It might impress you to know that your mouth has over 6,000 taste buds, according to the American Psychological Association. What are circumvallate papillae, and what do they have to do with your taste buds? Where can you find yours? After reading this article, you'll have answers to everything you wanted to know about your circumvallate papillae (and probably more!).
Circumvallate Papillae: What You Should Know
Your tongue is a vital part of your biology that assists in eating, speaking, and tasting. You can thank taste buds for your sense of taste, which are found in the papillae on top of your tongue. Your mouth contains four different types of papillae that appear as small raised bumps on your tongue.
Your four types of papillae include:
Circumvallate papillae: Also known as vallate papillae, 7-11 of these are located on the backside of your tongue, containing over 100 taste buds each.
Fungiform papillae: Over 200 are found on the front side of your tongue and contain 3-5 taste buds each.
Foliate papillae: 10-14 are positioned on the side of your tongue in the creases that contain over 100 taste buds each.
Filiform papillae: Cover most of the top of your tongue and contain tactile receptors but no taste buds.
Your taste buds can detect five distinct tastes, including sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. What is the function of your circumvallate papillae? They’re especially sensitive to bitter taste and are involved in your gag reflex. Associated salivary glands release saliva (spit) and help regulate your circumvallate papillae.
Examination and Complications
As you’re unlikely to spend much of your time thinking about your taste buds or observing the back of your tongue when you’re feeling well, you may first notice your papillae when sick.
Their appearance may be striking and cause concern in some, even when they’re completely normal and healthy. It can be a challenge to get a good view of them due to their location on the back of your tongue towards your throat.
Inflammation or Swelling
Your papillae may swell due to various causes. It’s important to schedule an appointment with your dental or medical professional. They can help assess your papillae to ensure that it’s benign (harmless) and that you receive proper treatment.
Swollen papillae may be caused by:
Infection
Other health conditions
Allergies or irritants like spicy food
Burned tongue from hot food or drink
Smoking, tobacco products, or illegal drugs
Vitamin deficiency
Anxiety
Taste Disorders
Taste disorders can lead to a loss of taste, a change in the way food and drinks taste, or a persistent sense of bad taste. These conditions have a wide range of causes, and diagnosis will depend on your individual medical history, medications, and other health conditions.
Causes of changes to your sense of taste may include:
Improper dental hygiene
Medications (prescription and over-the-counter) and illegal drugs
Infection
Pregnancy
Neurological disorders
Exposure to chemicals
Other medical conditions
Rest assured that problems with taste are typically benign (harmless) unless you have other health conditions. We recommend scheduling an appointment with your dental or medical professional for specialized diagnosis and treatment.
Tongue Care
Your tongue is essential to everyday tasks like talking and eating, so it’s a good idea to attend to its health properly. Small steps can make a big difference, like avoiding harmful behaviors, practicing proper oral hygiene, and regularly visiting your dental and medical professionals.
Tips on how to care for your tongue and taste buds include:
Avoid smoking, tobacco products, and illegal drugs
Wash your tongue using a tongue cleaner or soft-bristled toothbrush
Brush your teeth for two minutes twice daily
Clean between your teeth once daily using floss or an interdental brush
Schedule visits with your dental professional at least every 6 months and medical professional at least once a year
Ensure that you’re taking the correct dosage of your medications and check in with your medical professional if you experience persistent changes to your taste
These unique biological structures help provide you with one of your five senses (and many peoples' favorite one!). While they sometimes can become inflamed or contribute to taste disorders, you can take powerful steps to prevent these problems from occurring in the first place. You've done a great job informing yourself on circumvallate papillae and their function.
An infected tooth is something you should take seriously. What seems to be a simple toothache could lead to more dangerous health problems if left untreated.
What is a Tooth Infection?
When tooth decay builds up, or when a tooth breaks, an infection can develop inside or under the tooth. The area most affected is the pulp which forms part of the tooth and has important nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue.
Whenever dental infection is present, there is the possibility of bacteria traveling from the tooth to the surrounding tissues and bones.
Symptoms of an Infected Tooth
A tooth abscess is the accumulation of pus that and infected tissue that fills the tooth. Symptoms of an infected tooth include:
Gnawing or throbbing toothache
Pain when eating
Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold
Sensitivity to pressure
Bitter taste in the mouth
Bad breath
Swollen neck glands
Swelling in the gum
Swelling in the jaw
Fever
An infected tooth can result in the spread of infection to nearby parts of the body such as the jaw, neck, sinuses, and even the brain.
