Back to School Drive & Contest
Back to School Drive
WHAT: In partnership with A Kid’s Place Tampa Bay, we are collecting back-to-school items
WHEN: Collection Dates June 12th-July 19th.
WHERE: Drop off items at
Britten Periodontics & Implant Dentistry
1472 Jordan Hills Court
Clearwater, Florida 33756
Some suggestions & most-needed items are:
· Teenage backpacks & lunch boxes
· Gel pens
· Mechanical pencils
· Post-it Notes
· Flash Drives
Your supply donation will allow you to enter your guess for our BACK TO SCHOOL CONTEST!
Back to School Contest
Guess The Weight of Each Backpack in our reception area and enter to win a summer-themed gift basket!
Contest Rules:
· Must bring in school supplies to enter contest.
· 1 Guess per patient (with donation) per backpack
· Closest guess without going over wins
· If there is a tie, names will be placed in a hat and drawn
· Guesses end the last day of the school drive
Best,
Dr. Todd Britten & Staff
Case Study: Clinical Crown Lengthening
Clinical Crown Lengthening is designed to expose more tooth structure prior to restorative and cosmetic dentistry and/or to improve the esthetics of your gum line. A frequently asked question is whether we can change the esthetics of a gummy smile because the teeth appear somewhat short. Your teeth can actually be of proper length and just covered with excessive gum tissue. In such circumstances, a crown lengthening procedure will correct this by exposing the shape of your natural teeth.
Crown lengthening can also be done to single teeth to “even out” your gum line and create a more symmetrical smile.
If your teeth are decayed, fractured at or below the gum line or have insufficient tooth structure for new crown retention, a “Clinical crown lengthening” procedure may be recommended by Dr. Britten to enable your general dentist to perform a restorative and/or cosmetic dental procedure.
What do Bleeding Gums Mean?
Problems such as bleeding gums can be a sign that your gumline is not being properly cared for and may need more attention. While you don’t need to panic if you notice that your gums bleed, you do need to take action to help prevent the progression to a more advanced form of gum disease. Most commonly, gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) is the result of plaque – a sticky film of bacteria forming on the teeth around the gumline or under the gums. Plaque bacteria can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and even tooth loss.
The Most Common Cause of Bleeding Gums
In most cases, gums bleed because of the harmful plaque – and the millions of bacteria in it – found at or around the gumline being left to develop gingivitis. Gingivitis, the early, yet still reversible form of gum disease, may require treatment and an improved oral hygiene routine to help reverse it.
When gingivitis begins to cause irreversible damage to the gum tissues or bone, the diagnosis would be periodontitis, or periodontal disease.
How to Stop Bleeding Gums
There are many ways to help improve your oral health and keep your gums from bleeding. Since gingival bleeding is mainly due to inadequate plaque removal from the teeth at or around the gumline, starting an effective oral hygiene routine is a great way to help treat and prevent your gums from bleeding.
Brush at least twice a day: Make sure to brush the dentist-recommended two minutes every session to better remove any plaque that can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. Consider switching to an electric toothbrush like the Phiips Sonicare
Clean in between your teeth: Flossing, softpicks or using proxabrushes between your teeth at least once or twice a day is one of the most important ways to help prevent bleeding gums and maintain good oral health. It removes plaque and food particles that may be just under the gumline between the teeth, which is where gum disease often starts.
- Avoid Tobacco: Tobacco use of all types can damage your gums and can also make you far more likely to develop gum disease. ***Smoking can mask severe gum disease, as bleeding is minimal or non-existent in smokers, but the damage to the tissues is occurring faster, with the blood supply cut off to help the tissues heal. Also, tar builds up on the teeth and harbors even more harmful plaque bacteria.
- See a Dental Professional Regularly: Harmful plaque bacteria can even lead to issues beyond gingivitis like weakened tooth enamel. Regular dental hygiene visits at your dentist or periodontist’s office will remove plaque and tartar that can’t be removed at home. This will help prevent gums from bleeding and keep your mouth healthy.
- Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends eating a balanced diet and avoiding between-meal snacking. Also, reducing stress from your life can help prevent gum disease to keep your smile healthy.
Why Are My Teeth Sensitive to Cold?
One question we get asked often is why teeth might feel sensitive. The answer to this question depends on the ailment, as will the treatment.
To understand the answer to this question, it helps to know a little about the structure of your teeth. Each tooth consists of the crown, which is the visible part of the tooth, and the root, which anchors each tooth into your jaw. Components of the crown include:
- Tooth enamel– The hard, white-looking layer that protects the sensitive inner parts of each tooth. Tooth enamel is the hardest material in your body – even stronger than bone.
- Cementum– A thin, protective layer of bone-like tissue under the gum line that protects the tooth root.
- Dentin– A layer of softer tissue which contains tiny canals or ‘tubules’.
- Pulp– The soft tissue deep inside each tooth that contains blood vessels, connective tissue and nerves.
If for any reason the enamel starts to wear way or erode, your tooth’s dentin is exposed. When this happens, nerve signals pass to the tooth root and from there to the brain – meaning that things like eating popsicles or drinking hot drinks, which normally don’t cause a reaction, can suddenly trigger pain.
What Causes Sensitive Teeth?
A range of factors can lead to tooth sensitivity, but there are two main underlying reasons: enamel loss and gum recession.
Causes of enamel loss include:
- Over-zealous brushing:Brushing too vigorously or too often.
- Acid erosion:From acidic foods and drinks such as sugary sports drinks and sodas.
Causes of gum recession include:
- Using a hard bristle toothbrush– This can injure the gum tissue.
- Gum disease– A common oral health disease that can cause receding gums.
- Your genes– Regardless of how you care for your teeth, you may be genetically susceptible to gum recession.
- Smoking– Tobacco products increase plaque build-up on teeth which over time can lead to a greater risk of gum recession.
Professional and at-home teeth whitening (bleaching) treatments may cause temporary sensitivity, although this should disappear within a short time of stopping treatment.
Ways to Keep Your Mouth Healthy
If you’re wondering how to manage tooth sensitivity or how to soothe a sensitive tooth, there are a number of ways:
- Start using an over the counter toothpaste such as Sensodyne or your dentist may give you a prescription fluoride toothpaste with other minerals that can help.
- Brush twice a day, every day. Brush gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush for four minutes each time to keep teeth and gums clean and healthy. We often recommend the Philips Sonicare powerbrush to our patients as it is safe and effective in cleaning around both the teeth and gums.
- Floss daily, or use interdental aides such as softpicks or proxabrushes.Making cleaning between your teeth a part of your daily tooth care routine helps maintain healthy gums.
- Visit your dentist regularly. Schedule checkups for every six months or more often, as advised by your dentist.
Many people are afraid or experience anxiety about going to the dentist, and because of this, some patients will try to go as infrequently as possible. The answer to how often you should see your dentist actually varies, depending on the state of your mouth.
If your teeth and gums are very healthy, you should visit your dentist at least twice a year for dental exams and cleaning. If you have a history of gum disease or other problems, you may need to visit your dental hygienist more often, often anywhere from 3 or 4 up to 6 times a year. Periodontal patients often see their dentist or periodontist every 3 months for hygiene visits, as many studies have shown that more harmful periodontal bacteria repopulate in the mouth in only 11 weeks time.
Frequent dental visits (particularly those for dental cleanings and periodontal maintenance visits) are in your best interest to prevent breakdown of the health of teeth and gums.
Britten Periodontics is excited to host another Holiday Food Drive with Metropolitan Ministries!
Thanks to Metropolitan families will find HOPE through receiving much-needed commodities!
Metropolitan Ministries’ greatest holiday food needs: Frozen protein (turkey, ham, chicken), yams, cereal, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
Additional food needs: Canned beans, soup, bags or boxed rice, boxed/canned potatoes, packets of gravy, and dessert mixes
The greatest toy needs are “teen” toys with a focus on Ages 10 – 12 (boys and girls), and our additional age group needs: 0-2, 3-9, and 13-17 (boys and girls).
