For those suffering from TMD, relief begins with a proper diagnosis, understanding of the underlying causes and often trying the more conservative methods first before considering surgical intervention.
If you feel you may be suffering from TMD, contact us today for more information!
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Please watch this informative video from Spear Education
The mouth is a window into the health of the body. It can show signs of nutritional deficiencies or general infection.
Functions of teeth
Food needs to be broken down and chewed before entering the digestive system so that our body can easily absorb nutrients from them.
Teeth can help us pronounce accurately.
Teeth can help us look better by giving us a good profile.
Baby teeth can reserve spaces for permanent teeth. Once the permanent teeth start to erupt, the deciduous teeth will fall out and give room for permanent teeth.
Watch this video from Spear Education:
“Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.”: Thich Nhat Hanh
A few years ago, Dr. Todd Britten successfully passed the rigorous requirements to become a Board-Certified Diplomate of The American Board of Periodontology. Board-Certified periodontists are held to a higher level of care and skill by the American Board of Periodontology and we know he is so proud to be a Diplomate of this professional organization.
“The Mission of the American Board of Periodontology is to Advance the Art and Science of Periodontics and Elevate the Quality of Periodontal care through the Examination, Certification, and Recertification of Periodontists and by Encouraging the Achievement and Maintenance of Diplomate status.”
Dr. Britten is committed to excellent patient care by continually updating his skills and knowledge of new procedures and technology so that he can provide the highest quality, least invasive care available in our industry.
A Diplomate is a periodontist who has made significant achievements beyond the mandatory educational requirements of the specialty and who is certified by the American Board of Periodontology.
To be educationally qualified for Board certification requires:
How to Get Your Kids to Brush: 7 Ways to Make Brushing Fun for Kids
“If you think you’re busy, try being a kid. In addition to school, activities and family time, they’re learning how to take care of themselves and others in new ways every single day.” – from The American Dental Association. Check out the instructional video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuLxz5IrZ6Y&feature=youtu.be
Dr. Todd Britten’s son, Daniel, shows us how losing a tooth is done when you’re from Tampa and from a family of dentists!
“All those bumps and grooves on your tongue are a haven for bacteria and could be contributing to your bad breath because of the gases they give off, says Dr. Matthew Messina, a consumer advisor for the American Dental Association. It’s important to take care of the tongue in addition to regular brushing and flossing.”-from Colgate.com
The front portion of the tongue is pretty self-cleansing, however, the back portion can often collect more bacteria. You can use a toothbrush or a special tongue scraper. Tongue scrapers come in various designs.
Some tips:
1-Clean any area where there is a coating. This is usually found on the back portion of your tongue.
2- Be gentle. Don’t go too far back and stick to the center of the tongue and not the sides which are more delicate and prone to injury. If you have a sensitive gag reflex a tongue scraper will probably work better for you.
3- Do it daily. Just like brushing and flossing, frequency is key. Oral bacteria are constantly reproducing. Once you start doing it daily, you may find that your mouth just doesn’t seem as clean without doing it
If you have any questions about Dental Implants, please contact our team or make an appointment. Our incredible staff will give you the best dental care possible. Contact us today:
Advanced Periodontal Disease and Tooth Loss in Smokers
Quitting smoking can be very difficult to committing to, even if you know the health risks and potential benefits of giving up. Most people are all too well aware of the links of smoking to lung cancer and advanced periodontal disease, but one of the major problems with smoking is that it tends to mask the damage being caused to teeth and gums. Reduced blood flow in the inflammatory lesions of smokers makes it harder for the body to fight infection by reducing the flow of essential nutrients to damaged tissues. At the same time the body is also less able to transport toxins away from the infection site. Smoking makes it harder to see the damage being caused to gums, so if you have any signs of active gum disease, then these will be far less visible.
Other chemicals contained within the smoke will combine with plaque bacteria and this is dangerous because x-rays taken of smoker’s teeth often shows that the jawbone has begun to shrink away from their teeth. This damage can be difficult to detect, producing very few early warning signs of advanced periodontal disease.
Additionally, nicotine affects saliva, causing it to become thicker so it is less able to wash away acid created after eating. As a result heavy smokers can be more likely to suffer from tooth decay than non-smokers, even though they may practice good oral hygiene.
