(360) 629-7229

7204 267th St. NW, Suite 102
Stanwood, WA 98292

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New Technology Announcement

Sample CBCT Software Analysis

We are excited to announce the installation of a new digital cone beam CT machine at Cascadia Dentistry!  Cone beam CT (CBCT) technology is a great tool for diagnosing a variety of conditions as it gives us a three-dimensional view of the hard tissue of your skull allowing us to map critical areas such as your trigeminal nerve and maxillary sinus without exploratory surgery.  A CBCT scan is instrumental in treatment planning for any implant placement and restoration and has quickly become the standard of care.  Once a scan is obtained it even allows us to fabricate surgical guides for surgeries like sinus lifts and implant placement(s) which ultimately makes your surgery easier. 

Previously we utilized a third-party service to acquire CBCT scans which required scheduling and payment through a mobile service which was just another hurdle to get through when planning for your surgery.  The ability to take CBCT scans on site will remove that hurdle altogether and provides us easy access to obtaining any scans as we need them.

We are very pleased and excited to announce this new development at our office.  We always strive to balance the need for advancing our technology with the timing that will best serve our patients.  If you would like to discuss how this change may serve your dental needs, please do not hesitate to contact us at 360-629-7229.

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Chronic Bad Breath? Causes and Treatment.

Rapidly Dividing Oral Bacteria

Bad breath or what is known clinically as halitosis, can be embarrassing.  For most of us it is pretty infrequent occurrence but for others they suffer from this condition chronically.  So, what causes this phenomenon and what can be done about it?

Although short term bad breath may be due to whatever you just ate, think garlic and onions, longer term bad breath is a bit harder to deal with.  If you just had something stinky to eat, the best way to deal with that is to try and get rid of the remaining food odor either rinsing with water and/or chewing sugar free gum to trigger your salivary flow to help rinse and cleanse your mouth. 

If you suffer from chronic bad breath it is more likely due to the presence of bacteria that release noxious odors that are hiding in the many nooks and crannies of your mouth.  There are a couple obvious places that bacteria like to hide in your mouth.  If you can manage to disrupt these colonies of bacteria, your bad breath should subside.

The most obvious place bacteria like to hide is your teeth.  If you have a lot of buildup on your teeth, this buildup is comprised of colonies upon colonies of bacteria.  We recommend visits (for most of you) of every six months to see our hygiene team to help in removing this buildup as it’s impossible to remove tartar with an ordinary toothbrush.  Another location on your teeth that is commonly forgotten, is between your teeth.  Correct and regular flossing and/or waterpiking can help disrupt these colonies of bacteria to help keep their numbers low.

Other areas that are often underestimated are your taste buds on your tongue.  If you have a condition known as “hairy tongue”, “fissured tongue”, etc, your anatomy may be trapping bacteria making it harder to clean your tongue.  If you are not brushing your tongue already, try that.  If you have tried this already, take a look at your local drug store or online for a “tongue scraper” – these can work wonderfully.

Bad breath can be a pretty significant sign of a larger underlying dental condition known as periodontal disease.  Periodontal disease is a chronic and non-painful condition that leads to the destruction of the bone around your teeth and can lead to eventual tooth loss if left untreated.  Similarly to bacteria hiding between your teeth, periodontal disease leads to the loss of bone around your teeth creating new areas, below your gum line, where bacteria will fester.

If you have not been in to visit us recently and would like a dental exam to address this and any other dental conditions you may have, please feel free to call us at (360) 629-7229.

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DIY Orthodontics

Lately I have been seeing a lot of advertising and interest in “do it yourself” orthodontics. Multiple start-up companies are heading to the internet to promote “clear braces” – all completed in the comfort of your own home. While this may seem compelling to some, caution should be taken when considering something as personal and important as the alignment of your teeth. Though it may be possible to correct some minor orthodontic issues with a do-it-yourself program, bypassing your general dentist or orthodontist to improve your smile can be an ill-advised treatment option.

