Our Blog

October’s here! A month when we celebrate the beauty of fall, the taste of pumpkin spice, the fun of Halloween in Anchorage, AK, and the healthy smiles which orthodontic treatment makes possible!

Because October is Orthodontic Health Month, and it’s a great time to talk about how your orthodontist helps you create not just a more beautiful smile, but a healthier one. 

Straight, evenly spaced teeth are the visible benefit of treatment, but there are many health benefits which might not be quite as noticeable. Orthodontic treatment can:

• Help You Prevent Cavities and Gum Disease 

When teeth are crowded or crooked, it’s hard for your toothbrush and floss to reach all of the plaque which builds up on and between your teeth. The bacteria in plaque create acids which start to dissolve tooth enamel. And a very small hole in the enamel surface can grow until it becomes a cavity. 

Plaque and bacteria also irritate the gums. When you can’t remove plaque completely, your gums are at risk for gingivitis. This early stage of gum disease causes redness, tenderness, swelling, and bleeding. Left untreated, gingivitis can develop into more serious gum disease. 

And, over time, plaque hardens and becomes tartar, which needs to be removed professionally at Pediatric Dental Associates.

When your teeth are straight and evenly spaced, brushing and flossing are both easier and more effective, helping you keep your teeth and gums healthy and plaque-free.

• Create a Better Bite

For a healthy bite, your teeth and jaws need to align correctly. The top teeth should slightly overlap the lower teeth, and the ridges of your upper molars should fit smoothly with the grooves of your lower molars. 

Malocclusions, or bad bites, can come in many forms, including overbites, underbites, open bites, cross bites, and overjets. A bad bite is bad for your dental health. Malocclusions can cause tooth grinding, worn enamel, and even cracked teeth. 

And bad bites don’t just affect your teeth. When your bite doesn’t align properly, you might suffer from problems such as headaches, jaw pain, indigestion, and sleep apnea. 

Orthodontic treatment creates a healthy, symmetrical, and pain-free bite.

• Improve Your Self-Confidence

We can’t forget the invisible health benefits of orthodontic treatment! Your smile is a gift which you share with the world. But if you’re hesitating to smile because of self-consciousness about your teeth or bite, orthodontic treatment can make a world of difference.

Your orthodontist can help you achieve straighter teeth, a bite which fits together properly, and, when malocclusions affect jaw symmetry, a more balanced facial profile. If you’re concerned about the appearance of your smile, talk to Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous about an orthodontic consultation. Today’s technology can even let you see what your future smile will look like!

Modern orthodontic treatment is more effective and takes less time to complete than ever before. And orthodontics offers patients of all ages more benefits than ever before: 

• New types of braces are less noticeable and more comfortable than older styles. Smaller brackets, brackets which blend with tooth enamel, clear aligners, and lingual braces give you a variety of options to customize your treatment.
• Early orthodontic treatment can guide jaw growth in younger children. 
• Appliances can help with jaw alignment in older children, or, for more serious malocclusions, an orthodontist can coordinate treatment with an oral surgeon.
• Treatment isn’t limited to the teen years. Adults make up a large and growing number of orthodontic patients. 

If you’ve been considering orthodontic treatment, October—or any month!—is a great time to schedule a visit with an orthodontist. An orthodontic evaluation will let you know just what your orthodontist can do to help you create a beautiful and healthy smile.

A as in Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic acid is just another name for vitamin C, which is one of the so-called “essential nutrients.” These are nutrients that are necessary for our bodies to function properly, and which must be supplied through our diets. Why is ascorbic acid essential?

First and foremost, because we have to have vitamin C for the formation of collagen.

We’ve probably all seen the ads promoting collagen as a fountain of youth for our skin. Whether or not a cream can turn back time is a matter for debate, but there’s no question as to the vital role collagen performs in our own bodies. That’s because collagen is the substance that provides both structure and support to our tissues, forming the basis of the connective tissue that holds us together. (The Greek root “kolla” means glue!) Organs, blood vessels, muscles, bones, skin, even the dentin in our teeth all rely on collagen to function.  

And if that weren’t enough for one vitamin, vitamin C also helps the body repair tissue, absorb iron, form teeth and bones, produce neuro-transmitters, and acts as an antioxidant. Whew! So, how often should we be eating foods rich in vitamin C? Maybe more often that you would think.

B as in Biology

The human body is an amazing thing! We can store many of the essential nutrients we need to keep ourselves healthy in our livers and fat tissue, even if fresh food sources aren’t immediately available. Unfortunately, Vitamin C is one of those vitamins that we can’t store in the body. This means that unless we get the vitamin C we need in our diet on a regular basis, we’ll experience vitamin C deficiency. How serious is that?

