At my dental office in Buckhead, we always talk about how important it is to brush everyday, twice a day, and to floss at least once. Following this routine is a great way to keep your mouth protected from harmful bacteria and acid, but there’s one thing we’re forgetting and want to make sure you don’t forget about it too.

The Tongue

We often forget about our tongues when we talk about oral hygiene. But we shouldn’t. A clean tongue is just as important as having clean teeth and clean gums. The tongue is home to about 10,000 taste buds and tons of other tiny bumps called papillae. These bumps and crevices create a great place for bacteria to thrive. And that makes a clean tongue very important for a healthy mouth.

The Cleaning Routine

Every time you brush your teeth, make sure to gently scrub the surface of your tongue. This easy task is the best way to keep your tongue, and your mouth, healthy.

Sometimes we have patients who can’t successfully brush their tongues due to a sensitive gag reflex. For these patients, we recommend using a tongue scraper. A tongue scraper is just as effective, if not more so, as brushing. A gentle scrape with this tool can immediately lower the amount of bacteria in the mouth and keep your mouth, and your teeth protected.

Along with proper brushing and flossing, and a clean tongue, you’re well on your way to getting your smile healthy. To ensure everything is working well for you and there aren’t any potential problems, it’s also really important to maintain regular appointments at my Buckhead dental office. We’ll work with you to ensure you’re getting the proper care you need and that your mouth is healthy for a lifetime.

Welcoming patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, and Sandy Springs.

Pregnancy is pretty incredible. You’re bringing a new life into the world, you’re growing your family, and you’re becoming a parent again or for the first time. But the reality is, not all things that go along with pregnancy are awesome. At my dental office in Buckhead, we’d like to talk about one of those less exciting aspects of pregnancy: we’re talking about morning sickness.

Around 80 percent of pregnant women experience some sort of morning sickness. You don’t need us to tell you how much this reality is a huge burden and inconvenience to all aspects of life. We know that during this time your teeth are probably the last things on your mind, but you only get one set, so we’d like to share some information and tips to protect your mouth during pregnancy.

Vomiting or reflux caused by morning sickness can expose the teeth to a large amount of stomach acid. The damage from this acid can lead to decay and result in serious oral health concerns. But what can you do to decrease the amount of acid exposed to teeth if you continue to experience morning sickness?

Minimize the Risk of Decay

If you suffer from morning sickness, here are a variety of tricks to help keep your teeth healthy during pregnancy.

• Rinse with water after vomiting. Water is a great way to help remove dangerous acids from the teeth and can diminish the chance of decay.
• Wait to brush. Brushing immediately after vomiting can actually lead to more damage. Since the stomach acid can weaken enamel, scrubbing it with your toothbrush might cause scratching and more dental problems.
• Rinse with mouthwash. Choosing an alcohol-free mouthwash to swish around following any episode of morning sickness can also help keep teeth protected from stomach acid.

If you’re pregnant, first accept our sincerest congratulations. Call my Buckhead dental office to get a preliminary check up. We’ll make sure there’s nothing of concern in your mouth and we’ll talk with you about ways to keep your teeth healthy for the duration of your pregnancy and long after.

Welcoming patients in Buckhead, Atlanta, and Sandy Springs.

Whenever we hear the word cancer, it’s always scary. For everyone at my Buckhead dental office, we place emphasis on educating our patients on oral cancer.  Prevention and early detection are the key.

When you think of oral cancer, you may automatically assume it’s due to tobacco use. While that’s absolutely a risk factor that goes hand in hand with oral cancer, there are other potential causes.

Oral Cancer Risk Factors

• Alcohol and tobacco use
• Age
• Lots of exposure to UV light
• HPV
• Poor nutrition

Obviously, the best way to totally avoid tobacco and alcohol risk of oral cancer is to avoid using alcohol and tobacco.  Most cases of oral cancer occur in people above the age of 45. If you have a job you do outdoors and have not always been careful about using sunscreen on your lips and face, you, too, may be at a higher risk.

And maybe it’s not surprising to you that a wonderful way to stave off oral cancers is to make sure you’re getting adequate nutrition from fruits and vegetables. We recommend 5 servings of each a day!

Ask your general practitioner or family doctor about HPV risks and vaccines. HPV is present in 80% of adults in this country, so don’t be afraid because early detection is key.

