Is Your Breath Stank?

Bad breath, its not just a medical condition, it can be a social issue as well. Consider this a PSA from a dentist who cares. There are many causes of bad breath, some rather mild, some more serious. How do you know what the cause is?

The object of this post is to briefly outline some dental issues that could be at the root of the problem.

You are what you eat! If you're eating onion and garlic, brushing may not be enough afterwards! What you eat is digested, and then absorbed into the bloodstream and then released in the lungs where it is then expelled. Brushing, flossing and mouth wash only camoflauge the stank, they can't remove it!

Mama wasn't kidding when she said brush your teeth! Do you know that particles of food remain in the mouth after you are done eating? If you're not brushing and flossing regularly, these particles are just sitting there rotting. You guessed it, they give off mouth odor. This problem can be corrected by brushing and flossing! This will not only improve mouth odor, but will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Trust us, gum disease is a bad one.

Would you kiss an ash tray? Smoking causes bad breath. Duh.

Cotton Mouth, not just a snake! One of the leading causes of halitosis is dry mouth. Saliva rinses away bacteria and debris, so when there's no saliva, all of those germies stick around. Some reasons for dry mouth include salivary gland issues, use of certain medications and mouth breathing.

Briefly, there are some medical conditions such as diabetes, gastrointestinal disturbance, liver and kidney ailments, respitory infections, sinusitis and post nasal drip that can cause bad breath. If your dentist determines that your mouth is healthy, you may need to contact your physician.

Brushing and flossing: definitely the keys to a beautiful smelling mouth. Mouthwash is a temporary fix, and offers no long term benefits. Remember to brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth as they are a good place for bacteria to gather. The healthier your mouth, the fresher your breath!

Free Radicals Bounce Off of Us

We drink alot of green tea in our office, its a great source of antioxidants. With all the media exposure to antioxidants and super foods, we feel its the least we can do. We also eat alot of McDonald's, but hey, no one is perfect. There's alot of buzz in the press about antioxidants, and some food and diet companies have composed fairly successful marketing campaigns around them. But what exactly are they, and how do they work?

THE LEAST YOU NEED TO KNOW: We're going back to high school chemistry class for just a second. Remember atomic anatomy? Everything is made of atoms, and atoms are made of protons and electrons. The number of protons and electrons in an atom is supposed to be equal. Free radicals are atoms that have unpaired electrons. Free radicals can cause skin cancer, photo-aging, discolorations in the skin. An easy way to think of this is to picture an apple. Cut it in half, and the inside will quickly begin to turn brown. The same thing is happening to your skin, just on a much less dramatic level.

Antioxidants fight free radicals. The two most common antioxidants are Vitamin C and Vitamin E. You may have them in your One-a-day, but that's not really what we're talking about.

HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS: Just like us, you can pretty much limit the amount of free radical damage... make them "bounce off of you", and no, its not the cup of green tea that's doing it. Its topical antioxidants that when applied to the skin, help not only fight free radical damage, but repair previous damage as well. Let's talk about them:

Vitamin C & E: These antioxidants work by donating their electrons to the free radicals, thus neutralizing the problem. Vitamin C is a super-antioxidant, as it also stimulates collagen production and Vitamin E. Our favorite product: SkinMedica's Vitamin C&E complex, its an all in one punch that only needs to be applied once daily.

Vitamin A (Retinol): Vitamin A (in all of its various forms) is a powerful weapon in the fight against dermal damage. Vitamin A assists your body in ridding itself of dead and damaged cells; "chemical exfoliation" (as opposed to the sandpaper method). It also assists in collagen production, and even further, it helps by binding growth factors (the things that make your skin new again) to cells. Now, we all remember the kid with acne in high school that had to go to the dermatologist and got put on Retin-A. He looked like a tomato. There's been som remarkable leaps and bounds in this technology, no tomatoes required. Our favorite product: SkinMedica's Retinol Complex. Applied once in the evening, this time released formula does its strongest work while you sleep, and when you're not exposed to the sun. Its gentle, and as long as its used at night, it generally does not cause irritation.

Moisturizers: Some moisturizers advertise antioxidants, and may in fact contain minimal amounts. Generally, they will include green tea, kinetin, some form of Vitamin C, etc., etc. But, the FDA has decreed than any products of this type that are sold OTC may not contain more than 3% active ingredient. We didn't lose hope, we found a product that works: SkinMedica's Dermal Repair Cream (are you seeing a pattern?). Dermal Repair cream not only moisturizes, but also contains high levels of Vitamins C and E, Vitamin B-5 (used to bind moisture to surface layers of skin), Hyaluronic Acid (which naturally occurs in the body and produces that "plump" look in the skin) and other powerful ingredients.

So, there you have it in a nutshell, our secrets to making free radicals bounce off of us. Simple, right?

The Benefits of Chemical Peels

One of the most effective and least invasive Facial Rejuvenation treatments is chemical peel. This procedure is also called chemexfoliation and derma-peeling. This procedure uses a chemical solution applied to the skin, which then mimics the effects of a sun burn. After several days the skin will then peel, revealing new rejuvenized skin.

