Our Office Is Honored for This Award

An award, in virtually any context, is an honor. Having just been named the 2017 Best Dentist in Fort Worth by the Star-Telegram, we feel that this award is a resounding endorsement for everything our office works to demonstrate. But, better yet, this award has been a definitive show of confidence and trust by our patients. 

 

Yes, an award is an honor. We feel strongly about the quality of care we give, and are proud to have it recognized. It’s the social proof behind this particular award, however, that leaves us humbled. 

 

The Fort Worthy Awards from the Star-Telegram were started several years ago, and the 2017 awards were announced at the end of last week. We had our names in the hat, and watched as likes and shares on our Facebook ticked up on our link to the voting page. The award was granted to us as a product of the phenomenal number of patients who turned up to vote. We cannot thank you enough! 

 

We want to congratulate all the other winners of the Fort Worthy Awards as well, and we encourage everyone to keep voting in years to come. This is an opportunity for our community to high-light the “Best Of” in many care and service fields, and shed light on the places people are proud to support here in the Fort Worth area. 

 

What’s next? 

 

Winning this award has been an honor, and a public show of confidence our patients have given us. We’re thankful, but also excited. What comes after an award like this? After receiving such a show of trust and support, our whole office has a publicly-accoladed standard to live up to. We already took pride in our work, but now we have an added sense of accountability to live up to this standard. 

 

It was the combined effort of our staff, and not just Dr. Ku, who helped win this award. The sense of shared ownership was felt all around the office when the award was announced last week. Doubtless, the next time you’re in, you’ll see how happy we are to keep doing what we love with this award to validate it. 

 

If you haven’t met all of our phenomenal staff members yet, see our pages on the website that introduce our staff and doctors. This is an incredible team to work on, and—as awarded by the Star-Telegram last week—the best of dental care here in Fort Worth! 

 

About the award 

 

Dr. H. Peter Ku was awarded the Star-Telegram Fort Worthy Best Dentist Award for 2017, announced late last week. We feel our entire office earned this award, and want to thank everyone who voted. The trust you’ve placed in us is our greatest reward of all, and we are humbled and grateful by your public show of support. 

 

We’re proud to keep your smiles healthy, but we are overjoyed when we inspire those smiles through the work we do, and the care we give. We look forward to seeing you each in the office the next time you visit! 

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Should I let my high-schooler get tooth whitening done?

Being a teenager has its hurdles—socially, emotionally and physically. There’s strong social pressure to appear perfect, and so often this is manifested in high anxieties around how kids look. As teenagers’ bodies rapidly change, they often try to manipulate these changes into something perceived as beneficial. It’s not unheard of for a teenager to even think about teeth whitening, even though as adults we associate it with aging teeth, coffee and smoke stains.  

 

Teenagers often find themselves desperate to feel better about their appearances, and with an increasing focus on straight, white and brilliantly shiny teeth, tooth whitening has become a question of parenting and dental interest. 

 

While teeth bleaching is more popular than ever before among teenagers, it’s natural for parents to feel concerned about the safety of these products and treatments. No matter how much your high-schooler might be convinced that it’s harmless, or within their right to make the decision, or something that positively “everyone else is doing,” we have a few tidbits you can reflect on before giving your teenager full support. 

 

Potential side effects of whitening treatments 
It is not recommended to let children bleach their teeth, particularly before the age of 16. Tooth bleaching gels used during the whitening procedure may damage the not yet fully-developed nerves of teeth roots, causing lasting hypersensitivity of teeth and slow-to-heal pain in the mouth. 
If you’re dealing with stubborn high-schooler who is determined to make their smile as white as can be, discuss options with your dentist to avoid bleaching agents that have high concentrations of carbamide peroxide. The higher the concentration of this bleaching element, the higher the risk of nerve shrinking.  
Home tooth whitening versus professional treatments 
Educate your high-schooler about risks to over-the-counter tooth whitening products, particularly the ones that are uncertified. The availability of products with adverse side effects is the biggest threat to your teenager’s oral health. Most of the whitening products that your teenager can easily find online will not compare to the professional teeth bleaching treatments available through your dentist. Your teenager should know that ordering teeth whitening products over the internet does not guarantee the desired result, and can lead to side-effects. In extreme cases, your high-schooler even risks swallowing bleaching agents that can severely irritate the throat.  

