Greetings,

You've surely heard me talk about teeth whitening when you've been in the office. For many people this is a very important thing. For some it instills a self-confidence in them, for others it's the smile they've always wanted. Though we're seeing a trend develop, some people are taking "whitening" too far; and yes, you can make your teeth too white. Be sure to read about it in my first article.

The second article is of particularly important in these times. A lot us are feeling the pinch of the economy, which is not a good reason to neglect your teeth. There are some real dangers to your teeth and overall health if you skip on your regular check up. Find out below.

Finally, with fall approaching, soon we'll be thinking about Halloween. I know what you're thinking, Dr. Pannu don't rush things, that's almost 2 months away. You're right, though you know the old saying, you've probably said it yourself, "time flies." Before you know it Halloween will be here. With that said I wanted to tell you we'll be conducting our candy buy back program right after Halloween. Last year we sent the candy we bought from you and your children to our troops overseas.

Committed to your dental health,
Dr. Pannu

How White is Too White?

If you are obsessed with white teeth, you might have "bleachorexia," the new term that describes someone who over-whitens their teeth.

In the U.S., over-the-counter tooth whitening is big business. Including whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes, Americans are spending over $1 billion dollars every year on tooth whitening products!

Someone with bleachorexia may apply a whitening product to their teeth every day until their teeth look unnatural. Over-whitened teeth can appear thin and blue at the edges [top photo]. They can also look like your porcelain kitchen sink—a flat, one-dimensional white. The rule of thumb is your teeth should never be whiter than the whites of your eyes.

Over-using over-the-counter tooth whitening products can result in other undesirable results such as teeth that have become sensitive to hot, cold, sweet or acidic foods and beverages.

The sharp pain caused by tooth sensitivity occurs when exposed nerves inside dentin tubules [bottom image] in your teeth come in contact with something hot, cold, etc. Dentin lies just underneath the outer layer of a tooth.

Instead of reaching for the whitening strips or gel every night, consider a small adjustment in your diet and home care oral routine. Look for whitening toothpaste made for sensitive teeth that does not contain sodium laurel sulfate but contains potassium nitrate instead.

Call and schedule an appointment. We can discuss your smile goal and show you a combination office and home whitening program that will give you sparkling white teeth without the undesirable results.

The Unhealthy Truth About Pinching Pennies

When the economy is unhealthy, you might try to save money by cutting back on dental visits. That decision can be unhealthy for you.

Why? because dental problems don't resolve themselves.

If you seek treatment only when dental pain gets so bad you can't stand it, it may be too late for us to save a tooth or preserve your health.

For example, oral cancer is treatable when it is diagnosed early but can be deadly when it isn't.

When you are in pain, you can't perform efficiently on the job, and you might avoid daily activities.

A child who suffers with pain from decay and infection—

• gets less sleep,
• does poorly in school and misses more school, and
• doesn't get adequate nutrition because it hurts to chew.
  

Dental pain that does not go away is not a good sign, and not all dental conditions use pain to announce their presence.
Periodontal disease is a chronic infection that is typically painless, but it results in tooth and jawbone loss, heart disease and stroke. This disease must be treated early; otherwise, the damage is permanent.

If your denture or other oral appliance is ill-fitting, broken or worn out, you probably aren't able to eat foods your body needs to keep you well, and your speech can be affected.

We realize you make tough choices during an economic downturn, but ignoring a dental problem or postponing dental treatment only makes matters worse. Treatment will cost you more, and you may take much longer to heal and restore your health.

Don't add dental distress to your already stressful life; stay healthy with these three tips:

1. Have twice-yearly check-ups.
2. Maintain a rigorous oral care routine at home.
3. See us immediately if there is a problem.

Our candy buy back program was a huge success last year. We collect a ton (OK not really a ton, but a lot) of candy and forwarded it to our troops over seas.

The kids had a lot of fun (so did we) bringing in their unwanted candy and making some money with it. Parents told us their children were saving their money to buy something they wanted.

The program was so popular that it caught the attention of some of the local newspapers. An article was in the Sun Star and Sun Courier about our program. Watch for next month's newsletter, I'll include reprints from those articles.

We're getting in some new Halloween candy bags, so be sure to stop by the office and pick some up for your kids, family members, even the neighbor's kids. Here's our bag from last year. This year's will look different. Be sure to stop in a pick some up, they go pretty fast, that's why I wanted to tell you about it a little earlier this year. We had some patients who missed out.

Here's three children that stopped by and dropped off their candy last year.

Watch for more details about our candy buy back program in next month's newsletter and in the office over the next two months.

Manbir Pannu, DDS
8523 Ridge Rd.
North Royalton, OH 44133
(440) 237-7730
www.northroyaltondentist.com