The Toothboss adds full mouth periodontal probing once a year to hygiene services

Years ago, periodontitis was the number one cause of adults losing their teeth. While detection and treatment of periodontitis have dramatically improved over the years, those treatments can be quite expensive. That’s why we recently included periodontal probing as an annual part of our hygiene services.

Periodontitis is essentially plaque and tartar buildup under your gums. When the tartar buildup occurs under the gums, the bacteria within the tartar have a byproduct of acid that causes degeneration of the supporting structures of the tooth. Unfortunately, many dentists don’t include full mouth periodontal probing as part of their hygiene services. So, many cases go undetected until the condition becomes serious.

One out of every two American adults aged 30 and over has periodontal disease, according to recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A study titled “Prevalence of Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010” estimates that 47.2 percent, or 64.7 million American adults, have mild, moderate or severe periodontitis, the more advanced form of periodontal disease. In adults 65 and older, prevalence rates increase to 70.1 percent.

As a preventative step, we recommend periodontal probing once a year. Periodontal probing involves the dentist or dental hygienist examining six sites on each tooth. This enables the dentist to detect a problem in its earliest stages when it’s treatable with better brushing and flossing and other non-intrusive procedures.

If it’s been a while since your last exam or if you are unsure if you’ve ever had a check for periodontitis, please give us a call at 781-335-0604 to set up an appointment. 

Win a gift card to Stockholders for new patient referral

Don't let the subject line fool you. Smiles by the Toothboss is not putting out any IPOs or looking for investors. We are looking for new patient referrals and the reward for each new patient referral is a $50 gift card to Stockholders Steakhouse Chophouse and Seafood, located at 1073 Main Street (Route 18) in South Weymouth.

To qualify, the person you refer must be a new patient, never been seen before by Smiles by the Toothboss. Your referral must mention you by name as a current patient. Better yet, forward a copy of this e-mail to them with your name and e-mail address on it. The person you refer must undergo a comprehensive exam, which will include x-rays, cleaning, for you to be eligible. After their appointment, we will mail out your gift card to Stockholders.

Some of the patients who have been with us the longest came by referral. Jeanne McCormick referred her daughter, who in turn referred her husband. Jeanne also referred her son who brought in his wife. She also told her brother about the Toothboss who then brought in his wife. And if that weren't enough, Jeanne referred two of her married friends who brought in their kids. Wow! 

So if you've been happy with the care you've received at Smiles by the Toothboss, please feel free to share that with friends and family. You don't have to refer as many people as Jeanne. Just one could make you the majority shareholder in a night out at Stockholders.

Startling facts about oral hygiene and heart disease

We all know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Did you know that forgetting to brush your teeth at least twice a day increases your risk of heart disease by 70 percent?

How about this: men and women with periodontical disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without? Or that a periodontical disease can greatly exacerbate an existing heart condition?

Perhaps that's why it's no surprise that nearly 20 million Americans who do visit their dentist each year do NOT have to see their doctor.

Smiles by the Toothboss switches to paperless records, renovates office space.

Some people just don’t like to go to the dentist’s office. As a dentist, that’s a fact you have to accept. Still, we’re doing everything n our power to make the visit to the dentist a more comfortable experience by undergoing a number of cosmetic and operational improvements.

The renovations began with a conversion to digital radiography so that all X-rays and records are now stored electronically. This makes treatments easier to diagnose and record-keeping more efficient. Also, removing large filing cabinets from the work area enabled the construction of a more spacious, ergonomically sound space for our staff, which has grown in numbers over the years.

Dentists realize the apprehensions people have about coming to the dentist are based on their own fears. Still, how an office appears and how work flows can affect how patients perceive the experience and exacerbate those feelings. These improvements have made us more efficient and ergonomically sound as we now have reception desk that can comfortably seat two staff members who aren’t reaching over each other while serving patients and that puts everyone at ease.

Being paperless is another huge benefit. Beyond the storage issues, just not having a paper record makes for a much more hygienic environment, as well as being more private.
We anticipate the renovations being completed over the next month. Thank you for your patience while we undergo these improvements.