For Healthy Teeth…just relax!
Do you ever get nervous just thinking about going to the dentist? You might be worrying unnecessarily. With dentistry’s many advances, diagnosis and treatment gets more sophisticated and comfortable all the time.
It’s often best to share your anxiety. If you’re tense or anxious, tell your dentist and the dental staff. Getting your concerns out in the open will let your dentist adapt the treatment to your needs
Try to choose a time for your dental visit when you’re less likely to be rushed or under pressure. For some people, that means a Saturday or an early-morning appointment.
If the sound of the drill bothers you, bring a portable audio player and headset so you can listen to your favorite music. During the dental visit you might try visualizing yourself relaxing on a warm beach.
These positive techniques work wonders for many. Try them on your next dental visit.
Thank you to the ADA for this great advice.
Reduced saliva flow that results in a dry mouth is a common problem among older adults. It is caused by certain medical disorders and is often a side effect of medications such as antihistamines, decongestants, pain killers and diuretics.
Some of the common problems associated with dry mouth include a constant sore throat, burning sensation, problems speaking, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness or dry nasal passages. Left untreated, dry mouth can damage your teeth. Without adequate saliva to lubricate your mouth, wash away food, and neutralize the acids produced by plaque, extensive decay can occur.
Your dentist can recommend various methods to restore moisture. Sugar-free candy or gum stimulates saliva flow, and moisture can be replaced by using artificial saliva and oral rinses.
Dry mouth is a potential side effect of numerous medications (prescribed and over-the-counter). Among them are antihistamines, decongestants, painkillers, high blood pressure medications, muscle relaxants, drugs for urinary incontinence, Parkinson’s disease medications, antidepressants and many others. Drying irritates the soft tissues in the mouth, which can make them inflamed and more susceptible to infection.
Without the cleansing effects of saliva, tooth decay and other oral health problems become more common. Patients using oral inhalers for asthma often develop oral candidiasis, an oral fungal infection, and are encouraged to rinse their mouths with water after using the inhaler.
What is Bruxism?
“Keep a stiff upper lip” or “get a grip!” That’s often the advice we get—and give—on how to cope with stress.
If you take it literally, the result could be grinding your teeth or clenching your jaws. It’s called bruxism, and often it happens as we sleep, caused not just by stress and anxiety but by sleep disorders, an abnormal bite or teeth that are missing or crooked.
Symptoms include a dull headache or a sore jaw.
You could have teeth that are painful or loose from severe grinding. This can lead to fractures in your teeth.
Your dentist can fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth during sleep.
If stress is the cause you need to find a way to relax! Physical therapy, muscle relaxants, counseling and even exercise may help reduce tension.
Don’t make your teeth the brunt of your stress.
There are many different reasons why daily oral hygiene is crucial, both for obvious reasons, and some that aren’t as plain. Prevention of cavities and tooth rot are potentially number one, but poor oral hygiene also contributes to gingivitis, peritonitis, and halitosis. Many who are suffering from mouth pain can attribute this to not having a daily agenda, and regular check ups.
If you have a daily oral hygiene routine, and your mouth is healthy, probabilities are your general health will also be good. Some research by the Academy of General Dentistry shows that your mouth also mirrors the state of your body. Having poor oral health frequently means that you also have other health issues, some you may not even be aware of now. They also suggest that there’s a link between gum illness, and other health complications, for example coronary disease, pre term babies, low birth weights in kids, and even heart attacks and stroke. There are a number of others diseases than could be related to poor oral health too. Intestinal and kidney Problems, Leukemia, and even some kinds of diabetes are just some of them.
There’s a lot you can do to prevent this. Having a routine of daily oral hygiene must be started early, when you kid starts getting their first tooth. Youhave got to brush your teeth at least twice a day, in the morning and before bed. This also suggests routine flossing, and some kind of mouth rinse. It is perhaps best to rinse out your mouth first, to get excess food fragments that have accumulated over the course of a day. Then you need to floss all those hard to reach areas. Making sure that you are getting around the gum line. You want to not only clean your pearly whites, but also take a little time to absolutely brush your tongue as well .
Itisn’t enough to do these routines, but also do them correctly too. Over seventy five % of the population of the U.S, still have gingivitis and even more advanced gum illness, which interprets that somewhere along the line, they aren’t getting something right. Many people assume they can get away with just brushing for a minute or two, and only getting the area of their teeth that may be seen by others. This simply isn’t true, and is perhaps one of the explanations folk still might have it.
luckily there’s much wanted daily oral hygiene help. One of the things is making sure that you are taking enough time to comb and floss correctly. You need to comb the back teeth, inside and outside. You need to comb carefully along the gum line, ensuring to dislodge any debris. You need to make certain that you are flossing around the gum line, as much as you do in between teeth.
