How To Choose A Dentist
Choosing a new dentist may be a bigger decision than it seems at first glance. A relationship with any healthcare provider is a high-trust venture. But dentistry’s unique. Most of the time spent with a dentist involves their hands in a very personal space: Your mouth. And you ‘re allowing them to complete treatment that’s often difficult for you to evaluate from a technical perspective. You also trust they’ll tell you exactly what you see and what they recommend. So, how to choose a dentist takes a little thought. Also, remember — can Find Local Dentists Online or Post Your Dental Question Online at DentalChat.
Dentists are highly-trained, licensed professionals with a background in many of the same fields as a physician. In fact, dentists generally complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year university before being selected for dental school. Then they spend four more years in a rigorous classroom, laboratory, and clinical curriculum. A board exam, including treating live patients, allows them to obtain their dental license. Often they complete crowns, fillings, cleanings, and other procedures with strict evaluation by examiners on every step. New graduates often continue on to a General Practice Residency, specialty training, or other advanced education programs.
What Makes the Difference?
After all this background training, you expect that all dentists are capable practitioners. By and large, that’s true. But differences in personalities, interests, and specific skills can differentiate dentists over time. Most importantly, some dentists continue to add hundreds of hours of education to their annual training. Others choose to complete the bare minimum.
At the end of the day, the goal is to find a dentist you feel comfortable visiting. If you’re new to an area or you haven’t seen a dentist in a while, that can be challenging.
Tips For Choosing the Right Dentist For You
Here are a few thoughts to consider when you’re looking for a dentist. Often you’ll use a combination of methods to end up in the right chair.
- Ask Around. Word-of-mouth is tried-and-true. It’s hard to beat the experiences of others, and your family or friends will usually be straightforward with you about their dental experiences.
- Check Reviews. These days, online reviews work whether you’re buying a toaster or choosing a dentist. You can check Yelp, Google and more. Find Dentists Near You and Ask Dentist Questions Online at DentalChat.
- Check Facebook Pages and Websites. If you’ve heard about a dentist, go to their social media and scroll through it. Spend a little time on their website and meet the team, watch their videos, etc. You’ll get a feel for the practice.
- Use Online Services. Services like DentalChat maintain vast networks of dentists who are interested in seeing new patients. You can chat with dentists, ask questions, and inquire about appointments in your area on a secure platform. This is a good way to find a dentist to learn more about using the other methods above.
We have many great local dental blogs on Dental Chat. Here is a link to Oral Cancer Blog and Mouth Cancer Discussion online with us. Regardless of the way you go about choosing a dentist, it’s important you find one that fits your style, comfort, budget, and trust. Remember, if you’re not satisfied with your first dentist, you can always try another one until you find the right fit!
Why Get A Partial Denture?
If you’re missing one or more teeth, it’s always worth exploring your options for replacement. A set of teeth work together to function in very specific ways. As a group they’re really looking out for each other, sharing the heavy load of chewing. When front teeth step outside the role of tearing food and end up grinding it like molars do, the wear and tear can accelerate their demise. Or if one side is intact and the other side is full of gaps, you can guess which side will do all the chewing and absorb the extra burden. On top of the functional problems, a happy smile just might not feel right to you. Smiles that should shine with warmth and confidence are quickly repressed. Nowadays, there are dental implant options with dentures. We will be doing Partial Dentures Blogging and do Complete Dentures Blog in this article.
Yes, missing teeth can even affect our personalities.
Partial dentures sit squarely on a list of options to fill in your smile.
An economical choice that can be made from a number of different materials. This appliance often works to replace one tooth or a dozen teeth. A partial denture made with a thin, lightweight metal base allows teeth and gums to be firmly bonded to it. These often last for many years and sometimes provide a foundation for other teeth to be added if they’re lost in the future. But a removable partial denture can also be crafted with non-metallic components. While this variation may not last as long, they can be an excellent alternative. Advancements in material technology give us more options than ever, and your dentist can discuss possibilities with you. You might want to consider dental implants as part of the plan, too.
How Does It Work?
A partial denture relies on the remaining teeth for critical support and stability. That means the condition of those teeth needs to be considered closely to make sure they’re up to the task. This includes the quality of the jaw bone holding the tooth which is a lot like the foundation of a house. When a foundation crumbles, it really doesn’t matter what the rest of the house looks like. Teeth aren’t much different. Your dentist evaluates numerous factors as together you decide if a partial denture is right for you.
