National Nutrition Month: How Does Food Affect Your Teeth?

A young adult blonde woman that is about to sip on a beverage from a mug using a straw.

It’s National Nutrition Month, which means it’s a time to focus on the food you put into your body, and especially the food that comes in contact with your teeth and gums. Your nutrition not only affects how well your body feels, but can affect the health of your teeth. Good foods will help build your teeth up with minerals they need to stay strong. Certain foods and drinks wills strip those minerals away, damaging them. Use this guide to know how food will affect your teeth!

 

Mouth Bacteria and Plaque Production

Foods and drinks do more than give you energy. They can affect how you feel, how you look and even how healthy your smile is. Because so many foods and drinks (or essentially all of them) come in contact with your teeth, damage happens. When you eat, sugars in food and drink mix with bacteria in your mouth to form a sticky, clear and acidic substance called plaque.

 

You have countless bacteria in your mouth that help break down your food for digestion, while other bacteria (the bad kind) forms plaque. This is a substance made when bacteria consumes sugars in your foods and drinks and creates an acidic substance (plaque) as a byproduct. Unfortunately, plaque doesn’t get swallowed, as it’s sticky nature makes it stick to your tooth enamel, especially along your gum line.

 

The acids in it work to slowly weaken your teeth and erode your enamel over time. If you don’t brush and floss your teeth several times a day, you will eventually have weak spots and small cracks in your teeth. That allows plaque to get inside the soft center of your tooth where your nerves and blood vessels are. Infection of that sensitive center part of your tooth is what causes severe decay, leading to large cavities, root canals and even lost teeth.

 

An image of an apple that has be carved to look like it has teeth.

Effects of Food on Your Teeth

What you’re eating will affect your teeth in some way, whether for good or for bad. This is because substances in your food will either strip minerals from your teeth, or they will add minerals to them. The teeth are made up of minerals such as calcium, phosphate, magnesium, etc. When you eat or drink dairy products, some of those same minerals can add to your teeth, strengthening them. Other foods that are acidic in nature or that contain sugar, will lead to mineral stripping and enamel damage.

 

So what foods harm your smile? Anything citrus will damage your tooth enamel. This means lemon, lime, oranges, grapefruit, artificially-flavored or preserved treats and more. Check labels to see if your foods contain citric acid. Any type of acid in a food will break up minerals on your teeth. That is why sugary treats are also something you want to avoid. They actually do lead to cavities—or tooth decay—because of that sugar reaction with mouth bacteria. You want to avoid foods such as:

  • Sugary Treats. Limit your desserts and candy consumption.
  • Mints/Hard candies/Suckers. Any sugar item that you suck on (even cough drops) expose your teeth to a continual supply of sugar and the acids created by mouth bacteria coming in contact with that sugar.
  • Starchy Foods. Breads, pastas, white food items (usually), cookies, crackers and similar foods break down into sugar in your body. They will do the same in your mouth.
  • Hard Snacks. Popcorn, hard nuts, uncooked veggies, and hard fruits can break weakened or decayed teeth.
  • Chewy Foods. Chewy candies, dried fruits, jellies and similar items are naturally sticky, which raises your chances that they will stick to your teeth, exposing the enamel to sugars for longer.

 

A young adult brunette woman that is about to drink a bottle of water.

Don’t Forget About Drinks

You may be eating great foods that help you feel good and look good, but what about what you’re drinking? Often, many consumers don’t realize that their drinks are packed with either staining materials or several day’s worth of sugar that damage the teeth. We are talking about coffee, tea, sports drinks, energy drinks, juice and especially sodas. Coffee and tea contain substances called “tannins” that will get into tiny cracks and openings in the teeth. The darker tannins will start to change the color of the teeth over time, which is why yellow or gray teeth happens with coffee or tea drinkers.

 

The rest of the drinks we named will either damage your teeth from the sugar content or from the acids those drinks contain. Any carbonated beverage (soda, sparkling water) contains an acid called “carbonic acid”. This acid is what makes those fizzy bubbles possible. However, because it is acid, it will damage your teeth. When drinking these drinks, carbonic acid comes in contact with your teeth, and the acids in it will break up tooth enamel minerals for up to 20-30 minutes after you’ve had the drink. Avoid brushing your teeth during that period, or the acids can take more minerals off the teeth.

 

Sugary drinks have the same effect. Many sports drinks or juices contain citric acid as a preservative, which acts like carbonic acid. Drink enhancers contain this as well. Any drinks with sugar will feed bacteria and create acidic plaque, which also damages your smile. The more sugar you have, the more your teeth can decay and break up.

 

A young adult woman that is eating a carrot with one hand and holding a basket of leafy greens in another arm.

Fight Back Against Decay

Tooth decay is the most common dental disease and the one that happens the easiest. The National Institutes of Health reports that tooth decay is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases among children and adults. However, it’s avoidable if you watch the foods and drinks you consume and if you brush and floss your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes at a time. It’s really that simple! Let us see how the health of your mouth is doing from your foods and drinks. Call Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998 to schedule your dental checkup!

 

Posted: March 5, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Beyond Brushing and Flossing: What More Can You Do?

If you brush and floss your teeth, but you are still getting oral issues like cavities, you may wonder if there is more you can do. Your dentist will always let you know what more you can do in your specific case. However, there are oral health care basics that you can always add into your oral hygiene routine. Those include mouthwash, fluoride treatments, cosmetic dentistry options and more. Here are some tips you can use to go beyond your brushing and flossing!

