Your Dental Health |
| Are my teeth and gums important to my health? |
| Absolutely. Infections in the mouth can travel to the brain and heart. Gum disease has been linked with cardiovascular disease and an increased risk of pre-term labor and low birth weight . People with diabetes have increased risk for gum disease, and untreated gum disease can make it more difficult to keep blood sugar under control. |
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| Is diet pop harmful to my teeth? |
| Yes. Many diet pops, sports drinks, and flavored waters are very acidic and can dissolve tooth enamel. Water is the best beverage, but if you are going to occasionally have one of these beverages, we recommend using a straw to avoid washing the pop over the teeth. |
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| I have white spots on my teeth. Will they have to be filled? |
| These spots may be early warning that your enamel is softening under acid attack. We used to think that once decay started, it would always continue. Now we know that if we find it early enough, tooth decay can be reversed. This process is called remineralization, and we use fluorides, careful cleaning, and antimicrobial mouth rinses as part of the healing process. |
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| What can I do to prevent cavities? |
Brush your teeth with a Fluoride-containing toothpaste after each meal and before bed, and floss once daily. Keep sugary or acid foods and drinks to a minimum. There are many reasons why you may be experiencing tooth decay, and a careful evaluation by your dentist can identify your specific risks and help you develop a plan to prevent continuing attacks by tooth decay. |
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| My mouth is dry. Will that affect my teeth? |
| Yes. It can increase the chance that you will get tooth decay. The amount and type of saliva is important in clearing your mouth of the acids that damage teeth. Almost one quarter of all people have dry mouth, and it is most commonly caused by medications—over 400 medicines can cause dry mouth. We have mouth moisteners available which will increase comfort and help prevent decay. |
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| How should I care for my mouth while I am pregnant? |
Along with careful brushing and flossing, you should maintain your regular preventive dental appointments. Gum tissue often becomes easily inflamed due to the hormonal changes of pregnancy, so regular cleanings become even more important while you are expecting. Untreated gum disease has been linked with pre-term labor, so a healthy mouth is important for your baby as well as for you. Children receive their mouth bacteria from their caregivers when their first teeth begin to erupt, so it is very important that all decay be treated in your own mouth, to prevent the cavity-causing bacteria from being passed on to your baby. |
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| What causes tooth decay? |
| Dental cavities are caused by bacteria that produce acid. We usually get our bacteria from our family when we a re babies. If the acid-producing bacteria “take over” in your mouth, tooth decay can be the result. If enough sugars or acids are in the mouth, the tooth enamel dissolves and a cavity is the result. Our focus is on understanding why the cavity has formed and helping our patients avoid cavities in the future. |
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