Topics of Interest are here to help you with questions you may have on oral topics that will hopefully lead to better dental health.
Pregnancy
We ask that our female patients who are pregnant or think they possibly could be, to inform us prior to any X-rays during the examination.
Baby Bottles
Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by frequent and prolonged exposure to liquids containing sugar. Bacteria uses sugars as food and results in more bacteria growth in the mouth. This produces harmful acids that directly affect a child’s teeth.
The best prevention is to only use a bottle for feeding. Do not use the bottle as a pacifier. Only fill the bottle with water or liquids that contain no or very low sugar. Keep in mind that most fruit juices contain as much sugar as Coca-Cola.
After each feeding, wipe the baby’s gums with a damp washcloth and start brushing their teeth after the first year.
Tobacco
Another one of our topic of interest is how Tobacco may influence dental health. Tobacco products can cause staining of your teeth and can even lead to cancer in the mouth, throat and lungs. Smokeless tobacco poses very serious problems including:
- causes tooth decay
- eats away your gums
- leads to tooth loss
- bad breath
- stains your teeth
- causes oral sensitivity
- decreases sense of taste and smell
If oral cancers are left untreated long enough, they may even cause death.
Oral Piercing
Oral piercings can cause serious dental problems. Oral jewelry may cause problems such as:
- chip or break your teeth and/or fillings
- erode your gums
- damage a tooth’s inner pulp (resulting in a root canal to correct the problem)
- interferes with X-rays and diagnosis
- causes drooling problems
- causes speech impairment
- can cause permanent numbness in your tongue
Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Bruxism, or more commonly known as “teeth grinding” is the process of clenching together, and the grinding of the upper and lower teeth. During sleep, the biting force of clenched jaws can be up to six times greater than during waking hours. Bruxism can cause complications over the years such as:
- wear down tooth enamel
- break fillings or other dental work
- worsening of TMJ dysfunction
- jaw pain, toothaches, headaches, or earaches
- tooth sensitivity and mobility
- erosion of gums and supporting bones
There is no cure for bruxism but wearing a Nightguard can control this dysfunction.
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