Laura's Family History

I am a family history buff and have been since I was ten, when I completed a family tree project in my fourth grade class.  Years later, after I heard about ancestry.com, I started working on my family history and have been at it now for about 8 years.

I already knew that my ancestors that came to America were from Germany, Ireland, and England.  I have learned where some lines of my family were prior to settling there as well.  They were from Scotland, The Netherlands and France.  I have traced one line of my family all the way back to the 1000’s AD!  I found an ancestor, John Howland, who arrived in America on the Mayflower.  Sir George Beeston, my 15^th great-grandfather, was serving Queen Elizabeth I as the captain of one of the ships that defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 .  Beeston was 89 years old when he accomplished this feat and was knighted.  Records show that he lived to be 102 years old.

I have also discovered a great amount of family history in Massachusetts and Connecticut and will be visiting New England this fall!  Can’t wait to tell you all about that trip in a later blog!

Zona, Office Manager and Former Dental Phobic.

Zona, Front Office Manager and Receptionist


By now if you've called or been in to the office you have already met Zona.  But in those short interactions, you probably don't get to talk much in depth.  We're starting a series of blogs where we can explore the history or passions of our team here at the office as if y'all got to sit down over a cup of coffee.

Hi, I'm Zona, the upfront office manager of Toothbrusher's Dental.  The majority of my life has been spent in the mental health field working as a mental health worker, admissions, accounting, marketing, office manager and project coordinator.  Ever since I was young and read every true crime story every written, I had a love of how the mind works and functions in day-to-day life and its challenges.

My son, Adam Richardson, graduated from OU with a degree in zoology, and a desire to go to dental school.  he was told by many people not to get his hopes up of being accepted on his first try, but he was!  He entered dental school at OU.  From that moment on, I began to learn all about dentistry as he explained every procedure in detail to me.  His interest and hard work and dedication have placed him in the top ten percent of his class.  He teasingly would tell me "Mom, you should go to work for a dental office and learn all about it and then you can become my office manager someday!"

It was then I decided I wanted to do something different, something I had never envisioned myself doing!  Working in a dental office!  Those who have known me forever, have known my fear of dental work.  And so, when Dr. Guilford bravely hired me with no dental background, I was determined to grow and learn all about the dental field, as well as conquer my fears of sitting in the chair as a patient.

And so, at this point in 2017, a lot has happened! My son is a senior at OU.  He has chosen pediatric dentistry as the field he wants to purse.  He remains in the top ten percent of his class. Another joy of this year has been the marriage of my son to the most awesome young lady, Lana, who is also pursuing a degree in pediatric dentistry.  They were married in May in the most beautiful ceremony and reception I have ever been to!  I have gained a daughter I never had!

As for me, I have had the opportunity to work with the most fun, kind, spirited, caring team of professionals ever here at Toothbrusher's Dental We really do care about our patients.  As I check patients out, and they make comments like "Dr. Guilford is so gentle. I didn't feel a thing!", or "I don't want to ever go to another hygienist!", or "Dr. Guilford's assistant was so nice to me!"---I know that I have been blessed to be a small part of this caring office.  And, oh yes, I really have conquered my fears of sitting in the dental chair!!

Toothsavers app to the rescue!

Check out this great free app for getting kids to brush their teeth!

Save the fairy tale kingdom with your toothbrush!

An evil sorceress has cast a wicked spell, leaving everyone’s mouths to rot and be overrun by cavities. Now it's up to you to help Toothy and the Toothsavers save everyone's teeth!

You’ll have two minutes to brush and scrub away the spell for each of the kingdom’s quirky inhabitants. From the Dragon to Little Red Riding Hood to the Pirate, only you can help them clean their teeth.

Save your own teeth by brushing them with each Toothsaver for two minutes, twice a day. They’ll help make brushing fun. And for every few days you brush, you'll unlock a new Toothsaver to brush with. Brush for 30 days and you’ll have the chance to defeat the evil sorceress herself!

And be sure to brush your friends’ and family’s teeth using the two-player Toothsaver mode. Keep your whole family clean with Toothsavers!

You can find more info @ http://2min2x.org/toothsavers/

Have you seen the toothbrush apps?

There really is an app for everything.  These new apps will play music from your playlist for the amount of time to brush, remind you to spit and floss.  They even have a system to set up reminders for your dental appointment.  But.....do they help?  Read more below.
http://www.idigitaltimes.com/do-dental-smartphone-apps-work-new-study-finds-brush-dj-be-effective-471444

What the average that the Tooth Fairy brings?

