There are many reasons we experience pain throughout the body. Some, like injuries, are worth worrying about; others, like the occasional headache, not so much. But when it comes to your mouth, even a little pain can be a big concern. Sometimes it’s hard to tell why you’re feeling what you’re feeling, especially when it's inside your mouth. If you’re experiencing tooth or jaw pain, it could be for many reasons, none of them clear to the naked eye. If you have mouth pain but can’t seem to figure out exactly what hurts or why, here’s what you should know. Cavities Cavities cause pain that originates from one tooth (unless you have more than one cavity). Sometimes you can see cavities on the teeth, but other times it's not easy or possible to do so without tools or a trained eye. If you are experiencing isolated pain that includes aching, throbbing, sensitivity to hot or cold, swollen or tender gums around the affected tooth, and even a foul odor coming from the tooth, see Dr. George right away. Gum Disease Gum disease, or periodontitis, will often display itself as swelling, tenderness and pain in the gums. Your gums may be prone to bleeding when you brush or floss, and you may have bad breath. Early-stage gum disease or gingivitis may have no pain at all, but gums may still be red and swollen and bleed easily during routine oral health care. Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Temporomandibular joint dysfunction, or TMJ dysfunction, occurs when the temporomandibular joint of the jaw becomes misaligned from the rest of the jaw. This can result in jaw pain, jaw tightness, the inability to open and close the mouth, headaches, neck pain, back aches, GERD, and tinnitus. With such a wide variety of symptoms, it can be hard to tell if you really have TMJ dysfunction or not, but the good news is that Dr. George can! If you are experiencing any symptoms mentioned above, whether they be in your teeth, gums, jaw or elsewhere in the body that may be related to the mouth, such as the head and neck, give Dr. George’s office a call at 724-220-2347.

Technology is everywhere we go, in everything we do. From smart phones to robot assistants to app-enabled camera doorbells, chances are you already have at least one smart device in your home working to make your life easier. But what if you could make caring for your smile a little easier, too? A bunch of new tech companies are aiming to do just that, and they could change the way we care for our teeth forever. Imagine if your toothbrush could go beyond brushing your teeth and tell your dentist and dental insurance provider how well you’re caring for your oral health. Sure, it may seem like tattling, but what if those reports meant lower dental insurance premiums? It could soon be possible in all 50 states when the Beam brush expands its 27-state network this year. The Beam brush works by recording your brushing habits via an app and reporting back to your insurer. From there, if everyone in your group is maintaining a high score on their hygiene, your premiums go down. To sweeten the pot, the top performers in any group get an additional 10 percent discount on their premiums. Dr. Alexandra George of Wexford, Pennsylvania, thinks apps like the Beam system are a great way to encourage healthy hygiene - as well as healthy competition. "It's kind of the adult version of a rewards chart," says George. "The patient gets rewarded by lower premiums, and coworkers can compete with each other for the top spot to save that extra 10 percent. That competition can also encourage everyone to do better, because that saves the whole team money regardless of who the top brusher is." In that same spirit, the Level app provides its own insurance plan in simple, clear language. Level helps the consumer shop for a dentist based on the cost of procedures, with clearly listed prices, so the patient always knows what to expect out of pocket. Like Beam, the major drawback to Level thus far is that it must be offered through an employer, but George says it raises another possible red flag that consumers should be aware of. "The problem I see with Level is that patients may choose a provider based on cost alone, when that provider may not be the best fit for them," she says. "They could have bad reviews or may not be board certified, and that’s why they cost so much less than other providers. You would definitely need to do your homework." For her part, George recommends reading reviews and even asking for board certification information before choosing any provider, not just the ones participating in app-based insurance programs. As for how these apps will change dentistry, George says hopefully they will make it easier and less confusing, and maybe even save some teeth (and lives) in the process.