A lot of oral cancer cases go unnoticed, so if you experience any of the following, give us a call at our Buckhead Dental Office immediately.

Signs and Symptoms

• Sore throat that won’t go away
• Hoarse voice
• Pain when swallowing
• Lump in the neck
• Mouth sores that won’t heal

Prevention is key to ensuring a healthy, cancer-free mouth. That’s why we place so much importance on maintaining regular visits to my dental office in Buckhead. Not only does routine care ensure your teeth are strong and your mouth is healthy, it also allows us to catch any potential signs of oral cancer early, increasing the chance for a successful treatment.

Been awhile since you’ve seen a dentist? Give us a call today!

Welcoming patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and nearby communities.

Cavities are one of the most common dental concerns we hear about at my dental office in Buckhead. While worries about cavities are valid since they can lead to pain, sensitivity, and more serious oral health conditions, there are many beliefs behind cavities that just aren’t true.

Fact or Fiction: Sugar is the main cause of cavities.

Fiction. But almost fact. Bacteria are the main cause behind cavities. Bacteria break down carbohydrates to produces acid, acid destroys teeth, and cavities are formed. Carbohydrates are found in bread, rice, potatoes, and yes, sugar. But where does the bacteria come from? Bacteria are in the plaque and tartar that collect on your teeth.

Fact or Fiction: Kids are more likely to get cavities than adults.

Fiction. Developments in dental technology and prevention has led to a decrease in tooth decay in children by half in the last 20 years. This means that children are actually at lower risk for cavities than their grandparents. Senior citizens are at the highest risk for cavities because a lot of medications lead to dry mouth, lack of saliva production, and in turn, tooth decay and cavities.

Fact or Fiction: Acidic foods cause tooth decay.

Fact. Foods that are high in acid like lemons, citrus fruits, and soda really increase the chance for decay. The acid actually eats away at the protective enamel, putting your teeth at greater risk for cavities.

Fact or Fiction: Gaps in teeth increase the likelihood of cavities.

Fact. Gaps provide a great place for bacteria to hide. They’re also hard to reach and properly clean, leaving you more susceptible to cavities. However, larger gaps are much easier to clean than small gaps and aren’t as worrisome.

A few longstanding facts to protect your smile against cavities? Maintain regularly scheduled appointments at my Buckhead dental office, proper at-home oral care, and drink plenty of water. Don’t let cavities affect your smile. Call us today!

Serving patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and surrounding areas.

Why does Dr. Davis use a microscope?

I want to answer a question that one of our patients at our Buckhead dental office asked the other day. I had just taken an impression and was headed to the lab to check it under the microscope, and the patient asked why I used a microscope. I helped the patient understand that we use a microscope to make sure our restorations (crowns, veneers, onlays) fit the way our patients deserve them to. Unfortunately we see many crowns and veneers that do not fit as well as they should. This can lead to problems such as recurrent decay, inflammation in the gums around the tooth, tooth sensitivity, unsightly staining around the restoration, de-cementation, and loosening of the restoration or even having the restoration come out. If a restoration does not fit correctly, bacteria in your saliva can get under the restoration and cause havoc. This leads to the restoration having to be replaced prematurely. Not only is there the financial cost involved in having to redo the restoration, but also the biologic cost of lost tooth structure, increased chance of needing a root canal, and damage to the gums and possibly bone around the tooth.

We check each step of the process using magnification to ensure the restorations we place fit the way you deserve them to. We prepare the teeth with magnification, check the impressions under the microscope to make sure they are accurate, trim the die that the restoration is being fabricated on under the microscope as well as check the fit and contour of the restoration before your appointment to place it in your mouth. We know your crown or veneer fits before it is tried in your mouth. So when you come in to have your restoration placed, we fine tune the bite and admire the aesthetics. No one but you and us should know you had any work done.

If you are having any problems with your restorations or want to make sure your dental work fits and looks the way you deserve it to, call our Buckhead dental office.

It’s an inevitable fact. We’re all growing older every day. With age and body changes, medical issues tend to erupt, and dental care becomes even more important. At my dental office in Buckhead, we’d like to explain why regular visits for seniors is so crucial for a healthy body.

Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body

The mouth is the window to the rest of the body, and a lot of oral health problems are linked to problems elsewhere in the body. This makes it incredibly important to let your dentist in Buckhead know if you have certain health conditions that can affect your oral health. Some of these diseases include diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. When your dentist knows what’s going on in the rest of your body, they’re able to treat you properly. However, just like whole-body conditions can impact your oral health, your oral health can impact the rest of your body.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is incredibly prevalent among the older population. In fact by age 65, 1 out of 4 has gum disease. Additionally, the American Academy of Periodontology estimates 20-30 percent of adults have gum disease severe enough to put them at great risk for tooth loss. Gum disease not only increases the chance of losing natural teeth, it greatly affects the rest of your body.

This scary oral health disease has been linked to very serious conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Gum disease is treatable so it’s important to catch it early before it creates some dangerous problems. There are several things that can make someone more susceptible to developing gum disease including:

• Poor oral hygiene
• Bad diet
• Smoking
• Medications

Dry Mouth

Speaking of medications, they can work wonders in easing pain or treating chronic problems. However, they can also lead to a very dry mouth. Dry mouth is a big concern in keeping a mouth healthy. Without saliva, teeth are at increased risk for decay, oral infections can develop, and could lead to gum disease.

Grandparents, parents, and any elderly person should be seeing a dentist regularly to ensure optimal health. If it’s been awhile since the last dental visit, give my Buckhead dental office a call.

Accepting patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and nearby neighborhoods.

You brush everyday. You floss on the regular. You visit my dental office in Buckhead twice a year. Yet you still have cavities and other dental problems. What’s going on? Chances are, you probably have a dangerous dental habit (or two).

No matter how awesome your oral hygiene routine, if you have a dental habit you just can’t seem to stop, it may be causing damage to your smile. Some of the most common habits that result in severe dental problems include:

1. Over-Bleaching. Whitening your teeth can certainly improve the look of your grin, but there is such a thing as too much whitening. First, over-bleaching can lead to a too-white smile that looks fake and odd. Not only that, whitening too much can lead to tooth and gum sensitivity. Unsure if you’re over-whitening? Talk to your dentist in Buckhead.

2.  Brushing too Hard. When it comes to brushing your teeth, harder is not necessarily better. In fact, brushing harder can lead to enamel damage and sensitivity, both of which could cause dental problems in the future. A soft bristled brush and a gentle motion is key to a healthy smile.

3.  Crunching on Ice. It’s cold. It’s hard. And it’s terrible for your smile. The frozen texture along with the super-cold temperature makes ice a menace for smiles. Crunching on ice can cause teeth to fracture, chip, and crack. These chips and cracks may seem like no big deal now, but can lead to serious concerns in the future.

4.  Biting Your Nails. Not only is biting your nails a great way to transfer germs into your body, it’s also a surefire way to cause tooth damage. Gnawing on your nails is typically a chronic habit, which means nail biters do a lot of gnawing. Repeated pressure on teeth can cause them to shift or even break. Keep your fingers out of your mouth!

5.  Using Teeth as Tools. When you buy a new piece of clothing and it’s time to remove the tags, do you reach for scissors or use your teeth? We hope you said scissors, but the reality is that most people opt for the teeth. Don’t! Using teeth as tools is a guaranteed way to cause damage including cracked teeth, broken restorations, and worn down enamel.

As with any habit, dental habits can be hard to break, but the health of your smile is worth it. If you’re struggling to nix any habit that may be causing damage to your teeth, talk to anyone at my Buckhead dental office. We’re always here to help!

Welcoming patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and surrounding communities.

The daylight hours in the winter months are few are far between. Those rare times when the sun is shining, we’re usually stuck inside at work or it’s just too cold to enjoy it. This is particularly troubling for all of us at my dental office in Buckhead.

What’s So Great About The Sun?

It’s warm, soaking up the rays feels good, and it helps keep our planet from turning into a giant sheet of ice. It also provides us with several awesome health benefits. It can make our immune systems stronger, give our moods a boost, and supply us with a lot of vitamin D.

Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is crucial to both your overall health and a healthy smile. This powerful nutrient is our first line of defense against germs since it regulates our immune systems. It also assists the pancreas and making insulin, can lower blood pressure, and helps absorb calcium. Calcium is key to building strong bones and teeth, so we’re big supporters of getting an adequate supply of vitamin D every day.

