There are several common symptoms for gum disease: redness, swollen gums, tender gums, gum tissue that bleeds, and bad breath. Yes, these are presentations of symptoms that could signal other types dental disease, but that’s one reason why it’s so important to pay a visit to your dentist at Silver Creek Family Dental if you ever notice these symptoms. And don’t delay, because when Gingivitis is ignored the symptoms could worsen to the much scarier and much more difficult to treat periodontal disease. 

There are certain risk factors Gingivitis. Poor dental care is the most obvious, but did you know that genetics can have as much cause for the development of the disease as anything else? It’s true. Other risk factors include: tobacco (Say no to tobacco in general, there’s nothing positive about tobacco use), crooked teeth that are difficult to clean, diabetes and other systemic disease, medications taken because of systemic disease, oral contraceptives, and even pregnancy (Yes, during pregnancy a woman can develop Gingivitis as a result of the pregnancy). 

You may notice on the list of possible risk factors something you either have or take, but that doesn’t mean that you are going to contact gum disease. But it does mean that you need to be careful, and vigilant. You should brush your teeth twice each and every day, and floss once. And don’t forget to pay twice-yearly visits to your dentist at Silver Creek Family Dental.

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Pain. Pain in your mouth, neck, or face could be caused by any number of reasons. Right now, in cold and flu season, pain in your teeth or around your jawline could be a sign of a sinus infection—not always, but it’s a possibility. But any pain directly in the areas of your gum line and teeth should be immediately checked out by your dentist. 

Pregnancy can sometimes exacerbate certain dental conditions such as gum disease. If you are pregnant, make sure to stick to your regular dental routine, and check in with your dentist in case certain conditions have evolved. 

If you have difficulty chewing or swallowing it could be a sign of a serious dental condition. Difficulty chewing, or pain directly in a tooth, is a symptom that should not be ignored. If you experience any pain while chewing make sure to see your dentist immediately. 

There are a number of reasons to see your dentist regularly, and the most important thing to remember is that most dental conditions will not simply go away without some intervention. Your dentist at Silver Creek Family Dental can determine and treat dental problems before they become major. If you have any questions, or you would like to schedule your next dental appointment, then call Silver Creek Family Dental today.

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Avoid Sticky Foods 

Sticky foods such as taffy are terrible for teeth. The problem with a sticky food is that it doesn’t easily wash off teeth. Even dried fruit such as applies and cranberries need to be washed from the surface of teeth immediately following a meal. 

Overly Sugary Drinks 

Egg nog and other holiday goodie-type drinks are loaded with sugars. When you drink these types of beverages—in moderation!– remember to also drink water. Water will help wash away the sugars from the teeth. And alcohol will dry out your mouth. 

Curse of Hard Candy 

Hard candy is terrible for teeth. Yes, there is sugar in hard candy and sugar can be damaging. But even the small round peppermint candies Santa leaves behind in some stockings can chip or crack a tooth. When you consume hard candy, make sure that you don’t bite down when the candy is still intact; biting down and chewing on hard candy might work ninety-nine times out of one hundred, but then there is that one time when the teeth strike the candy awkwardly, or the candy is built too solid for the teeth to handle, and damage occurs. Not good! A cracked or chipped tooth can be painful, and require an immediate and unfortunate trip to your dentist at Silver Creek Dental. 

If you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule your next routine checkup with your dentist at Silver Creek Dental, then call today.

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Gum works to ward off dry mouth, because it keeps the salivary glands in function. The increase in saliva also cleans the surfaces of the teeth, removing debris. The increase in saliva also brings calcium and phosphate to the teeth, and this will strengthen the tooth enamel (Enamel, remember, is the hard-outer coating on the surface of teeth).

The one thing to remember, however, is that chewing sugar free gum will not replace a quality oral care routine. You should only use sugar free gum after meals, or at snacking times, times when it’s impossible to properly clean the teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste. You should continue to brush your teeth twice daily, and work the brush over all the surfaces of the teeth, front and back, and brush for at least two minutes. Flossing it equally important and should be completed each and every day. Your teeth will continue to develop plaque every day, and the development of plaque will progress into full-blown gum disease if left uncleaned. And always remember to visit your dentist at Silver Creek Dental for regular checkups and cleanings. It’s an important component to quality holistic dental care. You need each component of dental care to build a healthy mouth, and the helpful tips, such as how chewing sugar free gum will ward off tooth decay, are not meant as a substitute for quality care.

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Causes of Bad Breath

The most common cause, outside of the obvious cause of food and drink (expectations for fresh breath should be low after a person eats garlic or onion) is bacteria. Bacteria naturally live in our mouth, and when we eat the bacteria also consume the food debris and sugars left over in the mouth. The waste product that these bacteria produce tends to be foul-smelling. One way to combat this is to stay hydrated, drink plenty of water because water washes food debris from out teeth. You can almost limit snacking, which will both limit the opportunity for bacteria to feed. Remember also to brush twice a day and to floss at least once.

When bacteria thrive, however, gum disease sets in. a constant bad taste in the mouth can be a sign that you have already have gum disease. Gum disease is treatable—easily treatable in its early stages—and to treat it properly you should pay a visit to your dentist at Silvercreek dentistry.

Another reason for bad breath that people don’t often think of is medications. Certain medications can come with the side effect of dry mouth; antihistamines are always a possible culprit. Equally so, however, a sinus condition can cause bad breath as easily as its treatment antihistamine.

Remember also that bad breath could be a sign of something more serious, and when a person begins to suffer chronic bad breath, for no real apparent reason, he or she should visit his or her dentist at Silvercreek Dentistry to check for a more serious condition.

