Day: January 27, 2023

why gums recede dfw tx

Why Your Gums Are Receding

Posted on | by mel | 7 Comments on Why Your Gums Are Receding

The real reasons that you may not even think of

why gums recede dfw tx

When you have receding gums, it is often an indication that there is a problem. It reveals that your gums are not as healthy as they should be, and your oral health is declining. Healthy gums are necessary to help protect your teeth.

 

Symptoms of Receding Gums

Looking over your gums, there are some easy-to-spot symptoms that will help you know whether or not they are healthy. Some symptoms that reveal that your gums are in the early stages of gum disease include:

  • Bleeding gums 
  • Bright Red Gums
  • Bad Breath
  • Swollen gums
  • Increased sensitivity

 

Why You Should Stop Gum Decay

A receding gum line is often just the early steps to periodontitis. Unless it is treated and action is taken to stop it, it will gradually become worse. With the right conditions, it can quickly become serious. 

Gum decay is caused by bacteria in the mouth that is out of control. Normally, the good bacteria, a healthy diet, and saliva keep it under control. As the bad bacterium multiplies, it produces an acid that starts to work on the gums and teeth. Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly can remove the plaque (the bad bacteria) that forms on your teeth.

Without the proper dental care, pockets will begin to form on your gums before long. This provides the perfect hiding place for the bacteria to grow colonies – and produce more acid. This is called periodontitis. As the pockets become larger, it starts to break down the structures that hold your teeth in place, and the bone, and your teeth start to become loose and will eventually fall out. 

As your gums recede, it exposes the roots of your teeth. Prior to receding, the gums offered some protection for the roots, but as they recede, cavities can form on them and they become more sensitive. 

 

Inflammation and Other Disease

Researchers now know that the inflammation caused by gum disease is behind many potentially serious health problems. It can lead to heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, a stroke, and many more.

 

Causes of Receding Gums

Before you can start to treat gum disease, you need to know what may be the cause of it. Some causes include:

  • Poor care of your teeth – A lack of regularly brushing your teeth and flossing will lead to gum disease. 
  • Grinding your teeth – If you grind your teeth (bruxism), you have an increased chance of developing gum disease. 
  • Brushing too hard – Brushing vigorously can wear away your gums, leading to gum recession. Using a toothbrush that has hard bristles can do the same thing. 
  • A gum injury – Trauma to your teeth can also help promote gum disease. 
  • Hormonal changes – Changes in the level of female hormones can help gums to be more likely to develop a disease of the gums. 
  • Illnesses – Various diseases can lead to the faster growth of the bacteria that causes gum disease. This includes diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, and leukemia.
  • Genetics – It is possible that your genes may actually make you inclined to gum disease. WebMd says that as much as 30 percent of the population may be in this category, and how well you take care of your teeth may not prevent it.
  • Misaligned teeth – When your teeth are not aligned properly, it makes cleaning them more difficult. This often results in leaving food particles between your teeth – allowing bacteria to multiply and cause decay. 
  • Poor nutrition – Vitamins and minerals are necessary for the strengthening of your teeth and gums. Eating or drinking a lot of sugary foods provides food for the bacteria that causes gum disease. 
  • Obesity – Being overweight makes it harder to control gum disease.
  • Medications – Some medications will cause dry mouth, which encourages bacterial growth.
  • Drug abuse – Drug abuse generally promotes gum disease because the acids in them are strong, and those on drugs rarely take care of their teeth. 

 

Types of Gum Treatment

If you have a mild case of gingivitis, you can probably get rid of it by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing. You will need to do it regularly to succeed.

If you already have pockets forming along the gum line, you will likely need to see a dentist for treatment. Periodontal treatment will be needed to stop it and repair the damage. Remedies include:

  • Non-surgical: medications, scaling and root planing.
  • Surgical: flap reduction surgery, gum grafting, soft tissue grafts, and bone grafting.

 

Preventing Receding Gums

The best way to prevent your gums from receding is to carry out a regular program of brushing for about two minutes at a time – twice a day, and flossing. This will usually eliminate the early stages of gum infection. 