Other Ways to Get Vitamin D

During the winter months, daylight is shorter and it’s difficult to get outside to soak up the sun when it is out. This when turning to an alternative supply of vitamin D can help. Besides supplements, some vitamin D rich foods include:

• Fatty Fish (Salmon is a good choice!)
• Eggs
• Milk

Getting enough vitamin D is obviously crucial to your oral health. But if you’re not consuming enough of it, it’s not only your mouth that will suffer. Recent research has linked vitamin D deficiencies to osteoporosis, serious cancers like breast, colon, or prostate, and increased risk for type 1 diabetes.

At my Buckhead dental office, we want to keep your mouth and your whole body as healthy as possible. Vitamin D can certainly help. So go catch some rays or enjoy some vitamin-D-rich foods, not just for your smile, but for your whole being.

Welcoming patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and surrounding communities.

Perhaps it’s ice cream or a breath of crisp air, or maybe it’s a cup of hot tea or a cozy bowl of soup. No matter what it is, hot and cold tooth sensitivity is a common ailment experienced by many people. At my dental office in Buckhead, we’d like to answer some of the questions we get asked regarding tooth sensitivity to both hot and cold foods and drinks.

“Why are my teeth sensitive?”

Tooth sensitivity is caused when the outside of teeth, or the hard enamel, wears down or gums recede and the tiny tubes in the tooth dentin become exposed. Each of those tiny tubes communicates with the nerves of your teeth and when they’re left open, it can hurt when you put hot or cold things in your mouth. A lot.  It can also be caused by decay getting through the enamel and causing inflammation in the nerve of your tooth through those tiny tubes.  Hot sensitivity usually indicates that the nerve has been affected.

“What causes the exposure of those tiny tubes?”

The most common causes of the exposure of dentin and those tiny tubes to your nerve are  clenching or grinding, eating of too many acidic foods or drinks, excessive acid reflux, and brushing too often with abrasive toothpaste.  And, as already stated, decay can affect the nerves of your teeth through those tiny tubes by traveling in the dentin.

“How can I prevent the pain?”

Managing the stress on your teeth and gums from clenching and grinding.  Making sure you don’t get decay or bone loss.  Choosing the right toothpaste and toothbrush can go a long way in easing tooth sensitivity. When looking for a toothbrush, select one that has soft bristles and brush gently when using it. If your bristles are pointing in several directions, you’re probably brushing too hard. For a toothpaste choice, avoid anything that contains sodium pyrophosphate as that can contribute to sensitivity. Many whitening toothpastes and tartar-control pastes have this ingredient. Instead, select a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Finally, mind your food choices such as drinking water instead of acidic drinks like soda or juices.

Your dentist in Buckhead will determine the most appropriate option for you following an in depth discussion about your pain, your habits, and the treatments available.

If you’re still experiencing sensitivity related pain, come to my Buckhead dental office. We’ll discuss what could be contributing to it and work with you to provide the best way to ease it.

Welcoming patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and nearby communities.

Nail biting is one of the most common habits of humans, and the behavior is typically triggered by stress, boredom, annoyingly long fingernails, or excitement. However, at my dental office in Buckhead, we want to warn our nail biters that this habit can also contribute to a multitude of dental and whole-body problems.

• Germs, germs, and more germs. Fingernails can hold a lot of germs and bacteria, almost twice as much as your hands. Nail biters are at increased risk for transferring those germs and dangerous bacteria into the body. What’s even scarier is that if gnawed off nails are swallowed, all that gross stuff that lives under the nail enters the body and may lead to other issues.

• Save some dough! According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), nail biters spend an average of $4,000 more on dental bills throughout their lives than non-biters. This is mostly due to the fact that nail biting can lead to some serious dental concerns.

• Tooth damage. Nails are hard, and when we bite them, the chance for chips and cracks greatly increases. Nail biters experience more cracks or chips in their pearly whites. Even more, nail biting can lead to bruxism, or clenching and grinding of the teeth. Bruxism itself can cause jaw pain, wear and tear on teeth, and headaches.

• Ouch, my jaw hurts! Chronic nail biting can be detrimental for your jaw. In fact, constantly chewing your nails can cause TMJ Disorder. TMJ Disorder brings on its own set of issues like jaw pain, headaches, or popping or locking of the jaw.

At my Buckhead dental office, we’re always here to give you the advice you need to make sure your smile and your body are healthy. If you’re a nail biter, talk to us about it. We have tips that may help you quit, we’ll examine your mouth for any signs of damage, and work with you to get your smile in its best shape.

Serving patients from Buckhead, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and nearby communities.