Flossing

One thing that dentists and hygienists stress to patients that are often ignored is the art of flossing. Flossing is a little bit time consuming but is so important when it comes to good oral health. Flossing is responsible for removing about 40% of bacteria and plaque from your teeth. Plaque generates acid, which can cause cavities, irritate the gums, and lead to gum disease. There is no substitute to eliminate bacteria stuck in between your teeth, flossing is the only way.

If conventional flossing is challenging for patients, floss picks are a great alternative and easy to use. A dental floss pick is a small plastic tool with a curved end that holds a piece of dental floss and makes it easy to get in between your teeth effortlessly. It doesn’t matter how you floss, as long as you are flossing.

Incorporating water picks into your oral care routine is also helpful as it rinses out chunks of food that are stuck and stimulates your gums. Dr. Joseph S. Dallessandro knows it’s easy to skip flossing but stresses the importance of it for healthy teeth and healthy gums.

Joseph S. Dallessandro, DDS, operate at 360 E 72^nd St, Ste B, New York, New York 10021. To set up an appointment, call 212-988-1089 or visit Joseph S. Dallessandro and fill out a contact sheet.

Arestin To Treat Periodontitis

When the body develops a bacterial infection, an antibiotic is used to treat it. The same applies to infections that start in the gums.  Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro and his staff utilize arestin for patients with periodontitis who need a scaling and root planing procedure performed. Periodontitis is a chronic bacterial infection, caused by plaque, which has settled underneath the tooth’s surface below the gum line.

Arestin has the ability to reduce the severity of periodontal disease.  After a scaling and root planning procedure, the medicine in powder form is applied to the gums.  In a clinical study, when used in addition to scaling and root planing, arestin reduced harmful bacteria by nearly 2 times as much as scaling and root planing alone. This is because adding arestin to the mix disrupts the progression of periodontitis by specifically targeting the active infection.

If you have questions or concerns about the status of your periodontal health, please give us a call. To learn about all the treatments provided at the practice, visit www.josephdallessandrodds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro in our New York, NY office, call 212-988-1089.

Gum Disease and Diabetes

We’ve helped a lot of people deal with complicated oral health situations at the Midtown dental office of Dr. Joseph Dallessandro. Diabetes is one of the most common conditions that make people particularly vulnerable to gum disease. We want to assure our patients that they will receive compassionate, comprehensive care here and that we want to help raise awareness about the implications diabetes and oral health have for each other.

People with uncontrolled diabetes have weakened immune systems. Gum disease is common in the general population, but it is even more common in people with diabetes, and therefore, so are inflammation symptoms such as bleeding gums. Inflammation is not a bad thing in itself—it is the immune system’s way of providing molecular resources to white blood cells and of isolating bacteria. But people with uncontrolled diabetes suffer chronic inflammation because their bodies struggle to defeat infections, and there is increasing evidence that gum disease bacteria contribute to rises in blood sugar.

Luckily, there is also evidence that gum disease treatment can help to bring blood sugar levels back under control. People with uncontrolled diabetes may need additional consideration for major procedures because they will take longer to recover from surgery, but they are usually eligible for simple gum cleanings. Regular brushing and flossing can also help them to prevent gum disease from returning.

Joseph S. Dallessandro, DDS, and Jiah Choi, DDS, operate at 360 E 72nd St, Ste B, New York, New York, 10021. To set up an appointment, call 212-988-1089, or visit Joseph Dallessandro DDS and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Periodontal Maintenance

In its most advanced stages, gum disease can lead to gum recession, and even tooth loss.  Dr. Joseph S. Dallessandro and his staff want to make sure it never gets to that point for you and your family!  When plaque builds up on a tooth, the gum starts to pull away from the tooth and forms a pocket around the buildup, which only leads to more gum recession.  A scaling and root planing procedure is used to treat this buildup and prevent the later stages of gum disease.

Scaling and root planning are two parts of a deep cleaning procedure your dentist can perform to help reverse the progress of gum disease.  The procedure beings with scaling, which is the process of the dentist removing plaque from the surface of the teeth, all the way down to the gums. Root planing is the term for any minor contouring to smooth the surface of a tooth near the root.  When plaque has been removed and the tooth root has been smoothed, the gums that have pulled away will have a clean, smooth surface to reattach to as they heal.

To learn more about deep periodontal cleaning and the other services we provide, visit www.josephdallessandrodds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro in our New York, NY office, call 212-988-1089.

Gum Disease: Periodontitis

Periodontitis is an advanced form of gum disease that can develop if the first stage of gum disease – gingivitis – is left untreated. Unlike gingivitis which leaves a little bit of blood behind when you brush, periodontitis causes gums to pull away from the teeth. This action leaves deep pockets where plaque and bacteria can build up a lot faster. Periodontitis can progress until the teeth are loose and the bones that support the teeth are damaged. This is why it’s important to visit Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro twice a year for professional cleanings to prevent all stages of periodontal disease.

