Tooth loss becomes a growing concern as we age and failing to maintain good oral hygiene practices can increase the likelihood of decay and loss. Taking care of your teeth and gums is essential and requires a team effort between you and your dentist. Learning more about these causes of loss can help you by giving you the information you need to embrace better oral care practices.
read moreWhile it’s important to your overall oral care to regularly visit your Los Angeles area dentist, keeping your teeth healthy is also up to you. There are many things you can do to build up the strength of your teeth and ensure they will last throughout your lifetime. Here are just a few suggestions to help you maintain a smile you can show with pride.
With Christmas fast approaching, you will no doubt want to treat yourself to a well-deserved break. There is nothing worse than having your holiday interrupted by a sudden onset of dental issues. Below are a few tips to help you cast through the holidays without having to worry about disastrous dental problems.
Having good oral health helps with many things in the mouth. For instance, it helps to ensure that you are safe from cavities, gum disease, and foul breath. However, these benefits extend just beyond the mouth. Good oral hygiene also has a positive impact on the rest of the body.
Recent studies have shown there is a correlation between gum disease and other illnesses that affect the body such as heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
In some cases, the doctor will collect samples of saliva when diagnosis patients. For instance, high levels of cortisol are used to test babies for stress response. In some cases, fragments of specific proteins may be used to check for bone loss in those prone to osteoporosis. Certain cancers can also be detected using saliva.
Saliva tests are also used to check for exposure to harmful toxins and certain illnesses such as HIV. In future, it is expected that saliva testing will replace most forms of blood tests used today. It is a faster method of screening for most illnesses if made a reality. It will shorten the diagnosis time and lead to better treatment. However, for tests to be accurate, good oral hygiene will be a requirement.
Tooth decay is a significant problem globally. In fact, it is one of the top chronic diseases around the globe. However, merely taking good care of your teeth is not enough. According to scientists, your oral health depends on as much your dental hygiene practices as your genes. If you were to speak frankly, you know someone who hardly brushes their teeth, eats a lot of sugary food, and always has great looking teeth.
It is estimated that genes account for 60% of the risk of having teeth problems. Though this branch of research is still in its infancy, scientists have identified five areas where genes play an important role in oral health.
A mouth guard is a device that is placed over the teeth. The purpose of a mouth guard is to protect the teeth during a sport or other physical activity. It can also be used to protect the teeth from grinding or clinching. Patients who suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ disorder, are often prescribed a mouth guard. A mouth guard can cushion the joints in the jaw.
Anybody who plays a contact sport, such as football, needs to wear a mouth guard. Even if you play a non-contact sport, you will still need to wear a mouth guard if you are at an increased risk of suffering a mouth injury. This includes sports like gymnastics and skating.
People who have a problem with teeth grinding also need to wear a mouth guard. A mouth guard can prevent your teeth from getting injured or falling out if you are hit in the face. It can also prevent you from damaging your teeth if you grind them.
There are three main types of mouth guards that you can find in Los Angeles. You can get a ready-made mouth guard, mouth-formed mouth guard or custom-made mouth guard. Many people who live in Los Angeles opt to get a ready-made mouth guard because it is inexpensive. You can find one of these mouth guards at a sporting goods store or drug store.
read more4th of July long weekend can be very tough on your teeth. This isn’t a time to only visit your family and friends but to also a time to gather and feast on irresistible foods. However, to maintain that great smile, you will need to maintain good oral hygiene. Poor oral hygiene can cause some medical and dental issues with time such as infection, gum disease, heart disease, bone loss, and stroke among many others. Cleaning your teeth and visiting your dentist regularly will prevent these problems and give you a good oral health.
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If you are like many Americans, you will most likely take at least one sugary drink every day such as soda. Drinking soft drinks that have high sugar contents is commonly linked to type 2 diabetes, obesity, and weight gain. However, Beverly Hills dentists have discovered that soda can also have severe effects on your smile, and lead to tooth decay and cavities.
According to many dentists in Santa Monica, after you take soda, the sugars react with the bacteria found in your mouth and form acids that eventually attack your teeth. Sugar-free and regular sodas also have acids that can attack your teeth. With each sip of soda, you cause a damaging reaction that can last for more than 30 minutes. This means that if you sip soda all day your teeth are at a higher risk of attack.
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With the many different types of toothpastes on the market today, choosing the best toothpaste to suit all your dental needs can be a challenge. Because dental needs vary from one person to the other, the toothpaste that can fit your needs will depend mostly on the condition of your teeth and whether the product you choose has the capability of producing the expected results for all your oral healthcare needs. Although different toothpaste products on the shelf might seem similar, your Los Angeles dentist can assist you to determine the best one for you.
In years past, pregnant women were warned against going to the dentist out of fear for the effects on the unborn child. Today, however, dentists and obstetricians know that proper dental prevention and care is one of the most important aspects of a healthy pregnancy. With notification of the pregnancy and any current medications at each appointment, dentists and their staffs can take proper precautions for the safety of both mother and child.
According to the American Dental Association, too many pregnant women are choosing to ignore or self-medicate dental pain rather than seeing a physician. This delay in seeing a medical professional can lead to even more significant and painful issues.
Because of changing hormones in a pregnant woman’s body, gum inflammation, or gingivitis, affects two-thirds of pregnant patients. The swelling can lead to excessive bleeding from the gums, as well as the possibility of trapping food in the enlarged gums. When this inflammation is left unchecked, it can develop into periodontal disease, a complaint that can lead to widespread tooth decay and loss. Not only does this form of gum disease affect the mother for the rest of her life, but gum disease has also been linked to preterm birth.
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