Livonia Dentist Keeps You Up-to-Date: The Latest Research on Cranberries and Dental Health

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Fall brings to mind the harvest of many fruits and vegetables. The iconic image of the fall harvest is the cornucopia, overflowing with delicious natural treats. Treasures like apples, pears, and grapes grace our tables and fill our stomachs. Crunching these fibrous, nutritious foods benefits our dental health, as well as our bodily health. They clean our teeth and freshen our breath. Antioxidants from fruits and vegetables help protect gum tissue, as well. One special fruit, cranberries, may hold a key to preventing tooth decay. In this post, Livonia dentist Dr. James Stewart describes an interesting study about cranberries and tooth decay.

Plaque-Fighting Compounds in Cranberries

Plaque has long been known as the enemy of good dental health. You can combat plaque by limiting foods rich in sugar, starch, and acid. You can rinse away organisms that cause plaque by drinking water after meals or snacks. You can brush your teeth twice a day to remove plaque, sugar, and acid from your teeth. Could you use one more weapon in the battle against plaque? Scientists are discovering a new weapon made of compounds from cranberries, a favorite fall food. (more…)

filed under: Healthy Living

Livonia Cosmetic Dentist Discusses Conservative Smile Makeovers

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The prevalence of extreme makeovers in popular culture, especially on television, has led us to believe that a smile makeover should involve several rather intensive procedures that dramatically alter the appearance of a person’s teeth, gums and lips. In reality, smile makeovers refer to a cosmetic dental treatment plan that can incorporate any number of procedures, both minor and intensive. Dr. James R. Stewart discusses a few conservative treatment options that, when performed as part of a cohesive cosmetic strategy, can significantly enhance the vibrancy of your smile.

Whitening Systems for Brighter Teeth

The single trendiest cosmetic solution around, teeth whitening can improve the appearance of your teeth by removing years of built up stains and discolorations. Dr. Stewart offers two types of whitening treatments at his Livonia dentist office. For patients interested in quick results, in-office whitening can brighten your teeth by several shades in about an hour. During this procedure, Dr. Stewart treats your teeth with a special, light-activated gel that whitens while you wait. (more…)

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry

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Spooky Sugar Facts from Your Livonia Dentist

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Tomorrow is Halloween, and today, fittingly enough, happens to be National Candy Corn day. Perhaps Candy Corn deserves its own day, considering the fact that those orange, yellow, and white kernels of super sweetness are the top selling Halloween candy.  All told, an estimated 600 million pounds of Halloween candy are purchased each year in America. Have you ever looked at a child’s trick-or-treating haul and had a sudden toothache from the visual association? Yes, candy and dentistry go hand-in-hand in some people’s minds – veritable devils and angels on a child’s costumed shoulders.  Livonia dentist, Dr. James R. Stewart, offers some facts about candy, both good and bad. (more…)

filed under: Family Dentistry

Livonia Dentist Discusses Sleep Apnea in Pregnant Women

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Q)        What is sleep apnea?

A)        Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes sufferers to experience snoring, along with pauses in their breathing during sleep, sometimes up to 100 such pauses during the night. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) – a form of the condition in which excess fat issue narrows the inside of the airway – is prevalent in the obese. Although OSA can occur in non-obese individuals, this discussion focuses on obese patients. Not all women gain significant weight during pregnancy, but many do. For these women, OSA may be an issue.

Q)        Isn’t sleep apnea more prevalent in men than in women?

A)        In previous studies of sleep apnea, eight or nine men were diagnosed with OSA for each woman with the condition. Recent studies indicate a substantial shift in that thinking, however. The actual ratio is closer to two to three men with OSA for each woman with the condition.

(more…)

filed under: Sleep Apnea

When a New Filling Causes Discomfort

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Let’s say you visited your Livonia Dentist to have a cavity filled. Your mouth felt fine (although numb from the Novocain) when you left the office. Later that day, or maybe the next day, however, you begin to feel discomfort at the filling site. If this happens, you may have what is known as a high filling.

Q)        What is a high filing?

A)        A high filling occurs when too much composite resin projects from the tooth cavity.

(more…)

filed under: Dr. Stewart, Restorative Dentistry

How Dental Implants Can Save Your Oral Health

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Losing one or more teeth can be a tragic experience for some people. For others, it may seem inconsequential, perhaps even slightly humorous. Pride and confidence in one’s smile plays a role in both reactions; while one person may be so proud of their smile that the loss of a tooth can generate feelings of insecurity, another may be so self-confident that losing a mere tooth does not affect their self-esteem. Your body, however, has a few reactions of its own to tooth loss, and no amount of pride or confidence can directly affect them. Livonia dentist Dr. James Stewart explains the devastation that tooth loss can wreak on your oral health, and how dental implants can help halt the destruction.

The Visible Effects of Tooth Loss

The most obvious result of tooth loss is the noticeable gap left between the remaining adjacent teeth. As testament to the complexities of the human body, your normally-stationary teeth will begin to shift to try and take up the slack left by their fallen brethren. This shifting can throw off the natural balance of your bite (occlusion) and lead to many other oral health issues, including bruxism and TMJ disorder. Traditional tooth replacements, including bridges, partials, and full dentures, are designed to fill the empty space to prevent your remaining teeth from shifting to take up the slack. These solutions, however, do not address the second, and perhaps more damaging, result of tooth loss. (more…)

filed under: Dental Implants, Oral Health

Livonia Dentist Can Help Ease Your Headache Pain

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Finding the Source of Headache Pain

Are you suffering from regular, relentless headaches? You may want to visit your Livonia dentist, Dr. James Stewart, as well as your doctor to determine the source of your pain, particularly if jaw pain accompanies your headaches.

Due to the close anatomical link between the head, jaw, and neck, the root cause of your pain can be difficult to discern. The pain and tension you’re experiencing may cause you to clench your teeth and tighten your jaw muscles, thereby exacerbating your headaches and setting up a cycle of pain. (more…)

filed under: Healthy Living, TMJ

How Fish Oil Can Alleviate Gum Disease Symptoms

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Fish OilWhile fish products might not be the best path to good breath, recent work by Dr. Alison Coates from the University of South Australia suggests that it might be a beneficial therapy for gum disease. Over half of all American adults suffer from some degree of periodontal disease, and the disease itself has been linked to a number of other health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and oral and pancreatic cancers.  (more…)

filed under: Gum Health, Preventive Dentistry