our dentist has expertise in detecting many signs of oral infection, and a semi-annual dental exam is the best opportunity to leverage it. Some infections or severities of infection qualify as a dental emergency. But what kind of infection you have counts. If you develop any of the following symptoms, you should call in and ask about the case and severity of your infection!
FEVER
Fever is a sign of infection, and it’s a common bodily response when your immune system detects a virus or other microbe. But fever can result from your immune system detecting foreign bodies elsewhere, not just your mouth. Oral infections should give off several more symptoms on top of fever, many of them visible in your mouth.
GUMS REDNESS & BLEEDING
With infection comes inflammation, your immune system’s response to foreign bodies. When it comes to the naturally occurring bacteria in your mouth, a little is fine. But as this type of bacteria thrives, it produces plaque. Plaque is the acidic waste product of this type of organism, and the toxins within it trigger inflammation in your gums.
Early reaction to plaque amounts to gingivitis. If nothing is done, gingivitis can worsen and become gum disease. Gum disease (periodontitis) is extensive gum inflammation, leading to receding gum lines, and even loose teeth as inflammation penetrates deeper and begins to affect your bone.
To recover from these conditions, excellent dental hygiene forms the most important factor. Brushing and flossing daily are your first line of defence, as are consistent dental cleanings!
CAVITIES
Cavities are a sign plaque has burned through your enamel. If cavities make it to the fleshy inner part of your teeth, it can develop into an abscess, requiring root canals and dental crowns to deal with the inner infection. While fillings can solve the problem of cavities near the surface, the effects of tooth decay quickly morph into infection when they reach the center of your teeth.
TOOTH PAIN WHEN CHEWING & BITING
Tooth pain could be a sign of many things but, if the inner part of your teeth become home to bacteria, infection can set in. There are a couple of common ways we see this happen in our patients:
Tooth decay
Broken or cracked teeth
Each can lead to abscess, a serious bacterial infection. Abscess can happen in other places within the body, but within your teeth, they can become unusually painful. The inner parts of your teeth have very sensitive nerve endings, so pain there could result from infection. At this point, a root canal and a crown for each infected tooth might be your best hope.
GUM DISCOLORATION
Infection reaching near the roots of your teeth can manifest as gum discolouration. The perfect shade of gums might be rare, but if one spot is a dark shade and appears more discoloured than usual, infection near a tooth’s root might be the cause. Discolouration tends to indicate restricted blood flow or infiltrated plaque deep within affected teeth. It might take antibiotics to clear it, but if there’s decay causing the infection, a root canal and a crown might be required.
SWELLING IN THE GUMS
Swollen gums can also reflect infection at a tooth’s root. There might also be signs of inflammation, but it mostly demonstrates disjointed blood flow between root blood vessels and the pulp chambers of your teeth. This type of swelling can become more and more noticeable as time goes by. If left untreated, abscess can worsen and make a root canal necessary.
SWELLING ON THE HEAD & NECK
Swelling on the head and neck can indicate complications of a worsening abscess, as the infectious fluids enter your bloodstream. Chances are, if you’ve reached this stage, you have many other warning signs that should give you all the warning you need. At this stage of infection, your health could be in danger.
TROUBLE SWALLOWING & BREATHING
Trouble swallowing or breathing can indicate that the swelling is more internal than external. But either way, it indicates advanced complications of abscess, where the inflammation reaches past your mouth and into your head and neck. It could go hand in hand with swelling on the head and neck.
UNPLEASANT TASTE
Unpleasant taste is another symptom related to abscess, the presence of pus deposits that haven’t broken. But not all cases of infection are due to bacteria. Just as there are other microbes out in the wild, there could be several other microorganisms causing you oral infection.
LOSS OF TASTE
One example is thrush, an oral fungus, where a loss of taste and smell might replace an unpleasant one. Medical treatments like antibiotics, chemotherapy, and radiation can trigger outbreaks. In case of thrush, unsweetened yogurt or acidophilus can help restore your mouth’s normal bacteria.
PIMPLES OR BLISTERS
Another example are blisters forming at the back of your throat, leading to burst ulcers, easy caused by herpangina. This infection is caused by Coxsackie virus, Enterovirus, and Echovirus. Pimples on your gums could be a sign of internally leaking infected fluids moving within your gums. They tend to form at the back of your mouth and they can last 3-5 days, typically.
Signs of infection can seem overt, but they might also be a little subtle. After all, gum disease is a bodily reaction to out of control bacteria in your mouth—with the kind of inflammation you might expect from unusual infections. In case of abscess of your teeth, a root canal is your best bet. But other infections may require medications, surgeries, or special treatments.
