Preventative Dentistry
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Cancer Treatment-Related Complications In The Mouth
Each year about 400,000 people (including many in the Woodhaven, Wyandotte and Monroe areas) with cancer develop treatment-related complications in the mouth ranging from lesions to chronic dry mouth to bone disintegration. If serious, these complications can be life threatening. While many are unavoidable, some can be prevented or minimized by Dr. Kakaris.
Dr. Kakaris recommends that whenever possible, a pre-therapy dental evaluation with a full set of mouth x-rays be performed. Any decay, gum disease and abscesses should be treated, if time permits, prior to chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
Even patients who have no pain or dental disorders need a thorough cleaning. Our goal at Kakaris Family Dentistry is to have the patient's mouth in optimal health prior to beginning anti-cancer therapy.
Crisis Treatment In The Woodhaven, Wyandotte & Monroe Areas
Many people don't see a dentist on a regular basis. They go only when they feel they have a problem. At Kakaris Family Dentistry we call this "crisis treatment" as opposed to "preventive treatment".
While these patients may feel they are saving money, it usually ends up costing much more in both dollars and time. The reason for this is that most dental problems don't have any symptoms until they reach the advanced stages.
An example is tooth decay. At Kakaris Family Dentistry we hear all the time, "Nothing hurts... I don't have any problems". But tooth decay doesn't hurt! Until, that is, it gets close to the nerve of the tooth.
Then a root canal and crown are usually necessary, instead of the small filling, which could have been placed several years ago when the cavity was small. Dr. Kakaris can usually detect a cavity 3-4 years before it may develop any symptoms. It is not uncommon to see a patient with a tremendous cavity and they have never felt a thing!
Dental Decay "Cavities" – Kakaris Family Dentistry Can Help!
Fluoride has been a great benefit to patients of all ages in helping prevent dental decay. Regular brushing and flossing lowers the chance of developing "cavities."
At Kakaris Family Dentistry we know that the most decay-prone areas of teeth are the grooves and depressions on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, which require further preventive care.
To prevent decay, a plastic-like coating called a sealant should be painted on the chewing surfaces of all the back teeth. Studies have shown that sealants can reduce tooth decay by as much as 90% to 100% in the Woodhaven area and nation wide.
The American Dental Association recommends, and Dr. Kakaris agrees, that sealants be placed as soon as the first adult back teeth come in at age 6 or 7. Sealants should continue to be used as each adult back tooth comes into the mouth. All back teeth that need to be sealed are present by age 13. Sealant application is simple, fast, and painless.
Please call Kakaris Family Dentistry with any questions you may have about the benefits of using a sealant in preventing dental decay.
Gum Disease During Pregnancy Can Be Treated At Kakaris Family Dentistry
Many mothers have experienced gum disease, dental pain and/or tooth extraction during or shortly after their pregnancy. This is often seen as being a "normal" side effect of being pregnant. However Dr. Kakaris feels that dental disease, which is an infection of the teeth and/or gums, is not "normal" for any patient.
There are three basic events that happen during pregnancy which make the patient more susceptible to dental disease. First, hormonal changes may make the gums more susceptible to gum disease.
Second, pregnant women tend to eat smaller, more frequent meals, exposing their teeth and gums to sugars and acids more often. Third, cravings for "junk foods" and inadequate oral hygiene pose an increased threat to the teeth and gums.
Pregnant women in the Woodhaven area are advised to schedule a dental evaluation and receive preventive dental care at Kakaris Family Dentistry. Personalized oral hygiene instruction by Dr. Kakaris will be given to fight disease and promote overall good health for the mother and her baby.
Diet And Dental Health…Kakaris Family Dentistry Can Help
Diets low in certain nutrients reduce resistance to oral and dental infections, that is, periodontal disease (gum disease) and decay. Dr. Kakaris feels a healthy immune system is essential to controlling periodontal disease.
Counseling in the Four Basic Food Groups will improve dental health and general health. The consumption of sugar, especially in sticky forms or in a baby bottle while sleeping, contributes to the rapid development of dental decay.
The trace nutrient fluoride, may not be adequately supplied by bottle or municipal water supplies throughout the Woodhaven area. Supplementation with oral tablets and topical application will reduce the incidence of dental decay by more than 60%.
Together, a balanced diet, daily use of fluoride, effective brushing, and sensible eating habits can reduce the risk of, or even prevent, infectious dental disease.
Please don't hesitate to call Kakaris Family Dentistry at 734 676-1656 if you need more information on diet or fluoride supplementation and its relationship to dental health.
Dry Mouth… Dr. Kakaris Can Help
More seniors today in the Woodhaven area have retained their own teeth, avoiding the trauma of removable dentures. Many are on medications creating dryness of the mouth as a side effect.
Without the natural benefit of saliva to decrease bacterial action, Dr. Kakaris is seeing an increase of cavities on the root surfaces of these patients.
Anyone on a medication causing a dry mouth effect should be encouraged to visit Kakaris Family Dentistry for regular dental cleanings and topical fluoride rinses.
Infections In Joint Replacements Can Be Instigated By Severe Gum Problems. Call Dr. Kakaris For Help.
Dr. Kakaris strongly recommends a thorough dental examination for presence of tooth and gum infection prior to joint replacement.
Periodontal disease is a commonly occurring oral infection of the adult population (80% of adults are affected) destroying the bony support of the teeth. This infection slowly progresses over the lifetime of the patient and is often manifested in the advanced stage in the senior population.
Because of the lack of any discomfort to the patient until total loss of bony support to the teeth, many adults are unaware that they have this infection until they visit Kakaris Family Dentistry. However, the bacteria from this bone destroying disease, especially in the more advanced cases, has been attributed to possible infection of joint replacements.
