Koch Aesthetic Dentistry Birmingham Alabama – Blog

I’m J. Paul Koch DMD of Koch Aesthetic Dentistry in Birmingham. My cosmetic dentistry clients often ask me if chewing xylitol gum is an effective substitute for tooth brushing and regular Birmingham dental exams.

Before I answer that question, let me tell you a little bit about xylitol:

Xylitol is a natural sweetener that was first discovered in birch tree bark but is also found in many fruits and vegetables. Unlike most other sweeteners (natural or synthetic), xylitol is actually good for your teeth. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that xylitol prevents the growth of the bacteria that initiates decay. It also reduces plaque and strengthens tooth enamel.

Xylitol has other benefits, as well. Because it is low on the glycemic index, many of my Birmingham diabetic patients enjoy it as a healthy alternative to sugar. If my cosmetic dentistry patients complain about frequent dry mouth, I recommend Xylitol gum or mints to stimulate saliva production without promoting tooth decay.

Now, back to the golden question. Is xylitol gum just as effective as brushing your teeth and seeing your Birmingham family dentist regularly? Absolutely not! If you cannot brush your teeth after a meal, chewing xylitol gum for five or ten minutes is probably a good idea. However, you should still brush your teeth thoroughly (with a soft brush) after meals and get twice-yearly exams and oral dentistry deep cleanings at your Birmingham dentistry clinic.

At Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, our goal is to keep your smile healthy and beautiful for life by preventing dental problems before they start. If you postpone Birmingham dental visits until you feel pain, you risk losing teeth and most certainly will require more extensive treatment than if the problem was caught earlier. Is it time for a dental exam? Call us at 205-202-8618 to book an appointment. Our passionate about your smile, your comfort and your professional care is waiting to take care of all your dental needs.  We also offer many cosmetic dentistry services such as dental veneers and Invisalign.

Most Birmingham folks don’t often think of a tooth as a body part that fluctuates in strength. Our teeth seem to have a steady hardness and dependably grind food whenever we need them. However, teeth are dynamic organisms with chemical processes that occur continually.

The protective enamel that covers the softer interior is made of minerals. Enamel demineralizes (loses some of its density) when coming in contact with acids. Saliva can dilute and neutralize acid so the tooth can remineralize (re-harden). This process isn’t instantaneous, however. While the enamel is soft, the tooth is vulnerable to losing a microscopic outer layer of enamel. If the erosion continues, the much softer dentin is exposed. Eventually, the tooth may need to be extracted.

At Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, we are noticing an increase in cases of serious acid erosion. It is apparent that the typical Birmingham diet is becoming more acidic.

The list of acidic foods may surprise you. They include eggs, gravy, asparagus, chicken, cottage cheese, honey, fish, ham, butter, sour cream, aged cheese, and yogurt with active cultures. Generally, food with a high sugar or artificial sweetener content are highly acidic.

Now let’s talk about drinks. You probably already know that soda pop and wine are not good for your teeth. Birmingham teens that sip soda all day can have acid erosion while their young teeth should be at their strongest. In addition to soda, energy drinks are very popular in Birmingham cosmetic dentists are noticing the effects on their dental patients’ tooth enamel.

If you drink soda or energy drinks often, you may want to drink water or chew sugarless gum after downing a can. Stimulating saliva production can speed up the remineralization process.

If your teeth have become more sensitive in general, or in response to hot or cold foods or beverages, you may have acid erosion. To schedule an examination with J. Paul Koch at Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, call 205-202-8618 today.

We are a full-service dental office with hundreds of satisfied clients in Birmingham, Vestavia Hills and Homewood.  We are located at 2311 Highland Ave S, Ste 323 in Birmingham. We are working to raise awareness of the oral health dangers of acid erosion. We hope you have benefited from this Koch Aesthetic Dentistry blog article and look forward to your visit.  We also offer implant dentistry and sedation dentistry.

We advise our Birmingham dental clients at Koch Aesthetic Dentistry to watch their sugar intake to prevent cavities and other health problems.

