We talk a lot about the importance of good oral health and that includes brushing, flossing, and seeing your dentist on the regular. Let’s take a deeper dive into brushing, more specifically, the tool you’re using to brush those pearly whites. You might ask yourself, “when’s the last time I changed out my toothbrush?” We often throw away old food, donate clothes, replace beauty products, etc., but adding a change into your routine to replace your toothbrush will have a bigger affect than you might think.
Related Article from The ADA: 8 bad brushing habits to break
Research suggests that postmenopausal women with gum disease are more likely to develop breast cancer than postmenopausal women who don’t have gum disease. Why? Let’s discuss how we can fight gum disease reduce breast cancer risk.
Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, can range from simple inflammation of the gums, called gingivitis, to periodontitis, when the gums pull away from the teeth leaving open spaces that become infected. The bacteria causing the infection and the body’s response to the infection can break down the bone and connective tissue that hold your teeth in place. If periodontitis isn’t treated, the teeth may become loose and must be removed.
You may not have heard of Periodontal Disease, if you visit your dentist regularly and you haven’t – that’s probably a good sign that you have healthy gums! Poor dental hygiene can lead to problems that are more severe than the average cavity or case of bad breath. Periodontal Disease is also known as Gum Disease and almost 50% of adults have some form it. Gum disease is most commonly the result of poor dental hygiene and is the inflammation of the tissue around the teeth, according to www.medicinenet.com. Here’s the scary part – if left untreated, it can lead to even more serious problems, ranging from tooth loss to heart disease. Knowing the signs, symptoms, and treatment for various stages of gum disease can set you on a proactive path to avoiding a disappointing dental visit.
October can be a spooky season, but we want to help you not scare people away with bad oral hygiene! During this month, we’re sure that lots of Halloween candy is going to be haunting to you and your children. We’re all about indulging, but our team at Premier Dental in Lee’s Summit want to make sure your also having a HEALTHY Halloween.
Here are some tips to keep your oral hygiene healthy this Halloween.
Oral care is more essential than ever. While wearing face coverings that are to protect us from diseases and are recommended by the CDC, dentists are seeing a rise in gum disease from “mask mouth.”
Mask Mouth refers to a range of symptoms associated with wearing a face mask. The main symptom being bad breath, or halitosis. While bad breath may seem annoying and temporary, it’s a sign that something isn’t quite right. It’s important to pay attention to any warning signs or symptoms of mask mouth and take action to prevent it!
Let’s look into some helpful, preventative measures for mask mouth.
The truth behind mask mouth:
One of the most common signs of mask mouth is bad breath. If you’re breathing through your mouth while wearing a mask, you’re drying out your mouth and causing bad breath. This can also cause dry lips.
Dry Mouth:
Saliva is such a great tool that our body already produces to help keep the germs out of our mouth, so when our mouth becomes dry and we lose saliva production, we build bad-breath bacteria in the mouth.
Less saliva in the mouth also means we are more prone to tooth decay and infections. When we are wearing our mask often and experience dry mouth, we’re advancing or progressing tooth decay.
Bad breath is often a sign that something isn’t quite right. When we wear our masks, we may breathe through our mouths more and dry out our mouths. While this may not seem like an issue, when we dry out our mouths, we leave them more susceptible to bacteria growth. When bacteria grow in our mouth, we can experience things like cavities and gum disease. Saliva is a huge multitasker in our mouths and it constantly keeps bacteria at bay. When we lose saliva production, we lose our biggest bacteria fighter.
The new oral hygiene issue — caused by, you guessed it, wearing a mask all the time to prevent the spread of the coronavirus — is leading to all kinds of dental disasters like decaying teeth, receding gum lines and seriously sour breath. Learn More about the stinky side effects of Mask Mouth HERE.
Dr. Caye and his team at Premier Dental join dental practices and professionals around the country each September in celebration of National Gum Care Month. Why is gum care so important? Let’s dive in and find out!!
You may not have heard of Periodontal Disease, if you visit your dentist regularly and you haven’t – that’s probably a good sign! Periodontal Disease is also known as Gum Disease and almost 50% of adults have some form it. Here’s the scary part – if left untreated, it can lead to even more serious problems, ranging from tooth loss to heart disease.
Yes … that’s why Gum Care Month is SO IMORTANT!! However, Gum Disease can be prevented!
There are several preventative actions you can take to help avoid the onset of gum disease. We want you to be on the lookout for these tell-tale signs so, we’ve gathered some interesting information and statistics for you as well.
Beards, manscaping, hair gel, man caves, and self-grooming galore! In today’s world, men are taking charge of their aesthetic and their health, and dental health should be no different … that’s why we’re tackling dental health for men in this article.
Good dental health for men equals good overall health, as all parts of the body are interconnected. In fact, men are more commonly dealing with gum disease than women, making oral health even more important.
Dear Premier Dental Family,
We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines, including routine dental appointments.
While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety.
We’re SMILING because February is National Childrens Dental Health Month and we LOVE our Little Patients!! When you have small kiddos, like we do, it can be overwhelming to make sure you’re doing “all the things” to keep these tiny humans healthy and happy! To take some of the guess work out of this subject, we’re going to focus this blog on some questions about childrens dental health that we, as dental professionals AND parents, can answer.
First, let’s explain what National Childrens Dental Health Month is … it was introduced in the month of February by the American Dental Association as an observance to bring together thousands of dedicated dental professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their parents, caregivers, teachers and many others.
For us, it’s a great opportunity to promote the benefits of childrens dental health, because developing healthy dental habits at an early age, including brushing and scheduling regular dental visits, helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
We want our patients to have beautiful, healthy smiles and we love to help educate families about their dental health, so let’s get started!
The body is all interconnected. When something is wrong in one area, other areas can also be greatly affected. Eating disorders are an example of this phenomenon within the body.
Related Article: Oral Health Problems and Overall Health: How Connected Are They?
When you experience an eating disorder, other parts of your body, such as your teeth and gums, may be affected in a way you never thought possible. For example, eating behaviors can affect your oral health in many ways, such as:
See more information HERE regarding signs, symptoms, side effects and dental problems caused by bulimia from EatingDisorderHope.com.
Related Article: Tooth Decay: Don’t Be A Statistic
According to Eating Disorder Hope, “dentists are recognized as being some of the first health care professionals to whom a previously undiagnosed eating disorder patient (EDP) may present.”
Read more on the resources provided by Eating Disorder Hope HERE.
Dentists can be essential in identifying the first signs of an eating disorder. Without identifying dental issues, someone could live with an eating disorder for years without any help. If your dentist asks you about your signs or symptoms, consider being honest and open with them to take the first step toward recovery and improved oral health.
