What to Know About E – Cigarettes and Your Oral Health | Dentist Near Me

Dentist in Cambridge

The hazards surrounding vaping are not entirely clear. More research is needed in this area, but a recent study indicates that e-cigarette vapors could be damaging to your mouth. Here’s what you need to know.

The Vapor Ingredients

Electronic cigarettes are not regulated in the same way tobacco cigarettes are, meaning that their contents can be inaccurately labeled without any oversight. Contents that e-juice usually contains include nicotine, glycerin, chemical flavoring, and propylene glycol. Some of these substances are safe in food, such as chemical flavors, but the effects of inhaling them is not well researched. Heating these chemicals can form dangerous carcinogens such as formaldehyde. E- cigarettes might also include tiny metals and particles that you inhale while smoking.

What This Means for Your Oral Health

A recent study from UCLA found that vapors from an e-cigarette can kill the cells in your oral cavity, or the area of your mouth beyond your teeth and gums. The study placed oral cells in an environment where electronic cigarette smoke was produced for 24 hours, in a machine simulating how a person would smoke. During the test, 85% of the cells died. According to the lead author of the study, they plan to move forward to test the impacts in humans.

These cells are your mouth’s defense by helping to release antioxidants. As the cells die off or become less effective, your mouth becomes more vulnerable to oral diseases.

Another study by the University of Rochester Medical Center concluded e-cigarettes are just as bad for your gums as tobacco cigarettes are. Nicotine, which both types of cigarettes contain, is a known factor in contributing to gum disease.

Steps You Can Take

Since the e-juice industry is largely unregulated, it is best to avoid smoking electronic cigarettes. The carcinogenic contents pose serious risks to your health, especially to your mouth. Your mouth relies on the functions of these important cells to defend itself against dangerous bacteria and other substances. Without your mouth’s natural defense system, you open yourself up to oral disease.

Make sure you are regularly visiting our Dentist in Cambridge office, especially if you are a smoker of either tobacco cigarettes, or electronic cigarettes. Our experienced Sweet Spot Dental team will perform a complete oral examination during your visit to check for signs of oral disease. Being proactive is your best defense against combating oral disease.

For more tips on keeping your mouth healthy or to schedule your next visit, please contact us. Resources: UCLA Health

https://www.uclahealth.org/e-cigarette-vapors-could-be-toxic-to-oral-cavity-ucla-study-finds

University of Rochester Medical Center Study

https://www.mdlinx.com/dentistry/medical-news-article/2016/11/22/electronic-cigarettes- gums/6945270/

Sweet Spot Dental

Phone: (617) 945-1974

Url: https://sweetspotdental.com/

763 Massachusetts Ave., Suite 1

Cambridge, MA 02139

Plaque: Your Teeth’s Number One Enemy | Dentist in 02139

Dentist in Cambridge

When buying a toothbrush, toothpaste, or coming into our Dentist Cambridge office, you often hear the word “plaque” associated with the health of your teeth. Plaque is one of the main reasons why it is so important to keep up with a daily oral hygiene routine that includes brushing two times each day for at least two minutes, and flossing regularly as well. Here’s what you need to know about plaque and what it can do to your smile.

What is Plaque?
If you haven’t brushed your teeth in a while, you might feel a film-like, sticky buildup on your teeth. This is plaque, a bacteria layer that grips onto your teeth. There isn’t anything you can do to stop plaque from forming, but brushing and flossing as well as keeping up with regular dental visits are your best defenses for cleaning plaque off your teeth.

What Plaque Does to Your Teeth & Mouth
Without regular brushing and cleaning, plaque builds up and multiplies. As plaque is left untreated, it hardens to form tartar (also known as calculus). Plaque also leads to decay, as it produces an acid that damages your teeth. When you come into our Cambridge, MA Dentist office for a dental examination, we thoroughly clean your teeth to ensure that any buildup is taken care of. Tartar can cause staining on your teeth if left untreated. Plaque is the leading cause of gingivitis, causing your gums to swell and become red or bloody.

What You Can Do
The most important steps of keeping plaque in check is to stick to a daily brushing routine. This means brushing twice each day, for two minutes each time, and flossing at least once daily. Plaque occurs naturally, and when you come into our office for a complete examination, we work with you to clean off any buildup. Maintaining regular visits to our 02139 Dentist office is one way to ensure tartar buildup is minimized and managed. It is particularly important that you are brushing your teeth all the way to the gum, because the gum line is an area that is prone to plaque buildup. Brush gently, as vigorous brushing will only do more damage than good, especially to your gums.

Sticking to your daily brushing and flossing routine will help keep your teeth free of plaque buildup. Make sure you are brushing in the morning and before bed. If you don’t brush before bed, bacteria and plaque will build up throughout the night. Schedule a visit to our office so our experienced, professional dental team can clean your teeth, giving you a smile you can be proud of.

For more tips on keeping your teeth healthy or to schedule your next visit, please contact our Cambridge Dentist office.