Have you ever noticed a friend's bad breath while conversing with them? It's possible their breath wasn't the result of too much garlic at lunch, but rather something more serious. When you have a condition called perio breath, problems with your gums may contribute to bad odours in your mouth. Here's how gum disease and bad breath are connected and what you can do to prevent both of these oral issues.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
According to the Indian Dental Association, periodontitis (also called periodontal or gum disease) is a bacterial infection that destroys the supporting structures that hold your teeth in place. Gum disease may start as early as adolescence, though periodontitis is more common after the age of 30. If you have any of the below symptoms, it's a good idea to make an appointment with your dentist to check your gum health:
Bleeding, swollen or tender gums
Sensitive or loose teeth
Receding gums or teeth that appear longer
Pain when chewing or a misaligned bite
Bad breath
In its early stage, known as gingivitis, the damage to your gums may be reversible. However, once you've developed the more serious form of gum disease known as periodontitis, the breakdown of your gum tissues is irreversible.
The Connection Between Periodontitis and Bad Breath
According to the Indian Dental Association, Bad breath referred to as halitosis, is an unpleasant odour of the breath. Bad breath is caused by the decay of food particles that are not removed from the mouth by brushing and flossing. Oral bacteria use these particles as food and they produce waste that in many instances are compounds of sulphur. This is what produces the foul odour. Dental issues, such as gum disease or infection, can contribute to bad breath and make the issue more pronounced.
Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology notes that halitosis or bad breath is an oral health condition characterised by unpleasant odours emanating consistently from the oral cavity. The origin of halitosis may be related both to systemic and oral conditions, but a large percentage of cases, about 85%, are generally related to an oral cause. Causes include certain foods, poor oral health care, improper cleaning of dentures, dry mouth, tobacco products and medical conditions. Oral causes are related to deep carious lesions, periodontal disease, oral infections among others, and, mainly, tongue coating.
According to the Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology, microbial putrefaction of food debris, cells, saliva, blood leads to production of volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) that cause bad breath. Its oral cause includes disease, pathologic condition or malfunction of oral tissues. If the patient has developed periodontitis because of extensive plaque build-up, their perio breath can increase in severity.
A research study published in the IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences notes that the intensity of clinical halitosis has been revealed to be considerably associated with the amount of intraoral volatile sulphur compounds level and directly with periodontal health status. .
Treatment for Gum Disease and Perio Breath
According to the Indian Dental Association, periodontitis (also called periodontal or gum disease) is a bacterial infection that destroys the supporting structures that hold your teeth in place. Its treatment can be Scaling and Root Planing. Scaling involves removal of infected deposits like plaque, calculus and stains from the surface of teeth. While root planing removes roughened cementum and surface dentin that is impregnated with calculus, microorganisms and their toxins. Your dental specialist may also prescribe antimicrobial medications to control bacteria in the mouth. In more severe periodontal cases, you may need gum flap surgery or bone or tissue grafts to replace the oral structures lost to periodontal disease.
eDantSeva explains that Halitosis is perception of a bad odour / smell from the mouth, and you should seek medical consultation to treat the underlying systemic cause. Strengthening your oral care routine with tongue scrapers or mouthwash may be a good idea.
The good news is that maintaining a strong and consistent oral care routine will lower your risk of both gum disease and halitosis. Ensure that you follow these steps to keep your oral care in tip-top shape:
Brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
Floss once every day.
See your dentist for regular check-ups and ask about additional products to help control bacteria build-up in the mouth, such as a mouthrinse.
Sticking to a good oral hygiene routine will help you feel more confident not only about your breath, but also about the overall health of your mouth.
As the saying goes "prevention is better than cure". Visiting a dentist helps prevent different types of oral health problems. It’s incredibly important to visit your dentist on a regular basis. Normally, a person has to visit a dentist for regular checkups and cleanings at least 2 times a year.
There are situations when you may need to go to a dentist immediately. You may have dental issues that require fast and effective solutions.
If such issues arise, you need to see a dental professional as soon as possible. The big question is – when is it time to see your dentist? Let’s get the answer right away!
Today, we’ll talk about the situations when it’s necessary to see a dentist Hawthorn specialist urgently. Here are the signs that you need to go to a dentist immediately.
1) You Have Gum Problems
There are different types of gum problems. Have you noticed that your gums started bleeding? Or, maybe, you have bright red or swollen gums? In fact, such problems can arise for various reasons.
You may have gum problems if you brush your teeth too hard. Such a situation may also arise when food gets stuck in your teeth.
Swollen, sore or inflamed gums often mean that you have a dental problem. It can be a sign that you have dental issues, such as:
abscess
bone loss
gum disease
These types of dental problems require a quick and effective solution. Otherwise, the things will get worse. No matter what type of problem you have, don’t delay your visit to a dentist in Surrey Hills today.