 

How often should your kid bleach his or her teeth? 

 

No matter the type of teeth bleaching method you give your teenager the green light on, be sure that they don’t overdo it. A helpful reminder is that, within time, your teenagers will be of age to make the decision for themselves. 

The post Should I let my high-schooler get tooth whitening done? appeared first on Fort Worth Dentist | 7th Street District | H. Peter Ku, D.D.S. PA.

Twice-a-Year Dental Check-ups

Summer is ticking down to a close, and school is suddenly upon us. While homework might not yet be on kids’ minds, there are some tasks they should check off at the start of every new school year. In fact, the task we’re focused on—you children’s routine dental checks—are typically done at the start of each semester.  

 

Regular dental check-ups might be a “to-do,” but they don’t have to be seen like “homework,” either. Healthy teeth (and a healthy attitude toward dental hygiene) make for happier, more comfortable, and higher-performing kids during the school year. 

 

Prevention is the best teacher of oral health. So, let’s learn what your school-aged kids gain with twice-a-year dentist check-ups. 

 

1. Detecting decay and changing habits before cavities start

   Let’s get real: there’s a possibility your children rush off to school some mornings without brushing their teeth. Even if your son or your daughter is highly disciplined in their brushing routine, those sneaky bacteria will find a way to harm teeth, particularly with school-time snacks. If bacteria were a student, he or she would be that student who always cheats on exams. Biannual dentist visits are crucial to catch bacteria before it leads to a loss of tooth integrity.

2. Spotting cavities or damaged fillings

   Treating cavities as soon as they’re found means saving time on school absences, and discomfort during classes. Your child won’t be subject to distracting or unmanageable discomfort with the regular dental check-ups to address problems before they become disruptive.

   And did you know that cavities can spread? If one tooth develops severe decay, it can affect other teeth, and cause soft tissue or nerve damage. This can lead to horrendous discomfort and far more absences from school. This shouldn’t be a reality for any growing student.

3. Healthy oral habits moving forward in life

   Not only do regular dental appointments for your kids reinforce the care routine to keep their teeth healthy as adults, but these regular, twice-per-year reminders can keep the daily dental routine front-of-mind even while they’re young. Dental visits also make your children accountable to a professional outside of the home—it’s not just about what Mom or Dad says, it’s about what the dentist expects of your kids, too.

4. Oral health as an indicator overall health

   Dental professionals emphasize how regular dentist check-ups are just as important as your children’s general physical exams. By inspecting kids’ teeth, dentists sometimes connect dental issues with other underlying issues, for example with signs of digestive issues or dehydration.

5. Leaving kids with squeaky clean teeth

   
   Don’t forget that these dental checks are also your child’s chance to get teeth cleaned professionally. Starting off each semester with brilliant, shiny whites without any tartar or plaque build-up will make those school year smiles all that much more dazzling.

   Give your children the opportunity to start school with a fresh smile, and with the positive dental habits to teach how important—and rewarding—good oral hygiene can be! 

The post Twice-a-Year Dental Check-ups appeared first on Fort Worth Dentist | 7th Street District | H. Peter Ku, D.D.S. PA.

Twice-a-Year Dental Check-ups

Summer is ticking down to a close, and school is suddenly upon us. While homework might not yet be on kids’ minds, there are some tasks they should check off at the start of every new school year. In fact, the task we’re focused on—you children’s routine dental checks—are typically done at the start of each semester.  

 

Regular dental check-ups might be a “to-do,” but they don’t have to be seen like “homework,” either. Healthy teeth (and a healthy attitude toward dental hygiene) make for happier, more comfortable, and higher-performing kids during the school year. 

 

Prevention is the best teacher of oral health. So, let’s learn what your school-aged kids gain with twice-a-year dentist check-ups. 

 

1. Detecting decay and changing habits before cavities start

   Let’s get real: there’s a possibility your children rush off to school some mornings without brushing their teeth. Even if your son or your daughter is highly disciplined in their brushing routine, those sneaky bacteria will find a way to harm teeth, particularly with school-time snacks. If bacteria were a student, he or she would be that student who always cheats on exams. Biannual dentist visits are crucial to catch bacteria before it leads to a loss of tooth integrity.

