Your Healthy Mouth Helps Contributes Towards A Healthy Body

Do you realize that your mouth and teeth are connected to the rest of you? Your mouth, is a direct access point into your inner body. Healthy teeth and gums are important in maintaining a healthy mouth.
A healthy body is now more than important than ever.

If your gums are bleeding the bacteria in your mouth have a direct highway into your body and can cause havoc. You may not be travelling but harmful bacteria are always on the move and love warm, dark places with little oxygen and plenty of food.

Dental problems never go away they just get bigger. Prevention is always preferable to restoration especially since going to the dentist is not on most people’s top ten list of things to do.

Due to the pandemic most of us have gotten bigger which is not necessarily a bad thing over the short term. Meaning more food is entering your body, often of the comfort or not necessarily healthy variety.

So, if you have not been in for your cleaning and check up now would be a very good time.

Your mouth and body will thank you and getting out and about is always a beneficial.

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

Contact us today (212) 517-9000 or info@reitdds.com to schedule your dental appointment.

The Daily Grind

An observation I have noticed in my patients is the fracturing of teeth and restorations.

I believe this is occurring due to stress we have all been under for the past year from the pandemic.

One way our bodies are programed to relieve stress is by clenching and grinding our teeth during sleep.   It is not known why this occurs but stress reduction occurs by grinding and clenching.  Exercise, meditation and a healthy lifestyle can help to reduce your inner stress.  Stress usually is caused by work, relationships, money meaning life.

You will know if you are continually clenching or grinding your teeth.  If so, we have a solution. Upon waking in the morning do your jaws feel stiff? Do the muscles on the side of your head feel sore? Do you experience stiffness when moving your jaw around? If so then you are clenching or grinding in your sleep.  If you find yourself grinding or clenching during the day like while you are at your desk this tells us you are not getting enough relief at night and your stress has spilled over into your conscious life.

Over the years we have made hundreds of night guards for our patients.  A nightguard is a soft piece of material which is custom made to fit the entire upper or lower arch of your teeth.  Danger Will Robinson do not buy a do it yourself nightguard at the pharmacy.  Your jaw joint is a three-way joint.  The only three way joint in your body.  You can move your jaw forward, back and side to side in addition to opening and closing.

All other joints in your body such as your elbow or knee just move in one plane.  Try it and you will see what I am talking about.  It is better to go with NO nightguard than a do it yourself one.  The nightguard we make has to fit your teeth perfectly and be correctly vertically positioned to work with your jaw joints on either side of your head.

Stress usually occurs in waves meaning you will be stressed for several days and then the condition will improve.  Most of our patients wear their nightguard’s intermittently when they are experiencing pain.  If you wake up in the morning and your feel stiffness then for the next couple of nights you should wear the nightguard we have made for you.  

Upon waking the next morning, you will feel better.  The nightguard in addition to relieving the stress in your jaws will help to prevent the excessive wear grinding does to your teeth.  This is important because as you grind your teeth down the vertical dimension which is the height between your upper and lower jaws decreases.  This in turn changes the angulation of your jaw joints which can lead to discomfort and problems.  Think of it as your car’s tires being out of alignment or if your feet are not straight your heels of your shoes wearing unevenly.

Another problem is clenching and grinding in addition to wearing your teeth down can also destroy dental restorations previously placed in your teeth.  Meaning these restorations will need to be redone and/or enlarged costing you time and money.  If you feel you are experiencing any of these problems call us today to schedule your appointment.  Don’t let your stress effect your teeth!

Looking for a Night Guard in the Upper East Side?

Contact us today (212) 517-9000 or info@reitdds.com to schedule your dental appointment.

When You’re Too Tired to Brush Your Teeth

Life can be challenging from work, family and living causing strain on our bodies. Brushing your teeth should become a twice a day ritual but sometimes life gets in the way especially at night when we become too tired to brush and floss. What’s the harm if I skip a day? Then one night becomes another and so on and so on. Now the routine is broken and missing multiple brushing sessions your teeth have a higher chance of developing decay leading to cavities and even more serious dental problems.

 Here are some simple tricks that might help you establish a routine on brushing your teeth.

#1- What did I eat today?

Did I have some food/drinks with sugar or crunchy items like chips, popcorn or shredded meat. All these food items can stick to your teeth or be lodged between them. Brushing and flossing will prevent this. Thinking of what you ate today will motivate you to brush your teeth.

#2- Time your Brushing 

You should be brushing for two minutes which is 30 seconds per section. Your mouth is divided into four sections; upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right.  Most electrical toothbrushes on the market now have built in timers. You can also get a handheld timer or use your phone to time yourself. Ask yourself; Can, I brush my teeth for two minutes?  Knowing how long to brush will make it easier to accomplish this task.