The importance of vitamin C to our health can’t be overstated. Vitamin C deficiency over a period of months actually causes a serious disease called scurvy. Without vitamin C, collagen formation breaks down. And when collagen breaks down, it leads to the breakdown of all those parts of the body that rely on collagen. In the short term, scurvy causes gum pain, fatigue, weakness, and body aches. Over longer periods, scurvy can lead to bruising, skin hemorrhages, anemia, tooth loss, severe gum disease, organ failure, and even death.

Luckily for us, scurvy is largely a disease of the past, thanks to the easy availability of fresh fruits and vegetables which provide us with vitamin C. So, which items should we add to the shopping list?

C as in Citrus—and So Much More!

When we think vitamin C, we instantly picture citrus fruits. Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, and all their cousins are a wonderful source of vitamin C. Looking for a little more variety? You’re in luck! Fruit fans can load up on strawberries, kiwi fruit, mangos, and papayas. Love your veggies? Red peppers, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli contain more vitamin C per serving than a medium orange. You can also take vitamin C supplements, but be sure to follow the recommended dosage. You can have too much of a good thing.

While we’re here, let’s add one last letter to the list:

• D as in Dental Health

So, why are we talking about vitamin C on a dental blog? Because vitamin C is essential to our dental health. Healthy gum tissue, strong connective tissues that hold our gums to our teeth and our teeth in our jaws, faster healing, antioxidants—all have been linked to a diet rich in vitamin C.

Careful brushing and flossing, regular checkups and cleanings at our Anchorage, AK office, a balanced diet—these are all ways you can be proactive when it comes to your dental health. Talk to Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous about the best vitamins and minerals for healthy teeth and gums. Vitamin C is a great beginning, but there’s still an alphabet from vitamin A to Zinc left to go!

You’ve likely heard that smoking increases risk of lung cancer and emphysema. But did you realize that your cigarette habit also has an impact on your smile? Chronic smokers suffer from increased dental problems that make their smiles unsightly. Understanding how smoking affects your oral health may provide the momentum you need to kick the habit for good.

Cosmetic Changes Associated with Smoking

Cigarettes contain more than 600 ingredients that, when lit, create in excess of 4,000 chemicals. Of these chemicals, many are known carcinogens while others have been shown to have serious negative effects on health. The nicotine and tar in tobacco products are absorbed by the enamel of your teeth. The result is yellowed teeth that look unsightly; with heavy smoking, your teeth may eventually turn nearly brown in color.

The chemicals in cigarettes and cigars also cause your teeth to become less clean. Smoking is associated with a build-up of tartar and plaque on the surface of your teeth. Over time, this increases your risk of developing cavities and other oral health problems. Furthermore, pursing your lips while smoking leads to wrinkles around your mouth, which detracts from your smile.

More Serious Dental Conditions

In addition to having unsightly teeth, smoking can cause serious health conditions. Because of the carcinogens in cigarettes, smoking is associated with an increased risk of oral cancer, which can be deadly. Smokers are also more likely to develop gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss. You may experience an increased loss of bone within your jaw, which will cause significant problems later in life.

Treatment for Smoking-Related Oral Health Problems

Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous and our team at Pediatric Dental Associates will tell you that the best defense against smoking-related oral health problems is to ditch your nicotine habit. By decreasing the amount of nicotine and other chemicals you consume, you can decrease your risk of oral cancer and gum disease. Remember to mention your smoking habit when you’re at our Anchorage, AK office. We frequently treat smokers and can recommend smoking cessation programs to help you quit. Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous can also advise you about whitening treatments and gum disease prevention activities that ensure you’ll have a beautiful smile for years to come.

Children’s oral health differs from that of adults in a variety of ways. Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous and our team want you to understand how you can provide the best care for your son or daughter’s teeth. It’s essential to understand what your child will need from you when it comes to his or her oral health in those first few years.

In-home dental care begins when your baby starts to show signs of developing the first tooth. We recommend that you bring your child to our Anchorage, AK office between the ages of one and two. Dr. Michelle Slezewski and Dr. Paul Engibous will take a look at your child’s tooth development and gums during this first scheduled appointment.

The initial appointment with your little one is designed to get him or her accustomed to our office. We recommend allowing your child to be in the exam room alone with us during the first visit in order to become comfortable with our staff at an early age.

We will go over several general matters during your child’s first visit:

• Look for signs of decay or other tooth or gum problems
• Make sure your youngster doesn’t have gum disease or cavities
• Examine your child’s bite, and check for misalignment that could lead to problems in the future
• Clean the teeth, and apply fluoride if your son or daughter is old enough
• Talk to you about proper oral health care for your
• Give you some tips for brushing and flossing your child’s teeth
• Answer any questions you may have about caring for your little one’s teeth

Once your child is old enough for his or her first visit to the dentist, you should begin to schedule regular cleanings every six months. If any problems arise before a scheduled appointment, call our Anchorage, AK location and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Remember, creating healthy oral health habits with your child early on is crucial. We’re here to guide you through this process and make sure your child is healthy and happy.