Syosset Dentist Asks: Are Your Teeth Afraid of Heights?

Posted October 12, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

There are many factors in today’s world that pose dangers to teeth that our forefather’s may never have guessed. For instance, for quite some time, tobacco was not thought to have any negative health effects at all, and yet as common as it is today, the bad habit is a leading cause of one of the most dangerous oral health issues in existence—oral cancer. Another dental danger posed by technology, and one that you may not have ever realized, is the altitude changes that occur when you are flying, diving, hiking, or otherwise endeavoring to travel at extremely high or low altitudes. Syosset dentist Dr. Richard Kobak explains the condition that could negatively affect your previous dental work, as well as lead to severe oral health complications.

Altitude and Your Teeth

Most people who have travelled by plane or braved the depths of the sea can attest to the changes that afflict their ears and sinuses during sudden altitude changes. Although not very well known, your teeth are affected in much the same way, and many pilots agree that ascending and descending often leads to extreme tooth discomfort. Altitude-induced tooth discomfort is called barodontalgia, and can often be severe enough as to pose a flight safety risk for some pilots. (more…)

An Innovative Approach to Battling Gum Disease

Posted October 5, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

With the influx of studies and research that highlight a connection between your mouth and the rest of your body, battling serious oral health conditions has become quite an important endeavor. Scientists around the world are hard at work investigating risks, causes, cures, and treatments for such maladies as tooth decay and gum disease. In the midst of this race for information, scientists have developed a new method of attack against one of these damaging oral health issues. Syosset dentist Dr. Richard Kobak discusses the technology that could potentially change the way we approach oral health care.

The Development of Gum Disease

To understand the gum disease battle, you must first understand gum disease. It all begins with the buildup of oral bacteria, which gather together to form dental plaque that sticks to your teeth and gums. When plaque accumulates at your gumline, it irritates the gum tissue, causing redness, inflammation, and bleeding. If left untreated, the infection will worsen progressively, and your gums will begin to detach from your teeth, creating pockets where bacteria can collect and breed, exacerbating the condition. Eventually, untreated gum disease can lead to the loss of one or more teeth, as well as the potential destruction of your teeth’s supporting jawbone structure. (more…)

Syosset Dentist Explains Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Posted September 30, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

Snoring has long been portrayed in movies, TV shows, and comedy acts as hilarious, and often the noise serves as the punch line to a joke. If you or a loved one snores often, however, then you may not find the situation very humorous. Snoring can interrupt your sleep, leading to grumpiness, grogginess, and other symptoms associated with sleep deprivation. In some cases, snoring can indicate a more serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. Those who suffer from OSA are often unaware that they are being deprived of much-needed deep sleep. Partners of OSA sufferers, however, know well that something is wrong due to the thunderous snoring that marks the condition. As a dentist in Syosset, Dr. Richard Kobak can treat your sleep apnea and help you achieve the rest you need.

How Does Sleep Apnea Deprive You of Sleep?

You may wonder how sleep deprivation is possible without your knowledge. After all, shouldn’t you know if you’re awake? Actually, sleep apnea disrupts the deep sleep, or REM sleep, that your mind and body need to rejuvenate. (more…)

The Dental Implant Quiz, from Your Syosset Dentist

Posted September 25, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

As tooth replacements, dental implants are the most effective and aesthetically pleasing dental prosthetic. As a rule in conservative dentistry, we prefer to maintain as much healthy tooth structure as possible. Sometimes, however, a tooth can become damaged or diseased beyond repair and may require extraction. At other times, a tooth may fall out before you can make a dentist’s appointment. Either way, when one or more teeth are lost, dental implants can restore more than your visible tooth. To test and increase your knowledge of implants, take this dental implant true or false quiz from your Syosset dentist Dr. Richard Kobak.

True or False—Questions

Dental implants stop teeth from shifting after one or more are lost.
Dental implants are among the most innovative dental treatments, yet they do not benefit your oral health more than the alternatives.
Dental implants look and feel like real teeth.
Everyone is a candidate for dental implants, as long as he/she can afford them.
Dental implants can last forever. (more…)

Syosset Dentist Explores the Effects of Stress on Your Oral Health

Posted September 13, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

The negative effects of stress on your health are well-documented. While it can serve as a natural defense mechanism, prolonged periods of stress can increase your risk of some health issues, including heart disease, sleep deprivation, depression, obesity, and memory impairment, among many others. Not many people realize, however, that stress can also help to erode your oral health from the inside out. Syosset dentist Dr. Richard Kobak explains the dangers that excessive stress can pose to your oral health.

Stress and Teeth: Direct Damage

If you are like most people, you may clench your jaw or grind your teeth when you are angry, stressed, or upset. While it may seem trivial in moments of emotional distress, the constantly grinding your teeth (a habit called bruxism) can lead to extensive tooth damage and wear. Usually, tooth grinding is more dangerous at night, as most patients tend to grind their teeth in their sleep without realizing it. If stress is a factor in your bruxism, however, then you may clench and grind your teeth as much during the day as you do at night, often just oblivious to the action as if you were asleep. Damage caused by bruxism can include chipped or broken teeth, excessively worn tooth enamel, and malocclusion (a misaligned bite) due to excessive wear of your teeth’s chewing surfaces. TMJ disorder, which affects the joints of your jaw and is signified by extreme jaw discomfort, is also linked to the habit of bruxism. (more…)

What You May Not Know About Your Tongue

Posted September 10, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

Did you know that your tongue is the strongest muscle in your body, or that it is the only muscle connected at one end? The tongue plays an important part in the function of your mouth. After all, it takes up quite a bit of space. However, many people neglect to mention the tongue when speaking about oral and dental health. While your teeth make eating and speaking possible, they only do so with the assistance of your tongue. To learn more facts about your mouth muscle, read on, as Syosset dentist Dr. Kobak outlines some interesting facts about the tongue.

