It is well-known that tobacco use is a health hazard. Chewing or smoking tobacco can lead to problems in the lungs and throat, and it is infamous in its role as a carcinogen (meaning that it causes cancer). Next to that, dental health may seem unimportant; but it is yet another reason to avoid tobacco use.

One of the more serious dental concerns that can occur in dental patients is periodontitis. Periodontitis causes the degradation of the soft gum tissue as well as the bone structure in the upper and lower jaws which support the teeth. When these supporting structures are compromised, this leads to bleeding, pain, irritation and inflammation in the short term, and loose teeth, pocketing, and eventually loss of teeth in the long term. When the first signs of periodontitis occur, it is critical to see Dr. Silberg, a qualified periodontist who can evaluate your condition and begin treatment as soon as possible.

Tobacco use greatly increases the risk of periodontitis. In fact, studies have shown that those who smoke are at least three times more likely to develop soft gum deterioration, and that bone loss was up to five times more severe than in the cases of those who never smoked.

Because of the oral dryness caused by smoking, infection is also more likely to occur, and therefore the healing process can be prolonged and complicated. The chemicals in cigarette smoke cause deterioration to the lining of the mouth, and prevent the natural flora within the mouth from protecting it as they usually would.  Even when advanced periodontitis is surgically treated, the treatment often fails because of these factors, resulting in the loss of teeth and an unstable environment for replacements such as dental implants.

If you smoke or chew tobacco, be sure to visit your Pittsburgh periodontist to evaluate the health of your bones and gum tissue, and to discuss how you can treat or prevent the bone loss associated with periodontitis. Pittsburgh periodontist Dr Silberg and our team here at The Silberg Center for Dental Science are qualified and experienced in the treatment of gum disease in patients who use or have used tobacco. Please contact us or stop by today to discuss your options and to get you on your way to a speedy recovery and a strong, healthy smile.

Have you ever been astonished by the smell of bad breath, only to realize in horror that the bad breath was your own? Luckily, most instances of halitosis or bad breath can be prevented quite simply. Read on for the common causes of bad breath and how to prevent them.

Causes of Halitosis

Certain Foods and Habits

Eating foods with strong odors such as onions or garlic can temporarily cause bad breath. Habits such as smoking also contribute to more lasting bad breath.

Dry Mouth

Chronic dry mouth (xerostomia) or a temporarily dry mouth can cause bad breath because there is not enough saliva in the mouth to neutralize acids and wash away dead cells.

Improper Oral Hygiene

If you do not brush and floss your teeth regularly, bacteria to build up inside your mouth, which is a leading cause of bad breath.  It can also cause gum disease, which makes the bacteria multiply even faster in the periodontal pockets, making your bad breath even worse.  If you’re suffering from gum disease in Pittsburgh, don’t hesitate to set up an appointment with our team of specialists today.

Medical Conditions

There are many different medical conditions and illnesses such as xerostomia (dry mouth), salivary gland problems, pneumonia, sinus infections, diabetes, chronic acid reflux, postnasal drip, and kidney or liver problems that can cause chronic bad breath. Unfortunately, there is not much that you can do if your bad breath is caused by an underlying health issue, until you clear up the cause.

Halitosis Prevention

Good Oral Hygiene

The best thing you can do to prevent bad breath is to practice good oral hygiene.  Brush your teeth and tongue at least twice a day and after every time you eat, and use floss to remove food and plaque stuck between the teeth at least once a day.

Visit the Dentist

Don’t skip your semiannual visit with Dr. Silberg, as we do not only give you a professional teeth cleaning, but check for diseases such as periodontal disease or dry mouth.

Drink Water

Bad breath is often caused by a dry mouth, so make sure that you drink plenty of water.  You should drink ½ oz to 1 ounce of water each day for every pound that you weigh.

Quit Smoking

Smoking causes not only bad breath, but stained teeth, irritated gums, and many health problems as well. The best thing you can do for your health is reduce or eliminate your use of tobacco.

If you have bad breath and don’t know the cause, we can help. Contact the Silberg Center for Dental Science to make an appointment, and let us help you find a solution to your problem.

Canker sores, also known as aphthous ulcers, are small ulcers in the mouth caused by various irritants. There are two main types of canker sores: simple canker sores and complex canker sores. Simple canker sores crop up a few times a year, lasting a few days to a week, while complex canker sores are rare, and crop up in people who have previously had canker sores. Complex canker sores may be accompanied by swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion and possibly fever. Canker sores are not contagious, but no one is quite sure what causes them.

Causes of Canker Sores

There is an old wive’s tale that canker sores are caused by eating too many tomatoes, but that isn’t always the case. As stated above, no one is quite sure what causes canker sores, but it is likely that there are many causes which all produce similar symptoms. Possibilities include:

• Food allergies
• Eating acidic foods such as lemons, oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, etc.  
• Irritants in the mouth such as braces, dentures, or mouth piercings
• Consistent stress
• Underlying health conditions such as improper nutrition, celiac disease, impaired immune system, iron deficiency, etc.
• Accidentally biting your cheek
• Brushing your teeth too hard
• Hormonal shifts
• Family history of canker sores
• And many more.

