New Year's Resolution

Good Day, Porter Posse!

We genuinely hope everyone has had a great 2010 and that it can only get better from here. Our patients have been a big part of our lives, in and out of the office. It's so nice when you all invite us to your events, send us cards, or even send us a nice Facebook message. Those are the things that make the world go around for us. We hope that all of our patients feel like they have received the best care that they can get here at the office of Dr. Edwin Porter. We strive to know everyone's faces, give a hug or a handshake, and tell you the truth. Our dentistry is in your mouth to last and if something doesn't go as planned, we try our hardest to correct it. Integrity is huge to us!

So as you're going on into the New Year, what are your New Year's resolutions? Lose weight? Stop procrastinating? Walk your dog more? If you'd like to work on your health and smile, we are here to help with that. Dirty gums and teeth can have a monumental impact on your cardiovascular health and we'd love to help you prevent those problems. Please call us today if you'd like to schedule a free consult at 704-544-5330

We are proud to call you all our patients and hope that you have a prosperous and fulfilled year in 2011! You make it all worth it!

Sincerely,
Dr. Ed Porter, Wanda, Samantha, & Katie

I'm a GRINDER?! Never Been Told You Grind?

We try to write articles that are relevant to our patients. We have had many patients lately that have never been told they grind their teeth. Other dentists have passed it off in the past as something that just happens and that nothing can be done about it. But in fact, there is a great way to protect your teeth and jaw muscles with an appliance called an occlusal guard, also known as a night guard or bite guard.

Occlusal guards are made of rigid materials with laboratory-processed acrylic. They are generally made to be worn over the biting surfaces of either the upper or lower teeth, and are easily inserted and removed by the patient. The lower guard seems to be more comfortable for most of our patients.

Occlusal guards accomplish three main functions:
- They evenly distribute bite forces to protect the teeth from stresses that can crack or wear them abnormally
- Pthey protect the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) from excessive bite stress that can produce pain and dysfunction
- Reduce the heavy forces generated by the jaw-closing muscles.

If you have fillings or crowns and have a grinding habit, you are putting your dentistry and investments at risk. You may not even know that you grind at night but Dr. Porter can tell! We take impressions at your first appointment and then get you back in a week or so to deliver the permanent guard. These are very short appointments and can be combined with a cleaning! And be careful not to just pick one up at the local big box store or drugstore because those will most likely make your grinding habits exacerbated and can cause more damage than good! Call our office to set up and appointment or have any questions answered. Insurance usually covers a good part of these appliances and we can help you break up the payments if need be.

704-544-5330 of Wanda@DentistryinCharlotte.com

Don't Crunch Down on That Ice!

There's really nothing like the feeling and sound of ice crunching between your teeth for some people but, you better cool off on the ice chewing if you’re not prepared to have some level of dental issues resulting from the crunching of ice!

Chips, fracture lines, and cracks are common results from frequent ice chewing and if any of those issues are large enough, you could require a root canal or even a tooth extraction! Even if frequent ice chewing does not lead to one of these more serious effects, it will still wear down the enamel on your teeth much faster than normal and will lead to cavities.

If you're a chronic ice chewer, it's really in your teeth's best interest for you to break the habit! Whether it’s a nervous habit, out of boredom or it’s something that you crave, get to the root of the cause and work on that. You can even try drinking your drinks through a straw to help you resist the urge or simply order drinks without ice altogether. Just remember that the rush of the crunch just isn't worth the damage you're doing to your oral health!

At Dr. Porter’s office, we use many different types of technology to diagnose whether or not you’ve done damage to your teeth through ice crunching or other means. Digital x-rays are our first line of defense and a great tool in helping us see through and between teeth. We use the Diagnodent laser to diagnose cavities that are barely detectable with the naked eye or cannot be seen with the use of x-rays. We will take photos of your teeth and show you what we see! How better to understand than seeing a large image of your tooth on the screen and then having us help you plan a way to repair the tooth! We have flexible payment options and accept and file your insurance to make it easier on your pocket and your time! Call Dr. Porter located at the Arboretum at 704-544-5330 or e-mail Wanda@DentistryinCharlotte.com to schedule an exam or cleaning today!

Brrr! Tooth Sensitivity to Cold?!

Is it COLD outside yet? Seems like with the Christmas season it brings the cold weather with it! What better to talk about than teeth that are sensitive to cold. We have many patients at Dr. Porter's office here in Charlotte that have sensitivity to different things but cold is one of those that is sometimes hard to pinpoint. Below are some causes and remedies of teeth that are sensitive to cold.

· Brushing to hard or with too much pressure which removes gum tissue.
· Aging
· Using a hard tooth brush instead of a soft one
· Poor oral hygiene which leads to plaque build-up around the teeth and gums. This plaque hardens into tartar and the bacteria that live in plaque cause gum disease and gum recession
· If you have exposed roots, they contain small pores or tubules which lead directly to the nerve of the tooth. Pain, pressure and cold stimuli can travel down the tubules and trigger the tooth nerve causing pain and discomfort
· Tooth whitening procedures or using teeth whitening toothpaste is great for the look of teeth but sometimes can be uncomfortable
· Hypersensitivity
· Cracked teeth
· Grinding your teeth
· Long term use of mouthwashes such as Listerine can damage dentin and cause dentin sensitivity which can reverse the beneficial effects of toothpaste
· Enamel erosion by acidic foods
· Root sensitivity can occur after having your teeth cleaned, following root planning , crown placement, or even having fillings
· People with sensitivities to sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch also usually have sensitive teeth
· Dehydration due to diuretics such as alcohol beverages, caffeine-containing drinks like coffee and Mountain Dew

Call us today if you can't get over your sensitivity! 704-544-5330