 

Brushing and Flossing

Do you brush and floss your teeth every day? Twice a day? The American Dental Association recommends that every person (even infants and toddlers) should brush their teeth at least twice a day or more to keep their mouth healthy. That brushing should be done for at least 2 minutes at a time with ADA-approved toothpaste and a toothbrush that fits the size of the mouth.

 

Small children and infants will need the help of parents to brush and floss morning and night and will need help flossing once enough teeth come into the mouth. Flossing should be done 1-2 times a day along with brushing, as flossing reaches about 40% of tooth surfaces brushing misses.

 

Studies have found that at least 3 in 10 millennials only brush their teeth once a day and flossing is done much less often. However, these two habits are key to having a good mouth. You simply can’t skip them if you want to keep your teeth. That’s because your mouth is constantly making plaque when you eat and drink. Sugars in your food and drink will mix with mouth bacteria, creating that sticky, clear film of plaque that coats the teeth.

 

It can be unsightly without good oral hygiene, but because plaque is so acidic, it will break up the minerals of your teeth and decay them from the inside out. That is how a cavity forms, how infections reach the center of your teeth, how patients end up losing teeth and developing oral health diseases. Skip all those issues with good brushing and flossing at home!

 

Adding to Your Routine

You may already be a pro at brushing and flossing and still you get cavities. What more can you do? Start adding in other oral health routines! Mouthwash is a great one to add alongside brushing and flossing. Not all mouthwash is the same. Make sure you check labels to see if your mouthwash needs to be diluted before use. Some are meant to freshen breath by killing odor-causing bacteria, while others will be geared towards cavity prevention, treating gum disease or other oral health issues.

 

Children generally should steer clear of mouthwash, as many types contain alcohol or similar substances that you wouldn’t want a child to accidentally swallow. However, they are completely safe for teens and adults that want to do more than just brushing and flossing. Most brands will prescribe a specific amount of mouthwash that you can measure out in the lid of the mouthwash container. Swish for 30 seconds unless otherwise directed by a label.

 

You may feel fresher breath already because of the bacteria-fighting action of the mouthwash. Users will want to wait about 30 minutes after mouthwash use to eat or drink. This is because many brands contain fluoride that will work best to protect the teeth if it has had 30 minutes to coat the teeth without food or drink interference.

 

Fluoride: How Can It Help?

Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral found in the earth’s crust. Because of that, fluoride is also found in many foods that grow in the ground such as green leafy vegetables. Public water sources in the U.S. contain fluoride, as the United States government has added it to the drinking water for cavity prevention. Since that addition, the amount of people getting cavities has gone down more than 25%.

 

Fluoride was originally discovered in the 1930s to be a substance that protected the teeth and reduced the risk of decay from acids and bacteria in the mouth. At dental appointments, your dental cleaning will likely end with a quick fluoride treatment to help strengthen your teeth. For patients that are more prone to cavities (young children, teens, those with oral diseases), treatments may be needed at home. Your dentist can prescribe you fluoride treatments you can easily do at home. However, many mouthwashes and toothpastes will come fortified with fluoride as well.

 

Visiting the Dentist

Seeing your dentist is perhaps the most important habit you can establish besides brushing and flossing your teeth. That’s because only a dentist is qualified to find the presence of tooth decay, gum disease and other oral diseases and treat them properly. Studies—such as one by the National Institutes of Health—have found that tooth decay is the #1 most “prevalent chronic disease” Americans face. Gum disease is a close second even though this disease affects 64.7 million American adults.

 

The American Dental Association has made various statements about the importance of dentistry and frequent dental visits. “Frequent” means every 6 months or every 3-4 if you have oral health diseases. These appointments are so important to your health that many insurance plans will cover biannual exams and dental cleanings. However, studies show that only about 65% of people (at least in the U.S.) are actually visiting a dentist each year. Often, that’s only one time. That percentage of people is starting to go down, and children tend to see the dentist even less. It’s no wonder oral health problems affect so many.

 

If you want to do more for your oral health, make sure you and your family go to your biannual dental visits. Doing so can help your dentist find tooth decay, oral cancer, gum disease, infections and more before they become large or severe. If you have yet to schedule your dental appointment this year, you can do so by calling Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998!

Posted: February 25, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Soothing Mouth Sores and Oral Issues

A teal background that has a brunette, young adult woman that is making a face and holding the left side of her mouth.

Mouth sores such as cankers, cold sores and infections are some of the most common oral health problems patients get after cavities and gum disease. These issues can be quite uncomfortable for patients, especially if they happen often. Changes in oral health care habits can help reduce the mouth sores and oral issues you get. However, when they happen, you can use these tips to help soothe and relieve those mouth sores quicker!

 

Common Mouth Sores

Have you ever had pain in your cheeks or gums and discovered a sore? This is nothing to panic about, but something that happens quite often with patients. The most prevalent ones we see include:

  • Dental caries
  • Gum disease
  • Canker sores
  • Gingivitis
  • Thrush
  • Hand, foot and mouth disease
  • Herpangina
  • Oral herpes/cold sores

Some of these conditions are genetic, whereas others can be caught very early. With any mouth sore, you want to get them under control or work hard to prevent them in the first place. Many mouth sores and infections can actually be avoided with good oral hygiene and keeping mouth bacteria to a minimum. Dental caries (tooth decay), gum disease, oral bacteria and more never have to happen if you brush and floss away the gunk that likes to stick around in your mouth.

