by Roseman Dental | May 11, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
Tooth development begins long before teeth begin to emerge from the gums, and even after the first teeth erupt, babies do not have the ability to clean their own gums and teeth so it is important that parents take steps to help them avoid tooth decay. Unfortunately even in baby food and drinks there can be a lot of sugar so parents should make sure to clean a baby’s gums after every feeding. Here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to keeping your baby’s gums and teeth healthy.
- After breastfeeding or bottle feeding, clean off the baby’s gums with a moistened piece of gauze or a clean cloth. When babies sleep, their saliva production decreases, making it easier for bacteria to incubate and start the process of decay.
- Once a baby’s teeth start to emerge, cleaning becomes even more important. Use a soft brush meant for babies with water to gently scrub their teeth after every feeding.
- By the time a baby is able to drink out of a cup, they should be weaned away from the bottle and given a cup to drink from. It is important for the development of facial muscles for babies to perform the sucking motion natural for breastfeeding, but after a certain point it can be bad for their teeth.
- When weaning babies off of formula, you can start with a mixture of formula diluted with water. Steadily increase the water-to-formula proportion until they are drinking just water. Water is the only safe liquid to give babies and not have to clean their teeth afterward.
Reasons to Keep Baby Teeth Clean
If bacteria are allowed to grow uninhibited in a baby’s mouth, they can experience painful cavities and other forms of tooth decay; baby teeth with significant problems may require extraction, which can lead to speech impediments and difficulty eating. Their permanent adult teeth may even grow in an irregular way that will necessitate more orthodontic interventions later. Remember that healthy baby teeth will lead to healthy adult teeth, so take care of your child’s dental health until the point when you can get them brushing every night on their own.
by Roseman Dental | May 4, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, usually come in after adolescence, appearing between the ages of 17 and 21. The purpose of wisdom teeth is not known with certainty, though it is hypothesized that they may be vestiges of the jaw structure of prehistoric humans. Our ancestors would often experience tooth wear from regular use, sometimes losing molars, so a third set of molars that appear later than other permanent teeth could have helped replace the missing bite power.
Over time, our jaws have become smaller and our diets have softened, allowing our current molars to last longer. It is therefore theorized that we may have evolved to a point where wisdom teeth are now obsolete, and for many people they are more of a hindrance than a benefit. Not all dental professionals agree, but many dentists do recommend their patients get their wisdom teeth removed in their late teens to early 20’s, before they emerge from the gums.
Reasons for Getting Wisdom Teeth Removed
While not all people need to get their wisdom teeth removed, health problems associated with them are common. These include:
- Pain and discomfort: Wisdom teeth are full-sized adult teeth, so the process of emerging from the gums can be painful, and they often rub against the rear molars, causing further pain
- Risk of Infection: Not only do wisdom teeth create wounds coming in, but brushing them can be more difficult because of their far-back position in the jaw; using a thin, long brush with a small head can help in the cleaning of these hard-to-reach areas
- Tooth Misalignment: Perhaps the most common reason wisdom teeth are removed is because they can push other teeth out of alignment; some dentists recommend removing wisdom teeth as soon as they show up on an x-ray, before they have the chance of doing this damage
Not everybody needs to get their wisdom teeth removed, and for some people they come in with no problems at all. When your wisdom teeth first show up in dental x-rays, consult your dentist about which choice will be best for you and your mouth.
by Roseman Dental | Apr 11, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
A Guide to Symptoms and Signs in Your Mouth
The term “oral cancer” is actually a broad term that covers several different types of cancers that might affect your lips, mouth, nose, larynx, and throat (the oral cavity). While these cancers don’t garner as much attention as breast cancer or lymphoma, they are still very dangerous.
The Oral Cancer Foundation reports that over 54,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral, larynx, or pharyngeal cancer this year, and only slightly more than half of those diagnosed will still be alive in five years—a number that has not significantly improved in the last few decades, even as survival rates increase for other cancers.
“Part of what makes oral cancer so dangerous is the difficulty in diagnosing the disease,” said Dr. Aaron Ferguson, Director of Public Health Sciences Education and Assistant Professor at Roseman University of Health Sciences’ College of Dental Medicine. “The symptoms might not produce pain or other obvious signs, or might mimic other conditions and thus go untreated and undiagnosed until the cancer has reached a more advanced stage.”
This is especially true for patients who don’t have a “dental home”, according to Ferguson. A dental home is a specific place where a patient routinely visits the same dentist. Often the visible signs of developing oral cancers can be identified by a dentist, but it is much easier for the dentist to notice changes if he or she has been seeing the patient over a long period of time. For patients who rarely or never visit the dentist, or frequently change dental care providers, these subtle changes are harder to spot.
In addition, a new virus called HPV16 has contributed to a rise in oral cancer cases that manifest in the back of the mouth and throat, and often don’t produce visible lesions or discoloration that dentists can readily identify as a warning sign.
How to Check for Oral Cancer
There are a few signs you can look for to identify oral cancers, and along with regular dental checkups and screenings these things can help you spot cancer earlier and get proper treatment. These signs include:
- Mouth sores that don’t heal
- Lumps or thick skin in the lips or soft tissue inside your mouth
- White or red patches on the inside of the mouth
- Loose teeth
- Changes to the way dentures fit
- Tongue, jaw, or throat pain
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing and chewing
- A lump or feeling of something caught in your throat
“If you notice any of these signs, call your dentist immediately,” advises Dr. Ferguson. If you don’t have a dentist you can visit the Dental Clinic at Roseman University in South Jordan for affordable, high quality care by Doctor of Dental Medicine students and faculty.