"I remember getting 50 cents."  I say.  But that doesn't satisfy most kids these days.  There was an article recently written about Tooth Fairy inflation.  They claim that the average is $3.70 a tooth.  I don't know if that is New York or San Francisco dollars or an average nationwide though.  I can tell you that most parents of my patients report the Tooth Fairy leaves about $2.  Some say $5.  One told me the Tooth Fairy left $20 once.  (But that was a pre-arranged deal brokered by a really sharp 7-year-old!)

How do I get my kids to brush?

When my son Roger was born, I was ready to put into practice all the home techniques I’d learned as a student of dentistry.  It turned out that things don’t always go as the textbooks tell us! 

We would “brush” his gums with a washcloth to get him used to the motion with the goal of easier brushing later.   And when he finally got teeth, we brushed first without and then with kid’s toothpaste.   It was a real struggle for a while.  There was thrashing and wiggling, stalling and crying, and a lot of general unhappiness when the time came to brush his teeth.  But eventually we developed a system.  I’d sing a toothbrushing song (ours is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, if you know that one) and he’d reluctantly let me brush his teeth.  

Now, with his 5^th birthday in 2 weeks, we’ve developed a healthy habit.  He brushes his teeth first and I follow.  I’ve been letting him do more and more of the brushing, and I’m doing less and less.  I remind him of the places that he missed just while I’m sitting on the tub watching him.   

I can’t say that it’s been easy.  And I simply want to remind all you parents that I know its tough.  Sometimes dentists seem like they are talking to you from high on a mountaintop.  Like we know all and you will obey!  I’ve found what it really it comes down to is persistence and a commitment to oral hygiene.  That matters much more than technique.  That matters much more than what brand of toothpaste or manual verses electric toothbrushes. 

Oh and now we are starting again with my 1 year old, Lila!

Why is it such a big deal to make your dental appointments?

It is not just to keep you coming back!  We schedule your dental appointments for treatment to make sure we have the correct amount of time allotted for you to be able to provide you the best care and our undivided attention. This is the same with your recall hygiene appointments this exact amount of time allows Kala and Dr. Guilford to provide all procedures needed during that appointment with the best care and thoroughness, keeping this exact schedule allows our office to stay on schedule and run on time cutting down your wait time in the waiting room!

The importance of maintaining your treatment appointments is to keep the decay at its smallest occurrence as possible to avoid more costly procedures in the future.  The same is held true for your hygiene appointments if you maintain your regular interval suggested by Kala you will have a better chance of keeping a healthy smile. Nearly 80% of all adults have some form of either periodontal disease or gingivitis, and completing your regular recall appointments helps to minimize your chances of occurrence.  Also keeping to your suggested recall interval helps to keep you cavity free and need less actual dental treatment!!

We value you, the patient, and want to help in all ways possible to give you the best care and chance of maintaining a healthy smile. 

Why the different brand of toothpaste?

Hi, this is Kala, your hygienist at Toothbrusher's Dental.  If you have recently visited the office you may have noticed we switched from Crest products to Colgate. 

An issue with Crest’s toothpaste recently came to light.  Most Crest toothpaste has tiny blue plastic beads.  Though it seemed natural to assume that they were for abrasive proposes, those beads don’t really serve a purpose - except to make the toothpaste have tiny blue specks.  The problem is the beads are so small, they can get caught in patient’s gums and have the potential to cause irritation. 

So far, Crest hasn't resolved the issue, so in the interest of our patients we found a company that didn't put the plastic beads in their toothpaste - Colgate.  Colgate is a wonderful, long-standing brand that has a multitude of options between brushes and toothpaste. 

Personally speaking, the new Colgate mouthwash is my favorite and the options for various toothpastes are great too!  They have both paste and gel toothpastes for everyone’s personal preference. 

Please feel free to ask Kala any of your questions about our switch at your next visit!

If a root canal takes out the nerve, why does it hurt after?

This is one of those counterintuitive ones.  Yes, we do remove the nerve (pulp) of the tooth in order to do a root canal.  But that’s not the only thing that has to heal.  Usually the little ligaments (periodontal ligaments) that hold the tooth to the bone and gingiva are inflamed as well as the pulp of the tooth.  When a dentist performs a root canal, often times some of the sealer material or part of the instrument will journey past the end (apex) of the nerve chamber….we’re talking millimeters here folks, after all… and this can cause continued inflammation as well. 

