whole Family!!!

NOT JUST FOR KIDS ANYMORE!!!

No longer are fluoride treatments just for children.  New research shows that everyone, regardless of age, can benefit from them.  Fluoride not only helps protect newly erupting teeth from decay, but mature teeth that present their own set of needs.  Such as exposed roots from gum recession or the margins where crowns & teeth meet or even the effects of dry mouth as a result of medication & decreased saliva. 

Most insurance companies feel only children need fluoride or at least only pay for children’s fluoride.  And that lack of coverage makes many people think adults don’t need or wouldn’t benefit from  fluoride treatments.  However, that is not the case.  At your next cleaning, ask your hygienist if fluoride would be right for you.

At Shwedel Dental, we are now strongly encouraging all of our patients to have a fluoride treatment after having their teeth cleaned.  With the plaque, tartar and biofilm removed during the cleaning, the teeth are most receptive to absorbing the fluoride and thus making the teeth more resistant to decay.  Should you have any questions about fluoride or any other dental related topic, including the latest ways to get a beautiful smile, please contact us at 313-292-5590.  We look forward to seeing you soon!