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Dental Health-

Healthy Mouth Healthy Body

Maintaining healthy teeth and gums is important because periodontal disease has been linked to a host of “systemic” problems.  This means that periodontal disease can affect the health of your body as a whole because the bacteria from your gums can spread throughout your body, even without dental procedures. 

The bacteria and inflammation associated with periodontal disease have been linked to the following health problems: 

§         Bacterial pneumonia

§         Diabetes

§         Heart Disease

§         Artery Blockages

§         Stroke

§         Low birth weight and pre-term babies

Healthy Eating

It is important to care for your teeth and gums by practicing good oral hygiene, but it is also important to limit sugary foods and drinks, such as fruit juices and soft drinks.  When sugar is consumed repeatedly in large amounts, the harmful effects on teeth can be dramatic.  Sugar on teeth supplies food for bacteria, which produces acid.  The acid in turn can eat away enamel on teeth.

§         If you choose to consume sugary foods and drinks, do so with meals

§         Limit between-meal snacks

§         Drink more water

§         Brush your teeth twice daily and floss daily

Importance of Regular Preventive Care

Regular professional dental cleanings and exams are very important to your overall health.  Some medical conditions have warning signs that can appear in the mouth.  Diabetes, oral cancer, nutritional and vitamin deficiencies and hormonal irregularities are some examples.  By identifying changes in your mouth, we can help detect health problems at a stage when they can be treated most successfully. 

Consistent dental visits can also help detect periodontal disease.  Most individuals are unaware of this disease because it doesn’t always hurt.  Besides affecting the tissues and bones that support teeth, research suggests that there may be a link between periodontal disease and other health concerns such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, bacterial pneumonia, and increased risk during pregnancy.

Regular dental examinations are also important for patients  that wear dentures.  This enables us to screen for oral cancer and evaluate the fit of the dentures. 

(Page 4) Dental Concerns

Periodontal Disease

Most people do not realize how common periodontal disease is.  In fact three out of four adults have some form of this disease.  In addition, this disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

Periodontal disease occurs when plaque builds up and irritates the gum and bone, leading to inflammation and infection.  The earliest stage of gum disease is called gingivitis.  If left untreated, the condition can progress to the bone called perioodontitis. 

Signs of periodontal disease include:

§         Sore and bleeding gums

§         Tooth movement

§         Changes in your bite

§         Bad breath or persistent bad taste

§         Gums that have pulled away from your teeth

Bruxism

It is estimated that up to 95% of people experience bruxism or tooth grinding at some time in their lives.  Many people are unaware that they even have the disorder because it often occurs at night during sleep.  However we can usually detect the telltale signs of wear on your teeth.  Grinding can cause parts of their teeth to chip away and leave them with worn surfaces or fractured enamel. 

Stress, abnormal bite, or crooked or missing teeth may cause teeth grinding.  If you wake up in the morning with stiff and painful jaw muscles, you may have been clenching during the night.  This habit can not only cause aching muscles, but can damage your teeth or dental restorations.

TMD

Many people suffer from a jaw, muscle, and joint disorder known as Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) and may not even know it.  Here are some of the common symptoms:

§         Pain in or around the ear that may sometimes spread to the face

§         Tender jaw muscles

§         Clicking or popping noises when you open or close your mouth

§         Difficulty opening your mouth

§         Jaw joints that don’t feel quite right – a feeling that they are “locked” or  “stuck”

§         Pain when you yawn, chew or open your mouth wide

§         Headaches

Although it is not always possible to identify the reason TMD happens, in many cases it is due to arthritis, dislocation, and injury.  It can also be influenced by the way your teeth fit together – your bite.

Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer kills more people nationwide than either melanoma or cervical cancer.  Yet many people are unaware of the need for cancer screening and regular dental exams.

Cancer can affect any part of the mouth, including the lip and the tongue.  The incidence of oral cancer increases with age and your risk is increased with smoking, use of chewing tobacco, alcohol, and poor oral hygiene.

Symptoms of oral cancer include:

§         A persistent sore or irritation that does not heal

§         The development of red or white lesions

§         Pain, tenderness, or numbness in th mouth

§         A lump, thickening, rough spot, crust, or small eroded area in the mouth

§         Difficulty in chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving the jaw or tongue

§         A change in your bite

Dry Mouth

Saliva serves to lubricate the oral tissues, cleanse the mouth and neutralize acidic and alkaline foods.  If you have insufficient saliva over a period of time, it can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

Some options to combat this problem include:  drinking more fluids, and using sugarless lozenges, and artificial saliva.  It is also important to maintain regular dental exams and brush and floss daily.

Other solutions for dry mouth include:

§         Sugar-free gum or candy to stimulate saliva flow

§         Frequent sips of water

§         Alcohol-free oral rinses

§         Limiting intake of caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated beverages

Bad breath

Bad breath has numerous causes such as odor-causing foods, tooth decay, gum disease, bacteria growing on the tongue, dry mouth , use of tobacco products, improperly cleaned dentures, inadequate oral hygiene, and some medications. 

Here are some tips for preventing bad breath:

§         Schedule regular dental visits.

§         Avoid constant use of breath mints and other hard candies containing sugar.  They will only mask bad breath temporarily and can lead to tooth decay.

§         Make a list of over-the-counter and prescribed medications that you take.

§         Look for oral hygiene products that display the ADA Seal of Acceptance

§         Brush twice a day with an ADA accepted fluoride toothpaste to remove food and plaque.  Brush your tongue too.  Once a day floss to clean between your teeth.

§         If you wear removable dentures, take them out at night.  Clean them daily.