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Dentist - Newton
400 Allison Street
Newton, KS 67114
 

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  • 2021
      • January (1)
        • What Tara Lipinski Does to Protect One of Her Most Valuable Assets - Her Smile
  • 2020
      • December (3)
        • This Laser Procedure Promises Big Benefits for Gum Disease Treatment
        • How to Ensure Your Child's Teeth and Gums Stay Healthy Now and Later
        • Some Bite Problems May Require the Help of Other Tools in Conjunction With Braces
      • November (3)
        • Vivica Fox and Zendaya Have This in Common: A Gorgeous Smile
        • Here's What To Do If Your Child Complains of a Toothache
        • Keep Your New Straightened Smile Straight With an Orthodontic Retainer
      • October (3)
        • If You Thought the Last Century Was Amazing for Dental Care, Just Wait
        • What You Can Do About Bad Breath (Unless You're a Famous Actress Pranking Your Co-Star)
        • Far From a Safer Alternative to Smoking, Vaping Could Ruin Your Oral Health
      • September (3)
        • Eliminating an Infant's Lip or Tongue Tie Can Make Breastfeeding Easier
        • Improve Your Smile With These Dental Enhancements
        • How Shawn Mendes and Miley Cyrus Got Their Stellar Smiles
      • August (4)
        • We Need to Act Quickly to Save Your Loose Tooth
        • Mouth Breathing Can Lead to Serious Oral Problems, Especially for Children
        • 4 Simple Things You Can Do to Stop Bad Breath
        • Bruins' Zdeno Chara Breaks His Jaw During 2019 Stanley Cup
      • July (3)
        • Treating Gum Disease is Good for Your Whole Body, Not Just Your Mouth
        • Replace Your Teeth in Stages With the Help of Dental Implants
        • Enjoy Your Ice Cream - But Just a Little for Your Dental Health's Sake
      • June (3)
        • Why Kathy Bates Chose This Alternative to Braces and so Might You
        • 3 Reasons a Root Canal Treatment Might Fail and What You Can Do About It
        • Instill These Habits in Your Child for a Lifetime of Great Dental Health
      • May (3)
        • 4 Ways to Avoid Dental Disease While Wearing Braces
        • You Can Have a Straighter Smile - Just Like the Queen of England
        • Reducing Your Child's Dental Anxiety Now Could Benefit Them for a Lifetime
      • April (3)
        • Clear Aligners Make it Easier for Teenagers to have Their Teeth Straightened
        • 4 Things You Can Do to Avoid Damage From Gum Recession
        • Miley Cyrus's Little Secret: Straightening Her Smile With Lingual Braces
      • March (3)
        • Removing One or More Teeth Could Improve Orthodontic Outcomes
        • One Visit May Be All You Need to Restore a Chipped Tooth
        • Something Between Your Teeth? Don't Use Anything Else but Dental Floss
      • February (3)
        • Lady Gaga Wasn't "Born This Way?"
        • 3 Things You Should Do to Avoid Harm From Gum Disease
        • Why Vaping isn't a Safe Choice for Your Oral Health
      • January (3)
        • Veneers May Not Be the Best Option for Your Teenager's Teeth
        • Find Out How These Famous Celebrities Protect Their Smiles From Teeth Grinding
        • Is There a Better Way to Manage Pain Without Narcotics?
  • 2019
      • December (3)
        • Lasers are Making an Impact in Treating Gum Disease
        • Cleft Defects Can Be Overcome, Thanks to Advanced Surgical Procedures
        • The Real Truth Behind Ed Helms' Missing Tooth in "The Hangover"
      • November (3)
        • New "Behind the Teeth" Braces Could Give You the Advantage of "Invisibility"
        • Eating the Right Carbs Helps Keep Your Gums Healthy
        • Getting a 'New Tooth in One Day' Will Depend on Your Bone Health
      • October (3)
        • Margot Robbie Knows: A Great Smile Is Worth Protecting
        • The Before, During and After of Root Canal Treatments
        • How to Lower Your Child's Tooth Decay Risk From Halloween Candy
      • September (3)
        • You May Need an Endodontist for a Tooth With Interior Decay
        • Janet Jackson: Even pop stars get insecure about their smiles!
        • How Early Dental Visits Can Improve Your Child's Oral Health
      • August (3)
        • Despite Some Online Sources, Root Canals Don't Cause Disease