 

A close-up view of canker sores in a boy's mouth.

Relief of Canker Sores

One of the most common mouth sores is the canker sore. This is a type of sore that can be very tiny or very large. Some patients will have these sores be 1/3rd to ½ of an inch in diameter in the mouth. Others will get tons of tiny canker sores. You may be a patient that only gets canker sores in times of stress or sickness. The cause of these stores is still being studied, as every person’s body will get these mouth sores for different reasons. The thing most patients have in common is that canker sores can be uncomfortable and even painful (hence the reason it’s called a sore).

 

Some evidence suggests that infections or illness can cause canker sores to happen. However, there have been many studies done that link canker sores to stress levels. Studies show that stress can contribute to developing sores in your mouth. Those sores are actually considered to be tiny ulcers in the mouth, and you can reduce their frequency with good de-stressing activities.

 

Remedy Mouth Sores At Home

When it comes to sores in your mouth, salt will become your best friend. For centuries, people have used salt to help wounds heal faster and better, and that includes sores in the mouth. If you’ve ever had oral surgery (like wisdom teeth removal) before, a sickness or infection in the mouth, your dentist may have told you to rinse with salt water. Studies show that salt is a natural mineral that helps speed healing in the soft tissues of the body.

 

Salt can take away the sting of mouth sores and make them go away faster. Simply fill a cup with warm to hot water and dissolve an ample amount of salt into the water. Water will have to be hotter to melt the salt, but you can let it cool a bit before swishing with it. Then, several times a day, swish the salt-water mixture in your mouth (making sure it is warm). Within a day, you should see less pain and your mouth sores getting better.

 

A blonde, young adult woman that is looking in a makeup compact mirror, pointing to a spot near her mouth and making a confused face about what the spot could be.

Professional In-Office Help

There are some mouth sores that you just don’t want to handle on your own at home. With chronic oral health diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease, you want a dentist to monitor sores closely. Any sores that bleed or continue to grow in size are ones you want a dentist to look at. You may want both medical or dental counseling for canker sores that grow to be ½ inch or larger, especially if you have many of them. Having multiple mouth sores cold be a sign of infection, illness or an oral health disease.

 

Oral cancer is a serious condition that can present itself in the form of mouth sores, especially if you feel tenderness and lumps in the soft tissues of your mouth but you can’t see them well. This cancer claims almost 50,000 lives every single year in the U.S. Luckily, with oral cancer, we do in-office screenings at every dental cleaning and comprehensive exam you have. This is a time when we can see mouth sores forming and provide the right topical and oral medications to help relieve them.

 

Cold sores are a type of sore that come from the herpes simplex virus. This is a recurring sore, but you can reduce how many you get with over-the-counter creams and medications. Stress, sunlight, the cold, trauma and oral health problems can cause these to flare up. With some sores (like canker sores), if the problem is recurring very frequently, it could be a sign of a chronic condition such as Crohn’s disease or celiac. In this case, we can refer you to the right medical professional for intervention. Mouth sores can be unpleasant, but almost all of them are very treatable when you seek dental help and change your habits at home.

 

A woman in a dental office holding the left side of her mouth as a dental professional speaks to her.

Healthy Mouth through Healthy Habits

Issues such as tooth decay and gum disease are ones that should be handled by a dentist, as these conditions will continually worsen without dental intervention and good oral hygiene habits at home. That means brushing your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes at a time as recommended by the American Dental Association.

 

Floss 1-2 times a day as well, use mouthwash to reduce mouth bacteria and limit your sugar intake to prevent cavities and gum disease. All of these steps will help you from developing sores in your mouth. You can prevent many mouth sores through good oral hygiene. For all of your questions about your oral health and changes you see inside your mouth, call Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998!

 

Posted: February 18, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Taking Care of the Adult Teeth All Life Long

A family of four that is all brushing their teeth together in their shirts and bathrobes.

Many elderly have missing teeth or total tooth loss. You may wonder if that is something that will inevitably happen. However, it’s not. You can keep your natural teeth all life long with the right oral health habits and frequent dental visits. These are tips for taking care of baby teeth, adult teeth and the teeth during all those transitioning years!

 

Taking Care of the Baby Teeth

Infant oral care is quite easy once you know how to do it. Here are some things to know about your little one:

  • As soon as the first baby tooth comes in, it needs to be brushed. Use a rice-sized amount of safe infant/child toothpaste.
  • Brush your infant’s tooth/teeth at least twice a day, or after meals.
  • Never leave a baby with a bottle for naps or during the night. Sugars in the milk (both breast and formula) cause tooth decay very quickly.
  • Wipe an infant’s gums and smile with a damp cloth to remove milk sugars and food particles after feedings.
  • Start them off with dental visits sometime between 18 months and 3 years to check for tooth decay or oral health care problems.
  • Use a gum brush for small infants and graduate to an infant toothbrush as they get a bit older.
  • No sugar. Children should have less than 6 grams of sugar in a day and infants should have none. Never put soda, sports drinks or sugary drinks in cups or bottles for infants.
  • Brush and floss your child’s teeth for the first few years until they can do it well on their own.

 

A beautiful, young adult woman that is flossing her teeth as she smiles off to the left.

Childhood Years to Teen Years

Children may not be able to brush their teeth properly until they are 3 or older. It takes time for them to develop the dexterity they need in their hands to make all the brushing movements. When a child can hold utensils well and eat alone with those utensils, they are definitely ready to start transitioning to brushing their teeth on their own.

