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By now, everyone knows that smoking is bad for you. But the truth is its broad-reaching health effects are not all known by everyone. This is especially true of oral health. Smoking can have serious repercussions in this regard. To give you a better idea of how smoking can affect your oral health, Drs. Sidney and Jacob Kelly and our team have listed some issues that can arise.

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer can have steep ramifications for anyone that gets it. Surgery can be required to eliminate the cancer before it spreads to more vital parts of your body. Any type of cancer is about the worst health effect you can get, and this especially holds true to the affects that smoking has on your mouth. The type of mouth surgery required with oral cancer can leave your face deconstructed in certain areas, and it is all due to smoking or use of other tobacco products.

Tooth Discoloration and Bad Breath

At the very least, it is fair to say that as a smoker you will often have bad breath, and while you may try to cover it up with gum or mints, tooth discoloration is a whole other story. The chemicals and substances in cigarettes stick to your teeth staining them brown and yellow colors that are increasingly difficult to disguise.

Gum Disease and Loss of Bone

Another effect of smoking is the increased risk of gum disease. Your gums may start to recede, which can eventually lead to the loss of teeth. Smoking can also increase bone loss and density in your jaw which is vital to the health of your mouth. Gum disease and bone loss are two signs that smoking is definitely bad for your mouth.

When it comes to the health of your mouth, the question is not whether smoking affects your health, it's how does it affect your health and to what degree. If for no other reason than because smoking involves your mouth as its entry point, it is safe to say that it can have long-lasting and detrimental consequences on your oral health.

To learn more about smoking and your oral health, contact our Roseville, CA office to schedule an appointment with Drs. Sidney and Jacob Kelly.

As the saying goes, you are what you eat. But did you know that what you eat also affects your smile? Chow down on these seven tasty treats, recommended by Drs. Sidney and Jacob Kelly and our staff, for a healthier mouth and a smashing smile!

Sesame Seeds

These tiny seeds that you find in some Chinese and Thai dishes (as well as on top of your hamburger bun) are packed with bone-building calcium. They help to preserve and protect the bone that supports your teeth and gums. As a bonus, they also help to build up your tooth enamel while sloughing away plaque.

Kiwi

This funny little fruit has the highest amount of Vitamin C of any fruit, including oranges! What does this mean for your chompers? Well, you need Vitamin C to keep your gum tissue healthy and strong. Without it, they are more susceptible to periodontal disease.

Sweet Potatoes

These are not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner! You should add sweet potatoes to your regular diet. These tasty spuds are rich in Vitamin A, which your body uses to form tooth enamel and heal gum tissue.

Onions

You know those strong vapors from onions that make you cry? Well, they come from the sulfur compounds in the vegetable, which gives them a superpower-packed antibacterial punch. Get ready, though: Onions are most effective for your smile when you eat them raw!

Cheese

If you love cheese, you will love this news! Munching on some cheese helps prevent gum disease and cavities. The reason is that cheese is very high in calcium and phosphate, which help to balance the pH levels in your mouth. This in turn helps to preserve your tooth enamel and kill harmful bacteria.

Green Tea

Sipping on some green tea can not only help prevent cavities and gum disease, it can also kill the bacteria that cause bad breath. Score! Green tea has catechins, which actually kill the bacteria that cause plaque. So drink up! Your smile depends on it!

Celery

Have some fun with that crunchy stuff because, guess what? It is great for your smile! When you chew celery you produce saliva. Your saliva neutralizes cavity-causing bacteria. As a little added bonus, while you are chewing, it is giving your gums a little massage and cleaning between your teeth.

So grab some of these healthy snacks and give your mouth something to smile about!

We are excited to open our doors again and serve each one of our valued patients during these difficult times. As a dental health provider, we are proud of playing a key role in preventing dental emergencies and helping reestablish good oral health within our community.

Because dental care is vital to maintaining good overall health, routine dental cleanings and attending to dental restorative needs are also important components to fight against COVID.

Please don’t wait to contact us by phone (916)-782-9479, email info@kellyfamilydentist.com, or text 916-782-3342 to schedule an appointment today!

