THE LINK BETWEEN ORAL HEALTH AND HEARING LOSS Learning that your hearing health is excellent may make you smile, but did you know that your oral health can actually influence your ability to hear? Tooth decay and gum disease are caused by pathogenic bacteria, which can enter the bloodstream and threaten a person’s overall health. In fact, gum disease may lead to heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health issues. Harmful bacteria that originate in your mouth can also inflame and narrow the arteries and blood vessels located in your ears and brain, which are crucial to your hearing health. Once you understand the link between oral health and hearing loss, we hope you won’t ever forget to brush, floss, or visit your dentist. Oral Health and Hearing Loss The Process of Hearing First, let’s review how hearing works. When your outer ear collects sound waves, the vibrations funnel into the ear canal, through the eardrum, and into the middle ear, where they vibrate tiny bones called ossicles. The vibrations then reach the innermost part of the ear, an organ called the cochlea. Here, the vibrations stimulate fluid and tiny hair cells, which translate the vibrations into electrical impulses. The brain detects these impulses via the auditory nerve and interprets them. If any of these components fail to complete its job properly, you will experience auditory issues. Common complications include damaged hair cells, perforated or ruptured eardrums, ear infections, and otosclerosis. The Link Between Oral Health and Hearing Loss So how are oral health and hearing loss connected? If you neglect your dental hygiene by forgetting to brush your teeth or avoiding flossing, harmful bacteria will develop around your teeth and gums. Dental issues like periodontal disease, dental infections, and abscesses can cause this bacteria to proliferate. If left untreated, the bacteria can enter your bloodstream and may even reach your brain. When bacteria in the mouth spreads throughout the body, it can cause inflammation that prevents the healthy flow of blood and may result in clots. Because the hair cells in the cochlea require healthy blood circulation, they may become damaged or even permanently destroyed if blood circulation is low, causing hearing loss. How to Care for Your Teeth and Gums To ensure that a rich supply of blood can reach your cochlea, it is important that you maintain a good oral hygiene routine. Luckily, this doesn’t require a lot of time or effort – just consistency. Once you get into the habit of caring for your teeth and gums properly, it will feel like just another part of your daily routine. Follow these basic rules, and ask your dentist if you have any questions: BRUSH: Brush your teeth at least twice a day, ideally after meals. Brush for two minutes or more each time using a soft-bristle brush. Be sure to select the right size of toothbrush; it should be able to fit into the back corners of your mouth and reach all the surfaces of your teeth. After you brush, rinse your toothbrush and let it air dry. Replace your toothbrush every three to four months, and do not let anyone borrow your toothbrush. FLOSS: Floss your teeth at least once a day, wrapping a new section of floss around each tooth each time. You should use at least 18 inches of floss. VISIT THE DENTIST: Schedule a cleaning and evaluation with your dentist every six months. The dental hygienist will professionally clean your teeth, but this doesn’t eliminate the need for daily brushing and flossing at home. Your dentist or hygienist may provide feedback to help you improve your oral hygiene routine. During the evaluation portion of the appointment, your dentist will look for symptoms of dental issues, diagnose any ailments, and recommend treatments. Many aspects of health are related, so if you want to preserve your hearing health, don’t focus solely on ear protection and visiting your audiologist. Try to keep your entire body in good shape.

If you have severe acid reflux, you may end up needing a dentist. Since acid reflux impacts your stomach and digestive track, it may seem strange that the two are connected. In reality, it is understandable that teeth suffer due to acid reflux considering that the acid winds its way up from the stomach and into the mouth. Each time you have an acid attack that acid can start to attack and break down the enamel or outer layer of the teeth. This is problematic as enamel is necessary for keeping strong and healthy teeth. As the acid continues to attack the teeth, the enamel will wear away, leaving you with exposed dentin. This is not a good situation because dentin is porous and contains your nerve endings. Every time something touches your tooth it can also touch your nerves and send a pain signal to your brain. This can create sudden sensations of extreme discomfort and pain. When the erosion proceeds even further, the tooth can start to break down and wear away. Many patients suffer from holes in their teeth and even bone loss as a result. It is important to have your teeth cleaned and examined several times a year so that you can prevent much of this damage and the trip to a dentist. When you visit our office, we can look for signs of infections, cavities, and erosion. If we find something of concern, we can treat it right away. The sooner we can identify and diagnose any issues with your teeth or gums, the better chance we have of addressing it quickly before it can spread to other areas and create significant discomfort. In addition to visiting our office, it is important to know what to do at home. For example, if an episode of reflux takes place, you need to rinse your mouth with water right away. We recommend waiting a full hour before brushing your teeth to ensure that you don't accidentally strip away the enamel even further. When it is time to brush be sure to use a soft toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste while brushing gently to remove sugar, bacteria, and the acid. You also need to visit your doctor and have them prescribe you medication for your acid reflux. The best way to prevent reflux-induced erosion is to stop the acid in the first place. By killing it at the source, you can start to feel better right away while also keeping your teeth in good health. If you do suffer from an acid attack, taking an over the counter antacid can help keep it under control. You can also drink a glass of soy or almond milk to help feel better in the moment.