3 Surprising Effects of an Infected Tooth
Sepsis
Bacteria from an infected tooth could spread to the blood and cause a medical condition called sepsis. Sepsis is a blood infection that commonly strikes people with a weakened immune system, such as patients in a hospital. Very young and very old people are also susceptible.
High fever and rapid heart rate are common symptoms of sepsis. Temperatures typically rise to 101.3 degrees Fahrenheit, while your heart rate zooms to more than 90 beats per minute. The patient also exhibits respiratory difficulty at 20 breaths per minute. Mottling of the skin and mental confusion are also signs that sepsis is progressing. Septic shock may happen if your blood pressure becomes too low.
Sepsis kills and disables millions of people every year. Early diagnosis and treatment are keys to survival. Physicians treat sepsis with antibiotics to kill the bacteria, and with vasopressors to bring the blood pressure back to normal levels. There may be a need for surgery if the infected area has pus.
Meningitis
Tooth abscess could lead to life-threatening meningitis. This condition is an inflammation of the membranes near the spinal cord and brain. If bacterial infection is left untreated, it could move to the bloodstream and spread to the spinal cord and around the brain. Meningitis can require lengthy hospitalization. Those with compromised immune systems have a higher risk of developing this condition.
Ludwig’s Angina
Ludwig’s Angina occurs when infection spreads to the throat and cause extreme swelling in the airway, leading to suffocation. Common symptoms include:
Difficulty breathing
Trouble speaking
Neck and ear pain
Fever
Weakness
Confusion
Fatigue
Ludwig’s Angina can be treated with antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria. In more serious cases, a breathing tube is inserted down the patient’s throat.
If you exhibit symptoms of an infected tooth, visit a dentist immediately. Do not wait for bacteria to spread to your jaw, neck, blood, or brain. Practice good oral hygiene to prevent tooth infections.
Chronic chapped lips are nobody's cup of tea, and sometimes no matter how hard you try dry skin (including the area around your mouth and lips) happens. While moisturizers are available to help ease discomfort you may feel from chapped lips, getting the right amount of essential vitamins and minerals in your diet daily may help prevent this troublesome problem from happening.
Symptoms of Chapped Lips
If you experience chapped lips from a nutrient deficiency, your lips may feel dry, crusty or cracked -- especially near the corners of your mouth. Your lips will probably feel rough, swollen or sore. Open sores may develop in cracked areas where the skin is broken.
Deficiencies That Cause Dry Lips
B vitamins are the main culprit when it comes to chapped lips, but any nutrient deficiency causing dry skin can be problematic. These may include vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, biotin, vitamin B3, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6.
Biotin (Vitamin B7) Deficiency
B vitamin deficiencies (especially biotin) can cause problems for your lips. For example, the University of Maryland Medical Center says getting too little biotin can cause dry scaly skin and cracks in the corners of your mouth. To help prevent this unpleasant side effect from happening, make sure you meet daily recommendations (adequate intake levels) for biotin, which are 30 micrograms for adult men and women, and 35 micrograms daily for breastfeeding women.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency, which is perhaps more common than biotin deficiency, is also a cause of chapped and cracked lips (also known as cheilitis), says a 2016 study published in BMC Oral Health. Older adults, vegan dieters, and people who don't properly absorb vitamin B12 have higher risks for developing B12 deficiency. That's why it's important to eat foods rich in vitamin B12 and have your blood levels checked if chronic chapped lips are causing problems for you. Adult men and women need at least 2.4 micrograms of B12 daily.
Iron Deficiency
Another nutrient deficiency that can lead to dry, cracked lips in the corners of your mouth is lack of iron, says a 2017 study published in the Indian Journal of Dental Research. Getting plenty of iron in your diet (or from a multivitamin supplement) gives you the best chance at avoiding dry skin and lips and helps prevent iron deficiency anemia-related fatigue. Men and women older than age 50 should aim for 8 milligrams of iron daily, and women of childbearing age need 18 grams per day.
Preventing Nutrient Deficiencies
The best way to prevent dry skin and cracked lips due to nutrient deficiencies is to eat a well-balanced diet packed with fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein foods, and healthy fats. Take a daily multivitamin supplement if your doctor recommends it. The Institute of Medicine provides recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) and adequate intake levels (AIs) you can use as a dosage guide to ensure you're meeting daily nutritional needs.