        • "Tooth, Heal Thyself" May Soon Be a Reality
        • Dr. Travis Stork: Don't Ignore Bleeding Gums
      • July (3)
        • Your Age Doesn't Have to Keep You from a Straighter Smile
        • See Your Dentist if You Have one of these Top 3 Oral Problems
        • If Appropriate, Antibiotics before Implant Surgery Could Reduce Infection Risk
      • June (3)
        • NBC Star Delivers a Message about the "Perfect" Smile
        • Tooth Type and Condition can Affect Root Canal Therapy Effectiveness
        • Smoking Could Shorten Your Implants' Longevity
      • May (3)
        • Dentures with Implants Could Help You Avoid Bone Loss
        • Crazy Little Thing Called... Hyperdontia?
        • Simple Steps to Follow if Your Child has a Toothache
      • April (3)
        • Beat Dental Plaque While Wearing Braces with These Tools and Tips
        • To Detect Oral Cancer Early, See Your Dentist
        • Dwight Howard: A Bright NBA Star With a Smile to Match
      • March (3)
        • 3 Things You Should Know About Teeth Grinding
        • Here's How to Manage School Snacks and Your Child's Dental Health
        • Spring Into Better Oral Health
      • February (3)
        • Fan of Superhero Film Black Panther Breaks Steel Wire...with Her Mouth!
        • Composite Resin Could Amp up Your Teeth's Attractiveness in Just One Visit
        • Stop Gum Disease Before it Harms Your Health
      • January (3)
        • NSAIDs Could be Just as Effective as Narcotics Managing Dental Pain
        • Kathy Bates Plays It Smart With Professional Teeth Whitening
        • Recessed Gums Could Endanger Your Teeth
  • 2018
      • December (3)
        • Practice Daily Oral Hygiene to Prevent Calcified Plaque Formation
        • New Year, New Smile
        • J-Lo's Unlucky Break: Chipping a Tooth on Stage
      • November (3)
        • Retain Your New Smile After Braces with a Retainer
        • Practice Caution with Energy or Sports Drinks to Protect Your Enamel
        • 3 Factors That Could Affect the Success of a Root Canal Treatment
      • October (4)
        • Charlize Theron Back in Action After Dental Surgery
        • Try the Conservative Path to Jaw Pain Relief First
        • What You Should Know About Antibiotic Therapy Before Implant Surgery
        • What You Should Know About a Home Teeth Whitening Kit
      • September (3)
        • How Big Bang Theory Actress Mayim Bialik Gets Her Kids to Floss
        • Veneers may Offer a Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
        • A Bonded Retainer Might Work for You after Orthodontic Treatment
      • August (3)
        • Advances in Dental Health that may be Waiting for us Just around the Corner
        • Baseball's Francisco Lindor Shines as "Mr. Smile"
        • 10 Tips to Tame Bad Breath
      • July (3)
        • Get Your Vitamins the Natural Way for Optimum Dental Health
        • What You Can Do to Support Your Child's Dental Development
        • Why Big Bang Theory Actress Mayim Bialik Couldn't Have Braces
      • June (3)
        • Caps, Gowns and Smiles for High School Graduation
        • Artificial Sweeteners Could Help You Reduce the Risk of Dental Disease
        • Sealants Could Protect Your Child's Teeth From Future Problems
      • May (3)
        • Any Time, Any Place: Cam Newton's Guide to Flossing
        • 3 Things You Need to Know about Easing Anxiety Over Dental Visits
        • 4 Things You Should Focus on During Pregnancy for Optimal Dental Health
      • April (2)
        • Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory Was Not So Sweet to Cast's Teeth!
        • 2.6 Million Fans 'Like' Justin Bieber's Chipped Tooth
      • March (2)
        • Preventive Care for Your Child is a Partnership between You and Your Dentist
        • 3 Fluoride Sources You Should Monitor for Your Family's Dental Health
      • February (2)
        • A "No-Prep" Veneer Could Eliminate the Need to Remove Tooth Enamel
        • Jamie Foxx Chips a Tooth - This Time by Accident!
      • January (3)
        • Professional Whitening Offers an Effective Way to Restore Your Smile's Luster
        • New Year's Resolutions You Can Keep
        • You may Need Orthodontic Work Before Getting a Dental Implant
  • 2017
      • December (2)
