Dr. Minns and his staff are dedicated to helping you 

and your family maintain good oral health

Think you have healthy teeth and gums? If you're not seeing a dentist regularly for routine preventative care, you might want to think twice.

Preventative care dentistry is the only way to ensure that you maintain the healthy teeth and gums that will keep you looking and feeling great.

Taking Care of Your Teeth and Gums

If you want to treat and prevent common problems such as bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease, you're going to need to seek preventative dental services on a regular basis. Every six months (more frequently for some patients) you should be scheduling an office visit with your dentist to ensure the best oral health. Did you know that oral health is directly linked to over all health? Find out why healthy teeth and gums are so vital to your full body health...

Need a deeper cleaning? If the hygienist diagnoses you with periodontal disease, she may recommend that you be scheduled for a method of cleaning under the gumline, called Scaling and Root Planing.

Want to know if you are predisposed to gum disease? We can test your "Oral DNA" to determine if you are more likely to develop gum tissue infections, such as inflammatory periodontal disease. We can also measure the bacteria levels in your mouth to help create a specially tailored treatment plan to fit your specific needs.

Dr. Minns utilizes the most advanced periodontal technologies... 

Our office utilizes the latest technology such as the Peizo, which is a machine that allows our hygienists to perform prophies and periodontal treatment  (scaling and root planing) without heavy scraping. Additionally, depending on your case, our hygienists may treat your periodontal disease or other gum infection with our laser. Patients with periodontal disease may also benefit from the use of our Perioscope. This piece of advanced technology can treat periodontal disease without surgery by using a fiberoptic scope to visualize and treat difficult periodontal problems.

At Dr. Minns office we take our x rays digitally. Our digital x ray system reduces your radiation exposure and your x rays are ready immediately.

The Connection between ORAL HEALTH and FULL BODY HEALTH

Heart Disease 

Several theories exist to explain the link between periodontal disease and heart disease. One theory is that oral bacteria can affect the heart when they enter the blood stream, attaching to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries (heart blood vessels) and contributing to clot formation. Coronary artery disease is characterized by a thickening of the walls of the coronary arteries due to the buildup of fatty proteins. Blood clots can obstruct normal blood flow, restricting the amount of nutrients and oxygen required for the heart to function properly. This may lead to heart attacks.

Another possibility is that the inflammation caused by periodontal disease increases plaque build up, which may contribute to swelling of the arteries.

Researchers have found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease can also exacerbate existing heart conditions. Patients at risk for infective endocarditis may require antibiotics prior to dental procedures. Your periodontist and cardiologist will be able to determine if your heart condition requires use of antibiotics prior to dental procedures

Stroke

Additional studies have pointed to a relationship between periodontal disease and stroke. In one study that looked at the causal relationship of oral infection as a risk factor for stroke, people diagnosed with acute cerebrovascular ischemia were found more likely to have an oral infection when compared to those in the control group.

Osteoperosis

Researchers have suggested that a link between osteoporosis and bone loss in the jaw. Studies suggest that osteoporosis may lead to tooth loss because the density of the bone that supports the teeth may be decreased, which means the teeth no longer have a solid foundation. However, hormone replacement therapy may offer some protection.

One study published in the June 2007 Journal of Periodontology (JOP) examined 1,256 postmenopausal women and looked for a potential association between periodontal bacteria and bone loss in the oral cavity. The study results showed that women with periodontal bacteria in their mouths were also more likely to have bone loss in the oral cavity, which can lead to tooth loss if not treated.

A follow-up study of 106 postmenopausal women over more than 10 years concluded they could significantly reduce tooth loss by controlling their periodontal disease.

Another JOP study published in August 1999 concludes that estrogen supplementation in women within five years of menopause slows the progression of periodontal disease. Researchers have suspected that estrogen deficiency and osteopenia/osteoporosis speed the progression of oral bone loss following menopause, which could lead to tooth loss. The study concluded that estrogen supplementation may lower gingival inflammation and the rate of attachment loss (destruction of the fibers and bone that support the teeth) in women with signs of osteoporosis, thus helping to protect the teeth.

Respiratory Disease

Bacterial respiratory infections are thought to be acquired through aspiration (inhaling) of fine droplets from the mouth and throat into the lungs. These droplets contain germs that can breed and multiply within the lungs to cause damage. Recent research suggests that bacteria found in the throat, as well as bacteria found in the mouth, can be drawn into the lower respiratory tract. This can cause infections or worsen existing lung conditions. People with respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, typically suffer from reduced protective systems, making it difficult to eliminate bacteria from the lungs.

Scientists have found that bacteria that grow in the oral cavity can be aspirated into the lung to cause respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, especially in people with periodontal disease. This discovery leads researchers to believe that these respiratory bacteria can travel from the oral cavity into the lungs to cause infection.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) cause persistent obstruction of the airways. The main cause of this disease is thought to be long-term smoking. Chemicals from smoke or air pollution irritate the airways to cause obstruction. Further damage to the tissue and working function of the lungs can be prevented, but already damaged tissue cannot be restored - untreated or undetected COPD can result in irreversible damage. Scientists believe that through the aspiration process, bacteria cam cause requent bouts of infection in patients with COPD. Studies are now in progress to learn to what extent oral hygiene and periodontal disease may be associated with more frequents bouts of respiratory disease in COPD patients.

Diabetes

People with diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease than people without diabetes, probably because diabetics are more susceptible to contracting infections. In fact, periodontal disease is often considered the sixth complication of diabetes. Those people who don't have their diabetes under control are especially at risk.

A study in the Journal of Periodontology found that poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients are more likely to develop periodontal disease than well-controlled diabetics are.

Research has emerged that suggests that the relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes goes both ways - periodontal disease may make it more difficult for people who have diabetes to control their blood sugar.

Severe periodontal disease can increase blood sugar, contributing to increased periods of time when the body functions with a high blood sugar. This puts diabetics at increased risk for diabetic complications. Thus, diabetics who have periodontal disease should be treated to eliminate the periodontal infection.

This recommendation is supported by a study reported in the Journal of Periodontology in 1997 involving 113 Pima Indians with both diabetes and periodontal disease. The study found that when their periodontal infections were treated, the management of their diabetes markedly improved.

Pregnancy Problems

For a long time we've known that risk factors such as smoking, alcohol use, and drug use contribute to mothers having babies that are born prematurely at a low birth weight.

Now evidence is mounting that suggests a new risk factor – periodontal disease. Pregnant women who have periodontal disease may be seven times more likely to have a baby that is born too early and too small.

More research is needed to confirm how periodontal disease may affect pregnancy outcomes. It appears that periodontal disease triggers increased levels of biological fluids that induce labor. Furthermore, data suggests that women whose periodontal condition worsens during pregnancy have an even higher risk of having a premature baby.

All infections are cause for concern among pregnant women because they pose a risk to the health of the baby. The Academy recommends that women considering pregnancy have a periodontal evaluation.

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