 

During this time, help them to know how to hold a toothbrush correctly and hold their hand as you teach them the brush strokes and the movements. Teach them to put about a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on their toothbrush. As a person ages, they may use more toothpaste. As soon as the spaces between the teeth become smaller with a child, flossing should start. Flossers are great tools that children can learn until they can floss with string floss properly. Mouthwash and fluoride should only be used by the direction of a dentist in a child.

 

What if your child doesn’t want to take care of their teeth with brushing and flossing? Try these tips:

  • Get bright, colorful child toothbrushes that have their favorite characters on them.
  • Sing a song while they brush.
  • Have your child watch a 2-minute video clip of something they like as they brush for those 2 minutes.
  • Make it a game! Brush along with them and see who can get cleaner teeth.
  • Have a reward chart for children where they get stars, stickers or earn small prizes over time for brushing well.
  • Let a child practice on you. Show them how you take care of your teeth and then have them practice on your teeth and theirs.

 

Orthodontic Treatment Helps the Health of Your Teeth

As children grow older, their mouth is getting bigger as they get taller. The baby teeth will start to fall out starting around age 5, and adult teeth will start to come into the mouth. If your child has crooked teeth as a small child, they may need orthodontic treatment before the adult teeth come in.

 

As the baby teeth fall out, adult teeth will come in to replace those teeth. There will be 32 adult teeth total over the years that teens and pre-teens are getting their adult teeth, which include the 4 wisdom teeth. There will be more teeth coming in to replace the 20 baby teeth because there is more room in the mouth. If there are speech or eating problems present in your child, definitely consider orthodontic treatment to correct bite and alignment. Then, when all the permanent teeth come in, consider having them get orthodontic treatment to just align the teeth. A straight smile is one that is much easier to clean, which can help a child to have a healthy mouth all life long.

 

A young adult male dentist that is pointing at an x-ray image in front of his young adult brunette woman patient.

Your Adult Teeth

Many adults struggle with proper oral hygiene, even though most people know that brushing and flossing is important. We provided so many tips for children because oral health care starts when you’re young. Those who teach children proper oral care early-on can expect to have children and adults that generally take better care of their teeth. Studies show that oral health care problems lead to the most chronic and prevalent diseases that Americans face. Gum disease alone affects at least 64.7 million Americans. Tooth decay (cavities) affect even more.

 

You avoid these with the simple habits we’ve mentioned. As a teen or adult, brush your teeth at least twice a day, for 2 minutes at a time. Floss 1-2 times a day, making sure to get up into your gum line. Scrape the teeth gently as you move the floss down your teeth. Limit your sugar intake throughout the day, as sugar makes plaque, which decays your teeth. Teens and adults can use mouthwash to kill decay-causing bacteria. Fluoride treatments and dental sealants may also be advised by a dentist. To know for sure, schedule a comprehensive dental exam and cleaning with a dentist, and make sure you have these appointments at least every 6 months. These measures will help ensure you don’t have tooth loss as you age.

 

Tooth Loss: Is It Inevitable?

Tooth loss is not inevitable. There are plenty of people that live their entire life with their natural teeth because they took care of their smile. That can be you! For more tips on taking care of your pearly whites, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

Posted: February 12, 2019 By: Comment: 0

How Does Plaque and Tartar Affect Your Smile?

A woman patient that is speaking with a dental professional as she sits in a dental chair.

If you look in the mirror at your teeth, you may wonder what that clear substance is around your gum line. That sticky, clear film is known as plaque, and it’s the substance that leads to tooth decay, gum disease and oral health problems. Tartar is the hard, stuck-on form of plaque that is very difficult to remove without the help of a dentist. Find out how plaque and tartar affect your smile and how to keep the teeth free of both!

 

Mouth Bacteria

Studies have found between 500 and 700 different types of bacteria in the human mouth. However, most people only have between 30 and 34 different types in their mouth on a regular basis, and not all of those are bad. In fact, bacteria is needed to help break down and digest the food you eat each day.

 

Not all of that bacteria gets washed away with your food, nor does it only help in digestion. Some, instead, lead directly to tooth decay. When you eat, sugars in your foods and drinks will mix with mouth bacteria to create a sticky, clear film. The combination of sugars, food particles and mouth bacteria make the substance—called “plaque”—acidic. Studies report that food that’s not washed away with swallowing and even from brushing will stick to your teeth almost immediately. This is because the bacteria is recolonizing and the acids in your plaque is working at breaking up minerals in your teeth.

 

A close-up view of a patient's mouth that has plaque and lots of tartar on the back of their teeth. The "after" image is on the right showing what the smile looks like after dental treatment.

Plaque and Your Mouth

There is an estimated 10 trillion—and yes we said “trillion”—bacteria per milligram of plaque. That’s an awful lot of bacteria working to hurt your teeth. And they will if you’re not taking care of your oral health through frequent brushing and flossing. If you brush and floss away the plaque that collects in your mouth, you significantly reduce your risk for oral health problems. The recommendation by the American Dental Association is to brush your teeth at least twice a day, for two minutes at a time. Then, you should floss 1-2 times a day as well to get the 40% of tooth surfaces that brushing often misses. Add in mouthwash to kill extra mouth bacteria that would cause your mouth decay and fluoride toothpaste or treatments to build a stronger barrier between your teeth and bacteria.

 

What Is Tartar?

