Re-Opening the Office!

In accordance with guidance from the State of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Dental Society, as of Tuesday, June 9th we are fully open for doctor and hygiene appointments!

Office hours are Tuesday – Friday 7:30am-5pm by appointment only.

As always the health and safety of our patients and team is our #1 priority. As we reopen, it is important to know what to expect during your appointment:

Upon your arrival to your appointment, please wait in your car and text or call our office at (508) 852-5200 to let us know you have arrived. We will ask you a few health-screening questions over the phone.

You may have someone escort you to our office door, but we do ask that all guests return to wait in their cars to limit people in our reception areas.

After entry into the office, please expect to have your temperature taken using a touch-less hand-held thermometer. Anyone with a fever over 100.4 will be rescheduled.

The reception area will continue to look sparse as magazines and books have been removed. Our beverage station will remain closed for now. All contact surface areas throughout the reception area and office are wiped down hourly.

While in the reception area, we ask that you wear a mask until you enter a treatment room.

Please expect to see all team members wearing masks. Our clinical team will be wearing knee-length gowns, hair coverings, respirators and face shields during the entirety of your treatment.
You will notice air purification systems have been installed throughout the office, including in the treatment rooms.

What you can expect during your dental hygiene care appointments:

To comply with recommendations to minimize aerosols in the practice, we are not able to use power scalers or polishing. Cleanings will be done with hand instruments for now.

Thank you for being our patient during this and we look forward to seeing you!

March 17, 2020

COVID-19 Safety Information

Our Patient’s Safety is Our Number 1 Priority!

We continue to monitor coronavirus (COVID-19) updates, and based on the recommendations of the government health departments, public health authorities and healthcare professionals, we have made the difficult decision that effective March 24, 2020 at 12:00pm:

All elective dental care will be rescheduled to a time when it is safe to provide your care
Our team will only be available to address urgent dental needs or emergency care

Please know that during this difficult time we remain committed to your dental healthcare, comfort and safety, and look forward to seeing you soon.

If you need to contact us, our phones are monitored daily by calling or texting (508) 852-5200, emailing or by following our facebook page for updates.

For further information:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-public-health

October 1, 2019

Composite Fillings

October 1, 2019

Multi-tooth Replacement

Dental implants can be used as a replacement to partial dentures or in replacing multiple teeth in a quadrant.

October 1, 2019

Dental Microscopes

Use of a dental operating microscope allows Dr. Cairo to visualize, diagnose and subsequently treat things that would otherwise not been seen with conventional loupes or naked-eye dentistry.

Microscope dentistry has the greatest precision and accuracy when providing care; exact tooth preparations and margins, more conservative treatment that is kinder and gentler to neighboring teeth and supporting tissues.

The 5 microscopes we have in our office offer up to 40x magnification, allowing Dr. Cairo to ensure all work leaving the office is of the highest quality and integrity. This means no unnecessary work or time in the dental chair, a major win!

Magnification is the current standard of care in dentistry, yet why is it that the number of dentists using a microscope is still so slim?

No magnification or low magnification can easily lead to errors of omission from incomplete information. The dental operating microscope goes a long way to close the information gap, and treat our patients comprehensively, just as Dr. Cairo envisioned.

Our care and service is unlike any other dental office in the area. We pride ourselves on providing exemplary care.

For more details you can find out more.

October 1, 2019

3 Triggers for Sleep Apnea

What is Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Sleep apnea is a disorder that prevents the body from getting sufficient oxygen during times of sleep. During sleep, the person with sleep apnea literally stops breathing for small periods of time, creating an extremely dangerous situation. Over 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and that figure includes women, men, and children though most of victims are older male adults. Sleep apnea is also known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and it’s the most common form. Throat blockage, mostly from the tongue or palate, is what gives obstructive sleep apnea its name – but it’s only one form. Two other forms are central sleep apnea and mixed sleep apnea.

Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
Central sleep apnea is a far rarer type of sleep apnea, which occurs when the brain signal that instructs the body to breathe is delayed. This central nervous system disorder can be caused by disease or injury involving the brainstem, such as a stroke, a brain tumor, a viral brain infection, or a chronic respiratory disease. People with CSA seldom snore, which makes it even harder to diagnose as they do not fit the “normal” profile of a sleep apnea sufferer. However, while the
causes of the breathing cessation are different in CSA and OSA, the symptoms and results are much the same – a deprivation of oxygen and poor sleep due to repeated awakenings at night.
The treatments for CSA include specific medications that stimulate the need to breathe and administration of oxygen.

Mixed sleep apnea
Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of the two other types of sleep apnea, Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea. A person with mixed sleep apnea will often snore, but finds that treatments which only help obstructions in the airways do not completely stop apnea episodes. Treatment usually includes a combination of the treatments used for OSA and CSA.

In all three types, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing or breath insufficiently to keep their blood oxygen saturation up; This can occur hundreds of time an hour. Each time it occurs, the brain arouses the individual to resume “normal” breathing. This results in interrupted and poor quality sleep.

Who has Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is very common. One out of four adults has sleep apnea and the odds get higher as you get older. Forty percent of snorers have sleep apnea. There are several causes, however tongue or palate blockage is the main culprit. Basically, anything that prevents the lungs from getting enough air to the brain is at fault, thus almost all breathing problems have been blamed. From smoking and asthma, to being overweight to snoring, sleep apnea is now thought to play a role in developing diabetes, heart attacks, and even death.

