Dental Sealants Prevent Decay

If your child is prone to cavities and you’ve never heard of dental sealants before, it may be time to inform yourself. Dental sealants are plastic coatings that are placed on the chewing surfaces of the permanent back teeth. Although brushing and flossing remove food particles, sometimes it’s hard to reach into the crevices to remove all of them. Because children and teenagers are highly prone to decay, our doctors Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk suggest dental sealants to these candidates the most.

Though adults can reap the benefits of dental sealants, they are more for children and teenagers. This is because of the likelihood of developing decay in the depressions and grooves of the molars. Dental sealants are simple and the process to apply them is painless. Sealants are painted onto tooth enamel where the material bonds directly to the tooth and hardened. Sealants can protect teeth for up to 10 years with proper oral care and reduce the risk of cavities by up to 80%.

If you have questions or concerns about pediatric dental services, please give us a call. To learn more about dental health as well as the services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630. 

Sleep Apnea and Acid Reflux

We provide patients with treatments for a wide range of dental and oral health issues at the offices of Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk. Oftentimes, a comprehensive approach is necessary because two problems are linked. An example is acid reflux and sleep apnea.

Acid reflux and sleep apnea are both common maladies in people who are overweight, but it’s possible that one also contributes to the other. When stomach acid escapes into the esophagus and oral cavity, the burning sensation is commonly known as heartburn. Night time teeth grinding, or bruxism, can happen when the body is attempting to keep airways open, and the presence of fluid in the esophagus may trigger this. Acid reflux also causes enamel erosion and can irritate the teeth, which may result in nighttime jaw movements. All these disruptions can also interfere with sleep quality.

People are less likely to suffer from acid reflux if they avoid meals before bed and reduce their consumption of acidic food and dairy. New research has found that use of CPAP machines, a common treatment for sleep apnea, is associated with lower frequencies of acid reflux.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163^rdSt, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. They can also be reached on their website, Miami Dental through a contact form.