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Diabetes is a disease that affects the health of the entire body, including, of course, your mouth, gums, and teeth. We are trained to look for issues that might arise in our patients with diabetes, and are eager to help you maintain your dental health. What do we consider in order to give you the best treatment?

Your Teeth

Dry mouth can be a problem for diabetic patients, whether caused by blood sugar levels or medication, and this condition can lead to tooth decay. When we produce saliva, it not only helps wash away sugar in our mouths, it also helps remove the acids sugars produce which attack our enamel and lead to cavities.

Your Gums

People with diabetes are at higher risk for gum disease. With diabetes, the body is more susceptible to infection and finds it harder to fight bacteria. Early gum disease, called gingivitis, is inflammation caused by the body’s reaction to bacteria. Periodontitis, serious gum disease, leads to infections that can cause bone and tooth loss.

Other Oral Concerns

Dry mouth can lead to mouth ulcers, oral thrush, sores, and infections. And oral infections of any kind can be slower to heal when you have diabetes. We will give careful attention to any concerns you might have for your oral health, and will work with you to prevent any future problems.

Preventive dental care is important for all our patients, and we have special suggestions for you to help maintain your dental health and reduce the possibility of dental complications. Diabetes can lead to oral problems, and oral infections can in turn cause problems with controlling blood sugar, so a healthy mouth can lead to better health in general.

• Home Care

If dry mouth is a problem, talk to us about possible causes and treatments. Hydrate throughout the day, and avoid foods or beverages that lead to dehydration. Talk to us about the best products for use at home to prevent dry mouth.

Brush and floss after meals to reduce the presence of harmful bacteria and prevent the plaque buildup that leads to gum disease.

Above all, monitor your blood sugar carefully to ensure your body is at its best when combatting infection or when healing.

• Professional Dental Care

Be sure to visit our Buffalo, NY office at least twice a year for a full examination and a professional cleaning. We can reduce the plaque that leads to gingivitis and more serious periodontal infection. We can monitor your oral health and recommend solutions for problems such as dry mouth. We will make your appointments based on what is best for your schedule. If any type of oral surgery is needed, we will schedule it with an understanding of the importance of healthy blood sugar levels for healing and recovery.

It’s important to make Dr. Jason Jones part of your health support system. If you have diabetes, let us know. We will work with you to monitor the well-being of your teeth and gums and to suggest ways to promote your overall oral health. Let’s work together for healthy, happy smiles!

It’s only natural when you’re waiting for something good—you count down the weeks until your birthday, or until the summer holidays, or until your braces come off. But while your birthday and your vacation won’t come any faster no matter what you do, you can help determine just how fast that happy day arrives when you’re done with your orthodontic treatment.

When you first got your appliance, Dr. Jason Jones gave you an estimate of how long your treatment would take. Of course, that estimate is based on everything going according to plan. What are some detours that can delay your progress?

• Missing Appointments

With every adjustment at our Buffalo, NY office, you are moving closer to the ideal positioning for your teeth. If you miss or postpone appointments, it can take just that much longer to complete your orthodontic work.

• Eating the Wrong Foods

You have a list of foods that are on the do-not-eat list. Hard, chewy, sticky bites are famous braces-breakers, but don’t forget that size also matters! Biting into a juicy apple or a buttery ear of corn can damage your brackets and wires just as much as chewy candy can. Be sure everything you eat is size-appropriate and braces-friendly. Obviously, damaged braces can’t straighten teeth as effectively as intact appliances!

• Sticking with Bad Habits

Pressure from nail biting, chewing pencils, or crunching on ice can cause chips and cracks in your teeth, so just think what they can do to your appliance. Ask us for tips for quitting if you’ve picked up any of these habits. We know habits can be hard to break, but they are harder on your teeth and braces. If you bend or break a wire or loosen a bracket, you might be delaying your orthodontic progress. Which leads us to . . .

• Ignoring Appliance Accidents

Accidents happen. Brackets or metal bands can become loose; wires can bend or break; spacers can fall out. If you notice a problem, call our office right away. Sometimes a minor problem can wait, but if your appliance is damaged, your teeth aren’t moving into position on schedule.