Pistachio green, colorful tights, quilted clothing and full-mouth restoration. What do these things all have in common? They’re all hallmarks of this fall season. But while fashion trends come and go, some things are designed to last a lot longer. That’s where full-mouth restoration comes in to play. Full-mouth restoration is the perfect way to have a beautiful smile that outlasts all the trends and still looks great when those trends are in vogue again. Better still, fall is a great time to start your full-mouth restoration makeover! With the kids heading back to school and the holiday photo season approaching, why not get your smile back in style with these timeless smile makeover techniques? Dental Implants, Bridges and Dentures One of the most effective ways to create a healthy, more youthful-looking appearance is to replace missing teeth with dentures, bridges and implants. These solutions can be either removable or more permanent, but all three close any unsightly gaps in the mouth and help fill out the face in the process. They can also stop further bone degeneration that may cause more lost teeth and difficulty chewing. In fact, the sooner you replace lost teeth, the better the chance solutions like dental implants will work. Orthodontics Whether they be traditional wire-and-bracket braces, clear aligners or neuromuscular orthodontics, taking steps to better align your bite not only creates a beautiful aesthetic, but can also align your bite and eliminate any excessive wear on your teeth from a bad bite. They can also alleviate pain from conditions like temporomandibular joint dysfunction. You may not have a perfect smile by the time the winter holidays roll around, but you’ll be well on your way! Veneers Porcelain veneers cover all kinds of flaws on the teeth. They can cover minor chips, lengthen the teeth, create a more streamlined even look to the teeth and even change the color of the teeth. Best of all, they are stain resistant, so you can still indulge in all those pumpkin spice lattes this fall without the worry of discoloring them. Veneers are made of thin porcelain sheets that are custom formed to fit your individual teeth, and then permanently adhered to the outward face of each tooth. The process takes just a few weeks and can get you the bright white smile you’ve always dreamed of. To learn more about your full-mouth restoration cosmetic dentistry options from Dr. George, please give the office a call at 724-220-2347.

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction can be a real pain in the jaw, head and even neck. But add in radiating pain and it can often become too much to bear. This is precisely why many people seek outside relief, from painkillers to physical therapy and neuromuscular orthodontics. But what if you could be inadvertently worsening your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain without even realizing it? There are some everyday behaviors many of us do without even realizing they could be harming our bodies. Here are a few surprise triggers for your TMJ dysfunction. Chewing Gum While chewing sugarless gum can actually help neutralize plaque acid and protect the teeth from cavities, it can have a dark side if you have temporomandibular joint dysfunction. That’s because excessive chewing can put strain on the jaw, causing more pain and inflammation. Despite its benefits, if you have TMJ dysfunction, cut back on the chewing gum, even if you aren’t experiencing severe TMJ dysfunction symptoms. Tech Neck What on earth is tech neck? It’s the term coined for the neck and back posturing many people are developing due to constant phone and tablet use. It seems when we frequently look down, we are putting strain on the neck, spine and back as well as the temporomandibular joint! Worse yet, if you are experiencing tech neck (also known as text neck), you could be raising your cortisol levels due to the stress of the pain, and causing more inflammation in the discs and the temporomandibular joint. Bruxism Bruxism, or grinding your teeth, can be a surprising cause of temporomandibular joint pain because many people who have bruxism don’t realize they are doing it. This means they could be worsening their pain unconsciously. Bruxism is especially common during the night while asleep and during high-stress situations, such as when you experience pain (such as tech neck) or when you are doing everyday tasks like working or sitting in traffic. In addition to straining the temporomandibular joint, bruxism can also damage your teeth, causing fractures, chips and uneven wear. Jaw Clenching Somewhat related to bruxism is jaw clenching. Jaw clenching may not make tooth-to-tooth contact, but it still puts undue strain on the temporomandibular joint. If you find yourself clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth, it may be time for a mouth guard. Contact Dr. George’s office for a consultation by calling 724-220-2347.