Developing Advanced Periodontal Disease
This is a major problem and as a top periodontist in Clearwater, Florida, Dr. Todd Britten is highly concerned when seeing patients who smoke. The likelihood of developing advanced periodontal disease or gum disease is six times higher in smokers. Periodontal disease is an extremely serious condition affecting not only the gums, but also the membranes and ligaments and bone supporting the teeth.
Will You Lose Your Teeth If You Have Periodontal Disease?
In advanced cases, Britten may have little choice but to extract teeth that have already become loose. Smoking masks one of the major signs of gum disease which is bleeding gums and as a result periodontal disease can be very advanced before a smoker notices there is something wrong with their dental health. Although diligent brushing and flossing may slow down deteriorating gums, it’s often difficult for smokers to thoroughly remove all the plaque from the teeth due to smoking decreasing sensations in the mouth, making it difficult for them to detect areas that may not have been properly brushed.
As a periodontist, Dr. Britten is a specialist in treating advanced periodontal disease and is able to provide patients with the very latest techniques and treatments to help slow down this condition. Where teeth are lost then one option is to replace them with dental implants, but smoking is not advisable during this treatment because it does slow down healing.
If you do currently smoke and value your smile, it’s worth thinking about quitting.
Dr. Todd M. Britten and his staff at Britten Periodontics & Implant Dentistry are gearing up for their 2nd annual Free Dental Day for Veterans. The event will be held in Dr. Britten’s Clearwater office on Friday November 11, 2016.
Last year was the inaugural event and it was a great success. Dr. Britten, his staff, as well as volunteers from Clearwater Dental Associates and Britten Dental Associates worked together to provide four very deserving veterans with periodontal and general dental care. When asked about the previous event Dr. Britten said, “It was such a great feeling to help these patients’ oral health improve and help them keep teeth that they were in danger of losing. Veterans and their families make so many sacrifices for us all and we were so honored we were able to give something back to them.”
For one veteran in particular, treatment included IV sedation (due to the need for extensive treatment and intense dental phobia), extraction of all of this patient’s remaining teeth which were badly broken and excessive bone growth throughout his mouth. Dr. Jim Hayslett of Clearwater Dental helped Dr. Britten restore this patient’s smile with complete upper and lower dentures. Dr. Britten stated, “All he wanted to do again was eat a steak dinner. We were able to get a patient out of pain and help him to be able to chew again and smile with confidence.”
Dr. Britten and his staff have been working with The Community Dental Clinic to match patients with periodontal needs with the Clearwater Periodontist’s office. Allison Sapiega, the executive director at the clinic stated, “The Community Dental Clinic has enjoyed the privilege of working with Britten Periodontics for the last few years on their Free Dental Event for Veterans. We are so proud to call them a community partner as we strive together to serve those that fall into the dental services gap. Nearly 95% of veterans are without dental coverage, so events like Britten Periodontics’ Free Dental Day for Veterans are imperative in serving those that have served us.”
Dr. Todd Britten explained how glad he is to be doing this the second year in a row and would like to do it annually for the entirety of his career. When asked why this is a cause so near and dear to his heart he stated that his grandfathers and uncles served in the military and giving back to veterans in need is a top priority for him. Dr. Britten said, “The entire staff at Britten Periodontics is so grateful to the men and women in the military that make so many sacrifices for our freedom. We are happy to host this annual event, and hope to do it for many years to come.”![Screenshot_2016-09-05-08-39-28[17758]](https://brittenperio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Screenshot_2016-09-05-08-39-2817758-e1473129870239.jpg)
Britten Periodontics & Implant Dentistry is a periodontal practice offering patients personalized dental care in implant dentistry in Clearwater, Florida. Dr. Todd Britten received his Bachelor of Science & Doctorate of Dental Surgery from University of Florida, a Master’s Degree and Certificate in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry; and completed extensive training at the Institute of Advanced Laser Dentistry. He is one of the only board-certified periodontists in Pinellas County. He is a member of the American Academy of Periodontology, American Dental Association, Florida Association of Periodontists, Upper Pinellas County Dental Association, Hillsborough County Dental Association, Hillsborough County Dental Research Association and Florida West Coast Dental Association.
To learn more about Dr. Britten and his dental services visit his website at https://brittenperio.com or call (727) 586-2681.
