What You Should Know About Diabetes and Gum Disease

July 31, 2013

Filed under: General Dentistry — Tags: diabetes, Dr. Duane E. Keuning, Dr. Greg K. Riley, general dentistry, gum disease, gum disease therapy, Juno Beach, Juno Beach Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Tequesta — Greg Riley @ 7:19 am

As we’ve mentioned on this blog before, gum disease doesn’t just affect your oral health—it’s also been linked to a wide array of health problems in the rest of the body, and that includes diabetes.

For a while, researchers weren’t sure what the exact nature of that relationship was, but we have a better understanding of it today. It turns out the relationship goes two ways. Gum disease raises the body’s blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of diabetic complications. Meanwhile, because of how diabetes affects blood sugar levels, diabetics have an increased risk of developing the disease in the first place.

All of which means that if you have diabetes, seeing Dr. Duane Keuning or Dr. Greg Riley twice a year for checkups is important—and not just if you have diabetes. Every patient can benefit from seeing a dentist twice a year. That’s because a majority of Americans have some form of gum disease, even if it’s very mild.

During your visit with our Juno Beach dental team, we can offer you home care tips to keep in mind, or we can put together a more advanced therapy plan if we need to. Some of the most common treatments for gum disease include scaling, root planing, antibiotics, and surgery.

Are you a diabetic with concerns about gum disease? Call Juno Beach Restorative & Aesthetic Dentistry today for an appointment with Dr. Riley or Dr. Keuning. We offer effective cosmetic and restorative care to Juno Beach, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Tequesta, and Jupiter.

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Decrease Your Risk for Cavities by Knowing the Risk Factors

July 25, 2013

Filed under: General Dentistry — Tags: cavities, Dr. Duane E. Keuning, Dr. Greg K. Riley, general dentistry, Juno Beach, Juno Beach Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Tequesta — Greg Riley @ 3:17 pm

general dentistry Not everyone has the same level of risk when it comes to developing cavities. Knowing what risk factors are associated with them can help you protect your smile and improve your oral health. That’s what today’s post is all about. If you have any questions afterwards, feel free to call Juno Beach Restorative & Aesthetic Dentistry to let us know.

Having a cavity already increases your risk of developing new cavities

If you think you might have a cavity, or a doctor has diagnosed one, have it treated as soon as possible with a filling or crown. This will help you support your oral health and prevent the spread of decay

Watch what you eat

Foods and drinks that are sugary or acidic will increase your risk of decay by spurring the production of bacteria and acid in your mouth. This, in turn, can weaken your tooth enamel and lead to cavities.

Poor oral hygiene

Are you brushing and flossing enough? We recommend brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing once a day. This will protect your smile from the acid and bacteria that comes from sugary or acidic foods and drinks. Getting enough fluoride is especially important because it helps to strengthen your enamel.

Poorly done fillings or crowns

When a filling or crown isn’t done the way it should be, your smile may be especially vulnerable to bacteria, as you may have bacteria deposits in a hard-to-brush area. Give our Juno Beach office a call if you’ve had a negative experience with another doctor.

Family history

Sometimes a patient’s increased risk of cavities is due to genetics, but in other cases, it may just be that good oral health habits weren’t taught at home. Remember to brush and floss regularly, and make an antibacterial or fluoride mouthwash a regular part of your regimen.

Not seeing your dentist enough

Dr. Duane Keuning and Dr. Greg Riley recommend coming in for regular visits twice a year. Why? So we can watch for changes in your smile. Cavities need to be treated as soon as possible, and with a visit every six months, we can provide early care that will help you support your oral and overall health.

Do you need to schedule your next visit with Dr. Keuning or Dr. Riley? Give us a call today. Our Juno Beach dental office is happy to provide general, cosmetic, and restorative care to patients from North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Tequesta, and surrounding areas.

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The History of Dental Implants

July 16, 2013

Filed under: Implant Dentistry,Restorative Dentistry — Tags: dental implants, implant dentistry, Juno Beach, Juno Beach Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, restorative dentistry, Tequesta — Greg Riley @ 7:23 am

In , we talked about the history of teeth whitening. Today, we’d like to focus on another popular service—dental implants.

As with whitening, people have always been looking for a way to replace missing teeth. Scientists have found evidence that the Mayans implanted tooth-shaped shells into the jaw 1,300 years ago to replace missing teeth. Going back even further, the Romans may have used cast-iron, while the Egyptians used gold wires. Other materials that have been used throughout history include rubber, ivory, copper, semi-precious stones, and oxen bone.

And then there are dental implants as we now know them. These date from around 1965. Scientist Per-Ingvar Brånemark discovered that titanium would fuse with bone tissue, leading eventually to the placement of the first dental implant in a human skull.

Why are modern-day dental implants so effective? Because they mimic nature’s design, with a crown on top and a titanium root underneath to act as a prosthetic root. What’s more, they’re versatile enough to replace a single tooth or a full row of teeth.

Not every patient is a candidate for dental implants, though. To find out if dental implants might be right for you, call Juno Beach Restorative & Aesthetic Dentistry for a consultation. During your visit with us, Dr. Greg Riley and Dr. Duane Keuning will help you decide if dental implants will help you meet your needs, or if another service might be better.

We’re proud to provide cosmetic and restorative care to Juno Beach, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Tequesta.

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Patients Have Always Wanted a Whiter Smile

July 2, 2013

Filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry — Tags: cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Duane E. Keuning, Dr. Greg K. Riley, Juno Beach, Juno Beach Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, teeth whitening, Tequesta — Greg Riley @ 8:22 pm

teeth whitening results2 We think of teeth whitening as something that only patients today are worried about. But the truth is that people have been looking for whitening solutions since as far back as ancient Egypt, around 4,000 years ago. Back then, wine vinegar and ground pumice stone were mixed together and brushed on with sticks to achieve a more dazzling look. The whiter your teeth, the more well-off you were perceived to be.

As uncomfortable as that might sound though, it doesn’t compare to the ancient Romans did. They used their own urine! That practice was eventually abandoned, and who can blame them?

Moving through history a little more, patients often went to barbers for dental care. During that era, most dental problems were treated by pulling teeth. They did provide care for teeth whitening, though. To whiten teeth, they would use metal files on the patient’s teeth and then apply nitric acid to get rid of stains. This was not only uncomfortable but also didn’t do any favors for the protective layer of enamel on the teeth on the patient’s teeth. Teeth with a damaged layer of enamel are more vulnerable to decay.

Today, dentists like Dr. Duane Keuning and Dr. Greg Riley use professional whitening systems that are designed to create whiter smiles without negatively affecting oral health.

To find out how contemporary teeth whitening works, call Juno Beach Restorative & Aesthetic Dentistry for a consultation. We can explain how teeth whitening works and what you can expect from your care. Juno Beach Restorative & Aesthetic serves patients from Juno Beach, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Tequesta, and beyond.

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