If you are trying to unsweeten your diet, you are probably skipping the usual suspects: candy, soda, and baked treats. But not all sugar is as obvious as the frosting on a piece of chocolate cake or the powdery stuff in pixie stix.

Here are some foods found in Birmingham grocery stores and Vestavia Hills, Crestline school cafeterias with a surprisingly high sugar content:

• Ketchup
• Low Fat versions of snack foods (Manufacturers often replace fat with sugar.)
• Salad Dressing
• Breads, buns, rolls
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Protein Bars
• Granola
• Canned soup
• Peanut Butter
• Yogurt
• Fast food meals (Hamburgers, fries, sandwiches, and salads are often loaded with sugar, not to mention the dessert items.)
• Antacids
• Cough drops
• Fruit smoothies (Even a small serving has a whopping amount of sugar.)

Reading the fine print on labels is a must. The following terms are all types of sugar:

raw sugar, cane sugar, glucose, lactose, galactose, fructose, dextrose, honey, sorghum, molasses, cane sugar, confectioner’s sugar, crystallized cane juice, invert sugar, maltodextrin (or dextrin), maple syrup, concentrated fruit juices, evaporated cane juice (what kind of cane do you think we are talking about?)

Do the math: when shopping at Birmingham markets or health food stores, carefully decipher food labels before you buy. Four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon. Add up all the grams of every type of sugar listed and divide by four to truly understand how much sugar an item contains.

At Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, we advocate and practice preventative care for lifelong dental health. For more information on how your diet affects your dental health, contact us at 205-202-8618. We also offer sedation dentistry, cosmetic dentistry services such as porcelain veneers.

We are located at 2311 Highland Avenue South, Suite 323 in Birmingham.

If you are pregnant, your oral health may be the last thing on your mind. However, many Birmingham women experience an increase in dental problems during pregnancy. This article contains important information for expectant Birmingham mothers and those planning to become pregnant.

Dr. J. Paul Koch recommends having a thorough dental cleaning early in your pregnancy. Lying in a dentist’s chair can be uncomfortable during the last trimester. A professional cleaning performed by one of the skilled dental hygienists at Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, along with diligent brushing and flossing, helps prevent gum problems that are often triggered by hormonal changes. The American Dental Association has found a positive correlation between periodontal disease and preterm deliveries and low birth weight.

If you are currently pregnant and have sore, swollen or bleeding gums, schedule an appointment today by calling 205-202-8618. Once the baby is here, it will probably be harder for you to make time for a dental visit.

If you receive dental treatment at Koch Aesthetic Dentistry during your pregnancy, be sure to inform Dr. J. Paul Koch that you are expecting. This will affect decisions about X-rays, pain relievers, antibiotics, and sedation dentistry.

Hormonal changes cause an increase in plague production which can lead to decay. If you are eating many small meals during the day, take care to brush after eating. If you avoid sweet snacks, your teeth will be less likely to develop cavities.

Remember, your oral care, nutrition and lifestyle affect your baby. It is essential that you eat a healthy diet with a variety of foods. A poor diet can harm your baby’s tooth and bone development. Be sure to get enough calcium, iron, vitamins A, D and C, protein, and phosphorus. Your Birmingham Ob/Gyn can give you specific recommendations for your age, height, weight and medical conditions.

At Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, we take special care of our clients who are expecting. We also offer cosmetic dentistry services such as teeth whitening.

Why should every Birmingham cosmetic dentistry patient brush at least twice a day? Let’s take a look at why this is so important.

Brushing and flossing is the best way to prevent decay.

Brushing with fluoride toothpaste and carefully flossing removes the food from our teeth and inhibits the build up of plaque. If we let food stay on our teeth, the starches in the food will mix with the plaque. This nasty mixture forms an acid which immediately starts drilling into the enamel to form cavities. Brushing can’t get all the spaces between your teeth, so you’ve got to floss also.

Brushing and flossing keeps gums and bone healthy even if you have had cosmetic dentistry work done such as dental crowns.