If you don’t brush and floss, you can experience tooth decay and even gum disease. Tooth decay happens when plaque breaks up minerals in your teeth enough to decay them. This happens when plaque stays on the teeth for too long. Often, that decay is not even visible until it has become severe for the tooth to turn color. The goal is to brush your teeth several times a day so that your teeth never decay. That will also help prevent gum disease, which is the best friend of tooth decay.

 

Because plaque is acidic and it sits along your gum line, it irritates the gums. They start to bleed easy, become darker red, inflamed and even swollen. Eventually they will pull back from the teeth to get away from plaque. This gum recession can happen so much that the gums aren’t supporting the teeth, so they fall out. That is the full-blown gum disease stage. You notice the first stage with bleeding or red gums, and that’s when you want to hit your oral hygiene hard.

 

Plaque can actually change states on your teeth as well, which is common with people that have gum disease. It can become hard, brownish or yellow on your teeth. This is when plaque becomes tartar, and it is quite hard to remove on your own. Tartar forms when plaque is left on the teeth. It can then mix with certain minerals when you eat and drink, and the mixture will makes some of the leftover plaque hard. It can bond to your teeth like cement, becoming a mineral deposit.

A young adult, attractive male that is flossing his teeth.

Treatment for Tartar Buildup and Gum Disease

Once tartar forms on your teeth, you really can’t remove it yourself. You need the help of a dentist or that tartar can continue to build up until it covers your whole tooth. Only higher-powered dental tools can get that mineral deposit off your teeth. Because tartar is a form of plaque, you will likely have some decay and signs of gum disease under that tartar. Inflammation and decay will continue to happen under the surface of tartar, which is why you want to get it taken care of.

 

We can remove plaque and tartar buildup at your biannual dental cleaning and comprehensive exam. If you have severe plaque and tartar, you may need a separate appointment so we can fully clean your teeth. Removing tartar in-office is much better than dealing with gum disease at home. Full-blown gum disease may involve more lengthy dental services, but we can definitely help patients with this condition. However, prevention is always key. Simply brush and floss your teeth well each day to keep a healthy mouth!

 

Get a Healthier Mouth Today

Having a healthy mouth, and one that is free of plaque and tartar is fairly simple: brush and floss your teeth and reduce your sugar intake. Doing these three things can help your oral health significantly. It can even extend the years you have your natural teeth. As we mentioned, tooth decay and gum disease are some of the most chronic problems Americans face. Knowing that, it’s okay to not be perfect with your oral health. However, it’s always great to try each day to be a bit better. Incorporate the oral health suggestions we’ve mentioned and see how your oral health improves. To know how the health of your teeth and gums is doing, make sure you schedule your comprehensive dental exam by calling Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998!

Posted: February 5, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Warning Signs for Gum Disease

 

A male patient that is having root planing and scaling done on his mouth for gum disease.

Ever had your gums bleed when you’ve brushed your teeth? That bleeding is a warning sign for gum disease, even if your gums look like they are fine. There are various warning signs that present themselves in your mouth if you are at risk for full-blown gum disease. You want to notice those signs when they happen so you can take measures to get your oral health under control. Use this guide to know what to look for!

 

Gum Disease: What Is It?

When you hear the word “disease”, you don’t always think of the mouth. However, one of the most common diseases happens in your mouth. It’s called gum disease, and it’s a painless condition that can lead to tooth loss without intervention. Cavities are a common disease that is caused by sugar and poor oral hygiene. When you eat, sugars in your foods and drinks mix with mouth bacteria to create plaque. That plaque sticks to your teeth, decaying them as it breaks up the minerals.

 

At the same time, plaque is irritating your gums because it is acidic. In response, your gums become irritated and inflamed. If you don’t start brushing and flossing, the gums will simply start to pull away from plaque. With enough recession, the gums become mushy and your teeth start to fall out. Once a patient gets to that stage, there is little that can be done. That is why you want to notice the early warning signs for gum disease so you can avoid it.

 

A close-up view of a mouth that has gum disease and tooth decay.

Early Warning Signs

Statistics show that around 64.7 million Americans have gum disease. Many don’t even realize that they do because this is a painless condition until a patient gets to the severe stage of the disease. You have to notice the physical warning signs. Have you ever noticed darker red gums in your mouth? This is a warning sign of gum disease. When your gums are irritated, they become darker red and inflamed. They may even be swollen. However, the first sign for many patients is that the gums bleed much easier when you do brush and floss.

 

The bleeding is often the way that dentists can tell you’re not flossing enough. When you brush and floss often, your gums stay healthy and strong and they won’t bleed when they’re being cleaned. With gum disease, the gums will be much more sensitive and will bleed, even if you don’t notice the sensitivity. The mild stage of gum disease is called “gingivitis”. About 8.7% of Americans are in this stage, and about 30% have progressed to a moderate stage. That is likely due to not knowing that gingivitis is present or from not following oral hygiene practices. Look for all of these signs and change your eating and oral hygiene habits to reverse the problem while it is only in the gingivitis stage.

 

Periodontal Therapy

With gingivitis, dental cleanings and hitting the oral hygiene habits hard are usually the best ways to reverse your condition. In fact, many people have gingivitis and don’t even know it because it is so early-stage. You know you have it if you have the warning signs we mentioned. Check your mouth often for these signs. If you don’t notice them, we will tell you during your dental cleaning and comprehensive exam.