Another common problem is the tooth is working too hard.  If the situation permits, I will always reduce the amount of force (occlusion) that the tooth is receiving from the opposing tooth, while it is healing.  While its not always a possibility, you should always try to rest the tooth as much as possible after a root canal.

So, it is true that sometimes, despite all your and our efforts, things just go wrong.  Roots can fracture and infections can persist even with the best oral care and antibiotic treatment.  If after a period of time, the tooth still feels pain it may be necessary to retreat or reevaluate by either your dentist or a root canal specialist, an endodontist.

Thanks for all your questions and keep them coming.  For appointment information or even general questions regarding your care, feel free to contact us at Toothbrusher’s Dental (405) 789-6935 or info@toothbrushers.com.

What is Recaldent?

Recaldent is the name brand for a compound -   casein phosphopeptides - amorphous calcium phosphate or CP-ACP.  It is developed from casein, part of the protein found in cow's milk, its unique formula helps to strengthen teeth by delivering calcium and phosphate (the building blocks of tooth enamel) to the tooth to remineralize the enamel.   Recaldent can be found in Trident Xtra Care gum and has been proven effective in clinical studies to remineralize areas that are affected by plaque formation.  It is also found in a new product called MI Paste Plus.  We recently starting carrying this topical cream at Toothbrusher’s as adjunct to normal oral care.  MI Paste Plus is effective for people with tooth sensitivity and those who are prone to decay.  For more info you can visit www.recaldent.com or www.mi-paste.com.  Call us at Toothbrusher’s Dental 405 789-6935 to schedule an appointment and we can discuss your oral health and how these new products can help you.

Better Radiographs means Earlier Diagnosis!

We’re so excited to bring the latest in digital x rays to our patients.  The Schick 33 digital sensor has great resolution in a small sensor.  It’s like an HD picture on the screen.  Better resolution means we can diagnose more precisely and earlier than before and here’s the cool part – all of the benefits with less radiation than ever before!  Here’s the way that the Schick company puts it.  

“Gain an unprecedented level of resolution and control over digital images with the new Schick 33.  Featuring the industry’s highest image resolution…it will change the way you see your images  - and your practice.”  

Come in and see that difference for yourself at your next cleaning and checkup.  Contact us at 405 789-6935 to schedule a convenient appointment.

Why every 6 months?

A stitch in time saves nine.  

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  

Choose whatever old bit of wisdom you like, but that’s the principal behind the 6 month recall. It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking that if it doesn't hurt, everything’s okay.  It’s a trap that will leave us disappointed more often than not.  

Usually, if you wait until it hurts or “feels funny”, it can be too late to do small, less invasive procedures.  

My son Roger demonstrates different prevention methods at tee-ball

X-rays are important for the same reason.  They allow me to “see” where I can’t see with my own eyes – in-between the teeth and into the bone surrounding the teeth.  In addition to my physical exam, x-rays allow me to evaluate existing fillings, crowns, and other restorations, bone health, joint health, crowding, spacing, infections, possible cancerous lesions, and even sinus cavities.

This is loads of info I wouldn't have otherwise to try to spot problems BEFORE they are big issues.  The truth is that the 6 month recall is not only essential, but minimum to maintaining the health of your mouth.  In a nutshell, professionally cleaning and examining your teeth at least every 6 months prevents periodontal disease and decay.   

You have sterile instruments, right?

YES!!  With the recent events here in Oklahoma, I thought it would be good to review our infection control methods here at Toothbrusher’s. We use a concept called Universal Precautions.  In short, it kinda means that we assume (even though we know that it isn't true) that every patient has some sort of infectious disease.  This keeps us on our toes with regard to infection control and sterilization.  Let's get into specifics.  

All of our instruments are sterilized after every patient in a steam chamber that is confirmed working by an outside service every month.  Rooms are disinfected with strong, specific cleaners after every patient. We don’t reuse needles or gloves.  It is typical for me to change gloves several times for one patient.  We wash our hands between patients.  We use every precaution to make sure that no surface, instrument, container, or material is cross contaminated between patients. 

I love our sterile office.  Please, please ask me questions about it if you have any.  If you spot anything that looks unclean or possible risk for contamination I want to hear about it.  Really….we really want to hear about it!  Tell anyone of our staff or me personally.  I promise we will either explain what is happening or make it correct immediately!

