When an illness such as breast cancer strikes, it’s easy to forget about the teeth. But it is important to continue with good oral hygiene practices to keep your body as clean as possible to prevent opportunistic infections. There are billions of bacteria in the mouth who would love to seize the opportunity to pounce on a weakened immune system if given the chance. They love to hide in places that are hard to reach, and can cause not only cavities, but bone loss around the teeth. Chemotherapy treatment can cause dry mouth, and this increasing susceptibility to cavities. Radiation … Continue reading “Cancer Treatments Show Side Effects Inside The Mouth”

More than 29 million Americans have diabetes, according to the National Institute of Health data. What’s even more alarming, is that 86 million are on the verge of the disease. Diabetes is a serious condition. The diabetic person has an increased risk of heart disease, kidney, eye and nerve diseases, among the more serious complications. The best way to confront diabetes is by preventing it. Some of the symptoms are excessive thirst and frequent visits to the bathroom to urinate. If you happen the symptoms, it is wise to see a physician right away to get a blood test. Your … Continue reading “The Best Way to Confront Diabetes is to Prevent It”

As millions of Americans obsess on the Ebola virus, there are other viruses that are reappearing which have been previously extinguished, such as measles, mumps and even the flu. But why are these viruses really reappearing? I think we should take a hard look in the mirror. Why? We are allowing them to latch on to us. An unhealthy lifestyle, chronic diseases, increased sugar intake, stress and various pollutants weaken our immune system, allowing viruses to flourish. Everyone is waiting for a cure, a vaccine. Lets face it. Our immune system is overwhelmed today by processed foods, numerous household chemicals … Continue reading “How To Prepare Your Body For Flu Season”

Many people ask me the following question: “How is it to do live surgery for the Doctors show? It is definitely a challenge.” I remember my first show with them, about 3 years ago, when Dr. Sears, the pediatrician, host for the Doctors, had a wisdom tooth that he had forgotten about on the upper left side. Because it was hard for him to clean all the way in the back of the mouth, it got a cavity and was affected by periodontal disease, which caused him to lose bone around it. So Dr. Sears asked me if I would … Continue reading “Performing Surgery on Live TV: Behind the Scenes on The Doctors”

Many of us have New Year’s resolutions for different reasons: we want a job that pays more, we want to lose weight, perhaps quit smoking. Unfortunately, many of these resolutions are forgotten at the end of January already. Some of us don’t even make it that far! One important thing in making the resolutions stick, is to get more specific about your desires and write them down. Make them as specific as possible such as: instead of saying “I’m going to take better care of my mouth”, say “I’m going to water floss every night before bed” or “I’m going … Continue reading “Here’s To A Healthier, New You!”

I recently saw Mrs. White for a consultation for dental implants. She is about 5’4″, in her mid-60s, full of energy and very stylish. She had a couple of missing teeth on the lower left side of her jaw, for which she was wearing a removable prosthesis. She recently had a couple of teeth removed on that side and this was her temporary fix: a removable one. “So Mrs. White, how can I help you?” I said to her. “I’m tired of tasting this piece of plastic!” She said, taking out the removable prosthesis. “But more embarrassing is that sometimes, … Continue reading “Honey, don’t forget your keys and your teeth!”

We are facing an epidemic of chronic inflammation, not only in United States, but globally. Chronic inflammation can be manifested in many different ways: cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis, or periodontitis, cavities and oral ulcers, to name a few. As a periodontist, I know that inflammation of the gums or ulcerations are indicative of someone’s overall health. Just as the eyes are windows to the soul, the mouth is the gateway to one’s health and well-being. So where is this chronic inflammation epidemic coming from? Mainly, our Standard American Diet (SAD). We see patients who are overfed … Continue reading “Maximizing the Well-Being of Our Patients through Nutrition”

Oral health affects not only how we feel on the inside, but it influences the world around us. We know that the mouth tells a story of what your body looks like on the inside: it shows signs of diseases such as diabetes and measles, as well as nutritional deficiencies. How we smile also tells the world how we feel. Our friends and family perceive us through our smile and they will react to that. Are you proud of your smile? Does it reflects how you feel on the inside? March 20th is World Oral Health Day. This is organized … Continue reading “Smile For Life! World Oral Health Day 2015”

. We listen to the evening news and hear about the raw chicken meat that was recalled due to E. coli contamination, or the packaged salad greens which were contaminated by bacteria and taken off the shelves at the supermarket. The food contamination is usually discovered after several people have already been sick and ended up in the hospital. The CDC estimates that one and six Americans get food poisoning every year in more than 100,000 are hospitalized. I have also been struck by food poisoning several times in my life, either while I was traveling or eating leftovers at … Continue reading “World Health Day 2015: Food Safety”

I open a health magazine and there it is: an advertisement for a new drug. Can we escape these anymore? Even on TV, we are constantly bombarded with information about a new medication that will make us feel better. But have you ever read the small print with all the possible side effects? As a periodontist, I often see the effect that some of these medications have on your teeth and gums. The number of prescriptions for antidepressants has gone up tremendously in the United States. The most common oral side effect I see in my patients taking antidepressants, as … Continue reading “How Medications Affect Your Mouth – What You Need To Know”