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How Cigarette Smoking Affects The Teeth, Gums, and Tongue

October 31, 2018

Filed under: Oral Hygiene,Prevention — lrfamily @ 8:30 am

Cigarette smoking among adults in the U.S. hit an all-time low of 14% in 2017, down from 42.4% in 1965. Unfortunately, this still means that tens of millions of Americans are placing themselves at risk for developing lung cancer, heart disease, and dozens of other diseases and illnesses that are caused by smoking.

Cigarette smoke not only impacts your heart and lungs, but it also adversely affects smokers’ oral health, damaging the teeth, gums, and tongue.

In addition to cigarettes, vaping using electronic cigarette devices (usually called e-cigarettes) has risen in popularity among younger generations, and although it’s generally considered “safer,” smoke is still introduced into the body and with it a number of other chemicals and inhalants.

Learn about the short and long-term effects of smoking and how it impacts your oral health. (more…)

What Is Oral Thrush?

October 1, 2018

Filed under: Oral Hygiene,Prevention — lrfamily @ 4:08 pm

Thrush, also known as candidiasis or moniliasis, is a fungal infection in the mouth that’s characterized by the rapid reproduction of yeast. While it’s far more prevalent in babies, adults and the elderly may also develop this condition.

Oral thrush may begin as nothing more than a few white sores on the tongue and cheek, but it can quickly spread throughout the mouth if not properly treated.

In severe cases, the white bumps associated with this condition can make it difficult for individuals to chew, swallow, or brush their teeth. Any pressure placed against these bumps may create signals of pain. When a person stops brushing his or her teeth due to the presence of painful thrush bumps, the condition may become progressively worse. (more…)

Harmful Effects of Charcoal Toothpaste

May 24, 2018

Filed under: Oral Hygiene,Prevention,Teeth Whitening — lrfamily @ 11:00 am

Over the years, various teeth whitening trends have taken off in popularity and almost always offer benefits that sound too good to be true. Most of the time, that’s because they usually are too good to be true! Dentists must be vigilant to the changes in these trends and educate patients whenever possible.

One of the latest trends involves using charcoal-based toothpastes to whiten and brighten teeth. However, professional dentists have a lot to say about this trend and its impact on teeth. (more…)

Why Do I Grind My Teeth in My Sleep?

January 11, 2018

Filed under: Oral Hygiene — lrfamily @ 8:59 am

Teeth grinding, known as bruxism, most often occurs during the night. It is characterized by the clenching of your jaw muscles and sometimes moving your teeth back and forth against each other. It is an involuntary condition that affects individuals of any age, gender, or race. And if you grind your teeth at night, you’re one of the 8% of adults who also suffer from bruxism.

You may have figured out you grind your teeth in one of many ways. Maybe you determined it for yourself because of consistently waking up with a sore jaw or dull headache. Maybe your dentist took a look at your teeth and noticed the wear and tear on your mouth. Maybe a loved one has even awoken to the sound your teeth make when grinding together.

Whichever way you found out, you now want to know why.

Unfortunately, the answer is not always clear. For years, dentists have been asking this question, but there is no definitive answer. However, we have determined that there are many things that contribute to bruxism. Knowing what these are can help you take active steps against them to mitigate the problem of teeth grinding. (more…)

Why You Need to Replace Missing Teeth

July 19, 2017

Filed under: Dental Emergency,Dental Implants,Oral Hygiene — lrfamily @ 9:00 am

According to the American College of Prosthodontists, about 178 million people in the United States are missing at least one tooth and these numbers are expected to grow within the next two decades. It is very important to always replace a tooth that you have lost as soon as possible. It is more than just about the way you look. Rather, it is about the health of your mouth, jaw, and body, which are all designed to work together at peak performance.

When you have a tooth that is missing, this can cause many problems including:

Tooth shifting

Your jaw has space for and is designed to operate with 28 teeth. If one of those placeholders fall out, then the surrounding teeth begin to shift to fill this empty space, resulting in all of your teeth being moved out of alignment. This can cause a biting problem because when the lower and upper jaws don’t meet properly, it can strain and damage the jaw joint. In some cases, the remaining teeth can super erupt and cause increased sensitivity to temperature extremes and sweets. (more…)

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