 | Dr. Ray Lansdowne a Wichita native, attended Friends University, graduated from Baylor University College of Dentistry, and served in the Air Force as a dentist before taking over an existing Pediatric Dentistry practice in Wichita. Although Dr. Lansdowne does not specialize in children's dentistry, he holds a special place in his heart for serving children's dental needs. Currently, he is the first General Dentist to serve as Trustee for the A.A.P.D. (American Assoc. of Pediatric Dentistry). Alpha Omega Dental Center at 250 N. Tyler Rd., is a state of the art Family Dental Practice. He is active in numerous dental organizations and has served on various committees, boards and in elected office for local, state and national dental organizations. Reach him by e-mail at rlansdds@aol.com or fax at (316) 729-2754. |
Dental
2003-07-01 10:56:00
Preventing pyorrhea
: I'm in my early 50s, evidently have pyorrhea and probably will lose my teeth. I don't understand how it could happen. I brush my teeth two times a day and have my teeth cleaned fairly often. Now, all of a sudden, I have pyorrhea. My parents and grandparents all had dentures. Is there any hope that I can keep my natural teeth and what can be done to keep my kids and grandkids from this same fate?
ANSWER: To continue our discussion on Pyorrhea from last month’s question, this is what life is all about, making life better for those that follow us especially our own family. Kids today can expect to keep their teeth free of dental disease for all of their life. The knowledge is available; it just has to be utilized. Will Rogers said, "We are all ignorant, only on different subjects". Seek out a dentist that earns the title of doctor, (teacher) by teaching you the fine points of maintaining or regaining your and your family's oral health. The focus of every dentist should be to assist all of their patients to be less ignorant of their dental health needs and more knowledgeable regarding preventive dentistry and treatment options. Although a lot of people don't think of seeking the advice of a dentist until there is a problem, let alone before the kid has any teeth, prevention begins before the first tooth erupts, not after. The recommended time for a child's first visit is between the time the first tooth erupts and the child's first birthday. My personal preference is to see the mother while she is pregnant, then the child around his or her first birthday. This gives me, a general dentist, who is already seeing the parents, an opportunity to impart information regarding prevention early enough to be effective. Prevention starts even before birth as the habits of the parents are passed on to the kids. If parents have good oral hygiene habits, good dietary practices and no harmful habits like tobacco use, the kids will be more apt to emulate the parents and develop good habits as well, and visa versa. Lets start with a newborn. Generally there are no teeth present in the mouth at birth. However, good habit patterns need to be established. Start with a daily cleansing with a moist soft cloth or gauze to wipe out the oral cavity on the ridges and under the tongue. This establishes the habit of daily oral cleansing and as soon as the first tooth erupts, begin brushing it with a soft bristle brush, while continuing to cleanse the rest of the oral cavity. As the back baby teeth erupt between the ages of one and two, the cloth can be substituted with a soft-bristled brush for everything. Keep in mind however, that the brush cannot adequately cleanse between the teeth and as soon as the space between any two teeth closes, floss is needed for adequate oral hygiene. As soon as teeth erupt, there is potential for dental disease to develop. Knowledge of the contributory factors in dental caries such as allowing milk to pool and remain in the mouth at night resulting in Baby Bottle or Nursing Caries needs to be recognized and avoided. The motor skills necessary to keep the mouth free of the colonization of disease-causing bacteria are the same motor skills it takes to write cursively. Those motor skills are developed around the age of 8 to 10 years. Therefore it is necessary for the parents to maintain the oral health of their children until those skills develop during which time the kids are taught and learn the necessary techniques to adequately remove plaque. The developmentally challenged child may need assistance for a longer period of time and some need assistance through out life. Certainly, the health model of practice (utilizing preventive measures) is the preferred model. However, once disease is present, using a disease model for assessing causative or contributive factors is essential to plan future preventive measures and it helps in the understanding of the nature of dental disease.
