Gary Krupa, a Sacramento Dentist, Treats Gum Disease

Did you know that your dentist can improve the health of your heart?  Scientists have found a direct link between gum disease and heart disease.  In fact, 91 percent of people with a heart condition also have unhealthy gums.  Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women, it is important to reduce risks wherever possible.  Having your teeth cleaned twice a year can help prevent gum disease and keep you in better health overall.

Gum disease is typically created when people have poor oral hygiene and lack of dental care.  This can include forgetting to brush and floss or skipping regular teeth cleanings.  Some people are naturally at an increased risk of getting gum disease, including diabetics, smokers, and people that use smokeless tobacco products.  Eliminating these habits and keeping blood sugar under control can help reduce the risk.

Dr. Krupa will look for signs of gum disease during regular dental exams.  Early detection is important because it allows him to treat the disease before it becomes painful and leads to other health issues. The first stage of gum disease is called gingivitis and the symptoms include swollen and red gums that may be sensitive or occasionally bleed.  They can be treated with a thorough cleaning at our dentist office.  In this procedure the bacteria are removed from on and under the gums.  Once the bacteria have been removed the gums can typically heal themselves and the symptoms will go away.  This is the best stage to treat the disease because the procedure can be done fairly quickly with minimal recovery time.

The advanced stages of gum disease create additional issues.  Gums typically start to recede and expose more of the tooth and even the roots which will make teeth appear longer or larger.  If the gums keep receding a pocket may form in the gum tissue. Bacteria can gather here and attack the tooth and roots to create an infection and potentially a dental abscess.  This can be painful and some people even lose their teeth at this stage.  In order to treat the condition the bacteria must be removed, the pockets closed, and the gums secured around the tooth.  This may be done with a gum graft or other procedure.  While more intensive, it may be necessary for protecting the teeth and roots.

Leaving gum disease untreated is not an option for people wanting to stay in good health.  As it continues to grow the health of your entire mouth is in jeopardy and as science has shown, so is your heart.  Additionally, pregnant women are at risk of going into pre-term labor when they have gum disease.  Even those who make it to full term may have a low birth weight baby.  Good oral health is important for both mother and baby during pregnancy and we help all of our patients stay in the best health possible.  Schedule a teeth cleaning and dental exam with dentist,  Dr. Krupa, so that he can prevent and treat gum disease before it creates major health problems.

Visit a Sedation Dentist to Stay Pain-Free When Getting a Dental Crown

If you need to have dental work performed, visit a sedation dentist so that your experience is both comfortable and pain-free.  There are many reasons why people don’t want to go to the dentist, and dental anxiety is at the top of the list. Bad childhood experiences, and fear of pain makes it understandable why many people silently suffer, rather than getting work done.  The good news is that the dental work can be completely pain-free when visiting the right dentist, so there is no need to skip a dental exam or avoid getting a cavity corrected. 

When a cavity develops, it typically starts small and is not exactly painful.  It may create discomfort but not necessarily pain.  This is the best time to have it removed since it can be done quickly.  Pain medication can be used so that you don’t feel a thing.  

Unfortunately, many people wait too long to have a cavity fixed, and the infection spreads.  When it gets into the center of the tooth (dental pulp) the roots may also become infected.  This can be incredibly painful and require a root canal so that the infected area can be removed, and the tooth can be saved.  Once the area of the tooth has been removed a dental crown is often needed in order to strengthen it.  Visiting a sedation dentist will ensure that you can have this procedure completed without being in pain. 

Before a crown is placed, the tooth has to be prepared. This generally involves removing a portion of the enamel from the tooth.  Since the crown is a cap that surrounds a tooth, more of the enamel needs to be removed than with a procedure like dental veneers.  The crown needs to be able to fit securely without pushing the other teeth out of the way or damaging them.  The preparation process can be uncomfortable without sedation.  After this step is completed a temporary crown will be placed around the tooth and worn while the permanent one is created in the lab. 

In order to create the final crown, an impression of your tooth and the surrounding teeth needs to be created.  The lab will use this to make a crown that fits perfectly and is in line with your bite.  Once in place, a tooth with a crown should feel the same as your natural teeth.  To make sure that the fit is perfect, the dentist will try it on and see how it looks prior to bonding it to your tooth. 

This entire process can be intense for people that are already worried about visiting the dentist.  It is an excellent way to save a tooth but this is of no consequence to those that are gripped with anxiety.  Fortunately, a sedation dentist can help patients to relax so that any fears or anxiety is removed before the procedure ever gets started.  This can be combined with pain relief so that a patient can get the dental work done that they need without the stress.