How Does Being Sick Affect Your Oral Hygiene?

27th February 2020/in General Information /by Yvonne Poole

Being sick is never a nice thing. Thankfully, it doesn’t happen very often, but in some cases it’s just unavoidable. A stomach bug, eating something that doesn’t agree with you or even a virus can all make you feel nauseous at any point. But during and after the whole unpleasant experience, it’s important to know how nausea can affect your oral health, and how to best take care of your mouth when you’re not feeling well.

Vomiting

No one likes vomiting – but it happens. When you do vomit, the bile, acids and contents of your stomach coming up through your mouth can cause damage to your teeth, gums and throat. So when you do vomit, you need to make sure you take care of your mouth afterwards (even though it’s the last thing on your mind).

What To Do After Vomiting

You should avoid brushing your teeth right away after vomiting, since stomach acid weakens the enamel on your teeth, and brushing them right away can cause the enamel to erode. You should make sure you rinse your mouth with water, and then with mouthwash, and then around half an hour after you’ve finished vomiting, brush your teeth as normal.

It’s worth mentioning here that the odd vomiting episode probably won’t cause any permanent damage. But frequent vomiting from medication or illnesses like bulimia can have a very negative effect on your oral health. Dryness, soreness, redness of the mouth and tongue, chronic sore throats and erosion of your enamel. This erosion increases the risk of decay, causing more sensitivity and cavities.

Over time, frequent vomiting can cause more severe erosion that actually changes the way your upper and lower teeth come together, and you could even end up losing some teeth. If you’re vomiting a lot, or frequently, make sure you see a doctor.

Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is an uncomfortable thing that everyone can get from time to time, or it can be a chronic condition that causes real problems. It’s caused by gastric fluid and stomach acid being regurgitated into the oesophagus, causing heartburn and discomfort (since stomach acid is highly acidic).

Acid reflux can be caused by an underlying medical condition, or it can be caused by lifestyle choices and habits like alcohol use, smoking, fatty and acidic diets, medication or your eating habits.

How Acid Reflux Affects Your Teeth

The acid can also make its way into your throat and mouth, and splash onto your teeth, and this is where more permanent problems happen.

This acid attacks the enamel on your teeth and causes it to erode. When you have an acid reflux episode, you should avoid brushing your teeth until at least half an hour after it’s finished since the acid will still be in your mouth. If you suffer from acid reflux a lot, it’s worth talking to your dentist to see if they can provide any long-term protective treatments.

Anti-Nausea Medications

This might seem counter-intuitive, but anti-nausea medications can also affect your oral health just as badly as vomiting sometimes.

If you suffer from frequent bouts of nausea, then your doctor might prescribe you something to help settle the symptoms. While most medicines will have side effects, most people don’t realise that some of them will impact your oral health. For example, dry mouth is a common side effect of many drugs, reducing the amount of saliva in your mouth. This is quite uncomfortable, and it can cause the tissue in your mouth to become angry and inflamed, which increases your risk of gum disease, tooth decay and general infection. Certain medications can also cause your gums to swell and give you mouth ulcers, which makes your mouth an attractive breeding ground for bacteria.

How To Avoid Dental Problems Caused by Nausea

Dental health is a year-round commitment, and it’s especially important when you’re not well. It might feel like the last thing you want to do, but when you’re vomiting and exposing your teeth to stomach acid, you need to stay on top of your dental hygiene. Drink lots of water, don’t brush your teeth right away, and make sure you follow up with your doctor if something doesn’t feel quite right.

Feel free to get in touch now if you’re worried about your teeth & general oral hygiene and need some advice.

How Does Diabetes Affect Your Oral Health?

26th February 2020/in General Information /by Yvonne Poole

Diabetes is something that’s incredibly common in our society. It’s estimated that around 4 million people in the UK are currently diagnosed with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. That’s 6% of the population, or 1 in 16 people. So the odds are that you know someone with diabetes. You probably also know that there are some fairly common health concerns that go along with diabetes – everything from foot damage, skin conditions and eyesight problems to cardiovascular disease, nerve damage and higher risk of strokes. But there are some slightly smaller, everyday health issues you probably don’t know about – one of which involves teeth. Today, we wanted to explore how diabetes can affect your oral health, and how you can protect it.