Interesting Facts

The longest human tongue, according to the Guinness World Records, is 9.8 cm (3.86 in).
The widest tongue on record measured 3.1 inches across at its widest point. (more…)

Could Chocolate Help You Prevent Cavities?

Posted August 21, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

Some people would say that chocolate is an addiction. They wouldn’t be entirely incorrect: chocolate contains the chemicals tyramine and tryptophan, which the brain converts into the natural feel-good chemicals dopamine and serotonin. Thankfully, we are becoming more aware of chocolate’s health benefits so you don’t have to feel as guilty for indulging in the rich, sweet temptation. Research also suggests that chocolate may benefit your oral health, as well. Syosset dentist Dr. Kobak explains how eating chocolate may help you fight cavities.

It’s Not Just the Sugar

Chocolate and cavity prevention may sound like a pipe dream. After all, with the amount of sugar that chocolate contains, teeth should start decaying as soon as you take a bite. This would possibly be true, but the misconception that sugar directly causes cavities is false. The truth is, oral bacteria found in plaque, mainly Streptococcus mutans, process the sugars and carbs that you eat, turning them into acid that weakens your tooth enamel and saps your tooth of minerals. When the enamel is weak enough, bacteria can get past it to infect the interior of your tooth. This enamel erosion is called “demineralization,” and is the first step to tooth decay. (more…)

Waging a Microbial War for Your Oral Health

Posted August 17, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

Sometimes, the best defense is a good offense. For centuries, humans have found innovative ways to defend against tooth decay. Today, the array of innovative cavity detection and treatment methods is impressive, yet cavities remain the number one disease among children. Research and experiments around the world are now geared toward attacking the formation of tooth decay instead of merely defending against it. Syosset dentist Dr. Richard Kobak discusses two developments that can help change the face of the oral health war.

Step 1: Understand the Enemy

The most common cause of tooth decay is poor oral hygiene. More specifically, if you do not brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day, bacteria have the opportunity to accumulate. When the 600 different kinds of oral bacteria gather in your mouth, they create a sticky substance made of extracellular DNA and known as plaque. Aside from holding the microbes together, plaque also allows them to stick to the surface of your teeth, giving harmful bacteria a front row seat to synthesize the food you eat. By definition, oral bacteria inhabit your mouth. Eliminating all of them in the name of cavity prevention would be impossible. (more…)

Syosset Dentist Advises—Pack Your Childrens’ School Lunches

Posted August 9, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

Know What They’re Eating

There is no end to the list of what most parents worry about while their children are at school. One common cause for worry is whether or not your child is eating properly while he/she is away from home for the day. Schools are required to provide the recommended amount of daily nutrients to their students, but even healthy foods can damage a person’s oral health. Most parents do not know exactly where the school’s cafeteria receives its food from, or what foods are being served. Most children do not and will not brush their teeth in a school bathroom after lunch, so your choices for protecting their teeth are limited. Syosset dentist Dr. Richard Kobak advises you to pack your child’s lunch at home, and offers advice on foods that can help benefit your child’s oral health.

Good for the Body, Bad for the Teeth

Some foods that are healthy for our bodies can be detrimental to our oral health at the same time. For instance, our bodies need sugar to operate properly, yet the bacteria in our mouths thrive on refined sugar and turn it into lactic acid, which erodes enamel and leads to tooth decay. Orange juice, while rich in vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C and calcium, is also abundant in sugars and citric acid. You should not eliminate OJ from your breakfast menu, however. Instead, have your children drink it through a straw to minimize contact with their teeth. Also, advise them to drink it quickly to lessen the amount of time their teeth are exposed to it. (more…)

Oral Health Test Scores Are In—America, You Nearly Failed

Posted July 31, 2012 by Dr. Kobak

Thanks to advances in dentistry over the last century, more Americans are enjoying full, healthy smiles. Innovation has provided us tools for exceptional cosmetic dentistry, and extensive scientific research has shown us ways to effectively treat dental issues like tooth decay and gum disease. Yet, when it comes to the basics of oral health care, it seems Americans have not learned as much as they should have. According to a survey conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA), Americans’ scored an average “D” when quizzed about oral health. The survey consisted of true or false questions concerning issues such as how often to brush your teeth, what causes cavities, and proper toothbrush care, among others. To help bolster your knowledge and increase your chances of a life-long healthy smile, Syosset dentist Dr. Richard Kobak reviews the basics of good oral health care.

At-Home Tooth Care

A surprising 90% of the participants in the survey answered that you should brush your teeth after every meal. While that may seem like an ideal textbook answer, it is incorrect. The ADA recommends that you brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day for around 2-3 minutes at a time. A third tooth brushing session, preferably after lunch, may provide additional cleaning and protection; however most working adults do not have the time to brush their teeth for the recommended time period in the middle of a work day. (more…)