Greenbelt Dental Office

The Dangers of Soft Drinks and Sport Drinks

When we think of active, healthy people, we normally envision athletes or someone with a gym membership. Most likely if you’re watching a sporting event, there is an ample supply of sport drinks available to the athletes. While these drinks are often intended to help rehydrate the athlete, they wreak havoc on our teeth.

The same goes for soda and soft drinks. Both sports and soft drinks contain sugars and acidic juices. When these combine with our saliva and are broken down for digestion, an acid byproduct is created. This acid is active on the tooth surface for about 30 minutes. Because it is in liquid form, drinks coat the tooth and reach into deep grooves and areas between teeth. When we have more frequent exposure to these beverages, our decay rate increases. Erosion of the tooth enamel also occurs during consumption of these drinks.(i)

A study done on triathletes showed that while only a small percentage of them perceived themselves at a risk for dental decay, over 80% consumed sport drinks and showed extremely high risk for decay.(ii) Surprisingly, some sports drinks are more damaging to the teeth than soft drinks.(iii) Most of the time these drinks are consumed on a frequent basis over a long period of time. This is a recipe for dental disaster!

So do we need to give up these drinks completely? Not necessarily. However, we should be drinking water more often than anything else. Water hydrates the body extremely well and helps the teeth by rinsing some of the naturally accumulating bacteria. Our body needs water and it’s one of the best things that we can drink. If you decide that you need to drink a sport drink or soda, limit the exposure to your teeth. This can be done first of all by not sipping on the drink over an extended period of time. Sipping causes the exposure to be spread out through the day, extending the time frame in which the teeth can be damaged. Drink all at once, preferably with a meal. By limiting the time that your teeth are exposed to sweet and acidic liquids, you will help decrease the tooth decay caused by those beverages.

If your teeth suddenly happen to become sensitive to the sweet taste of sodas or sport drinks, this is an early symptom of tooth decay. If you or your athlete is experiencing any of these symptoms, call McCarl Dental Group today at (410) 987-8800 or (301) 474-4144 to schedule an exam in our Millersville, MD or Greenbelt, MD location. You may also visit us online and print coupons for special offers at www.McCarlDental.com.

(i)Noble WH, Donovan TE, Geissberger M.; Sports drinks and dental erosion.; J Calif Dent Assoc. 2011 Apr;39(4):233-8.

(ii)Bryant S, McLaughlin K, Morgaine K, Drummond B.;  Elite Athletes and Oral Health.; Int J Sports Med. 2011 May 17.

(iii)Kitchens M, Owens BM.; Effect of carbonated beverages, coffee, sports and high energy drinks, and bottled water on the in vitro erosion characteristics of dental enamel;J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2007 Spring;31(3):153-9.

Sometimes our patients ask “why is it important that I have x-rays taken when I come for my check-up?” The short answer is dental x-rays also called  radiographs can show us things that we cannot clinically see with our own eyes.

The dentists and dental hygienists at the Millersville and Greenbelt offices of McCarl Dental Group follow guidelines determined by the American Dental Association (ADA). The ADA standard of care is to perform routine intraoral radiographs once a year for most patients. These are the films that we normally refer to as “bitewing” x-rays. The other type of radiographs, Panoramic or Full Mouth Series of films, are normally taken once every 5 years. Occasionally there will be the need to take an x-ray of just one tooth for treatment or monitoring. To help provide incentive for people to get very important preventive care, we offer special discounts for an introductory visit with teeth cleaning, evaluation by a dental hygienist, dental x-rays as necessary and an exam by a dentist. The comprehensive dental exam also includes an oral cancer screening.

Each type of dental radiograph works in a different way. A panorex/panoramic film shows us a broader view of the entire oral cavity, bone structures and anatomy surrounding the teeth. This allows us to screen for any problems such as cysts, bone degeneration or missing teeth.

Bitewing x-rays are more detailed and allow us to closely look into the contact area between your back teeth. This is an important area to watch for early signs of decay and periodontal disease. A periapical x-ray will show us more of an individual tooth than a bitewing, and allow us to see around the tip, or apex of the tooth. These smaller films, the bitewing and PA, also allow us to detect abscesses and monitor the quality of existing dental work.

Without x-rays, we might not be able to see dental problems like failing restorations, recurrent decay, or a tooth abscess in the earliest stages. By the time many of these symptoms become evident visually, they are advanced and causing notable discomfort. That’s why coming in for routine dental hygiene cleaning and dental examinations can prevent more advanced treatments later. Our goal is to prevent dental problems and maintain a healthy smile. Dental x-rays help us achieve that goal.

Dental x-rays are extremely safe. They use minimal levels of radiation, and newer digital x-ray equipment uses even less. We are able to view and discuss digital x-rays with our patients on a large television screen in the dental operatories. This allows our patients to see what we are seeing and understand the treatment process better. Patients who have an increased risk of decay, or who suffer from periodontal disease may need more frequent radiographs. This is to help us monitor any suspected areas and intervene with therapy before problems progress to a more severe stage.

