Tounge Piercing

I have observed people with tongue piercings are more prone to oral health problems.
Meticulous oral hygiene needs to be performed as the tongue is the most vascular (blood and other vessels) organ in the mouth.

Piercings accumulate plaque and bacteria that can cause bad breath, tongue infections and morbidity (illness). The barbell end of the jewelry pierced through the tongue, or lip can lead to chipped teeth, difficulty in swallowing and speech alteration. It is common for the tongue to swell up for several days after the piercing procedure; which may cause permanent numbness and/or paralyze the tongue. A more traumatic injury may lead to serious difficulty breathing due the swelling that may block the trachea (wind pipe). Smoking and drinking following oral piercings causes immediate infection.

The social implications are understood by few wearers of tongue piercings. Young people using it for decoration may not be aware that the general view of the public is that tongue piercings are worn by people for enhancing the oral sex experience.

Piercings are not readily acceptable by many employers. In my opinion, if the truth be told, tattoos and piercings stigmatize the wearer and while acceptable in some employment circumstances wearers are readily excluded from others. It is hard to find a job even if you have great qualifications. So do not give employers a reason to disqualify you. If you have a tongue ring, take it out before going on interviews.

Proper oral hygiene requires that we brush our teeth and cleans the different parts of the oral cavity at least 2 times a day. Piercings should be cleansed more often and whenever possible, removed entirely to clean and allow oral rinses to wash out the hole in the tongue.
For more information on Poindexter Dental visit our website at http://www.poindexterdental.com.

Looking for Kid Web Model

Poindexter Dental is searching for a kid web model to appear on our website. Please submit pictures of your cute kids brushing their teeth. The winner will be the web model on our website and our kid spokes-model on several how to videos. Submit Pictures to drpoindexter@sbcglobal.net or drop your pictures off at 7703 Cullen Blvd Houston, TX 77051. For more information please call us at 713-734-7611. Contest is for kids ages 2-12. Contest ends May 7th.

Cancer and Dental Health

Recently we attended the Sister Network’s Annual National African American Breast Cancer Conference. It was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Houston, TX and the finale was a “Stop the Silence Walk” for breast cancer. Our main goal for attending the conference was not only to support Karen Jackson, but also to educate women on chemotherapy and dental health. We spoke to about sixty women and only one out of sixty had any previous knowledge about the effects that chemotherapy has on ones teeth. Though our communication with these women was short, many of them appreciated what we told them some of them wished that they would have had more knowledge about the effects of treatment on the teeth before they went through chemotherapy. Most women after chemo explained that they have had many dental problems which resulted in extensive and costly some cosmetic dentistry done. Many didn’t have any problems before the chemotherapy so they felt as though the procedures were responsible for the changes in their dental health. Some of the information we shared with them is that chemotherapy affects the glands in your mouth that produce saliva. As part of the initial process of food digestion, the enzymes in the saliva break down some of the starch and fat in the food at the molecular level. Saliva also breaks down food caught in the teeth, protecting them from bacteria that cause decay. Furthermore, saliva lubricates and protects the teeth, the tongue, and the tender tissues inside the mouth. So you can see why not being able to produce saliva can be very harmful to someone’s oral health. You are advised to see your dentist at least 2 weeks before you start chemotherapy our suggestion is that as soon as you are diagnosed with cancer you schedule a consultation with your dentist. If you have any dental issues you will have them fixed immediately and then get instructions for how to care for your teeth during chemotherapy. It shouldn’t stop there! Periodic visits to your dentist during chemotherapy can also help. A dentist can provide you with fluoride treatment that can help prevent decay, give you medication that can help stimulate your salivary glands, give you a possible saliva substitute, offer suggestions to replace minerals in your teeth or even prescribe different rinses to help fight infection. Additionally instruct you to use Sensodyne or a non abrasive tooth paste, fluoride gels and soft bristle tooth brushes. Ulceration of the oral mucus is a sequelae associated with changes in the oral microflora and lack of saliva production. Mucositis may be caused by either radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Mucositis is an inflammation of mucous membranes in the mouth. This can cause pain, infection, bleeding and the inability to breathe or eat normally. In patients receiving chemotherapy, mucositis will heal by itself, usually in 2 to 4 weeks when there is no infection. Mucositis caused by radiation therapy usually lasts 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the duration of treatment. Swishing ice chips in the mouth for 30 minutes may help prevent mucositis from developing in patients who are given fluorouracil. Medication may be given to help prevent mucositis or keep it from lasting as long in patients who undergo high-dose chemotherapy. Care of mucositis during chemotherapy and radiation therapy focuses on cleaning the mouth and relieving the symptoms. Treatment of mucositis caused by either radiation therapy or chemotherapy is generally the same. After mucositis has developed, proper treatment depends on its severity and the patient's white blood cell count. Anyone who is suffering from cancer needs the support of their dentist to help them with their oral health. There are studies being conducted that will hopefully one day allow dentist to do a non invasive test, with saliva to detect breast cancer. This way women who routinely visit their dentist will be able to do a test that can help the save their life.

