Blog - Simply Smiles Dentistry, Glen Carbon

How to Help Your Teeth Survive the Holidays

December 16, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

It’s the sweetest time of year, and as much fun as that can be, no one wants to spend the extra time and money in January and February getting new cavities filled in because they overindulged for the holidays. While we would love for you to eliminate all sweets from your diet, we realize that’s not realistic, so we have some tips for keeping your risk of cavities low while having your fruitcake and eating it too.

Eat Dessert First!

How’s that for a health recommendation we can all follow? The reason for it is simple: when we eat, our mouth produces saliva to help us break down and digest what we’re eating. That saliva can also help rinse extra sugar out of the mouth, but if the last thing you eat is something sweet, your mouth will stop producing saliva and that sugar will just sit on your teeth where nasty bacteria can feast on it. So, eat dessert first and end your meal on a savory note.

Stay Hydrated

Not only can drinking plenty of water help you avoid a hangover if you’re indulging in eggnog, but it can also help rinse the food and sugar off your teeth, keep gums hydrated, and help the development of saliva, which deposits minerals to help build up the enamel of your teeth.

Rest Up

We know the holidays tend to be a stressful time of year, and that, combined with the abundance of holiday parties going late into the night, can make it hard to get a full 8 hours of sleep every night, but doing so is important to your dental health, as well as your overall health and wellbeing, so try to get some quality shut-eye this holiday season.

Eat Cheese

If you can, walk right past the dessert table and go straight for the cheese plate. Not only does cheese have plenty of calcium and phosphate to help your body build strong, healthy teeth, it also helps to balance the pH level of your mouth and produces saliva, which as mentioned above, can help rinse food and sugar off the teeth and fight off the unwanted forms of bacteria.

Eat Crunchy Foods

No, we don’t mean candy canes. We’re talking about raw apples, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower. These fruits and vegetables are full of fiber and their crunchy texture means they help clean your teeth as you’re eating them.

Sweets to Avoid

While we would love for you to avoid all sweets, we realize that’s just not realistic, so we’ll simply remind you to limit your sugar intake and be especially careful of crunchy holiday cookies and candies, such as candy canes, peppermint bark, and peanut brittle. You should also beware of the super sticky sweets, such as fudge, caramels, taffy, and pecan pie. Remember, it’s the sugar that makes them sticky, so the stickier it is, the more sugar it has, the more damage it’s doing to your teeth.

Beware Of Holiday Drinks

Drinks such as eggnog, cider, and hot cocoa, as they are also full of sugar that can coat your teeth and feed unwanted bacteria. Wine (both red and white) also tends to stain the teeth and wear down the enamel, so you’ll want to limit your adult beverages as well as the kid-friendly ones.

If you have any other questions about keeping your teeth clean and healthy this holiday season, or you want to make sure they’re especially white for the upcoming celebrations, we’re always happy to help and answer questions, so don’t hesitate to reach out.

Keep Them White: Foods That Will Stain Your Teeth

November 18, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

You don’t just want your teeth to be healthy, you also want them to look great. Professional whitening is always an option, and even whitening toothpastes can be effective, but it’s still important to watch what you eat and drink. If you pay to have your teeth professionally whitened, you want the procedure to be as effective and long lasting as possible, and what you eat and drink can have a big impact on how white your teeth look. Below are some of the foods and beverages most likely to stain your teeth.

Coffee and Tea

Most of us rely on coffee and/or tea to help get us get going in the morning (and afternoon), but they’re both terrible for your teeth. While the tannins in coffee and tea are thought to have some health benefits, they are known stain your teeth.

On the bright side, there has been some evidence to show that adding milk to your coffee or tea could help counteract the staining effect of the tannins, so ditch the drip coffee and go for the latte.

Red Wine

The occasional glass of red wine might be good for your heart, but it’s known to stain your teeth. Better to play it safe and keep your red wine intake to a minimum, or even avoid it altogether.

Dark Sodas

Dark sodas, such as Coke and Pepsi, not only stain your teeth, but the sugar and acid they contain can corrode the enamel of your teeth. Bad bacteria can also feed off the sugar in soda, leading to tooth decay and gum disease.

Dark Fruit Juices

Orange juice is fine (as long as it doesn’t have any sugar added), but the dark fruit juices, such as cranberry, grape, blueberry, and tomato juices, all have a tendency to leave teeth stained. Tomato-based sauces are also a hazard to white teeth, so it’s best to steer clear of the marinara after getting your teeth whitened.

