Barry J. Litwin, D.D.S., F.A.G.D.
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Office News
Our goal is to develop a strong partnership with every patient. When you understand the importance of your dental health, we can help you maintain a healthy mouth, as well as treat the causes and symptoms of any dental condition.
We invite you to read our latest SmileLink newsletter and to check out our website often for new information, or contact our office with any questions or concerns. Working together, we can help you achieve a lifetime of healthy and attractive teeth and gums.
Featured Article |
SmileLink Articles |
Teeth—Chewing Specialists
We have all used our teeth for knives and scissors at one time or another, but if those infrequent occurrences become habits, they can affect your bank account in the long run.
Oral habits often start when we are kids. Think about how a toddler learns about his or her world: everything goes into the mouth. This habit usually goes away in time, but some adults still chew on pencils or they bite their fingernails, not to explore their surroundings, but because they’re stressed or anxious.
Other habits can develop out of necessity. For example, a person who smokes a pipe may place the pipe stem in the same location between the teeth. Eventually, teeth are pushed out of position [top image]. Misaligned teeth can result in a bad bite, pain, headaches…and orthodontic$.
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Dental Appliances: One Size Doesn't Fit All
Ringing in your ears, jaw pain, back pain, dizziness, clenching your teeth, snoring, misaligned teeth, and migraines. The problem could be all in your head…or rather, your jaw.
There are several dental conditions including TMD (jaw joint dysfunction), sleep disorders, and malocclusion (bad bite) that can produce those signs and symptoms.
Depending on your diagnosis, we may be able to fit you with a customized orthotic appliance to alleviate your pain or symptoms. Of the many types of appliances, we might use one of these three:
Night guard or day guard—a nearly-invisible, hard acrylic splint that covers either the upper or lower teeth. It helps protect your teeth from damage caused by grinding and clenching during sleep and during the day.
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Ozone—Lightening Fast Caries Treatment
Dentistry treatments are being developed at lightning speed. One of the treatments you will be hearing more and more about is ozone therapy.
Ozone is a gas that is produced naturally. If you are outside after a lightning storm, you will notice an “odd” smell. That smell is ozone.
This therapy isn’t truly new. It has been used since 1870 in Europe. In America, its use began in 1885, but not in dentistry, where it is starting to catch wind in its sails.
As a disinfectant, ozone is excellent. It disinfects better and faster than chlorine (bleach) and produces no side effects.
Ozone is routinely used in operating rooms to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, to treat diseases and to help wounds heal faster.
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Baby, Do You Snore!
A lack of restful sleep has a serious impact your child’s growth and well-being. About 2 percent of children who have difficulty breathing or who snore might have sleep apnea, the same condition that affects many adults.
Too many cases of pediatric sleep apnea go undiagnosed.
A child who has Down Syndrome or cerebral palsy is especially vulnerable to sleep apnea.
Two percent isn’t a large number unless it is your child. If your child snores night after night, has a sunken-looking face, dark circles under the eyes, is sleepy and cranky during the day, you may have cause for concern.
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Oral Care After a Stroke
A stroke occurs every 45 seconds and can strike anyone of any age. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and can make maintaining oral health very difficult.
The stroke sufferer experiences multiple sensory losses and muscle dysfunction as well as neurological changes such as confusion and trouble thinking.
Stroke victims are at high risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and periodontitis (a chronic infection that can result in tooth loss).
In fact, a person who has those dental conditions is at a higher risk of having a stroke because oral bacteria use the bloodstream to sneak into the heart. Once in the heart, it takes the bacteria only 30 minutes to cause inflammation and arterial plaque that can break off, travel to the brain and cause a stroke.
Products made with xylitol, such as toothpaste, gum and lozenges help eliminate decay-causing bacteria and plaque on the teeth. A xylitol-based mouth spray helps provide moisture for someone who has dry mouth and keeps dentures from losing suction. It also helps control yeast infection.
There are products that replace calcium and phosphorous to strengthen damaged tooth enamel.
If you are a caregiver, look for specially-designed manual toothbrushes and flossers. Attach a wide elastic band to a toothbrush handle for the person who wants to be independent, and offer toothpaste in a flip-top or pump style container. If necessary, us...