Oral Hygiene Tips for Healthy Teeth and Gums

by Lagoon_Admin | Mar 30, 2022 | General Dentistry

A great smile starts with good oral hygiene. This involves daily care of your teeth and gums along with regular visits to your dentist. The right brushing and flossing techniques help to prevent cavities and gum disease, while routine checkups are essential to catch the signs of any problems early on.

Reasons Why Oral Health Is Important

Your oral health affects more than just your gorgeous smile. Issues with your teeth and gums can lead to concerns elsewhere in the body. This is one reason why preventive measures are so important.

Severe cases of gum disease cause inflammation levels to increase throughout your body. This elevation raises your risk of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke. There is also evidence that poor oral health may cause an infection of the respiratory tract, such as pneumonia. It’s thought that these infections develop from inhaling the bacteria that has built up in your mouth.

Another critical reason to take care of your teeth and gums now is to avoid tooth loss that may result from advanced gum disease. Losing your teeth makes it difficult to eat healthily since the high-fiber foods that are good for you, like fruits and vegetables, can be impossible to chew properly with missing teeth. Gum disease and tooth loss can also take a toll on your emotional health by lowering your confidence and causing embarrassment.

Signs of Gum Disease

The early stage of gum disease is gingivitis. This is typically a mild problem that is reversible with care from your dentist along with good oral hygiene. Signs of gingivitis include red, swollen, or bleeding gums and bad breath.

If gingivitis goes unaddressed for a long period, it can worsen and develop into periodontal disease, which is a build-up of plaque and tartar below the gum line. The presence of bacteria causes inflammation and even starts to destroy the tissue and jawbone while creating deep pockets around your teeth.

Signs of periodontitis are receding gums, loose teeth, and chronic bad breath. Other common symptoms include bleeding gums, pus between your teeth around the gum line, or puffy and red gums. You should call your dentist immediately if you experience oral pain, bleeding, or any unusual sign.

Risk Factors

Several risk factors increase your chances of developing gum disease:

• Poor nutrition
• Grinding or clenching your teeth
• High levels of stress
• Obesity
• Tobacco use
• Age
• Genetics
• Certain medications

While you cannot eliminate the risk, you can make healthier habits to lower the chances of developing gum disease.

How to Maintain Proper Oral Health

Fortunately, there is a simple way that you can take care of your teeth and gums and protect your health. Develop an oral care practice to include the following:

• Brush your teeth at least twice daily.
• Floss at least once every day.
• Replace your toothbrush whenever the bristles get worn, or at least every three to four months.
• Rinse your mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash.
• Visit your dentist for a cleaning and checkup twice every year.
• Make an appointment with your dentist immediately if you notice any bleeding or other unusual differences.
• Discuss any changes in your overall health with your dentist, as some conditions can make you more susceptible to developing gum disease.
• Eat a balanced diet that is high and fruits and vegetables, and limit your sugar intake.
• Quit smoking as this causes plaque and tartar buildup. Smokers are four times more likely to develop periodontitis.
• Rinse your mouth after eating to wash away food particles and bacteria.
• Choose a therapeutic mouthwash that is approved by the American Dental Association for safety. It should help to slow the build-up of tartar and plaque while helping you to prevent gum disease.

How to Brush

You should brush your teeth at least twice per day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Brushing 30 minutes after every meal is ideal if you can manage it. This is an excellent way to remove plaque and bacteria caused by food particles. The presence of bacteria on your teeth reacts to food by producing acid, which leads to cavities.

1. Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and use small strokes.
2. Use gentle pressure to avoid causing damage.
3. Make sure that you brush every surface and along the gum line.
4. Angle the toothbrush vertically to reach the inside of your front teeth.
5. Brush your teeth for at least two to three minutes.
6. Brush your tongue to freshen your breath and remove bacteria.

How to Floss

Flossing is a good practice to do at least once per day to remove any food particles and plaque that is hiding between your teeth and gums. If you don’t include flossing in your daily routine, you are at higher risk to develop tartar, which is a hard build-up of bacteria and can only be removed by a deep cleaning at your dentist’s office.

1. Start by taking about 18″ of floss and winding it around your middle fingers.
2. Leave about one inch of space in between.
3. Use your index fingers on each hand to maneuver a clean section of floss between each tooth.
4. Move the floss in an up and down motion and wrap it around the tooth in a “C” shape to reach every surface.
5. Don’t push too hard as this can cause pain or damage to your gums.

Daily brushing and flossing, followed by a good quality mouthwash, can do wonders for your oral health.

Schedule Your Appointment with Dental Excellence

If it’s been more than six months since you’ve last had an oral health exam and cleaning, or if you are experiencing any issues, then now is the time to make your next appointment with Dental Excellence.

Contact our experienced and caring team today to schedule your appointment. We are a family-oriented practice committed to providing you with the best level of care in a comfortable setting. We offer all forms of dentistry, from routine checkups to cosmetic dentistry and treatment for tooth decay and gum disease.