The most comparable version of do-it-yourself orthodontic treatment is the Invisalign program, a service offered by Cascadia Dentistry and other general dentists as well as many orthodontists. A big consideration for Invisalign versus traditional braces is whether you are even a good candidate for one option or the other. There are many ways teeth can move and not all of them are easy. Similarly, health considerations and general overall dental health is important to consider when deciding between these two options. For instance, some patients should not move their teeth at all due to poor periodontal health. If you suffer from uncontrolled periodontitis, moving your teeth can lead to a significant worsening of your condition. Do-it-yourself orthodontics programs may indicate they have qualified and trained professionals to make the assessment as to whether you are a good candidate for treatment, but their ability to do so is limited without seeing you in person for an exam.

Assuming that you are a good candidate for Invisalign over traditional braces, there remain other considerations for safely performing do-it-yourself braces. Once we establish that you are a good candidate for Invisalign, we work closely with orthodontists and technicians online to establish a customized treatment plan. Treatment plans vary significantly, however, they typically involve placing tooth-colored attachments on your teeth to give each tray the anchorage they need. Similarly, we periodically need to perform a procedure throughout your treatment progression to make minor adjustments to your teeth to allow for more room for movements. Both of these treatments should only be performed by a trained professional and without them, your ultimate goal of straighter teeth and a healthier smile may not be achievable.

If you would like to discuss further, please contact us today. We are always a resource to discuss your treatment options so that you make an informed decision for your oral health.

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Non-fluoridated Toothpastes

Occasionally, patients will ask for guidance with the use of fluoride as it relates to their dental care. I understand their concerns as there can be some misinformation about its risks.  I have talked about the many benefits of fluoride use before and continue to remain a firm advocate of its responsible use based upon the extensive research conducted on this naturally-occurring compound.  Per the American Dental Association (ADA): “More than 70 years of scientific research has consistently shown that an optimal level of fluoride in community water is safe and effective in preventing tooth decay by at least 25% in both children and adults. Simply by drinking water, Americans can benefit from fluoride’s cavity protection whether they are at home, work or school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named community water fluoridation one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.” (See https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/advocating-for-the-public/fluoride-and-fluoridation). 

 
Recently, I encountered new research that provides further evidence on the continued responsible use of fluoride.  New research results, published by the National Institute of Health, conclude that the use of non-fluoride containing toothpastes do not aid in the prevention of cavities.  In essence, the primary benefit of utilizing toothpaste while brushing is caries prevention. For patients that choose non-fluoride containing toothpastes, this recent research continues to support existing evidence that these patients will see higher rates of tooth decay.  I encourage those looking for more information to review the peer-reviewed findings published at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29766564. 

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Opioids in Dentistry

As the current opioid epidemic continues to grow and impact communities across our nation, one of the challenges I face as a dental provider is assisting my patients in very real pain while also considering the body of evidence linking opioid overprescription with addiction.  To address this correlation, I’d like to briefly discuss the practices I have always followed in prescribing pain relievers.  First, there are many compelling studies that show that taking Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen together at certain dosages are more effective than traditional opioid medications (see https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/25/well/common-pain-relievers-beat-opioids-for-dental-pain-relief.html).  Studies have examined the way in which these two medications, when taken together, amplify each other and become more effective at controlling pain.  For many adult patients, a dosage of 600mg of Ibuprofen (3x Advil regular strength) and 650mg of Acetaminophen (Tylenol 2x regular strength) taken together every 5-6 hours can help to manage pain until we are able to determine the dental issue they may be experiencing, or during recovery post treatment.

Opioids, although a good pain reliever, have some very nasty side effects. The most obvious effect of opioids is that they are incredibly addictive. National prescription policies have been linked with a substantial increase in opioid related deaths and higher levels of addiction nationwide.  Long-term dependence on opioids, besides its damaging effects on the addicted individual’s quality of life as it relates to mental, social and financial considerations, can cause major health concerns, including nausea and vomiting, constipation, liver damage, brain damage due to hypoxia (depressed breathing) and in many cases, death. Opioids impair mental and physical activity and should be avoided in patients needing to drive or operate heavy machinery.

We understand that dental emergencies happen and pain is, unfortunately, a significant side effect of any oral condition.  It has long been the policy of Cascadia Dentistry to only prescribe any opioid-containing medications as a last resort and only at minimal quantities.  Our first line of pain management will continue to be the combination of Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen to help our patients manage their discomfort until we can assist with addressing the source of their pain through treatment at our office.

If you have any questions about this policy or how Cascadia is focused on reducing the risk of addiction in our communities, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss further. For more information about our nation’s opioid epidemic, please see https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prescribing/guideline.html