What if as a parent you could take out an insurance policy on your child’s future health by banking a material that could repair nearly any part of their body? Would you do it if you could? For an increasing number of parents, the answer is a resounding "yes!" But how is this so-called insurance even possible? The answer is stem cells - and they come from a place you may not expect. "A lot of labs are beginning to offer stem cell banking for stem cells extracted from wisdom teeth," says Dr. Alexandra George, a Wexford, Pennsylvania, dentist. Parents banking their children’s stem cells isn’t a new thing. It began in 1974, when researchers realized that stem cells and progenitor cells were present in umbilical cord blood. Nearly a decade later, in 1983, the scientific community proposed harvesting these stem cells, and by 1988 Dr. Eliane Gluckman of Paris had performed the world’s first cord blood transplant to treat a condition called Fanconi’s Anemia in a 6-year-old-boy. Today, banking newborn cord blood is a fairly common practice in the United States, but many parents feel they missed the boat by not banking their child’s blood when they had the chance. For some parents it was a matter of not being able to afford it at the time, while others didn’t realize how important stem cells could be – or simply didn’t know it was an option. But now with the opportunity of banking wisdom tooth stem cells, many of these parents are getting a second chance to protect their children. "The great thing about extracting stem cells from wisdom teeth in older children is that if you missed your window when they were newborns you can still get those valuable cells," George says. That’s because the stem cells can be harvested much later - when wisdom teeth come out in the late teens to early 20s. George is also quick to point out that the teeth can come out at the usual age for wisdom tooth extraction - they don't have to be extracted early in order to reap the benefits of the stem cells. "With wisdom teeth stem cells, you don’t need to pull the teeth ahead of schedule to get better or fresher stem cells," says George. "You can wait until they are ready to come out and harvest the stem cells then, rather than pull healthy teeth. Your child is keeping the stem cells safe just having the teeth in place." So, what’s so great about stem cells anyway? According to George, a lot. "Stem cells can be used to replicate a wide array of naturally occurring cells in the body," she says. "For example they can be used to treat blood disorders or help regrow bones or tissue that are damaged due to injury or illness." And with technological advances happening every day, the possibilities of what stem cells can do will only continue to increase.

An estimated 50 percent of American adults have the oral health disease known as periodontal or gum disease. Of that 50 percent, more than half (about 57 percent) are men. Periodontal disease has been linked to a long list of other dangerous conditions – from diabetes to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and even stroke. But now, a new study from the Department of Stomatology at the University of Granada in Spain has found another reason to mind your oral health: Periodontal disease can contribute to erectile dysfunction in men. The University of Granada study was the first of its kind to be conducted in Europe. It was conducted in conjunction with the urology department at San Cecilio Hospital in Granada’s Health Sciences Technology Park with a sample of 80 men and 78 controls. Dr. Alexandra George is a dentist from Wexford, Pennsylvania. She says periodontal disease, like erectile dysfunction, becomes increasingly common with advanced age. "According for the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 47.2 percent of adults above the age of 30 have some form of periodontal disease," she says. "Worse yet, that number skyrockets with age. By age 65, 70.1 percent of adults have some form of periodontal disease." And those numbers coincide quite accurately with erectile dysfunction numbers. By age 40, about 5 percent of men report full erectile dysfunction, and those numbers jump to 15 percent by age 70. For less severe erectile dysfunction, it is estimated that the percentage of men affected by some form of erectile dysfunction coincides with the decade of age, so by age 40, 40 percent have some form of erectile dysfunction, and by age 70, 70 percent will have some form of the disorder. To conduct the study, researchers took sociodemographic data from the participants. They then gave each participant a periodontal exam and tested each man’s testosterone, lipids, blood glucose, c-reactive protein and glycated hemoglobin levels. "The glycated hemoglobin and c-reactive proteins are markers for erectile dysfunction," says George. What the researchers found was that of the patients with erectile dysfunction, 74 percent exhibited signs of periodontal disease. Furthermore, those with the most serious cases of erectile dysfunction also had the worst cases of periodontal disease and subsequent periodontal damage. In fact, men with periodontitis were 2.28 times more likely to have erectile dysfunction than men with healthy gums. "It just goes to show that once again, none of the systems of the body are truly independent of each other," says George. "Oral health isn’t simply confined to the mouth. It affects the entire body, for better or worse."