        • Julianne Hough Shares a Video - and a Song - After Wisdom Teeth Come Out
        • Change Your Smile for the Better with Porcelain Veneers
      • November (2)
        • Regenerating Lost Bone Can Make Dental Implants a Reality
        • Not Your Granddad's Dental Care: the New Approach to Tooth Decay Treatment
      • October (3)
        • In Today's NFL, Oral Hygiene Takes Center Stage
        • Use the Same Prevention Strategy to Defeat Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
        • Your New Implants Need Proper Hygiene Just as Much as your Other Teeth
      • September (2)
        • Risk Factors for Gum Disease
        • Dr. Travis Stork: If Only I'd Worn A Mouthguard!
      • August (2)
        • Don't let Periodontal Disease Cause Your Gums to Recede
        • (Don't) Break It Like Beckham
      • July (3)
        • This Young Woman's Cancer Experience a Teachable Moment for all of us
        • Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello Chips a Tooth, but Concert Still "Worth It"
        • Your Child's Impacted Front Teeth can be Saved - but Don't Wait too Long
      • June (2)
        • Jimmy Fallon Can’t Catch a Break - Except in His Tooth
        • Only a Dental Exam can Identify the Root Cause of Your Tooth Pain
      • May (2)
        • Vivica's Veneers: the Making of a Hollywood Smile
        • Complications from Missing Teeth Could Limit Your Replacement Options
      • April (2)
        • Ariana Grande Breaks Free - of Her Wisdom Teeth
        • Watch for These Developing Bite Problems with Your Child's Teeth
      • March (2)
        • Expert Advice: Vivica A. Fox on Kissing and Oral health
        • The Top 3 Oral Problems in America - and What You Should Do About Them
      • February (2)
        • Life Is Sometimes a Grind for Brooke Shields
        • There are Good Reasons to Check Your Blood Pressure During Dental Visits
      • January (3)
        • Spice Up Your Teeth
        • Watch Out for Re-Infection After a Root Canal Treatment
        • How Kathy Bates Retains Her Movie-Star Smile
  • 2016
      • December (1)
        • Having Trouble Flossing? Try Using an Oral Irrigator
      • November (2)
        • Actor David Ramsey Discusses Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
        • An Assortment of Orthodontic Tools helps us Solve Complex Bite Problems
      • October (2)
        • Dental Magic Transforms Smiles
        • Gum Recession Could Shorten the Life of Your Teeth
      • September (3)
        • Neil Patrick Harris: What the Oscars Host Treasures Most
        • Grafting can Help Regenerate Gum Tissue Lost Through Recession
        • Dental Crowns for the King of Magic
      • August (2)
        • We may Still be Able to Save Your Tooth with a Root Canal Alternative
        • Master Illusionist Benefits from the Magic of Orthodontics
      • July (2)
        • Patchy Discolorations on the Tongue Aren't a Cause for Worry
        • Giancarlo Stanton Gets Major-League Mouth Protection
      • June (2)
        • A Retainer Helps you Keep Your New Smile after the Braces Come Off
        • Johnny's Teeth Aren't Rotten Any More
      • May (2)
        • 3 Causes for Implant Failure and What You can do About Them
        • Tom Hanks' Abscessed Tooth Gets Cast Away
      • April (2)
        • Your Teenager may need to Wait on an Implant for a Missing Tooth
        • A Royal Fix
      • March (3)
        • Jaw Surgery may be Necessary to Correct Some Types of Poor Bites
        • Noah Galloway's Dentally Dangerous Dancing
        • Support Your Child's Teeth Development with Proper Hygiene and Dental Care
      • February (2)
        • A Toothless Tiger?
        • Persistent Jaw Pain After an Injury Needs Immediate Attention
      • January (2)
        • Actor David Ramsey Says: Don't Forget to Floss!
        • Stopping Tooth Decay Could Require Root Canal Treatment
  • 2015
      • December (3)
        • New Front Teeth for a Teenaged David Duchovny
        • Don't Delay Treatment of Gum Disease
        • Jason Derulo's Ideal Match
      • November (2)
        • Pay Attention to Gum Disease Warning Signs for an Early Diagnosis
        • Chrissy Teigen's Teeth-Grinding Troubles
      • October (2)
        • Dental Implants Help Maintain Bone Health
        • America's (Dentists) Got Talent - for Fixing Damaged or Missing Teeth!
