Ben and Gary Show Episodes

Take Dry Mouth Seriously

Among our patients, a common complaint is dry mouth. Saliva is slippery and forms a buffer against decay which is sticky. Dry mouth compromises that buffer and sets you up for many problems.

There are many causes of dry mouth.

• As we get older saliva flow diminishes
• Medications cause and promote dry mouth
• Not sure about yours? Google medications that cause dry mouth - the list will be long

Dry mouth affects your teeth and dental health in many ways.

• It creates a perfect environment for tooth decay, especially  along the gum line
• It can even cause root decay
• We treat decay but recurrent decay is often a problem
• It causes bad breath

Following are some ways we help patients deal with dry mouth. 

• We prescribe fluoride treatments or trays to help prevent decay
• We recommend gum with xylitol or other products that promote saliva flow
•  We encourage daily hygiene using a mechanical toothbrush
• We definitely recommend flossing to keep...

Help, My Teeth Are Moving!

Do my teeth move? Absolutely, they can move anytime in any direction.

With orthodontics, we control how they move. Here are some reasons why they move on their own:

• Function force and wear and tear as we age
• Greater function force when some teeth are lost 
• Bite misalignment - an aligned bite supports proper tooth position. 

Here are some of the consequences:

• Teeth tend to move forward as we age
• Front teeth become crowded, get thinner, chip more easily, become jagged
• Bite becomes even more misaligned, allowing tooth movement
• Loss of teeth and vulnerability to decay

Here are the remedies:

• Monitor teeth and act before problems get serious
• Orthodontics to stabilize teeth to function better
• Crowns, bridges, bonding to repair function and appearance

In our practice, we like to be proactive, advising patients to take care of issues before they require aggressive remedies.

(Video treadmill image attribution -...

What To Do When You Have Pain In Your Mouth

Call your dentist, of course. One of us is always on call in case of emergency.

Here's how we determine if your problem is urgent or whether it can wait until the next day. 

We ask you to describe your pain to determine if it is a tooth, gum, or nerve problem.

• Can you pinpoint pain to one tooth - likely a tooth problem
• Is the pain generalized - likely a gum problem with a trapped husk or seed 
• Is there swelling - may need an antibiotic
• Is the pain is greater than 5 on a scale of 1-10 - most likely a nerve issue
• Is there temperature sensitivity - likely a tooth problem

For swelling, we typically call in an antibiotic. For pain, we prescribe the combination of over the counter Aleve and Tylenol, or a combination of over the counter Advil and Tylenol.

These have been shown to work as well as super controlled narcotic pain relievers, which require a written not a called in...

How Do You Select a Dentist?

When choosing a dentist, most people ask someone they know. Understand that what is right for that person may not be right for you.

Ask them for details

• How well does their dentist communicate with them
• Is he on time
• Is the office clean
• Is there a system

Is their dentist good?

• Do they come back for the same problem
• Is the dentist current with the technology 
• How does the dentist's team treat them
• How does the dentist treat his team
• Does the dentist seem rushed
• Does food get trapped where the work was done
• Do gums bleed regularly after work is done
• Is their odor after the work is done
• Is there pain when biting down
• If there are complications, does their dentist's team work to resolve them 

Does their dentist's office look like a museum?

• Technology is changing dentistry
• Does their dentist invest in new technology
• Does he invest in training for himself and his team

Quality dentistry is more than the...

 Patients Ask What Is The Cost Of A Crown

Depends On Whether The Desired Result Is Quality Driven

Patients should understand that a crown is not a commodity. It is a custom prosthetic device fabricated specifically for that one tooth in your mouth. A lot needs to go into its creation order for it to:

• Feel comfortable 
• Look Natural
• And function to improve the quality of your dental life

Managing the process has both structural and biological components. Both are factors in how long and how stable the crown restoration is. And, of course, how comfortable it feels in your mouth.

Structural components can be observed and analyzed with X-rays to determine the condition of the tooth. Often, however, structural issues reveal themselves in the process of shaping the tooth to receive the crown. Whether there is enough tooth structure to support the crown must be determined.

