As the host of America's Funniest Home Videos on ABC TV, Alfonso Ribeiro has witnessed plenty of unintentional physical comedy…or, as he puts it in an interview with Dear Doctor–Dentistry & Oral Health magazine, "When people do stuff and you're like, 'Dude, you just hurt yourself for no reason!'" So when he had his own dental dilemma, Alfonso was determined not to let it turn onto an "epic fail."

The television personality was in his thirties when a painful tooth infection flared up. Instead of ignoring the problem, he took care of it by visiting his dentist, who recommended a root canal procedure. "It's not like you wake up and go, 'Yay, I'm going to have my root canal today!'" he joked. "But once it's done, you couldn't be happier because the pain is gone and you're just smiling because you're no longer in pain!"

Alfonso's experience echoes that of many other people. The root canal procedure is designed to save an infected tooth that otherwise would probably be lost. The infection may start when harmful bacteria from the mouth create a small hole (called a cavity) in the tooth's surface. If left untreated, the decay bacteria continue to eat away at the tooth's structure. Eventually, they can reach the soft pulp tissue, which extends through branching spaces deep inside the tooth called root canals.

Once infection gets a foothold there, it's time for root canal treatment! In this procedure, the area is first numbed; next, a small hole is made in the tooth to give access to the pulp, which contains nerves and blood vessels. The diseased tissue is then carefully removed with tiny instruments, and the canals are disinfected to prevent bacteria from spreading. Finally, the tooth is sealed up to prevent re-infection. Following treatment, a crown (cap) is usually required to restore the tooth's full function and appearance.

Root canal treatment sometimes gets a bad rap from people who are unfamiliar with it, or have come across misinformation on the internet. The truth is, a root canal doesn't cause pain: It relieves pain! The alternatives—having the tooth pulled or leaving the infection untreated—are often much worse.

Having a tooth extracted and replaced can be costly and time consuming…yet a missing tooth that isn't replaced can cause problems for your oral health, nutrition and self-esteem. And an untreated infection doesn't just go away on its own—it continues to smolder in your body, potentially causing serious problems. So if you need a root canal, don't delay!

If you would like additional information on root canal treatment, please contact us or schedule a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “A Step-By-Step Guide to Root Canal Treatment” and “Root Canal Treatment: What You Need to Know.”

Bonjour! Hola! Shalom! December is National Learn a Foreign Language Month, and learning to say “Hello” in different tongues is a good place to start. You could then move on to another set of wonderful words like sonrisa, lächeln and sourire, the Spanish, German and French words for “smile.”

But then again, smiling itself doesn’t need a translation—it’s common to every culture on earth. It’s one of our best assets for interacting with people, both at home and abroad. So, make sure your smile is the best it can be by taking care of the “stars of the show”: your teeth and gums.

Here are a few tips for keeping your teeth and gums healthy and your “international” smile attractive.

Brush and floss daily. It takes just 5 minutes a day to perform one of the most important things you can do for your long-term oral health. Brushing and flossing clean away dental plaque, a sticky bacterial film that causes tooth decay and gum disease. A daily oral hygiene practice helps keep your teeth shiny and clean and your gums a healthy shade of pink.

Get regular dental cleanings. Even the most diligent hygiene habit may not clear away all plaque deposits, which can then harden into a calcified form called calculus. Also known as tartar, calculus is an ideal haven for disease-causing bacteria—and it can’t be removed by brushing and flossing alone. Dental cleanings at least twice a year remove stubborn plaque and calculus, further reducing your disease risk.

Don’t ignore dental problems. While your dentist will check your mouth for disease during your regular cleanings, you should also be on the lookout for signs of problems between visits. Watch for odd spots on the teeth and swollen, reddened or bleeding gums. If you see any abnormalities like these, don’t ignore it; make an exam appointment as soon as possible. The sooner we identify and begin treating a potential dental issue, the less your oral health—and your smile—will suffer.

Consider cosmetic improvements. Keeping teeth clean and healthy is one thing, but what can you do about existing dental blemishes that detract from your smile? Fortunately, there are numerous ways to cosmetically enhance teeth and gums, and many are quite affordable. Teeth whitening can brighten up yellow, dingy teeth; bonding can repair minor chips and other tooth defects; and veneers and other restorations can mask tooth chips, stains or misalignments.

Like the ability to speak another language, a confident, joyful smile can open doors to new cultures, places and friends. Let us partner with you to make your smile as attractive as possible.

If you would like more information about improving and maintaining your smile, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “10 Tips for Daily Oral Care at Home.”

As with most Western countries, we in the U.S. love our carbs. While fats and proteins make an appearance in our diets, many of us go full-tilt on sugars, starches and fibers.

Regardless of what some diet gurus say, we do need these organic compounds to generate energy for our cells. But carbs can also fuel inflammation: This is a mechanism in the body that isolates and protects healthy tissues from damaged tissues or toxins. Chronic inflammation, though, contributes to systemic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and, yes, gum disease.

And it's not just a matter of too many carbs in your diet. Not all carbs are equal: Some can actually stimulate inflammation, making conditions like gum disease worse. Others, though, might actually help decrease inflammation.

So, in terms of your gum health in particular, how do you know which carbs are better for you and which are worse?