A partial denture offers other benefits, including the ability to remove it and clean properly around your natural teeth. Serving as a single solution to multiple lost teeth, each appliance is highly customized for your mouth. This allows for a design that fits into the existing bite, color, and overall appearance of your smile. It’s also a solution that can be used for an indefinite period of time until you’re ready for a more permanent solution, such as implant-supported teeth. In some cases, an implant or two combined with a partial denture offers outstanding service as well. Partial Denture Blogging and Partial Dentures Blog with us at DentalChat.com. Local Dental Chat about Dentures with us. Denture Repair Blog link here at DentalChat. We are discussing Denture Repairs and ways of fixing Partial Dentures >> Repair of broken dentures.
Despite the benefits, a foreign appliance can be difficult for some patients to tolerate even when made with as much care as we apply to the process. While it’s often hard to predict how each patient will adapt to a removable partial denture, your dentist can discuss the steps and design with you. Most importantly, they’ll cover your options and give you enough information so you can decide what’s best for you.
We did Partial Denture Blogging, Partial Dentures Chat and Partial Denture Treatment Blog in this article.
If you don’t have a dentist or you’re dealing with more questions about what to expect after tooth extraction, you’re in the right place. Find a Local Dentist or Find Dentists Near You with us. Local Emergency Dentist Chatting Online at Dental Chat. We provide the best platform to connect with licensed U.S.-based dentists. You can ask questions online and even connect with a nearby office that can help you with your needs. Feel free to jump on and see how we can help now or in the future!
Dental Implants Blog: Your Dental Implant Procedure Info
Not so long ago, you had very few options if you lost a tooth. Today, dental implants often give you the best opportunity to return to the normal chewing and an intact smile after tooth loss. As you consider the possibilities, a few questions usually come to mind. Of course, you realize the long-term benefits of the procedure, especially knowing that you’re going with an option that will make your life better every day for years. But you might be wondering about the near future of the process. Many patients ask the question, “What is the dental implant procedure like?”
Dental Implant Information and Dental Implants Blog: What is Dental Implants and Your Dental Implant Procedure Info online blog. Dental implants have become one of the best ways to fix a missing tooth or more in the mouth. In the last 20 years, more and more people are placing dental implants into the mouth. The dental implant is a screw-like product that is kind of screwed into the jaw bone. There is a lot of dental planning and expertise needed to have dental implants placed into the mouth.
Dental Planning Always Pays Off
Your comfort should be the most important part of every visit. We take every measure to make that central to your dental implant experience. If we need to include specialists in our plan, work with a provider who shares the same philosophy as the specialists they work with. If you prefer sedation, seek out an office that offers it. To ensure success, it’s vital that a personalized road map is created for your return to full dental function. The best practices now use digital imaging technology and other records to guide the entire process. Good planning pays dividends in life…and dentistry. Also, make sure to get a good Local Dentist Consult about what the dental treatment plan will include.
You’ll likely be surprised at the experience during the placement of a dental implant. The modern dental anesthetic numbs the area profoundly so that you don’t feel anything when dental implants are placed into the jaw, and with experienced dentists, hands start placing the implant. A mini-guide hole creates a path for a small implant cylinder to be carefully placed and slowly threaded into the site. A smooth cover is placed over the implant that remains in place during the healing period.
There are many temporization options that are possible so you can smile confidently from day one. In some cases, a temporary crown may be created and delivered that day. Since every patient’s procedure is different, your dentist will help you decide what will work best during the healing period. Within a short time, the sterile implant surface begins integrating into the bone. The healing period usually lasts from 3-6 months as the implant bonds within your jaw bone. Most patients experience very little discomfort after implant surgery, especially when compared to a tooth removal procedure.
A Perfect Finish
After 3-4 months of healing, a crown will be custom-made and attached to the implant with a small screw or dental cement. Your dentist chooses from a variety of components that allow an optimal result when completing the final stage. Customizing the process of your tooth replacement from planning to the final placement of your new tooth makes all the difference in the outcome. Choose a dentist with experience and advanced education in the exciting area of dental implant technology. That choice will ensure you experience the best of modern dentistry! Ask Dentist an Dentist Question or Post Your Dental Question with us at DentalChat.com. Ask Dentists Dental Implant Questions and more.