Go to a dental professional if you see blood coming from your gums or if you have noticed that your gums are red or swollen.
A dental professional will analyse your gums carefully and recommend you the best treatment for your gum problems. Also, you will get recommendations that you need to follow to keep your gums healthy.
There are mild and severe forms of gum disease. It’s pretty easy to treat mild gum disease. When treating mild form of gum disease, you have to maintain good oral hygiene and visit your Tower Dental dentist regularly.
It’s more difficult to treat severe gum disease. Such a disease requires a special type of dental treatment. The treatment includes deep cleaning and scaling appointments. Also, it takes more time to treat severe gum disease.
2) You Have Bad Breath
Bad breath is another reason why you should visit your dentist in Mont Albert. Sometimes bad breath is caused by acid reflux and nutrition problems that require changes to a diet. In this case, you need to get a consultation of a gastroenterologist.
It’s also important to note that bad breath can be caused by a gum disease. If you find yourself in this situation, you need effective dental treatment.
Visit a dental clinic immediately if you have bad breath. Your dentist in Camberwell will determine if your bad breath is caused by gum disease, they will then provide you with the treatment that you need.
3) Visit a Dentist during Pregnancy
Pregnancy affects oral health. Hormones change during pregnancy. So, some issues may arise while you are pregnant. There is a direct link between low baby weight and dental issues.
That’s why it’s so important to see a dentist for checkups while you are pregnant. During your visit to a dentist in Deepdene, a professional will examine your oral health carefully. If any dental problems are found during the inspection, your Tower Dental dentist will fix them.
4) You Have Dry Mouth
Saliva plays a very important role in keeping teeth healthy. Saliva lubricates the mouth and keeps it healthy. If you have enough saliva in your mouth, food particles will be washed away and acids will be neutralized.
On the other hand, dry mouth can be a big problem for oral health. That’s why you should go to a dentist in Deepdene if your mouth feels dry.
People, who take antibiotics, have a dry mouth problem. A professional will recommend you a dental treatment that works for you and allow you to restore moisture and keep your teeth healthy.
5) You Experience Toothache
Toothache can be caused by different types of dental problems. Among the dental problems that can cause severe pain are: abscess, broken tooth, damaged filling and others.
And of course, the urgent help of a dental professional is required if you experience severe toothache.
Don’t delay a visit to a dentist. Your dentist Kew will determine the causes of tooth pain first and then solve your dental problems.
6) You Have a Broken, Cracked or Chipped Tooth
Broken, cracked or chipped tooth is an unpleasant look. It’s a problem that needs to be fixed quickly and efficiently. A problematic tooth has to be replaced as soon as possible. Go to a dentist and get a treatment immediately.
7) Your Filling or Dental Crown Has Fallen Off
As you probably know, the main goal of fillings and dental crowns is to protect teeth from infections. Fillings and dental crowns help prevent different types of dental problems.
Let’s say that your filling or dental crown has been lost. If this unpleasant situation happens, you need to get immediate dental help. In this case, a dental filling or dental crown has to be replaced.
We have just described some situations when it’s necessary to visit a dentist immediately. Do you have one of these symptoms?
One way to help achieve and preserve overall well-being is maintaining good oral health. This is because oral health issues can harm people’s quality of life. These conditions range from dental decay to gum disease, and can be inconvenient, painful, and expensive to treat. The good news is that with adequate care and oral hygiene habits, the majority of dental issues may be avoided.
Tooth Decay
Dental cavities happen when oral bacteria generate acids that erode the tooth enamel, which can result in increased tooth sensitivity, discomfort, and decay.
Prevention: Limit the consumption of sweet and acidic foods and beverages, brush your teeth twice a day, and floss daily to eliminate plaque from in between your teeth. Visit your dentist every six months for checkups and professional cleanings too.
Gum Disease
Periodontal disease, often known as gum disease, is an infection of the gum tissues that support the teeth. If left untreated, it can occur due to plaque buildup which can result in inflammation, gum recession, and even tooth loss.
Prevention: Practice good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily, using an antibacterial mouthwash, eating a balanced diet, avoiding tobacco products, and scheduling regular dental cleanings and check-ups.
Oral Cancer
Cancer that grows in the mouth or throat is referred to as oral cancer. If not identified and treated promptly, it can be fatal. Some symptoms of oral cancer include ulcers, growths, or abnormal patches in the oral cavity.
Prevention: Avoid tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption, limit sun exposure to the lips, maintain a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and visit your dentist regularly for oral cancer screenings.