You can go surfing for many answers and valuable tips about daily oral hygiene. There are sites with step bystep instructions on the easiest way to correctly maintain your mouth, teeth, gums as well as your tongue. Your personal dentist can also provide plenty of good info, that will not cost you anything. If you are in the area, toorak dentists can help you with your dental needs.
Georgetown Smile – Oral Health News
Public Health
A healthy mouth is an important part of a healthy body.
Oral pain, missing teeth and infections of the mouth can influence how a person speaks, eats and even socializes. We often ignore tender gums or even bleeding, yet oral disease is serious and needs to be treated.
Research has even shown associations between oral disease and diabetes, heart disease and stroke. It makes sense then to take care of your mouth, gums and teeth.
We might like to think that aging means deteriorating teeth, but that would be false. In fact, neglect is the cause of the deterioration, not getting older.
Prevention is the most important step to take in protecting and maintaining dental health. In addition to regular visits to the dentist, there are three other keys.
Brushing and flossing are the mechanical steps to maintenance. Learn how to do both properly and effectively and you will enjoy many years of healthy teeth.
Brushing well takes about two minutes and removes most the bacteria that promote tooth decay and plaque that can lead to gum disease. Because brushing only reaches about two-thirds of the tooth surface, flossing is also needed.
Ideally, brushing and flossing should come after every meal — bacteria begin their attack right away — but at the very least, brush once a day, and always before bed.
Good nutrition is a second tool for promoting good dental health. High levels of sugar in our food and drink promote tooth decay and should be minimized.
Consider drinking milk and snacking on nuts, fruit and vegetables, or plain yoghurt and cheese.
Thirdly, spotting trouble early can mean avoiding more serious problems later. For example, bad breath that won’t go away could be a sign of gum disease. If you cannot get rid of it with brushing and flossing, visit your dentist.
Gums that bleed when you floss are another early warning sign. If you just started to floss, a little bleeding is normal, but not every time you floss. Again, it may be time to see the dentist for a proper evaluation.
Sensitivity is another way that your mouth could be asking for help. Being sensitive to hot or cold, to pressure or sweetness all point to something being wrong. And yes… it’s time to visit the dentist.
Good oral health is not difficult to achieve: keep your mouth clean, watch what you eat and drink, check your mouth regularly, avoid all tobacco, and see your dentist regularly. Wasn’t that simple?
Keeping your mouth healthy is an important part of leading a healthy life.
BREAKTHROUGH scientific research has strongly suggested there could be a link between having a low number of teeth and poor memory.
The study, specifically related to memory decline, examined the participant’s from a series of cognitive assessments and their ability to recall words.
The results showed that people with fewer teeth scored lower than those with more teeth in the first examination and declined far quicker after further testing in later years.
Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, says this study adds to a growing list of evidence of the wide ranging systemic links relating to poor oral health.
Dr Carter said: “Heart disease, strokes, diabetes, lung disease and pre and low weight babies have all been found to be linked with poor dental health. This latest research could highlight yet another worrying risk factor of having poor oral health.
“Previous studies have suggested there might be a link between a low number of teeth and Alzheimer’s disease and baseline dementia. The case towards a possible link between poor memory and tooth loss is growing ever stronger.”
Participants were aged between 75 and 98 years old and were mostly of a high educational background – 85 percent had a bachelor’s degree or greater while 88 percent were teachers by profession.
They were assessed by the Delayed Word Recall test, which involved the individuals being presented with ten words, waiting five minutes and then testing them for how many they could remember.
Each participant had their score recorded in three consecutive years.
Results showed that participants with more than ten teeth achieved an average recall of 5.5 words at age 75 while those who had less than nine teeth only averaged three. By the age of 90 those who had more than ten teeth still averaged 5.5 words, however, those who had between zero and nine teeth fell dramatically and could only average a recall of less than two words.
Low levels of education were also associated with missing teeth. While only 14 of the 144 participants were of a lower education, 86 percent of these individuals had less than nine teeth, compared the 30 percent of those with a better education.
Dr Carter added: “It is vital that we improve the level of oral health of all demographics in this country through better and more accessible educational resources. It is clear that certain segments of the population have poorer dental health than others and it is essential that we target these groups especially.”
The Foundation encourages members of the public with any concerns about their oral health to contact the National Dental Helpline on 0845 063 1188.
The study was conducted at the University of Kentucky in America with lead author Pam Stein and published in the Journal of Dental Research.
They also managed to establish a link between a low number of teeth and a person’s genes.
It has previously been proved that gum disease is the major cause of tooth loss in adults.
“Still many people are unaware of the relationship between gum disease and overall bodily health.
“In people who have gum disease, it is thought that bacteria from the mouth can get into the blood stream. It could then affect the heart by sticking to fatty deposits in the blood vessels of the heart. This can mean clots are more likely to form. Blood clots can reduce normal blood flow, so that the heart does not get all the nutrients and oxygen it needs. If the blood flow is badly affected this could lead to a heart attack.
