How long have you had your tooth brush?

I saw a toothbrush commercial recently that made me think. When you go to shop for a new toothbrush, it can be really confusing.You see hundreds of manual and powered toothbrushes up and down the aisle. Look for products that carry the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance—an important symbol of a dental product's safety and effectiveness.

A toothbrush should be replaced every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles become frayed. A worn toothbrush does not do a good job of cleaning your teeth.
Children should have a child-sized toothbrush for ease of use. The variety of colors and designs can provide extra fun and motivation to keep children brushing.

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

Content courtesy of the American Dental Association

Oral Piercings...cool or risky?

While many people think this trend looks cool, it has many possible and harmful side effects.

Common symptoms after oral piercing include pain, swelling, infection, an increased flow of saliva (“spit”) and injuries to the gums:

• Millions of bacteria (“germs”) live in your mouth, so oral piercings may become infected easily
• Swelling of the tongue is a common side effect but it is possible for the tongue to swell large enough to block your airway and prevent breathing.
• Piercing can cause uncontrollable bleeding and nerve damage. If a blood vessel was in the path of the needle during the piercing, severe and difficult-to-control bleeding can result.
• Blood clots or blood poisoning can occur

And the jewelry itself can be hazardous or cause other problems:

• You can choke on the studs, barbells or hoops that become loose in your mouth.
• Teeth can chip or crack from contact with the jewelry.
• Bacteria that breeds around the piercing can cause bad breath.
• The jewelry can prevent you from speaking clearly or cause problems with chewing and swallowing food.
• The metals may cause an allergic reaction.

Since oral health is important for overall health, the effects of an oral piercing may have a greater impact than one may think. Unfortunately, many people with oral piercings don't realize that these side effects could happen to them.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can oral piercing be bad for your health?

Because your mouth contains millions of bacteria, infection is a common complication of oral piercing.

Pain and swelling are other side effects of piercing. Your tongue—a popular piercing site in the mouth—could swell large enough to close off your airway. Piercing also can cause uncontrollable bleeding or nerve damage.

The jewelry itself also presents some hazards. You can choke on any studs, barbells or hoops that come loose in your mouth, and contact with the jewelry can chip or crack your teeth.

Article courtesy of the American Dental Association

Whoopi Goldberg talks about Gum Disease - It can kill you!

Ask your dentist... dental emergency

Dental emergencies can happen anywhere, anytime. Knowing how to respond is obviously very important. Where you go for treatment when you have a dental emergency depends on the type of emergency you have. When deciding where you should go for treatment consider, think of the following before making your decision.

Dental emergencies, or traumas involving the face and mouth, that require immediate medical attention include:
jaw fractures
jaw dislocations
serious lacerations of the soft tissues of the face and mouth
an abcess or infection that is very swollen or that is impacting breathing or swallowing (particularly if you are immunocompromised)Call 911 for Emergency Medical Services (EMS), or go directly to the hospital.


There are other dental emergencies that are not considered life-threatening but that still may require immediate care.
A broken or cracked tooth
An avulsed (lost/knocked out) tooth
Pain from a decayed or abscessed tooth (not swollen, not impacting breathing or swallowing)These do not necessarily require treatment at a hospital. Your dentist should be the first person you call. Hospitals are not equipped to provide you with the treatment necessary to restore a tooth or provide other dental treatment that may be required. That care should be sought quickly, but it needn't be in an ER.

Dental emergencies do not always occur at an ideal time of day (as if there is one), so your dentist may not be able to see you when you need him to.
If the dental emergency occurs during non-business hours, on a weekend, or a holiday -- and it is not considered life-threatening -- always call our after hours number.We will make every effort to manage your pain and discomfort until we can bring you into the office.
Dental emergencies should always be handled seriously. Preparing yourself in advance to handle a dental emergency when one occurs is invaluable knowledge that every member of the family should possess.