Sleep Apnea: Causes and Treatment Options

by Lagoon_Admin | Dec 21, 2021 | General Dentistry

If you suffer from loud snoring and wake up multiple times throughout the night, you might have sleep apnea. This condition disrupts your life and makes it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Once your doctor gives you a diagnosis, you can visit Dental Excellence for treatment.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder where you periodically stop breathing throughout the night. Since you don’t notice your own sleeping behaviors, many people don’t know that they have sleep apnea until their partner mentions loud snoring or gasping during the night. The symptoms of sleep apnea are similar to other disorders, making it harder to diagnose.

Still, sleep apnea can be dangerous, so talk to a doctor if you have suspicions. Your doctor could diagnose you with one of three types of sleep apnea:

• Obstructive sleep apnea. During the night, muscles in the back of your throat collapse. This affects tissues throughout your mouth and throat, including the tonsils, tongue, throat and uvula. As the muscles collapse, your airway narrows, making it hard for oxygen to enter your body. This lowers the oxygen levels in your bloodstream. To compensate, your body jerks you awake so you breathe normally again.
• Central sleep apnea. Instead of your muscles, central sleep apnea involves your brain. Your respiratory control center doesn’t tell your muscles to keep breathing during the night. Typically, this occurs in people with neurological issues like a recent stroke or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
• Complex sleep apnea syndrome. This diagnosis means that you suffer from both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea.

What Are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

If you have sleep apnea, you might notice the following symptoms:

• Insomnia
• Sweating at night
• Fatigue during the day
• Headaches in the morning
• Frequently awakening during the night
• Dry mouth when you wake up
• Suddenly jerking awake and gasping for air
• Irritability and forgetfulness
• Trouble concentrating
• Frequent urination at night
• Sexual dysfunction

Additionally, a partner could report symptoms like these:

• Loud snoring
• Choking or gasping
• Sudden episodes where you stop breathing

Children with sleep apnea often exhibit the following behaviors:

• Bedwetting
• Mouth breathing during the day
• Loss of energy
• Trouble swallowing
• Breathing issues
• Low performance at school due to fatigue
• Strange sleeping positions

What Are the Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea?

Certain factors and lifestyles make you more likely to develop each type of sleep apnea. The risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea include:

• Genetics. Having a family history of sleep apnea or narrow throats makes you more likely to develop the condition.
• Tonsils. Enlarged tonsils can cause sleep apnea, especially for children.
• Age and gender. Males and older adults are more likely to develop sleep apnea.
• Medication. If you take sedatives, they could relax your throat muscles and restrict breathing during the night.
• Allergies and asthma. You may develop sleep apnea if you already have trouble breathing during the day.
• Obesity. Excess fat around your airway makes it harder to breathe.
• Tobacco and alcohol use. Alcohol relaxes your throat muscles, and smoking inflames your airway and restricts breathing.
• Medical conditions. A recent stroke, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and other issues make you more likely to suffer from sleep apnea.

Central sleep apnea has fewer risk factors than obstructive sleep apnea. These factors include:

• Health conditions. A recent stroke or congestive heart failure increases your risk of developing sleep apnea.
• Age and gender. Like obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea is more likely to occur in men and older adults.
• Medication. If you take opioids, you’re more likely to suffer from sleep apnea.

What Makes Sleep Apnea Dangerous?

Sleep apnea won’t necessarily kill you, but it affects your health, lifespan and quality of life. When you suffer from insomnia or repeated awakenings, you feel tired during the day. You could fall asleep at work or school, accidentally injure yourself or get into a car accident because you fell asleep at the wheel. You’ll also feel irritable and have trouble concentrating.

During a sleep apnea episode, the oxygen levels in your blood suddenly drop. This puts stress on your cardiovascular system, leading to high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and sudden death in extreme cases. Likewise, sleep apnea makes you more likely to develop metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

If you have major surgery, sleep apnea could cause breathing problems while you’re under anesthesia. Sleep apnea also increases your risk of complications with certain medications. Tell your doctor that you have sleep apnea before you start any kind of treatment.

How Do You Diagnose Sleep Apnea?

To start, your doctor will review your medical history. They’ll discuss health conditions, medications, treatments and family histories that point toward sleep apnea. Afterward, they’ll perform a physical exam to see if you have conditions like obesity or enlarged tonsils that increase your risk of developing sleep apnea.

To get definite answers, your doctor might recommend a sleep study. You’ll sleep at home or in a sleep center, then let experts review the results. They’ll examine your brain and heart activity and blood oxygen levels and watch out for disruptions that signify that you stopped breathing while you were asleep.

How Do You Treat Sleep Apnea?

For some, making lifestyle changes is enough to combat their sleep apnea. You might simply need to lose weight, quit smoking or get treatment for a condition that causes your sleep apnea. However, if you have a severe case, your doctor may recommend oral appliance therapy that keeps your throat open while you sleep.

For severe cases, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine attaches directly to your face with a mask. The machine sends air pressure into your airway to relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea. This eliminates loud snoring, which makes your partner more comfortable as well.

Reach Out Today

Schedule an appointment with Dental Excellence to discuss sleep apnea treatment. We can assist you with oral appliances and other treatment options. We’re currently accepting new and returning patients, so fill out the form on our website to request an appointment.