“People with gum disease are almost twice as likely to have coronary artery disease as those without gum disease.
“Recent research has also shown that you are more likely to develop diabetes if you have gum disease.
This is probably because diabetics are more likely to get infections and generally heal at a slower rate.
“Gum disease can never be cured but as long as you take good care of your oral health you can slow down its progress and even stop it altogether.
You must make sure you remove plaque every day, and go for regular check–ups with the dentist and hygienist, as often as they recommend.”
––––ENDS––––
Editor’s Notes
For further information please contact the Foundation’s Press Office on 01788 539792 or by emailing pr@dentalhealth.org.
Members of the public can contact the Dental Helpline for free and impartial expert advice on 0845 063 1188, Monday to Friday, or by emailing helpline@dentalhealth.org.
The Foundation’s website can be found at www.dentalhealth.org.
A series of free ‘Tell Me About…’ leaflets, covering topics such as dental care for mother and baby, children’s teeth, gum disease and dental decay, amongst others are also available.
The paper by Pam Stein ‘Tooth Loss, Apolipoprotein E, and Decline in Delayed Word Recall’ can be found at http://jdr.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/89/5/473
An abstract of Pam Stein’s earlier work with tooth loss and dementia, entitled ‘Tooth loss, dementia and neuropathology in the Nun study’, can be found at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17908844
The British Dental Health Foundation is the UK’s leading oral health charity, with a 39year track record of providing public information and influencing government policy. It maintains a free consumer advice service, an impartial and objective product accreditation scheme, publishes and distributes a wide range of literature for the profession and consumers, and runs National Smile Month each May, to promote greater awareness of the benefits of better oral health.
Georgetown Smile – Oral Health News for Washington DC
In today’s society it is important to put your best face forward by keeping your smile healthy and sparkling for success. With so many options, choosing the right dental products or cosmetic procedures seems almost as painful as pulling teeth. Some important health tips and cosmetic ideas will have you beaming in no time.
Brushing teeth and flossing as much as possible can be a monotonous routine, but certainly has its benefits. Keeping teeth and gums healthy prevents bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease. Regular maintenance also has a direct bearing on overall health. According to the Mayo Clinic website, a person with gum disease is at higher risk for more serious health problems like a heart attack, stroke, diabetes or pre-term labor. Gum disease can be prevented with proper care and good oral hygiene habits.
The American Dental Association ( ADA ) suggests the following: brush twice a day with a soft bristled brush preferably after snacks and meals, floss daily and see the dentist regularly. Oral health can also depend on the type and amount of saliva in a mouth, and a health diet with a low sugar intake will help keep teeth clean and sparkling.
“It is important to have excellent ( dental) home care, to eat as little sweet stuff as possible and to see the dentist regularly.”
With a consistent routine and a healthy diet, the back-to-basics approach to healthy dental care seems to be the way to go. However, if teeth are in bad condition, cosmetic surgery or whitening procedures can give your teeth the care they deserve.
One way to improve appearance is with a whitening process using at-home products or teeth-whitening procedures performed by a dentist. The number of at-home whitening products has grown rapidly through the years, which can make picking the correct product for you a daunting task.
A dentist will custom fit you for whitening trays quickly and easily in your initial visit. Hell show you how to apply the whitening gel and assist you with your first application in-office. Then you will continue treatments in your home until your teeth are as bright as you want.
A beautiful smile can brighten your life every day, professionally and socially. And unlike plastic surgery, cosmetic dentistry isn’t a major operation. Imagine coming in for a single appointment or two and emerging with the smile you’ve always wanted…no pain, no strain, no time taken away from your busy life. The results are immediate and dramatic.
Dave Stringham is the President of LookingYourBest.com an online resource for plastic surgery procedures. Learn more about breast augmentation and dental services at http://www.lookingyourbest.com or http://www.britphillipsdds.com.
Article Source: ArticleSpan
Georgetown Smile – Oral Health News for Washington DC
The House Ways & Means budget calls for cuts to MassHealth adult dental benefits that would eliminate restorative services for the 700,000 adults on MassHealth.
This proposal to cut crucial oral health services for adults on MassHealth will lead to needless pain and suffering at a time when many people are most vulnerable. Additionally, below-poverty individuals and families will lose dental benefits through Commonwealth Care.
Although $56 million dollars of services will be eliminated by these cuts, the state will save at most only $11 million. Approximately $35 million in matching federal dollars will be lost, and the state will spend a large portion of the remaining savings on people forced to use emergency rooms for problems caused by untreated dental problems.
On Wednesday the Oral Health Advocacy Taskforce began calling and visiting their representatives to urge them to sign on to Representative Scibak.
