Alzheimer's Disease and Gum Disease Research

Good oral hygiene is essential for a lifetime of good health. That’s what we’ve been telling our patients for years at the Miami offices of Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk. Recently, new evidence has emerged of a connection between gum disease and another dangerous ailment: Alzheimer’s disease. It seems that preventing one may be the best way to prevent the other.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the bacteria species that causes tooth decay. As a defense against white blood cells, it secretes cell-killing toxins called gingipains. Scientists studying the brain and spinal fluid of people with Alzheimer’s disease found that their tissue samples included unusually large amounts of gingipains, and that the number was larger the more severe the Alzheimer’s symptoms had been. They also found that gingipains trigger the formation of neural plaque in animal test subjects.

This past May, another study was published that establishes that P. gingivaliscan move from the mouth to the brain in living people. Scientists believe that there are other factors that contribute to a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but that gum disease now appears to be a major one. We can help people suffering from periodontitis by providing them with deep cleanings and using specialized tools to measure gum disease’s progression. We also use powerful localized antibiotics to defeat P. gingivalis and its relatives.

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.

Research into Causes of Filling Failures

Patients at the Miami Beach and North Miami Beach offices of Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk are assured of getting high-quality fillings to fix decayed and cracked teeth. But fillings sometimes fail early, and scientists have been trying to determine why that is. New research into filling failure published last November found some common factors.

The average lifespan of a filling is about ten years. But the study found that in men who smoke and people of both sexes who drank alcohol regularly, fillings had a higher risk of failing after just two years. This matches research showing that implant failures are more common in smokers. A more surprising result was that filling failures often run in families and may be linked to a certain genetic sequence.

When fillings are not replaced in time, they may provide bacteria with a new hiding place by making it harder for a toothbrush to reach certain areas. The new research shows why it is especially important for people who are at-risk to maintain regular check-ups, where we can assess their fillings’ vitality. The research also showed that we can rule out fillings’ construction material as a factor in early failure, meaning that the cosmetically-pleasing options don’t come at the price of worse oral health.

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.com through a contact form.

Research into Causes of Filling Failures

Patients at the Miami Beach offices of Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk are assured of getting high-quality fillings to fix decayed and cracked teeth. But fillings sometimes fail early, and scientists have been trying to determine why that is. New research into filling failure published last November found some common factors.

The average lifespan of a filling is about ten years. But the study found that in men who smoke and people of both sexes who drank alcohol regularly, fillings had a higher risk of failing after just two years. This matches research showing that implant failures are more common in smokers. A more surprising result was that filling failures often run in families and may be linked to a certain genetic sequence.

When fillings are not replaced in time, they may provide bacteria with a new hiding place by making it harder for a toothbrush to reach certain areas. The new research shows why it is especially important for people who are at-risk to maintain regular check-ups, where we can assess their fillings’ vitality. The research also showed that we can rule out fillings’ construction material as a factor in early failure, meaning that the cosmetically-pleasing options don’t come at the price of worse oral health.

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.

Oral Cancer and Alcohol

When patients come to the offices of Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk, they’re getting top-quality care from dentists who have a close relationship with other hospital staff. This is especially important for patients facing oral cancer, which we provide screenings for. But while we are experienced with caring for the needs of oral cancer patients, we want the public to be better educated about how to avoid this disease, which is why we’re passing along a new study on the relationship between oral cancer and alcohol.

The study by the American Society of Clinical Oncology found that alcohol causes about 5% of cancer cases, including cases of oral cancer. This is different from past studies, which examined alcohol in combination with smoking, a more widely-known risk factor. The study found that people are generally unaware of the carcinogenic danger posed by alcohol and that the type of alcoholic drink consumed does not alter the risk (meaning beer and wine are not less dangerous than liquor). While heavy drinking is riskier, light and moderate drinking were still contributors. Why alcohol would cause oral cancer is still unclear, but the study also found that when people stop alcohol consumption, their chances of developing cancer in the oral cavity or the rest of their digestive tract fall to the levels they were at before they started drinking.

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.