Your Genetics and Your Dental Care

Do you ever feel that you have a harder time of keeping up good oral health than those around you? The unfortunate truth is that, even if you are diligent in your brushing and flossing, some people simply have genetic tendencies towards dental problems. These can come in numerous forms, including the following:

  • Some people have a genetic disposition to gingivitis. If many people in your family have suffered from gingivitis, you may have similar problems.
  • A bleeding disorder can be genetic, and such disorders have unfortunate implications on your dental care.
  • Crooked teeth can be the result of genetics. If there are a lot of braces in your family, you may need to get braces as well.
  • There are some disease that tend to run in families. Diabetes, for example, can be inherited from your parents, and has unfortunate effects on your oral health.

If you have a genetic tendency towards bad oral health, talk to our Auburn dentist. There are ways we can work to accommodate your problem and get the best out of your dental treatments.

Fostering Good Oral Health with Your Diet

What makes for a tooth-friendly diet? You probably already have a good understanding of what you’re supposed to not do, like eating lots of refined sugars and drinking a lot of soda. However, there are also plenty of “do’s” to be mindful of if you want to foster a strong and healthy mouth. Be sure that you are getting enough of the following in your diet, and you’ll have an extra edge in fighting off tooth decay and gum disease.

  • Calcium: You need calcium to rebuild your teeth. Good calcium sources include dairy products, fish, and tofu.
  • Vitamin D: Your body uses this vitamin to help absorb calcium. Get your vitamin D with brief periods of sun exposure.
  • Vitamin C: A lack of vitamin C can cause loose teeth, weak gums, and infections. Fruit is a good source of this vitamin.
  • Fiber and Whole Grains: Vegetables, grains, and other low-sugar, high-fiber foods serve to naturally scrub your teeth as you chew.

Talk to our Auburn dentist to learn more about how you can foster good oral health in your daily routine.

When Should I Pull Out My Child’s Loose Tooth?

Do you have a child with a loose tooth? This can be an exciting time for a child, but it can also be somewhat uncomfortable. After all, the looser your tooth becomes, the more difficult it can be to chew food. So, when is it appropriate to get in there and yank the offending primary tooth out?

In general, it is best to allow a tooth to fall out on its own. Your child’s mouth is a very delicate place, and it is difficult to yank out a loose tooth without doing unnecessary damage to the surrounding gums. If you are concerned that the tooth may come out at a bad time and be swallowed by your child, don’t worry; the tooth should be small enough that it will pass harmlessly from his or her system.

It’s only when a permanent tooth begins to come in under a tooth before it has come out that you should think about taking special measures. At this point, there is some risk of the permanent tooth coming in improperly. Talk to our dentist in Auburn to learn more about dealing with a loose tooth.

The Effects of Bulimia on Your Teeth

Bulimia is an eating disorder some people develop when they have an unhealthy fixation on staying thin. They will eat as much as they like at meals, but then purge the food from their bodies before it can be absorbed into their system. People who do this generally look much healthy on the outside, but they are suffering from serious malnutrition and other health problems on the inside, including problems with their oral health.

The big problem with bulimia, as it pertains to your mouth, is that it generally involves regurgitating your food multiple times every day. This exposes your fragile throat and mouth to the harsh acids of your stomach. Over time, it is destroying your tooth enamel, gums, and even your esophagus. It is therefore that bulimic individuals are known to lose teeth.

If you or a loved one struggles with bulimia, do the right thing. Seek out professional help to manage your eating disorder, and contact our Auburn dentist to get the best out of your teeth.

Whitening Toothpaste: Is it Worthwhile?

Keeping your teeth white is a constant struggle. With this in mind, many people turn to whitening toothpaste as a shortcut. After all, what better way to battle the subtle, gradual staining of your teeth than with a subtle, gradual whitening product? Unfortunately, if you are using a whitening toothpaste, you probably aren’t getting the effect that you were looking for.

If you look closely at the fine print on a whitening toothpaste, you’ll probably notice that it promises to whiten teeth “by removing surface stains”. This means that it is scrubbing away staining substances before they settle into your tooth, while the stains you already have remain largely untouchable. Any product that has the power to bleach away stains that have already taken hold is going to require longer exposure to your teeth than the two minutes you use your toothpaste for. Any bleaching substances in your paste is probably only serving to make your paste more abrasive on your fragile gums.

If you want to restore your teeth after they have been heavily stained, make an appointment with our Auburn dentist for a professional and effective whitening treatment.