If you’re behind on your dental care or need to schedule your routine dental cleaning and exam, call us at our Millersville, MD dental office (410) 987-8800 or Greenbelt dental office (301) 474-4144 to schedule a check-up. www.mccarldental.com

Is your smile causing you to lose confidence? Veneers can transform an everyday smile into a Hollywood smile in just a couple of simple appointments to the dental office. Smiles with spaces, gaps, crooked, discolored, broken or missing teeth are easily improved with the placement of dental veneers. Because veneers make your teeth appear straighter and whiter, your smile will be more beautiful than ever before.

Traditional veneers are used to cover darkened teeth or very crooked teeth. They require the preparation or grinding off of natural tooth surface before the veneer can be constructed, manufactured and placed on the patient’s teeth. Should the veneer ever come off, there is an immediate need to have the veneer replaced due to the dark appearance and condition of the tooth underneath.

That was before no-prep veneers came along.

At the McCarl Dental Group, we have placed porcelain veneers for over 20 years, and now in selected cases, we offer veneers that require minimal to no-prep! Placing these no-prep veneers almost never causes any discomfort to our patients and the appointment process is extremely simple. In fact, when beginning the process for minimal or no-prep veneers, after the first appointment at our Millersville, MD or Greenbelt, MD dental office locations, it is often not even evident that anything has been done to the patient’s teeth. It’s that easy.

At the first appointment at our Millersville, MD or Greenbelt, MD dental office we simply skim the surface of the teeth that are to receive the veneers, then take an impression of the patient’s mouth. These impressions are used to create models of the teeth, so that customized veneers can be constructed in a dental lab to fit the patient’s mouth appropriately. After about 3 weeks, the patient returns to our office to have the veneers placed on their teeth, and we will adjust their bite as needed so that they will fit appropriately with the teeth on the opposite arch.

These minimal to no-prep veneers are so thin, at about 0.2mm in thickness, that they are extremely comfortable for our patients to wear. Our patients often say that in addition to being beautiful, the procedure is remarkably comfortable.

McCarl Dental Group has performed porcelain veneers for over 20 years and offers various other cosmetic dentistry options as well. Our cosmetic dentists in Millersville, MD and Greenbelt, MD will work with you to generate the smile that you’ve been dreaming of. Veneers are a wonderful cosmetic option to help restore self-esteem and confidence to your everyday life.

To learn more about the benefits of dental veneers call our Millersville dental office at 410-987-8800, Greenbelt dental office at 301-474-4144. You may read more about no-prep veneers and see pictures of our dental patients on the McCarl Dental Group website.  http://www.mccarldental.com/porcelain-veneers-dental-veneers-cosmetic-dentist.php

McCarl dental patient with a beautiful smile after teeth whitening, thin porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns and gum re-contouring.

Dental patient before teeth whitening, thin veneers, porcelain crowns and gum re-contouring.

Every dental patient is unique and dentistry should be customized specific to each patient’s situation and needs. When a patient consults with a dentist at McCarl Dental Group about concerns and goals for their smile, we listen. Our dental practice features  general dentists with advanced dental skills offering a wide range of dental treatment options. We offer a full range of advanced dentistry  in our Greenbelt and Millersville dental offices.

Combining dental procedures allows us to address our dental patients’ unique needs and provide solutions that will create the most attractive smile AND the most cost effective option. A combination case is the best choice when “just whitening teeth” or covering teeth with “all veneers” or “all crowns” would be inappropriate, unnecessary, or might not be the best way to achieve the dental patient’s goals. Patients who want to straighten and whiten crooked teeth benefit with Invisalign orthodontics combined with teeth whitening or porcelain veneers and crowns. The dentists at McCarl Dental group provide a wide range of dental treatment options to best meet their patients needs.

In a recent case, a patient came to us with 10 year old porcelain fused to metal crowns on her two front teeth after root canal therapy following trauma. The crowns were well made but were not attractive. No matter how well made, dental crowns made completely with porcelain (called all-porcelain crowns) look more natural, lifelike and esthetic than crowns made from porcelain fused to metal.

When the patient and dentist discussed the advantages of replacing the porcelain fused to metal crowns with “all-porcelain crowns”, the patient also wanted to address a slight uneven gum height and small, uneven teeth (lateral incisors) adjacent to the front two teeth.  In this case, full crowns would be unnecessary on the lateral teeth so we elected to place minimal preparation veneers (also called thin veneers). Thin veneers eliminated the need for reduction of healthy teeth, allowed us to improve the size relative to the front two teeth. All four teeth were restored with identical matching porcelain in an attractive white shade chosen by the patient. The gum line was re-contoured and the remaining natural teeth were whitened with beautiful results.

