Tag: dental checkups

Dental Care at College

Dec, 13, 2019

dental care for college students — *Is your college student prepared to take care of their teeth?*

Last month we talked about habits for your school-age children. But what about your student that’s in Grades 13 – 16? Yes, we’re talking about dental care for college students.

Let’s face it – if they live close enough, your student will be home frequently for food, money, and to do laundry. Aside from making sure they have an adequate supply of toothpaste, floss, and one toothbrush per semester, there’s not a lot you can do once they’re out of your sight. You’ll have to trust that the good habits you’ve ingrained during their life will stick during the transition into adulthood.

But your child has most likely had only one or two different dentists in their lifetime by the time they move out of the house. In addition to all the other adjustments college students must make, they should also have a dental “home away from home”.

Check-ups

The average college student is home at least twice a year for several weeks. They should be able to continue their twice-annual schedule of check-ups here at Meyer & Johns Dental in Springfield. But book their Winter Break appointments today – the holidays are a busy time for everyone! You should still identify a local dentist in your student’s location, especially if they’ve had past problems. Establishing that relationship ahead of time may make it easier to get an appointment if a dental issue comes up.

Emergency care

Dental care isn’t usually something that people think about when considering collegiate athletics, scholarships, and intramural competitions. But a disproportionately high percentage of mouth injuries occur during sports. With this in mind, if your student is an athlete you should be prepared. Make that connection with a local provider ahead of time. That way your athlete isn’t blindly searching for a dentist immediately after undergoing a physical trauma.

If your student-athlete is injured while playing ion a sanctioned school training or competition, they are covered under the NCAA’s Catastrophic injury policy, which includes dental injuries but carries a $90K deductible. According to a 2016 NCAA survey, 70-80% of D1/D2 schools provide secondary health insurance to cover injuries with a treatment cost of less than $90K.

The exception is that full coverage is provided to all athletes who participate in championship events.

Dental Anxiety? Have no fear!

Feb, 22, 2019

We’ve told you about Bruxism (teeth-grinding) and the broader effects of TMJ, but there’s another type of anxiety that can have unwanted impacts on your mouth. Dental fear or phobia is a very real condition. Between 10 to 15 percent of Americans experience some level of dental anxiety, according to an article on Colgate.com. In another study, one-third of adults who didn’t regularly see a dentist were skipping due to fear.

Fear is usually an irrational reaction that can be managed. But in the case of dental anxiety the consequences can be serious. Even those who brush and floss regularly may miss the early formation of cavities, which can lead to root canals if left untreated. Many of the periodontal diseases we’ve told you about have early warning signs that only our trained dentists and hygienists can spot. While they can be serious, these conditions are often easily prevented – but only if you know you have one (or more!) of them.

Signs of Stress

Recognizing that you have dental anxiety is fairly simple. Answering the following questions can help identify an unwarranted fear.

Do you:

Feel uneasy, nervous, or sick to your stomach before your appointment?
Have trouble sleeping the night before?
Feel embarrassed to have someone looking closely at your teeth?
Worry what problems your dentist might discover?
Avoid seeing a dentist, maybe even for years between visits?

We Can Help

All of these situations are common for people who have some degree of dental anxiety. The first step is to talk to us about it. Whether on the phone, through a secure web message, or even in-person, we will do whatever it takes to make you confortable before you set an appointment. We have a variety of options for managing your fear, up to and including nitrous oxide and/or a mild sedative.

At Meyer & Johns Dental, we believe that your oral health is too important to ignore – whatever the reason. Connect with us today to start down the path of easing your dental anxiety, and getting back on track to a healthy mouth!

Oral Cancer: What should you watch for?

Apr, 17, 2018

Did you know? Each year in the U.S., there are 50,000 new cases of oropharyngeal (mouth & throat) cancer, broadly known as oral cancer. Of those, 10,000 patients will eventually die from it. April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and Drs. Meyer and Johns want to make sure you know what to watch out for.

Cancer Types

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are three main types of precancerous lesions; leukoplakia, erythroplakia, and mixed erythroleukoplakia. The first is the most common, and is visible as a white patch or plaque that does not go away. In the U.S., the incidence of leukoplakia has been declining, mainly due to decreased tobacco consumption. In fact, stopping all forms of tobacco use is the easiest way to cut your risk of oral and other cancers, as well as a host of other health problems.

Warning signs

The earliest symptoms of oral cancer may appear as a white or red patch of tissue in the mouth, or a small indurated ulcer which looks like a common canker sore. The easiest advice for evaluating skin or tissue irregularities is the 2-Week Rule: Any sore or discolored area that does not heal within 14 days should be checked by a professional.

Other than lesions on the mouth tissue, oral cancer symptoms may include;

lumps or masses that you can feel in your mouth or neck,
discomfort or troubleswallowing, speaking, or chewing,
any wart-like masses,
persistent hoarseness, or
any prolonged oral or facial numbness.

We’ve Got Our Eyes on You!

Like other cancers of the skin, oral cancer warning signs are visible long before other symptoms occur, making early detection very important. Early identification of lip, tongue, or other oral cancers improves control and cure rates to more than 90% and overall survival rates to nearly 100%, according to a study published on the website of the National Cancer Institute.

However, many instances of these cancers are diagnosed in their latter stages, only after metastasizing and causing secondary symptoms elsewhere in the body. In these cases, the 5-year survival rates are only slightly above 50%, according to the National Oral Cancer Foundation.

So if you’ve ever wondered why we look under your tongue during exams, this is the reason. Since early detection is key, we want to make sure we don’t miss a warning sign. Current or former smokers and users of smokeless tobacco should let us know at your next appointment so that we can be on the lookout for early symptoms.

Why Meyer & Johns Needs to Know About Your Heart Condition

Feb, 26, 2018

dental care heart conditions — *Heart conditions can impact dental care. Tell us about yours!*

Since February is American Heart Month, you’ve probably heard a lot about cardiac health in the past four weeks. Our nation’s healthcare focus has been on the prevention, treatment, and awareness of heart conditions. But at Meyer & Johns Dental, that awareness extends throughout all 12 months.

We take special precautions for our patients with heart conditions, and may ask you questions about any new diagnoses, existing conditions or ongoing treatments. And it’s important for us to know, because there are numerous unexpected heart complications that can arise from routine dental procedures.

Heart Conditions

Sometimes during normal cleanings, minor bleeding can occur in the mouth. This could allow oral bacteria to enter the bloodstream, potentially making its way to the heart. In heart patients, this increases the risk of endocarditis, which is inflammation of valves or tissue within the heart. In some cases, an antibiotic may be recommended before any visit to the dentist, according to the American Heart Association.

Heart Attack

The general advice for heart attack survivors is a six-month waiting period before having any dental treatments or procedures. As always, it’s important for those patients to let us know about any medications they’re taking, particularly blood-thinners or other anti-coagulants. Even basic conditions that include irregular heartbeat (including some heart mumurs) can present problems unless your dentist is aware of them.

As always, out top priority at Meyer & Johns Dental is the safety and comfort of our patients. Please help us by keeping our staff updated of any changes in your overall health (especially heart conditions). We look forward to making sure your mouth – and the rest of you – stays healthy!