The Difference Between Canker Sores and Cold Sores

Although they are commonly mistaken for each other, cold sores and canker sores are very different. Cold sores are painful blisters caused by a viral infection, and they usually appear outside the mouth on the lips or under the nose  (canker sores tend to stay inside the mouth). Unlike canker sores, cold sores are very contagious, so you should avoid contact.

Healing a Canker Sore

If left alone, most canker sores heal within a few weeks, and any pain caused by a canker sore should subside within 10 days. However, if the pain is unusually strong, come in to the Silberg Center for Dental Science, your periodontist in Pittsburgh, and we can give you a prescription that may help, such as a mouth rinse, topical products (such as Benzocaine, Fluocinonide, or hydrogen peroxide), or oral medications; or we can provide cautery (burning) of the sore. Home remedies include: a baking soda or salt water rinse, avoiding spicy or acidic foods, applying ice to the wound, placing a whole clove on the infected area, or doing a hydrogen peroxide rinse.  

Preventing Canker Sores

The best way to prevent canker sores is to be careful of what you put in your mouth. Be careful not to eat foods that irritate your mouth, be gentle when brushing your teeth, eat healthy, and try to reduce your stress levels.

At the Silberg Center for Dental Science, we want to help you keep your mouth healthy and comfortable. While canker sores are not always avoidable, we’ll do whatever we can to make them bearable.

A mild and common form of gum disease, gingivitis results in the redness, inflammation and irritation of your gums. Often because it is mild, it goes undetected in patients. It is, however, a serious condition as it can lead to eventual tooth loss if it remains undetected for an extended period of time. We encourage you to continue reading below to learn more about the signs of gingivitis and some treatment tips to ensure that you fight gum disease.

What are the Signs of Gingivitis?

Gingivitis isn’t too hard to detect – you should be able to look in the mirror and feel your gums to determine whether or not you are suffering from gum disease. You can come into our office where we will perform a thorough examination to make that determination, but at home, there are several signs to look for when detecting gingivitis. If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may have gingivitis:

• Persistent bad breath.
• Gums that feel tender, soft, puffy, or swollen.
• Gums that are receding.
• Gums that are a dusky red instead of a healthy pink.
• Gums that bleed when you floss or brush.

How Can I Treat Gingivitis?

With poor oral hygiene being the main cause of gingivitis, the first thing you should focus on for treatment is practicing good oral health habits. This includes brushing a minimum of twice a day, flossing at least once a day, and receiving regular dental checkups and professional cleanings. The dental checkup is crucial because we can demonstrate to you the proper techniques for brushing and flossing; improper technique could be why the gingivitis is occurring. A proper dental cleaning also allows for the plaque and tartar to be removed—taking out the main causes behind gingivitis.

Gingivitis Examinations and Questions

You should have a better idea of what gingivitis can do to a person now. If you have any questions regarding what you’ve read, please contact us as we’d be happy to help answer your questions and address your concerns. You can make an appointment with our Pittsburgh, PA, office to get an examination for gum disease, a teeth cleaning, or any other procedure that you need. Silberg Center for Dental Science is to help you and your family with keeping their mouths happy and healthy – ensuring that you’re well equipped against gingivitis.

You may not have any missing teeth, but if you feel that something about your smile is just “off,” it may be due to the fact that your gums rest too low on your teeth. If that’s the case, you’re the perfect candidate to receive a cosmetic gum lift.

A gum lift will even out your gum line, providing you with a smile that you won’t be afraid to flash as often as you can. One of the best things about gum lifts is the fact that your local Pittsburgh periodontist can perform this procedure right here in our office.

The procedure is very simple: you’ll head to Dr. Silberg’s office, and we’ll use a combination of techniques to get your gums looking marvelous. Often, Dr. Silberg will use a pen or marker to illustrate where your new gum line will appear in your smile. You can expect a local anesthetic to be applied to the area (just like when cavities are filled) and the usual discomfort associated with any dental procedure.

The recovery process after you undergo a cosmetic gum lift varies from person to person. It’s recommended that you limit your activity level the day of the surgery, and to expect to wait at least three days to a week for your gums to heal completely. Dr. Silberg will give you very specific instructions on how you can help your gums heal more quickly. Following these instructions to the letter will make the process as comfortable as possible. You’ll obviously be advised to eat soft foods – yogurt, cheese, ice cream, eggs, and pasta for the first few days after your surgery. You’ll also be given direct instructions on how to brush your teeth following the gum lift.

In the end, your gum cosmetic gum lift will drastically improve the quality of your smile. If you think you’re in need of a cosmetic gum lift, get on the phone today or schedule a consultation online.

If you’re considering getting dental implants in Pittsburgh, you should give careful consideration to who should perform the procedure. While many dentists across varying specialties advertise this service, and many are competent in it, the best chance of success comes from someone who specializes in the supporting structures of a mouth—in other words, a periodontist.