Please drop off your donations from October 24th -November 17th at our office at:
1472 Jordan Hills Court
Clearwater, FL 33756
727-586-2681
#BeHope #InspireHope
Clearwater Periodontist and Dental implant specialist Dr. Todd Britten says he wants to ensure his dental implant patients have the best care possible using the latest technology available. By using advanced 3-D technology, Dr. Britten explains that he is able to obtain and review high-quality images for dental implant planning and even create a 3-D printed surgical guide.
When a patient is ready for a dental implant, Dr. Britten explains the first step is often to take a 3-D CT scan. Dr. Britten said he invested in a scanner that is both comfortable for patients, but provides high quality images at the lowest radiation levels possible. “The PAX-i3D Green is a digital imaging system that provides multiple views of a patient’s jaw and mouth. A 3-D digital scan can now be taken at the same visit in place of a tradition dental impression.” Dr. Britten explains he has a Medit i-700 scanner, making the scanning experience for our patients comfortable and easy. This digital impression can be done at the same visit as the CT scan.
He goes onto explain the patient’s CT scan and Digital Impression are then uploaded to the Dental Laboratory’s sophisticated software program. Dr. Britten plans the implant surgery (deciding on any need for bone grafting, sinus grafting and appropriate implant size and type) as well as a surgical guide to be fabricated by his experienced laboratory clinician.
The Dental Lab then can fabricate the surgical guide with their state-of-the-art 3-D printer. The process usually takes a few weeks, and then the patient is ready for dental implant surgery. Dr. Britten says with 3-D technology and imaging, he can perform dental implant surgeries with confidence, using a precision-crafted 3-D printed Implant Surgical Guide.
The TePe Universal Care brush has a unique contra-angled handle to enable easy access for hard-to-reach areas and a slim brush head design to fit in narrow areas. It is optimal for implants, under bridges, retroclined teeth, lingual braces or retainer, tongue-side lower molars to prevent gag reflex.
Available on Amazon.com or TePe.com.
Oxidative stress is a known contributing factor in the development of chronic inflammatory diseases, including periodontitis, or gum disease. Clearwater Periodontist Dr. Todd Britten explains that adding antioxidants to your diet or the use of natural topical antioxidants as part of an at-home care regimen can help improve oral health by preventing or helping repair oxidative damage.
Antioxidant products used in the oral cavity can promote homeostasis, enhance wound healing, and alter microbial flora during medical treatments such as chemotherapy and dental procedures, or by dental materials. Dr. Britten has found that antioxidant products can also have a healthy antimicrobial (germ-killing) effect. They can also be used to help heal ulcers and other types of tissue trauma or injury.
A product that Dr. Todd Britten recommends regularly in his periodontal practice is PerioSciences AO Provantage Gel [www.periosciences.com]. “It is a gel that can be used up to 5 times a day for many conditions. PerioSciences also makes a toothpaste and a rinse which can be used in addition to the gel to improve periodontal health.” Dr. Britten goes on to explain that the essential oils in the mouthwash (menthol and thymol) have an anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis effect without damaging tissue cells and antioxidants (phloretin and ferulic acid) have beneficial effects on the cells and tissues found in the mouth.
“Your dental professional can recommend specific regimens for each type of surgery or any acute conditions requiring antioxidant products. A maintenance program after that is often recommended.”
Dr. Britten also goes on to explain that anti-inflammatory foods incorporated into the diet are also beneficial for oral and overall health. According to the American Heart Association, some foods high in antioxidants or have a high degree of anti-inflammatory effect would be fatty fishes, dark leafy greens, tea, whole grains, nuts, ginger and even dark chocolate.
“Since we know that periodontal disease is connected to variety of other diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis, treating inflammation by using antioxidants both in our diet and/or topically may not only help manage periodontal diseases but may also help with the management of other chronic inflammatory conditions.”