Treating Chapped Lips
While it's no secret that vitamin deficiencies (especially in B vitamins) can lead to dry skin and chapped lips, sometimes dry weather is the culprit. To treat dry chapped lips, use a daily lip balm or moisturizer. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends choosing a lip balm with a 30 sun protection factor (SPF) as a way to keep lips healthy and lower your risk for skin cancer.
If dental anxiety keeps you from taking care of your teeth, you could be jeopardizing your oral health.
Dental anxiety is anything from nervousness about visiting the dentist to a debilitating phobia that makes sitting through a dental exam nearly impossible.
Your dental health is an important part of your overall health. And if dental anxiety is preventing you from seeing a dentist twice a year, you’ve got a real problem. Without proper dental care, your teeth can develop cavities and infections that can spread to the rest of the body.
Dr. Shiva Salehi at Madison Family Dental Group wants to help you overcome dental anxiety that prevents you from taking good care of your mouth. Here are five tips that will help you overcome your dental anxiety.
1. Understand what to expect
When it comes to dental anxiety, ignorance is never bliss. You should know what to expect during your appointment, and why we do, what we do.
You can do a little research online before you arrive for your appointment, or you can ask Dr. Salehi to explain the procedures she’ll use to keep your mouth healthy. She may not teach you how to read a dental x-ray, but she will tell you why she takes x-rays, removes plaque from your gumline, and polishes your teeth.
2. Stay calm
It’s easier to prevent anxiety than to relieve it when it’s already happening. You probably already have ways to keep calm. Before your appointment, practice some relaxing yoga poses. During your appointment, you can try deep-breathing. If a stress-relieving device, like a fidget spinner, helps you keep calm, bring it to your appointment. You can also listen to calming music or a meditation app while we’re working on your teeth.
3. Bring a friend
Sometimes bringing a trusted friend or relative to an appointment can help you feel calm and safe. If there’s room in the exam room, that calming person can help you relax, maybe by just holding your hand. Even if there’s no room for your friend to come into the exam with you, he/she can help you stay calm in the waiting room. Waiting can be the most stressful part of the dental process.
4. Distract yourself
While waiting for your appointment, distract yourself with phone games, a good read, or doing a little work. Word games on your phone, which take a lot of mental power, can distract you from thinking about your dental fears.
5. Ask for help
You’re not the first patient with dental anxiety we’ve seen. Don’t be afraid to ask us for help when you arrive. We want you to feel comfortable, and we know how to put you at ease. But we can’t help you if we don’t know you’re suffering from fear. So, let us know that you suffer from dental anxiety when you book your appointment, or when you arrive at our office.
Don’t let dental anxiety keep you from taking good care of your teeth and mouth.
Oral health is about so much more than just the health of your mouth, teeth, and gums since your mouth is how most things get into your body. Because the mouth has about six million bacteria particles, it’s important to keep your mouth clean and implement a proper dental regime. Bacteria can have detrimental effects to your oral health. It can get into your bloodstream and cause infection and inflammation wherever it spreads. This is why it is so important to practice good oral hygiene and to see a dentist regularly in order to avoid serious risk to the body’s overall health.
Poor oral hygiene can lead to:
Cavities
According to Colgate, 60 to 90 per cent of people will get cavities (also known as caries) at some point in their life. Cavities are caused by excess plaque and tartar that live on your teeth. Once plaque forms, the acid wears away the enamel, the tooth’s hard outer surface, forming tiny holes in your teeth. These tiny holes or gaps in the enamel are the first stage of cavities. If left untreated, the acid and bacteria will continue to break down the layers of your teeth and start to affect the dentin, a softer layer of tissue under the enamel.
Treatment: The typical treatment for cavities are fillings, but if a tooth is badly destroyed your dentist may opt to remove or cover it with a dental crown.
Gingivitis
Between 50 and 90 percent of adults have gingivitis, which, if left untreated, leads to periodontal disease. Gingivitis is formed when food debris mixes with saliva and bacteria-forming plaque that sticks on the surfaces of teeth. If dental plaque and tartar aren’t removed by regularly brushing with toothpaste and flossing, it can become mineralized and form tartar. Tartar is very hard and can only be removed by a professional dental cleaning.
Periodontitis
Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below the gum line. Gums then separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that become infected. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Eventually, teeth can become loose and may have to be removed.
Viral Infections
50 to 80 per cent of all adults in the US carry oral herpes, which is a result of the herpes simplex virus. Oral herpes may cause blisters and ulcers on the tongue or gum, flu-like symptoms or no symptoms at all. Once you are infected, the virus permanently resides in your body. However, with proper care, the infection can stay dormant.