The” general dentists” at McCarl Dental Group are skilled in advanced “combination dental cases.”  We offer our patients the best dental materials and procedures to create beautiful smiles. We can often combine dental treatments and dental materials so that the most attractive smile  is also the most cost effective .

Dental implants are today’s standard of care for replacing missing teeth and securing removable dentures. In the past few years, improvements in dental implant technology have made implants more reliable, more comfortable and more affordable. There are circumstances for which a dental implant has replaced the root canal as the preferred dental treatment. When the root of a tooth is too short or too badly damaged to support restoration with a dental crown, it may be best to extract the tooth and place a dental implant. The implant will provide greater support for the restored tooth and improved long term success. The dentists at the Millersville and Greenbelt dental offices of  McCarl Dental Group have received advanced training in dental implant technology. Our dentists are experienced in placing different types and sizes of implants and have expertise to determine which dental implant best suits the unique needs of each dental patient.

Dental implants are placed in the jaw where they fuse to the bone. They are effective for restoration of a single missing tooth or multiple missing teeth. In the past, dentists relied on procedures that were often temporary measures to repair badly damaged teeth. Now, there are many circumstances when implants restored with crowns will last longer and cost less than ongoing repair efforts. Dental implants are the best solution in dental cases where adjacent teeth are healthy and properly aligned.

When you lose a tooth, your jawbone gradually loses firmness and strength. This leads to bone loss and can even cause changes in facial features. The loss of just one tooth can cause  an unstable bite and uneven chewing. The remaining teeth move and making proper cleaning more difficult. A misaligned bite can also contribute jaw joint dysfunction and headaches.  A dental implant, unlike a denture or bridge, can prevent bone loss at the site of the missing tooth.

Many of our patients at McCarl Dental Group tell us that having a dental implant placed is more comfortable than they expected. Unlike teeth, the jaw bone does not have nerves. The type and density of bone varies from patient to patient and even within different locations in the same patient’s jaw. This will determine whether the dental implant can be restored with a crown or used to secure a bridge or denture immediately, or whether the implant needs to “sleep” and strengthen for several months before use.

There are advantages to having a properly trained general dentist place your implant. A general dentist will be restoring the implant and can determine the type and size implant that is most suitable as well as optimal position for later restoration. When the implant is placed and restored at the Millersville or Greenbelt dental offices of McCarl Dental Group, there are fewer visits to the dentist which results in lower cost and greater convenience for the dental patient. Many patients are pleasantly surprised that the cost of dental implants is much lower than they expected.

Click this link to see a video of a McCarl Dental patient who had a dental implant placed painlessly in a one hour dental appointment and his existing denture retrofitted for secure placement. Placement of Dental Implant in McCarl Dental Patient

If you are missing teeth, visit a dentist at McCarl Dental Group with advanced training in the placement of dental implants to learn how dental implants can improve the health of your smile.

This is an important update about the association between the Human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer and the link to other cancers, particularly oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, entitled “Human Papillomavirus and Survival of Patients with Oropharyngeal Cancer,” two specific strains of the HPV virus (HPV-16 and HPV-18) are linked to the majority of HPV – positive oropharyngeal cancer tumors. There is a growing body of evidence that HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma has a better prognosis and survival rate than HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma. In a randomized trial of patients with oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma, the overall survival was substantially better among patients with HPV-positive cancer than among patients diagnosed with HPV – negative oropharyngeal cancer tumors. Specifically, the NEJM article states that using a sample of 720 patients, the 63.8% of patients with HPV-positive tumors had a 3 year survival rate of 82% versus patients with HPV – negative tumors whose 3 year survival rate was 57%. To read more, please visit the NEJM website and click the link for the July 2010 issue.

The dentists and dental hygienists  at the Greenbelt and Millersville Maryland dental offices of McCarl Dental Group attend continuing education courses regularly so that we can provide the highest quality dental care. We screen our dental patients for oral cancer as part of each routine dental visit and patient education is a high priority for us. If you ever have a dental concern, please contact our Greenbelt dental office at 301-474-4144 or our Millersville dental office at 410-987-8800.

To Greenbelt and Severna Park Dentist, Dr. Jay McCarl, the answer is simple – BOTH! The exciting new technologies like: intraoral photography; scanning digital impressions for veneers, crowns and bridges; implants and mini implants; Invisalign for invisible orthodontics, Oraverse to reverse the effects of novacaine, Vizilite for comfortable precancer screening are all examples of new things we provide for patients. However, there is no replacement for the time spent to get to know people and develop a trusting relationship. This lesson has been handed down to us through three generations of dentists in our immediate family.

At McCarl Dental Group, we are happy to provide complementary consultations for Greenbelt and Severna Park porcelain veneers, crowns and dental implants.