August's Tooth Fairy Army

My son, August, is 6 years old. He lost his second tooth over the weekend.  Well, let's give him more credit than that--he extracted his own tooth!

The ante is a little higher this time around.  Instead of marveling over the anatomy of said tooth, or grabbing a magnifying glass and pinpointing the blood and guts hanging off the shard, he decided to go another direction.
Building a Tooth Fairy Army.

As you can see, August has recruited knights, orcs, and police officers charged with the responsibility of safely handing over the bounty to the Tooth Fairy. The 'mailbox" contains the precious parcel.

This impregnable host of defenders will go to any length to ensure delivery of teeth and secure Gus' reward.

I had to leave the room and come back in when I saw this layout on the bedroom floor. I was laughing too hard.  And bursting with pride for my creative kid.

BPA and Toxic Plastics in Dentistry--Current Information

BPA, also known as Bisphenol-A, is a chemical that may be found in some plastics. BPA is also a component of select dental filling materials used to repair tooth decay. BPA has come under scrutiny in the past several years because of its potential to leach out of plastics and cause harmful physical effects.
A study from a pediatric medicine journal, Pediatrics, was released last week.  It links the presence of BPA-containing dental fillings to an increased risk for behavioral problems in kids.

An article was released yesterday on the Science News site that I applaud, because it offers a well-thought-out perspective regarding the research and its outcomes, and how the public should consider digesting the Pediatrics article.

BPA may not be going away anytime soon, but the exposure can be reduced for you and your family if you are willing to thoughtfully plan what you buy and/or consume.  Same goes for dentistry. There are alternatives to BPA-containing materials.

Any of the articles released recently recognize the best solution for any tooth is to prevent decay before it happens. I absolutely agree. There is a MASSIVE potential for improvement in how parents and kids can prevent decay in kids' teeth. Four things to do: 1) Use a mechanical brush, and supervise or participate in brushing. 2) Make teeth resistant with periodic exposure to TOPICAL fluoride. 3) Be thoughtful about your kids' diets. Sugars and sodas are frowned upon with good reason. I feel there is no reason to include soda or sugar in regular life for kids. Disneyland, Christmas, and Halloween don't happen very often, and that's about the same for sugars and sodas. 4) Medical health and dental health are connected, so you need to consult a dentist with a sound knowledge of the connections for your kids, and keep your kids going to that dentist no less than twice a year for review and prevention. And if you recall the name of my blog, you'll know I am one of these dentists.

As a dentist, it is tough to offer a perfect solution for any patients' maladies. Tooth decay happens, and I have to treat decay thoughtfully.  Dental professionals and researchers have not created the perfect material that is effective at replacing decayed tooth structure, look like real teeth, and can withstand rigorous daily chewing without chemical or physical breakdown.

There are,  however, a couple of materials that I offer to my patients that get close to a perfect solution.

Amalgam, or silver filling, is the least expensive material available for decay. Amalgam works well to repair small to large decay defects, has appealing longevity in pediatric teeth, has excellent wear and tear resistance. Decades of research has failed to prove harmful physical effects of any of the components in amalgam. But there are countless anecdotal pieces that describe autoimmune diseases linked to amalgam, mercury poisoning, the list goes on. And the majority of families and patients that I talk to don't want that material used for health reasons as well as esthetic reasons in their kids. But it does look like crap, and requires a liberal amount of cutting away tooth in many cases, because I can't predictably bond amalgam to tooth, unlike composite or other tooth-colored materials. And I do not use this material in adult teeth, as amalgam increases the chances of cracked or fractured teeth.

Compomers are a relatively new type of tooth-colored filler that doesn't contain BPA. It is moderately wear-resistant. But it it not meant for long-term use in areas of heavy function and not meant for long-term use in adult teeth. In my experience, as well as the various literature reviews, compomers work well in pediatric teeth with small to moderately sized decay lesions. I can be more conservative about the cutting I do on teeth when I use compomers--I remove decay, and bond them to the tooth. They also release low levels of fluoride when in contact with saliva, and that can be a helpful feature in kids who are at high risk for repeated decay problems.

Come talk to my team, and we will help you navigate BPA issues, or the thousands of other dental questions you may have to keep your kids in great health. Make your visit today!

