Anti-Aging and Dentistry, Part 1

Anti-Aging and Dentistry, Part 1

Did you know your dentist can help you look and feel younger? Most people don’t ever connect dentistry with anti-aging techniques, but it’s true. With three services in particular—all three available from Dr. Wade of Stonebriar Smile Design—patients from Frisco and surrounding areas can look forward to improved confidence, appearance, and even oral health.

Those services are:

·         Teeth Whitening

·         Nightguards

·         Periodontal Therapy

In today’s post, we’d like to focus on the first two.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth stains can be caused by a variety of things, most notably certain foods and beverages. But aging also plays a role. Thankfully, with teeth whitening—one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry services available—patients can look forward to turning back the clock and enjoying a whiter smile again. At Stonebriar Smile Design, Dr. Wade offers several different teeth whitening options for patients to take advantage of, including Zoom in-office whitening, professional home whitening, and a White Speed Boost touch-up option. Call us today to learn more about any of these options.

Nightguards

Dentists recommend nightguards in cases where a patient struggles with bruxism, or teeth grinding. Bruxism is caused by stress, and patients often have the most trouble with it at night, while they’re asleep. A nightguard will prevent grinding and clenching, protecting teeth from unnecessary wear and tear, in addition to the pain that can accompany problems with your jaw. Is a nightguard right for you? Call our Frisco office today for a consultation.

Dr. Wade serves patients from Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, and The Colony. We look forward to helping you!

Tips for a Better Night’s Rest

Tips for a Better Night’s Rest

In our last post, we talked specifically about snoring and sleep apnea—serious problems that Dr. Wade of Stonebriar Smile Design can help you treat. Today, we’d like to discuss some general tips for sleeping better.  After all, a full night of rest is important for getting the most out of your day. If you’re not sleeping well, try making some changes to your life. If your problems persist, it might be time to talk to Dr. Wade about why that might be. Perhaps you’re struggling with sleep apnea without even knowing you are.

Follow a set schedule

·         Try to hit the sack at a regular time each night, and try to wake up at the same time every morning.

·         If naps are keeping you from a full night of sleep, limit their length or avoid them entirely.

Sunlight in the morning; soft light at night

·         To stay alert during the day, expose yourself to sunlight—take work breaks outside, or go for a walk. Consider opening the curtains or blinds around your home or office space.

·         Avoid using computers, televisions, or backlit devices like iPads right before bed.

·         Sleep in a dark room.

·         Avoid turning on lights if you have to get up in the night. Use a nightlight or flashlight.

Control your environment

·         Is the room temperature comfortable?

·         Use a fan or white noise machine to block out noise from your surroundings.

·         Make sure your sheets, mattress, and pillow are comfortable.

Diet and exercise

·         Avoid large meals or alcohol right before bed.

·         Reduce your caffeine intake

·         Don’t exercise right before bed.

For more advice, read what the Mayo Clinic advises. And if you’re concerned about sleep apnea or snoring, don’t hesitate to give Stonebriar Smile Design a call. We serve patients from Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, and The Colony.

Stress Leads to Inflammation

Stress Leads to Inflammation

Today, we seem more stressed as a society than ever before. With smartphones, especially, it can be hard to unplug from work or even from networking with friends and family. But whether your stress comes from technology, finances, or somewhere else, you should know it’s having a negative effect on your health—and not just your overall health, but your oral health, too. We’re talking specifically here about inflammation.

As a part of the body’s immune system, it can be good when it’s working the way it’s supposed. But too much stress can make it difficult for the body to properly regulate inflammation. That can turn inflammation into a weapon the body uses against itself, and it has implications for your oral health. The ADG reported back in 2012 that a definite link between stress and dental health exists, citing problems with the immune system.

All of this means that managing stress and following a good oral health routine are vital. To keep your smile healthy, remember to brush and floss daily. You should also see Dr. Wade twice a year for a checkup and cleaning.

Call Stonebriar Smile Design today if you need to reserve an appointment with us. We’re located in Frisco but provide excellent genera, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry to patients from Plano, McKinney, Allen, The Colony, and Dallas.

How Your Dentist Can Help You Get a Better Night Rest

How Your Dentist Can Help You Get a Better Night Rest

Do you feel rested during the day, or do you catch yourself yawning while at work? Has your partner ever complained about your snoring? Are you perceived as moody? All of these are symptoms of a common condition known as sleep apnea.