Berries

Fruits like blueberries aren’t just bad for your teeth in juice form. Whether you’re eating them fresh, in a pie, or even in a muffin, they have the potential to stain your teeth. The same goes for strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, and cherries.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice with tons of health benefits, but it also has a tendency to stain everything yellow, including your teeth. That means, if you’re trying to keep your teeth white, you’re better off avoiding anything that has turmeric in it, especially curry, which has a variety of other spices that could also stain your teeth.

Balsamic Vinegar and Soy Sauce

They might add a nice tang to meals, but the dark color of balsamic vinegar and soy sauce can linger on your teeth long after you’ve finished digesting your meal.

Beets

Beets are delicious and nutritious, but anyone who’s handled them knows they stain everything, including your teeth. If you’re trying to whiten your teeth or you’ve recently had your teeth professionally whitened, you’d be better off staying away from the beet salads and beet juice for a while.

We offer professional teeth whitening services, as well as checkups, cleanings, fillings, and other routine dental services. If you want your smile to be both whiter and healthier, don’t hesitate to reach out so we can help.

If you want to keep your teeth healthy and strong, you must take care of them. At Simply Smiles Dentistry, we can show you how to properly care for your teeth. You will have a great smile that lasts a lifetime.

CONTACT OUR OFFICE or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE.

Until next time…Keep on Smiling!

Toothache: Is it a Cavity or Something Else?

October 22, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

When we get a toothache, most people automatically suspect a cavity, and that’s certainly a possibility. But there are other things that can also cause toothaches, so don’t jump to any conclusions. Before you tell your dentist you need a new filling, consider these other possible causes of your toothache.

Gum Disease

While cavities get a lot of attention when it comes to poor dental hygiene, gum disease is also a major problem and something people should definitely be concerned with when it comes to taking care of their oral health.

As with cavities, gum disease can be caused by poor dental hygiene, leading to a buildup of bad bacteria in the mouth and gums, which can cause swollen and bleeding gums, receding gums, and can even promote tooth decay and cavities when the gums are unable to sufficiently do their part in protecting your teeth.

Dental Abscess

Whether the tooth itself gets infected, or the gums around it get infected, sometimes that infection can lead to a buildup of pus in or around the tooth, which is known as a dental abscess. This can cause swelling and make the area sore and tender to the touch, which could be the cause of your toothache. If you have a dental abscess, you’ll need to get it drained and treated with an antibiotic.

Bruxism

Bruxism is the condition by which people grind their teeth when they’re asleep. It’s often caused by stress and it can lead to a host of dental problems, including flattening your teeth, receding gums, and tension in the neck and jaw from constantly clenching your teeth. If the way you grind your teeth puts more pressure on one or two teeth than the rest, you could suffer from pain in those teeth. So, if your toothaches tend to bother you more when you first wake up, it could be because you’re grinding your teeth while you sleep.

Misaligned Bite

If you have an underbite or an overbite, it can put more pressure on one or two of your teeth than the rest, which can cause pain and soreness in those teeth. If you have an underbite or an overbite you’ve never had corrected and you’ve recently been suffering from toothaches, it might be time to see an orthodontist.

Tooth Trauma

If you recently took a hit to the jaw, whether from a contact sport or just by falling and knocking your jaw against something, that can certainly cause a toothache. If the tooth is loose, you should see your dentist right away. Otherwise, give it some time and the pain will probably go away on its own. If it doesn’t, then you should make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible.

If you have a mystery toothache whose cause you’ve been unable to identify yourself, it’s time to get help from a professional. Schedule an appointment with us now so we can identify the problem and help you get back to 100%.

CONTACT OUR OFFICE or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE.

Until next time…Keep on Smiling!

Taking Care of Baby Teeth

September 23, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

Just Because They’ll Fall Out Doesn’t Mean You Don’t Need to Take Care of Them

We often get our children (and maybe even ourselves) to practice good oral hygiene by threatening them with toothless gums after their teeth rot and fall out. But what if the teeth are just going to fall out anyway because they’re baby teeth? Do we still have to worry about brushing and flossing them?

