April 2023 - Champion Dental

What Can a Dentist Learn About Your Non-Dental Health?

Posted on April 10, 2023 | by mel | Leave a Comment

Your Mouth Is Telling on You

It is common to think that your mouth and body are two separate entities. In reality, they are two parts of the same body. This means that what affects the body will, in some way, affect the mouth, too. Your oral health and overall health are connected. The opposite is also true. This is why a dentist can look in your mouth and detect signs of some diseases that you may not even know that you have.

Non-dental Problems the Dentist May Find

As the dentist looks into your mouth, they may discover several health problems. These problems may include:

Diabetes

One of the most common non-dental problems that will be evident in your mouth is diabetes. This health problem is widespread and as many as 7.2 million people have it but do not yet know it. When diabetes is present there could be several symptoms that can affect your dental health. They include:

Gum disease
Dry mouth
Oral thrush.

Gum disease needs to be controlled at the same time as diabetes. They interact with each other, but controlling gum disease will reduce the symptoms of diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes may also cause frequent gum abscesses, a lot of bone loss, and swelling rather quickly.

GERD

If your teeth are eroded and pitted, it means that you have GERD or acid reflux. When you sleep, the acid enters your mouth and can sit behind your lower front teeth for long periods. This erodes the enamel on those teeth and the dentist will easily notice it.

Osteoporosis

This health condition makes the bones get thinner and typically affects women after menopause. The usual symptoms are a stooped posture and back pain because of a collapsed vertebra. This medical problem can be detected by dentists because of loose teeth that are not caused by periodontal disease and if the individual maintains good oral health.

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is a serious problem that may be detected in your mouth by the dentist during an oral exam. Oral cancer cases are increasing due to the spread of the human papillomavirus – HPV. It can lie dormant for decades. When oral cancer does appear, treatment is needed quickly because it can spread fast. More than 53,000 people will be diagnosed with it this year and about 10,000 will die from it.

Kidney Disease

When your kidneys are working correctly, they will help your body remove waste products. If not, there will be a buildup of toxins in your body and in your mouth. The buildup may also affect your breath, which could give it a sweet smell or make it smell like urine. It can also cause you to have dry mouth – which could lead to gum disease.

How Poor Oral Health Affects the Rest of Your Body

When you do not take good care of your teeth, there will be a buildup of bacteria on your teeth called plaque. The plaque will soon form tartar if it is not removed often. As tartar is formed, the bacteria that can cause gum disease hides in it. Since tartar forms above and below the gum line, the bacteria will easily get access to your gums; and once there, it has access to your bloodstream. The bacteria produce acid and toxins that will irritate the gums, which will lead to gum disease.

In recent years it has been discovered that there is a strong connection between having gum disease and other severe health problems. Once in the bloodstream, it will result in buildups of bacteria and inflammation throughout your body and organs.

This can lead to many serious health conditions. It includes such problems as cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, dementia, early births, and many more. It is known that many patients (91 percent) that have heart disease also have periodontitis.

If you are wondering what a difference it makes to keep your teeth clean and free of gum disease, there are some statistics you should consider. People with periodontitis have a:

65 percent higher risk of developing dementia
53 percent greater risk of having a heart attack.

Periodontal Treatment

If you already have periodontal disease, it is best to see a dentist right away. It is not going to go away by itself. The CDC says that about 50 percent of adults over 30 have it. The dentist, or periodontist, will need to provide you with some treatments to remove it. In addition to medications, you will likely be given a non-surgical treatment called scaling and root planing. With the right treatment, periodontal disease can be eliminated, but some repair work may also need to be done.

If you have been avoiding the dentist for some time, it may be a good idea for a visit. This will enable you to get your teeth cleaned, checked for gum disease, and get a check on your overall health. You can get a dental checkup to ensure you have good dental health and non-dental health from Champion Dental Clinic, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas. We provide a wide variety of dental services and most dental insurance plans are accepted. To set up a consultation or to get more information about maintaining good oral hygiene for better health, you can contact us at (214) 747-0763.