If you don’t have a dentist or you’re dealing with more dental questions about what to expect after tooth extraction, you’re in the right place. DentalChat provides the best platform to connect with licensed U.S.-based dentists. You can ask questions online and even connect with a nearby office that can help you with your needs. Feel free to jump on and see how we can help now or in the future!
Dental Veneers: A Brilliant New Smile
Movie star smiles float across the silver screen and help today’s biggest stars earn tens of millions. The stars know that their smile is a vital part of their appeal. And they make sure it looks top-notch. With today’s modern dental materials, veneers upgrade a smile in just a couple of visits. In some cases, veneers work like “instant orthodontics,” correcting chips, stains, and even deeply discolored teeth. The length and size of teeth can be changed, or rotated teeth can suddenly appear straight. While it sounds dramatic, the journey from one smile to another is often shorter than most people think.
Veneers create the perfect union between dental art and science, handcrafted and customized to deliver the smile of your dreams. Like a contact lens, paper-thin pieces of porcelain bond to the front surface of your natural teeth. But don’t be fooled by the thinness of this material. Many unique and durable qualities characterize modern ceramics, producing any look you want for years to come.
Veneers offer a conservative way to repair unsightly teeth, the steps required to deliver them properly require an advanced level of training and experience. When you choose a dentist you trust, you’re in the right place to end up with new confidence in your appearance.
- Ask Dental Veneers Questions Online and Dental Veneer Blogging online with us.
- Dental Chat about Dental Veneers with us and Cosmetic Dental Care Chatting Online with us.
A Smile As Unique As You Are
Careful planning and attention to the design of your smile is vital to a successful outcome with veneers. Models, photographs, and digital x-rays are incorporated by your dentist to create a perfect blueprint for your case. Like all successful projects, this planning leaves little room for error. Your dentist will listen to your input and incorporate your desires into your veneer case. Color, shape and other subtle factors play vital roles in the overall plan.
Once your case is designed, it usually only takes two appointments until you’re enjoying a terrific new smile. At the first visit, the teeth are precisely prepared in some areas to allow space for a master lab technician to sculpt artful porcelain into place. Your dentist provides all the information to the specialized lab that’s needed to create your personal masterpiece.
Your dentist also creates temporary acrylic restorations that mimic the veneers. Worn for 2-3 weeks, these temporaries provide a preview of the expected appearance of your planned smile and allow you to give more input regarding the outcome of your new smile.
The New You
After fully customized craftwork in the lab, you’ll return for an exciting appointment. Your dentist will try-in each veneer and evaluate the appearance and fit, giving you an opportunity to preview the new you. A series of precise steps adhere the veneers into place, creating an extremely powerful link between the tooth and porcelain material. Minor adjustments to your bite and a final polish will be a perfect finish to a smile that may leave you wondering why you waited so long to make a big difference in your life!
Dental Veneers Blog and Ask Dental Veneer Question Online with us at DentalChat.com. Ask Dental Veneers Questions and Cosmetic Dentistry Chat post your dental question at DentalChat.
If you don’t have a dentist or you’re dealing with more questions about what to expect after tooth extraction, you’re in the right place. DentalChat provides the best platform to connect with licensed U.S.-based dentists. You can ask questions online and even connect with a nearby office that can help you with your needs. Feel free to jump on and see how we can help now or in the future!
Dental Insurance: A Benefit Primer
If you have dental benefits, you’re fortunate to be amongst 60% of the population with outside financial support for dental care. Most plans are offered by employers as part of a benefits package, and can be helpful in making dentistry more affordable. But dental plans rarely cover everything and are designed to help share the cost of treatment with you. While it’s impossible to say exactly what your plan covers, or doesn’t, a few simple guidelines will help you ask the right questions. With hundreds of plans on the market, it’s also difficult to know the nuances of everyone. But the experts at your dental office will help you fill in as many details as possible.
Dental plans typically pay a high percentage of preventive services. These relatively low-cost services performed most commonly twice each year are simply the wisest dental commitment you can make. A small problem detected and managed early can cost 1/10 of the price tag of major repairs, even to salvage a single tooth. Insurance companies understand this, and often will gladly pay a little to save a lot.
If you need a filling for a broken or decayed tooth, insurance benefits may cover 40-80% of the cost. A larger restoration with porcelain may be covered at 40-50%, which is often a similar rate of coverage for other major services including root canals, dentures, and oral surgery. These general guidelines are just that…general. And sometimes insurance companies won’t indicate just how much they’re going to pay. So it’s wise to consider a discussion of payment prior to treatment as an estimate, based on the best information supplied by the insurance company. And remember, every plan has an annual maximum that hasn’t changed in 50 years. These dollars can significantly help you support your health, but they’re not designed to cover all the bases.
