Xerostamia, known by most as dry mouth, has a number of causes. Our mouths tend to become somewhat drier as we age and salivary output decreases. Treatments for medical conditions such as chemotherapy and radiation cause dry mouth as a side effect, as do certain medications and problems in the immune system.
Keeping your mouth moist is important to your dental health an your overall health as well. It's important to dental health because saliva helps to clear bacteria and small food particles from your mouth. It's important to overall health because having too little saliva can contribute to heartburn and constipation as well as being just plain uncomfortable.
However, even when caused by factors mentioned above, there is a good deal you can do to control xerostamia at home. The first and most important thing is to drink enough water. When salivary gland output is adversely affected, you need to replace the lost moisture from somewhere, and the best source is clear water. Taking small sips of water throughout the day will help to make a dry mouth more moist and comfortable.
Another option is to take at least part of that water in the form of green tea, which studies have shown may have considerable benefit to both dental and overall health because its antioxiants fight free radicals. Also, green tea has little or no acid, and acid is a major contributor to dry mouth, tooth cavities and other dental problems.
Whether you choose plain water or green tea, brushing, flossing and rinsing your mouth with water after eating is the best way to control xerostamia and prevent cavities.
Are you suffering with a smile that is less than perfect? Are you short on time and wish that you could improve the appearance of your teeth right away? A cosmetic dentist can rejuvente your smile in just one visit.
Cosmetic dentists specialize in improving the appearance of your teeth as quickly and painlessly as possible while achieving natural results. Whether you have stained, discolored, chipped, cracked or misaligned teeth, a cosmetic dentist can help you to find a solution to make your smile look better.
If your teeth are dingy or stained, professional tooth whitening can be done in only one visit to the cosmetic dentist's office. A hydrogen peroxide based gel is applied to your teeth and often heat is applied to accelerate the effects of the gel. Within an hour or two, you will enjoy teeth that are up to five or ten shades whiter with professional tooth whitening.
For teeth that are cracked, chipped or highly discolored, dental bonding is a solution your cosmetic dentist may suggest. In just one office visit, the cosmetic dentist use dental bonding to improve your teeth. A tooth colored, dental material is sculpted around your tooth by the cosmetic dentist and then hardened with heat to completely transform the appearance of your tooth in minutes.
If you want to improve the appearance of your teeth in only one visit to the cosmetic dentist, there are options that can give you a smile to be proud of.
If you suffer from Type 2 diabetes, the condition of your oral health is intimately linked to your overall health. People who suffer from diabetes have an increased incidence of oral health problems that lead to periodontal disease.
Studies have shown that diabetes and periodontal disease can lead to atherosclerosis, which happens when deposits of fatty substances such as cholesterol build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque, which is a cause of heart disease, and creates oxidative stress, which has emerged as an important factor for atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes.
The reverse is also true: When researchers from Kyushu Dental College in Kitakyushu, Japan investigated the impact of periodontal therapy on patients with Type 2 diabetes, as compared to non-diabetic patients, they found that periodontal therapy decreased lipid peroxide (LPO), an oxidative stress index, in diabetic patients. In other words, periodontal therapy reduces the health risks that diabetic patients face.
There's a clear link between diabetes and peridontal disease, which is clearly more of a possibility for diabetics than for people without this disease. To begin with, patients with diabetes are more likely to develop gingivitis, which is the first stage of periodontal disease, and studies show that children and adolescents who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop gingivitis as those who do not have diabetes.
Glycemic control is essential for your diabetic patients if they are to keep periodontal disease at bay. Fortunately, by keeping their blood sugar levels within reason and practicing rigorous dental hygiene, your diabetic patients should be able to undergo virtually any dental procedure that your non-diabetic patients can undergo.
And when your diabetic patients adhere to good dental hygiene principles by brushing and flossing at least twice a day and seeing you at least twice a year for professional cleanings, their blood sugar levels will become easier to control!
The American Cancer Society states that approximately 30,000 American every year are diagnosed with oral cancer. The oral cavity include the teeth, gums, lips, lining in the lips and cheeks, floor and top of the mouth and the small are behind the wisdom teeth.
Oral cancer can be deadly it it goes undetected. Maintaining regular dental visits is essential to have your mouth properly checked not just for tooth decay but for other possible health issues such as sign of oral cancer. There are several possible causes of oral cancer including using tobacco in any form, alcohol use, excessive exposure to the sun and oral conditions such as erythroplakia and leukoplakia.
Symptoms of oral cancer include sores that do not heal, a red or white patch on the tongue, gums or lining of the mouth, swollen jaw, lump in the throat or mouth, change in voice, chronic sore throat, pain in the ear, bleeding, pain or numbness of the mouth, difficulty swallowing or chewing and feeling like something is caught in the throat. These symptoms can also be signs of other medical problems so it is necessary to get the opinion of your dentist and physician for proper care and treatment.
