What does it mean to have sensitive teeth? If you experience pain or discomfort when consuming foods or beverages that are hot, cold, sweet, or sour; when brushing or flossing; or even when breathing sharp, cold air, you may have sensitive teeth.

What is the reason for sensitive teeth? Common causes of tooth sensitivity include: Over-brushing – brushing your teeth too hard may wear down enamel or irritate the gum line, causing it to recede and expose the tooth’s sensitive roots. Cracked teeth – a crack or chip in your tooth may expose the underlying dentin or may fill with bacteria from plaque, causing the nerve to inflame. Teeth grinding – over time, grinding or clenching your teeth can erode enamel and expose dentin. Gum disease – gum disease leads to infection which may attack the tooth’s roots or cause the gum line to recede. Tooth whitening – using products with peroxide or baking soda can make exposed roots or dentin more sensitive. Age – studies have shown that tooth sensitivity occurs most often in people between the ages of 25 and 30.

It is possible to experience tooth sensitivity after routine dental procedures such as the placement of a filling or crown, tooth restoration, or even teeth cleaning. Such sensitivity is temporary; if it does not cease after four to six weeks please consult with your dentist or one of our dental specialists.

What to Do About Sensitive Teeth

See us for some fun and healthy toothpaste and mouthwash samples without any harsh chemicals or artificial flavors or colors.

New Natural Home Care Product Samples

WHAT’S GOING ON

THIS MONTH

Q. What percent of

orthodontic patients

have impacted teeth?

A. Although only 1-2% of

people in the U.S. have

impacted teeth, in our

practice (because these

patients are frequently

referred to us) we see

impacted teeth in 15-20% of

our patients

Tips for dealing with

impacted teeth — If your

child is is 10 years old and we

cannot see or feel the

erupting canine tooth in its

proper position, there is a

chance the tooth might be

stuck or impacted. When

considering treatment options

for canine impaction, a

thorough assessment of the

facial profile, growth

predictions, dental arch

development, dentition stage

and malocclusion are

required. If in doubt,

schedule your child with one

of our specialists prior to any

other recommended

treatment, like pulling baby

teeth, by your general dentist.

For more resources on

impacted teeth, visit

BurlesonOrtho.com

Ask One of the Specialists

Many patients have new insurance benefits that begin this month. We can help you maximize your benefits in the new year. See inside for tips on how to get the most out of your dental insurance plan.

New Insurance Benefits in 2015

You can win a Caribbean vacation for four just in time for spring break. Ask us at your next appointment how to get entered into the contest.

Win a Caribbean Family Vacation

SMILEHEALTH

SMILEHEALTHfor Patients of Burleson Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry / Jan. 2015

®

What can I eat and drink with my clear aligners in place?

Your clear aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly. These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.

Though it's not necessary for you to take out your aligners while you drink water, any other liquid can cause problems like tooth decay or staining. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, coffee or tea, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean and avoid these unwanted problems.

From the Doctor’s Desk

Out with friends or on the road? Sometimes, carrying around a toothbrush to keep your pearly whites pearly white isn’t so easy. When brushing and flossing isn’t a convenient option, you can still keep your teeth and mouth clean and feeling fresh, simply by eating delicious, healthy food.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away and tooth decay, too! This goes for most crunchy fruits and vegetables as well. Apples, carrots, and celery are just a few examples of foods that require extra chewing which produces saliva, neutralizing bacteria that can cause cavities.

The xylitol in sugarless gum helps to prevent plaque, aids in producing saliva, and can help remove food stuck to your teeth after a mealPlus, chewing sugar-free gum keeps your breath smelling great!

Be green with tea. Green tea contains substances called catechins that kill the bacteria in your mouth that turn sugar into plaque. So, instead of reaching for that can of soda, steep some green tea instead!

Cheese, which is low in carbohydrates and high in calcium, provides several benefits to your teeth. It helps to balance your mouth’s acidity level, preserves and rebuilds tooth enamel, prevents plaque, and produces saliva, which kills the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

Drinking water keeps your gums hydrated and is the best way to stimulate saliva, your body's greatest defense against the bacteria that cause plaque and cavities. If you can’t brush after eating, the most important thing you can do to prevent cavities is rinse your mouth with water. 