Chemical Peels have several fantastic benefits:

• Reduce fine lines around the mouth and eyes


• Treat wrinkles caused by the sun, aging and hereditary factors


• Improve the appearance of mild scarring


• Treat certain types of acne
  
• Reduce age spots, freckles and dark patches due to pregnancy or taking birth control pills (melasma)


• Improve the look and fell of skin that is dull in texture and color.

If you're a sun worshipper, you may consider chemical peels, as they may improve areas of sun damage that may contain pre-cancerous keratoses that appear as scaly spots. Following treatment, pre-cancerous lesions are less likely to appear.

Chemical Peels do not treat bulges, sags and more severe wrinkles. There are other facial rejuvenation treatments to target these complaints.

There are some questions you should ask your physician or aesthetician before choosing a chemical peel.

• Are the desired results I described realistic?
  
• Where is the peel performed and how long will it take?


• In my case, which technique and peel are appropriate?


• How much do chemical peels cost, and if I need multiples, is there a package rate available?


• What is your level of experience concerning chemical peels?


• What level of discomfort will I generally experience during the procedure?
  
• What should I expect post-operatively?
  

You cannot have a chemical peel if you suffer from vitiligo, lupus and other autoimmune disorders, if you have had chemo/radiation in the past year, if you have used accutane in the past year, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Though the benefits of chemical peels are easily described, a picture is worth a thousand words:

FREE Chemical Peels- One Day Event!

Please join us for this one day special event, and receive a SkinMedica Chemical Peel absolutely free! In addition, you will receive a FREE facial rejuvenation consult and service discounts. Please call 727. 733.1175 to RSVP or email colleen@allaboutsmiles.org.

When is a Blog Not Just a Blog?

When we use it to communicate.

First off, "we" is the collective team here at Dr. Mike's. Second, the trouble with health care blogs is that they don't talk to you, they talk at you. We don't want to do that. We're very fortunate, because we sincerely have the best patients. Often we find ourselves asking if anyone's heard from Jenn P. recently, or if anyone's seen John C.'s wedding pictures. We've been blessed to be a part of the lives of many families. We're greedy, we want more. We want to hear from you more than every six months? Why?

Because you're not just our patients, you're our friends.

Yes, really... and no, we're not desperate, thank you very much. Here's the point of the blog in a nutshell: We know you're busy. We know we're competing for your time. We want to know how to win.

Leave us a comment, send Colleen an email, give us a call 727.733.1175. We'll make it worth your while, promise.

Why Places Like Peru Still Matter

Recently my secretary fielded a call from a person who had visited our website and took notice of the fact that I will be returning to Peru in March to continue my donated dental work. She hadn't called to schedule a dental appointment, nor to contribute any useful information to the upcoming trip. She had simply called to suggest that I cancel my trip to Peru and travel to Haiti instead.

I have been to Haiti many, many times to donate dentistry. I am sure I will ultimately travel to Haiti again. As my secretary explained that I was already engaged to go to Peru, and could not cancel, the woman became irate. Obviously, she has some deeper issues than just an oh-so-new burning passion for Haiti. Then several patients also asked if I would be going to Haiti.

I empathize with Haiti. I have been there, and understand first hand the excruciating hardships that these people lived with on a daily basis BEFORE the devestation of the earthquake. I understand that it will be quite some time before we can help them return to the progress they were striving for. But one thought kept running through my head, "Don't they see?"

Haiti is catastrophic, but all around the world there are developing nations dealing with their own crisis and catastrophes. The orphanages in Peru still matter. Their condition hasn't improved because Haiti's has deteriorated. The developing nations around the world are still in need of our aid. Nor should our efforts be based on what is currently news worthy and fashionable. They should be consistent, and targeted to where they will do the most good. The most effective aid is often rendered when there is no one around to broadcast it.

Bringing dignity and education to these countries does help Haiti, as well as the next place that crisis hits. The term "developing nations" isn't just a PC term to replace "third world". Its an idea, its an expression of hope. As we help others develop, there will be more hands to help clear rubble. There will be more volunteers to help feed and clothe those that are in need. As they have been helped, so will they help.

Peru still matters. Sri Lanka still matters. Mongolia still matters. Helping all people across the globe still matters, and it always should.

On Facial Aesthetics: Its About What You Want

Facial Aesthetics; it's a field chock full o' stereotypes. Take a moment to think about it... now admit it, the thought gave rise to an emotion, be it positive or negative. You may have been interested, you may have been appalled, but you definitely felt something.

That is the exact point of this blog, that facial aesthetics is about feelings. It's about your own personal desires and self esteem. If you desire a more youthful appearance, why shouldn't you have one? If you desire fuller lips, why shouldn't you have them?

Only you can decide what you want, and how you want to look. Your facial appearance is the essence of who you are, and only you can decide who you want to be. The possibilities are endless.