fromthedentist

turnthepageBeat VSCs ... and breathe easy!

Is your smile telling secrets?

When one is one too many!

Produced for the Patients of Dr. James Courey Winter 2008

www.BuildingGreatSmiles.com

tooth talkDr. James Courey’stooth talkDr. James Courey’stooth talkOur Sincere Thanks...For your trust & loyalty

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you personally for your many years of continued support of this dental practice. It’s a privilege and a great pleasure for us to be able to provide you and your family with the highest standard of dental and oral health care. I also want to thank those loyal patients who went to great lengths to fi nd and transfer to my new location. I am truly grateful!

We try to treat our patients with the utmost dignity, respect, and compassion. And it’s very satisfying to see just how many patients pay us the ultimate compliment by referring their friends and family to our practice. We are truly grateful for your trust.

Please continue to refer any friends or colleagues to us, and accept our genuine “thank you” for your future referrals.

Yours in good dental health,

Dr. James Courey

When patients come in for a checkup, they usually think of it as going to see the dentist. The reality? The modern dental team is a group of professionals; each specially trained to provide you with services vital to your dental health. Success depends on the contribution of each team member.

It starts with Danielle and Linda who are the fi rst to greet patients at the front desk, handle phone calls, scheduling, insurance, and billing in a cheerful and friendly manner. Modern dental work often requires four hands, which is where Jodi and Kristina spring into action by providing assistance as the extra pair of hands in the operatory. Their paramount concern is for the patient’s comfort, as well as infection control, x-rays, impressions, and so much more.

Maura and Joni, our dental hygiene team, have extensive experience, knowledge, and training in dental and periodontal health. They work closely with Doctor Courey as co-therapists and their goals are to provide stellar oral hygiene and preventative treatments to keep you in the best dental health possible.

Dr. Courey’s job is to make disease diagnosis and to restore your teeth to health and function. His expertise allows him to offer you many options and he provides the information you need to make educated choices for your treatment plan.

Then of course there’s you, the patient. As your dental team we are committed to preventing dental problems before they start. This means that you play an important role – brush, fl oss, come in for checkups, and ask questions!

Your Dental Team More than the dentist

Risk Factors Could you lose teeth to gum disease?

73Have you

never received – or avoided –

dental care? 5Do yousmoke? Have

you ever?

6Do youhave

diabetes?

Do youhave high

blood pressure?

2

Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss and it has been linked to systemic diseases as well as toxemia and premature births. Gum disease develops gradually over time

These fi ndings make perfect sense. We know that gum disease occurs when oral hygiene is neglected. We also know that men tend to be less conscientious about oral health care.

2Are youmale?

8Do youhave

rheumatoid arthritis?

4Have younever – or only

irregularly –used dental

floss?

9Do youhave gum disease

around your front teeth?

9if the natural fi lm on your teeth is allowed to accumulate, damage your gums, and interfere with the balance of oral bacteria. If you or someone you love fi ts any of these nine risk

Gum disease has been linked in studies with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and arthritis. But if you don’t fi t these categories, don’t be smug. No one is immune! In fact, teenagers can get

indicators identifi ed by dental experts, you or your loved one could be susceptible to gum disease and the tooth loss associated with it.

periodontal disease and virtually all adults will have some aspect of it at some point. What can you do? A lot! Brush, fl oss, and rinse, and maintain your regular dental visits!

1Are youolder

than 35?

� o� ing Eschew ThisAsk us how!

Which of these tools would be part of your “top ten” to use when dental fl oss just isn’t handy?

(1) screwdriver (2) earring (3) needle (4) key (5) paper clip (6) matchstick (7) nail file (8) pencil (9) card (10) none of the above

We hope you picked (10) none of the above! Believe it or not, over 60% of participants in one survey admitted to using at least one of these potentially gum-damaging methods to remove food from between their teeth. Another 23% just left the food there – increasing the risk of disease and bad breath!

Flossing once a day is essential to oral health, removing food and plaque buildup from between your teeth.

Ask us about fl ossing instructions and safe fl ossing alternatives.

ML0

7-2

3

Don’t Hold Your Breath!Dine with friends

A yellow, sulphurish-smelling stain which has survived on an arctic glacier has been linked to extraterrestrial life. You’ve probably felt a little alien yourself if you’ve experienced yellow stained teeth or bad breath from volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) in your mouth. We can help with oral hygiene but you’re on your own with what you eat!

Volatile sulphur compounds are infamously present in some popular foods like onions and garlic. Both foods are low in calories and fat and have no cholesterol, but contain fi ber, vitamins,

What can you do about garlic or onion breath?

Feed them to other people so no one will notice?

Eat a bouquet of parsley? Your best bet is to brush, floss,

and rinse!

minerals, and antioxidants. Many people simply can’t do without their intense and wonderful fl avors.

