Do you have a cracked tooth? If you experience pain on one side of your mouth when you bite down, or if one side of your mouth is especially sensitive to heat and cold, you may have a cracked tooth. … Continue reading
Your Dental Health Checklist
February 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment
You might be looking into gym memberships for the New Year, but do you have any oral health resolutions? We encourage you to make and keep preventive care appointments every six months for a start. The beginning of a new … Continue reading
Are Food Choices Destroying Your Smile?
February 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Sweets and sugary foods have a lot to do with tooth decay, but whether or not you develop cavities or gum disease depends on several factors. The foods you eat are one part of the recipe, but how often you … Continue reading
Your Mouth: A Window to Your Overall Health
February 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Your Mouth: A Window To Your Overall Health
Have you heard the saying, “the eyes may be the window to the soul?” Well the research shows that your mouth is a window to your body’s health. Your oral health is connected to many other health conditions beyond your mouth. Sometimes the first sign of a disease going on in ones body shows up in your mouth. In other cases, infections in your mouth, such as gum disease, can cause problems in other areas of your body. If fact, research indicates that gum disease may be linked to other diseases. These diseases include diabetes, heart disease and certain forms of cancer.
Here’s a look, in detail at some of the diseases and conditions that may be linked to oral health:
- Cardiovascular disease. Research shows that several types of cardiovascular disease may be linked to oral health. These include heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke. Although in some research periodontal disease seems to be associated with heart disease, more studies are needed before the link can be confirmed with certainty.
- Pregnancy and birth. Gum disease has been linked to premature birth. This is why it’s vital to maintain excellent oral health before you get pregnant and during your pregnancy.
- Diabetes. Diabetes increases your risk of gum disease, cavities, tooth loss, dry mouth and a variety of oral infections. Conversely, poor oral health can make your diabetes more difficult to control. Infections may cause your blood sugar to rise and require more insulin to keep it under control.
- HIV/AIDS. Oral problems are very common if you have HIV/AIDS. Common symptoms include ulcers, dry mouth and related painful mucosal lesions. Mouth problems are caused by either fungal, viral or bacterial infections and, in some cases, one of the first signs of AIDS may be severe gum infection. You may also develop persistent white spots or unusual lesions on your tongue or in your mouth.
- Osteoporosis. The first stages of bone loss may show up in your teeth. Systemic loss of bone density in osteoporosis, including bone in the jaw, may create a condition where the bone supporting your teeth is increasingly susceptible to infectious destruction. Your dentist may be able to spot this on a routine clinical examination or with dental X-rays. If bone loss worsens, your dentist can suggest that you discuss the issue with your other health care providers.
- Other conditions. Many other conditions may make their presence known in your mouth before you know anything’s wrong. These may include Sjogren’s syndrome, certain cancers, eating disorders, syphilis, gonorrhea and substance abuse.
One thing you can do to keep the bacteria in your mouth low so you can help prevent periodontal disease, gum disease, and some of these conditions we have talked about, is good oral health care. One of the main things you can do at home is daily brushing and flossing. Another is to come and see your dentist. It is more important than ever to take good care of your mouth, teeth and gums. Here at Legacy Dental we care about your overall health and especially your oral health. When you come in we will do a detailed periodontal risk assessment that will determine your need for further treatment. We hope to see you soon.
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Article written by Heather Kennedy. Heather is a dental hygienist at Legacy Dental in Salt Lake City, UT
Dental Implant Q/A Seminar with Sala Family Dentistry
February 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Join Sala Family Dentistry at the Washoe Steakhouse for a free Dental Implant Question and Answer Seminar! The Implant Question and Answer seminar is on Jan 10th from 5:30-7:30 at Washoe Steakhouse. Call Jessica M at 322-2061 to sign up. Space is limited. Drinks and light appetizers will be served. Dental Implant Q/A Seminar Info. […]
Are Food Choices Destroying Your Smile?
February 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Sweets and sugary foods have a lot to do with tooth decay, but whether or not you develop cavities or gum disease depends on several factors. The foods you eat are one part of the recipe, but how often you … Continue reading
Dental Fillings Need Checked By Your Dentist
February 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
When was the last time you had your dental fillings checked? Dental fillings may last years before they need to be replaced, but once a filling becomes worn, chipped, or cracked, it will need to be replaced. If you do … Continue reading
Coca-Cola…a Salt Lake City Dentist’s View
February 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
In New York City, there is a currently a debate to legislate the size of a sugary beverages that can be sold in certain locations. The concern is that consumption of large amounts of sugary drinks leads to obesity which leads to poor health and the associated expenses. A representative from Coca-cola responded to the debate in an article in USA Today. In the article, Ms. Bayne suggests that a calorie is a calorie and that the consumption of sugary beverages in moderation have no ill effects on health.
She suggests the beverages that she might consume during the day. A mini diet coke, powerade zero, 2 regular diet cokes, gold peak tea, and maybe an 8 ounce coke. Her consumption of beverages for weight control is fine. She is only consuming one beverage that contains calories, and she is only consuming 8 ounces of that beverage. The effort in New York, is based on the fact that no one consumes 8 ounces of these beverages, its 4 to 8 times that amount.
But as a dentist that’s not what I’m concerned about. Ms. Bayne will only consume 97 calories. I’m concerned about the effect that these beverages will have on her teeth. Teeth begin to soften and cavities form when exposed to acid. Acids are rated on a scale called pH. The lower the pH the stronger and more damaging the acid. Teeth soften when the pH is below 5.5.
Ms. Bayne’s mini diet coke pH 3.39.
Followed by Powerade ph 2.75
Another diet coke pH 3.39
Another diet coke pH 3.39
A regular coke pH 2.63
Gold Peak Tea pH 4.8
That’s 6 additional exposures to acid that can damage her teeth.
This photo at right demonstrates severe acid erosion of teeth.
I commonly see patients with lots of cavities. The common risk factor is almost always high intake of acidic drinks. I’ve even had them come to their dental appointments to fill their cavities with a 64 ounce drink that they set on the counter to finish later.
I don’t want to get into the politics of whether we need our government to legislate our choices. But Coca-cola’s suggestion that consuming sugary and acidic beverages have no ill-effects is untrue. A regimen like Ms. Bayne’s that has only 97 calories, can be horrible for your teeth. So while the link between sugary drinks and the obesity epidemic may be up for debate, there is NO debate about the role sugary and acidic drinks have in the cavity epidemic.
Drink water.
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Jonathan Campbell, DDS is a dentist in Salt Lake City. His office uses Previser, and CariFree to assess risk for cavities and develop personalized programs to prevent cavities.