Invisalign is quite different from traditional braces in a number of ways. It goes way beyond waiting for your teeth to get straighter. It also involves cleaning your teeth and gums regularly and preventing tooth decay and gum disease. That way, not only is your smile straighter than ever, but your teeth are extremely clean and not at risk for other conditions and diseases. When you finish your Invisalign treatment you will be impressed with how straight your teeth are as well as clean and healthy. It is important that when you have Invisalign that you take care of your teeth just as you would without them. Here are some tips on how to care for your teeth with Invisalign. Take Out Your Trays One of the differences you will notice between traditional metal braces and Invisalign is that Invisalign braces are removable and completely invisible. This means that you must take your trays out every time you eat so you do not get any food stuck in between them. You also need to remove them before you clean them. You need to have full access to all of the nooks and crannies inside of your mouth. Brush Your Teeth Normally The guidelines when it comes to brushing your teeth with Invisalign will not change in comparison to braces. You will be required to brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste to make sure to get all of the areas of your teeth and mouth. If you can then you should brush your teeth after every single meal. If you are unable to brush your teeth after each meal then you should rinse out your mouth with water and try to avoid sugar, starch, and carbohydrates. Wash and Floss It is important to keep up with your flossing habits when you have Invisalign. Flossing your teeth gets any excess food out from the crevices of your teeth. When you have metal braces it can be very difficult to floss your teeth. With Invisalign it is very easy since they are completely removable. You should also rinse out your mouth with a fluoride antibacterial mouthwash to help clean your teeth and get into all of the spaces. Clean Your Trays You need to clean your Invisalign trays to keep them from being bombarded with bacteria as well as excess food. You can clean your trays using the Invisalign cleaning system which involves putting the trays into cleaning crystals. The plastic trays become clean within about 15 minutes. It is much easier to clean your teeth with Invisalign because of its ability to be removed. Your teeth can be cleaned just like they could if you did not have braces at all. You should take care of your teeth just as you would without Invisalign. It is important that you brush and floss regularly and rinse your mouth out with water after every single meal. Not only does it keep your teeth clean but keeps your Invisalign clean as well. Contact us to learn more about Invisalign.

A good relationship with your dental team is very important. It can help you understand more about how to take better care of your mouth and will allow you to be more comfortable speaking to them about any treatments you may have. This can help put you at ease, especially if you have any concerns. While most people still might think of the dentist leading your treatment, there are many different types of dental professionals that make up the dental team. Here are just some of the different people you might find when you step into the dental practice. Dental Receptionist The dental receptionist is usually the first person you will meet when you arrive for your appointment. Dental receptionists greet visitors, answer the telephone, and answer patient questions. They may ask to see your dental insurance card to process insurance forms. They may also schedule appointments, process postal mail, perform various administrative tasks, and ensure the office and waiting area is organized. Dental receptionists are an integral part of any dental office. Dental Assistant A dental assistant is an important member of the dental care team. Dental assistants assist the dentist in providing the best oral health care to patients. They perform many tasks throughout the day including: Communicating with patients about their oral care needs Assist the dentist during treatment procedures Taking and developing dental x-rays Ask the patient about their medical history Take a patient's blood pressure and check the pulse Help patients feel comfortable during their visit Sterilize and prepare dental instruments and equipment Instruct patients concerning at-home oral care such as after oral surgery, after fillings, or other dental procedures Teach patients about oral hygiene (flossing, brushing, nutritional counseling) Dental Hygienist The dentist and dental hygienist work as a team to meet a patient's oral health needs. The services that dental hygienists provide may vary from state to state. Dental hygienists often provide these patient services: Remove plaque and calculus from teeth surfaces Make an impression of a patient's teeth (used by the dentist to evaluate a patient's oral care needs) Apply a preventive material (fluoride, sealant) to a patient's teeth Assess a patient's overall oral health condition including: A health history review Oral cancer screening Head and neck inspection Dental charting Dentist Dentists are degreed clinicians who are devoted to providing the best oral care for their patients. Dentists diagnose and treat oral diseases and other oral health conditions. Typically, dentists earn an undergraduate degree at college and then attend a DDS/DMD program at a dental school. It usually takes a dental student four years to graduate from a dentistry program. Dentists often provide these patient services: Perform dental procedures, including exams, crowns, fillings, implants, inlays, onlays, extractions, and corrective surgeries. Evaluates the general health of patients Advises patients about oral health and disease prevention Diagnoses and treats oral conditions Detects oral cancer and other health conditions that may appear in the mouth before being noticed in other areas of the body Treat oral health and detect diseases – including cardiovascular disease Treat diseases of the soft tissue or bone inside the mouth Whether it's performing dental restorative procedures or providing dental education, dental professionals are dedicated to providing the best oral care for their patients.