But even baby teeth can decay if they aren’t properly taken care of, and if it gets bad enough, the teeth might need to be pulled before they’re ready to come out. Those teeth, along with the oral hygiene habits you’ll be teaching your kids, are arguably even more important than their adult teeth because they will set the tone for their oral health for the rest of their lives. That said, how can you take care of your child’s baby teeth?

Toothbrush

Standard toothbrushes tend to be pretty abrasive and might hurt your baby’s still-tender gums, so use a special infant toothbrush when brushing their first teeth.

Toothpaste

You can use baby toothpaste without fluoride, or you can just use the same toothpaste you use. Either way, make sure it’s a tiny amount (about the size of a grain of rice) from the time they get their first tooth until they turn three, at which point you can start using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. At this stage, it’s inevitable that your kids will swallow at least a small amount of toothpaste, so by minimizing the amount that goes on the toothbrush, you’ll also be minimizing the amount that ends up in their stomach.

Around the time they turn two, you can start teaching them to spit out the toothpaste, but don’t give them water to swish and spit because that actually increases the chances they’ll just swallow it.

Children are prone to accidentally swallowing toothpaste until about the age of six, so you should monitor your children while they brush their teeth at least until they reach that age. As with everything else, know your child and what they’re individual limits are because some kids will be fine on their own earlier than others.

Floss

As soon as you child has teeth coming in next to each other, you need to floss between those teeth, because just like with our adult teeth, those gaps between teeth are traps for food and bacteria.

Avoid Putting Your Baby to Bed with a Bottle

It might seem convenient to leave the bottle with the baby when you put them to bed, but that leaves the sugar in the juice or milk to sit in the baby’s mouth for hours, where it can wear down the enamel on the child’s teeth and foster an environment that encourages bad bacteria to live and grow, which can cause more damage. It can cause what’s known as “bottle mouth”, which is when the baby’s front teeth become discolored, or even pocked or pitted as a result of being put to bed with a bottle every night.

If your child is ready for their first dental appointment, we’d be happy to schedule one right away. We help kids of all ages keep their teeth clean and healthy.

CONTACT OUR OFFICE or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE.

Until next time…Keep on Smiling!

Does My Child Need A Palate Expander?

August 19, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

A person’s palate (otherwise referred to as the roof of the mouth) might need to be expanded for a few different reasons. A palate expander is usually recommended early on in orthodontic treatment and it’s designed to do exactly what it sounds like: make the palate larger. Your child’s orthodontist might recommend a palate expander prior to braces, or they might determine a palate expander is the only treatment your child needs. If you’ve been wondering if your child needs a palate expander, here are some things you should look out for:

Crossbite

A crossbite is simply when your two rows of teeth don’t line up with each other. Ideally, your upper row of teeth should rest just a little outside the lower teeth, but if that doesn’t happen, it’s referred to as a crossbite. A crossbite can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and stress on the jaw muscles, which can in turn cause tension, which can lead to headaches, along with chronic pain in the jaw, neck, shoulder, and even the back. Crossbite can also lead to bruxism, which can cause its own dental problems, including erosion of the enamel, erosion of the teeth themselves, and tooth decay as a result. It can even cause the rest of the skull and facial features to grow asymmetrically, and once that happens, there’s no way to correct it.

Crowded Teeth

If your child’s teeth are crowded and there just isn’t room for the adult teeth that are coming in, it might be time for a palate expander. Crowded teeth can cause all kinds of problems, including tooth decay, tooth shifting, and crossbite, so if you’ve noticed your child’s teeth are overly crowded, especially in the top row, it’s time to consider a palate expander.

How It Works

Each expander is custom made for the patient, and once it is installed, it is cemented or bonded to several upper molar teeth, just like regular braces. The expander consists of two sides that are connected in the middle with a screw. Your orthodontist will provide you with a special key that fits into the screw so you can turn it, thereby pushing the upper teeth apart and causing the palate to expand. The palate expander will need to be turned once or twice a day until the palate has reached the desired expansion, at which point the orthodontist will leave the expander in until the bones of the palate have had time to adjust to their new position.

Does It Hurt?

Your child will experience some discomfort, much like the discomfort caused by braces. They’ll feel the most discomfort right after the screw is turned, just like the tension experienced after braces have been tightened, but as the bones adjust to their new position, the tension will fade and your child will no longer experience any discomfort.

Just beware of food getting stuck in and around the palate expander, especially the screw. It’s a hazard that comes with the treatment, and if not properly attended to, it can lead to tooth decay and cavities, just like braces.

