Monday, October 24, 2011

Colorado Dentists and the Four Benefits of a Healthy Mouth

This article describes the many benefits of having a healthy mouth, from great oral aesthetics and a confident smile to a reduced risk of certain chronic illnesses.

Here’s something to think about the next time you contemplate skipping your evening brush and floss. A healthy mouth not only provides one with great self-confidence, but according to Colorado dentists it also has fantastic benefits for your long term general health and well-being! So, without further ado, here are the four benefits of maintaining a healthy mouth:

1. Colorado Springs Dentists: A Beautiful Smile and a Healthy Self-Confidence

The most immediate benefits we think of when talking about having a healthy mouth are clean white teeth and healthy pink gums. And these are precisely what make a smile beautiful, says Colorado dentists! So, when you brush and floss your teeth think about how every minute spent dedicated to maintaining a rigorous home oral hygiene routine is going to ensure that you achieve and keep a beautiful smile. Poor oral hygiene not only causes tooth discoloration and decay, but it also results in an array of diseases and conditions that cause tooth loss. And there is no greater death sentence for a beautiful smile than missing teeth, say Colorado dentists. Maintaining a healthy mouth is essential if oral aesthetics and fresh breath are important to you. Self-confidence naturally comes from feeling healthy and vital and this has all sorts of positive ramifications in both one’s social and professional life, say Colorado Springs dentists.

2. Colorado Springs Dentists: Reduced Risk of Heart Disease

A relationship between the health of the mouth and that of the heart may sound rather abstract, but the link between gum disease and heart disease is well supported by scientific and medical literature, say Colorado dentists. By maintaining a clean and hygienic mouth, we can prevent tooth decay and gum disease - the latter of which is a chronic inflammatory condition - from wrecking our oral health. This in turn reduces our risk of cardiovascular problems, which include strokes, heart disease and arterial blood clots. Protecting your oral health really is important to your general health and well-being; say Colorado dentists and medical physicians alike.

3. Colorado Springs Dentists: Preservation of Memory

An even more abstract relationship is the one between oral health and memory! A study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry has shown that adults who maintained healthy mouths did far better on cognitive and memory tests than those who presented with chronic oral bacterial infections (gum disease and gingivitis). If your memory is important to you, then you’d better remember the ramifications of poor oral hygiene the next time you skip a brush, say Colorado dentists.

4. Colorado Dentists: Reduces the Risk of Other Inflammatory Conditions in the Body

Chronic and acute inflammation of the gums – as condition referred to as ‘periodontitis’ – shares important links with other inflammatory diseases in the body, say Colorado dentists. Poor oral health and hygiene has been shown to increase a patient’s risk of developing conditions and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes and pre-term babies also share links with lifelong poor oral hygiene.

Colorado Dentists: A Concluding Remark

By simply brushing and flossing twice a day and paying Colorado dentists a visit twice a year, you can avoid a whole host of debilitating and potentially fatal conditions and diseases. There is no excuse for poor oral hygiene. Speak to these Colorado Springs dentists today about how you can change your oral hygiene routine for the better today, and in doing so reap the benefits of a healthy mouth and a beautiful smile!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Your Questions Answered by the Dentist in Pueblo: Everything You Wanted and Needed to Know About Wisdom Teeth, PART 3

This article, part 3 of 3, provides answers to some of the questions frequently asked about wisdom teeth, their emergence, extraction and post-operative care.

In this, the final installment of a three-part article series on wisdom teeth, we shall answer the last of the questions frequently asked of this experienced dentist in Pueblo.

Question: Is the surgery required for the extraction of wisdom teeth complicated? Does it hurt?

Pueblo Dentist’s Answer: Extracting wisdom teeth can be a very simple and straight-forward procedure, says the dentist in Pueblo. It all depends on the alignment of the teeth and whether they are impacted (partially or fully trapped beneath the neighboring molar) or not. The presence of infection and abscesses can also make surgical extraction somewhat trickier, which is why it is so important for patients to seek consistent and regular attention from the dentist in Pueblo. Potentially problematic wisdom teeth can readily be identified using X-ray imaging, which allows the dentist in Pueblo to schedule their extraction before the patient suffers unnecessary pain, discomfort and complication. During the procedure, patients will either be sedated and receive a local anesthetic, or they will undergo general anesthesia. This depends upon whether the surgery required for extraction is invasive or not. Either way, the use of anesthesia ensures that the procedure is completely painless while the dentist in Pueblo will help the patient feel as comfortable and anxiety-free as possible. 