 

We do see patients with moderate and severe gum disease. With these patients, we have to take additional measures to either get gum disease under control or stop the progression. Scaling and root planing is one method we use on patients to avoid tooth loss. You may need this service if your gums are starting to pull away from the teeth or if you continuously have gum inflammation. Tartar often accompanies gum disease, so if you have tartar spread all the way down to the roots of your teeth, you will need planing and root scaling.

 

This is a treatment that cleans the gum pockets from bacteria, plaque and tartar. Without cleaning, those gum pockets can reach the point of infection, furthering damaging the teeth and gums. Scaling and root planing requires local anesthesia because it can be uncomfortable by how thorough it is. Afterwards, your gums can start healing from the plaque and substances that were hurting them. For patients with very advanced gum disease, gum grafts may be needed to help cover the teeth before tooth loss happens.

A woman that is making a face as she looks at a red spot on her gums that could be gum disease.

Great Oral Health Habits

Many Americans won’t ever have severe gum disease that leads to complete tooth loss. However, many will. Studies show that at least 8.5% of Americans have that severe stage of gum disease that you really can’t come back from. That is why dental intervention early-on is so important if you want to have the ability to eat normally throughout your life. Your body gives you warning signs of gum disease for a reason, and they are ones you want to listen to.

 

How are you supposed to know you have gum disease? Go to the dentist! These visits need to happen twice a year if you want to avoid oral health diseases that can be devastating to your smile. We can spot the early signs of gum disease before it ever gets to a bad stage. If you aren’t already, we will suggest that you brush your teeth 2-3 times a day for at least 2 minutes at a time. For sensitive gums, you will want to choose a soft-bristled toothbrush to protect your teeth and gums as you brush.

Make sure you’re flossing 1-2 times every day, as this gets 40% of your tooth surfaces that brushing misses. We often give patients gingivitis tablets or have other methods of helping them see what areas in their mouth aren’t getting cleaned enough. Practicing these habits and even adding in mouthwash and special gum disease products can help get your smile back to normal. For instructions on good oral health habits or questions about gum disease, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

Posted: January 24, 2019 By: Comment: 0

How X-Rays Changed Dentistry

A brunette young adult woman that is in a dental chair going over her dental x-rays with the dentist and hygienist.

In centuries past, dentists did not have a way to see what dental issues were happening below the gum line. They could only guess at what was causing a patient tooth pain or discoloration. However, that all changed in 1895 when the x-ray was discovered. With the introduction of this new light wave, dentistry was about to make amazing leaps and bounds in the discovery of dental cavities and how patients were treated. Where dentists once had to simply remove teeth, because of x-ray imaging, they can now see the exact size, shape and location of cavities. Find out how that technology evolved and how it is used on you!

 

Old Dental Techniques

Dentistry has been around for thousands of years. People in 2000 B.C. had dental needs just like people have dental needs today. Did you know that tooth decay—which you know by the name of cavities—is the most chronic, prevalent disease in the United States? That’s because about 92% of the population has tooth decay by the time they reach adulthood. Many have it in their infancy, and it is the literal decay of the teeth that can’t be reversed.

 

People thousands of years ago had tooth decay, but did not have the type of modern equipment to deal with it. The first dental school in the world wasn’t even established until 1828, with the first dental college opening in 1840. Both were in the U.S., and almost all effective dental technology was discovered or invented after this time. In fact, if you lived before that time, you would likely go to a barber if you were having tooth pain.

 

Barbers and surgeons were the ones to see for any type of tooth or mouth issue. However, their ability to fix the dental issues were limited. There was simply no way to really tell what was going on inside a patient’s mouth without cutting open the gums or cutting into the tooth. This is why many people simply had a full tooth painfully pulled when a cavity started to cause them pain or infection. It led to many people losing teeth over time or to having complete tooth loss. It is still this way in many countries. However, dental x-rays completely changed the field of dentistry.

 

An image of a hand using a pointing tool to point to a part of a dental x-ray. there are other dental x-rays on the table next to the main x-ray and bitewings.

Dentistry and the Dental X-Ray

Many aspects of modern dentistry wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the discovery of a specific type of lightwave called the x-ray. This is an electromagnetic wave that cannot be seen by the naked eye. It has a short wavelength, which means it carries a high amount of energy. It’s reported that the x-ray was first discovered in 1895 by a man named Wilhelm Rontgen. He was a German physicist and there were already discoveries that had been made with different types of radiation at this time.

 

Wilhelm ended up discovering a new type of radiation by chance as he was working in his lab one day. He noticed that fluorescent light would show through certain materials, but not others. This was especially true when it came to the human body, as this new lightwave would show through skin, but not bone or teeth. With a bit more testing, the x-ray is what was discovered.

 

Serious advances in medicine and dentistry came once x-rays were invented. These rays would pass through the body and on films would produce images of the bones and teeth that absorbed x-ray waves instead of having them pass through. From that time forward, the rays were used to see inside the body and inside the mouth. It completely changed a dentist’s ability to see what was inside a patient’s tooth instead of simply guessing at the problem. X-rays also provided a way to find and treat a cavity instead of simply removing a tooth.

 

A brunette woman patient in a dental office that is having her dental x-rays done with a Dental Cone Beam CT machine.

Technology in Dental Offices

Have you ever had dental x-rays taken at your dental appointment? Odds are that you have. These images are taken at comprehensive exam and dental cleaning appointments. Most patients will have x-rays taken at least once a year, if not at every 6-month check-up. The most common way to take x-rays of your teeth is with bitewings and a moveable x-ray machine. Patients can sit in their dental chairs, and while biting down on a small film of paper, they can have an image taken when the x-ray machine is right by their cheek. In just a few minutes, there are photos of a patient’s teeth.