Tooth Sensitivity

Tooth hypersensitivity has many causes. In the age range of 3-6 years old bottle decay, improper diet and poor oral hygiene are primary causes. Ages 7-12 improper diet, poor oral hygiene, dental developmental malformations, and crainio-facial imbalances associated in many cases with upper respiratory problems. Adolescents ages 12-18 manifest para-functional habits such as Bruxism and Clenching that can be tied to other preexisting health problems, but are generally manifestations of stress of some sort. Poor dietary habits, improper brushing and eruption problems with wisdom teeth are often common causes. Young adults 18-25 commonly are plagued with headache and hypersensitivity associated with impacted wisdom teeth. In combination with life stresses at this point, this age group begin to show signs of tooth wear and diseases of the periodontium as continued poor diet and improper hygiene have cumulative effects. Adults in their 20's and
30's appear to level off and or cope with hypersensitivity to a degree. As their habits improve and priorities change due to a sense of maturity or necessity. Adults in the range 40 -70 experience a broad variety of hypersensitivity problems and a condition known as Abfraction plays a predominate role in many cases. Periodontal disease is prevalent and many by this time have lost one or more teeth on either side of their mouths which leads to occlusion problems. Emotional stress is commonly a factor and Cracked Tooth Syndrome is common sequelae. Adults 70 and above experience hypersensitivity to a lesser degree because as we age our teeth become less susceptible; a natural physiological balance in the orofacial complex so to speak. Those patients who have kept the majority of their teeth are generally healthier and tend to lead more active lifestyles. Hypersensitivity may be experienced more from the perspective of wear, a condition know as
Attrition.
All in all good oral hygiene, good dietary habits and checkups 1-2 times per year with a dental professional will decrease the likelihood of suffering with hypersensitivity and lead to keeping your teeth for a lifetime.

An Amazing Honor

In May, my father and I were honored to win the 2009 Health Care Heroes Award in the category of dentistry. After serving the Sunnyside community for more than 50 years, it was a great and humbling experience for both of us to be recognized for our efforts.

As a continuation of that award, the Houston Business Journal -- which sponsored the event -- has featured Dr. Zeb F. Poindexter Jr. and I in the current issue. Find out more information at the Houston Business Journal's Web site. Cheers.

And to all of the current, former, and expectant fathers in the world, may you have a blessed Father's Day.

-Dr. P

The Do's and Don’ts of Dentistry

There are many misconceptions about oral health care, dentistry, and routine procedures. While many people think they know the answers to common dental problems, most are wrong. Here is a list of dental facts to help you during your next appointment:

• Dental work does not have to hurt. Some people may have had bad childhood experiences with the dentist, causing them to fear their appointments and procedures. Come into the office with an open mind -- don't be apprehensive.
• The old wives' tale that your must pull your teeth as you age is not true. If you maintain a schedule of regular routine checkups, dentists will be able to preserve your natural teeth for as long as possible. Routine exams are less costly than finding a resolution to a problem. In some cases, after prolonged decay, the decision whether to pull or save the tooth depends on the infection and/or around the tooth. Prevention is better than cure
• Another old wives' tale is that people have to have their wisdom teeth pulled. The only reason to pull wisdom teeth is if they are crowding the mouth and causing the bite to be comfortable. A dentist will be able to tell you if this should happen.
• The belief that root canal therapy has to hurt is false. In most cases, root canals hurt because the tooth has become infected. Once an infection has set in, the tooth becomes harder to numb. If you visit a dentist as soon as it begins to ache, most of the problems can be avoided.
• Over the course of a life, people may need to replace teeth; but people need to know that implants are not for everyone. A dentist will need to check the bone density to ensure they are strong enough to support the implant or implant system.
• Just like implants, not everyone can have their teeth successfully whitened. The color of your teeth comes from the inside out, so work on the outside is not always effective. There are programs that can help lighten your teeth, but a dentist will need to help you implement them.
• Do not ever leave our child in a dentist's office alone. The apprehension of separation from their parents can cause children to have bad experiences with the dentist. When you combine this with the potentially painful procedure they will have completed, it can cause a permanent fear of the dentist.
  

Simple rules and understandings can make a trip to the dentist much easier on everyone involved. If you have further questions or would like to schedule a consultation, contact our office at 713-734-7611.

'I Make People Smile'

Being a dentist is an important part of our community. The service dentist provide is invaluable -- just ask someone who has had a toothache. Most of all, I get to give back to society in many different ways.

When I am asked what I do for a living, I reply "I get to make people smile." Truly, I enjoy my work because of the relationships, and since both of my parents provided an immeasurable service to the community, I enjoy being able to carry on my family's legacy.

I graduated from the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston in 1984 with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery. I received my Fellowship from the Academy of General Dentistry in 1993. During my 25 years of practice, I have been an instructor, teacher, surgeon, counselor, dentist, husband, father, and friend. In an effort to ensure you get the right information, I will periodically post blogs abut oral health care and our community.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call my office at 713-734-7611.