| Author |
Cavities and Aging
|
|
| I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com 2005-12-28, 12:51 pm |
| I am now 50 yrs old and over the last 3 years or so I have had more
cavities filled than I have in the previous 47. Is it common to get
more cavities as we age or is my new dentist just drill happy?
| |
| Amatus Cremona 2005-12-28, 12:51 pm |
| I don't know. Send along some photos and x-ray images.
--
/
Amatus
/
<I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1135790847.727045.113930@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>I am now 50 yrs old and over the last 3 years or so I have had more
> cavities filled than I have in the previous 47. Is it common to get
> more cavities as we age or is my new dentist just drill happy?
>
| |
| Stephen D 2005-12-28, 5:54 pm |
|
<I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1135790847.727045.113930@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>I am now 50 yrs old and over the last 3 years or so I have had more
> cavities filled than I have in the previous 47. Is it common to get
> more cavities as we age or is my new dentist just drill happy?
>
I'm just a dental student so I don't know a whole lot yet, but I recently
read some information about the effects of saliva on oral health. The
information I was reading was based on studies of people 65 years of age and
older, but I thought I'd bring it up just in case.
I learned that a decreased amount of saliva can lead to an oral environment
that is more susceptible to tooth decay. One of the greatest causes of lack
of saliva (dry mouth, or xerostomia) is medication side effects. With aging
often comes health conditions that may require medication. Medications that
treat high blood pressure, allergies, depression, and sleep aids can lead to
a decreased amount of saliva.
So my question is, have you experienced dry mouth recently? Did you start
any new regular medications within the last few years that may have dry
mouth side effects?
Again, I just recently acquired this information so I'm not sure of all the
real-world applications. Hopefully some of the experienced dentists here
can verify or make any needed corrections/additions. My goal for presenting
this information was to try to help you at least narrow down the causes.
--Stephen D
| |
| Mark & Steven Bornfeld 2005-12-28, 5:54 pm |
| I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com wrote:
> I am now 50 yrs old and over the last 3 years or so I have had more
> cavities filled than I have in the previous 47. Is it common to get
> more cavities as we age or is my new dentist just drill happy?
>
A sudden increase in caries incidence with a new dentist certainly is
suggestive.
OTOH, I have several patients who have had what look like early carious
lesions (cavities) on x-rays that I do not fill because they have shown
no apparent change over several years. Of course I will be more
conservative if I know the patient is in regularly for checkups. With a
new patient I have no way of knowing this, and might be more inclined to
restore doubtful lesions.
Steve
--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
| |
| I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com 2005-12-29, 12:55 am |
|
Stephen D wrote:
> <I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1135790847.727045.113930@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>
> I'm just a dental student so I don't know a whole lot yet, but I recently
> read some information about the effects of saliva on oral health. The
> information I was reading was based on studies of people 65 years of age and
> older, but I thought I'd bring it up just in case.
>
> I learned that a decreased amount of saliva can lead to an oral environment
> that is more susceptible to tooth decay. One of the greatest causes of lack
> of saliva (dry mouth, or xerostomia) is medication side effects. With aging
> often comes health conditions that may require medication. Medications that
> treat high blood pressure, allergies, depression, and sleep aids can lead to
> a decreased amount of saliva.
>
> So my question is, have you experienced dry mouth recently? Did you start
> any new regular medications within the last few years that may have dry
> mouth side effects?
>
> Again, I just recently acquired this information so I'm not sure of all the
> real-world applications. Hopefully some of the experienced dentists here
> can verify or make any needed corrections/additions. My goal for presenting
> this information was to try to help you at least narrow down the causes.
>
> --Stephen D
No dry mouth. And the only medication I have been on is Synthroid
becuase I had half of my thyroid removed about a year ago.
| |
| I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com 2005-12-29, 12:55 am |
| Usually my dentist will just poke at a hole in my tooth and will fill
it based on the pretext that "it's getting a little sticky"
Does that seem like sound dental judgement or no?
| |
| Dartos 2005-12-29, 10:54 am |
|
Anything is possible.
