Does Oral Health Affect Your Heart?

Brushing your teeth every day keeps them cleaner, improves your breath, and reduces plaque buildup. But did you know that there may be a connection between your dental health and chronic illness? Some scientific evidence suggests that poor dental health may be linked to cardiovascular disease. Although more research is needed to explore this association, it provides yet another reason to brush your teeth twice per day, floss daily, and visit your dentist regularly.

Over 2,400 people die from cardiovascular disease each day, making it an immense public health problem. Cardiovascular disease occurs when arteries become harder, making it more difficult for blood to easily pass through your circulatory system. Plaques also build up in your blood vessels, further restricting blood flow. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, affects nearly 75% of the U.S. population, according to the American Academy of Periodontology. It is a chronic inflammatory condition that can cause bone and gum tissue to deteriorate, causing bad breath, swollen or bleeding gums, sensitive teeth, and loose teeth.

If periodontal disease affects your teeth and cardiovascular disease affects your heart, what’s the connection between the two? Scientists have known for years that the two conditions share several risk factors. Increasing age, cigarette smoking, and type 2 diabetes increase your risk of developing both periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. None of these risk factors, however, explain the causal mechanism connecting the two conditions.

According to a 2009 review article by the editors of the American Journal of Cardiology and the Journal of Periodontology, one possible explanation is inflammation. Moderate to severe periodontal disease triggers chronic systemic inflammation, affecting not only your mouth but also your circulatory system, leading to cardiovascular disease. Another hypothesis is that bacteria from your mouth can cause heart disease. People with periodontal disease have billions of bacteria and other microorganisms teeming in their mouths. Chewing food and brushing your teeth release these bacteria into the bloodstream. The Harvard Heart Letter reports that the types of bacteria that cause periodontitis have been associated with plaque buildup in your arteries.

Not all scientific findings have shown a relationship between the two conditions. In April 2012, the American Heart Association published a scientific statement in the journal Circulation denying that gum disease causes heart attacks or stroke. The American Dental Association’s Council on Scientific Affairs and the World Heart Federation also endorsed the statement, agreeing that there is no conclusive evidence that the conditions are related. More scientific research needs to be performed to determine the exact relationship between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease.

Although the scientific evidence has been mixed, periodontal disease can be very harmful to your health even if it does not lead to cardiovascular disease. It is important to reduce your risk of gum disease by careful tooth brushing, frequent flossing, and regular trips to the dentist.

Guard your mouth this Summer

A lot of our patients play sports, and now is a great time to remind all of you to take care of your mouth while participating in summer sports – especially contact sports such as soccer, football, baseball and basketball.

One of the most important pieces of sports equipment you can wear on the field this summer is a mouth guard. A well-fitted mouth guard allows you to breathe and speak more clearly, in addition to protecting your mouth. Only by using a mouth guard can athletes avoid serious mouth and jaw injuries. The next time you’re in for an appointment, we encourage you to let us know if you’re playing or planning to play any sports. We can recommend a mouth guard that will work best for you. Also, here are five quick tips for keeping yourself safe during sport activities this summer:

• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eyewear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant, even as a spectator

We hope this helps! You can always contact us if you have any questions! Good luck on the field!

Are dental implants right for you?

If you have missing teeth, it is crucial to replace them. Without all your teeth, chewing and eating can destabilize your bite and cause you discomfort. Dental implants are a great option for replacing missing or badly diseased teeth. A dental implant offers comfort, support, stability, and is as close to a natural tooth that a restoration can be.

There are many benefits to dental implants:

• Dental implants restore your ability to chew food properly.
• They fill out a face that may otherwise look sunken in because of missing teeth.
• They don’t need to be removed for overnight cleaning and soaking.
• No adhesives are needed.
• You’ll feel more confident to show off your smile to the world.
• Each implant is created to fit in perfectly with the look of the rest of your teeth.

Dental implants would be an appropriate treatment for you if you’re in good health, have healthy gums, and have enough bone structure to support an implant. A simple visit with our office will reveal if a dental implant is the best option to restore your smile to its absolute best.

"Like" us on Facebook, and YOU could win GREAT prizes!

At Dr. Tieken’s office, we value the relationships we’ve developed with our patients over the years. Even if you visit our convenient League City office on a regular basis, did you know you can always connect with us on Facebook and other social networks?

In fact, if you’re one of the first 500 people who “Like” us at Facebook.com/DerekTieken, you will be automatically entered for a chance to win a complimentary in-office whitening ($600 value), an Amazon Kindle or a Visa gift card that can be spent anywhere!

By “Liking” us on Facebook, you will receive contest news, updates and announcements – all through your news feed!