Sweet Spot Dental

Phone: (617) 945-1974

Url: https://sweetspotdental.com/

763 Massachusetts Ave., Suite 1

Cambridge, MA 02139

Dr. G’s High Level Dentistry Series: Are you breaking your own teeth without realizing it?

Dentist in Cambridge

If you regularly wake up with headaches, a sore neck, or a sore jaw it could be related to grinding/clenching.

There are 5 main muscles associated with clenching and grinding. These muscles, like any muscles in the body, can tense up and develop “knots” in similar ways that people’s shoulders and back develop these. During a TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint) screening, us dentists evaluate these areas as well as any jaw abnormalities.

Almost 90% of my patients experience mild/moderate TMJ issues at some point in their life and for the majority of them I recommend an over the counter nightguard (once I have confirmed via a TMJ screening).

BUT at what point does this need further customized care?

If you have experienced crowns breaking, fillings cracking, or your front teeth getting shorter as you age, it’s a good indication that you need a TMJ screening to prevent damage to your teeth. Additionally, there are even patients that have their jaw lock in in open or closed position for some amount of time. This also is a good indication that a bigger problem may occur.

The good news though is that once we have found the cause of this problem, there are simple preventative measures we can do to ensure this ends the downward cycle.

Stop by our office today for a no charge TMJ assessment to stop the cavity development in its tracks.

Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenberg DMD

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To view the video series, visit us:

Facebook: @sweetspotdental

Instagram: @hellosweetspotdental

To see how Dr. Greenberg and his team can help you click here

Dr. G’s High Level Dentistry Series: Are you Overwhelmed?

Dentist in Cambridge

Problem: You keep feeling like your dentist is chasing problems instead of “routine” cleanings and exams and it’s getting overwhelming for everyone.

For the scope of this blog entry, complex dental cases are defined as any cases that:

Involve multiple disciplines in dentistry (root canals, implants, crowns, fillings, extractions, aesthetics, etc). Sometimes even within the same treatment plan.
Cases that have underlying clenching/grinding issues
Dental anxiety preventing you from getting proper care

Complex dental cases can easily become overwhelming when:

You can only choose 1 tooth to treat at a time
You don’t begin with the end in mind
The cost of treatment is out of your dental budget

Solution: A structured, clear plan created by your dentist and chosen equally by you and the dentist. This includes time frame, cost breakdown and pros and cons explained for treatment options.

For those patient with dental anxiety, please our previous blog and video series where we discuss it in detail: https://sweetspotdental.com/dentistry/what-is-dental-anxiety/

Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenberg DMD

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To view the video series, visit us:

Facebook: @sweetspotdental

Instagram: @hellosweetspotdental

To see how Dr. Greenberg and his team can help you click here

Dr. G’s High Level Dentistry Series: Cavity Prevention

Dentist in Cambridge

You brush and floss like you are supposed to, but you still get cavities. Maybe you can feel that your dentist or hygienist keep bringing up you not flossing enough making it seem like you are lying.

First off this problem is extremely frustrating for everyone involved. Sure, not everyone is excellent at flossing EVERY SINGLE DAY. But for patient that are “religious” about taking care of their teeth, a diagnosis of new cavities can feel like a personal attack. It makes people regret and feel shame for an after dinner mint or a sip of soda.

What does this mean? It means the cause for this cavity development has not been found out yet and therefore not addressed properly.

There are actually many causes of cavity development that range from: nutritional factors, salivary flow (how much saliva you produce), alcohol intake, pH balance of the mouth, and yes, improper brushing and flossing technique.

The solution that we use here at Sweet Spot Dental is a Customized cavity risk assessment where we can evaluate the many causes of cavity development and treat it accordingly.

Stop by our office today for a comprehensive exam to stop the cavity development in its tracks.

Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenberg DMD

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To view the video series, visit us:

Facebook: @sweetspotdental

Instagram: @hellosweetspotdental

To see how Dr. Greenberg and his team can help you click here

Dr. G’s blog: Introducing our High Level Dentistry series

Dentist in Cambridge

Does any of this sound familiar?

Doing everything the hygienist has recommended, and you STILL get cavities
Breaking your fillings, caps, or even your natural teeth
You know there is a lot going on, but you are scared to see a dentist
You are worried about the cost of dental treatment
You feel like your dental office treats you like another number

When things go right, everyone is happy. When things become unusual, that’s when problems can start happening. In my High Level Dental Series I will go over non-cookie cutter approaches to dental problems that fit outside the mold. Please continue this journey with me by following along with this blog, as well as my video series on our social media pages.

Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenberg DMD

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To view the video series, visit us:

Facebook: @sweetspotdental

Instagram: @hellosweetspotdental

To see how Dr. Greenberg and his team can help you click here

Steps to make getting a “shot” easier

Dentist in Cambridge

“For fast acting relief, try slowing down.” ~ Lily Tomlin

Everyone hates needles, and we know that

There is no surprise that you don’t like getting injections (or shots) at the dentist. We all are aware that it is probably one of the biggest triggers for you at the dentist! Here are a few tips for making this process much easier to deal with if you have an appointment where you know you will need to get numb for the procedure.