Researchers at Queens University in Belfast, Ireland, have found another great reason to take care of your oral hygiene. A recent study of data from 469,628 patients has revealed an increased risk of liver cancer in those who reported having poor oral hygiene that had resulted in everything from missing teeth to bleeding gums and dental abscesses. The study found that while there was no link between poor oral health and other types of gastrointestinal cancers, there was an elevated risk in a particular cancer: hepatocellular carcinoma. Researchers also noted that hepatocellular carcinoma was more common in patients who were young, female, who ate fewer than five servings of fruit and vegetables per day, who were overweight or obese, smokers, and those living in less affluent areas. This isn’t the first time poor oral health has been linked to diseases throughout the body. More specifically, periodontal disease has been linked to everything from stroke to heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Thankfully, there’s a lot we can do with the data from this study - namely, use the information to help lower the risk of developing liver cancer. Here’s what you can do. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight Because an elevated risk of liver cancer was found in participants who were classified as overweight or obese, one of the most straightforward ways to help reduce your risk of liver cancer is to maintain a healthy body weight through diet and exercise. This will help not only with reducing your liver cancer risk, but will also improve your overall health and quality of life. Change Your Diet Even if you don’t have excess weight to lose, adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is a healthy way to get all the vitamins, minerals and fiber your body needs. Just five servings a day can not only lower your liver cancer risk, but can also help you maintain healthy body weight. Quit Smoking While this is usually easier said than done, quitting smoking is worth the challenge. If you’re ready to quit but don’t know where to start, speak to your doctor for more information. Take Care of Your Teeth It goes without saying that to prevent a disease that is linked to poor oral hygiene you should be diligent about caring for your oral health. Be sure to brush twice a day, for two minutes minimum each time, and floss at least once a day. Don’t forget your dental exams either! To schedule your exam with Dr. George, please call 724-220-2347.

When you think of your smartphone, you probably don’t automatically think of your teeth. But what you may not realize is that there are many ways you can use your smartphone to care for your teeth, and more are arriving all the time. From games to make dental appointments more fun to an innovative new way to get dental insurance, our phones are becoming more and more in tune with our daily lives. Whether you’re looking for brushing reminders or a way to nudge your kids into better oral hygiene, here are some of the best up-and-coming oral health apps! Beam The Beam app isn’t for everyone - your employer needs to offer Beam insurance. But if you are an employer or your company’s dental insurance plan is lacking, Beam might be a viable solution to introduce to your HR department. Beam not only offers dental insurance, but it also offers a toothbrush, paste and brush-heads that sync with an app. When data from your brushing activity each day gets uploaded to Beam (uploading is optional), that data is used to grade you. The higher the grade, the lower your dental insurance premiums! It’s a pretty cool and useful way to encourage great oral hygiene. Yonder Yonder is an app designed by a team at the University of Minnesota in conjunction with the Earl E. Bakken Medical Devices Center. But researchers never intended to make an app – in fact, they initially set out to make a new child-restraint device for children who will not remain safely seated in the dental chair. Instead, researchers came up with Yonder, an app that follows a hippo named Mimi through her first dental appointment. Studies on the app have shown that almost all the children who used it were able to successfully get through their first dental checkup. Though the app isn’t available to download just yet, look for it in your app store soon. Level The Level app is another dental insurance app that works a bit differently than Beam. Level is an insurance app that not only provides its own insurance, but also explains your policy in simple, easy-to-understand terms. Level allows you to choose your provider based on up-front out-of-pocket pricing, so there are no surprises at checkout. Not all employers offer Level, but based on its user-friendly operation, we’ll likely be hearing more about it soon. To schedule an appointment with Dr. George, please call 724-220-2347.

The internet is a wondrous place full of miraculous cures for all sorts of ailments - or so every web-based snake oil salesman with a dream would like you to believe. From miracle diets that claim you can lose 20 pounds in a week to cure-alls for everything from acne to diabetes, if these things worked, life would be great. Unfortunately, most of these so-called cures are just a bunch of broken promises. But one particular cure has a lot of people talking. Some people claim you can naturally heal cavities in just two days. But here's the problem: You can’t heal cavities at home in two days or in any other number of days - there is no way to heal a cavity. That’s because once a cavity becomes a cavity, it’s too late to reverse it. Unfortunately, tooth enamel does not repair itself, which is why when we get cavities, we need fillings. Thankfully, fillings are a relatively straightforward procedure. To fill a tooth, your dentist will clean out the decayed portion and then replace it with a composite made of either metal amalgam or resin. That’s the only way you can actually "heal" a cavity. Sure, there are ways to stop a cavity from starting - that part is simple. Make sure you brush twice a day for two minutes each time, and floss between the teeth at least once a day. George says there are even ways to prevent a pre-cavity from turning into a full cavity. Pre-cavities are not quite cavities yet but could become cavities if not properly cared for. They are spots where the enamel of the teeth has worn away or become demineralized. Because they are not yet cavities, pre-cavities can be treated and stopped before they become full-fledged cavities. Pre-cavities can be treated with fluoride and sealants, but they also respond well to proper oral health care and avoiding foods that are high in sugar or carbohydrates, which the bacteria in your mouth often turn into sugar. The big takeaway in all of this is this: If you have a cavity, get it treated as soon as possible, before it turns into something bigger than it needs to be. Remember, cavities have a way of starting out small and turning into much bigger problems. If left untreated, they can not only get bigger, but can also turn into things like abscesses that require root canals or even extractions. If you suspect you have a cavity, skip the internet and call Dr. George at 724-220-2347.