As always, we are available for questions and appointments at 405 789-6935.

Where do Cavities come from?

This one I get asked a lot.  Usually it comes from a place of frustration than from genuine curiosity.  Regardless, cavities (or caries) are essentially bacterial infections albeit in a specific situation.  There are four contributing factors to decay.  They are as follows (in no particular order):  hygiene, nutrition, time, anatomy.

The first two are the ones you probably already know about.  Brushing your teeth removes bacteria that cause tooth decay (and other mouth problems).  Brushing can’t do it alone because it can’t reach the in-between spaces.  That’s where flossing and mouthwash help too.  Those bacteria that stick to your teeth are powered by carbohydrates (sugars).  That’s the nutrition part.  Avoid sugary drinks and snacks. Simple.  But now let’s discuss the things that you might not think about related to tooth decay.

The anatomy of the tooth itself will drastically affect the bacteria involved.  Some teeth have deep grooves in the top part (occlusal surface) that bacteria can hide in.  if you’re unlucky, some of these grooves are narrower than the bristle of a toothbrush.  That means that you can’t clean them effectively, even when you scrub.  That’s another spot that mouthwash can help.  This is also how sealants can help prevent tooth decay, especially in the molars of children.  Another factor is the state of the enamel of the tooth.  Is there a rough surface?  Then it is much easier for bacteria to adhere and start chiseling away!

The last and most interesting factor, to me, is time.  When you drink a soda, do you sip it over the course of a few hours or do you guzzle it down in seconds?  Surprisingly, the latter is the better method, at least for your teeth.  As you have an acidic or sugary (or both) drink like soda, the pH in your mouth changes to acidic.  Your saliva has to “buffer” that back down to a normal neutral pH.  That takes some time.  Even up to a half an hour sometimes.  That acidic environment is the optimal time for bacteria to work.  They loooove it!  If you sip, your mouth never really recovers that neutral pH.  Advantage: cavities!

Thanks for reading this blog.  As always if you have any questions feel free to ask!  Toothbrusher’s Dental (405) 789-6935.

Wow, Bluetooth Toothbrush?

Yes, it's for real.  At first glance it may seem silly to have a Bluetooth toothbrush, but maybe a little accountability is what we all need to improve our hygiene habits! Check it out below. 

(Source: Beam Brush via GIGAOM)

From heart monitors to cooking thermometers, almost any piece of tech seems to be equipped with Bluetooth and an accompanying smartphone app these days. Now it looks like even the simplest of items can get their own high-tech upgrade, as evidenced by Beam Technologies' upcoming Bluetooth-enabled toothbrush. The Beam Brush will monitor a person's dental hygiene using sensors that sync with an app, which will then track that data and offer incentives to improve their brushing habits.

It may seem odd to equip something as simple as a toothbrush with Bluetooth features, but when the average person spends only 46 seconds out of the dentist-recommended two minutes brushing their teeth, a little technology might go a long way. Sensors in the Beam Brush are activated by contact with the mouth, which syncs with a timer in the app to time how long a user actually spends brushing their teeth. The app will also track this over a period of time, so people can share the results with their dentist and see if they need to improve their habits.

Later versions of the app will detect how long a person scrubs different areas of their mouth as well, and play music while they brush. Beam Technologies is also planning to add some social elements and game-like achievements to reward users for their good dental habits. It should be a useful tool in particular for parents who want to make sure their children are brushing their teeth correctly.

The Beam Brush will hit store shelves in early March, with the base costing US$50 and replacement brush heads costing $3.

(Source: Beam Brush via GIGAOM)

The Bacteria Strike Back?

I’ve always been fascinated with the balance of things.  Like how radar guns are used to detect speeders and then radar detectors (fuzz-busters) were invented.  Like how fungi fight bacteria by making penicillin, and then bacteria become resistant. 

It seems that bacteria have had a secret weapon to accelerate tooth decay.  Fluoride has long been used to fight tooth decay.  The main action is through the binding of fluoride to the enamel of the tooth.  But, researchers found long ago that high levels of fluoride will be toxic to most bacteria.  Recently Yale researchers discovered that bacteria have a weapon against fluoride- the riboswitch.  This process can detect the build-up of fluoride and activate the defenses of bacteria, including those that contribute to tooth decay.