CONTACT OUR OFFICE or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE.

Until next time…Keep on Smiling!

What Is Teeth Shifting and What Causes It?

July 16, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

Teeth shifting is exactly what it sounds like: it’s when your teeth move out of alignment and it can happen at any time of life. While our teeth move a certain amount throughout our lifespans, certain stressors can cause them to move more drastically than they otherwise might.

Orthodontia

Orthodontic treatment is probably the most obvious cause of teeth shifting. Depending on how much realignment your teeth needed in the first place, if the orthodontic treatment you received was severe, it could have inflicted trauma on the teeth that might make it more likely for them to shift later in life. There’s a reason orthodontists always prescribe retainers to their patients after their treatment has ended, and they recommend the patient uses the retainer for the rest of their lives.

If you need orthodontic treatment and you don’t get it, that could also cause teeth shifting later in life, especially if your teeth are crooked and/or overcrowded. They’ll try to make space for themselves by shifting around the jaw, and no amount of brushing or flossing can prevent that from happening.

Injury

Acid erosion or certain types of injuries can erode the enamel on your teeth, which can affect your overall bite. The loss of that enamel causes your teeth to change shape, which can prompt them to move around. This is true any time there’s a change in the shape of your teeth for any reason – whether it’s enamel erosion, bruxism, or filling a cavity.

Chronic Illness

If you have a chronic disease, such as diabetes, and you don’t take extra precautions to take care of your teeth, you could be setting yourself up to experience some teeth shifting. We’ve mentioned before on this blog the importance of taking extra care of your teeth if you’re pregnant or if you have diabetes or cancer, and among the host of problems that come with not taking care of your teeth during these stressful times, is the potential for teeth shifting.

You Sleep on Your Stomach

It might sound odd, but sleeping on your stomach has been linked to a higher risk of teeth shifting, as has poor posture, especially if you have a tendency to rest your chin in your hand while sitting at your desk. So, if you want to keep those pearly whites in line, you’re better off sleeping on your back or on your side, and sitting up straight, in addition to maintaining a healthy oral hygiene regimen and staying away from acidic foods.

Treatment

Even if your dentist assures you your teeth are perfectly healthy, you might still experience some teeth shifting if you have any of the conditions described above. Unfortunately, your dentist is not equipped to treat teeth shifting once it starts to happen, although they can probably recommend a good orthodontist for you to see. But if you want to avoid teeth shifting before it starts, your dentist can help you out by making a custom mouth guard for you to help keep those pearly whites in place. Most people wear their mouth guards at night, especially if they know they tend to grind their teeth in their sleep.

CONTACT OUR OFFICE or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE.

Until next time…Keep on Smiling!

Root Resorption: What It Is and What to Do About It

June 18, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

Resorption occurs any time a part of the body gets absorbed into another part of the body. When we talk about tooth resorption, we generally mean the inflammation and loss of dentin (the inner tissue of the tooth) and cementum (the outer tissue of the tooth) due to absorption. Root resorption specifically refers to when the roots of a tooth or teeth get absorbed into the gums and jaw.

Root resorption is a natural part of the body’s way of recycling old tooth and bone material, and the process of the body eating away at the roots of a tooth are a natural part of losing baby teeth. But when the body starts to absorb material from the roots of permanent teeth, that’s a problem.

Root resorption in adult teeth is usually a result of some sort of trauma to the teeth, often caused by forced shifting of the teeth. This can happen after someone suffers a blow to that tooth, such as in a high-impact sport, but it can also happen as a result of orthodontic treatment.

When we wear braces, the teeth are being pushed and pulled into alignment to produce a healthier bite. Ideally, the bone should be remodeled to accommodate the new position of the teeth, but if the shift happens too quickly, the bone might not have time to readjust, leaving the roots of the teeth to decay and be absorbed back into the rest of the body. If the roots dissolve too much, they could loosen in the gums and even fall out.

In addition to the possibility that the teeth were moved too quickly in the process of orthodontic treatment, other possible factors include the duration of the orthodontic treatment, the amount of force exerted on the teeth, and the direction in which the teeth were moved.

Other Causes

In addition to orthodontic treatment, other health factors have been linked to root resorption. Patients with allergies, asthma, or chronic alcoholism appear to be at a higher risk of suffering root resorption. Age, gender, and genetics might also play a role in whether a patient experiences root resorption.