Dry Mouth

One of the lesser known symptoms of diabetes is dry mouth. Studies done by the ADA have shown that people with diabetes produce less saliva than those who don’t. This is why doctors use feelings of thirst as a part of the requirement for a diabetes diagnosis. Saliva is designed to help you break down your food, but to also keep your mouth moist and comfortable, and fight germs within your mouth. Saliva also prevents bad breath, and contains proteins and minerals that protect tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay. So overall, it’s important stuff. Having less of it means you will have less of all those good properties (putting you at risk for tooth decay and disease), and your mouth will feel dry, stiff and uncomfortable. Fight dry mouth by drinking lots of water, chewing sugarless gum and including more crunchy foods into your diet, as these really get the saliva going.

Tooth Loss

Diabetes can take a fairly hefty toll on your body, and that includes your mouth. Particularly with Type 2 diabetes, the risk of tooth loss is a huge problem. Studies have shown that diabetics lose twice as many teeth on average as those without the disease, and 1 in every 5 cases of total tooth loss is linked to diabetes. This is caused by a number of things, from poor sugar control to gum disease, tooth decay, or even nerve damage to the mouth area. Diabetics need to make sure they are having regular dental care to catch problems before they can spiral and lead to total tooth loss.

Changes in Taste

If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes, then you may have noticed a change in your sense of taste. Your favourite flavours might not be as rich as you remembered, or you might suddenly find you’ve lost your taste for the sweeter foods. It can be a disappointing symptom, but think of it as an opportunity to explore and experiment with different tastes, textures and spices. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new favourite food! Just make sure not to add too much sugar, or else you risk cavities and poor blood sugar control

Gum Disease

Did you know that there are more bacteria in your mouth right now than there are people on the planet? Most of these are living on your teeth, tongue and in your saliva, but if they decide to make their home in your gums, you could have problems, including gum disease. People with diabetes, especially those with poor sugar control) are much more at risk of developing periodontal disease (22% more, in fact). This chronic, inflammatory disease can destroy your gums, all the tissues holding your teeth in place and even your bones. And as with all infections, gum disease can cause your blood sugar to rise, making your diabetes even harder to control. This means that strict oral hygiene – including proper brushing, flossing and diet, is a must for diabetics.

At Appledore, we already treat patients who are suffering from diabetes. When you visit us, we’ll ask you to fill in a short questionnaire, which helps us understand your specific dental needs. If you tick ‘diabetes’, our dentists will spend time with you, answering questions, examining your oral health and creating a tailored oral hygiene plan designed to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible, for as long as possible. If you have diabetes and have any questions or concerns, please just get in touch with us today.

Dental Bridge or Implant?

7th February 2020/in General Information /by Yvonne Poole

Dental Bridge or Dental Implant?

A dental bridge replaces one or more missing or broken teeth with fake teeth, the bridge needs one or more real teeth on either side of the gap to hold the fake teeth in place.

Bridges may be fixed, which means that they are permanent, or removable, which means that you can take them out.

When Do I Need a Dental Bridge?

A dental bridge can you feel more comfortable with your smile. It can also enable you to chew normally. When you lose one or more teeth, it can affect your bite, causing pain or difficulty eating. Replacing those teeth prevents these complications.

You may need a bridge if:

a tooth is so decayed that it falls out or a dentist removes it
an accident or injury damages a tooth beyond repair
decay or infection is so deep within a tooth that neither a filling nor a root canal are sufficient

What is a Dental Bridge?

Your dentist may recommend a dental bridge to replace missing or broken teeth. A dental bridge can replace a tooth or several teeth. The fake teeth in dental bridges look and function like real teeth.

For a dental bridge, you need to see a cosmetic dentist who loves restoring peoples smiles and dental function and is adept at replacing missing teeth. There are many options for filling a gap in a smile, make sure you know all your options before your start treatment.

One option is to have a crown — a fake tooth attached to a small portion of real tooth that the dentist has ground down. If you have lost a tooth or the dentist has had to remove it, or if a crown alone is not an option, a dental bridge may be the best choice.

The term “bridge” refers to a structure that contains one or more fake teeth. The structure is often anchored in place with one or more crowns on either side of the gap in your mouth. For example, if you lose several front teeth, due to injury or decay, a dentist may use a bridge to fill in the gap.

You may not wish to have a gap in your teeth after having a tooth removed, as you need a tooth in that area for chewing or because of cosmetic concerns.

What Are Dental Implants?

For some people, a permanent dental implant is an alternative to a bridge. Dental implants are fake teeth that dentists surgically insert into bone in the mouth.

For others people, dentists recommend implants to help secure a bridge, particularly if many teeth are missing.

All the Appledore dentists are cosmetic and family dentists, they can advise you which treatment would be the best option for you. Implants at Appledore are placed by Dr Martin. If you need some advice, get in touch with our friendly dentists today.