If you let gum disease go untreated, you can lose teeth that are cavity-free!

The progression of gum disease (gingivitis) goes like this:

1. Plaque build-up irritates gums.
2. Irritated gums pull away from teeth.
3. Bacteria multiplies in the spaces between the gum and tooth.
4. The bone holding the tooth is eaten by the bacteria.
5. Say goodbye to the tooth.

The good news is that gingivitis can be reversed if detected early.

Call Koch Aesthetic Dentistry at 205-202-8618 to schedule a gum disease evaluation at our office in Birmingham.  We offer sedation dentistry during dental procedures for anxious patients.

Every Alabama dentistry patient’s mouth provides a cozy home for over 600 types of bacteria. If you are diligent about oral hygiene and have healthy gums, these microbes usually don’t affect your health. However, if you have gum disease, bacteria can enter your bloodstream through your gums and cause problems.

Gingivitis is the term for the mild gum disease. At Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, we routinely discover gingivitis in clients who are not even aware they have the condition.

The first signs of gingivitis are swollen, sore gums.

It is important for our Alabama cosmetic dental patients to understand that it is not normal for gums to bleed when they are brushed or flossed. If you haven’t had an oral examination in a while and live in Alabama, call Koch Aesthetic Dentistry at 205-202-8618.  Dr. J. Paul Koch thoroughly exams teeth and gums and takes time to discuss the results and recommendations with each Alabama dentistry patient.

Koch Aesthetic Dentistry is a full-service dental practice at 2311 Highland Avenue South, Suite 323 in Birmingham. We provide comprehensive general and cosmetic dentistry for clients who live in Birmingham and the nearby communities of Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Crestline, Homewood and Hoover .

During your dentist consultation, we can discuss any cosmetic or restorative procedures in which you are interested. Some of the Alabama procedures that we use to create perfect smiles are porcelain veneers, orthodontics, dental implants and tooth bleaching. Our hygienists are skilled professionals who perform the ultimate in dental deep-cleanings.

Oral health and overall health go hand in hand. Schedule a dental consultation today by calling 205-202-8618 or visiting us online at http://www.KochAesthetics.com.

As your local Mountain Brook dentist, one of my roles is to help you take care of your mouth. Sometimes mouth sores can be an issue, and while Mountain Brook dentists often defer to an oral surgeon for extreme cases, we can help you make an assessment.

If you live in the Mountain Brook area and have a mouth sore that lasts more than a week or two; come and see me. Mouth sores can be an indicator of disease, and an early assessment is the best bet. A better understanding of your mouth sores can lead quickly to comfort and a resolution. If necessary, treatment and pain relief can be offered.

There are two common types of mouth sores that are common in the Mountain Brook area: canker sores and cold sores.

Canker sores are small ulcer-like sores with a white or gray base and a red border. They are found on the inside of the mouth and while they are not contagious, they can be painful. Typically a canker sore heals in a week or two. Antimicrobal mouth-rinses, over-the-counter topical anesthetics, and avoiding spicy and acidic foods may offer you temporary relief while your sore is healing.

The cause of a canker sores is not certain. Possible explanations range from a cut on the inside the mouth, and reactions to extreme temperatures or acids from food or drink, to fatigue, stress, and allergies. Some studies point to bacteria or viruses, or combinations of all these factors.

Cold sores, also called fever blisters or Herpes Simplex, are groups of fluid-filled blisters that often appear around the lips, sometimes appearing under the nose or around the chin. Cold sores are contagious and painful, but usually heal in about a week. Some over-the-counter anesthetics may provide relief. There are some antiviral drugs on the market that have shown promise in reducing outbreaks, but there is currently no known cure. The initial infection, known as primary herpes, often occurs before adulthood. Once the virus infects you, it may stay in your body and remain inactive or cause occasional cold sore outbreaks. Outbreaks may be triggered by a fever, sunburn, skin abrasions, stress, or exposure to extremes in temperature.

