About 30 million Americans have diabetes, and another 89 million are prediabetic. Diabetes has a significant relationship with periodontal disease. Diabetes lends to a compromised immune function, which becomes a key factor in patients with periodontitis, also known as gum disease. In our office, we’re interested in the optimal treatment of diabetic patients. When we first meet patients, we identify patients at risk for diabetes, even if they do not have a formal diagnosis. On occasion, we may provide an in-office test to assess for diabetes for at-risk patients. We refer patients to local physicians for diabetic control. We continually review… [ Read More ]

For years, we have suspected that certain periodontal disease bacteria can clog arteries and blood vessels. Arterial plaques have been discovered to contain bacteria from the oral cavity. Recently, researchers showed that one species of  gum disease bacteria,  P. gingivalis, has been shown to cause and accelerate formation of coronary and aortic atherosclerosis.  It is understood that coronary artery disease is an inflammatory disease. The gene that turns on an inflammatory protein was discovered after P. gingivalis was introduced to the arterial cells.   [ Read More ]

No more yanking teeth! It has to be gentle and controlled. Tooth removal should be atraumatic and preserve bone. That way, patients have the best chance of success with dental implants. Chris Rafoth is the owner of Lyons Creek Dental Care, providing medical dentistry, dental implants, and facial esthetics since 1998 for Shoreline and greater Seattle areas, as well as communities in King and Snohomish counties. Any questions or comments? Contact him at chris@lyonscreekdentalcare.com today! [ Read More ]

Second in the series. Bone defects and bone atrophy are common byproducts of tooth removal, and need to be addressed before teeth are removed or dental implants are considered. Bone grafts are an important solution to discuss prior to removing and replacing teeth. Chris Rafoth is the owner of Lyons Creek Dental Care, providing medical dentistry, dental implants, and facial esthetics since 1998 for Shoreline and greater Seattle areas, as well as communities in King and Snohomish counties. Any questions or comments? Contact him at chris@lyonscreekdentalcare.com today! [ Read More ]

Dr. Rafoth has growing concerns about patients who are hoping for dental implants when they lose teeth. This is part one of a multi-part series on what patients need to think about when having teeth removed and replaced. Chris Rafoth is the owner of Lyons Creek Dental Care, providing medical dentistry, dental implants, and facial esthetics since 1998 for Shoreline and greater Seattle areas, as well as communities in King and Snohomish counties. Any questions or comments? Contact him at chris@lyonscreekdentalcare.com today! [ Read More ]

We do a lot of oral surgery at Lyons Creek Dental Care. We screen each patient for risks and potential complications. A recent position paper by the American Association of Oral Surgeons was released that explains the nature and risks of osteonecrosis of the jaws following oral surgery. In the following two videos, I discuss the nature of the disease, as well as how to manage the risks. Chris Rafoth is the owner of Lyons Creek Dental Care, providing medical dentistry, dental implants, and facial esthetics since 1998 for Shoreline and greater Seattle areas, as well as communities in King and… [ Read More ]

Everyday in our practice, we interview and screen patients for heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We can identify heartburn on the teeth where acid has eroded potholes into the teeth. Often, we can diagnose GERD before a patient or their physician is aware of it. We counsel and refer patients for the proper care when GERD is suspected, and we reinforce how GERD can be a contributing factor not only to tooth damage, but also to some types of oral and pharyngeal cancers. Now some new information has come to light. The link between chronic GERD and some head… [ Read More ]

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that affects an estimated 12 million Americans and another 40 million are at risk for developing the disease. One of the troubling things about osteoporosis is that it is rarely detected before a fracture occurs. At that point, the disease is more advanced and bones have already lost much of their density. Luckily, dentists are on the lookout for early signs of osteoporosis. “The first sign of osteoporosis is usually discovered when we do a thorough gum and bone examination,” says Dr. Rafoth. Depending on what the dentist finds in the examination, taking into account… [ Read More ]

Sensitive teeth can happen for many reasons. In this post, Dr. Rafoth addresses the 4 main causes of tooth sensitivity he sees in his practice. 1. Diet “Sometimes the diet we choose can make teeth sensitive. Foods and drinks that are higher in acids strip the protective layer of sludge (called the pellicle) from our teeth, exposing our teeth to more sensitivity with sweets or temperatures.” 2. Grinding and Clenching “Tooth grinding or clenching also makes teeth sensitive, because the supporting tissues of the teeth become inflamed. Inflammation can make teeth sensitive to biting, temperatures, sweets, sours, and spicy foods.”… [ Read More ]

Tooth decay has reached epidemic proportions around the world, and notably where I practice, it’s never been clearer. I know it’s my livelihood to fix people who have tooth decay, but that’s not the job I signed up for. I signed up to help people eliminate the disease as best as possible.  So take a minute or two to consider what is at stake when you think about your mouth and your risk for tooth decay. You may not like what I have to say, but here goes. People get cavities for 2 main reasons: they decide to, or there… [ Read More ]