McGuire Dental: Are You Interested in Whitening for a Lifetime? Zoom

Dr. McGuire is now offering our patients an exciting teeth whitening program called "Whitening for a Lifetime".  If you whiten your teeth at our office and you maintain your regularly scheduled professional dental cleaning appointments, you will receive free whitening touch-up gel for as long as you are a patient of Dr. McGuire's.

If you have been considering whitening your teeth and just haven't gotten around to it, there isn't a better time to do it. Visit us at www.mcguiredental.com

McGuire Dental: Investing in Your Dental Health

A professional dental cleaning and oral health exam are two of your best investments in a recession.  Health is your number one asset.  Visit us at www.mcguiredental.com
An abscess tooth can end up costing you time off work, money, and of course pain.  Most dental abscesses are preventable and are discovered through your routine exam and xrays.  Detected decay, with early treatment, may save you over a thousand dollars.

We are finding that many of our patients are delaying exams, even when they have  insurance to pay for the visit.  They do not want to take time off from work or hear any bad news.  We understand this, but a routine filling is better than a root canal and crown.

We have had several patients in recent months that have delayed their exams and now are coming in with large cavities. Root canals and crown are needed. If they had come in in the last year, we could have treated the problem quickly.

We have Saturday appointments so you do not have to take time off from work.  Please take advantage of your work benefits and come in for your professional dental exam and cleaning.  It will save you time, money and keep you pain free.

McGuire Dental: Test for Gum Disease Bleeding Gums

Do you have bleeding gums?  Periodontal disease effects three out of every four Americans.  We now offer a DNA test for Gum Disease.  We recently became trained in DNA bacterial testing.  It is a simple, painless test in which a sample is taken directly from your mouth's bleeding site.  We have the sample tested and the results are back in about one week.  The DNA test identifies the bacteria type and the antibiotic treatment necessary for your mouth's infection.  This is the first specific test for pathogenic bacteria that causes Periodontal disease.
We now have the ability to treat the specific bacteria that is causing your mouth's infection.  We look forward in acheiving optimum dental health for all our patients.  Please ask us for more information and whether this test would benefit your dental health at your next visit.Visit www.mcguiredental.com

McGuire Dental: To My Teenage Dental Patients

A bright smile fresh breath - that's what a healthy mouth means. It also means you can talk and laugh with confidence.Here are facts, ideas and tips on keeping a healthy smile in your teenage years.
What You Need To Know about Your Dental Health

FACT 1: You have not outgrown tooth decay. In fact, dental decay may be more of a problem for you during the teen years than it ever has been before.

FACT 2: Gum disease (gingivitis) is a risk to your dental health. It is also a threat to your appearance. Gum disease causes red and swollen gums, bleeding gums and bad breath.

FACT 3: You will have all your permanent teeth with the possible exception of your wisdom teeth (third molars). During these growing years, your face and jaws will undergo many changes. You can be healthy and attractive through these changes by taking good care of your teeth and visiting your dentist.

How You Can Keep a Healthy Smile
It is up to you! What you do and do not do is important. Here is a checklist for a healthy smile:

Eat intelligently! Life is going to be hectic now. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables instead of junk foods when you eat on the run.

Snack smartly. Be careful of snack foods containing sugar; they can cause damage to the teeth and gums.

Practice good prevention at least twice a day. Brush effectively using a fluoridated toothpaste. Floss to prevent gum disease and tooth decay on the sides of the teeth.

Keep up with your dental checkups. Tooth cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants are important preventive services for you.

Do not smoke or chew tobacco! The warnings you hear and read about are true. Besides lung and heart problems, tobacco can cause oral cancer. Of all cancers, 2.4 percent occur in the mouth and tobacco use has been estimated to account for over 90 percent of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx.* If you are using tobacco and notice any changes in your mouth, contact your doctor immediately.

Wear a mouth guard for any sport or activity in which your mouth can be hit.

Buckle up in the car. A seat belt and shoulder harness can keep your face from striking the steering wheel, the dashboard or windshield during minor accidents.

Quiz on Eating Disorders
You (or a friend) may have an eating disorder if you answer YES to the following questions:

Do you weigh yourself more than once a day?
Are you obsessed with being very thin, even while you are below a normal weight?
Do you have a fear of not being able to stop eating?
Do you vomit after a meal – or have the urge to do so?
(For females only) Have you missed three consecutive menstrual periods?
All eating disorders have health risks. The worst cases can lead to death. Eating disorders associated with vomiting can damage the teeth because of stomach acid. If you suspect you have an eating disorder, please see your doctor as soon as possible.

Tips For Smart Snacking

Be careful of between-meal snacks.
Clear the snack from the teeth as soon as possible. Even a simple swish and rinse with water will help.
Do not let snacks take the place of nutritionally balanced meals.
How Your Dentist Can Help
There are many things a dentist can do to help assure your oral health for a lifetime. Preventive dentistry techniques such as tooth cleanings, sealants and fluoride treatments are just as important as ever for you. Tips on flossing and brushing, and ideas on snacking and choosing a healthy diet, are available to you from your dentist and staff as well.

Your dentist will be glad to talk to you about how your teeth look. If you feel your teeth are too dark, there are techniques now to whiten them. If you have broken teeth, teeth with defects or spaces between your teeth, there are a number of esthetic dentistry techniques to help you look better.