Prevention

Since no one knows for sure what causes root resorption, it’s hard to know how to prevent it, but since we know there’s a link between orthodontic treatment and root resorption, orthodontists should keep an eye on their patients’ roots. Take regular x-rays and always be on the lookout for decay.

Dentists should also keep an eye on the roots of any patients they know are undergoing orthodontic treatment. Stay alert for any signs of decay and make sure everyone who’s supposed to be helping you take care of your teeth (your orthodontist and your dentist) are all on the lookout for warning signs.

And, as always, be sure to maintain a healthy dental hygiene routine, especially if you’re wearing braces. Make sure to brush twice a day and floss regularly. If you aren’t already using mouthwash, you might want to add it to your routine to help reduce the chance of infection.

CONTACT OUR OFFICE or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE.

Until next time…Keep on Smiling!

When and Why to Wear a Mouth Guard

May 20, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

No one likes keeping foreign objects in their mouths for an extended period of time, but even inexpensive mouth guards can be molded into a perfect fit for your teeth so they take up as little space as possible, don’t impede breathing, and protect your teeth all at once!

While most people think of football when they think of mouth guards, there are a few other times when it’s important to wear them and we’ve taken the time to talk about them in this post:

Sports

While mouth guards are certainly important in high-contact sports like boxing and football, they should also be worn in any other setting that might pose a threat to your teeth. For example, soccer and lacrosse aren’t normally considered high-contact sports, but if a ball or a stick goes flying, it could easily end up smashing into someone’s face by accident. There’s no point in making a bad situation worse by suffering from a broken jaw and/or missing teeth simply because you weren’t wearing a mouth guard.

The American Dental Association estimates that one third of all dental injuries are sports related, leading to approximately 200,000 injuries every year that could be prevented by the use of a mouth guard. Unfortunately, unlike helmets, shoulder pads, and other protective gear, most sports don’t require the use of a mouth guard in order for their athletes to participate, so you have to be proactive in protecting your own teeth and your children’s teeth.

Bruxism

Bruxism is a condition characterized by grinding the teeth together at night while asleep. Because people do this in their sleep, most of them aren’t even aware they’re doing it – but as dentists, we can see the damage done to the teeth. When people grind their teeth together, the surfaces of the teeth are worn smooth, making them less effective over time. Fortunately, this situation is easily prevented by simply wearing a mouth guard at night.

Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD)

TMD is typically characterized by pain in your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which is the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. There are many things that can cause TMD, including the above-mentioned bruxism, as well as arthritis and stress, which can cause you to clench your teeth and wear down the joint.

Regardless of the cause of TMD, wearing a mouth guard can help alleviate the symptoms by providing a barrier between your upper and lower teeth, which prevents you from clenching your teeth. Not only does this protect the teeth themselves, but because it prevents you from clenching your jaw all the way, it also protects the TMJ by preventing you from exerting too much pressure on the joint.

You can ask your dentist to make an impression and order a mouth guard that perfectly fits your mouth. It’s a great way to make sure you get a sturdy, custom-made mouth guard, but it also tends to be a more expensive way to go. A more cost-effective option that many people choose is to buy a standard night guard at any local convenience store, such as Walgreens, boil it until it’s soft, then bite down on it to fit it your teeth. As it hardens, it will maintain that shape and you’ll have a mouth guard that fits only your mouth.While this option may save you money, most of the time, they are not as comfortable as the guards that your dentist can customize for you.

If you or your kids are thinking about getting into sports, or if you’ve been noticing soreness in your jaw in the morning, make an appointment now so we can diagnose the problem and get you set up with a mouth guard to protect your teeth and jaw.

CONTACT OUR OFFICE or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE.

Until next time…Keep on Smiling!

Does That Tooth Need to Go? Five Signs You Need a Tooth Pulled

April 16, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

Whether it’s your wisdom teeth getting in the way of your other teeth and causing problems, or another tooth that has rotted beyond repair, here are five things you need to look out for when it comes to indications you might need to have a tooth pulled.

Teeth Are Impacted or Crowded

One of the most common causes for extracting a tooth is when it becomes impacted (meaning it’s jammed against another tooth) or if it’s trying to squeeze into a space where it just doesn’t fit. This can put that tooth and all the teeth around it at risk for cavities and infection because it makes it hard to get those teeth clean when there’s no space between them, which is why orthodontists will sometimes recommend patients get one or more teeth pulled in order to give them enough room to straighten out the other teeth.