Cancer
Obviously, poor oral health practices such as smoking or using tobacco products can lead to oral and throat cancers, but other types of cancer have also been linked to gum disease. Risk for kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, and blood cancers is much higher for people who have poor oral health.
Oral health is an indicator of overall health. Taking care to prevent oral health problems like gingivitis and periodontal disease can go a long way toward decreasing the risk for more serious health problems throughout the body.
Your teeth are packed with nerves, which is why a toothache, while only affecting a small area of the mouth, is no small matter. The pain from a toothache can be debilitating, and it's usually the result of a deeper issue. A tooth infection may be the cause of your toothache, resulting in soreness, sensitivity, or sharp pains in your mouth. Understand the usual causes of an infected tooth and how to banish toothache pain with good oral care habits and the help of your dentist.
Signs and Symptoms
A sore or throbbing tooth is one of the first signs of a problem. Left untreated, what may have been an uncomplicated issue can become infected, resulting in pain, redness, swelling and a high fever that indicates your body is attempting to fight the infection. You might also notice a foul taste in your mouth or bad breath that won't go away with brushing or rinsing with a mouthwash. In some cases, you may have a broken tooth, but infections can often go undetected deep within the core of teeth, without any outward signs other than pain and swelling.
Some signs that a minor cavity has progressed to an infection include:
Some signs that a minor cavity has progressed to an infection include:
Throbbing pain in the tooth, jawbone or neck
Swelling in the cheek
Sensitivity to hot or cold
Pressure-related sensitivity
Fever
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
The Mayo Clinic warns that if you have both a fever and swelling, or you have trouble breathing or swallowing, you should seek medical attention immediately. This is a sign of a severe infection that may have spread into your jawbone and surrounding areas. If possible, contact your dentist for same-day treatment or ask your regular dentist for a referral to a dentist who can see you immediately. If you still can't see a dentist, go to the emergency room for care.
Causes
The American Dental Association warns that most tooth infections are the result of untreated tooth decay or a cracked tooth. When bacteria penetrate enamel, it can infect the tender nerves in the pulp tissue of the tooth, resulting in an infection commonly called an abscess. Abscessed teeth require treatment from your dentist and the longer you wait to seek treatment, the more complicated the infection may become. Any tooth can become abscessed because all of your teeth have sensitive tissue susceptible to infection, though according to Scientific American, people with molars that have deep grooves are more susceptible to cavities. In some cases, the infection can actually reach the jaw bone and result in the need for extensive oral surgery, so it's important to call for an appointment as soon as you suspect a possible infection.
Treatment Options
Your dentist will need to clean out the infection before repairing the tooth, which is called a root canal. Root canals require the drilling of the tooth to reach the infected area, the infection is removed and the canal is cleaned out with an antibacterial solution, and then a crown is placed over the tooth to protect the tooth. Root canals can be minor or major, depending on how long the infection has been active. Your dentist might also prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.
Prevention
No one wants to deal with the pain and disruption a tooth infection causes, which is why prevention is such an important part of your dental treatment plan. Broken teeth can't always be avoided, but cavities caused by poor oral habits can be prevented. Brush at least twice per day with a product like Colgate Total Professional Clean toothpaste, which fights germs for 12 hours. Brushing and flossing get rid of the bacteria that can infiltrate enamel and lead to dental decay (cavities). You can also prevent infection by seeing your dentist for regular checkups. There, he or she can use X-rays to locate potential cavities and weak spots and can address minor issues before they become painful infections.
Don't let a full-scale infection disrupt your life. If you notice that tell-tale sign of a toothache, it's best to seek treatment and take care of the issue ASAP or you could risk an infection getting worse. Practice good oral hygiene habits which will help to protect your smile from the harmful decay and bacteria that are responsible for painful infections.
Thousands of people suffer from kidney disease and do not realize they may also be subject to oral complications, such as infections and other health issues. In fact, one’s oral health status can be a reliable indicator of renal infections. Physicians often diagnose renal disease largely on the basis of this oral-systemic connection. Here are more reasons to become aware of this connection:
How Kidney Disease Can Affect Your Oral Health
A common oral symptom associated with kidney disease is bad breath, also known as halitosis. Many experience this side effect because of excessive urea in the bloodstream. Healthy kidneys filter out urea. When they are unable to do so, the excess, creates a foul odor.
Other Side Effects
Bad breath and oral issues are often only the beginning. Gum disease may also present, leading to the decay and loss of teeth. In addition, because patients with renal disease cannot adequately absorb calcium, the result can be the destruction of bone mass in the jaw.