Cracked or Chipped Tooth
A cracked or chipped tooth can happen for a number of reasons, including trauma, teeth grinding, or biting on hard objects. It may result in pain, sensitivity, and structural damage to the tooth.
Prevention: Avoid biting on hard objects like ice or hard candies, wear a mouthguard during sports activities, practice proper oral hygiene to maintain strong teeth, and visit your dentist if you have bruxism (teeth grinding) to prevent tooth damage.
Tooth Sensitivity
The discomfort or soreness that is felt after ingesting hot or cold meals and beverages is referred to as tooth sensitivity. It may be brought on by gum recession, exposed tooth roots, or degradation of tooth enamel.
Prevention: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and gentle brushing technique, avoid acidic foods and beverages, use desensitizing toothpaste, maintain good oral hygiene, and consult your dentist to determine the cause and appropriate treatment for your tooth sensitivity.
Bad Breath
Halitosis, or bad breath, can be brought on by a number of problems, including poor dental hygiene, gum disease, dry mouth, and even some medical disorders. It may have a substantial effect on social relations and self-confidence.
Prevention: Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly, cleaning your tongue, staying hydrated, avoiding tobacco products, limiting foods with strong odours, and visit your dentist to rule out any underlying dental issues causing bad breath.
Remember that treating dental issues requires early discovery and timely treatment. It is crucial to speak with a dentist near you if you have any symptoms or concerns about your dental health in order to receive an accurate diagnosis and the best course of action. You may have a healthy and beautiful smile by emphasizing preventative care and taking care of dental concerns as soon as they arise.
When it comes to caring for your smile, the first thing that may pop into your mind is brushing and flossing daily. While these are indeed key elements to practicing good personal oral hygiene, there are other specific do’s and don’ts to practice as well.
The 5 Do’s of Personal Oral Hygiene
The following five do’s of personal oral hygiene are for everyone, including adults and children of all ages.
1. Do Brush Your Teeth for Two Minutes Each Time
Rushing through your tooth brushing routine in the mornings and evenings will not provide the best results when it comes to clearing away tartar, food, and sugar residue.
Make it a habit to brush for at least two minutes each time you pick up your toothbrush. You may need to set a fun timer for children to help them brush the allotted time or provide some other incentive.
For those two minutes, take your time, go slowly, and apply only gentle pressure. Divide the time evenly between your front teeth and back.
2. Do Replace Toothbrushes Often
The longer you use a toothbrush, the higher the risk of bacterial growth. This growth can affect your breath, leaving you with halitosis without you even realizing it. Also, toothbrushes tend to wear out or fray and need replacing to be effective.
Your dentist or dental hygienist might recommend you replace your toothbrush at least every few months. If it will help, mark your calendar or set a reminder on your phone to alert you it’s time for a change. Keep a fresh supply of new toothbrushes on hand so you won’t have an excuse to wait.
3. Do Floss Daily and Other Times When Needed
Get into the habit of flossing teeth at least one time per day. Many people only think of flossing when they feel or see something caught in their teeth.
Flossing helps remove plaque, keep gums healthy, and clear out crevices in the mouth that are hard to reach.
Always keep floss with you, including in your purse, office desk drawer, or car glove compartment, to ensure you have it when you need it.
4. Do Choose Sugarless Gum instead of Hard Candy
Hard candy can be damaging to teeth in more ways than one. If you accidentally bite down, you risk the chance of chipping, cracking, or breaking a tooth. Also, since hard candy sits in your mouth longer as it dissolves, you have longer exposure to the sugar inside your mouth, and this can contribute to cavity formation and tooth decay.
Chewing sugar-free gum helps fight bacteria within the mouth and also freshens your breath at the same time.
For those experiencing dry mouth, sugarless gum can also increase saliva production that can help clear out sugars, acids, and tartar,
Chew for 20 minutes or so following a meal and increase your chances of warding off the development of tooth decay. This helps by boosting saliva levels, which can flush out leftover food particles until you can brush again.
5. Do Regularly Schedule Dental Exams and Cleanings
Even if you dread going to the dentist, it’s crucial that you regularly schedule your dental exams and cleanings.
During the exams, your dentist can identify any issues, from newly forming cavities to signs you grind your teeth while sleeping and need a mouthpiece to prevent it.
For cleanings, your dental hygienist will get into spots you miss with brushing and flossing and help limit the amount of tartar and decay build-up.
The 5 Don’ts of Personal Oral Hygiene
In addition to the do’s, there are also some definite don’ts.
1. Don’t Ignore a Toothache or Other Mouth Pain
If you experience sudden or persistent tooth pain or other discomfort in the mouth, don’t ignore it. The cause could be something serious such as a broken tooth, infection, or a forming abscess. While taking an over-the-counter pain reliever or applying a topical gel can help temporarily, you’ll need to schedule an emergency appointment with your dentist to get behind the real reason for the pain and find the best treatment.