How to Stay Comfortable After Oral Surgery

Posted on April 7, 2023 | by mel | Leave a Comment

Several Ways to Prepare Yourself to Cope

Many people fear going to the dentist for oral surgery because they know that they may feel uncomfortable afterward. While some discomfort will occur after any type of surgery, there are some steps you can take to reduce the pain and discomfort. This will help you to stay more comfortable when you are back at home.

About Oral Surgery

There are many types of oral surgery, so the type you receive may differ from what someone else experiences. Whether it is a wisdom tooth extraction, a tooth implant, oral maxillofacial surgery, or some other type of dental surgery, there will be some discomfort afterward.

In order to help relieve immediate pain, the dentist will usually give you some pain pills to use once the numbing medication wears off. With some types of anesthesia, you may need someone else to drive you home. With other types, such as nitrous oxide, you could probably drive yourself home.

Dental Instructions

After your oral surgery, the dentist will provide you with some detailed instructions that you need to follow for best results. Following them carefully will help you be more comfortable afterward.

Dry Sockets

After oral surgery, particularly after a wisdom teeth removal or another tooth, the clot in the empty socket does not heal correctly. This can happen if the clot becomes dislodged. If it does occur, it will often be a painful experience until it does heal correctly.

Preventing a dry socket means avoiding drinking through a straw and eating food that might disturb the clot. Smoking and drinking alcohol should also be avoided for at least 10 days. A dry socket is more likely to occur in women, in smokers, and in people who are using oral contraceptives.

Before Surgery

Before the surgery, the dentist will likely advise you to stop taking any vitamins or supplements about two weeks prior to the surgery. You may also be advised to take vitamin C because it will help with pain and healing.

After Surgery

If you had a wisdom tooth extraction, or a molar, you will likely be told to bite down on a piece of gauze. You will need to keep this in place for at least 30 minutes before replacing it with new gauze. If it continues to bleed, moisten a new piece of gauze a little and keep on replacing it about every 30 minutes. The bleeding may occur for as long as 24 hours.

If the bleeding continues to be rather heavy after some time, you can moisten a tea bag and put it on the site. Tea has chemicals in it that will help to constrict the blood vessels to help the bleeding stop.

Stick to a Liquid Diet

After the surgery, it is important that you continue to get a good amount of nutrition. The right kind of food will help keep inflammation down and will also aid in healing. During the healing process, you will be instructed to stick to drinking liquids and soft foods. You can eat soft foods such as pudding, blended soups or broth, mashed potatoes, applesauce, ice cream, smoothies, cottage cheese, and salmon.

You also want to avoid some foods. This list includes hot (eat cold or lukewarm foods) and spicy foods, foods with seeds in them, foods that are crunchy – such as potato chips, cookies, etc., and foods that are chewy.

Get Some Rest

Once you are at home, you should plan on resting and taking it easy. In some cases, the dentist or oral surgeon may want someone else to stay with you for a few hours after you go home.

Use Ice Packs

You may have some swelling in your cheeks and jaw. Place ice packs that are wrapped in a towel on the area that is swelling. As the swelling goes down, it will also help to relieve pain. In order to avoid damaging your skin, do not leave the ice packs on for more than 20 minutes, followed by 20 minutes off. Then repeat until the swelling goes down and you are more comfortable.

Rinse Your Mouth with Saltwater

You may be directed not to brush your teeth for a day or two. If so, the dentist may provide you with an oral mouthwash. Keeping your mouth clean is important in order to prevent infection. You may also use a saltwater mixture to rinse with, just add 1/4 teaspoon to an 8-ouce glass of water. You should also brush and floss other areas (unless the dentist directs otherwise) of your mouth, but be careful not to disturb the clot.

Keep Your Head Elevated

Staying elevated for about three days while you sleep is important because you will have more blood in the area when you lay flat, causing the wound site to throb. It will also help to reduce swelling.