However realistic a dental implant may look, it isn’t living tissue. The only living tissue at an implant site is the gum and bone being operated on—the primary focus of a periodonist’s training. This expertise comes in handy before, during, and after the process of placing an implant. Before, we need to monitor the health of your mouth and make sure you’re in the best shape possible, to give the implant its best chance of success. During, we work with the bone and gum to fit them around the implant in a way that is secure, natural, and comfortable. And afterward, one of the most important things to do is to monitor the implant site for signs of any complications.

The need for a periodontist’s specialized knowledge becomes even more apparent when you consider that most tooth loss in adults is due to periodontal disease. If you have lost teeth to anything other than a sudden accident, chances are the infection remains active. A dental implant can’t be placed in infected tissue without risking implant failure; instead, the infection must be treated to prepare you for the implant procedure. Every day, we clean and disinfect irritated periodontal pockets. Our office is even equipped with a soft tissue laser which we can use to sterilize infected gum tissue and encourage new growth. To create the perfect environment for implants, no one is better equipped or qualified than a periodontist.

If you are missing teeth, Dr. Silberg can provide all the care you need. The Silberg Center for Dental Science is the first choice among Pittsburgh Periodontists for many. Call us today, and start on the path to a healthy, brilliant smile.

Periodontal disease will always worsen if not treated. By its very nature, it is self-aggravating and progressive, developing from minor gingivitis to advanced periodontitis if given the time. At every step along the way, the disease damages your tissue, damage which may be difficult or impossible to correct without extensive surgery. As your Pittsburgh periodontist, we’d like you to recognize the stages of gum disease and seek treatment if you need it.

Gingivitis

The name of gingivitis refers specifically to the swelling of your gums and not the infection that causes it. It is also characterized by redness, sensitivity, and easy bleeding. Minor gingivitis can be treated at home with careful brushing and flossing. beyond a certain point, however, you will not be able to address it without help.

Periodontitis

In periodontitis, the gums separate from the teeth, resulting in hollows or “periodontal pockets” against the tooth roots where bacteria gathers and multiplies. This causes tartar buildup on the tooth roots, which further irritates the gums, creating a cycle of worsening gum disease.

Progressive bone loss

Between the activity of bacteria and the body’s immune response, all the tissue surrounding the infected gums will begin to deteriorate, including the alveolar bone. The upper and lower jaws include small wells of bone within which the tooth roots are contained; when those wells are eroded, the teeth are no longer secure, and can shift or even fall out. Periodontal disease is the chief cause of tooth loss in adults—not age.

Treatment options

We offer periodontal therapy to eliminate your infection and teach you to maintain healthy habits. Our treatment options include LANAP, a laser-based treatment which helps reduce periodontal pockets and reverse the progression of gum disease. For those with receded gums, Dr. Silberg is trained in the pinhole surgical technique, a minimally invasive option for restoring recessed gum tissue. Depending on the seriousness of your periodontal disease, you may also require tooth replacement and/or bone grafts.

If you are suffering from gum disease in Pittsburgh, don’t wait. The sooner you seek treatment, the more of your mouth you will preserve. Call today or contact us online to schedule your appointment, and experience the benefits of full periodontal health.

Tooth loss can have a major impact on your quality of life. The tooth replacement you choose has a lasting effect on your gums, your jawbone, and on everything you do with your mouth from that point forward. Although any tooth replacement is better for your health and confidence than none, there is a distinct difference between the available options. While dentures restore a reasonable amount of function, only dental implants offer benefits similar to your natural teeth.

Stability

One of the chief drawbacks of dentures is that they can shift as you’re using them, causing feelings of instability and the worry that the dentures might fall out. Adhesives help, but can wear off too quickly, and the need to apply them and clean them off adds time and bother to your daily routine. Even partial dentures and bridges have similar problems, wobbling and shifting while in use.

Dental implants, on the other hand, are fixed permanently in place. They don’t shift, let alone fall out, and take the same amount of time to maintain as normal teeth.

Health

Once you begin to lose teeth, the rest of your mouth deteriorates from lack of use. Your gums recede, your jawbone weakens, and other teeth will drift from their positions. Dentures do nothing to help and can even accelerate the process by placing unaccustomed pressure on your jawbone. The only tooth replacements which actively work to keep your bone and gums healthy are dental implants. The post of an implant replaces your tooth roots, encouraging the bone and gums to grow against it instead of receding.

Aesthetics

While we attempt to make every dental prosthetic as realistic as possible, there are limits to what we can accomplish. Dentures will always be a separate appliance in your mouth, which may become visible or even fall out. Partial dentures have to be fastened in place, and those fastenings are often visible.

Individual dental implants are the most realistic, least obtrusive dental prosthetic available. Because they are implanted in your jaw with the fixtures covered by your gums, they look virtually identical to your natural teeth, allowing you to smile with confidence.

Implant-Secured Dentures

Even if you decide that dentures are the option that makes the most sense for you, you can still reap some of the benefits of dental implants. Using just a few implants to fasten your dentures will increase their stability immensely and eliminate the risk of dentures falling out. It will also benefit your jaw and gums—perhaps not as much as individual implants, but enough to make a difference.

Whether you have recently lost teeth or have been wearing dentures for years, dental implants can restore your mouth and change your life. Contact the Silberg Center for Dental Science today to find out whether you qualify for dental implants.