2. Spotting cavities or damaged fillings

   Treating cavities as soon as they’re found means saving time on school absences, and discomfort during classes. Your child won’t be subject to distracting or unmanageable discomfort with the regular dental check-ups to address problems before they become disruptive.

   And did you know that cavities can spread? If one tooth develops severe decay, it can affect other teeth, and cause soft tissue or nerve damage. This can lead to horrendous discomfort and far more absences from school. This shouldn’t be a reality for any growing student.

3. Healthy oral habits moving forward in life

   Not only do regular dental appointments for your kids reinforce the care routine to keep their teeth healthy as adults, but these regular, twice-per-year reminders can keep the daily dental routine front-of-mind even while they’re young. Dental visits also make your children accountable to a professional outside of the home—it’s not just about what Mom or Dad says, it’s about what the dentist expects of your kids, too.

4. Oral health as an indicator overall health

   Dental professionals emphasize how regular dentist check-ups are just as important as your children’s general physical exams. By inspecting kids’ teeth, dentists sometimes connect dental issues with other underlying issues, for example with signs of digestive issues or dehydration.

5. Leaving kids with squeaky clean teeth

   
   Don’t forget that these dental checks are also your child’s chance to get teeth cleaned professionally. Starting off each semester with brilliant, shiny whites without any tartar or plaque build-up will make those school year smiles all that much more dazzling.

   Give your children the opportunity to start school with a fresh smile, and with the positive dental habits to teach how important—and rewarding—good oral hygiene can be! 

The post Twice-a-Year Dental Check-ups appeared first on Fort Worth Dentist | 7th Street District | H. Peter Ku, D.D.S. PA.

How Changes in School Lunch Diet Can Affect Your Kids’ Oral Health

During summer vacation, you probably eat most of your meals together with your kids. Sharing breakfast, lunch and dinner makes it easy for you to monitor what they eat, and allows you to make sure that their nutrition is healthy and wholesome. You not only control what they eat but when they eat it, which is another relevant parameter of your kids’ health. 

 

When the school year starts, you struggle to maintain your children’s diet habits, as apples, pears and carrots are replaced by hard candy, potato chips and high-fructose drinks. School cafeterias have made every effort to offer healthy lunches, but are still the breeding ground of pizza, burgers, chocolate milk and lunch-bag swaps between children. When your kids are on lunch break, and their friends offer sugar-saturated bubble gums or treats, you lose the control over their oral health that you had in the summer. After-school and weekend visits to friends’ houses further remove you from that position of control over what your children eat. 

 

Breakfast, the most important class of the day 

 

Picture the scene: the morning rush of everyone getting ready in your home. The kids sleep over the alarm, skip brushing their teeth, then eat a bowl of sugary cereal before running to class. Is the scramble of the morning grind affecting your kids’ teeth? Here are a few tips to start oral health off right from the start: 

 

1. Replace sugary cereals with eggs. Sugar is already a threat when your kids are at school, so no need to start the day off with it. Eggs are full of vitamin D, which is good for your child’s bones and teeth. If you don’t even have time to scramble an egg in the morning, hard boil a few of them the night before.
2. Avoid extra-sugary oatmeal, artificially sweetened jams or peanut butter. Focus on dairy products for breakfast with your kids, including fresh milk, cheese or yogurt. Consuming dairy products in the morning can make your kids’ teeth resistant to bacteria throughout the day at school. Yogurt is bursting with phosphates, and cheese increases pH levels and keeps a lower level of acidity in your child’s mouth.
3. Leave some fresh apples, bananas or baby carrots on the table for your children to grab on their way to school. Apples and pears increase saliva production, the mouth’s natural mouthwash. Bananas are great for teeth whitening, while carrots have a natural “brushing” effect that help serve as cavity-protection for your teeth. 

 

Tooth-healthy sack lunches 
The biggest shift in diet for your children during the school year is lunch. Even if you pack your kids lunches, these will probably differ from what they were eating at home. You can have a huge impact on how much this change affects your kids’ oral health over the school year.  