 

Imaging doesn’t stop there though. Now, in many dental offices there is a Dental Cone Beam CT machine. This machine allows a patient to stand upright while resting their chin right on the machine. Similar to an actual CT scanner, the machine will rotate around a patient’s body, focusing on the head and dental structures. In just a few seconds, we can get images of your teeth, gums, jaw structures, nerve pathways and soft tissues of the mouth. Without dental x-rays, your experience as a dental patient would be vastly different. However, with x-rays, we have the ability to find cavities when they are very small and treat them. To get your x-rays and comprehensive dental exam, call Dr. Ania’s office today at 303-443-0998!

 

Posted: January 2, 2019 By: Comment: 0

Is Chewing Gum Good for the Teeth or No?

A vibrant yellow mustard background that a beautiful brunette woman is standing in front of. She is blowing a bubble with her chewing gum.

Statistic reports show that about 374 trillion sticks of gum are made every year. Many have synthetic materials in them such as resins and waxes, plus edible materials such as sugar and flavor enhancers. Many people think that chewing gum is very similar to candy, and it can be if it’s full of sugar. However, chewing gum can be good for your teeth. Some will even have the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance, which signifies that a product is beneficial for helping patients avoid oral health diseases.

Chewing Gum: How Popular Is It?

Millions of people buy chewing gum each year. Top brands like Trident, Extra, Orbit, Mentos, Eclipse, 5, Stride, Juicy Fruit and Dubble Bubble are ones consumers know and love. How much do people love it? Enough that Trident alone makes about $657.3 million dollars a year on gum sales. That’s only one brand of gum. Orbit and Extra follow closely behind with $551.1 million dollars in sales and $488.7 million.

 

  • Over 374 trillion sticks of gum are made each year.
  • On average, a person that chews gum will chew more than 300 pieces of gum each year.
  • Some studies show that chewing on gum can help improve your concentration in both visual tasks and auditory memory tasks.
  • There is a difference between chewing gum and bubble gum. Bubble gum is a type of chewing gum which is designed to allow chewers the ability to inflate bubbles in the gum. If you struggle with blowing bubbles with your gum, it may only be chewing gum.

Sticks of pink chewing gum that are all stacked on top of each other.

Origin of Gum Ingredients

You may be surprised to know that gum isn’t food at all, but plastic. Yes, we said plastic. Merriam Webmaster Dictionary states that your chewing gum is a “sweetened and flavored insoluble plastic material.” It simply has sugars and other materials added to it that you chew out until your gum is stale. The original chewing gum was created in 1848 by John B. Curtis. He was a salesman that made chewing gum out of spruce resin, beeswax and flavorings.

 

That original chewing gum has evolved quite a bit over the last 150+ years. Most types of gums will be made from synthetic gum-based materials. Some of those bases may be rubber, while others use wax or plastic as their base. Chicle is a natural rubber that is popularly found in chewing gum. This material originally stems from Mesoamerican trees and is harvested just like latex is harvested from trees. When those specific trees are opened up, the chicle can drip out and be collected in small bags. The chicle is then boiled to a specific consistency.

 

Ingredients In Modern Gum

Your modern chewing gum is made from much more synthetic materials, so much so that it can’t be digested by your body if you swallow it. It will simply go through your digestive system undigested. Some people consider chewing gum to be litter, as it can’t biodegrade once it is made into gum. In the past, more natural materials were used in gum. Now, gum is made commercially on large scales due to how much is sold on a daily and yearly basis.

 

Your modern stick of chewing gum will likely have a gum base. Sweeteners, softeners and flavorings by individual companies are then added to the gum base. As chicle was used in the past, rubber and plastic are now used in its place. This happened in the 1900s as scientists were able to produce a more cost-effective synthetic gum base. Your softeners in gum will be vegetable oil or glycerin to soften the synthetic base. Without them, your gum would dry up quickly and would be gross.

 

Sweeteners may vary between gums depending on the manufacturer. Most will consist of sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch and beet juice among non-calorie sweeteners. The flavors and dyes will all be based off of the specific company’s manufacturing. If you check your gum label, you can see which ingredients are sweeteners if they have “itol” added on the end of a word. Some examples include sorbitol, xylitol, aspartame and mannitol.

 

A close-up view of a woman's mouth that has beautiful, healthy, straight teeth and clear gloss to highlight her lips.

Modern Chewing Gum

Chewing gum can have ingredients in it such as beeswax, honey, powdered sugar, gum pellets and more. Some ingredients you will recognize, while others you won’t. Ingredients that won’t be good for your teeth or health include:

  • Aspartame. This is an artificial sweetener added to most gums. It is fine to sweeten the palate, but studies show it turns into wood alcohol in your body and formaldehyde. One is a poison, while the other is a carcinogen.
  • Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT): This is a common preservative in many foods and products such as gum. It is actually banned in many places around the world except for the U.S. this ingredient is linked to health problems such as hyperactivity, toxicity in your organs, liver and kidney damage and more. The more you consume, the higher your risk for problems.
  • Calcium Phosphate: This ingredient isn’t bad in everything, but it can be linked to poison if it is created or used the wrong way.

 

Is Chewing Gum Good for the Teeth?