Pain comprises the biological components. Is it from a fracture, decay...

Sharon's Story Twice Told

Sharon made the docs' day when she stopped by to tell them her dental story and how it changed her life for the better.

How Sharon Tells It

"I was always cautious about my smile." My teeth had Tetracycline stains at a young age.

Sharon Ivy Weiss 

But somehow, I couldn't convince myself to invest in an elective procedure. I did try bleaching my teeth.

Encouraged, I went for teeth straightening with Invisalign. I had some crowding. Boy did they look good all nice and straight.

During Invisalign treatment, I couldn't decide whether to go for porcelain veneers as the final step. I did research online. I went back and forth.

Finally, with encouragement from my husband and friends, I took the plunge. WOW.

I now have so much more confidence when I smile. And when photographed with my husband with his beautiful teeth I no longer feel upstaged.

I definitely feel my new smile affects the way people view me - as more open and more...

1747 Pennsylvania Avenue

Our Third Location

We are excited to announce our third location. We acquired a practice at 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, sandwiched between the White House and Executive Offices.

Former patients of this practice will be pleased to know that Akeeloe Beckford, the vibrant, friendly and efficient office manager, will be staying.

To our existing patients who find this location more convenient, the only difference is the location.

We will be updating you as we move forward.

What's New? Big Fish, Bigger Bear and ?

Tall Tales from Gary in Yakutat, Alaska?

Secret Announcement?

 While we were working, Gary escaped to Yakutat, Alaska with his older brother Dave, his oldest son Cameron, and his friend Greg Wong.

Big Fish

Here's what the boys had to say about their deep fishing catch:

• They say they each caught a big Halibut. How big? The largest Halibut on record is 515 pounds.
• They also caught Lingcod, which can weigh 10 - 90 pounds.
• And would you believe they caught Rockfish that they say were just waiting on the bottom for them to catch them.

Gary and Son Cameron

They also went fly fishing on a nearby river. Gary says his Double Haul casting technique, good for windy casting, needs work. But he did catch some Salmon.

Ben said this story sounds like A River Runs Through It with Brad Pitt. Gary says he could have played that role. 

Bigger Grizzlies

They cooled on river fishing when Gary saw a Grizzly about 100 yards away....

Fear Factor: The Dentist

Drs. Ben and Gary discuss how one bad dental experience can easily deter one from regularly visiting the dental office. 

Dr. Kaihara recently saw a new patient who had not seen a dentist in 10 years due to his dental fears! Dr. Kaihara empathized with the patient and made sure he and his team made the patient to feel as comfortable as possible!  

While there was room for improvement in regards to his dental hygiene, the patient realized after seeing Dr. Kaihara that his teeth were in far better shape than he imagined!

Ways To Reduce Dental Anxiety

It is not uncommon to be anxious before dental visits. Modern dentistry offers several options for patients to help ease their dental anxiety , such as:

• Local Anesthesia
• IV Sedation
• Oral Sedation
• Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

The Doctors emphasize that it is in your best interest to see a dentist regularly. So they encourage patients and listeners to take...

Unhappy With Your Gummy Smile?  

In some cultures showing a lot of gum when smiling is considered attractive.

If that's not you and you want to fix your gummy smile, in this video the docs talk about the causes and solutions.

What causes a "gummy" smile?

There are many causes of a gummy smile. Most are listed here.

• Teeth are not properly aligned 
• Teeth are too short either from wear or heredity
• Lip is too short
• Lip is hyperactive - moves way above the gum line
• Overgrowth of gum tissue 

 What can you do about it?

Depending on the cause, solutions can be quite serious or simple. These are listed below.

•  For misaligned teeth, orthodontics such as Invisalign can help
• In severe cases, surgical reshaping of the upper jaw can make a dramatic difference
• In severe cases, orthodontics with jaw reshaping surgery may be needed
• In mild cases, reshaping the gums with a laser or a knife can work
• In mild cases, after gum reshaping, veneers or crowns...