A lot of life can happen to a person over the years, and some of it can defi nitely show up in your smile. Teeth can weaken due to cavities, root canal treatment, and unexpected trauma like a sports injury or accident, and even restorations can deteriorate or detract from your smile. The great news is that today’s crowns and bridges can be very effective methods to prevent the shifting of teeth, bite problems, and altered appearance that accompanies damaged or missing teeth. Here’s a rundown on crowns and bridges. A crown is a strong replica of a normal tooth, and it can be made of gold or other metals but is usually made from materials that look like your natural tooth enamel. It can be used to cover, strengthen, and

protect a damaged tooth. To fi ll in gaps, crowns are combined with an appliance called a bridge. Crowns are placed on the teeth on either side of the space and artifi cial teeth are attached to them, bridging the gap. They look and feel like your own teeth, and no one would know there were ever any teeth missing. A stable, fi xed bridge

Is Something Missing?Crowns & bridges can bring back your beautiful smile!

has no clasps that show, and is usually preferred to a removable bridge.

Whether your teeth are damaged or missing, crowns and bridges are accessible and attractive in a range of materials to suit your smile needs.

New crown & bridge technology plus veneers brightens old restorations for a

perfect smile.

It Could Be Related!Dental originsMillions of people suffer from discomfort that only seems unrelated to dentistry. Do you have any of these symptoms? Tender jaw muscles... restricted jaw opening ... clicking or grinding jaw joints ... earaches... facial or head pain? Call us. Dental intervention may help.

Here are some discomforts that may be dental in origin...

Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) can create head, jaw, and ear pain when the jaw joints located just in front of your ears become misaligned or traumatized, or when surrounding muscles become strained.

Chronic Heavy Snoring can interrupt breathing and usually occurs when your lower jaw and tongue drop back during sleep.

Headaches can be related to TMD, interrupted nighttime breathing, and nighttime tooth grinding.

Information included is not dental or medical advice. For your specifi c information be sure to consult our offi ce. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please contact us directly.

Contents may not be reproduced without permission from the publisher.Contents may not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. © PATIENT NEWS PUBLISHING (800) 667-0268

28030-W74-39225 ML07-2

Communication is important to us – don’t be

afraid to ask questions!

Atrium Medical Arts Building224 Taylors Mills RoadSuite 110Manalapan, NJ 07726-3281

Office HoursMonday 10:00 am – 8:00 pmTuesday closedWednesday 8:00 am – 5:00 pmThursday 9:00 am – 6:00 pmFriday 9:00 am – 3:00 pmSaturday 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Contact InformationOffice (732) 577-0555Fax (732) 577-8555Web site www.BuildingGreatSmiles.com

Don’t Hibernate

The long dark days of winter come with special fi tness, health, and nutrition challenges. Because of the reduced daylight, and sometimes severe cold, our bodies naturally want more carbohydrates and less exercise. “Paying attention to what your body tells you” doesn’t always mean making the smartest health choices. Your body and its metabolism can easily and naturally give you a good excuse to be a couch potato for a few months – starting off with the rainy month of November, followed by the holiday season, only to wind down slowly in the spring.

Well, our bodies do need more food in the winter, and we do have a natural aversion to winter exercise, but that doesn’t have to mean a winter on the couch. There are also serious physical and psychological consequences to giving in to the urge to hibernate during the winter. When you’re less active, you have less energy, and are

more susceptible to the winter blues,even depression. And a regular exercise or fi tness regime not only reduces anxiety, but also boosts your body’s defenses against cold and fl u viruses.

Another reason to stay active during

Tooth TipsBrush after every

meal or at least twice a day.

Use a fluoride toothpaste.

Go for brushes with soft nylon bristles.

Replace your brush about every

three months.

Floss every day.

See your dentist regularly!

Don’t HibernateDon’t HibernateDon’t HibernateDon’t HibernateDon’t HibernateDon’t HibernateDon’t HibernateDon’t HibernateWinter health

winter is to avoid sprains and injuries in the spring when you pick up where you left off with your exercise routine.

So, off the sofa and into the snow! When spring fi nally comes, it will feel that much better.

Fight That ColdWith a new brush

We recommend our patients change their toothbrushes every three months, with the seasons, and even sooner if you’ve recently had an infection such as sinusitis, pneumonia, or upset stomach. A study demonstrated that these bacteria can stay on the toothbrush, and remain there for up to a month!

Make sure to buy a soft-bristled replacement toothbrush with round-ended bristles which are easier on your enamel and gums. Hard, worn, or frayed bristles can actually damage your gum tissue. Powered toothbrushes, if used properly, can be very effective at removing plaque for people of all ages, but particularly for people with arthritis or other health conditions.

We already know that regularly replacing your toothbrush is good for the health of your teeth and gums - fighting infection is just one more reason to invest in a new toothbrush!

Good For Your Waist… Not your teeth!

You may not realize that diet soda can do terrible damage to your teeth. Diet sodas don’t have any sugar, but they do contain larger amounts of phosphoric and citric acid to enhance fl avor.

These acids attack the enamel that protects your teeth, which means you’re much more likely to get cavities and to develop irritations, cracks, and have sensitivity to cold.

Any highly acidic drink, such as orange juice, other fruit juices, and sodas can spell trouble! A tall glass of water following the consumption of highly acidic drinks will help, but the best way to reduce your risk is to brush your teeth. Better yet, why not choose the very best thirst quencher? Water has Water has Waterno fat, no caffeine, and no acid!