Studies show Domestic Violence Linked to Poor Dental Health

It’s never good when a household is plagued with violence and hostility. When family members lash out at each other, it can cause stress, low self-esteem, and lasting emotional problems that can affect a child’s ability to relate to others for years to come. The damage doesn’t end there, either. Even your oral health can suffer when your home life isn’t what it should be.

This is according to a study conducted by New York University, which demonstrated that people from troubled households are at higher risk of cavities and missing teeth. Regardless of socioeconomic position, women exhibit an average of 3.5 more cavities, men an average of 5.3 more cavities, and children an average of 1.9 additional cavities for every above-average statistical increase in one parent’s aggression towards the other. This remained true for both verbal and physical domestic violence.

It is likely that this results from the toxic environment created by domestic violence. Such an environment is conducive of stress and depression, both of which undermine regular routines like brushing and flossing. Meanwhile, people in such situations have a tendency to turn to sugary comfort foods and binge eating.

If you live in a stressful household, do the right thing for your dental health. Our Auburn dentist can help to give you the proper dental care that you deserve.

Could Your Tea Give You Cancer?

Are you a tea drinker? If you are, you are probably enjoying many great nutritional benefits. A good tea sports powerful antioxidants and other agents that facilitate good health and a decreased risk of many cancers. However, if you’re not careful, it may actually be increasing your risk of throat cancer.

This is according to a number of studies, which demonstrated that people who reported drinking more than a liter of hot black tea were more likely to suffer esophageal cancer. Fortunately, it’s not the tea itself that is to blame, but the high temperature that it is served at. Tea of more than sixty-five degrees apparently puts you at a significantly higher risk, while tea over seventy degrees is far worse.

When you drink your tea, give it time to cool down first. If you allow it to sit for at least for minutes after you are done boiling the water, it will likely fall below sixty degrees. Meanwhile, always keep your appointments with our Auburn dentist to improve your chances of catching cancer before it becomes a problem.

Tooth Decay Goes to the Olympics

Now that it’s 2016, athletes throughout the globe are looking forward to the Summer Games in Rio. Unfortunately, many of these athletes are probably neglecting their oral health. This is according to observations made during the 2012 Olympics in London, where a surprising number of the participants were afflicted with some form of dental problem.

During the Olympics, it was found that nearly a fifth of the athletes exhibited toothaches, bleeding gums, cavities, or other problems. In some of the worse cases, these problems were so severe that they threatened to prevent athletes from participating in their events. Since many Olympians are otherwise peak physical specimens, what could be causing such a lack in oral health?

It would appear that the athletic lifestyle is not one conducive of healthy teeth and gums. This is due in a big part to the athlete’s diet, which is often heavy in carbohydrates. Carbs are sugars, and serve to promote tooth decay. Meanwhile, an athlete’s workout serves to dehydrate the mouth, which fosters further decay; some people will try to fight dehydration with sugary sports drinks, but this only makes matters worse.

If you fancy yourself an athlete, be sure to take particular care of your teeth. Call our Auburn dentist during normal business hours for more.

No Pain Does Not Mean No Cavities!

Some people will never go to the dentist’s office unless they feel pain. After all, they reason, why should they go through the effort if there’s nothing wrong with their teeth? This is a very unfortunate attitude, one which puts you at serious risk of debilitating dental problems.

The fact is that, when it comes to tooth decay, you’re most likely not going to feel any pain until your cavity has penetrated all the way to the soft pulp at the center of the tooth. Once this happens, you’re past the point where you can benefit from a simple filling and will need a full root canal.

Indeed, if you need a filling, the only way to know for sure is to have a dental x-ray. This is why it is so important to go in for a dental checkup every six months. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your teeth are healthy just because you don’t feel pain, and always keep your routine appointments with our dentist in Auburn.

Why Do Teeth Become Sensitive?

Are your teeth sensitive? There are many potential causes for this, some of which are more of a cause for concern than others. For some people, this is a sign of tooth decay or receding gums, and they may need to improve on their oral hygiene. For others, it’s a result of oral hygiene that may actually be a little too harsh.

Indeed, it’s entirely possible to go a little overboard with your dental care. Your teeth may become sensitive as the result of an antibacterial mouthwash or a tooth whitener. If you brush your teeth too much, you may be rubbing your gums away and causing them to become sensitive. Occasionally, you may experience some short-term tooth sensitivity after your regular dentist visit. In many cases, your sensitivity will not actually be indicative of a problem, and will pass without consequence after you stop using a certain product.

It can be difficult to identify the specific problem behind your tooth sensitivity. To learn more, consult our dentist in Auburn.