What would your plan of action be if you suddenly had a horrible toothache? The first instinct of many people would be to call your dentist for an emergency appointment. Home Continue reading “Reno Dentists Can Identify Toothache Source”
We are not born with Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Generally, babies pick up the bacteria from their parents and loved ones through kissing and sharing food. Once the bacteria are present in our mouths, they need to eat to survive. Their fuel of choice is sugar. Many people think that sugar directly causes cavities. In fact, S. mutans consume the sugar you eat, and then produce metabolic waste in the form of lactic acid. Continue reading “All About Acid from Your Reno Dentists”
Salivary glands are inside your cheeks, near the front teeth, and at the bottom of your mouth. Six major salivary glands are backed up by hundreds of minor glands. Within the glands are ducts that your saliva moves through, once produced. The body makes up to 4 pints of saliva each day, with the late afternoon being primary production time. At night, the salivary glands take a rest, producing the least amount of saliva during sleeping hours.
Saliva helps us swallow food, and also works to rid the mouth of residual food particles that could mix with bacteria to create plaque. Within saliva, there are minerals and proteins that protect your tooth enamel, preventing gum disease and tooth decay. Continue reading “Reno Dentist Discusses the Importance of Saliva”
Gum disease prevention is one of the most important measures you can take for your oral health. While gum disease is highly treatable in the early stages, there is no cure. Periodontal disease can ravage your oral health by destroying the connective tissues between your teeth and gums. In the later stages, periodontitis can also infect your jawbone, causing your teeth to become loose and fall out. By scheduling regular dental cleanings, you can avoid this devastating effect of gum disease.
At a dental cleaning, our Reno dentists will assess your gum health by looking for signs of gingival infection. Some symptoms of gum disease include red or swollen gum tissue, gingival bleeding, foul breath, or loose teeth.
Scaling and root planing, will remove the plaque buildup causing periodontal infection. This method is called deep cleaning because scaling goes beneath the gum line to clean around the tooth root and gums. Root planing smoothes the tooth roots to prevent further bacteria from latching on to a rough surface and to encourage reattachment of the periodontal tissue.
At these dental cleanings, our Reno dentists can also give you tips for better at-home oral hygiene to prevent gum disease from worsening. We can assess your risk factors and make suggestions for contributing to a healthier mouth. Continue reading “How Dental Cleanings Help You Prevent Gum Disease”
During your oral cancer screening, our Reno dentist will be looking for signs like lumps in your throat, unusual lesions that appear white or splotchy, persistent ulcers, and other suspicious symptoms. Since oral cancer affects your appetite, tell Dr. Wager or Dr. Evans if you have experienced unexplained dramatic weight loss. You should also mention any changes in the way your teeth fit together, or changes in your voice.
With these risk factors for oral cancer, tell our Reno dentist if you smoke, use smokeless tobacco, drink large quantities of alcohol, use tanning beds, or have excessive sun exposure. Other risk factors include your age—patients over 40 are more likely to have mouth cancer—and if you have a family history of oral cancer.
The best step you can take for your oral health and your total wellbeing is to schedule regular dental checkups for oral cancer screenings. With about 8,000 mouth cancer fatalities predicted by the Oral Cancer Foundation for this year alone, it is not worth the risk. With early detection and treatment of oral cancer, patients have an increased chance at a good prognosis. Continue reading “Oral Cancer Screening in Reno”
Before our Reno dentist begins looking around in your mouth, we want to know specific information about your health. Many overall health issues can be closely related to your dental health. For instance, tell your dentist if you have diabetes or if you have had diabetes complications recently. We are also interested in knowing about bouts of rheumatoid arthritis, if you are thinking of becoming pregnant, or struggling with frequent migraines. Believe it or not, all of this information can have a big impact on your oral health and vice versa.
After catching up on your current health situation, our Reno dentist may take dental X-rays. These radiographs will give our experienced professionals insight into what is happening below the surface. For instance, X-rays can show us weak spots in your tooth where decay is beginning to form even below previous dental restorations like fillings. We can also see signs of jawbone deterioration from missing teeth or gum disease. Additionally, dental X-rays shed light on impacted wisdom teeth and tooth alignment. Continue reading “What to Expect at a Dental Examination with Your Reno Dentists”
The first caveat for chewing gum responsibly is that it must be sugarless. Chewing gum with sugar is actually, one of the worst things you can do for your teeth since it constantly reintroduces acid and sugar into your mouth, eroding tooth enamel. Sugar-free gum, however, may have the opposite effect. Sugarless gum can help remove trapped food particles in between teeth and encourage saliva production. Your saliva washes away harmful bacteria and neutralizes acids. Therefore, increased saliva translates to a less acidic and less hostile environment for your tooth enamel.
Some sugar-free gum manufacturers have taken smile protection a step further by using sugar alternatives like xylitol. This natural sweetener actually attracts and traps harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay and starve them. You can read the nutrition facts on the back of your gum to make sure xylitol is an active ingredient.
The second requirement for healthy gum chewing is to spit it out. Once you pop a piece of gum in your mouth, pay attention to the time. Make sure that you do not chew gum for more than 15 minutes at a time. Chewing gum for any longer can actually put stress on your jaw muscles. Excessive jaw muscle tension leads to dental health conditions such as TMJ disorder and teeth grinding. Continue reading “Is Chewing Gum Good For Your Teeth?”
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