It depends on their ranking on the glycemic index, a measure of how fast the body digests a particular carbohydrate to form glucose, the blood sugar that fuels our cells. The faster the digestion (higher on the glycemic index), the more likely they'll overload the bloodstream with glucose, requiring the release of the hormone insulin to bring the levels back to normal. Continuous insulin increases ultimately lead to higher inflammation.

High glycemic foods include those with added sugar, bakery items made with white flour, white rice or mashed potatoes. But there are also carb foods low on the glycemic scale—most vegetables, greens, beans, nuts and whole grains—whose slower digestive rates avoid the big blood sugar spikes and excessive insulin—and actually hinder inflammation.

So, if you want to control inflammation, reduce your consumption of high glycemic foods like chips, French fries, cookies and similar items. Instead, eat low glycemic foods like apples, bulgur wheat products, oatmeal, and other fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts.

In short: steer clear of processed foods with added sugar, and indulge yourself in fresh “real” food. These also have the added bonuses of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that keep your body functioning normally. And that can also make a big difference toward keeping your gums healthy and disease-free.

If you would like more information on diet and dental health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Carbohydrates Linked to Gum Disease.”

Currently, one-third of Americans are either diabetic or have prediabetic symptoms. Caused by an imbalance in blood sugar levels, diabetes can complicate and increase the risk for other inflammatory conditions like heart disease and that includes another disease typified by inflammation: periodontal (gum) disease.

Each November, dentists join other healthcare professionals in commemorating American Diabetes Month. Besides making people aware of the widespread impact of diabetes, it's also a chance to highlight ways to manage the disease and promote better health for your body overall, including your gums.

If you have diabetes (or your doctor is concerned you may develop it), here's what you should know to keep it from harming your gum health.

Keep your diabetes under control. The adverse effects of diabetes on the body, including the gums, can be minimized through medication, good dietary habits and exercise. Because of its chronic nature, though, managing diabetes should become a permanent part of your daily life. But it's essential to keep symptoms under control to protect your gums from infection.

Practice daily oral hygiene. Gum disease can occur with anyone, not just those with diabetes. A few days without proper oral hygiene to remove bacterial plaque is all it takes to trigger an infection. So be sure you're brushing and flossing each day, as well as having routine professional dental cleanings at least every six months.

See us at the first sign of gum problems. If you notice your gums are reddened, swollen or bleeding after brushing and flossing, see us as soon as possible. If it is gum disease, the sooner we begin treatment, the less likely the infection will cause extensive damage—including tooth loss. It's also possible to have gum disease but not have any symptoms initially. That's why it's important to see us on a regular basis to check your gum health.

Keep your healthcare providers informed. Some studies seem to indicate that if you have both diabetes and gum disease, treating one condition could help improve symptoms with the other. Be sure both the dentist treating your gum disease and the physician managing your diabetes know about the other condition. It may be possible to adjust and coordinate treatment to get the most benefit for both.

Living with diabetes is a challenge, especially if you're also dealing with gum disease. Keeping your diabetes under control and caring for your teeth and gums can help make that challenge easier.

If you would like more information about protecting your dental health while managing diabetes, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Diabetes and Periodontal Disease” and “Gum Disease and Systemic Health.”

Singer and actor Demi Lovato has a new claim to fame: formidable martial artist. When she is not in the recording studio, on stage or in front of the camera, Lovato can often be found keeping in shape at Jay Glazer's Hollywood (California) gym. Glazer, who is best known as a sports journalist, also runs conditioning programs for professional athletes and celebrities based on mixed martial arts. On March 6, Glazer got more than he bargained for when 5'3" Lovato stepped into the ring and knocked out his front tooth.

Glazer reportedly used super glue to put his tooth back together. Not a good idea! While it may not be convenient to drop everything and get to the dental office, it takes an expert to safely treat a damaged tooth. If you glue a broken tooth, you risk having to undergo major work to correct your temporary fix—it's no easy task to "unglue" a tooth, and the chemicals in the glue may damage living tooth tissue as well as the surrounding gum and bone.

Would you know what to do in a dental emergency? Here are some guidelines:

• If you chip a tooth, save the missing piece if possible. We may be able to reattach it.
• If your tooth is cracked, rinse your mouth with warm water, but don't wiggle the tooth around or bite down on it. If it's bleeding, hold clean gauze to the area and call our office.
• If your tooth is knocked loose or is pushed deeper into the socket, don't force the tooth back into position on your own. Immediate attention is very important.
• If your tooth is knocked out, there's a chance it can be reattached. Pick up the tooth while being careful not to touch the root. Then rinse it off and have either someone place into its socket, or place it against the inside of your cheek or in a glass of milk. Please call the office immediately or go to a hospital.

What's the best thing to do in an emergency? Call us right away, and DON'T super glue your tooth! You can prevent worse problems by letting a professional handle any dental issues. And if you've been living with a chipped, broken or missing tooth, call us to schedule an appointment for a consultation—there are several perfectly safe ways to restore your smile. Meanwhile, if you practice martial arts to keep in shape, think twice before getting into the ring with Demi Lovato!

To learn more, read the Dear Doctor articles “Trauma & Nerve Damage to Teeth” and “Saving New Permanent Teeth After Injury.”