2. Don’t Brush Too Hard
While it may seem that brushing harder will get your teeth cleaner, it actually can be damaging. While tooth enamel is considered the hardest substance in the body, continual hard brushing can wear it down and also cause your gums to draw up or recede, exposing more of the tooth root.
To help, always use a soft-bristled toothbrush or switch to a powered toothbrush.
3. Don’t Reach for Acidic Foods or Beverages
While you already know that sugary treats are bad for your teeth, acidic foods and beverages are as well. These acidic foods and beverages can erode your teeth’s enamel over time, making them more sensitive and also darken their appearance due to exposure of the underlying dentin layer.
Acidic food and drinks, such as tomatoes and tomato products, citrus fruits and juices, and pickled foods, contain a lower pH level, and this may be what causes an acidic reaction on teeth.
4. Don’t Forget Your Mouthguard
If you participate in any sports that involve contact, talk with your dentist about wearing a mouthguard for protection against serious dental issues. Always wear your mouthguard each time.
5. Don’t Treat Swollen, Sore, or Bleeding Gums on Your Own
Your gums are essential parts of your oral health, and when they become swollen, sore, or bleeding, you need to schedule an exam with your dentist. You may have periodontal disease forming or advancing, depending on your particular circumstances.
Your dentist has different treatment options depending on your needs and can help your gums heal. If left to progress to the more serious form of gum disease, you are at higher risk for tooth loss.
Your body has a way of sending you signals when it needs help. A headache is often the first indication of dehydration. Fatigue could be a sign of sleep apnea. As long as you pay attention to the messages your body provides, you can identify and reverse problems before they take control of your body.
Your oral health is no exception! We tend to think of our mouth as a separate entity from our body, but the truth is that oral health and general wellness are closely linked together. If you have an unhealthy mouth, these signals are trying to let you know.
Bad Breath… All Day Long!
Chronic bad breath, also known as halitosis, can develop for a few different reasons, but the main trigger is poor oral health.
As soon as you eat or drink, food particles breakdown all around your teeth. If you don’t brush and floss regularly to remove food remnants, they accumulate into a thick coating of plaque that spreads over your teeth, tongue, and gums. Odor-causing bacteria thrives inside this plaque and emits the foul odor we call “bad breath”.
Your eating habits have the power to reduce or aggravate bad breath because they directly influence the types of particles that cover your mouth until the next time you brush and floss.
Bad breath sounds like it would be easy to identify, but many people can’t assess the odor of their own mouths. If you suspect that halitosis is influencing your oral health, you can ask a close friend or spouse to check your breath and give honest feedback. You can also perform a breath test yourself by licking your wrist, giving the saliva time to dry, and then smelling it.
Your oral hygiene habits set the pace for your mouth health. If you’ve been slacking on your brushing and flossing, you can begin to improve your oral hygiene habits with these techniques:
Brush and floss at least twice a day
Scrape your tongue each morning with a tongue scraper
Replace your toothbrush every two to three months
Start oil pulling
Drink plenty of water
These simple yet effective steps will prevent bacteria from building up and generating a foul odor.
Sensitivity to Hot and Cold Foods and Drinks
The sensation caused by sensitive teeth is nearly impossible to describe, but there’s no mistaking that awful zinging feeling whenever you drink something too cold or hot. In addition to the pain it causes, sensitivity is also a sign of an unhealthy mouth.
Factors like brushing too hard, overuse of acidic beverages like soda and coffee, and excessive use of whitening products all expose tiny canals that lead right to your dental nerves. As soon as anything hot or cold reaches the nerves, you experience a “zing”.
Gum disease is also known to cause severe tooth sensitivity since gums recede from the teeth and lose their support system. If you have gum disease, you also probably have excessive plaque in your mouth, which also erodes tooth enamel and exposes nerve endings.
There are a few ways to treat sensitivity teeth, but it’s important to ask for your dentist’s advice before you choose:
Desensitizing toothpaste
In-office fluoride treatment
White fillings or crowns
Root canal
Laser gum therapy
Chronic Sinus Infections From an Unhealthy Mouth
The bacteria that live in your mouth and gut are responsible for maintaining balanced immune responses throughout your body. This means that the health of your mouth directly impacts the strength of your immune system.
If you always seem to be coming down with a cold or sinus infection, that could be your body’s way of sending SOS messages Anything that harms or alters the microbiota communities in your mouth or digestive system has the potential to trigger immune dysfunction that leads to chronic sinus infections.