The 'old' dentist could have been a 'wait until things completely
fall apart' guy who just wanted to pat the patient on the back and
say everything is OK.
No way to tell from here though.
Dartos
> A sudden increase in caries incidence with a new dentist certainly
> is suggestive.
> OTOH, I have several patients who have had what look like early
> carious lesions (cavities) on x-rays that I do not fill because they
> have shown no apparent change over several years. Of course I will be
> more conservative if I know the patient is in regularly for checkups.
> With a new patient I have no way of knowing this, and might be more
> inclined to restore doubtful lesions.
>
> Steve
>
| |
| Mark & Steven Bornfeld 2005-12-29, 10:54 am |
| I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com wrote:
> Usually my dentist will just poke at a hole in my tooth and will fill
> it based on the pretext that "it's getting a little sticky"
> Does that seem like sound dental judgement or no?
>
"Stickiness" to an explorer tip is definitely one of the ways we
determine if decay is present. The tooth surface becomes sticky because
decalcification leaves the remaining tooth structure soft and leathery,
and the sharp tip of the explorer (hook) will pierce the surface.
Steve
--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
| |
| Mark & Steven Bornfeld 2005-12-29, 10:54 am |
| Dartos wrote:
>
> Anything is possible.
>
> The 'old' dentist could have been a 'wait until things completely
> fall apart' guy who just wanted to pat the patient on the back and
> say everything is OK.
Sure.
Steve
>
> No way to tell from here though.
>
> Dartos
>
>
--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
| |
| I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com 2005-12-29, 10:54 am |
| I understand what you're saying however I went to the old guy for 15
years. In that time he filled one cavity and nothing ever fell apart.
Thanks to all for your thoughts on this.
| |
| Dartos 2005-12-29, 12:52 pm |
|
> In that time he filled one cavity and nothing ever fell apart.
Yet.
;-)
Dartos
Mostly kidding. I have no way of knowing who is right in this case.
| |
| Whamatus_B 2005-12-31, 10:56 am |
| On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:11:09 GMT, Mark & Steven Bornfeld
<bornfeldmung@dentaltwins.com> wrote:
>I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> A sudden increase in caries incidence with a new dentist certainly is
>suggestive.
> OTOH, I have several patients who have had what look like early carious
>lesions (cavities) on x-rays that I do not fill because they have shown
>no apparent change over several years. Of course I will be more
>conservative if I know the patient is in regularly for checkups. With a
>new patient I have no way of knowing this, and might be more inclined to
>restore doubtful lesions.
>
>Steve
A good guide in such a situation is to ask the new patient
when was their last cleaning, did they take x-rays.
With just a quick exam of the lingual of the lower anteriors,
and the buccal of the upper molars it should be apparent
to the astute practitioner.
Of course there are the heavy calculus formers.
IME, 'arrested' caries is usually black.
YMMV
--
Whamatus
Take out the G'RBAGE
wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com
| |
| Whamatus_B 2005-12-31, 12:53 pm |
| On 28 Dec 2005 17:14:26 -0800, I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com wrote:
>Usually my dentist will just poke at a hole in my tooth and will fill
>it based on the pretext that "it's getting a little sticky"
>Does that seem like sound dental judgement or no?
Old school, but adequate for the long term patient.
There is a new thingamajig made by KaVo called
the DiagnoDent.
http://tinyurl.com/a5rn2
--
Whamatus
Take out the G'RBAGE
wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com
| |
| Whamatus_B 2005-12-31, 12:53 pm |
| On 29 Dec 2005 07:22:42 -0800, I_LOVE_SKOKIE@yahoo.com wrote:
>I understand what you're saying however I went to the old guy for 15
>years. In that time he filled one cavity and nothing ever fell apart.
>
>Thanks to all for your thoughts on this.
As I previously stated.
The explorer check (sticks in the groove) is more
than adequate for a long term patient.
However, the newer concept is to restore early carious
leisons before the dentin is involved.
YMMV
--
Whamatus
Take out the G'RBAGE
wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com
|
|
|
|