If you are staying in and around Farmers branch , do call our clinic Champion Dental at 214-747-0763 for more information on gum disease treatment, and treatment for receding gums

Oral sex cause oral cancer dfw tx

How Oral Sex Can Cause Cancer

Posted on | by mel | 2 Comments on How Oral Sex Can Cause Cancer

Can You Really Get Mouth Cancer from Oral Sex?

Oral sex cause oral cancer dfw tx

Cancers today are still very common. Research indicates that one of the oral cancer causes is having oral sex. Although there are other possible causes, such as smoking and drinking, there is strong evidence that getting HPV in the mouth can lead to some people getting throat cancer. 

 

The Cause

The truth is that oral sex is not believed to be the actual cause of oral cancer – at least not directly. According to Medical News Today, what actually happens is that the HPV virus causes changes in the cells that it infects.

The changes affect the genetic material in the cells so that it produces more infected cells. Over time, the infected cells may become cancerous – but not necessarily. Most people who have the infection are not apt to get oral cancer. The body will often remove the HPV infection in about 90 percent of the cases, and it will do it within two years. 

 

The Risk Factors

Several risk factors will increase your chances of getting throat or neck cancer from oral sex. The primary factor is having oral sex with multiple partners. Having six oral sex partners raises your risk by more than three times. The more partners you have, the more likely it is that you will get a throat or neck cancer. 

Men are more likely to develop an HPV-related throat cancer than women. This may be because women have a natural immunological response to it while men do not have. 

 

HPV and Oral Cancer

In an article by the New York Post, oral cancer is on the rise, largely because incidents of HPV are increasing. In tests of men with cancer of the mouth, those who had oral sex with more than 10 women had a rate of 14.4 percent of getting HPV. Of the people who had oral cancer, 70 percent of them also had HPV.

 

Signs of Oral Cancer

Catching throat cancer early is important – just like for any other cancer. The sooner it is detected, the sooner treatment can be initiated – and the less time it has a chance to spread. 

There are several throat cancer symptoms in men. When you have cancer of the throat you may have: difficulty swallowing, a frequent cough, a sore throat, pain in your ear, changes in your voice, a sore or lump that will not heal, and possible weight loss. 

 

Oral HPV Symptoms

When you get HPV, which is an STD, usually from vaginal, oral, or anal sex, it can remain inactive for weeks to years. Some people, the Oral Cancer Foundation says, never have any visible symptoms. Many more people have it than are aware of it. 

Testing positive for HPV does not at all indicate that one partner is having a sexual relationship on the side. HPV can remain dormant for decades. It is quite possible that the other partner has it but never knew it. The CDC reveals that as many as 80 percent of people in the United States will get it at some time during their life. Currently, it is believed that about 79 million people have HPV now. 

 

Reducing the Risk

The risk of developing oral cancer can be reduced by taking some precautions, which means reducing your risk of getting HPV. The first one is to have just one sex partner for a lifetime or limit yourself to one partner who only has sex with you. Another way to cut down the risk is to use condoms carefully, but they do not totally eliminate the risk. A third measure is to get an HPV vaccine. 

Another way to reduce your risk is to stop smoking, which can also cause oral cancers. Drink alcohol only in moderation or not at all. Eating more fruits and vegetables may also reduce your risk, because of the many antioxidants in them. 

Tests for HPV have not yet been developed that are accurate, and the percentage of people who will be actually harmed by it is rather small. Because of the lower rates of incidence of this type of cancer, money for research to detect HPV is limited, and it may be some time before there are any better tests available. 

 

Discovering It Early

In most cases, the first one to detect the symptoms of oral cancer is usually the dentist. A dentist is trained to be able to recognize symptoms of oral cancer, and may even notice it before you do. This is clearly one advantage of going to a dentist for regular checkups. 

During the exam, the dentist will feel your neck and throat for lumps. Throat cancers are often first discovered as lumps in the throat – in swollen lymph nodes. This type of cancer is often not diagnosed until it is already advanced. It is also the fastest growing cancer in men who are between 25 and 55. It usually responds well to surgery and radiation. 

If you want to be checked for mouth and throat cancer, you can visit the Champion dental office at Farmers Branch, Texas.