Dental Insurance and End-of-Year Considerations

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For most patients with dental insurance, dental plans will expire at the end of the year. With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s more important than ever to schedule your appointments. Livonia dentist Dr. Stewart explains why you should take advantage of your dental benefits before the end of the year.

Delaying Dental Care

If visiting Dr. Stewart is something you’ve been meaning to do, but just haven’t quite got around to it, now is the time to schedule your appointment. Your wallet and your teeth will thank you. We recommend that you come in for professional dental checkups and cleanings at least twice a year, to supplement your daily brushing and flossing routine. If you haven’t managed to make it to your first visit, better late than never. If you’re due for your second visit, then now is the time, before your insurance benefits expire. (more…)

filed under: General

Praise for Dr. Stewart from a Happy Patient

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As Dr. James Stewart and his team well know, choosing a dentist can be a difficult task. Not all dentists are equally equipped to handle patients’ needs, and reasons for a dental visit are many and varied. Having a positive relationship with your dentist is mutually beneficial, which is why today we are happy to present you with a testimonial from one of our many happy patients. (more…)

filed under: Dr. Stewart, Family Dentistry

Livonia Dentist Discusses How to Protect Against Tooth Decay

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Brushing your teeth at least twice a day is the most basic fundamental of good oral hygiene. When coupled with flossing, you have laid the groundwork to fight cavities and stave off tooth decay, the number one cause of tooth loss. Recent research has provided us with an additional weapon against tooth decay, and its use produces profound results. How would you like to boost your cavity-fighting ability by up to 400% by adding just one simple step to your daily dental routine?

The Product: High-Fluoride Toothpaste

The research on the efficacy of high-fluoride toothpaste is now complete. Not only is high-fluoride toothpaste extremely beneficial, but when combined with a new method of application, the level of protection derived from the fluoride can be quadrupled.

The “Massage” Method

A new method, developed by professor Dowen Birkhed, of the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy, involves rubbing the toothpaste onto your teeth with a finger. This “massage” method has proven to be at least as effective as a third brushing, in that it increases the amount of fluoride in the mouth. By massaging the fluoride onto each tooth, you maximize the contact with your teeth, which boosts the cavity-fighting effects. However, this is not a replacement to regular brushing, but an additional treatment. (more…)

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How Coconut Oil Can Combat Tooth Decay

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Scientists have discovered that digested coconut oil is a natural antibiotic that could be incorporated into dental care products.

The team of Irish scientists, from the Athlone Institute of Technology, tested enzyme-treated coconut oils against strains of Streptococcus bacteria. One form of Streptococcus, Streptococcus mutans, is the acid-producing bacterium that causes tooth decay.

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filed under: Dental Advancements, Preventive Dentistry

Your Livonia Dentist Offers Dental Advice to Expectant Mothers

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Among the dizzying array of changes your body goes through during pregnancy, there are a few that could seriously affect your oral health, and in turn, the well-being of your baby. Nearly everyone knows that proper nutrition is crucial to aiding the healthy development of your little one, but how often do you think about the germs in your mouth and what effect they might have?

Morning Sickness and Dry Mouth

It’s no secret that stomach acids are, by nature, corrosive. A few bouts of morning sickness are enough to weaken your tooth enamel and put you at greater risk for cavities. Brushing and flossing can also seem like a greater chore when dealing with morning sickness, but backsliding on these oral hygiene essentials is a great way to encourage cavities and gum disease.

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filed under: Healthy Living, Preventive Dentistry

Untreated Sleep Apnea a Life Threatening Disorder, Says Livonia Dentist

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Sleep Apnea: The Silent Thief

Do you drag through your day? Do you feel listless and sluggish even though you got plenty of sleep the night before? Do you sometimes wake up with a raw throat and an extreme thirst? Has your sleeping partner mentioned that you snore loudly or even make choking sounds during the night? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may suffer from a sleeping disorder called sleep apnea. Apnea refers to a period during sleep where the airway becomes blocked and you stop breathing for a few seconds up to a few minutes. When you stop breathing, your brain awakens, causing multiple sleep disturbances during the night. So even though you may have been in bed for eight hours, you were not getting restful sleep.

Common Causes of Sleep Apnea

The most common type of sleep apnea, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), occurs when the muscles in your throat — which usually hold the airway rigid and allow air to flow freely – relax during sleep to the point that they obstruct the flow of air. When your brain senses that the intake of oxygen has stopped, it forces you to wake up which, in turn, causes the throat muscles to tighten up and the breath to flow. This awakening is generally accompanied (more…)

filed under: About Sleep, Dr. Stewart, Healthy Living

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Livonia Dentist Discusses How Chocolate Prevents Cavities

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Cocoa Beans and PowderChocolate comes from the cocoa bean, the name of which is derived from the Greek for “food of the gods.” Few people would disagree that chocolate really is a heavenly treat. A common misconception is that chocolate causes cavities. The reality is eating chocolate may actually prevent them. Researchers recently discovered the cocoa bean husk contains an anti-bacterial agent that kills cavity-causing bacteria.

How Chocolate Prevents Cavities

Cavities form when harmful bacteria called Streptococcus mutans secrete acid that erodes enamel. This hard, outer-layer of your teeth protects the inner layer from bacteria that cause tooth decay. S. mutans compromises this protective layer, and leaves your teeth vulnerable to forming cavities. Because the antibacterial agent in the cocoa bean husk kills S. mutans, you are less likely to develop cavities when eating chocolate than other sweets. This is not to say you should eat chocolate on a regular basis, but eating a delicious piece from time to time is acceptable. (more…)

filed under: Nutrition, Oral Health

Common Brushing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

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Proper dental hygiene and professional dental care are the cornerstones of quality oral health. Even if you have a top-notch dental care team, you can’t achieve a truly healthy smile without a top-notch at-home dental hygiene routine. Brushing and flossing your teeth are the cornerstones of dental hygiene and, today, Livonia, MI dentist Dr. James Stewart wants to discuss the most common brushing mistakes and how to remedy them.

Top 10 Toothbrushing Mistakes

  1. Choosing the wrong toothbrush: Of course, the “right” toothbrush is all relative, but the best way to choose the right toothbrush for you is to consider the size of your mouth and your unique dental needs. Don’t choose a brush that causes you to strain your mouth while brushing. Also, make sure the handle is comfortable in your hand and that you follow your personal preference when deciding between a manual and an electric toothbrush.
  2. Choosing the wrong bristles: Although the cleanliness of your teeth is more related to your brushing technique than the type of bristles on your toothbrush, choosing a brush with the right bristles is important to your overall oral health. A brush with stiff or coarse bristles, for example, can aggravate gum tissue. In most cases, the American Dental Association recommends soft-bristled brushes. (more…)

filed under: Family Dentistry

Livonia Dentist Describes Mouth Anatomy

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Mouth AnatomyDental literature tends to focus primarily on the teeth and gums. Proper oral hygiene rests primarily on maintaining the health of these two important parts of your mouth. Most oral health issues reflect most dramatically in your teeth and gums. There is more to your mouth than these two elements, however. In the spirit of patient education, we think understanding the total anatomy of your oral cavity is important. The mouth works as a whole, and certain parts are especially important in preserving the health of your teeth and gums.

General Anatomy of the Mouth

While some parts do not affect your teeth and gums as much as others, certain parts are essential to preventing tooth decay and gum disease. Other parts often display symptoms of diseases such as oral cancer, providing important diagnostic clues for dentists. The general anatomy of your mouth includes the teeth, gums, hard palate, soft palate, uvula, salivary glands, tongue, and lips. (more…)

filed under: General, Oral Health