At St Louis Hills Dental Group, the first thing we do is get to know you. We understand visiting the dentist isn’t always fun, but we love getting to know our patients, and they actually enjoy visiting us! A trip to our office is like a trip to see friends who just happen to provide excellent south St Louis dental care.

We use state-of-the-art equipment and technology so your visit will be as smooth and painless as possible. Advances in dental care have made most procedures much easier than they were just a few years ago. Communication between patient and the dental team is very important to us, so you’ll know what to expect at every step in your treatment. From our tools to our anesthetics to the music in your headphones, we do everything we can to make you comfortable.

We understand that economic factors cause some people to delay seeing a dentist. Because putting off treatment leads to greater expense, we have made our services very affordable. We actually decreased our fees recently to help our patients in this difficult economy.

Want to know more about our south St Louis dental care practice? Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. You’ll be glad you chose St Louis Hills as your partner in dental health.

We try to help our patients sort through all of the details and get as close as we can to the amounts of coverage available and the patient responsibiity for services we provide. This can be very confusing with frequent plan changes and service fee denials encountered.

We are providers for many dental plans and evaluate many other plans to determine if we can participate. Often the plans have so many restrictions and limitations we are unable to join. Many plans have lists of dentists who have agreed to reduce fees substantially to participate. We are often not on those “lists” but will work with patients to reach acceptable financial arrangements to allow them to have dental treatment provided by St. Louis Hills Dental Group.

The worst thing that can happen to a patient is to have the need for dental treatment and not be able to have care because of financial reasons. Delaying treatment always will end up costing the patient more money or worse lead to a decline in the health of their mouths.

Recently Delta Dental of Missouri has started offering individual dental
insurance plans. You can link to their website at www.deltadentalmo.com.

At St. Louis Hills Dental Group we are committed to quality dental care at reasonable fees. If we can help answer dental insurance or financial consideration questions please e-mail us or call at 314-644-0440.

Tooth Development Chart

Children are seen at our office at younger ages than ever before.  We review each child’s medical, dental, prenatal, natal, neonatal, and dietary history.  We examine children for head, neck and dental abnormalities.  Evaluation includes examining for occlusion problems such as crossbites, overbites, and midline deviations.  During the examination we check for decay and evaluate the hygiene condition of the teeth.  You may read about our fluoride varnish applications on another page of this website.

We recommend that children have their first visit to our office by age three.  We will show our young patients the office, let them watch their favorite television shows, give them a ride on one of our chairs, and clean and polish their teeth on the first visit.  Best of all, they will get a bag of “goodies” if they cooperate.  The bags contain toys, a toothbrush, and several other items sure to get their attention and approval.

Parent Cooperation for Child Dental Care

Parents should begin to brush a child’s teeth as soon as they erupt.  This is best in the morning and at night before putting the child to bed.  Flossing is very helpful in older children who can tolerate the procedure.

Fruit juices not to exceed one cup per day are fine for children after the eruption of the teeth.  Carbonated beverages should not be included in the diet for the first 30 months following tooth eruption.  Infants should not be placed in bed with a bottle with anything other than water.

Infants can have their teeth and mouths cleansed with a damp wash rag after eating.

Children should be scheduled at St. Louis Hills Dental Group at 6 month intervals to follow hygiene evaluation and to track growth and development.

Should you have any questions contact us by email or call 314-644-0440.

The simple act of chewing xylitol gum for 5 minutes, 5-10 times per day, reaps benefits that can’t be disputed.  Xylitol works its magic by starving the decay-causing bacteria and reducing acids that break down enamel.

Who benefits from the use of xylitol?   EVERYONE!!!

-  Parents of infants (6-24 months in age) who chew gum containing xylitol can reduce the amount of strep bacteria that is passed to their children by as much as 70%.  Babies are not born with these bacteria;  we give it to them.  There is also a benefit of reduced ear and lung infection.

-  Children should start chewing xylitol around age 5 for long term benefits and to help avoid early tooth decay.

-  College students can use xylitol to reduce decay that can be caused by poor diet and stressful life style.

-   Anyone with dry mouth concerns due to medications or medical conditions can benefit by using Biotene dry mouth products or Tom’s of Maine toothpastes containing xylitol

-   Nursing home patients, who can chew gum safely, but who have lost the ability to care for their teeth can reduce decay by using xylitol.

Look for xylitol in other foods and snacks .  It provides almost magical help in preventing tooth decay.

For more information on xylitol or any dental questions St. Louis Hills Dental Group is located at 6979 Chippewa (one block west of Ted Drewes).  We can be reached by phone at 314-644-0440 or leave a message on this website.

Diabetes is a group of chronic diseases resulting from defects in insulin production, action, or both. It is characterized by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). High blood sugar interferes with normal metabolism and eventually tissue healing and health. Diabetics whose disease is controlled either by diet or medication can expect reasonable healing and tissue response in treatment of gum disease.

Uncontrolled diabetics may develop diminished salivary flow leading to xerostomia (dry mouth). They may also develop improper response to infections and inflammation of gum tissues. These conditions often lead to poor response to gum treaments and require more agressive treatment.

Some dental patients do not know that they have diabetes. This can lead to disappointing treatment results for gum disease. Diabetes Screening Tests are important for:
>Every new dental patient with a familiy history of diabetes
>Annually for all patients over the age of 60
>All existing patients during health history and risk assessment
updates and thereafter every 5 years unless over the age of 60

At St. Louis Hills Dental Group we will continue to keep current with changes and advancements in the treatment of diabetes and gum disease. 

For more information call St. Louis Hills Dental Group at 314-644-0440 or leave us a message on this website.

80% of Missouri adults know they should have two checkups per year.
58% are doing it.