Improving your unhealthy mouth will create a direct improvement on your sinuses as well.
Dry Mouth
You have three main salivary glands and hundreds of minor salivary glands that are responsible for producing saliva in your mouth. Saliva is essential to the health of your teeth and gums, so when you develop dry mouth, it puts our oral health in danger.
Consider the roles that saliva performs:
Neutralizes acids in the mouth
Washes away food debris, bacteria, and other lingering toxins
Keeps the mouth moist and hydrated, even while eating dry foods or exercising
Breaks food down with enzymes and carries it from the mouth to the gut.
Bombarding your mouth with potent sugars and acids all day, every day compromises your mouth’s ability to produce saliva. This leads to a dry, unhealthy mouth.
Remain alert for these possible dry mouth symptoms:
Chronic bad breath
Cracked lips and inner cheeks
Difficulty tasting foods
Pain and inflammation on the tongue
Frequent tooth decay
Trouble speaking, swallowing, and chewing
The feeling of sticky or stringy saliva
Dry mouth can be treated in a few different ways. The first step is to improve your general oral health with more frequent brushing, flossing, and dental appointments. Adjust your diet to nutritious, wholesome foods, and switch to medications that don’t cause the side effect of dry mouth. If those changes still don’t resolve your dry mouth, ask your dentist about other professional treatments.
Tooth Discoloration From an Unhealthy Mouth
Poor oral care is a common cause of tooth discoloration. If you fail to brush and floss regularly, it’s all too easy for bacteria, acid, and plaque to accumulate and harden into tartar. Plaque and tartar both create an unsightly yellow coating around your teeth that leads to other issues like bad breath, decay, and tooth loss.
Fortunately, it can all be avoided with better oral hygiene! The simple actions of brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist twice a year help prevent discoloration before it begins.
Digestive Issues
The mouth is so much more than another part of the body. It’s where everything begins. There’s a direct and powerful link between oral health and whole body wellness.
As the entry point to the digestive system, the condition of your mouth directly influences your gastrointestinal health. This explains why poor oral health is shown to contribute to inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
When an unhealthy mouth becomes overwhelmed by pathogens, oral bacteria can constantly move into the gut and trigger serious complications. Some strains of bacteria found in unhealthy saliva are even resistant to antibiotics and believed to trigger intense gut inflammation.
For many patients, keeping their mouth healthy is as easy as brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentists. However, your oral health is connected to your overall health, and many medical conditions can negatively impact your oral health. If you want a healthy body and mouth, check out these six medical conditions that could impact your oral health.
1. Diabetes
Uncontrolled and untreated diabetes can cause havoc throughout your entire body, making it harder to heal from wounds and infections. For this reason, if your blood glucose levels are not controlled, your risk of developing gum disease drastically increases.
Gum disease can eventually destroy your gums, teeth, and jawbone. Plus, uncontrolled gum disease can actually worsen your diabetes by affecting your blood glucose levels. Other complications from diabetes include thrush, dry mouth, fungal infection, and ulcers.
2. GERD
Gastroesophageal acid reflux disease (GERD) can cause you to have an excess of stomach acids. These acids back up into your esophagus and your mouth. Not only can this be extremely uncomfortable by creating a burning sensation in your stomach and throat, it can also destroy your teeth.
Your tooth enamel is the strongest substance in your body, but stomach acid is caustic. The more stomach acid gets on your teeth, the quicker it erodes the enamel, which allows tooth decay and infections to arise.
3. Bulimia
Bulimia is a condition in which patients often force themselves to vomit after a meal. As with GERD, this allows stomach acid to reach the teeth, which can destroy them. However, so much acid in your mouth can cause other problems too.
Many patients with bulimia also have dry mouth, chronic sore throat, bleeding gums, and soft palate damage. Treating the underlying cause is essential to stop the condition, but while you seek recovery, you and your dentist can work together to help protect your teeth and oral health.
4. Anemia
Patients with anemia don't have enough red blood cells, which is a major problem because red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body. With fewer red blood cells, less oxygen is reaching your body's tissues, and the gums is one of the first places you may notice signs and complications.
Anemia gums are often pale instead of pink, and with reduced blood flow, fighting off infections and sores can be difficult. If you have anemia gums, you may experience pain in the tongue, redness, or a swollen tongue/glands.
5. Thyroid Conditions
Even if your thyroid isn't working correctly, it can negatively impact your oral health. One of the leading complications with thyroid conditions is an elevated risk of gum disease. Dry mouth can further exacerbate the issue and cause cavities.
Some patients may also experience an enlarged tongue, which can affect how you speak, and it may pose a choking risk when sleeping. Finally, some patients experience distorted tastes, such as losing their sense of taste completely.