Question: What does the procedure for wisdom teeth removal involve?

Pueblo Dentist’s Answer: If the wisdom tooth is still encased in the jaw bone, then the dentist in Pueblo will make a small incision in the gum and remove the obstructing bone tissue. Frequently, the tooth is removed in small portions to make the operation as minimally traumatic on the surrounding tissue as possible. This lessens post-operative pain and discomfort for the patient, says the dentist in Pueblo. If the tooth has already emerged, then the extraction is straight-forward and can be completed in as little as five minutes per tooth. Remember, anesthesia and sedation are used to keep the patient completely comfortable and free from pain at all times, says the Pueblo dentist.

Question: What kind of post-procedural pain and discomfort can I expect after having my wisdom teeth removed? How do I care for it afterwards?

Pueblo Dentist’s Answer:

Post Operative Bleeding ~

There is usually a bit of bleeding from the sutured tooth sockets in the first 24 hours after having wisdom teeth removed, which is completely normal, says the dentist in Pueblo. This can be controlled by pressing some cotton gauze over the wound and biting down gently for around 45 minutes. The Pueblo dentist also urges patients to avoid rinsing, spitting and strong sucking actions (such as drinking through a straw). These actions may worsen the bleeding or even dislodge the clot, causing the wound to reopen.

Facial Swelling and Bruising ~

Facial swelling and bruising are also common for patients who have just undergone wisdom tooth extraction, says the dentist in Pueblo. Ice packs are given to patients to hold over their face and jaw during the ensuing days, and this reduces the pain as well as the swelling. Analgesics, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol), will be prescribed by the dentist in Pueblo to manage any post-operative pain and discomfort. For more complicated cases involving more invasive surgery, stronger pain medications and antibiotics (in the case of infection) may be prescribed.

Diet and Oral Hygiene Care ~

On the day of the surgery, it is recommended by the dentist in Pueblo that patients stick to a liquid diet (soups and blended vegetables or fruit) until the effects of the anesthesia have dissipated. Only soft foods should be eaten in the days following surgery. This, says the dentist in Pueblo, will ensure that the healing tooth sockets are not re-opened or damaged. Avoid alcohol consumption too; it clashes with the pain medication and prolongs healing. Lastly, continue to brush your teeth! Just do so slowly and carefully, making sure to avoid the molars directly in front of the ex-wisdom teeth. Gargle with warm, salty water in the first few days following surgery. According to the dentist in Pueblo, many commercial mouthwashes contain alcohol and other chemicals that may irritate the surgical wounds.

Most importantly, if you have any questions or are worried about your recovery, don’t hesitate to contact your Pueblo dentist! 

Monday, October 10, 2011

Your Questions Answered by the Dentist in Colorado Springs: Everything You Wanted and Needed to Know About Wisdom Teeth, PART 2

This article, part 2 of 3, provides answers to some of the questions frequently asked about wisdom teeth, their emergence, extraction and post-operative care.

Dentist in Colorado Springs

In our previous article post, this dentist in Colorado Springs began answering some of the questions that patients frequently ask about wisdom teeth. We took a look at how the third molars are actually an evolutionary remnant of a time when our diets were substantially different and ended off with an explanation on how you can tell when your wisdom teeth are emerging. In this article, the second installment of a three-part series, the dentist in Colorado Springs will continue to answer more of your pressing questions regarding this special time in you or your child’s physical development, starting with:

Dentist in Colorado SpringsQuestion: What kind of problems do wisdom teeth cause when they emerge?

Colorado Dentists’ Answer: Due to a lack of space in the jaw, our wisdom teeth can frequently be misaligned, say Colorado dentists. So, instead of emerging perpendicularly (straight down or up) from the jaw bone – like our other teeth – they can come out at an angle, either towards or away from the second molars or even outwards or inwards. The dentist in Colorado Springs has even seen cases where wisdom teeth emerge horizontally from the jaw! While this may not have much of an aesthetic impact upon a patient’s smile – because the wisdom teeth are not that visible – it can cause huge problems to the adjacent teeth, the underlying jaw, nerves and in fact, the entire dental arch. Over-crowding is a classic problem associated with the emergence of wisdom teeth, says the dentist in Colorado Springs.

