Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>>Rose: Welcome to our CommonHealth program Something to Smile About.
>>This program is all about dental health and we’ve invited Dr. Israel Mendoza to
be with us and answer some of the questions that came from our fellow Commonwealth employees.
>>Hello and thanks for being with us.
>>Dr. Mendoza: Hey Rose.
>>Rose: How often should I go to the dentist?
>>Dr. Mendoza: For most of the patients two visits a year are required. You know you have
your exam and your cleaning done in those appointments.
>>Dr. Mendoza: There are certain cases when you need to go more often like advanced gum
disease or diabetes. Those cases we recommend three or four visits a year.
>>Rose: What if it has been quite a while since someone’s been to a dentist because
they don’t like the sound of the drill or they're afraid of going to the dentist. What
advice would you give them?
>>Dr. Mendoza: The first thing that you should do is just call your dentist. Set an appointment
so you can discuss with him your concerns.
>>Dr. Menoza: Also be open about your fear and anxiety. The dentist is going to create
a treatment plan for you so that’s going to reduce anxiety and is going to make your
visit really comfortable.
>>Rose: And how often should I replace my toothbrush?
>>Dr. Mendoza: We suggest to replace it every three or four months but it could be done
before if your toothbrush is worn or ready.
>>Rose: Well there are so many toothbrushes on the market today. How do I know what toothbrush
is right for me?
>>Dr. Mendoza: One thing that you should look for is the ADA seal. That means that the product
was tested and is safe to use.
>>Rose: Is there an advantage to using a manual toothbrush over an electric one?
>>Dr. Mendoza: With your proper technique both of them are efficient but certain cases
like patients with disabilities electric toothbrush is going to be the choice.
>>Rose: Should I use toothpicks?
>>Dr. Mendoza: No, actually toothpicks can damage your gums. You know you can hurt yourself.
You know you should use interpersonal brushes or you can use the floss to remove the debris
in between the teeth.
>>Rose: Well a friend told me that she recently had implants because she was missing several
teeth. These implants replaced her missing teeth and she is really happy. But what are
implants?
>>Dr. Mendoza: Implants are manufactured anchors that have the shape of a cylinder or a screw.
>>Dr. Mendoza: They're an artificial replacement for natural tooth roots and you can attach
to them single crowns bridges or dentures and they are going to improve the speech and
the chewing capability of the patient.
>>Rose: What are the causes of bad breath?
>>Dr. Mendoza: We have several factors I think cause bad breath. One of them is diet - if
you ingest certain foods that are strong like garlic or onions you know they are going to
be in your blood stream.
>>Dr. Mendoza: As long as they are in your body you are going to have very strong breath.
At some point your body is going to eliminate them completely you know you will be fine.
>>Dr. Mendoza: The major cause of bad breath is when particles of food remain in our mouth.
They are going to decompose they are going to rot and they are going to produce bad breath.
Rose: And is there anything we can do about it?
>>Dr. Mendoza: Good oral hygiene is crucial you have to use the proper brushing technique
flossing and don't forget to brush your tongue as well because those particles can remain
on the tongue and it is important to clean that area as well.
>>Rose: Is dental health linked to any other health issues such as heart disease?
>>Dr. Mendoza: Yes, and it’s in both of them it works in a different in these two
conditions it works in a different way. Like in heart disease if a patient has swollen
gums that is an open door for a lot of bacteria that can enter the bloodstream.
>>Dr. Mendoza: If the patient has already damaged part of the heart that bacteria can
migrate and localize right there. It’s going to multiply and it’s going to produce even
more damage to the pulse.
>>Dr. Mendoza: With diabetes it's a little bit different. The patient with diabetes is
going to have a high level of sugar and that's going to produce inflammation of the tissues.
The tissues are going to be bleeding they are going to be swollen red tender and also
the patient is prone to getting infections.
>>Rose: Well then is there anything that pregnant women should know about going to the dentist
during their pregnancy?
>>Dr. Mendoza: During pregnancy there are going to be a lot of hormonal changes. That
causes the plaque to be more aggressive the same bacteria that in a patient that is not
pregnant won’t affect your gums that much you know a pregnant woman it would be more
harmful.
>>Dr. Mendoza: So good oral techniques for brushing and flossing are important and also
regular visits with your dentist.
>>Rose: Is there anything we absolutely should not do? Any absolute No- No's?
>>Dr. Mendoza:Actually we cannot point just one thing Rose. We have to you know watch
our diet reduce the amount of sugar that we ingest. It could be in juices that have high
content of sugar or sodas or processed foods that are reaching in sugar as well. So that's
important take care of the diet.
>>Dr. Mendoza: The second factor is like I am repeating this several times but it is
good oral health which is going to come with regular visits to the dentist. They are going
to diagnose if you have any problems and treat it properly and the other thing is your oral
hygiene. You have to brush and floss properly.
>>Rose: Dr. Mendoza, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions today about
dental health.
>>For more information you can see our website at: www.commonhealth.virginia.gov.
>>Thank you very much.