6. HIV/AIDS
HIV and AIDS impact the immune system, making it less effective at fighting infections. As with diabetes, HIV/AIDS can affect nearly every part of your body, including the mouth. First, you may notice dry mouth or thrush, which can be irritating and lead to gum disease.
However, many HIV/AIDS patients also experience white lesions, red band gingivitis, ulcerative periodontist, outbreaks of herpes simplex, canker sores, and mouth ulcers. Because HIV/AIDS slows the immune system, your oral conditions may take longer to heal.
While brushing and flossing is imperative to keep a healthy smile, many conditions can increase your risk of oral complications.
(02/26/2024) by New England Dental Health Services
Researchers at the University Of California San Diego School Of Medicine believe they might have found a link between migraines and the composition of our oral “microbiomes.” The researchers investigated oral and faecal bacteria after noting the reported link between eating foods containing nitrates and migraine episodes.
The connection need not be mysterious. Nitrates found in food and drinks can be transformed into nitrites by bacteria in the mouth. And, if the conditions are just right, there’s nitrites can become nitric oxide. We already know that nitric oxide has headaches as a side-effect – four of five heart patients using nitric oxide complain of headaches.
What the Researchers Found
There were definite differences between the abundance of certain oral bacteria in people who suffer migraines and their counterparts. However, nitrate reducing bacteria aren’t necessarily a bad thing.
The American Gut Health Project says that these bacteria could have a positive impact on heart health. And although there is clearly a link between the bacteria and migraines, academics warn that an intervening mechanism could be where the cause lies hidden.
Will Better Oral Hygiene Cure Your Migraines?
Regretfully, it’s unlikely that this new discovery points to a simple cure for migraines. We do know that the bacteria in our mouths have links, both beneficial and harmful, to our overall health. But since there is a feedback loop between oral health and physical health, it can be a chicken-or-egg question.
However, researchers believe that medications that adjust the oral microbiome could be used in the future. They speculate that such medicines would need to be highly personalized, and would need to take overall physical health into account. After all, reducing nitrite producing bacteria to treat migraines could be risky for a patient with cardiovascular problems.
Your Mouth is the Gateway to Your Body
If your eyes are the gateway to your soul, then your mouth is the gateway to your body. New research shows how poor physical health impacts on the mouth while poor oral health impacts the body.
In the case of diabetes, gingivitis, and cardiovascular health, the link with oral bacteria has been established and is under further investigation. In migraines, a connection with oral bacteria must also be investigated more closely.
From a Practical Perspective
The newly-discovered link between migraines and oral bacteria is interesting and further reinforces the ways in which our oral health reflects and influences physical health.
In future, we might be making daily corrections to our oral microbiome to ensure that we’re in the peak of good health. For now, the best we can do is maintain good oral hygiene to make sure the “bad guys” are kept under control.
Already, the medical profession is recognizing the need for a greater amount of collaboration as we work on different facets of our patients’ health. As we learn more about the ways in which oral and physical health influence one another, it will be increasingly important for doctors and dentists to work as a healthcare team.
Daily oral maintenance is crucial to keep a healthy set of gums and teeth. It’s important to pay attention to the entire mouth as a whole. Doing this will provide a person with healthy teeth and gums, as well as a great smile.
Knowing the best ways to maintain a healthy mouth can be difficult because there are so many things out there that could be beneficial to the teeth, gums and the mouth as a whole. However, there are a few tools seem to stand out among the different options, and today we will briefly go over them.
3 tools that every dentist recommends
While going to a dentist office for a visit would ideally be the best way to maintain optimal dental health, it isn’t possible to visit the dentist every day. Below are the top 3 tools that dentists advise to use when attempting to maintain good oral hygiene and gum health.
1.- Toothbrushes
Toothbrushes may seem like an obvious tool to have for maintaining a good oral hygiene routine, but what the toothbrush does during the process is what matters the most. A toothbrush is one of the most important tools to utilize because it controls the main cleaning of the teeth. The bristles scrub the enamel clean of any plaque or leftover food particles, ensuring that there isn’t any buildup on the exterior of each tooth.
It’s important to know the proper way to brush your teeth. Applying too much pressure could cause damage to the enamel, leading to erosion or decay. However, applying too little force may not be sufficient enough when cleaning. Instead, it’s best to use a firm amount of pressure and move the brush in circular motions, ensuring that every side of the tooth is cleaned.
