Four decades ago, 60% of the U.S. population had lost all of their natural teeth by age 65.  Today, people age 65 and older retain two-thirds of their teeth.  Even into age 80, people still have half of their natural teeth!

People keep their natural teeth longer than they did forty years ago because of wider access to dental care, fluoridation and a shift in dentists’ philosphy favoring preservation over extraction.  Retaining your natural teeth means that you need to replace existing fillings and crowns when they start to corrode.

Aging increases your risks for oral diseases.  Mouth cancer is the sixth most common cancer in American men, especially for those who reported alcohol and tobacco use.    Also, older people tend to take more medications for other ailments, like diabetes.  Diabetes medication slows the body’s healing system, so your mouth becomes more susceptible to infection.

Furthermore, aging patients may be less able to brush or floss due to disabling conditions like arthritis that inhibit the use of their hands.   Look for a dentist who has been practicing several years, whose patients have aged with him.   Dentists who are older hold fewer stereotypes about working with elderly patients.   Also, wheelchair-friendly offices tend to be more welcoming toward seniors.

There are 62 accredited dental schools in the United States today.  Dental school applicants need to have taken at least two years of college although the vast majority entering dental schools have already earned bachelor’s degrees.   Over 5% of applicants have their master’s when entering dental school.

In order to get accepted, applicants need to take the standardized Dental Admission Test and submit letters of recommendation.  The dental school program is four years long.  It covers human biology, anatomy of the mouth & jaw, diseases of the mouth, principles of oral diagnosis and treatment, and practice on mouth and teeth models.  .

The third and fourth years of school cover oral surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, endodontics, dental fillings and crowns, and practice management.  Toward the end of the program, students treat patients out of their school’s clinic.

During schooling, dentists must pass the National Dental Examination which is administered as two parts.  Part 1 is taken at the end of the second year in dental school and covers anatomy, biology and basic academic subject matter.  Part 2 is taken in the fourth year and focuses more on patient care, treatment, diagnosis…the responsibilities necessary in practical application of dentistry.   Upon graduation, students receive either a Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) or a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree depending on which educational institution they graduated from.

According to the American Dental Association, a DMD and a DDS are basically equivalent because the dental school programs undergo the same accreditation requirements.

You should visit your family dentist regulary; every six months. When you go for your check-up, tell your dentist of any symptoms or problems you have or had since your last check-up.  Pain, bleeding gums, tooth sensitivity, changes in tooth color, persistently bad breath, jaw pain or changes in your bite are all important symptoms that you need to share with your dentist.

Symptoms like those listed above affect your oral health and could merit more frequent check-ups.   The American Dental Association recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day with a flouride toothpase and clean between your teeth daily by flossing.  They say to replace your toothbrush every three months since a worn-down brush doesn’t clean your teeth and it has tons of bacteria from your mouth on it.

If you’re like me, flossing is just one of those activities that slips between the cracks, no pun intended.  Flossing is important because it removes plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that coveres your teeth.  Plaque contributes to cavaties and gum problems.    You can even brush or scrape your tongue to remove bacterial buildup there too.    Next time you’re standing in front of your bathroom mirror, stick your tongue out and note its color.  Pink?  Whitish? If you have a whitish coating on your tongue, you’re not finished cleaning your mouth.   If you’ve never brushed your tongue before, just be careful not to stick your toothbrush too close to your throat to avoid any gagging reflex.  Brush the first inch or two.   You’ll notice that your mouth will stay fresher alot longer.

Diabetes is defined by the Center for Disease Control as “a condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy”.  When you have diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own insulin as it needs.   Diabetes reduces the body’s resistance to infection, therefore your gum tissue is especially susceptible.  Periodontal diseases are infections of the gym and bone that hold your teeth in place.

These oral diseases are linked to the control of diabetes.  Patients who do not have enough blood sugar control have higher incidents and more severe cases or periodontal disease.  They lose more teeth from disease than people who control their diabetes.

People who have diabetes have lowered immunity and longer healing time, so periodontal diseases show up more often.  It’s up to the patient to really monitor and maintain blood sugar levels, a well-balanced diet and excellent oral care with regular dental check-ups.

The services that dentists provide were covered in the last blog.  But parents need to  know if their general dentist will deliver the level of care to their children that pediatric dentists are trained to do.  Pediatric dentists complete two years of specialty training after graduating dental school and their practice is entirely devoted to kids.

A study at Case Western University some years ago showed that pediatric dentists recommended stainless steel crowns five times more often than general dentists instead of a material called amalgam for childrens’ tooth decay.  Furthermore, pediatric dentists are trained to treat kids who have mental illness or special needs whereas a general dentist is not.   A pediatric dentist may be more comfortable treating special needs kids than a general dentist.

That said, it is more convenient when you find a general dentist who delivers the quality oral care for your whole family in one office.   Many general dentists have child-friendly staff and offices so that patients of all ages feel comfortable and welcomed to the practice.   Since there are very few pediatric specialists in dentristy; less than 3-4%, a general family dentist should be able to exceed your expectations for care.

Finding a family dentist that serves both adults and children is not as easy as you might think.  Many dentist serve adults and others serve kids only.  Finding someone who serve both is a nice luxury to find.  Especially when you have kids.  It’s nice and convenient to take your kids to the same place that you all can get your dental needs taken care off.

Here are some of the services that a family dentist performs:

Preventive treatment.   A family dentist will identify, clean, provide fluoride treatments, sealants, and oral cavity pads to prevent dental problems. All of these treatments or procedures are designed to keep your teeth as wholesome as possible and to prevent tooth decay.

Cosmetic dentistry.  A family dentist will perform some cosmetic services but not all.  For example, you can get teeth whitening and perhaps porcelain false teeth procedures but anything more you will have to see a dental practitioner that practice cosmetic dental work.

Gum services refer to the actual gums as well as the bones inside the mouth. Chewing gum surgical procedure and gum treatment procedure is another category of services that a family dentist will probably not specialize in.   You dentist will probably spot these problems and refer you to a specialist to take care of your gums.

If you need biopsies of dental malignancies, extractions of tooth, and root canals, these are general procedures perform by a specialist that your general dentist will detect and refer you to a specialist to protect your teeth.

Looking for a honest, trustworthy, and experienced family dentist is not an easy task.  There are many dentists in Sacramento but when it comes to your family dental needs, you want to make sure you can find someone who can treat your entire family in Sacramento.  Being able to go to a Sacramento dentist who can treat you and your kids all in one day can make a huge difference.

Especially if they are able to provide good dental services and accept most dental insurance plans.