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Dr. Marc Zive of Court Street Family Dentistry furthers the discussion on ‘protective dentistry’ initialized by Dr. Timothy Donley, DDS, MSD. Continue reading
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Sep 17, 2014 /prREACH/ -- Dr. Marc Zive of Court Street Family Dentistry furthers the discussion on ‘protective dentistry’ initialized by Dr. Timothy Donley, DDS, MSD. Dr. Zive elaborated on the idea of protective dentistry by saying, “We know that patient diet, lifestyle and health goes hand in hand with their oral health, and that conditions affecting dental health can lead to other conditions elsewhere in the body. The new school of thought is concerned with giving patients the tools they need to protect their oral health and encourage better overall health though improved diet, hygiene and medication where necessary.” One specific goal is to introduce new ways of eliminating tooth decay. Tooth decay leads to gum and nerve problems which, if left untreated or treated too late, can develop into serious concerns for the rest of the body.
“When bacteria are able to take hold in decaying sections of tooth and gum, these microorganisms enter the bloodstream, and complications can arise due to plaque and bacteria entering the rest of circulatory system,” Dr. Zive explained. “Decay rates have actually increased, due to the prevalence of processed foods in modern diet. Rather than ‘preventive,’we should focus on ‘protective’ dentistry, literally protecting the patient from the development of gum disease, and the inflammation from bacteria that causes sores in the gum and enables bacteria to enter blood stream. This is how oral disease manifests in other bodily problems.” Protective dentistry is intended to givepatients tools and information to prevent them from getting to this state.
“Maybe patients need to visit more often, using early-adoption techniques to protect themselves from more traditional, extreme procedures like crowns, root canals, or possible tooth loss that fix the problem after its occurred,” Dr. Zive continued. The goal is be increasingly active in patient lifestyle guidance, which includes a new approach risk assessment and provision of information which patients can use in their daily lives. For example, patients with a higher decay risk may naturally be unable to dissolve bacteria fast enough. Protective dentistry responds to the bodily ability to destroy decay by providing medications, pastes, and other techniques that balance pH in the body and help destroy decay. In addition, home methods can be introduced to increase pH to help balance acids, bacteria and minerals. The goal of this proactive approach is the protection of whole-body health and teeth against more intensive treatments and more severe conditions. To learn more about Court Street Dentistry, visit them online at http://www.courtstreetfamilydentistry.com/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Jmcda1Iug&list=UUaESKrccflok-_8KQgk9m-g.
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