 

Talk to your children openly about tooth health, including the negative effects of gummy candy, soda drinks and sugary bubble gum. That said, knowing that it will be next to impossible for most children to resist when presented with these treats, pack their school lunches accordingly. Some tooth-healthy sack lunches include: 

 

• Sandwiches with low-fat cheese: the calcium and vitamin D will be good for your kids’ teeth, and choosing low-fat helps avoid excess calories as a trade-off for the calcium 
• Crunchy vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, celery): these act as natural tooth-brushing snacks 
• String cheese: a class-time favorite, you can be sure this low-calorie, high-calcium treat will be eaten 
• Almonds: all nuts are high in calcium and protein without being high in sugar, and almonds are a crunchy favorite that come in a variety of tasty variations 
• Whatever sandwich you make, make it with whole grain bread: whole grains help fight gum disease—and these breads are lower in sugar 

 

The biggest challenge might be packing the tooth-healthy lunch that will definitely be eaten. Keep an open dialogue with your children about healthy teeth, and model the same behaviors at home that you want to see them develop. Especially during the school year, what impressions your kids have of good and bad habits, right and wrong will be compared between what they see at home and at school. 

The post How Changes in School Lunch Diet Can Affect Your Kids’ Oral Health appeared first on Fort Worth Dentist | 7th Street District | H. Peter Ku, D.D.S. PA.

Dental Crowns and Dental Prosthetics

There are countless reasons why you might consider a dental crown or prosthetic tooth replacement. Dental crowns are usually inserted to cover a drilled-off part of your tooth, and can even be linked together to create what’s called a dental bridge. Prosthetics are full, false teeth, usually anchored by a dental implant. 

 

If you’ve heard these terms and wondered how they’re different, and what really constitutes as one or the other, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve outlined the basics on dental crowns and dental prosthetics here for you to learn about. 

 

Dental crowns 
A dental crown is a fixed prosthetic addition to your tooth that usually covers a drilled-off part. When only one of your teeth is involved, then you’re dealing with a single crown. Linking several crowns together represents a dental bridge. 
It’s not only when part of a tooth is missing that patients think about a dental crown. Tooth discoloration or rotation are also common reasons why people have crowns placed. When crowns are put in, your dentist has techniques to ensure that your bite is unaffected. The process is typically regarded as simple and non-invasive. 

 

Materials used in dental crowns 
The chosen material for your dental crown will be a type of ceramic, as these materials are long-lasting, attractive, and good for chewing. Ceramics are tolerant to temperature changes and resistant to chemical influences and corrosion, and are also biocompatible, which means you’ll be safe from allergic reactions. Plus, ceramics simulate the appearance of natural tooth, so no one has to notice a difference in your smile.  

 

These are some of the common ceramics used in dental crowns: 

 

1. Metal ceramics
   
   These crowns are considered a standard in dentistry, and are also the most affordable solution.
2. Zircon ceramics
   
   Zircon-oxide ceramics are characterized by extreme durability. The Zirkon base underneath the ceramic coating allows for the reflection of natural light, which keeps the shine in your smile. And while metal ceramics show their silver color along where the crown meets your gums, zircon ceramics are completely white.
3. 100% ceramics crown

   Full ceramic crowns have the ability to simulate the look of your natural tooth better than any other for its color, translucence and opalescence. They typically represent the most expensive option. It’s just a matter of consulting with your dentist to choose the option that’s best for you.

 

Prosthetics and dental implants 
The use of multiple prosthetics requires a supportive device rooted into your jaw, which is where dental implants come in. This route is more secure and offers greater stability than a crown ever could. However, if you have any remaining tooth left at the site of the prosthetic, it must be removed in order to place the dental implant. 

 

The placement of dental implants is a more involved process, however if you’re able to consider the surgery, the use of these full-tooth prosthetics is widely considered the best option for tooth replacement. Crowns are quick and non-invasive, but prosthetics anchored by dental implants imitate tooth better in look and function. 
Whether you’re considering a dental crown or dental prosthetics, it starts with a consultation with your dentist. We’re fortunate to live in an age where each option enjoys huge success rates, and dentists have more refined tools than ever to make these tooth replacements happen and keep your smile in-tact. 

 

Now that you know the basics, the next step is a simple conversation with your dentist! 

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