As your Mountain Brook dentist, I can’t do much to stop canker sores or cold sores in your mouth. I can discuss the health of your mouth, and examine any causes that make your mouth sore. In some cases a change in the way you care for your mouth can reduce the chances of getting mouth sores. If you are in the Birmingham area, and would like to speak with a dental professional about mouth sores, give us a call at Koch Aesthetic Dentistry.

Our number is 205-202-8618.

When is the last time you had a dental checkup? Most people in the Birmingham area between the ages of 12 and 95 need a dental checkup every six months. If you live in Birmingham and are at higher risk for oral diseases, you should have your teeth checked every four months, or at least three times a year.

Come into our office, located at 2311 Highland Avenue, Suite 323 in Birmingham, or give us a call to make a dental appointment. You can visit our website at http://www.KochAesthetics.com for more information.

Most people in our Birmingham community are in a medium to low risk category. However if you use tobacco or alcohol, eat a lot of sugar in your diet (including lots of soda), or have poor oral hygiene habits, you are likely in a higher risk category and should have your teeth checked right away.

We look at a lot of factors to determine your personal dental hygiene, and your future dental outlook. We want you to have the healthiest smile possible so that you can enjoy your teeth for many years without significant problems. If you live in the Birmingham area and are ready to have your teeth checked, please give Koch Aesthetic Dentistry a call.

We are passionate about your smile and your comfort. Your professional care staff will be ready to get you started with a dental checkup.

Talk to you soon.

The American Dental Association offers some welcome advice for choosing a dentist in Birmingham. We have already talked about how word of mouth is an important factor in how many people find a dentist. Here are some things you should look for in an Birmingham dentist:

Location is always a factor when choosing a dentist in Birmingham. If you live in the Birmingham, Alabama area, there are many options, and most locations are not too far out of the way. While location plays an important role in convenience, many people are willing to drive a little farther for a better experience with their Birmingham dentist.

Relationship is a strong factor. Your Birmingham dentist should be approachable, and should make you feel comfortable when you are in the dentist chair. After all, your dentist will be working very close with you to help you achieve a high level of oral hygiene; you most certainly will want to have a good, professional, comfortable relationship with your Birmingham dentist and the dental office staff.

Specialty is another important factor in choosing a dentist in Birmingham. Some dentists specialize in cosmetic dentistry. Others specialize in corrective dentistry such as braces. Depending on your need, you may select a local Birmingham dentist who can solve your immediate concern. Bare in mind, however, that it is good to have a general dentist who can maintain your dental history and work with you to through the years.

If you are looking for a dentist in Birmingham, please come by and speak with me. I can address your interest in any of these critical areas, and will be happy to introduce you to Koch Aesthetic Dentistry.

I look forward to meeting you.

-Dr. J. Paul Koch, DMD

205-202-8618

What is ‘ General Dentistry ‘? Here are a couple definitions, found from around the web:

The World Health Organization defines General Dentistry as “the science and art of preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries and malformations of the teeth, jaws and mouth”.

According to Wikipedia :

A dentist is a healthcare professional qualified to practice dentistry after graduating with a degree of either Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), Bachelor of Dentistry (BDent), Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc), or Bachelor of Dental Surgery/Chirurgiae (BDS) or (BChD) or equivalent.

In most western countries, to become a qualified dentist one must usually complete at least 4 years of postgraduate study. Generally, 2 years of clinical experience working with patients in an educational setting are required.

If you have a need for General Dentistry in the Birmingham area, please give our practice a call. We are Koch Aesthetic Dentistry, and our general dentistry office is located at:

2311 Highland Avenue, Suite 323, Birmingham, AL
Birmingham, Alabama 35205

We practice General Dentistry in the city of Birmingham. We provide general dentistry services to the greater Mountain Brook area, which includes general dentistry services for anyone in the cities of Vestavia Hills, Crestline, Homewood or Hoover .

Give us a call at 205-202-8618 to schedule a general dentistry appointment in Birmingham, or to ask questions about general dentistry.

The Dental Spa