Dental benefits usually don’t cover purely cosmetic procedures such as whitening or veneers. But there may be other services related to a beautiful smile makeover that will be partially covered. If certain teeth in your smile have large restorations or old crowns, their replacement often meets the criteria for coverage. Furthermore, your dentist will incorporate artistry into every service they provide whether dental benefits are involved or not.
While your dentist works 100% for you, not the insurance company, your dentist’s team will always try to help you maximize your dental benefits. At DentalChat, we help patients find the right dental home where they feel comfortable. Let us know how we can help! We look forward to partnering with you to enhance your dental health!
Do You Need a New Denture?
Like everything we use, dentures wear out over time. But when you consider the wear and tear a denture gets working to chew your food, it’s remarkable they last as long as they do. Not many artificial materials exist in a wet, warm place with grinding forces grinding away day after day without wearing out! A properly made set of dentures can work for years before reaching their demise. Plus, they require little additional cost to maintain them over that period. But as it goes, the tough medical-grade plastic teeth wear down and can’t tear food as they used to. Or the base of the denture starts to crack, thin, and chip away. In some situations, the entire denture may break in half.
If you’re dealing with bad teeth, you may just be considering your first denture. If you’re not sure, a visit to the dentist can help you figure out your options. Whether you need a new denture or you can save your existing teeth, an exam is a good place to start. We welcome local dentists to do Partial Denture Blogging online and Dentures Chatting Online with us.
The cost of dentures worries patients when they decide it’s time for a new pair. Your dentures significantly influence your quality of life since they’re usually part of your daily experience. You’ve probably had a pair of cheap, poorly-fitted shoes. And in contrast, you’ve probably had a pair of comfortable shoes made from the best materials. While the prices were different, you ended up with what you paid for. We can all relate to that situation with many products we’ve purchased.
More Than A Product
But dentures are more than a product. In the bigger picture, they’re one part of a professional service that’s designed specifically for you. It’s important your dentist thoroughly examines your mouth before starting the steps to craft your new smile.
Sometimes unhealthy fungal infections thrive under old dentures, or gums are red and swollen. Unless these problems are examined and treated, new dentures just end up sitting on top of old problems. Your doctor checks for any signs of gum and jaw changes that need attention, a skill that requires the training of a dentist. Their background in anatomy helps them determine whether features of your mouth will affect the fit of new dentures.
Do you have Denture Question or Partial Dentures Questions with us at DentalChat.com – Ask Dentures Question here at DentalChat.
Since your dentist brings advanced training in cosmetic dentistry to the table, they apply that artistic eye to designing your new smile. For example, the color of denture teeth can be customized to your preference. And you may be surprised to learn that tooth size, shape, and alignment are part of the option package you choose. The cost of new dentures includes high-quality teeth duplicating nature, all ideally set into place for lip support and solid function. In most cases, the precisely placed teeth can be evaluated by you before the denture is processed. This gives you valuable input to the process that leads to a final denture.
New dentures may need slight adjustments since they’re made to fit closely onto your gums. Small pressure points aren’t unusual and Dr. Y is happy to fine-tune your new teeth once you’ve had a chance to use them. Short visits to make small adjustments right after you start wearing them are generally included in the cost of your overall treatment.
Nicely crafted dentures give you confidence, good function, and a smile you are pleased to display to the world. If you need help finding the best dentist to explore options for a new denture, we’re here to help you out. Try our chat function to connect with a dentist on our team!
If you don’t have a dentist or you’re dealing with more questions about what to expect after tooth extraction, you’re in the right place. DentalChat provides the best platform to connect with licensed U.S.-based dentists. You can ask questions online and even connect with a nearby office that can help you with your needs. Feel free to jump on and see how we can help now or in the future!
My Jaw Hurts: This Needs To End!
Your jaw and the muscles that make it work comprise one complex system. Jaw muscles produce powerful forces that crush and grind food to start the digestive process. When compared to other muscles in the body, these workhorses may generate the most force, ounce for ounce.
You can probably bite down and apply 175 pounds of brute force on your teeth! So, when you’re wondering “Why my jaw hurts,” this may be part of the explanation.