Dr Brian Johnson
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell,GA 30076
770.993.9809
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com

Ask Your Dentist...dental x-rays

We get alot of questions about why dental x-rays are necessary and the risks associated with the radiation you get from them. Dental radiographs, or x-rays are an integral part of diagnosing oral health and problems. We take a full set of x-rays, or FMX as part of the new patient appointment , and then every 3-5 years after that. "Check up "x-rays or bitewings are taken every 6-12 months in between.
Dental x-rays can show hidden tooth decay, abscesses, cysts or tumors, and impacted teeth. They also help to monitor the status of dental fillings, dental bridges, crowns, root canals, and implants. They also reveal bone loss suffered due to periodontal disease.
While we all want to limit our exposure to radiation, the amount of exposure from digital dental x-rays is really minimal. The ADA actually says that dental x-rays are even safe to use during pregnancy. At our office, we choose to wait until after your baby arrives to do the x-rays , just to be extra safe!
Dental x-rays are important used in conjunction with regular check ups and exams to assure you keep and enjoy your teeth and smile for a lifetime.
Call our office today with any questions about x-rays or any other dental health concern.

Debbie Johnson
Brian Johnson DMD
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com

Be Careful Little Mouths What You Eat!...or Drink

On a recent visit to the pediatrician, I learned that creatine, a supplement being widely used by athletes and encouraged by some coaches, can have some very serious side effects. It is being added to drinks, like"Muscle Milk" and some "protein bars". Creatine is a very popular supplement. That's mainly because it accelerates gains in muscle size and strength compared to exercise alone. I did a little research on the Mayo Clinic's website. My pediatric nurse practitioner, Pat Musto, from North Fulton Pediatrics , strongly discourages the use of creatine , especially in adolescents. Research that NFPs has looked into shows that creatine does "bulk up" muscle fibers. The problem is that creatine is not selective and can even "bulk up" cardiac (heart) fibers.This is not a desirable result. Doctors are recommending that dietary protein is best.
She went so far as to say if I had "Muscle Milk" at home, that I should throw it away! I trust this pediatric practice so implicitly , that I thought that I should share it with my friends and now with our patients.
I know that this isn't technically a dental issue, but it is all health related... so eat and drink healthy!

As always, if you have any questions regarding this post or any dental related concern, don't hesitate to call the office.

Debbie Johnson
Brian Johnson DMD
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com

Word of Mouth Goes Digital

The best way to find a dentist, doctor, or pretty much anything is by word of mouth. I like to go somewhere where somebody I know has had a great experience already. The digital age has made is even more convenient to share with our friends where we have had great experiences.
Social networking media such as FaceBook is one example. If you have "joined" or "liked" our fan page, you can suggest us to your friends very simply. Please go to our page, then look in the upper left hand corner, under Dr. Johnson's picture, and click "suggest to friends". Then select all of your friends that you would like to recommend. Remember that each time one of your friends becomes one of our patients, will apply $10.00 as a token of our appreciation for that referral.
We accept many dental insurances. Of course, not everyone has dental insurance. We gladly will give a 10% discount for those patients.

Help your friends by sending them our way!

Debbie Johnson
Dr Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
www.BrianJohnsonDMD.com
(770)993-9809

How is communication important in the dental office?

Good communication is the key to any successful relationship. We all know that. How is it important in the dental office?

• You have to tell your dentist if you are having pain or other concerns with your oral health. We have to communicate problems/concerns that we see. When we communicate well, we can keep you healthy. When you confirm your cleaning appointment, if you are having a particular problem and you let us know ahead of time, we might be able to schedule extra time to address that problem. You are happy , we are happy to help you.


• Your dental insurance change. You let us know ahead of time or at least while you are here. We submit the claim properly and the claim is paid in a reasonable amount of time. We are happy.


• You are very happy with something that we did. Tell us, but better, tell everybody else! If you are unhappy with something that we did or didn't do , please tell us first! Don't tell everybody else or change dentists!


• You have dental work that needs to be done; but don't have the available cash to do it. Tell us! We have options that we can offer you.

Our patients are important to us. We want you to be happy and to tell all your friends how great we are!

Debbie Johnson

Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell,GA 30076
770.993.9809

http://www.brianjohnsondmd.com/