Fahim Mohi, Willis & Associates Family Dentistry’s Chief Marketing Officer, recently sat down for an interview with Dr. Fabrizio Cena, Lead Dentist for Shenandoah Dental Center. Dr. Cena received his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree in 2021 from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, graduating in the top 10% of his class. Fahim: Hi Dr. Cena, thank you so much for taking the time to sit down and talk with me! Dr. Cena: Not a problem at all Fahim! Fahim: So was dentistry your original dream? If not, then what was your original dream? Dr. Cena: You see, I didn’t dream big growing up because I grew up on a farm in a little Italian town called Chivasso. My ancestors were lumberjacks who came down in 1456 from the Northern Italian Alps in the Po Valley. When I was 9, we moved to Spain, and this was the biggest cultural change for me. Spain wasn’t a great place for me to foster my work ethic because the part where we were living in, the education standards were unfortunately the lowest. Nevertheless, I excelled in high-school, but it wasn’t until college that I started to dream big. I’ve always had a strong work ethic, and I get it from my dad. he’s 70, and he’s still out and about fixing things; he’s the neighborhood handyman. Fahim: That is some very interesting familial history you got there doc! Who would you say was your biggest inspiration throughout this journey? Dr. Cena: Oh by far my brother: He was the first one to go abroad for education and work, and now he has a PhD. So I was good at math at first, and I thought I could become an economist. But I did really well my first year in undergrad, and my brother said that I should become a doctor. My girlfriend at the time, her dad was a dentist and he spoke to me about dentistry and thought that I might do well in it. I looked into it and it turned out that I loved it. To me, dentistry was always a mystery; sort of like a magic. For me, it was awesome to finally see behind the curtains and actually see what the real process was, and I fell in love with it. Fahim: That’s awesome, he sounds like an absolutely amazing person. So what’s your favorite part of dentistry? Dr. Cena: I really liked that I was working directly with people, and that I was able to help them with something that nobody else could help with. Dentistry isn’t something you can do as a hobby; it’s not something you can do a little bit of or as a side thing. It can only be done when you dedicate your life to it, and it is only those who end up becoming the best dentists. Whatever I’ve done in my life, I always give 100% of my efforts, and I really like that dentistry fosters that tenet in me. There’s always room for improvement and there’s always something I can grow on or learn in this field. Fahim: Wonderful, wonderful, so what would you say is your best trait specifically? Dr. Cena: Well, I am a perfectionist. I make sure that every step is completed with precision. I always make sure that whatever I do on the patient, it is the best possible work that I can do; I don’t cut corners, and my career accomplishments clearly show that. I also pride myself in being able to see patients right away. I always make room in my schedule and make sure to see patients when they’re truly having a problem. If I was having a major dental problem, I wouldn’t want to wait weeks to have it dealt with, I’d want it dealt with the right away. Fahim: It’s great how you go out of your way for your patients like that doc! Any interesting stories about your dental journey you want to share? Dr. Cena: A story that ties into dentistry is about the first time I realized how important teeth were. When I was young, and I’m talking 10 years old, my brother, some friends and I go for a bike ride and we end up getting separated. We stopped and waited for him but he never showed, so we realized something was wrong. 20 minutes later, he shows up sobbing, and upon looking closer, we saw that he had chipped his tooth. My father didn’t really care that much about facial aesthetics, so he didn’t do anything to help him. My brother was very self conscious for a very long time, and it took a while for him to fix his tooth. Seeing his confidence change so quickly From getting his tooth fixed made a huge impact on me, and eventually sparked a fire in me that led to my pursuit of dentistry. Fahim: Thank you so much for you time doc! Dr. Cena: It was my pleasure Fahim!