Only 52% know that gum disease is linked to heart disease

Only 50% know that oral health is important in diabetes management

Only 44% know that dental problems can cause pre-term births

Only 21% know that dental problems can cause low birth weight babies

The MDA program will include these and many other issues in messages to better inform Missourians about good dental health.  Watch for information in local television, radio, print, and online.  We also, through our membership in the Missouri Dental Association,  have pamphlets, posters, and videos available for our patients. 

We at St. Louis Hills Dental Group are happy to talk to anyone about questions or concerns on dental issues. As you read this you are already on our website “www.stlouishillsdental.com“. Information can also be found on the MDA site “www.modental.org“. Please call 314-644-0440 if you need further help.

Fortunately, keeping your gums and teeth healthy requires relatively low-tech means: Daily brushing and flossing plus regular trips to your dentist for cleanings and checkups. Now we know that maintaining good oral hygiene could help prevent more serious conditions. This should be a great incentive for both young and old.

• Ventilators, an infectious pathway~

When hospitalized patients are connected to a ventilator, their risk of pneumonia can increase 20 times. This is a leading killer among hospital acquired infections. Oral bacteria in dental plaque can travel down the ventilator tube and into the lungs and begin to grow. Healthier gums and teeth will reduce this risk.

For more information leave us a message on this website or call St. Louis Hills Dental Group at 314-644-0440.

Dr. Steven Offenbacher, director for Oral and Systemic Diseases at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says, “When oral bacteria in the mother’s blood reaches the placenta and then reaches the fetus, it triggers an immune and inflammatory response, stressing the unborn child. Infections may account for up to 50 percent of premature births.” In the United States one in 10 babies are born too early, nearly double the rate in other industrialized countries. There are many risk factors, which include race, smoking, alcohol and drug use, etc., and more than 255 of complicated pregnancies occur for no know reason. However, it is known that the chemicals and hormones that mediate the inflammatory response can also dilate the cervix and trigger uterine contractions.

Heart health and inflammation:

 Researchers believe that there is a link between heart disease and gum disease due to bacterial pathogens or inflammatory chemicals carried by the blood from the mouth to the heart. One study of 10,000 Americans between ages of 18 and 74 found that people with gum disease were much more likely to by diagnose with heart disease than those without gum disease. Doctors know that the inflammation that causes gum disease is the same that narrows coronary arteries. Everyone should be conscientious about treating gum disease, but it is not yet clear that doing so will protect you from heart disease.

Gum disease, obesity, and diabetes are linked:

Two decades of biomedical research has shown that the three are linked. It is believed that obesity intensifies infections, including gum disease. Fat cells release elevated levels of cytokines into the bloodstream. It is now known that elevated levels of cytokines accelerate gum disease. Once a diabetic patient has gum disease, their sugar control worsens and they suffer further complications, including nerve damage and kidney disease.

At St. Louis Hills Dental Group, if we can help with further information on these or other topics please call us at 314-644-0440 or leave us a message on this website.

Please let us know if you have any questions regarding mercury fillings or any other dental questions.  St. Louis Hills Dental Group is located at 6979 Chippewa (one block west of Ted Drewes).  We can be reached by phone at 314-644-0440 or our website is www.stlouishillsdental.com.

Listed below are common beverages arranged from the least acidic to the most acidic.

Brewed tea 7.2
Soy Milk 7.0
Water 7.0
Coconut Milk 6.6
Goat’s Milk 6.5
Milk 6.5
Club Soda 6.0
Coffee 5.5
Barq’s Root Beer 4.5
e load 4.5
Buttermilk 4.4
A&W Root Beer 4.3
GU20 4.3
Tomato Juice 4.1
Pear Nectar 4.0
Dad’s Root Beer 4.0
Prune Juice 4.0
Vegetable Juice 3.9
Powerbar Endurance 3.9
Enervit G 3.9
Accelerade 3.9
Cytomax 3.8
Diet 7-Up 3.7
Wine(dry) 3.7
Iced Tea 3.5
Juicy Juice 3.5
Ultima 3.5
Sprite 3.4
Diet Dr. Pepper 3.4
Apple Juice 3.4
Diet Coke 3.4
Orange Juice 3.3
Pineapple Juice 3.3
Diet Mountain Dew 3.3
Red Bull 3.3
Mountain Dew 3.2
Twist Up 3.2
Propel 3.2
Fresca 3.2
Orange Slice 3.1
V-8 Splash Berry Blend 3.1
Pepsi Blue 3.1
Pepsi One 3.0
Surge 3.0
Sierra Mist 3.0
Kool Aid Jammers 3.0
Nestea Sweet Lemon Tea 3.0
Gatorade 3.0
Dr. Pepper 2.9
White Cranberry Juice 2.9
Wine(sweet) 2.9
Lipton Brisk 2.9
Squirt 2.9
Hawaiian Fruit Punch 2.8
Mr. Pibb 2.8
Welch’s White Grape Juice 2.8
Diet Cherry Coke 2.8
Mellow Yellow 2.8
Powerade 2.8
Extran 2.7
Monster 2.7
Hi-C Lemonade 2.7
Tang 2.7
Orange Crush 2.7
Capri Sun 2.6
SoBe Strawberry-Grape 2.6
Coke Classic 2.5
Cherry Coke 2.5
RC Cola 2.5
Country Time Lemonade 2.5
Pepsi 2.5
Gatorade Clear 2.4
Sunny Delight 2.4
Cranberry Juice 2.3
Lime Juice 2.0
Stomach Acid 1.0-2.0
Battery Acid(for comparison only) 1.0

For more information contact us using our website, www.stlouishillsdental.com  or call St. Louis Hills Dental at 314-644-0440