Our Blog

A as in Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic acid is just another name for vitamin C, which is one of the so-called “essential nutrients.” These are nutrients that are necessary for our bodies to function properly, and which must be supplied through our diets. Why is ascorbic acid essential?

First and foremost, because we have to have vitamin C for the formation of collagen.

We’ve probably all seen the ads promoting collagen as a fountain of youth for our skin. Whether or not a cream can turn back time is a matter for debate, but there’s no question as to the vital role collagen performs in our own bodies. That’s because collagen is the substance that provides both structure and support to our tissues, forming the basis of the connective tissue that holds us together. (The Greek root “kolla” means glue!) Organs, blood vessels, muscles, bones, skin, even the dentin in our teeth all rely on collagen to function.  

And if that weren’t enough for one vitamin, vitamin C also helps the body repair tissue, absorb iron, form teeth and bones, produce neuro-transmitters, and acts as an antioxidant. Whew! So, how often should we be eating foods rich in vitamin C? Maybe more often that you would think.

B as in Biology

The human body is an amazing thing! We can store many of the essential nutrients we need to keep ourselves healthy in our livers and fat tissue, even if fresh food sources aren’t immediately available. Unfortunately, Vitamin C is one of those vitamins that we can’t store in the body. This means that unless we get the vitamin C we need in our diet on a regular basis, we’ll experience vitamin C deficiency. How serious is that?

The importance of vitamin C to our health can’t be overstated. Vitamin C deficiency over a period of months actually causes a serious disease called scurvy. Without vitamin C, collagen formation breaks down. And when collagen breaks down, it leads to the breakdown of all those parts of the body that rely on collagen. In the short term, scurvy causes gum pain, fatigue, weakness, and body aches. Over longer periods, scurvy can lead to bruising, skin hemorrhages, anemia, tooth loss, severe gum disease, organ failure, and even death.

Luckily for us, scurvy is largely a disease of the past, thanks to the easy availability of fresh fruits and vegetables which provide us with vitamin C. So, which items should we add to the shopping list?

C as in Citrus—and So Much More!

When we think vitamin C, we instantly picture citrus fruits. Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, and all their cousins are a wonderful source of vitamin C. Looking for a little more variety? You’re in luck! Fruit fans can load up on strawberries, kiwi fruit, mangos, and papayas. Love your veggies? Red peppers, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli contain more vitamin C per serving than a medium orange. You can also take vitamin C supplements, but be sure to follow the recommended dosage. You can have too much of a good thing.

While we’re here, let’s add one last letter to the list:

• D as in Dental Health

So, why are we talking about vitamin C on a dental blog? Because vitamin C is essential to our dental health. Healthy gum tissue, strong connective tissues that hold our gums to our teeth and our teeth in our jaws, faster healing, antioxidants—all have been linked to a diet rich in vitamin C.

Careful brushing and flossing, regular checkups and cleanings at our Dallas office, a balanced diet—these are all ways you can be proactive when it comes to your dental health. Talk to Dr. Bill Whitley about the best vitamins and minerals for healthy teeth and gums. Vitamin C is a great beginning, but there’s still an alphabet from vitamin A to Zinc left to go!

We all know that sleep apnea causes many a difficult night. Noisy snoring, gasping for breath, and waking up dozens of times a sleep cycle are the unhappy consequences of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). What you may not realize is that sleep apnea can make your days just as challenging.

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by an obstructed airway. The throat muscles may relax as you sleep and make it impossible to inhale fully with each breath. Or you may have a physical condition such as a deviated septum, enlarged tonsils or excess throat tissue that blocks the free passage of air into your lungs. As a result, you stop breathing for a short time and often choke or gasp for breath. Your body responds by waking every time you need to start breathing properly again, and this can happen dozens of times each hour you are asleep. The result is that, while you may think you have slept through the night, you have never gotten the deep sleep your body needs to restore itself.