The 411 on oral cancer is to live a healthy lifestyle, maintain good oral hygiene habits that include daily brushing and flossing and to have regular visits to the dentist for checkups. Early detection is a key element to getting treatment and getting past a condition such as oral cancer.
When you visit the dental office regularly for checkups and cleanings, the financial aspect is not nearly so daunting. It is when you neglect your teeth for months or years that you will incur expenses that may be major.
By visiting the dentist every six months to a year for a routine checkup and cleaning, you are maintaining proper oral hygiene to avoid bigger dental problems. If your dentist does detect a dental problem, you can resolve it before it gets bigger. After all, today's cavity could be tomorrow's root canal or extraction. Early detection is key to keeping dental problems – and costs – at bay.
Getting regular cleanings done at the dental office removes plaque and tartar that you cannot get rid of at home. By having this stubborn plaque removed at a professional cleaning, you are minimizing the damage it can do to your teeth. If this plaque and tartar remains on your teeth, it can cause tooth decay resulting in cavities, root canal and tooth loss.
If you want to keep your dental expenses as low as possible, remember to schedule routine dental checkups and cleanings. Skipping a visit to the dental office can have detrimental and costly results.
Most dentists recommend choosing a toothbrush with soft bristles that will not damage the enamel on your teeth. Soft-bristled toothbrushes are more comfortable to use, which means you are likely to spend more time brushing your teeth, which in turn means you'll do a better job of getting them clean.
In addition, soft bristles, because they bend more easily around the ins and outs of your teeth and gums, do a better job of removing plaque-causing bacterias and food debris that hard-bristled brushes do.
Make sure that the brush you select has a short handle that feels comfortable in your hand. Short handles allow for easier manipulation of the brush in your mouth, again making getting your teeth clean easier.
Many people find a powered toothbrush to be the best alternative. If you decide to go that route, remember to let the brush do the work. With powered brushes, simply place the brush on the first area to clean, hold it there gently but firmly, then lift it and move over to the next area.
Recent research has revealed a link between heart disease and periodontal disease, which makes it more important than ever before to maintain regular visits to your dentist for proper oral hygiene as well as your overall well-being.
Studies have found that people who suffer with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to have coronary artery disease than those people who do not have periodontal disease. It is believed in one theory that oral bacteria may affect the heart when they enter the blood stream by attaching to fatty plaques in the blood vessels of the heart and contributing to the formation of clots. Another theory is that the inflammation caused by periodontal disease boosts plaque build up which may contribute toward the swelling of arteries.
Also, consider that periodontal disease can make existing heart conditions get worse. In fact, patients at risk for infective endocarditis often require antibiotics be administered before having dental procedures performed. Discussing your heart condition with your dentist and periodontist is essential so they can communicate with your cardiologist about possible dental procedures before they are done and the use of antibiotics.
Regular dental checkups are necessary to maintain good oral hygiene and maximum overall health and well-being – including your heart.
You may not think that brushing after every meal is all that important for your oral health, but it is. Even though the time between lunch and dinner is far less than the time between dinner and breakfast, the food you eat at lunch time still has plenty of time to leave a film of plaque on your teeth.
Plaque is that sticky clear or slightly whitish film that builds on your teeth after eating. Left unchecked, can lead to dental cavities, gum disease or other periodontal problems. The microorganisms that make up plaque are almost entirely bacteria and are normally harmless. But if you don't remove plaque by regular toothbrushing, these microorganisms build up in a thick layer and start producing acids that can not only cause cavities and gum disease but eat away at your tooth enamel as well.
Saliva is also unable to penetrate the build up of plaque and thus cannot act to neutralize the acid produced by the bacteria and remineralize the tooth surface, which is why brushing after every meal is so essential to keeping your mouth healthy.
Temporomandibular disorders are referred to as “TMJ disorders” and over 10 million Americans suffer from this condition today. However, although many people deal with this disorder, it is still commonly misunderstood.
TMJ disorders affect the function of the temporomandibular joint or jaw joint, which connects the jawbone to the skull. These joints are necessary for speaking, chewing and making facial expressions. The TMJ joint is one of the most complex and frequently used joints in the human body. TMJ disorders develop when one or both of the joints fail to function properly due to a number of possible causes. TMJ disorders can cause jaw stiffness and soreness, chronic ear pain, clicking or popping in the jaw and headaches. Sufferers may experience dull, constant aching or sharp pain.
Causes and symptoms of TMJ are varied so the condition is classified into three subcategories: internal derangement of the joint, myofacial pain and inflammatory joint disease. These classifications make is easier to diagnose and treat TMJ disorders. Trained doctors can properly diagnose TMJ and help patients to made the right choices about their care. Professionals that may be required to diagnose TMJ include general dentists, dentists trained in neuromuscular dentistry, primary care physicians and otolaryngologists (eyes, ears, nose, throat specialists.) A variety of options exist and a trained professional gives patients the ability to make an educated choice regarding their treatment.