By each ear, the jaw joint (TMJ) joins the lower jaw to your skull with a cartilage pad and small ligaments. When you chew, yawn, or talk, these joints move in multiple directions. When everything functions as it should, pain isn’t part of the equation. TMJ Blog and TMD Blogging Online with us.
Sometimes the jaw joint experiences uncommon stress, and that’s when problems begin to develop. If you ever wake up in the morning with a sore jaw or headache, odds are your jaw hasn’t been resting as you have. Over 30 million people in the U.S. suffer from bruxism, or night-time teeth grinding. During the night, your brain can override normal bite force and generate 5 times more force than occurs during the day! This abnormal activity strains muscles from the neck to the top of the temples. It also compresses the jaw joints and can cause inflammation in the joints.
A Powerhouse System
To understand the strain on these muscles, clench your muscles.
Put your fingers on the muscle in front of the jaw and run them down to the lower jaw? Feel that bulge? Now clench and unclench as you rub the temples.
These long, skinny muscle fibers reach to the top of your head. When these major muscles, along with a bunch of small ones, undergo strain, then jaw pain begins. This discomfort radiates into many areas of the head, and there’s a big difference between the source of pain and the site of pain.
To top it off, the jaw joints can become pain centers of their own. A delicate cartilage disk cushions the lower jaw bone against the skull. Unusual forces, arthritic changes, trauma, or an uneven bite can cause the joints to become imbalanced and irritated.
Maybe you’ve had a foul knee, sore hip, or tender knuckles. The same problem can develop in the TMJ on the left, right, or both sides. Research even suggests that migraine sufferers can experience more severe TMD problems, and TMD may even intensify migraines. This double curse makes life especially miserable for chronic migraine patients.
So How Do I Stop Jaw Pain?
If you’re tormented by headaches or jaw pain, make sure you’ve had an evaluation with your dentist. A few easy tests and clinical clues provide insight to what’s making “my jaw hurt.”
While it’s a subject for another day, the possibility of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) shouldn’t be overlooked. A well-designed study in 2009 showed one in four OSA patients conjointly grind their teeth. OSA is a serious sleep disorder that’s responsible for a long list of health problems. The title of this article at NCBI.nlm – Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in obstructive sleep apnea patients referred for oral appliance therapy.
In fact, 90% of people who die in their sleep have untreated OSA!
Bruxism could be the first clue that you’re stressing your body and a sleep study is in order. Jaw Pain Blogging online with us at DentalChat.
Sometimes it takes time to schedule a sleep study. A simple, inexpensive nightguard appliance can serve as a temporary measure to protect your jaw, teeth, and relieve some of the jaw pain or headaches. You may decide to ultimately invest in a custom nightguard, made just for you. There’s also a chance that treating a sleep disorder may take care of your pain while protecting your general health. Jaw Pain Question ask dentists or Dental Pain Chat at DentalChat. Post your Jaw Pain Question here.
Bottom Line to “Why My Jaw Hurts!”
Jaw pain or headaches seriously have an effect on your ability to enjoy life. In some cases, they may indicate a serious health disorder like sleep apnea. A game plan could include:
- Make an appointment with your dentist to discuss your concerns, and consider a sleep study with a certified sleep center.
- Order a temporary nightguard immediately to generate short-term relief. Here’s a simple one that will work for most people.
- If you’re having pain, try applying ice to the joint and muscles on the side of your face in front of the ears. Move the ice to your temples. If you find the pain temporarily drops by half or more, you’re probably dealing with TMD. If you still have pain, there are many other types of TMD that could be causing discomfort and you should follow-up with your dentist.
DentalChat provides a real-time connection between patients and licensed dentists. Need an answer to a question? Start chatting now. Need to find a dentist you’re comfortable with? Let us help you.
What To Expect After Tooth Extraction: A Patient Guide
If you’re wondering what to expect after tooth extraction, you’ve landed in the right place. It might not be at the top of your list, but sometimes the best solution to a dental problem involves removing your tooth. And many young people find themselves facing the removal of wisdom teeth. Regardless of the situation, knowing what to expect helps reduce your anxiety about what’s normal and when to be concerned.
Consider It Minor Surgery
Removing a tooth involves creating a small wound in your mouth. A tooth sits in the gum and bone, and we only see about 1/3 of the tooth structure above the gum line. The rest of it is anchored in the upper or lower jaw with thousands of tiny fibers that attach it to the bone.