Another problem to consider is this: when the third molars emerge, they force their way through the overlying soft tissue (the gums). This tissue then splits as the tooth crown works its way out of the jaw bone and this understandably causes quite a bit of pain and discomfort to the patient, says the dentist in Colorado Springs. But more than this, the flap of broken gum on top of the wisdom’s crown offers a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which thrive upon the food that gets easily trapped here. Since the entire area is very sore and tender, it makes it especially hard for patients to keep it clean, says the dentist in Colorado Springs. So, not only do wisdom teeth cause over-crowding, but they also greatly increase a patient’s risk of oral bacterial infection and tooth decay. Abscesses can form in the region too, which are extremely painful and full of toxins dangerous to the general health of the patient.

Question: I’m getting headaches that are radiating from my jaw. What should I do if I suspect that my wisdom teeth are emerging?

Colorado dentistsColorado Dentists’ Answer: Considering all the problems that wisdom teeth can potentially cause, it is very important that you seek the professional attention of the dentist in Colorado Springs if you suspect that yours are emerging. A simple X-ray will reveal whether the underlying cause to your problem is wisdom teeth or not. If this is the case, the dentist in Colorado Springs will recommend a course of action based upon whether there is enough space in your jaw to accommodate the extra teeth. If not, a date for their extraction will be set.

For more Colorado dentists’ answers to your frequently asked questions on wisdom teeth, stay tuned for the third and final article in this three-part series.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Your Questions Answered by Colorado Dentists: Everything You Wanted and Needed to Know About Wisdom Teeth, PART 1

This article, part 1 of 3, provides answers to some of the questions frequently asked about wisdom teeth, their emergence, extraction and post-operative care.

Colorado Dentist

At some stage during our late teens and early adulthood, usually between the ages of 17 and 26, an extra set of teeth can emerge right at the back of our mouths, behind the second molars. Due to their late appearance, says Colorado dentists these extra molars are referred to as ‘wisdom teeth’. Yet in spite of their rather flattering name, the third molars can and frequently do cause a whole host of problems in the mouth, including abscesses, over-crowding and infection. So much so that Colorado dentists frequently opt to extract these problematic pearly whites before they have a chance to cause the patient pain, discomfort and compromised oral health and hygiene. In order to understand what wisdom teeth are, why they require extraction and what this procedure involves, as well as necessary post-operative care, this three-part article series provides the Colorado Springs dentists’ answers to your FAQs.

Question: Why do we need wisdom teeth?

Colorado Springs dentistsColorado Dentists’ Answer: This may come as a surprise to you, but we actually don’t need our wisdom teeth, say Colorado dentists. The third molars are an evolutionary remnant of a time when our diets were dramatically different. A few thousand years ago, we were eating seeds, grasses and uncooked meat and this required us to have much larger and stronger jaws. Back then, there was ample space in our more robust jaws to accommodate wisdom teeth, but now, thanks to our diet of soft, cooked and processed foods, our jaws have become smaller and more gracile, say Colorado Springs dentists.

Much like the appendix is a redundant anatomical feature remnant of our diets thousands of years ago, so too are wisdom teeth. It’s evolution in action, say Colorado dentists! Unfortunately, these features can be far from dormant and can cause many health problems. In the case of wisdom teeth, Colorado dentists frequently recommend extraction to avoid the risk of infection and over-crowding in the dental arch. Interestingly enough though, there are many people that just never get their wisdom teeth. Are these people further along in the evolutionary chain than those that do? Well, that’s something to mull over in your next anthropology class!

Question: How will I know when my wisdom teeth are emerging or whether I have any at all?

Colorado dentistsColorado Dentists’ Answer: Emerging wisdom teeth can cause all kinds of recognizable symptoms, say Colorado dentists. Dull headaches that radiate from the jaw and a tenderness and swelling of the gums at the back of the mouth are red flags for emerging third molars, especially if you are in your late teens or early adulthood. Regardless of your age, however, you should be going for appointments with Colorado Springs dentists every six months and it will be during these check-ups that they take X-rays to determine what’s going on underneath the gums at the back of your mouth. If you have been experiencing any pain or discomfort, be sure to mention this to your dentist! Some people don’t get wisdom teeth at all, while some that do don’t experience any problems. However, it’s always best for Colorado dentists to keep a strict eye upon these potentially problematic teeth at the time they are expected to emerge. Prevention is better than cure!

Stay tuned for the second article in this three-part series for more Colorado Springs dentists’ answers to your frequently asked questions on wisdom teeth.