About Me

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Dr. Nathan Berry was born in Augusta, Georgia, and grew up across the Savannah River in North Augusta, SC. He attended the University of Georgia where he earned his bachelor degree in biological sciences. This is also the place he met his wife, Teresa, whose family lives in Madison, CT. Dr. Berry attended dental school at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry in Louisville, KY, after spending one year as a dental assistant in Chapel Hill, NC. We at Hartford Dental Associates,are supremely confident that you will appreciate Dr Berry's approach to oral health care, sense of humor, and southern hospitality, too.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Reason #2

2. All the dentist speak. All doctors do it, so you know what I’m talking about. For instance, “She’s got a problem with her lower T-12. We’re going to have to ostracize it and cross-counter the white-balance so as to prevent problems in the future on that bicucpid.” Okay…what?!?! Speak English. I’m RIGHT HERE IN THE CHAIR. Also, what am I? A computer or a piece of hardware?!

http://theredheadchronicles.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/10-reasons-i-hate-the-dentist/

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

10 Reasons I hate the densist...

Because we all know how much everyone hates coming to the densist...

Reason #1
Because I really want to waste 30 minutes to an hour of my time just so people can poke me, prod me and otherwise get on my nerves.



...check back for the other 9 reasons!


http://theredheadchronicles.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/10-reasons-i-hate-the-dentist/

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

We vote for floss!


http://longevity.about.com/od/liveto100/ss/life-expectancy_4.htm
The fact that flossing daily can extend life expectancy falls in the weird-but-true category. In fact, floss does two things: it prevents gum disease (that's rather obvious), and it prevents heart disease (not so obvious). Preventing both of these together is what adds years to your life. Here's how flossing improves life expectancy: When you floss, you help prevent your gums from becoming inflamed. That's a good thing. What is happening when your gums are inflamed is that you have a chronic bacterial infection in your mouth. This harms your arteries through two mechanisms: the bacteria find their way in to your arteries and hang out (causing plaques), and your body mounts an immune response to the bacteria in your mouth, causing inflammation (which in turn can cause your arteries to narrow). This makes it hard for your heart to do its job and can lead to heart disease.
There is some debate about how many years you can gain with heart disease. Dr. Perls says 1.5 years, while Dr. Roizen says 6 years. Both of these doctors are gerontologists (aging docs) and have popular books on aging and life expectancy (see reviews: Living To 100, RealAge and You! Staying Young). Who is right? It doesn't matter. Flossing is good for your gums and good for your heart, so we should all just do it.
Of course, this is easier said than done. How do you get in to a solid flossing habit? First, you need to make sure you have some floss. There are tons of different kinds of floss (flavored, unflavored, strings, ribbons and on and on). Pick some and give them a try. Next, you have to remember. Put your floss on top of your toothpaste. Hard to forget that way. Then just do it. You already have a habit of brushing your teeth at least twice daily (right? - please say yes), so just anchor your flossing habit to that.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Geographic Tongue

Geographic tongue is a map-like appearance of your tongue due to irregular patches on its surface.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The specific cause of geographic tongue is unknown, although vitamin B deficiency may be involved. Other causes may include irritation from hot or spicy foods, or alcohol. The condition appears to be less common in smokers.
The pattern on the surface of the tongue may change very rapidly. This pattern change occurs when there is a loss of the tiny, finger-like projections, called papillae, on the tongue's surface. This makes areas of the tongue flat. These areas are said to be "denuded." Denuded areas may persist for more than a month.

Symptoms

  • Map-like appearance to the surface of the tongue
  • Patches that move from day to day
  • Smooth, red patches and sores (lesions) on the tongue
  • Soreness and burning pain (in some cases)

Signs and tests

Your doctor will usually diagnose this condition by examining your tongue. Tests are usually not needed.

Treatment

No treatment is needed, but antihistamine gel or steroid mouth rinses may help with discomfort.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Carcinoma of the lips is the most common malignant tumor of the oral cavity. In a large review of 1252 patients, 96.7% were found in males and 95.6 in the lower lip. So don't wait call today to have an oral cancer screening by the staff at hartford dental.




Source: Lin B, Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lower Lip, Ontario Dentist, June 2011, Vol 101, No 6, pg 59-62.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

You may have a tattoo that you dont know about!

Amalgam tattoos are commonly seen in dentistry.
The amalgam tattoo is a benign discoloration of the mouth membrane resulting from amalgam particles falling into small, open wounds created during dental treatment or by trauma shortly after a dental treatment, when small, fresh amalgam particles still cling to the mucosa.  Foreign particles may be large enough to be seen on x-rays and occasionally the tattoo is seen to expand over time as inflammatory cells beneath the membrane try to "clean up" the area.  No treatment is needed, but some persons may be intolerant to one or more components of the tattoo, which usually consists of mercury, silver and copper. 

Now you may be able to tell people you have a secret little tattoo!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Bacteria- YUCK

Did you know there are over 500 bacterial species living in your mouth? About 20-25 specific types of bacteria significantly impact your periodontal health. So be sure to brush and floss to remove all those suckers!