BRACES & INVISALIGN

A bad bite, or malocclusion leads to future problems in the health of your mouth. Mal (Latin: “bad”) occlusion (Latin: “bite”).

But what is malocclusion, and what causes it? Commonly referred to as overbite or underbite, malocclusion is the condition of having poorly aligned teeth, in which the upper and lower teeth don’t fit together properly. There are a number of risk factors that can lead to malocclusion, and fortunately, some of them are preventable. Read on to find out what causes this condition:

Family History – Most often malocclusion is hereditary problem. Jaw and tooth size are inherited traits that can produce a mismatched proportion, such as teeth too large for a small jaw or small teeth that don’t fill the space available in a larger jaw.

Oral Habits – In children, habits such as thumb sucking or tongue thrusting (placing the tongue against or between the teeth while swallowing), or the prolonged use of a pacifier or bottle may cause malocclusion.

Dental Health –Poor dental hygiene can lead to gum disease and tooth decay, which in turn can lead to tooth loss or require extraction (removal by a dentist). The loss of a tooth may cause bordering teeth to drift out of place.

What Causes a Bad Bite to Develop?

Two excellent reasons to consider an electric toothbrush:

Your dexterity

People who have limited manual dexterity – including the very young, the elderly, or those suffering from injury or arthritis – may find that an electric toothbrush allows them to reach spots that would otherwise be difficult or impossible.

Your habits

If you have a hard time brushing regularly, and you find you enjoy the sensation of brushing with an electric toothbrush, then by all means use the brush that will encourage you to brush most often and most effectively.

Home Care Tips for Healthy Smiles

SMILEHEALTH

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

Hygiene Tips When You’re On the Go

SMILEHEALTH

Q. My kids are so busy with school and sports, do you offer early or late hours?

A. If you are holding out on starting orthodontic treatment because you don’t want to miss school or work, we have the perfect solution. Did you know that our office often is open for extended evening and weekend hours to better serve our patients? We are committed to providing the best care for our patients and we know that means being able to provide convenient appointment times. Most of our locations are open until 7pm or 8pm and on Saturdays.

Over the course of two years in orthodontic treatment, the average patient will miss nearly a month of school when you consider the time spent driving from work, to school to pick up the kids, then to our office and then back to school. We enjoy making our patients’ lives easier and extending our hours is one simple way we’re listening to the individual needs of our patients and their parents.

Questions from Actual Patients

Stop Hiding Your Smile! A Parent’s Guide to Confidently Choosing an Orthodontist by our founder, Dr. Dustin Burleson, is the smart parent’s guide to choosing the right time for braces and the right specialist for your family. An Amazon best-seller, this book is available for you to share with a f r i e n d o r f a m i l y m e m b e r. Available where fine books are sold and at AskDrBurleson.com

Our Favorite Books & Patient Resources

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

#SmileShare and Hello Product Samples

Thank you to all of our patients who participated in the Hello products #SMILESHARE at Burleson Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry. More photos can be seen on our Facebook Fan Page.

Burleson Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry recently purchased some Hello brand oral care products for patients and parents to sample. The Hello brand toothpastes and mouthwashes have fun flavors like Mojito Mint and Pink Grapefruit Mint that have been a lot of fun for our patients to try.

We love the Hello brand products because they contain no alcohol, no

artificial colors, no artificial sweeteners, no triclosan and no little plastic coloring beads that you’ve heard about in the news with some other large-brand toothpastes.

Our patients will excited to tell us what makes them smile with our most-popular answers counted as: family, friends, the holidays and great food (I think the holiday break and lots of tasty treats were on everyone’s mind).

What types of oral health problems are common in children with diabetes?

Uncontrolled diabetes results in a higher risk for tooth decay, taste impairment, gum disease, fungal infections such as thrush, dry mouth (a condition of reduced saliva), and slow or poor recovery of gum tissues after dental procedures.

Those whose diabetes is well controlled are at the same risk level as people who don’t have diabetes. Thus taking control of your child’s diabetes is a key factor in maintaining good oral health. 

As with any overall health concern, let us know about the situation so we may take it into consideration as we plan your child’s dental care. We need to be aware of how your child is controlling the disease, what medications he or she is taking, and the contact information for your pediatrician.

