When you succumb to dental issues that cause permanent damage to your teeth, or when you lose teeth, your prospects for being able to smile confidently again may seem grim. Nature provides us with a certain number of permanent teeth, and unlike other species, we don’t grow new ones when we lose them in our adult years. There are many ways that we can end up less-than-thrilled with the way our smile looks or feels. Cavities, gum disease, cosmetic issues, misalignments – all of these things can greatly affect your quality of life. Luckily, Houston, TX dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero, can help.

Restorative Dental Procedures

Has tooth decay taken a toll on the health of your teeth? Are you one of the 80% of Americans that has gum disease? Eating, chewing, and speaking can be difficult if your mouth is full of uncomfortable cavities. Severe gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss. Treatment of these infections in imperative for keeping a healthy mouth. Tooth-colored fillings and dental crowns can solve issues of decay and restore teeth back to full function. When teeth are missing, bridges, dentures, and dental implants can turn an incomplete mouth into one full of strong and healthy teeth.

Cosmetic Procedures Galore

If you have gaps that you think look unattractive, or your teeth are just slightly crooked, a simple cosmetic procedure may give you just the results you’re looking for. Dental bonding uses the same material that we utilize for white dental fillings – composite-resin. Perhaps you’re a heavy coffee drinker or tobacco user who has started to become disheartened by dullness or yellow stains on your (more…)

Perhaps you’re not a wine or beer drinker, but you enjoy celebrating the holidays with family and friends guzzling one soda after another. According to a Gallup poll, about 48% of people in the United States drink at least one soda every single day. You’re probably well aware that the sugar in regular sodas can pack on the pounds. Other compelling research says that even diet versions of various carbonated beverages are just as bad (or even worse) for your waistline. Artificial sweeteners may trigger cravings for fatty foods. How about your teeth? Between sugar and sugar-free, which type of soda is better for your teeth? Houston dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero, doesn’t have good news about either choice in terms of your dental health.

What’s So Bad about Soda?

Sodas have proven to be one of the most significant cavity inducing consumables. Sugar or no sugar, soft drinks contain acids which will damage your tooth enamel. This makes your teeth into prime targets for the bacteria that cause tooth decay. About 50% of school age children in America consume at least one soda per day. However, reports of teenagers binging on as many as 12 cans of soda daily don’t seem all that shocking. Unfortunately, poor habits such as these in childhood can potentially lead to a lifetime of dental issues and challenges. (more…)

Many people are focused on Halloween this evening, but October 31^st also marks the final day of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Breast cancer can afflict men, but it is primarily a disease that touches the lives of women. While some elements of dentistry are gender-irrelevant (basic tooth decay and gum disease) tendencies differ between the males and females of our species. Women have some completely different risk factors for periodontal disease than men. Much of this has to do with the fluctuating hormones during various times in a woman’s life. Your Katy, TX dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero, would like to provide more information for female patients.

Gum Disease Risk for Women

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that nearly 50% of American adults over the age of 30 have some level of periodontal disease. Periodontitis is the most severe form. Periodontal pockets are a side effect of severe gum disease, which is also the leading cause of adult tooth loss. How does it all start? Think plaque. When you have plaque buildup and fail to clean it off completely, it settles at your gumline and hardens into tartar within 48 hours. Your gums will start to become irritated, inflamed, and infected. Early gum disease is treatable, meaning we can stop the condition from progressing. However, no form of periodontal disease is completely curable at this time. (more…)

Have you ever put off going to the dentist? You certainly wouldn’t be alone. As many as 40 million people in the United States completely avoid going to the dentist because of deep anxiety. One way to combat milder fears is simply finding a dental team that understands your needs. If you are so anxious that you could even be considered phobic, you may need a little help to take the edge off of your nerves. Sedation in dentistry has become more common as experience has allowed us to gain a better understanding of safely providing it to patients. You deserve a calm, relaxing, and pleasant experience when you have dental work.  Houston, TX dentist, Dr. Deborah Gennero will describe nitrous oxide, one of the most popular forms of mild sedation in dentistry. (more…)

Well known celebrities like Patrick Swayze and Steve Jobs have battled pancreatic cancer publicly. The highly lethal disease has long perplexed doctors because symptoms rarely present themselves until the cancer has already progressed. At least one new predictor has been recently discovered, however, and it happens to involve oral bacteria. Dr. Deborah Gennero, your Houston, TX dentist, will explain how this new discovery might help future pancreatic cancer patients receive an earlier diagnosis.

Oral Bacteria Could Be More Risky than Smoking

Over 800 European blood samples were examined for the study which was published in the journal Gut. High antibody levels for the infectious periodontal bacteria – Porphyromonas gingivalis – was connected with double the risk of (more…)