One more step in being more comfortable after oral surgery is to get a dentist who is very experienced in the type of dental surgery you need. If in search of an experienced oral surgeon in Farmers Branch , call Champion Dental clinic at 214-747-0763 today

Can Protein Deficiency Induce Dental Bone Loss?

Posted on April 7, 2023 | by mel | Leave a Comment

Absence Of A Key Protein May Lead To Rapid Bone Loss

Recent research has discovered that the absence of a certain protein – tristetraprolin (TTP) – can lead to rapid bone loss in a human. The loss from this protein deficiency is rather severe, with the person possibly losing as much as 20 percent of oral bone loss in as little as nine months.

The Experiment

The study was published in the Journal of Dental Research, and mice were used in the experiment. There were three groups of mice, and one group did not have the gene. Another group had genes that produced an overabundance of TTP, and the other group produced a normal amount.

When the study was looking for protein deficiency symptoms, they examined the osteoclasts in the oral tissue. Osteoclasts are cells that break down bone. When the mice in the group were examined at three months, the group without TTP had already lost 14 percent of the bone in the jaw. They were also checked at six and nine months, the group without TTP had lost as much as 19 percent of their jawbone by that time.

Another key finding was that there were also some inflammatory conditions that had developed during the test. The mice without the protein had periodontitis, arthritis, eczema, and other conditions caused by inflammation. It was also discovered that the bacteria that normally occurs in the mouth of the mice had been altered, leading researchers to believe that a lack of the gene allowed the wrong types of bacteria – pathogenic types – to multiply out of their normal proportion.

The Protein Deficiency Result

You cannot know whether or not you have the protein deficiency of tristetraprolin unless you have a gene test. However, you can find out whether you or others in your family and relatives have periodontitis. This bad gum disease should be treated quickly if you have it. If your family has a history of it, then you should be going to a dentist regularly to help you know if it develops and to treat it.

About Periodontitis

Gum disease starts out as gingivitis, which is the mild form. It can usually be eliminated by brushing twice a day and flossing. The two symptoms are red and inflamed gums and gums that bleed when you brush them.

The main cause of gum disease is a lack of proper care of your teeth. If this pattern is allowed to continue, it will become periodontitis sooner or later. This will have the following symptoms:

Gums that bleed easily
Receding gums
Inflamed gums
Gums pulling away from the teeth
Pockets forming on gums
Pus at the gum line
Bad breath
Teeth becoming loose
Teeth falling out.

In some people, periodontitis can advance quickly. This may be because of other genes as well, but not having this gene means that care needs to be given quickly. Periodontitis will not go away on its own and you cannot get rid of it yourself.

Additional Problems

Besides the possibility of periodontitis, the person not having this gene is also at risk for osteoporosis. Other problems – possibly even more serious – are also at stake. Researchers have discovered in the past few years that there is a strong connection between periodontitis and other major health problems. The bacteria that cause periodontitis, along with the inflammation, have been found to be behind many other major diseases including cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, stroke, several types of cancer, and more.

Treating Periodontitis

Dentists have several ways to treat periodontitis, but it depends on how advanced it has become. There are four stages of the disease, with the last stage causing the teeth to fall out. Before this occurs, though, the ligaments that support the teeth, the gums, and some of the jawbone have already been at least partly destroyed by the bacteria and inflammation.

During treatment, the dentist must eradicate the bacteria and destroyed tissue and inflammation from the pockets on the gums. This may involve a non-surgical treatment (scaling and root planing) or surgical (pocket reduction) – or both.

After this has been completed, the dentist may need to do some restoration. If teeth have been lost, they will need to be restored – usually with dental implants. Other repair work may also be done, such as bone and gum grafts.

Whether or not you are deficient of the tristetraprolin protein, you still should take good care of your teeth and gums. At the very least, you should brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time. Then, you also need to floss. Avoid tobacco. Make regular dental appointments for checkups and cleaning, and let the dentist help you to protect or treat your gums for periodontal disease.