2.- Floss
Again, while flossing may seem like an obvious tool to utilize, it’s actually about how the floss is used when attempting to maintain the best dental health. Flossing can be a tedious task for some people, while others may enjoy the intricateness of getting between every single tooth. Whether flossing is enjoyable for you or not, it’s a significant step in maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
Flossing allows for any food that’s been left behind to be dislodged, then removed from in between the teeth and gum lining. Individuals that don’t floss may experience discomfort in the gums or teeth when food is stuck. Dentists advise that flossing be done daily to ensure that the particles don’t begin to build up.
3.- Mouthwash
Mouthwash isn’t as common within dental routines. Some people believe that skipping out on mouthwash is okay because they are caring for their teeth. However, it is actually very important for mouthwash to be incorporated in your oral health routine. The wash typically contains active agents that destroy bacteria and halt infections. It’s a crucial step in maintaining proper oral care because it doesn’t just keep the teeth and gums healthy — it also keeps the mouth as a whole healthy. If rinsed and used regularly, the antiseptics within the mouthwash can prevent bad breath, gum diseases and infections from occurring.
Dentists are constantly working on new ways to evolve the dental industry. They are always seeking out better ways to keep oral health in the most optimal place. Maintaining a healthy dental routine including brushing, flossing, and mouthwash and other oral hygiene steps should keep someone in good shape.
While no one ever hopes to get a toothache, it's an important symptom to pay attention to. It may be a message from somewhere else in your body alerting you that something is wrong. In some cases, pain that feels as if it's coming from your teeth could be a sign of a different problem. When the pain in another area of your body transfers to your teeth, dental professionals call this referred tooth pain. Let's go over how this happens, the causes of tooth pain, and what you can do to treat typical tooth pain and referred tooth pain.
How Does It Happen?
As noted in the Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (JDAPM), a lot can happen to pain signals along their transmission route. When neural networks along a pain route get modifications, it can lead to you feeling pain in one part of your body when it's actually a result of an issue in another part of your body.
Other Causes of Toothaches
Referred tooth pain can be due to a host of other reasons, such as respiratory illness, recent dental work, problems with the heart or lungs, or certain neurological conditions. Let's go over a few critical causes of referred tooth pain:
If your upper teeth are painful and your nasal passages are congested or tender, your toothache may be due to sinusitis. The roots of the upper teeth lie close to the sinuses, and if your sinuses become inflamed due to an infection, you may feel the pain in your upper teeth.
If you've recently received a filling, you sometimes feel pain in another tooth. Your toothache moves from one tooth to another through pain signals, but the discomfort usually goes away within one or two weeks.
As noted by Mayo Clinic, a tooth abscess can cause referred pain. For example, if you have an abscess in an upper tooth, pain can radiate to the lower jaw and even to your ears and neck.
As noted in JDAPM, headaches can also be a cause of tooth pain. Known as neurovascular headaches, they can manifest as migraines or cluster headaches. When referred to the teeth, they're called neurovascular toothaches.
A serious but less common source of referred tooth pain is the vagus nerve, which passes near your heart and lungs. Before it reaches your brain, the vagus nerve also passes through the lower jaw. A toothache is occasionally a sign of a problem with the heart or lungs. These are either known as a visceral toothache if the pain originates in your internal organs or a cardiac toothache if it's from your heart.
Neurological conditions, like trigeminal neuralgia, can also affect nerves that lie in the teeth, face, and skull. Inflammation of these nerves can feel like a toothache.
Tooth Pain Treatments
When tooth pain strikes, it can often be so uncomfortable that you need immediate relief. We recommend scheduling an appointment with your dental professional as soon as you can. While you wait, you can try at-home remedies to get some relief. Your dental professional will check if an underlying issue with your tooth is causing you pain, such as a cavity, abscess, or injury. If they determine that your toothache is from a non-dental problem such as sinusitis, they'll refer you to a medical professional for proper treatment. Your doctor will also be able to determine if you're experiencing referred tooth pain.
Because it's challenging to figure out on your own what your referred tooth pain could mean, seeing your doctor is always your best option. They will be able to investigate the common causes of referred tooth pain, such as migraines, issues with your heart or lungs, and other internal organs. Depending on the ability to locate the specific area of pain in your mouth, your doctor might figure out where your pain is being transferred from. This investigative work can begin with a referred tooth pain chart that shows which areas of the face may hurt because of another issue in the body.
Although your tooth pain may not be due to dental decay, you should continue your top-notch oral care routine! This includes brushing your teeth twice a day, using floss, a water flosser, or another interdental device to clean between your teeth, and rinsing away any remaining bacteria with a mouthwash.
A toothache isn't something you can afford to ignore. If you have a painful tooth and are not sure of its cause, visit your dental professional right away. They can determine if your discomfort is due to an oral issue or if it's signaling another problem with your health. While it's essential to be in tune with your body's aches and pains, this type of investigative work usually requires a professional!