How can sleep deprivation affect our daytime hours? You might find yourself suffering from any of these problems:

• Constant drowsiness
• Falling asleep at work or while driving
• Headaches every morning
• Sore throats
• Dry mouth (which can lead to gum and dental problems)
• Memory and attention problems
• Moodiness or depression
• Decreased libido

As if these reasons weren’t cause enough to find a solution to your sleeping disorder, the longer term results of sleep apnea can be devastating. High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, dangerous responses to medication or general anesthesia, a higher risk of accidents, and many other serious consequences have been linked to sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea doesn’t just ruin your night. If you suffer from any of the daytime problems listed above, please give our Dallas office and your doctor a call. If obstructive sleep apnea is the cause, Dr. Bill Whitley can work with you to find a solution that will improve your quality of life 24 hours a day.

Our team at Whitley Family Dental recently learned that in the decade between 2000 and 2010, the amount of adults who regularly visited their dentist declined, according to research released by the American Dental Association's Health Policy Resources Center (HPRC). In fact, the HPRC found that the percentage of adults who had regular checkups every six months declined from 41 percent in 2003 to 37 percent in 2010. The largest decline in dental care occurred in the 35- to 49-year-old age group. That’s down from 43 percent in 2003 to just 38 percent in 2010.

There is some good news, however. While adult visits may have decreased, children's visits were on the rise, particularly among low-income families. More low-income children are visiting the dentist now than they were ten years ago. And the HPRC notes that between 2000 and 2010, dental visits among low-income children increased in 47 states.

Have you ever wondered why the American Dental Association and Dr. Bill Whitley recommend that you come in for a dental checkup and cleaning every six months? While daily oral hygiene habits are essential to good oral health, professional dental cleanings at Whitley Family Dental ensure your and your child’s teeth are treated to a deeper level of cleaning. In addition to a thorough cleaning and teeth polishing, regular visits at our Dallas office help us detect and prevent the onset of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. During your visit, we’ll check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue for symptoms of any oral disease. We will also check old fillings and restorations, as these can wear away over time from constant chewing, clenching, or grinding at night.

If you are predisposed to oral diseases due to age, pregnancy, tobacco use, or medical conditions such as diabetes or dry mouth, Dr. Bill Whitley may recommend you visit our office more often than every six months.

If you are overdue for your next checkup and cleaning, please give us a call to schedule an appointment!

Getting a cavity seems like delayed punishment for eating that special dessert every weekend or for the few days you forgot to floss. When you are doing everything right with minimal exception and a cavity is diagnosed, it is discouraging. Knowing how cavities form and what causes them is valuable in knowing how to prevent them. In this blog post, Dr. Bill Whitley will help you understand cavities!

A cavity is not a one-time event. It is actually a symptom of a disease called caries. Tooth decay is a result of an active infection and condition in the mouth. There are ingredients to this infection, which include bacteria, acid, your tooth, and a food source. The main bacterial culprit is S. Mutans. Bacteria live in a housing structure called biofilm. This offers them protection, food, and an ideal replicating environment.

Biofilm can be healthy if there is a balance of good bacteria. When you have caries, the numbers of “bad” bacteria increase and produce an environment where they thrive and therefore cause tooth decay. A main indicator of this is a pH measurement of your saliva.

Several factors can influence the biofilm pH. Foods and beverages all have different pH levels. The lower the number, the higher the acidity. Since acid promotes tooth decay, a beverage like soda will promote a cavity. Water, being neutral, is a good choice to promote healthy oral pH. Healthy eating can still cause cavities. Here is an example of a highly acidic, yet traditionally healthy meal:

Toast with store-bought strawberry jam, and a cup of cottage cheese topped with fresh cranberries.

Instead, here is a better choice, which involves mixing acidic healthy foods with alkaline (non-acidic) foods to reduce the overall pH:

Toast with almond butter, and Greek yogurt topped with fresh blueberries.

The first example will result in a very low pH in the mouth and even in the rest of the body. The second meal mixes highly acidic blueberries with an alkaline Greek yogurt. Dairy products from cows are highly acidic. Toast is acidic because of the yeast and almonds are alkaline.

A natural buffer is saliva. Whenever mouth breathing or medications compromise the saliva flow, the pH is going to drop and caries can go rampant. Getting a cavity is not just about the sweets or forgotten flossing sessions. It is about the pH levels and bacterial management.

For more helpful tips about how to avoid cavities, contact our Dallas office.