Understanding your dental health will help you for life as it will put you on the path to good oral hygiene for both you and your family.
At Salcombe Dental Practice, we have a highly trained team that wants you to understand the dental problems both you and your children can face throughout your lives. Right from the minute your teeth start to show there are factors that you need to be aware of and at Salcombe Dental Practice, we can spend time explaining how these problems can be prevented.
Decay
BABIES & DECAY
Understanding the best way to feed your child can be one of the many daunting experiences that occur when you become a parent. The soothing nature of a bottle normally helps to calm your baby but at the same time, if used inappropriately, can introduce yet another parenting challenge- baby bottle tooth decay. Leaving your baby with a bottle at night may mean that they settle themselves, however the contents of that bottle can lead to devastating tooth decay problems in the newly erupted teeth. Early recognition and intervention are essential to a successful treatment of this problem.
GINGIVITIS
This is one of the most common untreated infections in the gums. It does not necessarily have pain associated with it to start with therefore it can be ignored. An unpleasant smell may start to appear, followed by bleeding and redness from the gums however some people may not think this is something that needs treating. Ultimately, if problems in your mouth are using your immune systems resources on a regular basis, the rest of your general health will suffer. Gingivitis is caused by plaque forming at the base of the visible tooth, caused by food debris and bacteria growing and not being cleaned away through effective brushing and flossing. Once this hardens (calculus’s) it needs to be removed by a sharp object and not just through brushing. If not addressed correctly, the pockets in your gums that this has caused will lead to more severe problems, such as periodontal disease.
PERIODONTAL DISEASE
A more serious problem in your dental health, periodontitis is an infection that if left untreated, can lead to tooth loss. Periodontal means ‘around the tooth’ and therefore relates not only to the gums but also the bone structure that holds the tooth in place. As the pockets that have been created through the formation of plaque increase in size, the infection deepens and more bone and gum tissue are destroyed. Although the symptoms can often be seen as being mild, the teeth will eventually become loose and may have to be removed.
There are also other factors, as well as plaque, that can add to the detrimental affect on your teeth and gums.
Smoking & Your Mouth
You are probably aware that smoking and tobacco use is linked to many serious illnesses, such as cancer, lung disease, heart disease to name just a few. However many people don’t know that smoking and tobacco users are also at an increased risk of periodontal disease.
Pregnancy
Your body changes in the most amazing ways during pregnancy to cope with the growth and development of your baby. During this time, there are many different routines you need to incorporate into your life to encourage not only your baby to thrive but also to enable your body and general health to cope. These hormonal changes can affect many of the tissues in your body, including your gums. Your gums will become more spongy during pregnancy and therefore more susceptible to gum disease. Recent studies have also shown that a woman with gum disease is more likely to deliver a preterm, low weight baby.
Stress
Most of us experience some level of stress at a time in our lives. As well as being linked to conditions such as hypertension, cancer and other health problems, it is also a risk factor for periodontal disease. Research shows that stress lowers the immune system levels and makes it more difficult for the body to fight off infection.
Medication
Some drugs that are prescribed to help other parts of your overall health can affect your oral health. During your initial examination with your dentist, we will ask if there are any medications that you are taking. Knowing this will help us understand if your dental health is deteriorating and why.
Diabetes
Diabetes alters the levels of sugar in the blood and affects many people every year. The disease develops from either an insulin production deficiency (a hormone prominent in your body that is key to blood sugar levels) or the body’s inability to use insulin correctly. People with diabetes are at a much higher risk of developing infections, including periodontal disease. In addition to this, if an infection occurs, it becomes more difficult to manage the insulin levels in your body.
Poor Nutrition
A diet that does not encourage the correct nutrients compromises the body’s ability to fight off infection. Poor nutrition levels can worsen the condition of your gums, therefore allowing a serious disease such as periodontal disease to thrive.
Halitosis
More commonly known as bad breath, halitosis can be a devastating problem for someone to live with. Affecting not only your dental health, bad breath can affect your professional and social lives too, ultimately causing low self esteem and confidence. A problem that can range from easy to resolve to much more serious cases, halitosis is often a symptom of a serious periodontal disease and needs professional treatment by your dentist.
If you feel that you are suffering from poor dental health, simply talk to one of the highly trained dental team today. Your dental health is very important to us, we look forward to helping you smile.