Trust should be established before an injection is performed.

See the previous post on questions you should ask your dentist! [LINK TO THIS POST]. Then:

Explain your triggers

Opening up a conversation about any bad past experiences is crucial to having an easy visit. By doing this with a provider who is sensitive to dentally anxious patients, there are a lot of “tricks” we are able to use to overcome a sometimes painful administration of local anesthesia (a.k.a., getting a shot).

Mindful breathing

Mindful breathing has been immensely helpful while I worked with patients chair-side throughout my career. The principles may seem very basic, but in reality it gives you something to focus on other than pain. Additionally, slow deep breathes have a helpful physiologic response during this procedure. I have learned to coach my patients chair-side for every single injection on mindful breathing techniques and I am then able to time my injection at the easiest moment for my patient.

For a quick mindful breathing exercise, see the video below:

Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenberg DMD

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To view the video series, visit us:

Facebook: @sweetspotdental

Instagram: @hellosweetspotdental

To see how Dr. Greenberg and his team can help you click here

What BIG question should you be asking your dentist?

Dentist in Cambridge

“Walking into our stories of hurt…can feel dangerous and foreboding, and what we must ultimately confront is ourself. The most difficult part of our stories is often what we bring to them – what we make up about who we are and how we are perceived by others.” ~Bréne Brown

EVERYONE has a unique brand of crazy

Trust me, you do. I say this with lots of love in my heart, but everyone has very unique traits and beliefs that will undoubtably make them crazy (ok, maybe unique is a better word) to someone else. This is the side people are embarrassed to talk about, but it is also what makes them unique. These characteristics should be discussed with a dentist you trust. This explanation can open so many doors that will enable the right provider to create customized care that fits you exact needs.

So, what is the BIG question to ask?

Trust is about vulnerability. Putting yourself in someone else’s hands is tough, especially for those with dental anxiety. I think it is also important to ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable. This means that for some people only one question is needed, and for others it may need a special visit just to “meet and greet” the dentist. During either of these types of visits, the question I would like you to feel comfortable asking is: “What do you do differently for dental anxious patients?” The secret to this is not the question or necessarily the answer you get; it’s the need to open the door for both of you to discuss how to make your visit an easy one.

Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenberg DMD

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To view the video series, visit us:

Facebook: @sweetspotdental

Instagram: @hellosweetspotdental

To see how Dr. Greenberg and his team can help you click here

First steps to overcome your dental anxiety

Dentist in Cambridge

“When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we’ even illness becomes wellness” ~ Malcom X

How does your body work?

The first step to overcoming your dental anxiety is to figure out how your body and mind work in anxious situations. Knowing this information is critical to moving forward because your anxiety is not obvious to anyone but you.

Find the right dentist that can work with you

I am a firm believer that nothing good can come from a relationship without a fundamental level of trust. The problem is that as a patient, it’s extremely hard to know who to trust. Sure, we can scour the internet, read online reviews, or get referrals from friends, but in the end, how closer are you to making the right decision? How do you know who will be able to handle your unique brand of dental anxiety? The truth is that you don’t know. This is where trust and having a gut instinct come into play.

In our next post, we discuss topics to address with your dentist to begin creating a more trusting environment and learn how capable your dental provider is in treating your unique needs.

Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenberg DMD

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To view the video series, visit us:

Facebook: @sweetspotdental

Instagram: @hellosweetspotdental

To see how Dr. Greenberg and his team can help you click here

What is dental anxiety?

Dentist in Cambridge

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ~ C.S. Lewis

Have you ever kicked your dentist in the face (intentionally or unintentionally?) Do you feel like you get a little shaky before your dental visits? Or feel like you are always jumpy in the dental chair? This post, a component of our Anti-Anxiety Dental Series, explains what is happening with your body.

Different types of anxiety

Minor signs:

Nervousness
Chair gripping
Quick talking
Lack of communication
Feeling cold or overheated

Major signs:

Trembling/shaking
Crying
Dizziness
Chest Pains
Hitting dentist/assistant

Not all anxiety is the same

The unique thing about dental anxiety is that everyone has very specific ways it can hijack their minds and bodies. In almost every situation though, it feels as though something is overcoming them with little or no control over it.

Is there hope?

Dental anxiety itself can seem like a large mountain to overcome, luckily I have years of experience in working with patient that have all forms of dental anxiety. In my professional opinion, there is not only hope, but using the right strategy, any procedure can be accomplished with ease and with limited or no medication.

Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenberg DMD

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To view the video series, visit us:

Facebook: @sweetspotdental

Instagram: @hellosweetspotdental

To see how Dr. Greenberg and his team can help you click here