Just as some people consider the eyes to be windows to the soul, Dr. Brian Witt, D.M.D. (Doctor of Medical Dentistry), views the mouth as a portal to the body, with a direct influence on your overall health. It’s a perspective that guides how dentistry is practiced at Terrace Smiles, located minutes from most of New Tampa off E. Fletcher Ave., a couple of miles west of I-75.
“We help people feel better as well as look better. That’s why I do what I do,” says Dr. Witt. “Dentistry has been linked to the health of our bodies. Everything is connected. The studies are very clear today that heart attacks, strokes, heart disease and diabetes are often all related to infections in your mouth. So, making sure that your mouth is completely healthy with no gum infection and no tooth infection protects your heart and your blood vessels from stroke and heart attack.”
It’s not just Dr. Witt’s opinion either. Research published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in Bethesda, MD, cites a connection between poor oral health and increased risk of heart disease.
The increased amount of bacteria and infections resulting from poor dental health also create problems for people who have diabetes, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, one of NIH’s institutes.
Oral Infections Are More Problematic With Diabetes
With the American Diabetes Association (ADA) reporting that as of 2012, 29.1 million Americans have diabetes, the implications for the disease’s impact on personal health — especially for diabetic patients who have infections in their mouths — are substantial.
“Diabetes is very closely linked to personal health because a diabetic has trouble healing,” says Dr. Witt. “So, if you have infections in your body, a diabetic can’t control their blood sugar, so they get worse and diabetes is a huge killer of the body. Therefore, being able to control their blood sugar for a diabetic is very important, and if they have an infection in their mouth, they won’t be able to do that.”
According to Dr. Witt, ensuring optimal oral health adds up to a very important outcome.
“What we do here is we help save lives,’’ he says. “By keeping people’s mouths healthy without disease, we keep their bodies healthier and we help save their lives.”
Terrace Smiles also offers an array of cosmetic dental services. Dr. Witt says there’s nothing superficial about that aspect of his practice.
“The other thing that we do here is we help give people confidence. Because, when their teeth are straight and aligned and beautiful, and they’re confident about their smile, they’re happier, so they’re more able to go out in the world and be more social.”
Terrace Smiles is capable of fulfilling a wide range of dental needs, from exams and cleanings to several more complex procedures.
“We’re a full-service dental office,” says Dr. Witt. “I’m fully trained in all aspects of general dentistry. We also offer several advanced dental care procedures here, including laser gum surgery, tooth implants, implant dentures, full mouth reconstruction, smile makeovers and even orthodontics.”
Providing an extensive line of treatments means patients don’t usually have to deal with multiple providers to get the dental care they need.
“People don’t like to be referred to other offices,” says Dr. Witt. “People become accustomed to the way that they’re treated here and they don’t want to go to other places. Unless it’s an extremely advanced case that requires a specialist, I’m fully trained to take care of their needs.”
Even with all the research showing how important dental health is to your health, a lot of people are reluctant to visit a dentist until major problems develop.
“The biggest challenge getting people in is getting the word out that their health is dependent upon the health of their mouths and the health of their teeth,” says Dr. Witt. “Less than 50 percent of the population gets dental care. That’s a lot of people who aren’t seeing a dentist.”
Recognizing that people are reluctant to seek dental treatment influences how the staff at Terrace Smiles interacts with patients, who are referred to as “guests” by everyone at the office.
“We understand that dentistry is something that people are afraid of, so we take pride in the fact that we are extremely gentle and we help people get through their fear of dentistry by gently getting their work done,” says Dr. Witt.
It’s an approach that resonates with Lisa Van Sickle of New Tampa.
“The entire staff is attentive, organized and professional,” she said. “The technology I’ve been exposed to is cutting edge.”
Susan Wenrick of Temple Terrace chose Terrace Smiles when her 80-year-old aunt, who lives in Zephyrhills, required dental treatment.
“She loves it and feels very comfortable here,” Wenrick says. “They’re very friendly and one-on-one. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere.”
Care Worth Traveling For
Terrace Smiles’ office manager, Shirley DeSouza, says the practice takes care of people who come from far beyond the Tampa Bay area.
“We have patients who travel from Canada to see Dr. Witt. We have a patient from New Jersey now, who came down just to see us.”
Dr. Witt says empowering people to maintain their oral health and bright smiles is an important part of the routine at Terrace Smiles.
“We teach them how to brush their teeth when they’re here,’’ he says. “We teach them how to properly care for their teeth on their own.”
Dr. Witt’s home care advice is to brush twice a day and floss daily. But, even with a diligent regimen, he says people still need professional cleanings with checkups.
“The reason it is so important that people see their dentist on a regular, strict schedule is that bacteria and infection build up over time and only dental instruments can remove it,” he says. “You can’t remove an infection at home. You can keep everything healthy, but it’s building up over time, so every 3-6 months you need to come in to the dental office so we can clean out the places you can’t reach.”
Witt, who was born and raised in Tampa and now lives in Land O’ Lakes with his wife and their two children, says he committed to a professional life of dentistry at a young age and achieved that goal with the support of his family.
“They’d never had a doctor in the family so they felt like, ‘Okay, whatever,’ and they supported me the whole way as I became a dentist.”
Dr. Witt earned his D.M.D degree from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville 1995 and established his own dental practice in Temple Terrace in 1999. He moved Terrace Smiles from the city’s business district to its current pastoral setting on Telecom Dr. in Telecom Park, just south of E. Fletcher Ave., seven years ago.
Dr. Witt is a member of local, state and national dental associations as well as both the Temple Terrace Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce, which recognized Terrace Smiles as a 2016 Ed Hanna “Business of the Year” finalist in the Health & Wellness category.
While family and dentistry are Witt’s greatest passions, he makes it a point to involve himself and Terrace Smiles in projects that benefit the larger community. He has donated dental supplies to villages in Ghana, supported the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots program as well as the Heroes Health Fund, a nonprofit organization founded by actor John Travolta to assist uniformed services personnel and other first responders whose jobs expose them to potentially dangerous levels of environmental toxins.
Whether it is his daily work at Terrace Smiles or the community projects he supports, it all comes together in what Dr. Witt says is the reason he became a dentist: “To help people. To make people well.”
You can learn more about all of the dental services available at Terrace Smiles (located at 13214 Telecom Dr., Tampa) by calling 977-7000, or visiting TerraceSmiles.com or the Terrace Smiles Facebook page, where you also can view testimonial videos of patients.
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