If you are concerned about your bite, crooked teeth or the appearance of your smile, your dentist can give you advice about correcting such problems.

During your teen years, your wisdom teeth (third molars) will be developing. Although some third molars come into the mouth normally, others need to be removed because of poor position and lack of space. Your dentist will make sure the proper treatment is prescribed at the right time.

*U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America. A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 2000.

McGuire Dental: Teeth Grinding 101

Bruxism or Teeth Grinding

 Most people refer to bruxism as "grinding" or "gritting" the teeth. When you "brux", you tightly clamp your top and bottom teeth together, especially your back teeth. Many people who clench also grind their teeth at the same time. Grinding is when you slide your teeth over each other, generally in a sideways, back-and-forth movement. Many people clench and grind their teeth during the day, but the nighttime bruxing is of most concern, because it is harder to control and can lead to eventual jaw, tooth and gum damage.  Please visit us at www.mcguiredental.com

Experts don't agree on what causes bruxism. Some researchers believe that it's caused by a bite that is not correctly aligned, while others believe it is a central nervous system disorder. Children frequently exhibit bruxism behaviors in response to pain and discomfort of illnesses such as colds, ear infections or allergies. Excess intake of alcoholic beverages may affect your level of grinding and clenching, and stress is also a huge factor in bruxing, with most experts saying that you may show elevated stress levels in your mouth before any other area of your body. Many experts believe it's a combination of these and other problems and that different people brux for different reasons.

Almost everyone "grinds their teeth." The problem is the degree of bruxing. Some people only grind their teeth a bit and show few symptoms, but for those who brux frequently and over a period of many years, the effects on teeth and the surrounding structures of gums and bone can be severe.

The pressure that you can apply to your teeth can range from 100 to 600 pounds per square inch! Severe bruxism can result in wearing or breaking of teeth, sensitive or loose teeth, receding gums, loss of supporting bone around the teeth, bony ridges in the gums, cheek irritation, sore muscles, headaches, earaches and TMJ (temporomandibular jaw) dysfunction. Pain caused by bruxism can also lead to insomnia, depression and even eating disorders.

If you or a family member shows signs or sounds of bruxism, ask your dentist for an evaluation. An examination will rule out disorders, such as an ear infection, that could be causing the symptoms. Once a diagnosis is made, the goals of treatment are to ease pain, prevent damage to teeth and surrounding areas, and reduce bruxism behavior as much as possible.

To prevent damage, your dentist may prescribe a mouth guard or some other appliance, such as a splint, for you to wear at night. Appliances may protect teeth from the pressure of clenching and may even reduce clenching, however some patients find that it makes their bruxism worse. There is no one cure-all for bruxism, so it may take a team effort between you and your dentist and perhaps other dental professionals, such as an orthodontist, to find the cure for your problem.

Just remember that bruxism is not a dangerous disorder and that with conscious effort and professional help, you can prevent damage to your oral and overall health.

McGuire Dental: Mouth Protection During Sports

 Dental injuries are the most common type of injuries to the face, and 60% of facial injuries occur during sports practice. An athlete is 60 times more likely to suffer damage to the teeth when not wearing a mouth guard.Please visit our website at www.mcguiredental.com

A mouth guard is a flexible piece of plastic that fits around the upper teeth and protects them from injury. In addition to protecting against direct damage to the teeth, by cushioning the lips and cheeks from the teeth or orthodontic appliances, a mouth guard helps prevent laceration and bruising. A mouth guard can also prevent serious injuries caused when the lower jaw is jammed into the upper jaw, including concussion, cerebral hemorrhage, jaw fractures and neck injuries.

There are several types of mouth guards. When choosing one, remember that a mouth guard should be flexible, comfortable, durable, odorless, tasteless, and easy to clean. A mouth guard should fit properly so that it protects your mouth, but does not interfere with breathing or speaking.

The least expensive mouth guard is a stock one sold in sporting goods stores. They come in small, medium, and large and are held in place by biting down. The disadvantage of these mouth guards is that the fit is not adjustable and may not protect your teeth as well as a more fitted model would. Holding these guards in place requires that you bite down, so they can interfere with speech and breathing.

The most commonly used type of mouth guard is also sold in sporting goods stores. They're called "boil and bite mouth guards," because they're softened in boiling water and then formed to fit your mouth. This type of mouth guard costs a little more than the stock types, but because it is formed around your teeth, it fits and protects your mouth better. However, it still may not cover all your teeth properly.

The best mouth guard for preventing injury is one that is custom made for you by your dentist. This type is a bit more expensive, but it is the most effective at protecting your mouth, face and head. Because it is custom fit to your teeth, it's also the most comfortable to wear. When you consider that the cost of fixing one broken tooth is more expensive than having a mouth guard custom made, the value is obvious.

Whatever type of mouth guard you choose, you should wear it for any activity in which there is a chance of contact with other participants or hard surfaces. Mouth guards aren't just for football and hockey. If you or your child rides a bicycle, participates in gymnastics, volleyball, skateboarding, or any sport or activity in which a facial or dental injury might occur, a mouth guard is a necessity. Half of all dental injuries can be prevented, and a mouth guard is an important aid in protecting your teeth, face and mouth.