Candidates for joint replacements who have not been seen by Dr. Kakaris in over a year should consider a thorough dental evaluation of their teeth and gums before surgery.
Depending on the severity of the infection, treatment of gum infections and tooth abscesses may take from two weeks to two months before the patient reaches adequate health before surgery.
Lost Teeth Impact Total Health – Dr. Kakaris Can Help
In the past, even in the Woodhaven area, the loss of teeth (edentulism) was dismissed as a natural part of the aging process, and dentures were considered a normal sign of old age.
While such ignorance is rapidly becoming a thing of the past in Woodhaven, there is still not a general awareness of the seriousness of edentulism.
Multiple tooth loss is most commonly caused by periodontal disease, i.e. gum and bone disease. At Kakaris Family Dentistry we know that periodontal disease has a high statistical correlation with chronic debilitating diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis.
So it is not very surprising that studies now show a shortened life expectancy by as much as 10 years for persons who have lost their natural teeth, when compared to those who have kept their teeth.
In addition to longevity, quality-of-life differences are just as significant. The functional efficiency of dentures has been measured to be only 20% of that of natural teeth. Dr. Kakaris feels that there cannot be any doubt that nutritional deficiencies will be much more prevalent in those without their natural teeth.
Loss of teeth often causes a feeling of loss of wholeness and a sense of deterioration and aging. Given these factors, we feel at Kakaris Family Dentistry that preservation of the natural teeth is integral to whole-person wellness.
Dr. Kakaris Answers Questions About Mouthguards
"Dr. Kakaris, why should I wear a mouthguard?"
While mouth guards are not mandatory equipment in all sports, their worth is indisputable. Mouthguards cushion blows to the face and neck. A mouthguard should be part of every athlete's gear, no matter the sport. Even adults or weekend athletes need to protect their smile and preserve their health.
Do: At Kakaris Family Dentistry we feel that you should wear a mouthguard at all times when playing sports. Wear a mouthguard custom-fitted by a dentist, especially if you wear bridges or braces.
Don't: Wear removable appliances like retainers when playing sports.
There are two types of mouthguards:
Custom-made: Designed by a dentist and made on a cast of your teeth. These cause very little interference with speaking or breathing. They provide the best protection and fit over braces and fixed bridges. They also cost more.
Ready-made: Purchased at most sporting goods stores. They are the least expensive, the least effective, and least comfortable.
Dental Care For Seniors… Kakaris Family Dentistry Can Help You
Dr. Kakaris feels that good habits of effective daily brushing, diet, and use of fluoride will help the aging person adapt to changing conditions. Reduced salivary flow and addition of medications will affect oral health dramatically.
Changes of the teeth and gums:
Dr. Kakaris has noted that teeth will darken because of long-term exposure to plaque and changes in the dentin within the tooth. The gums may recede and uncover the roots. Exposed roots will be darker than the enamel part of the tooth and are prone to decay. Fillings can decay and darken, too, as they weaken over time.
"Dry Mouth" may develop: Saliva is useful to lubricate, wash away plaque, and neutralize the acid produced by plaque. Flow of saliva can be reduced by a medical disorder or be a side effect of antihistamines, decongestants, pain killers or diuretics.
The build-up of plaque will accelerate tooth decay. There will also be more gum infection which will cause a loss of bone support for the teeth. Poorly-fitting or poorly-cleaned dentures, illness, and some medications increase the severity of the problem.
Periodontal Disease - Silent And Deadly
Periodontal disease can go on for years without pain and without detection unless specific examination procedures are performed.
Visual oral examination by itself (even by a dentist) will not reliably detect periodontal disease until it has reached an advanced stage.
Early detection and adequate diagnosis require measurement of pockets (the crevice between the tooth and gum) with a periodontal probe. At Kakaris Family Dentistry effective prevention and treatment is available, but the damage caused as the disease progresses is irreversible.
Early detection by Dr. Kakaris and treatment is critical to prevent tooth loss and disfigurement. Although the procedure is simple, painless and requires only a few minutes, millions of American adults have never had it done.
Some signs of periodontal disease are: bleeding gums, redness of gum tissue, swelling of gums around the teeth, breath odor, receding gums, mobility of teeth.
Some Dental Problems Are Easy To See - Plaque!
One of the easiest problems to spot is a build-up of plaque. Plaque is the soft, sticky layer of bacteria, which is constantly forming on the teeth.
Usually it is invisible to the naked eye, but when a person is not brushing adequately, it can build up to where it appears to be a thick whitish coating on the teeth at the gum line. If not removed, it can lead to gum disease.
Another potential problem, which is easy to spot, is missing teeth. Many patients Dr. Kakaris sees assume that if they are still able to eat, they are O.K.
But very often, losing just one tooth can lead to the loss of support, and teeth begin to drift into the empty space, causing a change in the bite. It also forces the remaining teeth to carry an additional load, sometimes past their ability to adapt. In most cases, when even one tooth is lost, the remaining teeth suffer and are more likely to be lost as well.
At Kakaris Family Dentistry our focus is in the treatment of problems such as these. Call our office at 734 676-1656 for the care you need.
Prevent Tooth Decay In The Woodhaven, Wyandotte & Monroe Laser Area
Fluoride, in proper dosage, has been shown to significantly reduce dental decay. When fluoridated water has less than the ideal amount or is not available, fluoride supplements are recommended. (A call to your local water district is all that is necessary to determine whether your water has fluoride or not.)
When supplements are needed, the administration of fluoride supplements should begin shortly after birth and continue through the time of eruption of the second permanent molars (approx. 12 years of age).
Regular dental check-ups at Kakaris Family Dentistry should begin no later than 18 months of age.