Damaged Teeth

A chipped tooth is one thing, but if a tooth becomes severely cracked or broken, it might not be salvageable, in which case your dentist will probably want to extract it.

Infected Teeth

Like any other kind of infection, an oral infection can spread from one tooth to another. If one tooth becomes infected and nothing is done to treat or contain the infection, then the infection could get into the pulp of the tooth, and from there it can spread to the surrounding teeth. If the infection is caught early enough, your dentist might be able to treat it with root canal therapy, but if the infection has already become extensive, it might be time for that tooth to go.

Gum Disease

Sometimes it’s not even the tooth itself that’s causing the problem. If you’ve noticed your gums are red, swelling, and/or bleeding in a certain area, then you might have gum disease, and depending on the type and extent of the infection, one or more teeth in that area might need to go.

At-Risk Teeth

In some cases, a dentist might want to pull a patient’s tooth before it gets infected if the patient’s immune system is compromised. For example, if a patient is getting chemotherapy, their ability to fight infections is compromised, so their dentist might recommend pulling teeth that have become chipped or cracked, even if they are not yet showing signs of infection.

Symptoms to Look Out For

It’s one thing to know in which situations your dentist might recommend pulling one or more of your teeth, but what if you start noticing some unpleasant symptoms and you still have months to go before your next dentist appointment? Here are some of the symptoms that might indicate you need to have a tooth pulled:

Gums are red, swollen, and/or bleeding in that area
Pain when you bite down on that tooth
Pain even when you’re not biting down on that tooth
Teeth are overlapping and/or misaligned
Pain and/or stiffness in the jaw

If you notice one or more of these symptoms, and it doesn’t go away on its own after a short while, it’s time to see your dentist.

CONTACT OUR OFFICE or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE.

Until next time…Keep on Smiling!

Beyond Cavities: Other Reasons to See Your Dentist

March 18, 2019 By Dr. Briana Oller Leave a Comment

Many people think the only time they have to make an appointment with their dentist is when they have a cavity or a loose tooth. In fact, if you get a loose tooth as an adult, you should have seen a dentist a long time ago. But aside from cavities, there are other reasons you should make an appointment to see your dentist.

Check Ups

We generally recommend you see your dentist every six months to get a professional cleaning, and while the cleaning can go a long way towards keeping your mouth healthy, it’s only one reason we recommend maintaining regular appointments to see your dentist. The other reason is that, along with giving your teeth a good, deep clean, your dentist will also check for cavities, gum disease, and even signs of oral cancer, so you should definitely make sure you see your dentist every six months in order to stay on top of those potential health hazards.

Gum Disease

Speaking of gum disease, it’s another reason you should see your dentist. Gum disease can be caused by a variety of oral health maladies, including cavities, infection, and dry mouth. It could be as simple as a failure to properly brush every day, or it could be a sign of something much more serious. Few people realize that the mouth can act as a sort of window into the rest of the body, so any time you experience any significant changes in your mouth, you should see your dentist right away. It might be nothing, but it has the potential to be something very serious.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is another symptom of ill health that, initially, might seem like it’s nothing more than an annoyance, but it could be a sign of a much deeper issue – or it could even cause a more serious issue. Many medications can cause dry mouth as a side effect, and dry mouth, in turn, can cause other problems, such as cavities and gum disease. The saliva in your mouth helps rinse away sugar and food particles, in addition to protecting your mouth against harmful bacteria. Take away the saliva, and you also lose that protection, so if you’ve been feeling like you just can’t get enough water to lose that dry feeling in your mouth lately, you should see your dentist right away.

You’re Pregnant

Along with all the other changes pregnancy brings are changes to your oral health. Those changes can lead to an increase in symptoms like dry mouth or cavities if you’re not careful, so be sure to check in with your dentist and let them know you’re pregnant so they can advise you on the best course of action when it comes to taking care of your mouth while you’re carrying the newest addition to your family.

Jaw Problems

If you have any jaw pain while chewing and/or swallowing, the issue could be with your neck or jaw, or it could be something your dentist can help you manage, so be sure to talk to them any time you experience a change in your ability to chew or swallow.

CONTACT OUR OFFICE or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE.

Until next time…Keep on Smiling!