      • September (2)
        • Don't Allow Your Age to Stop You from a New Smile with Orthodontics
        • Nancy O'Dell on Making Oral Hygiene Fun for Kids
      • August (2)
        • Weighing the Pros and Cons of Teeth Whitening
        • Beyonce Makes Flossing a Family Affair
      • July (3)
        • Some Blood Pressure Medications May Affect Your Oral Health
        • Even Celebrities Like Jennifer Lawrence Aren't Immune From Bad Breath!
        • Crown Lengthening Opens up New Teeth Restoration Possibilities
      • June (2)
        • Eden Sher and the Lost Retainer
        • Dentistry is Changing to Meet Dental Care's Emerging Challenges
      • May (1)
        • Sofia Vergara: 'Obsessed' With Oral Hygiene
      • April (2)
        • Fixed or Removable: Deciding Which Implant-Supported Bridge is Best for You
        • How to Impress Supermodel Bar Refaeli
      • March (3)
        • Dental Hygienist - Your Partner in Preventing Disease and Maintaining Oral Health
        • Actress Florence Henderson Shares Her Secrets for Keeping Your Natural Teeth as You Age
        • Your Gum Tissue 'Biotype' Could Determine How Gum Disease Affects You
      • February (1)
        • Matthew Lewis's Metamorphosis
      • January (2)
        • An Early Orthodontic Evaluation May Alert to Developing Bite Problems
        • No "Glee" in Tooth Grinding
  • 2014
      • December (3)
        • Extra Care is Required When Treating Teenagers With Lost Teeth
        • 50 Cent Has His Own Style - Even in His Smile
        • Your Dentist can Help Guide you in the Best Treatment Option for Sleep Apnea
      • November (2)
        • Martha Stewart Shows Off Renovation Work - In Her Mouth!
        • Assessing Your Risk for Severe Gum Disease
      • October (2)
        • Jane Fonda Chooses New Teeth Over a New Car!
        • Other Factors Besides Hygiene Could Contribute to Gum Disease
      • September (2)
        • What Oral Appliance Does Oliva Newton-John Use to Protect Her teeth?
        • Acute Tooth Pain may be Signaling Your Need for Root Canal Treatment
      • August (3)
        • How Dental Implants Saved Taylor Hicks' Smile
        • Dental Health: Do You Make the Grade?
        • From Model to Mogul, Kathy Ireland Maintains a Sparkling Smile
      • July (1)
        • Crowns Preserve the Tooth While Offering Greater Protection Than a Filling
      • June (1)
        • Braces Are No Hurdle for Olympic Track Star
      • May (3)
        • Frequently Asked Questions About Bad Breath
        • Florence Henderson Talks About Preventative Dentistry
        • Implant-Supported Teeth: a New Option for Patients With Total Tooth Loss
      • April (2)
        • The Gap Is No More
        • Does Root Canal Treatment Last Forever?
      • March (2)
        • Jerry Rice's Advice on Protecting Your Children's Teeth
        • Reducing the Risks and Effects of Dental Sports Injuries
      • February (2)
        • Jamie Foxx Gets Into Character With Help From His Dentist
        • Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Tooth Decay and a Diseased Root Canal
      • January (1)
        • Dental Sealants: One of the Childhood Secrets TV Designer Nate Berkus Credits for His Beautiful Smile
  • 2013
      • December (3)
        • TADs Contribute to Greater Precision During Orthodontic Treatment
        • Flossing: An Important Part of TV Designer Nate Berkus' Oral Health Routine
        • Dental Amalgam Fillings Remain a Safe and Reliable Tooth Restoration Option
      • November (2)
        • Follow in Vanna White's Footsteps and Replace That Missing Back Tooth
        • Protecting Children's Teeth From Decay With Sealants
      • October (3)
        • Actress Jennie Garth Shares Tips for Making Oral Health Fun!
        • "No-Prep" Veneers may be an Option for Some Patients
        • Grandpa Knows Best: How Kristi Yamaguchi Manages Her Kids' Oral Health
      • September (1)
        • Are You an Athlete? Here Are Five Reasons You Should Wear a Mouthguard
      • August (2)
        • Actor Ed Helms' Tooth-Yanking Trick: It Was a Dental Implant!
        • Whitening is a Safe and Effective Way to get That "Hollywood Smile"
      • July (2)
        • Hilary Duff's Chipped Front Teeth Repaired with Veneers
        • Welcome to Our Blog

