What are your lucky number?

We are all inundated with numbers these days. There are even "sleep number beds"! Your gums have numbers too. When you visit our office, Dr Johnson or the hygienist will exam your gums and measure the "pocket depth" and call out a bunch of numbers. What do they mean? Well if they are calling out 1-3, you are doing a good job cleaning your teeth on a regular basis. I they call out 4-5, you have some work to do. You need to go get new floss and interdental cleaners; and, then get busy changing your oral hygiene routines. If they call out numbers 6 or above, you have a problem. At this point , there is calculus built up below the gumline and trapping bacteria in your gums. You need this removed so that your gums can begin to heal . Dr Johnson usually prescribes a prescription anti inflammatory mouth rinse to use as part of a vigorous oral hygiene regime.

If the numbers are about about 7 or 8 , you may already be in danger of losing your teeth due to bone loss.

So, you see, regular visits to the dentist really is important. Some people seem to genetically programmed to build up plaque and calculus and require cleanings 3-4 times per year. Some can get by with 2 times per year. The important thing is to find out what your numbers are!

Call us today to make your cleaning appointment.

Brian Johnson DMD

1240 Upper Hembree Road

Suite C

Roswell, GA 30076

(770)993-9809

http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Do you blog, tweet, FB,...?

We'll meet you where ever you go in the social networks! We are currently on FB, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Blogger. If you enjoy any of these, connect with us!



Dr. Brian Johnson

1240 Upper Hembree Road

Suite C

Roswell, GA30076

(770)993-9809

http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Dr Oz weighs in on dental plaque

Don't you love the way your teeth feel when you first get them cleaned! I don't want to eat anything , just want to keep them nice and shiny! That could be a great diet trick, but I digress...



So, you get your cleaning, your hygienist and your dentist tell you to brush and floss after every meal and at bedtime. Of course they do, it's their job to say that , you think to yourself. You think to yourself, "I'm going to do just what they say this time. I'm going to come back and they will tell me what a great job I'm doing" .

The question for the day is what happens if you don't brush and floss after meals and at bedtime?Well, plaque builds up in as little time as six hours. Dr Oz had a show on recently had showed a big bucket of plaque. It looked alot like Elmer's glue. I will tell you was gross! It will stick to your teeth and begin to change into calculus. Guess what, calculus can't be removed by a tooth brush. It can only be removed by the scaler the hygienist used to scrape with! Multiply that times how many times you don't remove the pesky plaque and before you know it, there is a "plug"of calculus at the base of your teeth and it lets nasty bacteria set up residence underneath it . The bacteria also likes to find it's way into your bloodstream. It can attack the sides of your arteries. Wait!!! You thought you were reading about teeth , not coronary heart disease.... ! Well, periodontal disease has been proven to lead to heart disease... among other systemic diseases...



So, when you are told to brush and floss after every meal and at bedtime, maybe you should!!!!



If you are due for your dental cleaning , call us today!



Debbie Johnson

Brian Johnson, DMD

1240 Upper Hembree Road

Suite C

Roswell, GA 30076

(770)993-9809

http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Is Your Smile as White as You Want?

If you are interested inn whitening your teeth, it's best done under the guidelines of a dentist who can help you determine the best method for you. Over-the-counter whiteners can be somewhat effective, but make sure to read the directions carefully.
Some tooth stains are inside the tooth and required whitening and/or treatment by a dentist. Tooth stains that are created by smoking and consuming things like coffee, red wine and soy sauce, benefit from a good cleaning before you begin any whitening program. Good brushing and flossing habits will prevent most of these stains.
We use a system call Brite Smile . The process requires use of custom bleach trays which we make in our office. The solution is placed in the trays then worn for 2 hours for maximum effectiveness. You will see best results in approximately 2 weeks. If you suffer from sensitive teeth, there are a couple of options to help you.
We offer Zoom! However, we still recommend the use of the "take home" system as follow up care. We are happy to answer all of your questions regarding whitening your teeth!

Debbie Johnson
Treatment Coordinator
Brian Johnson, D.M.D
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
(770)993-9809
http://www.brianjohnson.com/

Do you think you have morning breath all day?

If you brush, floss, and use mouth wash; but still think your breath could be fresher, the problem could be your tongue needs to be cleaned too. Bad breath surely is not pleasant to talk about and can be caused by many factors. Bad breath may be transient, often disappearing following eating, brushing one's teeth, flossing, or rinsing with specialized mouthwash.
The back of the tongue is where many bacteria like to hang out. Also, it is more difficult to clean the back of the tongue. Other parts of the mouth may also contribute to the overall odor, but are not as common as the back of the tongue. Faulty dental work, food-impaction areas in-between the teeth, abscesses, and unclean dentures can contribute to unpleasant breath.

The most common reason to clean the tongue is for the control of bad breath. Methods used against bad breath, such as mints, mouth sprays, mouthwash or gum, may only temporarily mask the odors created by the bacteria on the tongue, but can not cure bad breath because they do not remove the source of the bad breath. The bacteria on the tongue must be removed; as must the decaying food debris present on the rear areas of the tongue. Most people who clean their tongue use a tongue scraper, or a toothbrush. Ergonomic, specially designed tongue cleaners are more effective at removing the bacterial coating than toothbrushes which merely spread the bacterial accumulations on the tongue and in the mouth.

So, if you think you have persistent bad breath, go get yourself and tongue scraper and try it for a while. Routine cleanings are always important as well. So, if you are overdue , call us today.

Dr. Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30004
(770)993-9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/

Probiotics and Your Dental Health

Probiotics- What Are They?
What are probiotics? Probiotics are dietary supplements that if taken regularly can help to balance the good and bad bacteria that live in your intestines. Why am I telling your about this? Because the imbalance of the bacteria leads to inflammation in the intestines. The intestines are in integral part of your immune system. If the bad bacteria are in control of your system, your immune system has to work extra hard to try to rebalance the normal flora. It can get tired and allow you to get sick more easily. An imbalance of bacteria can cause a variety of disorders including intestinal discomfort, and heartburn. When there is inflammation in the body, the entire system has to work harder to try to stay healthy. Coronary heart disease and periodontal disease are very closely linked. So, brush , floss, see us for regular routine cleanings and take a daily probiotic supplement daily. I have been using a live culture probiotic supplement for almost 2 years. Ask me about it!

Dr Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
(770)993-9809
http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/