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Causes of Gingivitis

Gingivitis is caused by a number of factors. Yes, gingivitis is commonly associated with poor dental care, but it’s also the cause of tobacco use and medications—steroids, therapy drugs, and oral contraceptives are all possible culprits—genetics, crooked and hard-to-clean teeth, and systemic disease. Pregnancy can also be a culprit for Gingivitis, which is why it’s important to keep with regular dental checkups throughout your pregnancy—assuming, of course, that it’s safe enough to do so.

Getting Rid of a Gingivitis Infection

Remember, Gingivitis is reversible. You may only need an easy trip to the dentist’s office for a professional cleaning. Regular brushing and flossing—remember to keep to a routine of brushing at least twice daily and flossing at least once—and, in certain cases, the possible supplement of a mouth wash to help protect the mouth from further infection.

Remember, Gingivitis, while treatable, is a signal for the more severe periodontal disease. Periodontal disease, in most cases, is treatable, but it is much harder to treat, and a patient has to undergo a much more intensive therapy to be rid of it. That’s why it’s important to keep to regular dental checkups, remembering that your dentist can detect a Gingivitis infection before its symptoms are apparent. And keep to a quality oral care routine. Remember, the practice of prevention is the best cure for gum disease.

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We all know that we’re supposed to cover our mouth when we sneeze or cough. But did you know that our toothbrush can be a home for viruses. It’s true. Although the flu virus is supposed to only be able to live for up to seventy-two hours, it’s still possible to infect others. If you share a toothbrush caddy with someone, make sure that your toothbrush doesn’t touch their toothbrush—remove your toothbrush from the caddy if necessary. Also, when we apply toothpaste to our toothbrush we need to be careful that our toothbrush doesn’t touch the rim of the tube of toothpaste. We don’t want to leave behind germs that are so easily picked up by someone else. It’s not entirely necessary to throw away a toothbrush after an illness—if the toothbrush has been in service for more than three months then go ahead and toss it, because it’s time for a new one anyway—because the chances for reinfection are low, but it still may be a good idea to change it out.

Cough drops are especially needed this time of year, but did you know that many cough drops are loaded with sugar; some with as much sugar as normal, everyday hard candies? It’s true. So, make sure to read the packaging before you buy.

This is an important time to stay hydrated—hydrated whether you’re sick or not. When your sick water and fluids help your body fight off illness, but also help to prevent dry mouth. Sometimes when we’re sick, we have trouble taking in fluids and certain foods, and this can lead to dry mouth. Unfortunately, dry mouth can lead to cavities. So, make sure to stay hydrated—water or other electrolyte-type drinks work, but be careful of drinks with high sugar contents.

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Always Use Floss, or a Similar Interdental Cleaner

Have you ever used something unusual to clear out something caught between your teeth? Well, according to certain studies, studies performed in conjunction with the ADA, most Americans have used an unusual item to clean between their teeth. The list of unusual interdental cleaners includes paper, fingernails, cutlery, safety pins, and even strands of hair—a little strange to conjure the image of someone flossing with hair. But these “unusual devices” can present certain health risks to the person using them. It’s important to stick to devices such as dental floss—most any type is fine as long as you’re comfortable using it—and dental picks; only the items that are designed to clean the spaces between teeth.

There’s no wrong time of day to floss your teeth. If you have not yet made the practice of flossing a habit, then make sure you do it in conjunction with brushing. It doesn’t matter which—brush or floss—you do first, just that both get done on a regular schedule.

And if you have any other questions about flossing, or would like to schedule your next exam and cleaning—remember that regular visits to the dentist are equally as important as routine at-home oral care—then call Silvercreek Family Dentistry today.

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Good Food

Oral health isn’t often considered in the discussion of bodily health. Too often we are concerned with how our bodies handle calories and fats, how our bodies are affected by organic and GMO foods, etc. But the mouth should be included in the discussion. Our mouths benefit from good, healthy nutritious foods as much as the rest of the body. For whole bodily health choose foods that are low-processed—many processed foods contain sugar and salt in overwhelming amounts. That TV dinner of pre-prepared lasagna might cause tooth decay as fast a candy bar—amazing to think, right? Choose fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and other types of foods that are recommended for any healthy diet. Aside from the benefits that the entire body receives from eating whole foods such as grains, vegetables, and fruits, these types of whole foods are high in nutrients that benefit tooth, bone, and skin health.

Alcohol

Alcohol should be consumed in moderation for good mouth health. Obviously, alcohol in moderation is a good idea regardless of oral health, but in particular alcohol can break down the sensitive lining within the mouth. Alcohol is also linked to certain oral cancers.

This holiday season limit your snacking, and, while you’re probably not going to keep a perfectly healthy diet at all times (Tis the season of cookies, candies, and festive feasts— right?) be sure to consume in moderation. Happy Holidays!

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What do we do?

First, we brush and floss twice daily. We brush for at least two minutes, making sure to hit every exposed surface on our teeth (Make sure to keep the backs of the teeth clean as well!) You should also be flossing between your twice at least once every day. Flossing helps to remove the bacteria buildup between our teeth, all the way down to the gum line. If bacteria are allowed to thrive around the gum line, plaque buildup will eventually lead to oral conditions such as gingivitis and, if left untreated, the much more severe condition of periodontal disease. You should also see the dentist at least once-yearly—for a checkup and a routine cleaning. Your dentist at SilverCreek Dental will be able to chart your oral progress, note any changes that take place in your mouth, basically playing offense—cleaning and managing your healthy smile—and also playing defense—managing and planning for changes in your mouth—and doing both at once!

If it’s been awhile since your last dental checkup, or if you don’t have a regular dentist, and you would like to begin a long and reliable relationship for your dental health, then call SilverCreek Dental to schedule an appointment.

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