• Blowing Off Bands

If you have bands to help correct your bite, be sure that you wear them as directed. If you skip hours or days of band-wear, you are adding to the time it will take to correct the bite problems they are meant to fix. And don’t double band to speed things up—that might put too much pressure on your teeth. Just follow our recommendations, and you will be done with those bands—and those braces—as soon as possible.

But, wait! We promised you one sure way to keep your orthodontic progress on track:

• Follow Your Treatment Plan

If you keep your appointments, take care of your braces, call us promptly if they are damaged, and wear your appliance as directed, you will be doing your part to keep your treatment on track. And that happy day when your braces come off? It will arrive right on schedule!

When your wisdom teeth start to emerge it can definitely be painful, but it can be even worse if your wisdom teeth become impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth are trying to erupt but are unable to do so because there is not sufficient room for them to emerge. This usually means that your wisdom teeth are painfully lodged in your jawbone.

While you may not see any real signs of the emerging wisdom teeth when they are impacted, what you can’t see can still definitely hurt you. Some of the indicators of impacted wisdom teeth are listed below.

• Jaw Pain: Pain in the back of your jaw is a common indicator of impacted wisdom teeth. The pain often concentrates in the area around your gums.
• Changes in the Mouth: You may notice some changes in your mouth when you have impacted wisdom teeth. Reddish gums, swelling in the jaw, bleeding gums, and bad breath can all be indicators that you are dealing with impacted wisdom teeth.
• Headaches: If you suddenly start having headaches, especially at the same time as some of the other issues mentioned above, they may indicate impacted wisdom teeth.
• Chewing Issues: Problems with chewing normally can indicate impacted wisdom teeth. If you are having trouble making the chewing motions because your mouth won’t quite open and close as easily as it used to, impacted wisdom teeth may be the culprit.

The Solution

If you are suffering from impacted wisdom teeth, the best solution is usually going to be removal. This is not a problem that will resolve naturally, and in fact, your pain and other symptoms may worsen as your wisdom teeth become increasingly impacted. At Suburban Dentistry, Dr. Jason Jones can review the details of wisdom teeth removal surgery with you and help you determine if this is the best solution for your situation.

Getting braces comes with a lot of rules. No sticky candies, watch out for popcorn, and steer clear of chips. These rules leave many braces-wearers wondering what they can still eat without hurting their teeth or their expensive orthodontic appliances. Fortunately, constructing a braces-friendly lunch is straightforward once you know which foods to avoid.

Foods to Avoid When Wearing Braces

There are a few food categories to avoid when you have braces. Sticky foods also stick to the metal in your braces, and can potentially break wires or individual braces. For example: bubblegum, candy bars, caramel, licorice, fruit roll-ups, and Starbursts should be avoided. Many of these foods also contain high levels of sugar, which can cause plaque build-up if not brushed away properly.

Also, be wary of hard foods that can harm your orthodontic appliances. Avoid eating hard taco shells, chips, Rice Crispy treats, hard candy, beef jerky, and popcorn. Some healthy foods, such as carrots, apples, corn on the cob, and nuts, are hard on braces. To eat these foods safely, cut them into smaller pieces before eating.

Remember that certain habits may be harmful to your braces. For example, crunching on ice cubes may be a reflexive response when you’re enjoying a cold beverage, but this can significantly harm your braces and extend treatment time. To stay on the safe side, Dr. Jason Jones and our team at Suburban Dentistry recommend you drink beverages without ice or add crushed ice whenever possible.

Lunch Recipe

Even with braces, it’s easy to enjoy a healthy, nutritious lunch. For example, make a panini on whole wheat bread with slices of turkey deli meat, a piece of Swiss cheese, and tomato slices. Spread 1 tbsp. of mustard or mayonnaise on the bread before toasting the sandwich in a panini grill. Serve the panini with ½ c. low-fat cottage cheese and a sliced pear or apple for a balanced meal. Then grab a pudding cup or some JELLO for dessert. Wash it all down with water containing a lemon wedge or all-natural fruit juice. Make sure to brush your teeth or rinse with mouthwash after lunch to wash away sugars and food residue that can get trapped in braces and cause decay.

If you have any questions about what you can and can’t eat with braces during your treatment at Suburban Dentistry, be sure to ask our team during your next appointment at our Buffalo, NY office!