The year-end brings no greater pleasure than the opportunity to express to you season’s greetings and good wishes. May your holidays and new year be filled with happiness!

–Dr. Trilla Cajulis and Team

                Thank you for having your children participate in our 2^nd annual Candy Buy-Back.  The winners of our raffle are as follows:

$10 Jamba Juice Gift Card – Victoria S. & Christopher S.

$15 iTunes Gift Card – Sara B. & Michael N.

$25 Regal Cinemas Gift Card – Izabel N.

$25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card – Ava P.

$25 Target Gift Card – Connor H.

$25 Sports Authority Gift Card – Andres C.

2GB iPod Shuffle – Vanessa O. & Emma B.

                Congratulations to all of our winners!

                We are happy to report that we collected a total of 242 pounds!  We could not have done it without your participation.  We will be sending the candy to Operation Gratitude, who will be putting the candy into care packages that will go to our troops who are serving overseas.  Thank you again to all of our participants!

We are pleased to announce that we will be holding our 2^nd annual Halloween Candy Buy Back on November 1-3, 2011 during office hours. 

• $2.00 per pound on November 1, 2011 
• $1.00 per pound on November 2-3, 2011

In addition, every person who brings in candy will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win some great prizes.  All candy purchased will be sent to Operation Gratitude, who will put the candy into care packages and send it to the troops serving overseas.  Please call our office at 619/946-7477 for more information.

Happy Halloween!

Dear Dr. Cajulis, This morning while I was brushing my son’s teeth, I noticed that he has a blister on his gums that very closely resembles a pimple.  My son didn’t notice it until I asked him about it.  What is this on my son’s gums and what should I do about it?

This pimple on your son’s gums is called a dental abscess.  A dental abscess occurs when one has not received appropriate dental care in a timely manner, such as treating a cavity when your dentist initially makes a diagnosis.  Poor dental hygiene is the main reason that one would get a cavity so you can also say that poor dental hygiene is a cause of a dental abscess.  Some ways to prevent developing a dental abscess is to make sure you go to the dentist for regular checkups, keeping up with your dental hygiene, and not putting off necessary dental treatment.  Prevention is key in preventing dental abscesses.

Dear Dr. Cajulis, when I went to the dentist six months ago, my dentist told me that I needed a filling.  I went back today for my routine check-up and cleaning, and now he is telling me that I need a root canal, a post, and a crown!  Why do I need a different procedure now as opposed to a filling which was originally diagnosed six months ago?

Your dentist probably diagnosed a root canal and a crown because the decay that he originally saw six months ago has probably gotten deeper.  A root canal is often needed when decay has gotten to the nerve of the tooth, causing infection and pain.  If your dentist is telling you that you need a root canal, chances are that the decay has gone to the nerve.  When a root canal is done, a post and crown is recommended.  These procedures are often done in conjunction with a root canal because when a root canal is done, the tooth becomes brittle and can break without the support of a post.  A crown also helps to prevent breakage of the tooth when eating.

Dear Dr. Cajulis, every time I bring my daughter into the dentist’s office for her biannual check-up, the dentist tells me that she needs to floss.  I do floss her teeth, but not every day.  What is the deal with flossing?

Flossing is a very important aspect of one’s dental hygiene routine.  A toothbrush, while effective at removing plaque on the chewing surfaces and at the gumline of teeth, cannot fit in between teeth.  If plaque and other debris are not removed from in between teeth, several things can happen.  The plaque can harden and form tartar, or calculus, and cause irritation to the gums and bones that support the teeth, thus causing gingivitis.  Another thing that can happen is the formation of cavities in between the teeth, which often need fillings.  If a cavity is left unattended for a prolonged period of time, the cavity can get deeper and need more extensive treatment, such as a root canal.  These are the reasons why daily flossing is a very important part of one’s daily dental hygiene regimen.

Dear Dr. Cajulis,

When I was a kid, the dental office my parents would take me to had this sink type thing that I would spit into when I rinsed my mouth.  I rarely see these anymore.  What are those called, and why aren’t they around as much anymore?

These sinks are called cuspidors.  While they are still used, they are not very common anymore because most dental units are self contained and use treated distilled water, while a dental cuspidor mainly depends on city water to flush away any debris that has been spit into it.  These started being removed from dental offices when dentists became concerned about the possible transmission of blood borne diseases, such as HIV or Hepatitis B, through the water systems.    It was later noted that the risk of contracting a blood borne disease has never been associated with the use of any type of water source because viruses such as these cannot multiply in water. (source)

May joy, warmth, and good tidings fill your heart and home this Holiday Season and always!  Sending you our Season’s Greetings and wishes for a very Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Dr. Trilla Cajulis, DDS and Team

Toothache: Clean the area of the affected tooth thoroughly. Rinse the mouth vigorously with warm water or use dental floss to dislodge impacted food or debris. If the pain still exists, contact your child’s dentist. DO NOT place aspirin on the gum or on the aching tooth. If the face is swollen apply a cold compresses and contact your dentist immediately.

Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek: Apply ice to bruised areas. If there is bleeding apply firm but gentle pressure with a gauze or cloth. If bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes or it cannot be controlled by simple pressure, take the child to a hospital emergency room.

Knocked Out Permanent Tooth: Find the tooth. Handle the tooth by the crown, not the root portion. You may rinse the tooth but DO NOT clean or handle the tooth unnecessarily. Inspect the tooth for fractures. If it is sound, try to reinsert it in the socket. Have the patient hold the tooth in place by biting on a gauze. If you cannot reinsert the tooth, transport the tooth in a cup containing the patient’s saliva or milk. If the patient is old enough, the tooth may also be carried in the patient’s mouth. The patient must see a dentist IMMEDIATELY! Time is a critical factor in saving the tooth.

Editor’s Note: One of our missions at the office of Dr. Cajulis is to keep our patients up to speed on the latest information in regards to dental health.  We are constantly scouring industry resources to provide the most current news and information as it applies to better patient oral health and well-being.  Following is some information as cited on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry website on some facts and statistics on tooth decay.

Did you know?

1. Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease.  It is 5x more common than asthma and 7x more common than hay fever.
2. Over 40%-50% of children will be affected by tooth decay before age 5.
3. According to the May 2000 Surgeon General’s report, Oral Health in America, more than 51 million school hours are lost each year to dental related conditions.

Sources: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Office of the Surgeon General