Composite Fillings and BPA

I was just about to place a composite filling today when my patient asked if the composite material contained bisphenol-A (BPA). I was embarrassed to admit that I didn't know. I did post a blog article about BPA and sealants on my blog and I do use a sealant that does not have BPA. But composite was a different matter. I just wasn’t sure about dental composites.

The composite that I use is Renamel by Cosmodent, and it is a very fine product. I checked their catalog, but there was no mention of bisphenol-A, making me think that the product did contain BPA, or they would have announced that it did not. Then my question was whether there was a composite available that did not contain BPA, and was there any health danger for the patient if composite does contain BPA.

I checked the American Dental Association website for their information on BPA at http://www.bisphenol-a.org/human/dental.html

http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/positions/statements/bisphenola.asp. They defended the use of dental composites, as I would expect, saying that there is no evidence that they are unsafe. From the ADA website: “Based on current research the Association agrees with the authoritative government agencies that the low-level of BPA exposure that may result from dental sealants and composites poses no known health threat.”

But rinse well after a composite is placed – it can’t hurt! For more information on family dentistry visit drterryshapiro.com.

Dentistry and the Recession

You realize that it's not a good idea to neglect your dental health, but with so many other pressing expenses in this time of recession, teeth just can’t be a priority for many people. So I have been trying to help people get through the recession with minimal impact on their dental health.

To make things easier for people who might be working longer hours to make ends meet, my East Setauket dental office offers convenient hours: early morning, evening and Saturday hours. Some people are putting off their dental care until they have a pressing dental problem, so we are seeing more emergencies. We always make time for these emergencies, any time, any day. We are also seeing more children because although people may put off their own dental needs, they don’t want their children to develop dental problems. We enjoy our young visitors and make their visits affordable.

We also offer financing options and payment plans to make it easier to manage the cost of treatment. I have reviewed our fees and have reduced some fee services to make it easier for people to get the dental care they need without our sacrificing quality. Hopefully we’ll all get through this together – and Happy 2010!

Children's Dentistry

Parents often ask when their children should have their first dental visit. I like to tell them to bring the children to our East Setauket dental office when the parents have a checkup visit so the children become familiarized with the office. Our dental office is child friendly. Don’t wait until your child is in pain or has a problem before seeing the dentist.

Your child should see the dentist when their first tooth comes in. You can clean your baby’s gums with a clean, damp cloth. Help your toddler brush his/her teeth and only use a pea-size dab of toothpaste. Get your child accustomed to flossing. Don’t put your child to sleep with a bottle or let them fall asleep while they are nursing. Children should eat healthy foods – fruits, vegetables – and limit sugars and starches, sodas and juices.

Regular dental visits are the best prevention. We place sealants to protect young teeth from decay. We also make mouthguards for children who are active in sports.