Chewing gum can be good for your teeth, but it depends on the ingredients. Every gum brand is different, so you must check the labels and make an informed decision. Natural flavorings and sweeteners will always be healthier than synthetic alternatives. Sugar gums can definitely lead to plaque production and tooth decay. Look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance to choose a good brand that can help you avoid cavities.

If you have issues with cavities already, definitely switch to a healthy sugar-free gum. Chewing on gum will never take the place of brushing or flossing your teeth. If you ever have a doubt with you gum, skip all the sugar options and then call our office to find out if your gum is safe for your teeth or not. You can do that by calling Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998!

Posted: December 17, 2018 By: Comment: 0

Do You Need Dentures?

A middle-aged red-headed woman that is at a dental office smiling at her new smile in a mirror.

After age 65, thinning teeth as well as tooth decay and gum disease are more common. Those diseases can lead to tooth loss that becomes chronic without proper care. However, all is not lost if you have lost many of your teeth. You can still work towards great oral health with some changes to your oral hygiene routine and with dental services such as dentures.

 

Oral Health in the United States

You lose your set of baby teeth while you are young to make way for permanent, adult teeth. The adult teeth are referred to as “permanent” teeth, because that’s what they should be. Great oral hygiene can help you keep your natural teeth for life. However, tooth loss is becoming more a reality for people as lives get busier and oral hygiene is overlooked.

 

Dental professionals and health organizations stress the importance of brushing and flossing the teeth. This is vital if you actually want to keep your teeth. Sadly, studies show that only 3 in 10 millennials brush their teeth every day. Only 65% of adults see a dentist each year, and that doesn’t mean they’re doing it the recommended 2 times. Many people only brush or floss once a day instead of twice. Examples such as these lead to the high tooth decay and tooth loss statistics in the United States:

  • About 92% or more of people have had their teeth decay by the time they reach adulthood.
  • Skipping brushing and flossing leads to decayed teeth and gum disease, with the latter affecting more than 64.7 million American adults.
  • When gum disease (inflammation of gums due to bacteria and plaque) gets severe, it leads to tooth loss. At least 120 million Americans are missing at least 1 tooth.
  • 3.75% of American adults are missing all their teeth. Total tooth loss is referred to as “edentulism”.
  • That percentage equals 36 million Americans without teeth.
  • The estimated future tooth loss count is 200 million for the U.S., according to the American College of Prosthodontists.

 

An upper and lower denture mold on a white background.

Dentures for Total Tooth Loss

If you lose a tooth due to tooth decay, all is not lost. However, you don’t want that empty space in your mouth, as the opposing tooth could grow longer to fill the space. Other teeth may start to fall out from the lack of tooth support. Consider dental implants (a replacement tooth secured with an implant) to replace teeth that go missing. When total tooth loss happens, consider getting dentures.

 

Dentures are not only for those who are elderly, but for any patient affected by disease and decay. Dentures are custom-made appliances for patients that want their smile back, plus the ability to talk and eat like normal. Our dentures come in both partials and full sets, which means you can have complete upper or lower jaw dentures that replace your natural teeth. You can also get dentures for half of your jaw, if needed. Opt for dentures when you have enough tooth loss that it would be impractical to have an implant in every single place where a tooth has been lost. You don’t want to do that 28 or so times in your mouth.

Denture Process

Toothlessness makes eating, biting, chewing, and talking incredibly difficult. It can cause a very poor quality of life. Dentures come in two different options for patients and can help increase their quality of life for decades to come. You come in for your dental consultation and we do a full dental examination and dental cleaning. We will treat areas of gum disease and tooth decay as best as we can and take measures to make your gums healthy enough to support dentures.

 

Mouths significantly affected by gum disease may have gums that are way too mushy to support a dental appliance. This is why you want to continually see a dentist for dental problems to avoid your disease from getting to that stage. Partial dentures can be placed in a separate appointment after molds of your mouth have been taken. These provide artificial teeth secured in artificial gums, which prevent the remaining natural teeth from shifting over time. We attach the partials with clasps that anchor to your neighboring, natural teeth. They can be removed and placed back in the mouth with ease.

 

With full dentures, we must replace an entire set of your teeth in the upper or lower jaws. These dentures can be removable (ones that you take out each night), or they can be secured in your mouth with metal posts. The type you choose will depend on your needs and your level of health. Your custom molds are fitted to your mouth in a separate appointment. The suction the form-fitting dentures have is what helps hold them fast to the gums in the jaws.

 

A patient having a dentures consultation with a dental professional. The professional is taking notes on a clipboard paper.

Oral Hygiene Prevents Oral Health Diseases

Did you know that tooth decay is actually considered a disease by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)? The National Institutes of Health describe tooth decay as the most “chronic, prevalent disease” in the United States among both adults and children. This is concerning, as many people don’t even realize that cavities are a big deal. However, once a tooth has decayed, that part of it is lost. Once a tooth decays too much, it has to be removed or it falls out. Millions of Americans live with both tooth decay and gum disease, not realizing that it can make them painfully toothless in the years to come.

 

Good oral hygiene can prevent those tooth loss problems from happening to you. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, for 2 minutes at a time, covering all tooth surfaces really well. Floss 1-2 times a day, scraping your teeth as you go to remove stuck-on plaque. Use mouthwash to kill mouth bacteria and fluoride to strengthen the teeth. Don’t forget to schedule exams and dental cleanings with a dentist at least twice a year as well. You can do this by calling Dr. Ania’s office at 303-443-0998!

Posted: November 20, 2018 By: Comment: 0

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