Lowering Your Risk for Oral Cancers
In addition to checking for oral cancer, there are things you can do to help lower your risk of developing the disease.
- Quit smoking and immediately stop using any type of tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and snuff
- Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
- Eat a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables
- Protect your lips with a lip balm that includes SPF whenever you are going to be out in the sun
- Get checked for the sexually transmitted virus human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Find a “dental home” and get regular checkups and screenings from your dentist, especially if you are over the age of 40 and have any other potential risk factors
Oral cancer treatments generally include a mix of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted drugs depending on the location and stage of the cancer, as well as your overall health.
While you may not be able to control all your risk factors, understanding the dangers of oral cancer and getting regular screenings can help you discover and diagnose it at an earlier stage, which often leads to better outcomes.
by Roseman Dental | Apr 7, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
If you’re looking for ways to improve the health of your entire body, open your mouth and say “ahhhhhh.” Medical research has shown that individuals with gum disease have an increased risk of other health issues, such as heart disease and even cancer. Learn how bad oral health impacts the body and what you can do about it.
The True Impact of Gum Disease
Early signs of gum disease include swollen gums, chronic bad breath, gums that bleed while flossing and sensitive teeth. Your mouth acts as an internal interstate to the rest of your body, and the disease in your gums can use that interstate to spread to the rest of your system. Additional health complications that can result from gum disease include stroke, low birth weight in babies and other health complications. Now that you know the how, it’s time to learn more about the what, as in what you can do to reduce the harmful effects of poor oral health.
It All Starts in the Mouth
Besides keeping up with your oral hygiene, there are several additional things you can do to improve your overall physical health. One of the first things you should do is add more minerals and healthy fats to your diet. While you’re at it, you should ease up on foods with an abundance of sugar and vegetable oil.
To boost your immune system to fight off any disease you might already have and future disease, make sure you get plenty of sleep, handle your stress well and cut out bad lifestyle choices, such as smoking and excessive drinking.
Pay Attention to the Oral Products You Use
Using oral products won’t do you or your health much good if those products contain toxins that can counteract your preventative measures. Look at and research the ingredients in your toothpaste, mouthwash and chewing gum to make sure they’re as beneficial as their makers claim or talk to your dentist about what products s/he would recommend.
Take full control of your health, starting with your teeth and gums. Ask your dentist for more tips.
by Roseman Dental | Mar 30, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Dental School, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV, Roseman Dental - UT
While you might have a basic understanding of tooth decay, there’s likely much about the topic you don’t yet know. A deeper understanding of your oral health allows you to know when you have a problem that is likely to take care of itself and when you have one that requires a professional treatment from a dentist. Learn more about tooth decay and how to take the best care of your pearly whites.
Age Makes a Difference in Tooth Decay
One of the first things to know about tooth decay is that it’s more common now than ever in children and babies. A child’s teeth aren’t as developed or strong as an adult’s, so acids, plaque and bacteria will eat away at their teeth. Eating and drinking habits for small children also impact oral health, with many parents not realizing the harmful effects of giving a child a bottle or sippy cup filled with milk or juice when they go to sleep, or to drink throughout the day. Snacking on things like fruit snacks, starchy crackers, or sugary treats throughout the day—called “grazing”—is also harmful to a child’s teeth.
Recognizing the Signs of Tooth Decay
Knowing what tooth decay looks like is another essential component of treating it. Indications of tooth decay include:
- Discolored teeth
- Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
- Inflammation of the gums around a sore tooth, which is also a sign of an abscessed tooth
- An ongoing or recurring toothache
Properly Diagnosing Tooth Decay
To rule out an abscess and anything else that might be going on with your teeth, your dentist will make sure you actually have tooth decay in order to prescribe proper treatment. You’ll likely be asked questions about your medical and dental history before the dentist uses a small mirror to examine your teeth. You might also have X-rays taken of your mouth and teeth to better pinpoint which of your teeth may be decayed. Common treatments for tooth decay that has worked through tooth enamel include fillings, crowns, tooth extraction and root canals.
Oral health is a large component of your overall health. By taking good care of your teeth, you’re taking equally good care of the rest of your body as well.
by Roseman Dental | Mar 23, 2016 | Dental Clinic Blog, Oral Health, Roseman Dental - NV
Unless something particularly funny or enjoyable is going on, you may not be inclined to smile that often. Plenty of research has been done in the area, and it turns out there are numerous benefits to smiling more frequently. If you find that you frown or have a neutral expression fairly often, then you may want to think about showing off your pearly whites on a regular basis.
Smiling Reduces Anxiety and Stress
If you are feeling stressed out, you may not feel like smiling so much. However, studies have found that individuals who smile when they are going through troublesome times had lower heart rates. The smile may be fake, but it comes with real results.
Smiling Helps You be Seen as More Trustworthy and Personable
Anyone looking to make strides in their careers should consider smiling at the office. People are more likely to engage with individuals who are smiling compared to people who always look stern. Additionally, smiling enhances your credibility so if you need people to trust and like you, smiling could be the ticket.
Smiling Releases Endorphins
Endorphins are chemicals released within your brain that make you happy. They are released when you engage in an activity you enjoy, and it has been found that smiling releases the same chemicals. You can boost your mood simply by exercising those facial muscles.
Smiling is Contagious
You probably already know that yawning is contagious. When you see someone else yawn, you are likely to do it yourself. The same principle applies to smiling. When you smile, other people around you are more inclined to smile. Everyone enjoys a release of endorphins, and everyone feels a little less stressed out.
You do not have to watch your favorite sitcom to crack a smile. Try doing it when you are sitting at your desk or driving in traffic. If you train yourself to smile more, then you will do it without even being conscious of the effort.
