Tuesday, June 23, 2015

What You Should Know About Dietary Restrictions After Oral Surgery

Oral SurgeryWe perform oral surgery on a regular basis, primarily to place dental implants.  If you have lost a tooth, implants are the best way to replace it because an implant not only replaces the actual tooth but also the root system.  It is the only solution to do so considering that both a dental bridge and dentures only deal with the problem on the outside of the gums.

While highly effective, this is a surgical procedure.  In order to place the implants, we insert a titanium post under the gums and secure it to the jawbone.  This is done in every place where a tooth is missing.  We do this under anesthesia so that you remain comfortable and do not feel any irritation during the procedure itself.  Since it is surgical, there will be a recovery time that is associated with the procedure and the more implants that you have placed, the longer the recovery period will be.

During this time, it is important that you eat a healthy diet so that you can keep up your energy and give your body the best opportunity to recover quickly from your oral surgery.  This can be challenging since your gums will also be sore and there are natural restrictions associated with what you can eat.  You need to focus on eating foods that are soft and will not irritate your gums.

Here are some meals that we recommend you try after having oral surgery.

Breakfast

Be sure to continue to eat every meal, including breakfast.  While cereal and toast are out of the question, you can have oatmeal or cream of wheat that is made with whole milk.  You can also try boiled or scrambled eggs as a nutritious breakfast.  Otherwise, we recommend that you have a smoothie where you combine your favorite fruits and vegetables with yogurt and protein powder.  A smoothie can be used to replace as many meals as you like and will provide you with much of the nutrition that you need as long as you include the correct ingredients.

Lunch

For lunch, many of our patients eat soup.  You can buy soup in the can or make your own potato soup that can be blended for a meal that is delicious, easy to make and eat. You can also try eating a tuna sandwich or a hummus sandwich on soft bread with applesauce on the side.

Dinner

After having oral surgery, this can be the hardest meal to replace simply because most people eat meat as their main dish.  In the beginning, pork, chicken, and beef will be too challenging to eat but you can substitute these with a soft fish or tofu.  Both will provide you with the nutrition that you need while being easy to eat.  Add a side dish of mashed potatoes or soft pasta shells that are easy to chew.

Keep in mind that your dietary restrictions are only temporary.  You will be able to return to a normal diet fairly quickly and once your gums are healed and your new tooth secured, there will be no dietary restrictions.

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Wednesday, June 3, 2015

We Keep Children Healthy in Our Pediatric Dentistry Office

Pediatric DentistryAs a specialist in pediatric dentistry, we treat many of the same problems that plague adults. In that regard, we are very much like a regular dentist. The biggest difference, as you can imagine, is the age of our patients.  While the challenges that face adults and children are often the same. Addressing these challenges can be more difficult when dealing with children. For an adult, it is usually pretty simple to determine what is going on, for example where they are experiencing discomfort. A child may not be able to communicate this as effectively, sometimes pointing to a region of their mouth instead of a specific tooth or part of the gum. In addition to this we have the challenge that children are typically more nervous of the experience. They are already intimidated coming in to see a dentist, and then there is the chair, all the equipment, and people in white coats. An important part of being a pediatric dentist is learning to pace the child so that we can get all the work that needs to be done completed, without completely overwhelming them. Talking them through various steps, allowing them to pre-touch the equipment, and working at a slower pace are all vital to achieving this goal.

In pediatric dentistry, there are a number of more common problems that we deal with in children. The most common, as many parents can attest to, is the occurrence of cavities. Cavities are also known as tooth decay. For children, and for adults, untreated cavities can cause discomfort and spread to other areas of the mouth. Luckily decay is one of the easier things to prevent, and when it does occur we can fill cavities very easily as well. Decay in teeth is caused by a natural occurrence of bacteria. This bacteria tends to colonize parts of the teeth, and when they are given food they secret acid. The bacteria are particularly partial to foods high in sugar and starch content. The acid secreted will damage the enamel and eventually cause a small hole to appear. The easiest way to avoid cavities is to teach your children great oral health habits so that they never allow the bacteria to build up to damage causing levels. Great oral habits include brushing twice per day, using floss on a regular basis, rinsing after meals and also after snacks, and making it a habit to visit the dentist at least twice a year. For children, this regiment is critical.

Some of the other things we find common to pediatric dentistry and regular dentistry are things like canker sores. Caused by a number of different factors, canker sores are painful for children. They can very easily be dealt with by using an anti-microbial mouthwash. Also, one sure way to tell if you child is having a dental issue is tooth sensitivity. Children will frequently complain of discomfort when they eat something hot, cold, or sweet. This sensitivity can be a parent's best friend as it alerts you to the fact that you need to come in and visit our pediatric dentistry office.

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