Georgetown Smile – Oral Health News for Washington DC
In continuance with its clinical webinar series, the dental solutions company announced its next online dental webinar on April 15, which will be presented by Dr. Gerry J. Casazza
Submitted by:e-DDS – Virtual Dental Solutions
WOBURN, Mass., Apr. 12 /CSRwire/ – In continuance with its series of clinical webinars, Virtual Dental Solutions (www.e-dds.com), announced its next dental webinar “Oral Health and Systemic Diseases: Current Concepts and Guidelines, Part 1″. The free online dental meeting will be conducted by Dr. Gerry J. Casazza and is scheduled on April 15. The hour-long dental webinar will begin at 7 PM EST / 4 PM PST. Interested attendees can register for this free dental webinar on http://www.e-dds.com/form.asp.
The topics of discussion in this dental webinar will be:
- 1. Pathogenesis of Periodontal Disease – a review of the historical models and current concepts
2. Risk factors for Periodontal Disease – with a discussion of the #1 risk factor
3. Osteoporosis and its impact on daily dental practice
4. Bisphosphonate guidelines
5. Bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ)
Virtual Dental Solutions (www.e-dds.com) has been conducting successful dental webinars for the benefit of dental professionals like Dentists, Orthodontists, Endodontists, Periodontists, Prosthodontists, Oral Surgeons, etc. It allows the webinar participants an access to dental experts which helps them manage their practices better. For more information on this free dental webinar, visit http://www.e-dds.com/oral-health-and-systemic-diseases.asp.
About Virtual Dental Solutions
Virtual Dental Solutions (www.e-dds.com) is a one-stop resource for smart solutions to run your dental practice more efficiently. The company’s services include Financial Management, Practice Analysis, Marketing Solutions, Practice Sales or Transition Services and Office Design. The e-DDS team consists of the industry’s leading experts with over 40 years of cumulative experience. For inquiries email us at: mark@e-dds.com.
Summary
Virtual Dental Solutions, announced its next dental webinar “Oral Health and Systemic Diseases: Current Concepts and Guidelines, Part 1″. The free online dental meeting will be conducted by Dr. Gerry J. Casazza and is scheduled on April 15.
For more information, please contact:
Mark Walsh
Phone: 877-420-3337
Start your path towards excellent oral health by reading Georgetown Smile Oral Health News regularly.
Expert dentists Melbourne practitioners would say you probably don’t need treatment for gum disease on a daily basis. You might not know early on though whether you need dental attention or not until you decide to see a dentist. Options for resolving possible problems will depend on the gravity of your condition.
Reasons to Treat
It should be obvious why you should treat possible oral health problems. Anything that doesn’t feel or look right is a sign that something may be amiss and that you aren’t in a good state. Surprisingly though, a lot of people take things for granted. What they may not know is that greater problems can emerge from seemingly smaller ones.
The lack of gum treatment can lead to several negative outcomes. If you’re lucky, you may just have to deal with bleeding and a bit of bad breath. If you don’t act on these early symptoms though, you could end up with an infection. Bacteria that lodge onto the different areas of your teeth and gums can cause tissue damage and bone degeneration. It’s possible that you might lose some of your teeth. In more severe cases, damage may reach the deeper tissues and bones.
Problem Resolution
A dentist has to assess the condition first before treatment can be decided on. If the problem is detected in its early stage, regular check-ups, antibiotic intake and cleaning may be recommended. This mild periodontal disease treatment may be supplemented by suggestions to maintain good oral habits. This ultimately means brushing at least two times a day, flossing and gargling with mouthwash.
Problems that are more serious may still possibly be addressed by minimally invasive treatment options. Slightly stronger antibiotic medication may be recommended for example along with scaling or root planning. This would mean that your dentist would have to take out plaque from over and beneath your gum line.
If mild solutions don’t work, surgery may be the next option. At the very least, tooth extraction may be necessary. It is possible though that tissue reshaping and bone repair may be called for. Some individuals may have to undergo grafting. This treatment for gum disease involves the removal of healthy tissues which are used to replace the damaged area.
Preventing Problems
It’s no joke to one day wake up with your teeth falling out. Although some cases can still be remedied by expert dental services, it is still always best to stop bad oral health in its tracks before it even begins. Some standard preventive measures are already well known such as brushing, gargling and regular check-ups. It is worth noting though that maintaining healthy habits can also help a lot. You can maintain good health by limiting your sugar and junk food intake. These are among the kinds of foods that bacteria love to latch on to. Avoid smoking too. Cigarette smoking can further degrade the health and appearance of your teeth and gums.
Don’t neglect or take chances with your oral health. Choose proper treatment for gum disease whenever you have to.
Live in the Washington, DC area? Take a drive to Georgetown Smile today and start your path towards excellent oral health.