After the tooth, bone, and gum are numbed with local anesthetic, your dentist applies steady pressure around the tooth to carefully detach it from the small attachment fibers. Pressure also slightly expands the bone and allows the tooth to loosen. In most cases, the tooth ends up out within a few minutes of precise, intentional movements.
In some cases, a tooth doesn’t easily move due to unusual roots that curve or extend deep into the jaw. Sometimes bone is less flexible than expected, or the tooth is difficult to engage because of deep cavities or broken pieces. If your dentist encounters this challenge, the gum is opened around the tooth, bone is carefully removed, and the pieces elevate out with the right technique. A few stitches are placed and healing begins.
What Comes Next?
At this point, you really start to wonder what to expect after your tooth extraction. Let’s look at a few things to keep in mind:
- Be patient with healing: The majority of your healing will take place over a period of two weeks, but the area will continue to change for several more weeks. Sometimes, small fragments of loose bone migrate their way to the surface and come out. But during the first 24 hours, it’s important to avoid vigorous exercise or heavy lifting
- Don’t skip eating: During the first 24 hours after a tooth extraction, you should go for soft foods and avoid hot beverages. Hard foods may aggravate the new wound, and hot beverages tend to soften the fragile clot. But after the first day or two, you can start to enjoy your normal eating habits.
- Rest wisely: A lot of restoration and repair goes on during sleep. If you’re not getting enough rest, healing tends to take longer.
- Stay in touch: If you have swelling that appears two or three days after your extraction, be sure to contact your dentist. If it’s accompanied by fever, difficulting breathing or swallowing, or bad-tasting discharge, make the call.
The Long Haul
Once you’ve started to heal, consider the longer term picture. Over time, the jawbone may begin to shrink and thin in areas where you’re missing teeth. You may also find that neighboring teeth tip into open spaces. Opposing teeth move down or up into edentulous areas. While this process may take years, you may end up with an unstable bite, difficulty chewing, and jaw pain issues.
Talk with your dentist about the best options for replacing your missing teeth or stabilizing your shifting teeth. Dental implants support natural, strong restorations that feel like natural teeth. A small bridge from one tooth to another may serve you, too. On the other hand, a removable appliance may be a quick and easy solution for replacing several missing teeth.
Moving On After Tooth Extraction
If you don’t have a dentist or you’re dealing with more questions about what to expect after tooth extraction, you’re in the right place. DentalChat provides the best platform to connect with licensed U.S.-based dentists. You can ask questions online and even connect with a nearby office that can help you with your needs. Feel free to jump on and see how we can help now or in the future!
Why Do I Have Bad Breath?
Have you ever had someone step back from you and immediately you think “Why do I have bad breath?” While our breath may be a source of embarrassment, it might be telling you something more, too. Understanding what’s behind bad breath is the first step toward creating a more pleasant breeze with your words.
What Creates That Odor?
When the wind blows across the earth around us, it brings us the scent of whatever it moves over. It could be pleasant wildflowers or a pile of horse manure, but odor particles bind to receptors in our noses and our brains process the message.
As our warm air rushes out of our lungs and across the linings of the throat and mouth, it does something similar. Any odors emitting from the tissue or teeth are picked up and carried out to nearby noses. Garlic carries a bit of a reputation thanks to powerful molecules with a distinct odor profile. “Coffee breath” also leaves its mark on a conversation.
Sometimes, bad breath is related to medical conditions. Diabetes, bronchitis, liver disease, or respiratory tract infections can create distinctive odors. A long list of prescription drugs often reduce saliva production and result in a dry mouth problem. If you haven’t had a physical recently with blood tests, it’s always a good idea to check these possibilities. If you’re taking an anti-depressant or high blood pressure medication and your mouth is dry, that could be contributing to the problem. But don’t stop taking your medication, just remember to let us know.
The Real Problem
While bad breath can come from systemic or medication sources, odds are it’s all about microscopic bacteria. Our mouths are loaded with bacteria and their by-products, including gases and toxins. Some bacteria emit a sulfur gas that just smells bad and easily mixes with moving air. But just because so many bacteria make the mouth their home, it doesn’t mean bad breath has to go along with the situation.
When you wake up in the in the morning, you’re going to throw out a little morning breath. During your sleep, your saliva output drops by 90%. This dry environment is perfect for bacterial overgrowth and they sulfur gases they produce.