Health Information in Your Hands

iTriage is a trusted health information site that is a great resource for you when you are using your smartphone. It gives you immediate access to symptoms, diseases, treatment choices, as well as medical and dental providers.

iTriage provides address and contact information for our office. iTriage gives you a direct resource for understanding your dental problems and getting in touch with us easily.

Download iTriage through this link.

Relay For Life Is Chasing The Cure For Cancer

Our office manager, Laura, is participating in the Relay For Life on Saturday, 6/23/12. This is a cause that focuses on raising awareness and funding for research to defeat cancer.

Please support this cause in your own way, by going to our Facebook page, Relay For Life site, or call our office for more details.

For every "like" you click for this cause on our Facebook page, Dr. Rafoth will donate $1 to the American Cancer Society.

Cancer Is Always At Large

Last week, our team attended a conference for oral cancer. It not only reinforced for us  how important it is to screen patients for this disease, but it also renewed the personal connection I have with cancer.

A stage IV oral cancer survivor recounted her battle and victory with the disease and the treatments, and it made me think about not only what it means to be a patient who can suffer from cancer, but also as a care provider that has the right approach to recognizing and treating oral cancer.

A little over a year ago, my assistant died from a very insidious form of cancer called melanoma. It was a cancer that was initially recognized as a fatty, benign tumor on her belly.. There is a great likelihood that it was not properly screened and/or diagnosed in its early stages. She was going to suffer from this cancer regardless, but in my opinion, there could have been a chance to institute appropriate treatment earlier, giving her a shot at a longer lifetime with all of us.

Last year, my uncle was diagnosed with cancer of the tonsillar tissue, a legitimate oral cancer. He had a persistent sore throat. After talking with his dentist and ENT, he began the process of uncovering the mystery, and treatment was started quickly. Both my assistant and he went through chemotherapy and radiation therapy.  My uncle is doing well now, recovering from the effects of treatment, and it doesn't appear that he will have many issues to face in the near future. But the long-term future is uncertain. I began to process this before, during and after the conference. And I came up with a list of facts about oral cancer that every patient should know:

1) There is nothing certain in life.  Uncertainty exists in everything we plan, do, and have accomplished. The same is true for oral cancer--its occurrence, its diagnosis, its treatment, and its chances of recurrence.
2) Oral cancer is difficult to accurately diagnose. It is difficult to treat. It is difficult to endure.
3) Something that appears benign may not be benign. It requires follow-up study and specific treatment to accurately assess and determine the course of action for patients.
4) The prevalence of oral cancer has not decreased. Rather, it is likely that it will increase over time. Because of the larger presence of HPV, HPV-related cancers are starting to increase.
5) Physical (tactile) screenings for oral and pharyngeal cancers are important twice yearly at dental hygiene visits.
6)  Low-level light equipment (Identafi, Velscope) is essential to early detection of oral cancer, and must be a part of regular screenings.
7) Your physician typically doesn't have the training, experience, or equipment to perform the screenings, and in most cases, your dentist is going to be someone you see more often than your physician. Therefore, your dentist will have a better likelihood of identifying and treating an oral or throat cancer issue.

The woman who recounted her experience started a mission a few years ago to raise awareness for doctors and patients about oral cancer.  Her name is Eva Grayzel. Please go to her website, sixstepscreening.org,  and become better informed about oral cancer, its risks, and the appropriate care it requires.

Summer Break = Wisdom Teeth!

With the summer vacation coming, it's a great time to plan wisdom tooth removal for your school-age kids.We're starting this  summer promotion on 6/20/2012.  But this offer is not limited to wisdom teeth. We're offering a discount on all oral surgery procedures, including wisdom tooth removal, implant surgery, and periodontal surgery.  Read our attached advertisement for details.

Always looking to educate and improve the quality of dental care for our future.

Over the past 7-8 years, I have developed a lot of respect for Mac Lee, a Midwest dentist who has worked very hard to create stronger bonds between dentists and patients. He has written books, and currently blogs about how to communicate the right information to our patients.  I thought it important to post some facts and myths about dental insurance. I rediscovered this information when I joined the Concerned Dentists of Washington State. This group is focused on maintaining a high level of professionalism, ethics, and equality in dentistry.  Please give me feedback or questions about the content.  Thanks!