Sleep Apnea Treatment
Most treatments for sleep apnea involve the CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure). This machine works to supply the body (lungs and brain) with enough oxygen while the patient is sleeping. Some machines use nasal masks that cover the mouth and nose to send air, while others use a tube-connected mouth or nose piece to deliver air. The idea with either method is to keep the airway open so that a patient gets sufficient air through regular breathing.

Since the CPAP machine is a medical device, it requires a prescription from a neurologist and a polysomnogram (sleep study) examination.

Depending on the severity of the sleep apnea, a CPAP machine may not be needed. Some people have found relieve through natural methods simply by losing weight, cutting out certain foods from a diet, reducing alcohol consumption, or even avoiding certain medications under the doctor’s advice. Others have found help from the continued use of an oral appliance, best in the treatment of mild to moderate sleep apnea, in those unable or unwilling to use a CPAP machine. OSA Oral Devices are commonly made by Dr. Cairo and his exceptional team.

It is important to note that under no circumstance, should a patient take a sleeping aid as a way to thwart sleep apnea. Sleeping aids are designed to deepen sleep, while sleep apnea treatments are designed to increase airflow. Both treatments solve completely different problems.

What happens if it is untreated?
Sleep Apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, stroke, acid reflux, weight gain, impotency, memory problems, and headaches. The average life of an untreated apnea is about 55 years if they have had it all their life, but once they get past that hurdle, they are safe from death, but not from misery.

If you are having trouble sleeping come in for a check up and we can help diagnose what the problem is and get you the help you need to get the proper rest.

October 1, 2019

Dental Cleanings

GINGIVITIS is an infection within the gums, that requires treatment before it progresses to the bone. Your Dentist will diagnosis the health on the gum tissue so that appropriate treatment can be recommended. Oftentimes in the case of gingivitis, the Dental Hygienist will perform a debridement, which, along with your attentive care at home, can reverse the effects of gingivitis.

DEBRIDEMENT

PERIODONTITIS is a serious infection that has traveled from the gum tissues into the bone. Periodontal Disease is a serious infection that requires treatment. There are a variety of periodontal treatments available, but most often begin with cleaning around the teeth and gum tissue to get rid of local irritants and bacteria, this procedure is called scaling and root planning.

SCALING & ROOT PLANNING

October 1, 2019

What to Know About Whitening

Whitening is a permanent change to the teeth, though those changes can be reversed by things like coffee, tea, red wine, dark sodas and smoking.

Whitening is a safe procedure for people over age 13, when done in moderation. Teeth whitening during pregnancy is not recommended.

There are many products available that work specifically with sensitive teeth so that the whitening process is very comfortable.

Dental professionals suggest that to brighten your teeth without looking fake is the use your whites of your eyes as a guide.

There is maintenance regimen that follows teeth whitening. Depending on the shade of white you’re looking to achieve this could be a single 30-minute session once every 6 months or sooner.

There are different ways to whiten teeth, but dental professionals agree that the most effective way to achieve a white smile is through a combination of in-office and take-home whitening.

October 1, 2019

Sleep Dentistry

We provide exceptional dental care in a secure, comfortable and nurturing environment. This commitment to our patients is something each member of our team deeply values.

Dr. Cairo breaks the dental mold in every way about what a dental office “should be.”Sleep Dentistry allows you to rest your eyes and quiet your mind while Dr. Cairo and his team addresses your dental needs. Sleep dentistry ranges from nitrous oxide to deep “sleep” sedation.

We are happy to provide more information about sleep dentistry.

October 1, 2019

Oral Implications of Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s Disease is a devastating genetic mutation of the fourth chromosome that is responsible for degenerating one’s cognitive and motor abilities over time. The typical onset of disease is around age 40, and progresses over the next 10-20 years with a fatal outcome.

Huntington’s disease is broken up into 3 stages, early, middle and late. The signs and symptoms can vary among individuals, though as the disease progresses the symptoms worsen and can include difficulty swallowing, articulating words, general weakness, involuntary or spastic movements as well and hindered dexterity. In the late stages speaking and communication is nearly impossible, swallowing is laborious and choking risks are heightened. Muscles tome become excessive, significant weight loss is also occurring due to the continuity of movement, as does abnormal and twisted posture from sustained muscle contractions.

As Huntington’s Disease advances it provides serious challenges to maintaining oral health. The best course of treatment is to put a plan in place when the diagnosis is made. It’s most important to create a care plan that works for both the individual and caregiver. Dental cleaning and check-ups should be occurring regularly. The frequency depends on the individual, but may range from every few month to every few weeks. Appropriate homecare is including brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and daily flossing to reduce harmful bacterial and plaque accumulations. Mouth rinses should be used with caution, or not at all as the disease progresses, due to the likelihood of choking. Additionally, salivary substitutes including xylitol products may be used to lower the risk of cavity formation.

It is important to note that as the disease progresses so does to risk of periodontal disease and development of cavities.

It’s recommended that current or potential caregivers take an active role early on to coordinate treatments between dental providers, physicians, neurologists, dieticians, occupational therapists, etc.

As healthcare providers, we commit ourselves to educating other about how to improve and maintain health.

Re-Opening the Office!

What you can expect during your dental hygiene care appointments:

COVID-19 Safety Information

Our Patient’s Safety is Our Number 1 Priority!

Composite Fillings

Multi-tooth Replacement

Dental Microscopes

3 Triggers for Sleep Apnea

What is Sleep Apnea?

Dental Cleanings

What to Know About Whitening

Sleep Dentistry

Oral Implications of Huntington’s Disease

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