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Posts for: July, 2020

Treating Gum Disease is Good for Your Whole Body, Not Just Your Mouth

By Dr. Brett A. Roufs
July 22, 2020
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral health   gum disease  
TreatingGumDiseaseisGoodforYourWholeBodyNotJustYourMouth

Periodontal (gum) disease can do unpleasant things to your mouth, including losing teeth. Its effects, though, may not be isolated to the oral cavity: Gum disease could make other diseases in the body worse.

Gum disease is a bacterial infection most often caused by dental plaque, a thin bacterial film that builds up on teeth in the absence of effective oral hygiene. At the outset it may infect your gums causing them to swell, redden or bleed. Eventually, though, the infection can advance deeper toward the tooth roots and bone.

There are various methods to treat gum disease depending on the extensiveness of the infection. But these methods all share the same objective—to remove all uncovered plaque and tartar (hardened plaque). Plaque fuels the infection, so removing it starves out the disease and helps the body to heal.

The damage gum disease can do to the teeth and the surrounding gums is reason enough to seek treatment. But treating it can also benefit your overall health. That's because the weakened gum tissues often serve as an open portal for bacteria and other toxins to enter the bloodstream. From there they can travel to other parts of the body and cause disease.

Gum disease also shares another feature with some systemic conditions: inflammation. This is the body's response to disease or trauma that isolates damaged tissues from healthy ones. But with gum disease, this inflammation can become chronic and ironically do more harm than good.

A gum infection may also increase the body's overall inflammatory response, in turn aggravating other diseases like diabetes, heart disease or arthritis. Treating gum disease lowers inflammation, which in turn could ease inflammation in other conditions. Likewise, reducing your body's overall inflammatory response by properly managing these other conditions might make you less susceptible to gum disease.

It's important then to prevent and treat gum disease as if your overall health depended on it—because it does. You can prevent it by brushing and flossing daily and undergoing regular dental cleanings to remove plaque. And see your dentist promptly at the first signs of gum problems. Likewise, follow a physician-supervised program to manage any inflammatory conditions.

If you would like more information on preventing or treating gum disease, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Good Oral Health Leads to Better Health Overall.”


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Replace Your Teeth in Stages With the Help of Dental Implants

By Dr. Brett A. Roufs
July 12, 2020
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: dental implant  
ReplaceYourTeethinStagesWiththeHelpofDentalImplants

Complete tooth loss is a common condition among older adults, gradually occurring one or two teeth at a time. There often comes a point of realization, though, that all the teeth will eventually be lost.

