The importance of caring for your mouth, teeth and gums cannot be over stated. Nothing beats a beautiful smile and clean, fresh breath. Preventing tooth decay and gum disease is a snap if you make it a priority to schedule a complete dental exam and cleaning every six months. You deserve it. Your teeth deserve it.

A dental exam by Dr. Holbrook can:

• Save you money. Any dental health issues will be treated while they are more manageable and the treatment protocol is less complicated and expensive.
• Diagnose serious dental disease. Oral cancers can be deadly, but are treatable if diagnosed early.

During your dental exam Dr. Holbrook will:
•Perform a head and neck exam to look for anything out of the ordinary.
•Check your “bite,” the way your teeth fit together.
•Screen for oral cancer.
•Create a personalized oral health program which will schedule your twice yearly dental visits.
•Recommend brushing and flossing techniques.
•Evaluate the status of your existing dental restorations and fillings.
•Recommend options for older, existing fillings and recommend other restorations, such as bridges or crowns.
•Visually examine your teeth, gums, tongue and throat.
•Examine your face, saliva and the movement of your lower jaw joints, your TMJ’s.
•Take x-rays and examine them carefully to help diagnose tumors, cysts, decay, and other problems that can’t be seen by the naked eye.
•Clean, floss and polish your teeth to remove plaque, the sticky substance that causes tooth decay and gum disease, and the hardened plaque, tartar, above the gum line.

Dr. Holbrook specializes in providing the best quality dental care for his clients in Albuquerque. Don’t wait – call to schedule an appointment for a cleaning and dental exam, today: (505) 881-1159.

Brushing and flossing twice a day is the proven way to prevent cavities and periodontal disease. You may be brushing, but are you flossing? If not, read on to learn why flossing is critically important to your dental health – not just for today, but as you age.

After years of education about the benefits of flossing, many people do not floss.

• Whitening and bleaching are popular, along with straightening procedures and veneers.
• There are lots of mouthwash choices on the market.
• So, clearly, we seem to want whiter, straighter teeth and fresher breath, but it seems we continue to resist one of the best ways to ensure healthy teeth and gums.

Here’s some “floss history”:

It’s believed that dental floss was invented almost 200 years ago by an American dentist who asked his patients clean between their teeth with thin, silk thread. Silk dental floss was first manufactured in the late 1880’s but by the 1940’s, nylon thread had replaced silk and waxed floss was introduced.

If you are currently not flossing much, if at all, here are FOUR reasons why you should make flossing a daily habit:

1. Flossing reaches areas your toothbrush can’t, protecting your back teeth where most decay and gum disease occur.
2. Daily flossing removes sticky plaque, which also helps prevent gum disease.
3. Daily flossing encourages sweeter, fresher breath.
4. Flossing strengthens your gums which helps prevent gum disease and tooth loss.

And…when plaque is attacked by flossing, harmful bacteria is eliminated and cannot find its way to other parts of your body. Making flossing a daily habit not only keeps your teeth healthy but studies have shown that it is an essential part of your overall health.

If it seems that you are more than just thirsty, you can’t wet your whistle, your mouth is sticky and dry, your saliva is thick and stringy – and to top it off, you have chronic bad breath – you may have Xerostomia, also called dry mouth syndrome, a very common health issue that arises from the reduction of saliva levels. Saliva is important because it produces enzymes that help you taste and digest food and it also keeps the bacteria in your mouth in check.

When you suffer from dry mouth, you may experience chronic bad breath, difficulty wearing dentures, a metallic or bitter taste in your mouth and difficulties eating or speaking.
The skin around your mouth may be tight and dry; the corners of your mouth may get sore, your lips may crack and your tongue may feel rough and dry.
Your symptoms may worsen at night because saliva flow normally decreases when you sleep. Dry mouth can also make your voice rough and harsh and you may have a constant tickle in your throat.
Chronic dry mouth may also contribute to gum disease and tooth decay.

What causes dry mouth?

•A temporary illness that requires the use of medications
•Advancing age
•Smoking or using smokeless tobacco
•Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy
•Autoimmune conditions like HIV or Sjogren’s syndrome
•Health issues such as diabetes and Parkinson’s disease

If you are experiencing the symptoms of dry mouth, it’s important to get regular dental check-ups, brush and floss daily and rinse with a non-alcohol mouthwash. It also helps to sip water throughout the day. Sugar-free gum and candies may help by triggering your mouth to produce saliva. There are also medications that can help with the symptoms of dry mouth and Dr. Holbrook can assess your symptoms and may prescribe accordingly.

If you are suffering from chronic dry mouth and would like to learn more, call for a consultation appointment with Dr. Holbrook. Dry Mouth is a treatable condition and we can answer your questions and offer solutions: (505) 881-1159.

Your teeth are are designed to last a lifetime…if you take care of them.
They chew your food and play an important role in speech and in your overall health.
A healthy mouth makes for a healthy body and a great smile!
It’s easy to take your teeth for granted…until something goes wrong.

Your mouth contains four types of teeth:

INCISORS
These are the teeth in the front of your mouth. There are a total of eight and all have the same function – they are for biting into food. Incisors are usually the first teeth to erupt, at around 6 months of age.

CANINES
Your dog has these too, hence their name. They are the pointed, sharp teeth next to your incisors. There are two on the top row and two on the bottom. They are used to tear pieces of food.

PRE-MOLARS (BICUSPIDS)
By the time you are an adult, you have eight pre-molars, the large, flat teeth behind your canine teeth that tear, crush, and mash your food.

MOLARS
These are the largest teeth at are found at the very back of your mouth. Including the wisdom teeth, most adults have 12 molars. They are also used for chewing and grinding your food.

• A tooth is divided into two parts: the crown which is visible and the root which is not.
• Your teeth contain four kinds of tissue, each with a unique purpose:

Enamel is the visible substance that covers the crown. Harder than bone, enamel is made up of phosphorous and calcium and protects the tooth from decay.

Dentin lies underneath the enamel. It looks similar to bone but is not as hard as enamel.

Cementum is the tissue covering the tooth root, helping anchor it to the bone. It is softer than enamel and dentin.

Pulp is found at the center of your tooth and contains the blood vessels, nerves, and other soft tissues that deliver signals and nutrients to your teeth.

To learn more about your teeth and how to keep them healthy, call to schedule a checkup with Dr. Holbrook.