Posts for: May, 2018
Periodontal (gum) disease is an infectious condition that if left untreated could lead to tooth loss. While gum disease is primarily caused by a thin layer of bacterial plaque and calculus left on the teeth due to poor hygiene, you may also have extenuating factors that may make you more susceptible to the disease.
Gum disease is actually a group of infectious diseases in which some forms are more difficult to control than others. All these forms arise from interactions between the bacteria in the dental plaque and your body’s immune system. Depending on both your body’s individual response and the disease form, your resistance to the resulting bacterial infection may be low.
That low resistance to certain strains of bacteria may be genetic — something you’ve inherited from your parents. Your stress level, particularly when it’s high, can also diminish your body’s ability to resist disease. There are also numerous strains of bacteria that could lead to gum disease — your body may not be able to effectively resist the particular “mix” of strains contained in your dental plaque.
Aside from lifestyle issues like stress or oral hygiene, we can at least test and verify any susceptibility you may have due to uncontrollable factors like genetics or the particular bacterial makeup within your plaque. Unfortunately, a minority of people will continue to deal with gum disease even after treatment and adopting a more effective hygiene regimen. Although we can’t cure the disease, we can certainly control it with regular monitoring and treatment when necessary.
The key is to adopt a long-term strategy that will seek to preserve the teeth for as long as possible. In some cases, the best treatment approach is to prolong the life of the affected teeth for as long as possible to give you time to prepare emotionally and financially for eventual tooth replacement.
Indeed, any patient experiencing some form of gum disease should seek professional treatment, followed by a daily oral hygiene program and regular checkups and office cleanings. Taking the right steps in consultation with your dentist will assure you’ll preserve your teeth for as long as possible.
If you would like more information on treatment for periodontal disease, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Periodontal (Gum) Treatment and Expectations.”
Pregnancy creates enormous changes in your physical body. These changes, especially on the hormonal level, can impact many aspects of your health including teeth and gums.
While it’s easy to let dental care take a back seat to other health concerns, you should actually pay close attention to it while you’re expecting. Here are 4 things to focus on during pregnancy to avoid problems with your dental health.
Don’t avoid dental work unless otherwise advised. You may be concerned about undergoing dental procedures during pregnancy, especially those that involve anesthesia. But both the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Dental Association (ADA) encourage pregnant women to continue regular dental visits for cleanings and checkups. And unless your obstetrician advises otherwise, it’s usually safe to undergo dental work that can’t wait.
Be on the lookout for pregnancy gingivitis (gum disease). Because of the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy, your gums could be more susceptible to gum disease caused by plaque buildup. That’s why you should be on alert for signs of a gum infection like swollen, reddened or bleeding gums. And be sure to practice diligent, daily brushing and flossing to remove disease-causing plaque, as well as regularly visiting your dentist for professional cleanings.
Make sure your diet is “tooth” friendly. Because of the changes in your body, you may experience food cravings that alter your normal dietary habits. So as much as possible, try to keep your food choices in line with what’s best for your teeth and gums: minimize your sugar intake (a prime food source for disease-causing bacteria); and focus on nutritiously balanced meals and snacks.
Keep your entire healthcare team informed. When you make your next dental appointment, tell your dentist you’re pregnant and how far along, any medications and supplements you’re taking, or any complications you may be experiencing. This information could have a bearing on how your dentist approaches any treatment. Likewise, let your obstetrician know about any issues with your teeth and gums, as well as any suggested dental work you may need.
If you would like more information on dental care during pregnancy, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Care during Pregnancy.”
If you’re committed to providing your family nutritional, low-sugar snacks, you’re not only helping their physical well-being but their dental health too. If you have school-age children, though, you might be concerned about other snacks available to them while away from home.
To begin with, any potential problems at school with available snack items might not be as bad as you think. A few years ago the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established new snacking guidelines for public schools. Known as the Smart Snacks in Schools initiative, the new guidelines require schools to only allow snacks sold on school grounds that meet minimum nutritional standards. In addition, these guidelines promote whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.
Still, the guideline standards are only a minimum, which could leave plenty of room for snacks that don’t meet your nutritional expectations. And school-offered snacks aren’t the only ones available on campus: there are also those brought by other students, which often get swapped around. The latter represent tempting opportunities for your child to consume snacks that aren’t the best for dental health.
But there are things you can do to minimize the lure of these poor snacking opportunities at school. First and foremost is to educate your child on why some snacks are better for them than others. In other words, make nutrition an instilled family value—and, of course, practice what you preach.
You can also send them with snacks you deem better for them than what’s available at school. Of course, you’ll be competing with a lot of exciting and enticing snacks, so try to inject a little “pizzazz” into yours like a dusting of cinnamon or a little parmesan cheese on popcorn. And use a little creativity (even getting your kids involved) to make snack choices fun, like using cookie-cutters to shape whole-grain bread and cheese into shapes.
And consider getting involved with other parents to encourage school administrators to adopt stricter snack standards over and above the Smart Snacks in Schools initiative. This not only may improve the nutritional content of available snacks, but also transform a “family value” into a community-wide appreciation for snacks that promote healthy teeth and gums.
If you would like more information on dental-friendly snacking, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Snacking at School.”