Is it bad if you forget to brush your teeth? The longer the plaque remains on your teeth without brushing the more likely it can become tarter leading to inflammation, bleeding gums and other more serious dental issues. 

We are a dental office located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and at Glenn Reit D.D.S. we know consistent brushing will lessen buildup, prevent decay and lessen possible gum disease.  Unfortunately even regular dental hygiene cannot prevent all dental issues.  Dental decay needs to be remedied with fillings, chipped teeth with bonding and misaligned teeth with braces.

Looking for a Dental Cleaning in the Upper East Side?

 Give us a call today at (212) 517-9000 or email us at info@reitdds.com to schedule your next dental appointment. Remember it’s all about good habits. When habits are broken sometimes it’s hard to get back on track. If this happens to you remember tomorrow is a new beginning to get back on track. 

A Healthy Smile Contributes to Healthy Living

You may ask; How can I start living a healthy lifestyle? Well, it all starts with your habits. By drinking more water, getting enough sleep, exercising on a regular basis, eating more fruits and vegetable and avoiding negativity will lead you to a healthy lifestyle. Everyone has their own definition of what is healthy living. Oral health should be part of your healthy lifestyle.

What can you do for your oral health that contributes to healthy living? The most important habits you should be doing is brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day; every day and going to the dentist for routine exam and cleaning every six months. By doing these habits your oral hygiene will improve. We recommend a soft bristle toothbrush to protect your gums. You want to brush your teeth in small, circular motions for 2-3 minutes to make sure you get all the surfaces of your teeth. 

Flossing is very important. You can find floss in any New York City drugstore. You might need to experiment until you find the one that works best for you. Flossing gets in between the teeth and pushes oxygen between your teeth and gums. Bacteria loves dark warm places without air so by flossing we are pushing oxygen between your teeth.

We are a dental office located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and at Glenn Reit D.D.S. we want to help you get your oral health to be the best it can be. We know how a healthy smile can contribute to healthy lifestyle. We offer dental services of white fillings, dental crowns, dental implants, inlays as well as cosmetic procedures such as porcelain veneers and whitening.

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

Give us a call today at (212) 517-9000 or email us at info@reitdds.com to schedule your dental appointment. Your smile will thank you!

Why Dental Health Contributes to Your Overall Health

Why Dental Health Contributes to Your Overall Health

Preventive Dentistry

Your overall health is most important. It’s always better to be proactive than reactive. Life can get in the way and sometimes we forget about our most important asset that being our health. Did you know going for preventive dentistry can save your oral and total health? By

going for preventive dentistry you protect yourself from tooth loss, tooth pain, tooth sensitivity, chronic bad breath, collapsed jaw bone, expensive dental procedures, surgeries and the potential risk of heart disease, diabetes and dementia.

Doing preventive dentistry wards off dangerous bacteria. Sometimes the bacteria start in your mouth and then travel throughout your body. The goal at our practice is to maintain and create healthier smiles. The combination of consistent home brushing and flossing and preventive dentistry promotes good oral health. 

What Types of Preventive Dentistry can be done?

Exam and Cleanings

This is the starting point to determine where you’re at with your oral health. We begin by examining your mouth for signs of cavities, gum disease and anything else that needs attention.

Using special instruments we remove plaque, tarter and calculus from your teeth. We screen for oral cancer and examine your jaws and existing dental work. We will be able to detect oral health problems earlier and tell you about all your treatment options.

Why should you come in for dental exams and cleanings every six months? 

So we can catch any problems sooner before they can develop into something bigger leading to sensitivity, pain and/or more expensive dental procedures.

How long does a dental exam and teeth cleaning take?

Generally one hour leaving enough time to address any questions or concerns you may have. 

Can I brush my teeth after a dental cleaning?

Yes and you definitely want to continue you’re at home dental regimen.

Additional Preventive Treatments

Fluoride Treatment

We offer a simple fluoride treatment that will strengthen your teeth against decay and sensitivity. Our dental team will provide a fluoride treatment that benefits your dental health. Fluoride is especially helpful if you’re prone to getting cavities. 

How long does the fluoride treatment last?

The benefits of the fluoride will generally last for a couple of months and should be repeated once or twice per year.  After the treatment, you should not rinse, eat or drink for at least 30 minutes to allow your teeth to absorb the fluoride and help repair microscopic areas within the teeth.

Looking for a Dental Exam and Cleaning in the Upper East Side?

The best way to protect and provide for your oral health is to have regular preventive dental checkups and cleaning. We want you to have healthier and brighter smile! Call us today at  (212) 517-9000 or email us at info@reitdds.com to schedule your dental exam and cleaning.