Lehigh Valley Smile Designs October 2019

Lehigh Valley Smile Designs October 2019

OCT 2019

The Undisputed Tooth

610-868-7601 | www.drpetrillo.com

The Relationship BetweenMedical and Dental Connecting the Dots

Dentistry has come a long way over the years. A typical dentist appointment 30 years ago may have only consisted of a quick search for cavities, but this is no longer the case. As technology advances and our understanding of the dentistry field grows, we’re becoming more and more aware of how essential oral health is. When our patients come for an appointment, they will experience a thorough examination, helping to ensure they are completely healthy. It’s critical to understand the connection between dentistry and medicine. In our last edition of the newsletter, I wrote about the importance of our newest medical division, LV Sleep Solutions, and how it benefits patients who suffer from sleep apnea. For this edition, I want to explain why we look at how the teeth are positioned in the mouth in addition to checking the airways of our patients. People may not realize how detrimental crooked teeth can be for their overall health, but oral health significantly affects the body. Research shows that many health problems, including cardiovascular diseases, relate to gum disease, which causes inflammation and infection in the mouth. In particular, someone who has misaligned teeth may face physical and emotional health problems throughout their life.

The proper alignment of teeth is critical to a person’s health. I’ve seen many patients who come into my dental office with severely misaligned teeth who either haven’t been chewing properly for years or don’t know how to chew at all. Your teeth are designed to break down food, and if they’re not positioned in their intended places, they won’t function as they’re supposed to. Food that isn’t broken down correctly will have a considerable effect on the body’s digestive system. Without the proper chewing ability, food will enter the digestive tract in larger sizes, and even the sulfuric acid in the stomach will be insufficient to break it down. The larger particles that are left exit the stomach, entering the small intestine, which is when damage occurs. At this stage, these large particles will be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. This includes any toxins that would otherwise be expelled from the body. The end result is inflammation being spread throughout the body that can lead to organ failure and even heart attacks. Misalignment can also cause the edges of teeth to break and wear down prematurely, which can lead to fractures and abscesses in the root canals. However, these aren’t the only issues people with misaligned teeth will have to face. Someone who has crooked or worn teeth may also lack self-confidence and self-esteem. Individuals with poor teeth may be afraid to smile, which can make it difficult to connect with an authority figure during job interviews, make good impressions on a first date, or look comfortable in family photos.

Invisalign enables us to straighten teeth without the uncomfortable effect of hard, steel braces, as it uses flexible and comfortable aligners. They’re completely removable, making it convenient when a patient needs to brush and floss their teeth or when they’re at a social gathering. This is one part of a much larger picture of why oral health is so crucial to the entire body. We hope to continue providing you with useful information about the dentistry field with our monthly newsletter. Dr. Mike Petrillo

There are several methods to correctly realign teeth, and one of the most popular is Invisalign.

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What You Can Do to Protect Yourself From Phone Scams and Robocalls

Two of the most common scams are phone scams and robocalls. These calls are incredibly annoying and can trick you out of valuable information if you’re not careful. While it might seem like these scams are inescapable, there are some precautions you can take to avoid their traps.

There are also a number of call-blocking apps available on Android and Apple devices, but if you subscribe to a blocking service through your phone provider, these apps are unnecessary. Finally, you can sign up for the Federal Trade Commission’s “Do Not Call” program (DoNotCall. gov). While the Do Not Call program can help cut back on calls, this list is largely ignored by scammers. If you’re getting a ridiculous number of robocalls every day, signing up can offer you some brief respite. Thankfully, Congress is already attempting to fix this problem by making it harder for scammers to call you. But until they are able to pass tough, effective legislation, it is up to us as consumers to remain vigilant and do what we can to keep our personal and financial >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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