We should have known that these little test tubes of evolution would come up with something!  These riboswitches appear to not be a recent adaption and the mechanism seems only to be triggered for the survival of the organism.  So it probably won’t affect the way dentistry uses fluoride for tooth decay, coating the tooth to prevent the attack from causing damage.  Bacteria could use this pathway in the future to become resistant to the actions of current toothpastes and mouthwashes.  Of course much more research is needed.  Be assured that dentistry will continue to emphasize prevention as the best way to fight disease.

Journal Reference:

Jenny L. Baker, Narasimhan Sudarsan, Zasha Weinberg, Adam Roth, Randy B. Stockbridge, and Ronald R. Breaker.Widespread Genetic Switches and Toxicity Resistance Proteins for Fluoride. Science, 22 December 2011 DOI:10.1126/science.1215063

Why Baby Teeth are Important.

Let’s say you just found out that your young child has a cavity in his or her baby tooth.  You  might think to yourself, let’s just pull it.  Its just gonna come out anyway right?  I would argue that baby teeth are important and should be maintained until it is time for natural exfoliation.  So to that order, I’ve compiled a list of reasons why baby teeth are important. 

First, baby teeth are for chewing.  It sound simple but the first stage of  digestion happens in the mouth.  We break up the food into smaller pieces not only to swallow them easier, but also to help the chemical breakdown of the food into nutrients go smoother and quicker.  

Second, the primary, or baby teeth, are important in speech development.  Placement of the tongue and lips is guided by the teeth.  Try this – say the word “lisp.”  Normal speech patterns dictate that you start with your tongue on the back of your front teeth to make the “L” sound and then move it away to make the “I” and then bring your teeth together to make the “S”.  Finally your lips pull back to your front teeth and end with a percussive “P”.  These moves are much more difficult to make, much less learn, when those reference points aren’t there. 

Third, these teeth are important for appearance and alignment.  I know what your thinking… well, the kid is gonna have missing teeth sometime!  True enough, but I’m talking about the baby teeth acting as guides to the adult teeth as they come in.  If a child’s tooth is missing too early that guidance will be compromised and the tooth behind the missing one falls forward into the missing tooth’s spot causing a domino effect and crowded adult teeth. 

The best situation of course is prevention of decay and disease in the first place, but if a child has decayed teeth we can still save them.  Let’s turn a bad situation into a good one, instead of turning a bad situation into a worse one.  You can like us on facebook, subscribe to this blog or call Toothbrusher’s Dental at 405 789-6935 to reach us.   

Hygienists and Assistants

Dental assistant Laura with dental hygienist Kala

It has come to my attention that many people get dental hygienists and dental assistants confused.  It’s an understandable mistake.  Both perform supportive roles in the office and see patients independently sometimes.  Furthermore in my office, we have more of a team approach and the hygienist and I will sometimes perform the assistants’ duties too.  But dental assistants and hygienists do have different tasks that they perform in the office and also have differing levels of training.

In my office, Cheryl and Laura are the dental assistants. They prepare the room for treatment, get out all the equipment, and sterilize the room.  They will help the dentist with the procedure, passing instruments and mixing materials and such.  They can take x-rays, impressions, polish teeth, and educate patients on everything from insurance co-payments to oral hygiene.

Kala is our dental hygienist.   She has more specialized in the area of oral care and cleaning teeth.  Kala will remove calculus (or tartar), chart dental conditions, administer local anesthesia, and may work autonomously from the dentist. However, different states have different rules on the level of autonomy. 

 

Most dental assistants will receive a diploma or certificate from a vocational school and the program will last from 9 – 12 months.  Dental hygienists receive a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene.  In Oklahoma, a four year degree is required to be licensed to perform the duties of a dental hygienist.

Summer Blockbuster Deal

Schedule your cleaning with us for the week of June 27th and receive 2 free movie tickets. Make your appointment for the week of June 27-July 1 and mention the deal.

Open to new or existing patients due for a cleaning. Insurance or cash patients welcome.
Limit two tickets per family. 405-789-6935

Why should I get a filling if my tooth doesn’t hurt?

When a tooth has decay, or a cavity, it begins as an incipient lesion barely noticeable.  If you wait until the tooth is sensitive to cold, hot, or sugary foods, the decay in the tooth will be deeper and can affect the nerve of the tooth. That means the tooth may need a root canal or an extraction.  The time to repair the tooth is before the pain.  

 

Much of dentistry’s focus has been to detect decay earlier and earlier so that we can remove as little tooth structure as possible to make a restoration.  With the bonding agents and resins that we have now, very small fillings are possible and will be sturdy.