This can create a dilemma: Do you replace teeth as they're lost, or go ahead and have all of them removed at one time?

Up until recently, the latter choice seemed the most practical and affordable. But most dentists would agree that keeping natural teeth for as long as practical is better for a person's overall oral health and to slow any potential bone loss.

The emergence of dental implants has made this less of a dilemma: We can use this technology to more affordably replace teeth in stages rather than all at once. This is because an implant is technically a root replacement: a dentist inserts a titanium metal post into the jawbone. Because of an affinity with titanium, bone cells grow and adhere to the implant surface, which creates a stronger hold. It also impedes bone loss.

We can, of course, use implants as individual tooth replacements. But the expense of this approach with multiple teeth puts it well out of reach financially for many people. But implants can also be used as connective points between the patient's jaw and other kinds of dental restorations like bridges, partial dentures, and full removable or fixed dentures.

Using this approach, we can adopt a strategy of allowing healthier teeth to remain until it's necessary to remove them. We initially place implants to support a bridge, for example; later we can use the same implants along with additional ones to support a larger restoration, even a fixed full denture.

An implant-supported restoration is typically more expensive than traditional bridges or dentures, but far less than replacing teeth with individual implants. And because the stages of restorations may occur over a long period of time, the cost can be spread out to make it more manageable.

If you're facing a future where it's likely you'll lose all your teeth, you don't have to lose them all at once. Staged restorations with implants could help you hold on to your natural teeth for as long as possible, slow bone loss and make for a healthier mouth.

If you would like more information on the wide array of dental restoration options, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Replacing All Teeth But Not All at Once.”


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Enjoy Your Ice Cream - But Just a Little for Your Dental Health's Sake

By Dr. Brett A. Roufs
July 02, 2020
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral health   nutrition  
EnjoyYourIceCream-ButJustaLittleforYourDentalHealthsSake

If you love ice cream, then you'll get a kick out of this: Your favorite treat has its own month. That's right, July is National Ice Cream Month, when we celebrate—and indulge in—one of the most delicious concoctions ever known. Just don't overdo it, among other reasons, for the sake of your teeth.

In a way, it's a bit of a love-hate relationship between this frozen wonderfulness and your dental health. Like any dairy, ice cream is full of nutrients like calcium, phosphorous and vitamin D that together strengthen tooth enamel and help prevent decay. But this nutritional benefit is tempered in most ice cream by its other major ingredient: sugar.

Sugar can be a problem for your teeth because disease-causing oral bacteria love it just as much as you do. It's a prime food source for them, and when there's a lot available (like right after you finish that dipped cone) bacteria go crazy multiplying and producing acid. This could lead to tooth decay or gum disease.

Sugar's effect on dental health is an issue not only with ice cream but with other desserts and sweetened snacks as well. What can you do, then, to have your ice cream (or cake) and your dental health too?

Moderate your consumption. We're not saying you have to give up sweet desserts like ice cream—just keep your portions small and infrequent. Partake of them mainly as an occasional treat rather than as standard everyday fare.

Brush after eating. The biggest threat to dental health is the sugar that lingers in the mouth after we eat something sweet like ice cream. So, wash your mouth out with water and then brush your teeth after eating to remove any residual sugar. But not right away—give your saliva a chance to neutralize any mouth acid first by waiting about thirty minutes.

Choose healthier options. Instead of diving into a bowl of butter pecan or rocky road when you get the urge to snack, try a little non-fat Greek yogurt or cheese with some fresh fruit. Choosing alternatives like these can still give you the benefit of dairy without the excess sugar.

Ice cream is one of those indulgent little pleasures that make life sweet. Just be sure you're enjoying it within healthy limits to protect your dental health.

If you would like more information about nutrition and dental health, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Nutrition & Oral Health” and “The Bitter Truth About Sugar.”


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Dentist - Newton, Brett A. Roufs, 400 Allison Street, Newton KS, 67114 (316) 283-2273

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