If you’ve ever taken chemistry, either you or someone in your class was clumsy enough to spill a little bit of hydrochloric acid on their clothing. Although it was diluted, you’d see that after a while, it burned a hole in the shirt. Well that’s kind of how dental cavities work. Cavities are exactly what their name means: they’re holes in your tooth that form when plaque builds up in your teeth overtime from poor dental care. What’s plaque you may ask? Plaque is an extremely adhesive substance that’s made of a build up of leftover food particles and saliva in your mouth. If you don’t brush your teeth properly, a lot of plaque can build up on your teeth, and this is a problem because this plaque contains a lot of bacteria. This bacteria actually produces lactic acid, which eats away at your tooth’s enamel (outer covering of the tooth that protects the crown). Over time, this acid can actually eat away enough tooth material to poke a hole in it, and that’s when it needs to be addressed by a dentist. When you get a cavity fixed, you can get a number of procedures done. Fluoride treatment is one of them, where the tooth enamel is repaired through a process called remineralization. You also might need to get your cavity filled in, where a dentist removes the decayed material and fills in the hole with materials such as amalgam, composite resin, or metals. All this being said, the best treatment for a cavity will ALWAYS be to prevent it from happening in the first place! This means taking good care of your teeth on a regular basis, and getting your teeth checked up by your dental care provider every 6 months. If your 6 months are coming up, go ahead and schedule an appointment with one of our offices today, and we’ll make sure your teeth stay white and hole-free 🦷

Visiting the dentist isn’t often high on the priority list for most people. But did you know that three out of four adults experience cavities and/or periodontal disease? These are conditions you can avoid just by prioritizing your dental care. At Willis Dentistry, we’re focused on caring for our patients’ dental needs. Your dental care is important to us, so we’ve put together a small list of how you can easily improve your daily routine and dentist visits for better overall dental health. Here are five simple ways you can improve your dental care. 1. Find a local dentist you can trust When looking for a dentist, Staunton, VA residents should consider a practice that recognizes dental care is more than just a service. At Willis Dentistry, we understand there are a lot of negative stereotypes surrounding dentistry. Our practice seeks to eliminate those stereotypes through the use of modern technology and a focus on comfort. Your dental care shouldn’t be a traumatic event. Let us help you support your dental care with an approach centered on keeping you happy and healthy. 2. Visit your local dentist for regular dental care We all know that brushing our teeth twice a day helps support our dental health, but regular visits to the dentist are just as crucial. Any issues that might cause permanent damage or lasting pain can typically be caught during regular visits before they become unmanageable. With offices from Churchville to Crozet, dentists at Willis Family Dentistry serve to bring dental care to the wider community. A variety of locations allows you to integrate dental care more easily into your life. We offer a number of services to support your dental needs, from cosmetic dentistry to general upkeep and repair. 3. Create a dental care regimen at home Though it’s a good idea to visit your local dentist at least once every six months, dental care begins at home. Brush your teeth twice daily, such as once in the morning and once before you go to bed. Floss regularly to keep food out of your teeth where it can irritate your gums. Adding mouthwash to your routine can help freshen breath as well, providing an overall clean feeling. 4. Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months Toothbrushes are tools we use to clean our teeth, and like most tools, they are prone to wearing out. To help support your dental care at home, make sure you’re replacing your toothbrush every 3-4 months. If you find your toothbrush is losing bristles or just isn’t cleaning your teeth like it should, replace it as soon as possible. Another area you might not consider to clean is your toothbrush holder. Keep this device clean as well, by tending to it when you clean the bathroom. You can also prevent grime from building up on your toothbrush holder by rinsing off your toothbrush completely before storing it. 5. Seek out emergency dental care as soon as possible Most people know that if you’ve got an emergency, it’s best to call 9-1-1 and get looked at immediately. But the same goes for your teeth as well. Willis Dentistry offers emergency dental care by providing 24-hour urgent dental care services. Emergency dentists are staffed to address your needs should the occasion arise. When dental care goes beyond routine maintenance, the staff at Willis Dentistry is here to help. Take Care of Your Teeth Dental care doesn’t have to be painful, embarrassing, or stressful. Here at Willis Dentistry, we’ve adopted a philosophy of caring for your needs and debunking stereotypes with every happy patient. Let us support you in your dental care with our variety of dental services. Visit one of our dental offices or call us to speak with a representative. Your fresh start on dental care begins now.