See you on Facebook and GOOD LUCK everyone!

Share your Fourth of July plans with us!

This upcoming Sunday - which happens to be Independence Day, of course - Dr. Derek Tieken and our staff will celebrate our nation's 234th birthday. For most folks, the Fourth of July is a chance to celebrate and commemorate America's Declaration of Independence. It's also a time for every American to pay homage to all our soldiers, past, present and future - who lost their lives in battle - and the brave servicemen- and women who place themselves in harm's way every day so that we may continue enjoy our freedoms.

Today, we thought we'd ask: what are your Fourth of July weekend plans? Are you heading to a barbecue? A picnic? Hitting the open road with family? Having fun in the sun?

Whatever you might be doing over Independence Day weekend, our entire staff hope you have a great week and a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend! Feel free to post your Independence Day photos on our Facebook page!

More happy patients of Dr. Tieken's!

Dr. Derek Tieken and our team love getting patient testimonials from current and former patients. Here are a few reviews we received recently - you can see our patients like us and we love our patients!

"I just have huge confidence in him and his staff." ~ Karen K.

"The quality of the employees and their superior attitudes." ~ Charles K.

"During my first visit, Dr. Tieken was very professional and informative, and I felt comfortable expressing my concerns. The staff were also professional and attentive. The office is very elegant and relaxing. My co-worker saw Dr. Tieken on TV." ~ Glenda K.

"They make our family feel wanted." ~ Gail S.

"Very professional and willing to listen." ~ Debra M.

Write a Review of Dr. Tieken and team!

Your smile says so much about you, but if you are not satisfied with the appearance of your smile, it may not be saying anything at all. At the dental practice of Dr. Derek Tieken, we want to help you achieve a beautiful, confident, aesthetic smile that says it all!

Dr. Tieken and our team use the latest technology in our state-of-the-art dental facility to deliver the most advanced and accurate cosmetic treatments available. For over 20 years, our practice has offered cosmetic veneers, and today our offerings have grown to include Invisalign® invisible braces, advanced teeth whitening, and full smile makeovers.

Whether you've visited J. Derek Tieken DDS, for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about how we're doing! There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice with the rest of the world, but we encourage you to head to our Google Local page and write a review there.

After all, reviews help Dr. Tieken and our team create more beautiful smiles for patients in League City, Houston, Seabrook, Webster, Kemah and surrounding communities.

You may write a review here.

Thank you and enjoy your week!

Oral cancer screening with VELscope® at J. Derek Tieken DDS

In our continuing efforts to provide the most advanced technology and highest quality dental care, the office of J. Derek Tieken is proud to include the VELscope® Oral Cancer Screening System as an integral part of our comprehensive oral cancer screening program. Every hour of every day in the United States someone dies of oral cancer, which is the sixth most common diagnosed form of the disease. The 5-year survival rate is only 50 percent, and oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved.

But there's a revolutionary device that provides Dr. Tieken with an easy-to-use oral examination system for the early detection of abnormal soft tissue. Clinical studies have determined that using VELscope after the standard oral cancer examination improves the dentist's ability to identify, evaluate and monitor suspicious areas at their earliest stages. Early detection of pre-cancerous tissue can minimize or eliminate the potentially disfiguring effects of oral cancer and possibly save your life.

So, how does it work? VELscope emits a safe blue light into your mouth, which causes the tissue to appear different colours through the viewfinder. This allows Dr. Tieken to tell the difference between normal and abnormal tissue. Best of all, the procedure is quick, painless and potentially life-saving. Ask Dr. Tieken about a screening at your next appointment!

Happy Monday!

Oh no! Houston makes the ‘14 worst-teeth cities’ list!

What makes for a beautiful smile? Dr. Tieken and our staff will tell you regular dental visits, brushing and flossing, not smoking, minimizing your intake of soda and coffee, among other things, will maximize your chances of achieving optimal oral health. In 2009, TotalBeauty released their list of the “14 Worst-Teeth Cities,” and our team at J. Derek Tieken DDS is sad to report Houston was chosen among the fourteen.

Here’s an excerpt from the article: "Houston residents drink more cola than anywhere else in the country. That plus their ranking of no. 49 in dental visits and no. 41 in dentists per capita doesn't bode well for healthy teeth. Their hard water can also contribute to stains and their ranking as no. 6 in fattest cities means their teeth and gums may be lacking in nutrients and circulation as well."

Have you been perfecting your smile by visiting J. Derek Tieken DDS on a regular basis? If not, it’s time to schedule an appointment! And don’t forget the old dental saying: “Be true to your teeth or they’ll be false to you!”