Safety First 

To ensure the safety of everyone who visits our office, our patients can expect to have their temperature checked and a COVID screening as soon as they enter the facility. We’ve taken steps to make the screening simple by having a dedicated COVID controller assist patients throughout the entire process. Additionally, we kindly ask all our visitors to immediately sanitize their hands upon arrival and to come prepared by wearing a mask.

Please keep in mind that while many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety. Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice as you may have seen during your prior visits to our office.

Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. Safety measures are important for both patients and the staff’s well-being and at Sidney D. Kelly, DMD Family and Cosmetic Dentistry we take safety seriously at all times, not just during a pandemic!

What has changed

The hardest change for our staff since being back is not being able to give a friendly handshake or hug.  Our team has developed so many friendships with those we serve and we miss those handshakes and hugs we would give daily pre-COVID.

That being said, setting the mood with good music helps our team stay positive.  Singing along, laughing with our patients, and sharing in each other's good moments keeps us motivated. We all want to smile more while we work and love to see our patients smile back. Our chosen profession gives us the privilege of seeing each patient’s smile while they are unmasked when we do dental care.

A new addition to our team! 

COVID may have delayed my son joining my practice this past May, but I am excited to announce that beginning August 24th Dr. Jacob Kelly will be joining the team!  He is looking forward to meeting those he has not had the opportunity to do so yet.  We are also both looking forward to continuing to serve each of you with the trusted care, quality, and service excellence you have grown to love.  I know that my son will be a great addition and will continue to operate the family business on the values of honesty and trust it was founded on.

Oral cancer is largely viewed as a disease that affects those over the age of 40, but it can affect all ages, even non-tobacco and alcohol users. Oral cancer can occur on the lips, gums, tongue, inside lining of the cheeks, roof of the mouth, and the floor of the mouth. Our team at Sidney D. Kelly, DMD Family and Cosmetic Dentistry recently put together some facts and figures to illustrate the importance of visiting our Roseville, CA office.

Our friends at the American Cancer Society recommend an oral cancer screening exam every three years for people over the age of 20 and annually for those over age 40. Because early detection can improve the chance of successful treatment, be sure to ask Drs. Sidney and Jacob Kelly and our team to conduct an oral exam during your next visit to our Roseville, CA office.

• Symptoms of oral cancer may include a sore in the throat or mouth that bleeds easily and does not heal, a red or white patch that persists, a lump or thickening, ear pain, a neck mass, or coughing up blood. Difficulties in chewing, swallowing, or moving the tongue or jaws are often late symptoms.
• The primary risk factors for oral cancer in American men and women are tobacco (including smokeless tobacco) and alcohol use. Risk rises dramatically (30%) for people who both smoke and consume alcohol regularly.
• Oral cancers are part of a group of cancers commonly referred to as head and neck cancers, and of all head and neck cancers they comprise about 85% of that category.
• Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer among men.
• Oral cancer is more likely to affect people over 40 years of age, though an increasing number of young people are developing the condition.
• Death rates have been decreasing over the past three decades; from 2004 to 2008, rates decreased by 1.2% per year in men and by 2.2% per year in women, according to the American Cancer Society.
• About 75% to 80% of people with oral cavity and pharynx cancer consume alcohol.
• The risk of developing oral cavity and pharynx cancers increases both with the amount as well as the length of time tobacco and alcohol products are used.
• For all stages combined, about 84% of people with oral cancer survive one year after diagnosis. The five- and ten-year relative survival rates are 61% and 50%, respectively.
• It is estimated that approximately $3.2 billion is spent in the United States annually on treatment of head and neck cancers.

Cancer can affect any part of the oral cavity, including the lip, tongue, mouth, and throat. Through visual inspection, Drs. Sidney and Jacob Kelly and our team at Sidney D. Kelly, DMD Family and Cosmetic Dentistry can often detect premalignant abnormalities and cancer at an early stage, when treatment is both less extensive and more successful.

Please let us now if you have any questions about your oral health either during your next scheduled appointment, by giving us a call or asking us on Facebook.