Get Checked Today!
While monitoring blood pressure and urine composition, and controlling one’s sugar intake can help, it is best to get checked by a trusted medical professional. So start taking steps to ensuring your health today!
When you visit your local dentist and dental hygienist for regular oral checkups, you get the care you need to ensure your teeth and gums stay healthy. But some people live in areas without a local dental office. Or, some uninsured or low-income people might not seek dental care because of the costs. That's why some states are authorizing dental therapists.
So, what's a dental therapist? And what makes them different from dentists and dental hygienists? We'll clue you in on this particular dental professional, the types of procedures they perform, and if you'd be a candidate to see a dental therapist.
What's a Dental Therapist?
Just as your medical doctor might employ a physician's assistant to take on certain duties, some dentists engage dental therapists to expand their quality oral health care practice.
Licensed oral health care professionals, dental therapists attend accredited schools, taking rigorous classes alongside dentists and dental hygienists. Dental therapists also undergo supervised clinic practicums. Depending upon their education level – achieving a bachelor's degree as a dental therapist (DT) or a master's as an advanced dental therapist (ADT) – they can perform many dental procedures either unsupervised or supervised.
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Center provides a list of dental therapist responsibilities, including routine dental prevention and restoration care such as:
Take X-rays
Polish teeth
Fill cavities
Replace crowns
Extract baby teeth
Administer local anesthetic
Repair dental prosthetics
Make mouthguards
Provide oral care advice
Where Do Dental Therapists Practice?
Because dental therapists can provide basic dental care, they can work in a dental office or provide homebound care. But they usually practice where they're most needed, such as in the following communities.
Underserved Communities: Nearly 61 million people in the U.S. live in a dental Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). If you live in an HPSA, don't have dental insurance, or feel you don't have the money for dental care, you might seek the services of a dental therapist. Among the settings dental therapists practice are:
Tribal health clinics
Rural health clinics
Public or free health clinics
Underserved schools
Correctional facilities
Mobile health units
Community Facilities: If dental care is needed outside of the main dental office, dental therapists can be there. This can include practicing in nursing homes, veteran's hospitals, and school health offices.
The Pew Charitable Trusts notes that dental therapists practice in more than 50 countries and have done so for decades. But because the dental therapist role is a 21st-century profession in the U.S., most states haven't yet licensed the practice of dental therapy. Some states, though, are considering how these dental professionals can bridge the gap in care.
As of 2020, these states allow dental therapists to practice or have passed dental therapy laws or bills:
Tribal areas in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho
Minnesota
Maine
Vermont
Arizona
Michigan
Connecticut
Idaho
Nevada
New Mexico
Part of the Dental Team
Dental therapists don't receive the extensive training and clinical experience dentists obtain. But because they can perform certain advanced procedures, some dentists welcome dental therapists into their practice as procedural support.
Of course, some states require licensed dentists to directly supervise dental therapists as they perform certain procedures. Dentists must also diagnose an oral condition and authorize treatment plans – even if dental therapists carry out the treatments.
General supervision gives a wider scope of responsibility to a dental therapist. A licensed dentist must have prior knowledge of work performed but doesn't need to be present for all procedures.
Remember, it's always best to review preventive oral care with your dental team – your dentist, dental hygienist, and dental therapist – to help keep cavities and poor oral health at bay. And even if you live in an area where there's no dental practice, check with your state to see if they're authorizing or discussing authorizing dental therapists.
It's safe to say that everybody hates a toothache. Sometimes tooth pain just pops up out of nowhere and subsides, and sometimes it lingers and makes life miserable. The challenge with toothaches is that they generate from different places and for different reasons, making it quite a chore to find the bad tooth.
Sometimes, the issue starts inside the tooth in what is called an endodontic problem. Pain can emanate from this decay in varying degrees: sharp pain can make you wince, dull pain can feel throbbing, and a drop in temperature or even a gust of wind may cause you to grab your your jaw with the change in barometric pressure.
Other times the problem is periodontal, meaning that it starts in tissues surrounding the teeth. When plaque inflames the gum line, the gums can become infected and detach from the tooth. As the infection grows, the causes of mouth pain multiply, starting with inflammation and swelling of these sensitive tissues. If left unchecked by treatment, an infection in the gums can lead to actual bone loss, extending to the root tip of the tooth and its delicate nerve endings -- you bet that can hurt! Bone loss also results in the teeth becoming loose, and the movement of these loosened teeth can create oral pain as well.