Periodontitis not only destroys the bones that support the teeth, this condition is critical to your oral health. Your mouth is the window to your overall health and long-term periodontitis may lead to increased blood sugar levels, as well as an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Like any other form of periodontal disease, periodontitis begins with plaque. Therefore, the more frequently your teeth are plaque-free, the less likely you are to succumb to periodontal problems. It’s important to prevent periodontal disease with a rigorous oral hygiene routine. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss at least once a day, and visit Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro for dental health exams at least twice a year.

If you have questions or concerns regarding periodontal disease, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.josephdallessandro.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro in our New York, NY office, call 212-988-1089.

Different Levels of Gum Disease

Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums that can progress to affect the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth and there are three stages that you should be aware of. The earliest stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. If caught early enough, it can be reversed. However, if your gum disease gets out of control it can turn into periodontitis which may eventually lead to tooth loss. It is important to schedule professional cleanings and oral exams with Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro twice a year to avoid this condition. 

• Gingivitis – This is the earliest stage of gum disease, an inflammation of the gums caused by plaque buildup at the gum line. If daily brushing and flossing do not remove the plaque, it produces toxins that can irritate the gum tissue, causing gingivitis. This is when you’ll notice blood in the sink after you complete your brushing routine. However, at this early stage, damage can be reversed, since the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth in place are not yet affected.


• Periodontitis – This is the second stage of gum disease. By this point, the supporting bone and fibers that hold your teeth in place are irreversibly damaged. Your gums may even begin to form a pocket below the gum line, which traps food and plaque.


• Advanced Periodontitis – This is the final stage of gum disease, and the fibers and bone supporting your teeth are officially destroyed. In this case, your teeth may begin to shift or loosen and your bite may also be affected. If aggressive treatment can’t save them, the teeth will need to be extracted.

If you experience gum inflammation, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.josephdallessandro.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Joseph S Dallessandro in our New York, NY office, call 212-988-1089.

Causes and Prevention of Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is preventable and Dr. Joseph Dallessandro can offer you a variety of services to keep your gums healthy. Dental plaque and bacteria are major villains of periodontal (gum) disease. Swollen and bleeding gums are early signs that your gums are infected with bacteria. If nothing is done, the infection can spread. Eventually, your teeth can become so loose that they have to be extracted.

 

Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria in dental plaque. Plaque is the sticky substance that forms on your teeth soon after you have brushed. In an effort to get rid of the bacteria, the cells of your immune system release substances that inflame and damage the gums, periodontal ligament or alveolar bone. This leads to gingivitis (the earliest stage of periodontal disease) and when left untreated can cause severe periodontitis which causes tooth decay.

 

You can prevent periodontal disease by practicing good oral hygiene and visiting the dental office regularly. Most people should see a dentist about once every six months, but if you already have gum disease you may need to visit more often.

If you suffer from mouth, give us a call so we can discuss treatment options. To learn more about periodontal disease, visit www.josephdallessandrodds.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Joseph S. Dallessandro, DDS in New York, NY, call 212-988-1089.

Dental Hygiene Affects Your Overall Health

To ensure that you maintain great oral health, Dr. Joseph S. Dallessandro and Dr. Thomas Chung want to make sure that your personal oral hygiene routine is at its highest quality.

Most of us are aware that poor dental hygiene can lead to bad breath, gum disease and tooth decay, but not brushing your teeth may also lead to more serious illnesses.

Like many areas of the body, your mouth is flooded with bacteria – most of them harmless. Normally, the body’s natural defenses can keep these bacteria under control. However, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections, including abcesses, gingivitis and periodontal disease. This in turn may lead to episodes of "bacteremia," where bacteria in the mouth enter the bloodstream and may spread to other parts of the body.

Bacteremias may cause serious consequences. The immune response to the bacteria in the bloodstream can cause inflammation, sepsis and septic shock. Bacteria can also use the blood to spread to other parts of the body, causing infections away from the original site of infection. Examples include endocarditis or osteomyelitis.

While still under study, more and more research suggest significant links between poor oral health and such systemic conditions as cardiovascular disease, stroke,and diabetes, in additon to adverse affects on pregnancies.

Several studies have found that gum disease is associated with an increased risk for heart attack. It may be that oral bacteria enter the bloodstream, attach to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries, increases inflammation and plaque buildup, and cause clots to form.  A 2007 study showed that periodontal disease (associated with bleeding gums and bacteremias) increased the risk of heart disease in men by one third and doubled it in women, even after controlling for smoking.

To protect your oral health, practice good oral hygiene every day and utilize these tips: brush your teeth twice a day, floss daily, eat a healthy diet and limit between-meal snacks, replace your toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if bristles are frayed and last but not least, schedule regular dental checkups.

 

 

If you wish to improve your dental hygiene routine, or you are due for a checkup, give us a call so we can assist you! To learn more about dental hygiene, visit www.josephdallessandrodds.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Joseph S. Dallessandro or Dr. Thomas Chung, DDS in New York, NY, call 212-988-1089.