In most cases, sleep apnea is caused by blocked air passages. That’s why it goes hand-in-hand with snoring. As air struggles to get through, vibrations are created, causing that familiar sound we associate with snoring. Worse than this, though, is the fact that sleep apnea patients will stop breathing for 10 second or longer, eventually waking up to take a breath. For patients who struggle with sleep apnea, this can happen all night, ever night.

Thankfully, your dentist has a way to help. With a custom-made oral appliance, Dr. Wade of Stonebriar Smile Design can help you keep your air passages clear, preventing snoring and helping you to breathe easily all night long.

Why is treating sleep apnea and snoring so important?

In part because of the strain that sleepless nights can put on couples. But more than that, there’s your overall wellbeing to consider. Daytime drowsiness can lead to accidents at work, at home, or behind the wheel. Plus, patients with sleep apnea are vulnerable to developing high blood pressure and other kinds of heart problems. There’s even a risk of premature death.

Are you looking for relief from snoring or sleep apnea? A custom made oral appliance from Dr. Wade can help. Call Stonebriar Smile Design today for an appointment. We’d be happy to talk to you about your needs and to answer any questions you might have.

Our office serves patients from Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, and The Colony.

How Hormones Affect Your Oral Health

How Hormones Affect Your Oral Health

We tend to think that oral and overall health exists in completely separate spheres, but that’s not the case at all. What happens in one part of the body can have an effect on what happens elsewhere. That’s true even when talking about hormonal changes.

If you didn’t know it, the rise or fall of hormones can make a patient more vulnerable to a common oral health condition like gum disease. Women are especially vulnerable. For girls entering puberty, women who are taking birth control, pregnant, or entering menopause, chances of developing some form of gum disease are all higher. There’s even increased vulnerability a day or two before the start of a woman’s period.

What does that mean for you?

If you’re a woman, being extra vigilant about your gum health is important. Remember to brush at least twice a day and floss at least once. Also, if you’re pregnant or taking birth control, be sure your doctor knows about it. For pregnant patients, more frequent cleanings may be required to keep the teeth and gums adequately protected. It’s also wise to include an antibacterial mouthwash in your daily routine and stick to a balanced diet. A diet high in starch or sugar will only contribute to potential problems with the teeth and gums.

Is it time for your next appointment with Dr. Wade? Call Stonebriar Smile Design in Frisco to reserve an appointment. Our office serves patients from Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, and The Colony.

DNA Testing with VELscope

DNA Testing with VELscope

In our last post, we talked about the surprising connection that exists between HPV and oral cancer. Today, we’d like to focus on a revolutionary tool that’s helping Dr. Wade and her team diagnose oral cancer early.

In a traditional visual exam, doctors are looking for red or white spots that might indicate cancer. But it takes time for these spots to develop, and they typically indicate a more advanced form of the disease. To effectively treat oral cancer, it needs to be diagnosed early, before any spots are visible.

That’s difficult with just the naked eye, but it’s more than possible with a revolutionary tool called VELscope. This tool uses a special fluorescent light to highlight abnormal cells on tissue that might look healthy to the naked eye.

What does that mean for patients? It means an early diagnose and an early treatment. The earlier treatment can be administered, the greater the chance of making a full recovery.

For more information on VELscope and oral cancer, call our Frisco dental office. Dr. Wade serves patients from Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, and The Colony. Get in touch with us today for an appointment.

The Surprising Link between Oral Cancer and HPV

The Surprising Link between Oral Cancer and HPV

Oral cancer is among the many oral health conditions Dr. Wade looks for in every checkup at Stonebriar Smile Design. But, you might wonder, if you don’t have any of the common risk factors, is that even necessary?

The most common risk factors of oral cancer include tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption. So if you avoid both of those, you must be safe, right?

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Recent studies have shown that rates of oral cancer are on the rise in patients who don’t have any of these risk factors. The cause? Human papilloma virus, better known as HPV. And even though we think of HPV primarily in relation to cervical cancer, oral cancer stemming from HPV happens in men and women alike.

There are more than 120 different strands of HPV. Many are harmless, some are not. Some can be transferred with skin-to-skin contact, others are sexually transmitted.

With so many different strands and ways of being transmitted, it’s easy for HPV to slip under the radar, meaning you could be at risk without even knowing it. That’s why Dr. Wade makes oral cancer screenings a regular part of regular checkups for all patients, regardless of the risk factors.

Oral cancer screening at our Frisco dental office are quick, and one could save your life.

Has it been more than six months since your last checkup and oral cancer screening? If it has, call Stonebriar Smile Design today to reserve an appointment. Dr. Wade serves patients from Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, and The Colony.