An even bigger challenge is that the brain doesn't do well at distinguishing exactly from where mouth pain originates. Often, sweeping pain will feel as if it's emanating from a group of teeth; sometimes, the brain can't even distinguish whether the pain is actually coming from the upper or lower jaw.
When pain is carried from the teeth to the brain, it is delivered through the trigeminal nerve. One branch carries signals from the upper jaw, and one from the lower. However, once that pain reaches the brain, studies show that signals from the trigeminal nerve's separate branches trigger strikingly similar responses in various parts of the brain.
Although tooth pain usually stems from one particular tooth, the brain may only interpret a generalized pain signal. While the brain does a pretty good job of letting us know where the rest of our body is hurting, it seems that tooth pain requires a more refined and professional assessment to diagnose . Whether your toothache is from an endodontic or periodontal problem, treatments vary, and it is important to find the source of the problem sooner rather than later.
Some toothaches are only temporary; the pain recedes as the decaying tissue dies. This does not mean that the problem has gone away. It merely means that you are no longer sensitive to the tooth's changing health. If toothaches are ignored, endodontic problems can become periodontal problems, and the other way around. When pain warnings go unheeded, infections can result in tooth loss and advanced gum disease.
If you're experiencing tooth pain, you must have it checked out by a comprehensive general dentist before the problem gets out of hand.
When you first awake or after garlicky meals, your breath might not be as fresh as you'd like. But if your breath is consistently foul-smelling, it might be your hormones causing the issue.
Women are especially prone to a hormones-bad breath connection. Learn how pregnancy, menopause, and some contraceptives might play a role in hormone-related bad breath – and how you can deal with it.
Life Stages, Hormones, and Bad Breath
During certain stages in your life, you might be subject to changes or an imbalance in your hormones. And this can mess with the way your body reacts to bacteria or make you more prone to oral bacteria-breeding conditions.
Hormonal Birth Control
If you take a form of hormonal birth control, you're elevating the levels of certain hormones – estrogen and progestin – in your body to prevent pregnancy. The American Academy of Periodontology notes that some medications – specifically oral contraceptives – can affect your oral health by changing your body's reaction to bacteria. And this reaction increases your risk for gum disease and tooth decay.
Gum disease is a leading cause of – you guessed it – bad breath, thanks to the bacteria and decay it causes. So, if you've recently started or changed your birth control, it may be the culprit behind your bad breath.
Pregnancy
Throughout pregnancy, you'll experience a distinct shift in your hormone balance. The American Dental Association (ADA) reports that during pregnancy, hormones might alter your body and how it reacts to bacteria. This can result in increased instances of gum disease.
Menopause
If you're in the midst of menopause, you'll experience a lack of estrogen. This estrogen deprivation can result in unpleasant side effects such as hot flashes and mood swings. Another side effect that affects your oral health: dry mouth. This condition leaves your mouth ripe for bacteria to develop and grow, causing bad breath.
What to Do
Noticing a change in your hormones that seems to be causing bad breath? You might need to schedule visits to both your primary care physician and your dental office. It would also be a good time to step up your oral health care routine.
If Taking Hormonal Contraceptives: Check in with your prescribing doctor to inform them of your side effects. At this stage of life – or if you're pregnant or menopausal – ensure you take these steps to help kill the bacteria feeding off hormonal changes, which result in tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath:
Clean between your teeth daily with dental floss or another type of interdental cleaner.
Brush twice-daily with plaque-removing fluoride toothpaste.
Clean your tongue by gently scraping or brushing off bacteria.
Rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash.
If Pregnant: Continue to schedule dental checkups; it's essential to get regular dental cleanings to remove plaque and tartar. That will help you avoid the dangers of gum disease, including bad breath, gum disease, and even pre-term labor.
Make sure to discuss any concerns you might have with your OB/GYN. A study published in the journal JDR (Journal of Dental Research) Clinical and Translational Research states there's evidence of a connection between periodontal disease and some birth or pregnancy complications.
If Menopausal: Talk to your doctor about hormone therapies to help manage any unpleasant side effects of menopause. Your doctor might prescribe synthetic versions of hormones to help your body get back into balance.
The hormones-bad breath connection is another demonstration of how oral health affects your entire body – and vice versa. No matter your life stage, keep your medical and oral health care professionals informed of any hormone shifts. And set up a consistent oral hygiene routine. That way, you can make sure that you'll continue to have a healthy mouth and a great smile no matter what hormonal changes you undergo.