Depending on the state of your child’s oral health and what treatments we are planning, we may need more detailed information about your child’s diabetes.

Parenting Tips for Dental Health Many patients have new dental insurance

benefits that start this year. To help you maximize your benefits and reduce your stress, here are some helpful tips for you and your family.

Know Your Benefits and Options – most patients are unaware of their dental plan’s specific benefits and limitations. Knowing these important areas of your plan can help prevent unwanted insurance hassles after your treatment is started. It sounds simple, but when you take some time to read through your member benefit handbook, you can quickly discover your co-insurance amount, your annual deductible amount, the number of cleanings covered per year, how often X-rays are allowed and the annual maximum benefit. Other areas of importance are whether or not your dependents are covered and when their

benefits begin.

Circle any areas that are confusing to you and write down specific questions you have then call your dental benefits manager and get answers to your questions. When you take time on the front end, you won’t be surprised with a large dental insurance bill after your treatment.

Be clear on your expectations before starting dental treatment for yourself or your child. Most dental plans cover diagnostic and preventive care at 80-100%. As treatments increase in cost and complexity, your plan will typically pay a lower percentage of the total cost.

Work with Your Dentist or Orthodontic Specialist – when you have major dental work or orthodontic treatment planned, ask your doctor for a pre-treatment estimate. Many doctors are willing to work out a payment plan or offer third-party financing so that you can split the total cost into convenient monthly payments.

The Annual Maximum – most plans have an annual maximum that refreshes at the beginning of the new year. The new year might be an excellent time to schedule a dental procedure that you’ve been putting off or has been causing you problems with pain, sensitivity, discomfort or chewing function. Remember to avoid delaying any recommended treatment by your dentist or orthodontic specialist as the condition will likely worsen and become more expensive to treat later.

Maximizing Your Benefits in the New Year

SMILEHEALTH

INSURANCE & FLEX SPENDING

When you attend one of the Burleson Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry patient appreciation events, you might notice one of our professional photographers or news stations covering the activities. If you want to download one of the photos from our events, simply visit our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/BurlesonOrthodotics and be sure to tag yourself in our photos for a chance to win more fun prizes!

Practice Events and Raffles Photos

Pappardelle with Beef & Mushroom Ragù Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces kosher salt and black pepper 1 large onion, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 4 garlic cloves, smashed 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 pound assorted mushrooms, sliced 12 ounces pappardelle or fettuccine 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces), plus more for serving

Directions: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 1 minute more. Return the beef to the saucepan and add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender, 60 to 75 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the saucepan and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes more. If the sauce is too thin, simmer, uncovered, until thickened to the desired consistency. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot. Add the beef ragù and Parmesan and toss. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Travis Geier – Travis is a ninth grader who stays busy doing the things he loves. He is a member of both the Jazz band playing alto saxophone. He takes lessons once a week at UMKC. He additionally performs with the 5-Star Jazz Band, which recently showcased their talents at the Briarcliff Lighting Ceremony.

Travis also spends time working on his baseball skills. He is a pitcher for the Regal Bandits and takes lessons on pitching and for core training on a weekly basis. When Travis is not practicing for jazz band or baseball, he spends some time helping others in need, and has volunteered for the Harvester’s Organization. Travis also loves biology and is currently taking an Honors Biology class. He plans on using this knowledge to someday pursue a career as a physician.

Do You Know Someone Accomplishing Amazing Things? Send Your Story to the Burleson Orthodontics Newsletter at: smile@burlesonortho.com or visit our website at BurlesonOrtho.com and click on Providers That Care to see what local charities and non-profit organizations are looking for volunteers in the Kansas City area. When you choose Burleson you’re choosing an office that makes a difference in our community.

Simply Spectacular Smiles ® – Simply Amazing Patients!

PATIENT OF THE MONTH

SMILEHEALTH

TIPS FROM THE DOCTORS

Delicious Braces-Friendly Recipes

Your Pediatric Dental Specialists in Kansas City

Are you looking for a pediatric dental specialist for your family? The specialists at Burleson Orthodontics

& Pediatric Dentistry are trained to help your child feel at ease during dental appointments. With more

early morning and after-school appointments than any other dental office in Kansas City, our time is not

more important than your time. Guaranteed.

(816) 929-6916 www.BurlesonOrtho.com