Tartar. It’s that icky yellow or brown line that sits on your teeth along the gumline that, no matter how hard you brush (don’t brush too hard!), you can’t seem to get rid of. But what exactly is tartar - and, seriously, how do you get rid of it? Here’s everything you need to know about removing that pesky oral menace known as tartar. Hire a Pro Want to know the easiest way to whiten your teeth? It's not some magic chemical compound or plastic strip. It’s a good old-fashioned dental cleaning. Why? Because much of what causes that ugly discoloration on our teeth is a buildup of plaque known as tartar. Tartar (also known as calculus) is a buildup of hardened plaque bacteria that adheres to the teeth and hardens in place, making it impossible to simply brush away at home. Try as you might to scrub it away, tartar doesn’t budge. In order to remove tartar, you need a professional dental cleaning like the ones you get at Dr. George’s office. You see, tartar is usually bonded to your teeth so much that, unlike regular plaque, it becomes a solid. Worse still, it not only looks bad, but it’s also terrible for your teeth. That’s because the longer that tartar sits on your teeth, the weaker your tooth enamel becomes, and the more likely you are to develop cavities. More Tartar Troubles Tartar is also very porous, so it stains easily - so even if your tartar starts out white, if you drink coffee, soda or wine, chances are that color will change! Tartar also keeps bacteria close to your gumline, something that can be extremely dangerous for your gums because it can cause gum disease or gingivitis. If left untreated, this can worsen and develop into advanced periodontal disease, also known as periodontitis. Periodontitis isn’t just bad news for your gums - it can cause gum and tissue loss and can also cause tooth and bone loss. Beyond your mouth, periodontal disease can contribute to everything from cancer to heart disease to diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. What to Do - and Not Do If you see tartar forming at the gumline, don’t try to brush harder - you could injure your gums. Also, don’t try to scrape it away yourself - you could permanently damage your teeth. The best way to treat tartar is to call Dr. George’s office and schedule a cleaning. To schedule an appointment, please call Dr. George’s office at 724-220-2347.

If your dentist has recommended a dental debridement prior to your next cleaning and exam, you may be confused and maybe even a little bit nervous. After all, a debridement sounds a little bit scary and painful. The good news is, debridement isn’t scary or painful - and it’s certainly nothing to be afraid of. Here’s what you need to know about dental debridement. What Is Dental Debridement? Dental debridement is a process of removing excess plaque and tartar from the teeth. Dental debridement is not used for the average checkup. It is not used for the normal level of plaque most people accumulate every six to 12 months between checkups, but it is a useful procedure for more severe buildup that generally takes years to accumulate. Debridement is completed using special ultrasonic tools that clean and scale the teeth prior to a dental exam, so they are clean enough to be examined by the dentist during the actual dental examination. What Happens During Debridement? During a debridement, the exposed portion of the teeth that sits above the gumline is scraped with special tools used specifically for dental debridement procedures. During a debridement procedure, any parts of the teeth with buildup below the gumline are cleaned with ultrasonic tools that break up the tartar below the surface of the gums. Though it is generally well tolerated, the ultrasonic deep cleaning of the gums may cause some soreness and inflammation of the gums following the procedure. In severe cases where the plaque is particularly dense, the patient is sent home for their gums to heal and is asked to return in several weeks (anywhere from two to six weeks) for the regular cleaning and exam. In other cases, the patient may be able to have their exam on the same day, depending on the condition of the teeth and gums post-debridement. In the meantime, the patient must begin proper oral hygiene to maintain the cleaning and to prevent further buildup from accumulating on the teeth. Post exam, you should plan to visit Dr. George twice annually for your regular cleaning and exam, and continue brushing twice a day for two minutes at a time and flossing at least once a day. To learn more about dental debridement or to schedule an appointment with Dr. George, please call 724-220-2347.