If you have periodontal disease from possible protein deficiency and have suffered dental bone loss Reach out to Champion Dental Clinic at 214-747-0763

oil pulling for oral health, champion dental specialist, texas

Does Oil Pulling for Oral Health Actually Work?

Posted on April 1, 2023 | by mel | Leave a Comment

It May Not Be as Beneficial as You Might Think

Everyone loves nice-looking teeth and no one wants gum disease that knows anything about it. Shortcuts are always being sought, and people will quickly flock to products or methods that sound like it will work to obtain these goals. Of course, new methods such as oil pulling are sought because you can do it at home and – let’s face it – dentists are not cheap!

The Coconut Oil Pulling Procedure

Coconut oil for teeth has been on the scene for a while now and using it for oil pulling is a continuing craze. People have been using this technique for centuries. It comes from an old Indian (Ayurvedic) folk remedy and it is claimed that it will pull out some of the toxins in your body, as well as destroy some of the bacteria in your mouth.

Oil pulling is a technique that involves putting a tablespoon of coconut oil (or sesame oil) in your mouth and then swishing it around for about 20 minutes. Because 20 minutes is usually too long to start with, go for just five minutes and then add a couple of minutes each time after that. After swishing it around, spit it out in the trash can because it will solidify in your pipes and can clog them. It has a melting point of 75 degrees F, which is about room temperature. Afterwards, you will want to rinse your mouth out two or three times with water, then brush your teeth.

The Claims of Oil Pulling

As you read over the claimed coconut oil pulling benefits, you will discover that there are many. They will vary from site to site, but you may find the following claims:

It helps with teeth whitening
It will reduce inflammation
It is good for treating gum disease
It helps prevent tooth decay
It strengthens your gums and jaw.

The Reality of Oil Pulling

In spite of the many claims of oil pulling, often given by famous people, there really is not any proof that it works. The primary reason is that very little research has actually been done on it. This means that there is no proof that it will actually help prevent cavities, whiten your teeth, or detoxify your mouth or body.

Because there is no official proof of its ability to improve your oral health, the American Dental Association does not recommend it for this purpose. Of course, if you wish to try it for yourself, you are free to do so, but it is advised that you do not try and use it as a substitute for brushing and flossing.

The bacterium that is in your mouth is there to stay. There are more than 500 different types of bacteria, and there are some that are considered harmful. In most people – except for those who have a weak immune system, or those who smoke or drink a lot – the bacteria is normally kept in balance in a healthy mouth. It is also unlikely that you will exterminate the potentially harmful bacteria without also destroying some of the good ones.

The Best Way to Improve Oral Health

When you want to improve your dental health, you do not want to leave out the traditional methods of brushing and flossing. Since plaque is constantly forming on your teeth, you want to be sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day. The best practice is to spend a full two minutes each time you brush to ensure a good job. You also want to floss each day, too.

Brushing and flossing are necessary because it enables you to remove the food particles, bacteria, and the acid they produce from the surfaces of your teeth. Without flossing, these three ingredients are left between your teeth, and together they make a good recipe for sensitive teeth and cavities.

Visit the Dentist Regularly

There really is no substitute for going to a dentist on a regular basis. The main reason is to ensure that your teeth and smile continue to look as good as possible. When a dental problem gets started, that is the best time to let the dentist fix it. If you wait, it is only going to cost more.

Dentists spot problems early, and this is important particularly in the areas of gum disease and oral cancer. Both can be treated from the start, and this also enables the potential damage to be minimized.

While you may want to try oil pulling for your own purposes to see if it will help you in any way, remember to take care of your teeth the traditional way to ensure that they last a long time. Your dentist can also provide you with many tips to help your oral health that are proven.

If you want proven methods for better oral health, Champion Dental Clinic, Farmers Branch , Texas can provide it. We provide a wide range of dental care services for all ages and accepts most dental health plans. For a consultation or dental checkup, you can contact our office today at 214-747-0763

Month: April 2023