Cavities, bleedings gums, excess tartar, or unwashed dentures involve bacteria-related problems, too. There’s a difference though. These problems need to be checked and treated by your dentist. So if you’re struggling with bad breath, make sure you’re up-to-date on your dental check-ups. Gum disease tends to have a distinct smell that can’t be brushed away. These problems are don’t always involve pain, and odor can be your only obvious warning signal.
Got it. But How Do I Stop Bad Breath?
You might be meticulous with your daily routine. Odd are that you brush and floss like a fiend. To top it off, you never miss the hour with your favorite hygienist every six months. But you can’t shake the frustration of “Why do I have bad breath?”
It’s easy to overlook the quiet, yet rowdy, member of the mouth: The tongue. If you inspect the surface of the tongue under a microscope, you see a thickly textured surface that helps us taste and feel. It’s a little like a carpet. Have you ever seen what comes out of a carpet after shampooing, even when it looks pretty tidy to the eye? That’s your tongue.
A slurry of food particles, bacteria, and dead cells gets embedded into this surface. A load of debris ends up stuck, and that can be a major factor of bad breath, even in conscientious patients. It then makes sense that learning to clean the tongue might make a big difference.
Using your regular toothbrush, brush your tongue as far back as you can without gagging. Scrub both sides and the top with vigor Include your favorite toothpaste to create a breath-freshening slurry to the task.
Getting Fresher
The best way to really freshen the tongue is to employ a tool designed to do it right. Tongue cleaners aren’t complicated, but they work. It’s a little bit like using a thatching rake on your backyard to drag out the dead stuff. A tongue cleaner could be just what the doctor ordered, and starting your day with this little trick might transform your world.
It’s not unusual to reach for a mouthwash if you’re trying to freshen your breath. Unfortunately, you may compound the problem. Most rinses contain alcohol and dry out the mouth, which then lowers the pH. Rinses are analgous to perfume for the mouth. Perfume covers up body odor, but it doesn’t fix the core problem. A mouth rinse might cover up the offensive odor for awhile, but it doesn’t solve the problem.
Alcohol-free rinses work differently and offer a valid way to experiment with a swish and spit routine. These products cancel out sulfur gas, create a neutral pH, and wipe out 99% of the odor-causing bacteria on contact. Closys products enjoy approval by the American Dental Association, and boast a solid record of helping people asking “Why do I have bad breath?”
Be very careful about covering up bad breath with mints or other candies and methol cough drops. Most are full of sugar and increase the acidity of the mouth. You could go from no cavities to a whole bunch of them with this destructive habit. A good alternative includes xylitol-sweetened candies, and you’ll find good options online or in your local pharmacy. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that actually disturbs your bad mouth bacteria and prevents them from thriving. Use it.
The Bottom Line
At this point, you should have a few more ideas about “Why do I have bad breath?” To put it succinctly, here’s the take-home message:
- Check out your general health with your physician. Be sure to discuss side-effects of any medications you’re taking.
- Don’t skip regular dental visits and stick with treatment recommendations. Follow-through pays.
- Establish the best home oral care habits including brushing and flossing. Consider an electric toothbrush or water flosser.
- Add a tongue-scraper to your morning routine.
- Check out the innovative fresh-breath products from Closys.
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Bad Teeth and The Way Forward
Sometimes good teeth turn into bad teeth. It’s usually a frustrating, uncomfortable journey with a lot of treatment and expense along the way. But we need teeth for a few obvious reasons. Besides their important functional role, they also enhance a person’s physical appearance. So, one way or another, we need to maintain or correct teeth in decline.
Keeping teeth healthy takes a dose of care and diligence. If you’re careless and don’t pay much attention, it’s like not doing maintenance on your car: Eventually it’s going to catch up with you. Next thing you know, you’re headed down a road you never meant to end up on.
Millions of people find themselves with numerous cavities or gum disease, both leading causes of tooth loss. Sometimes there’s one reason, sometimes there are many. Usually, a combination of factors play into the affliction.
Why Do Teeth Go Bad?
Most people don’t realize it, but cavities are an infection. First, young babies often end up with a mix of bacteria from their mothers that reside on their teeth. Like all living organisms, these bacteria need energy to live. Since they love sugar and other carbohydrates, they’re happy when you drink a soda or chew dried fruit.
These oral bacteria create energy from sugars and produce acid as a waste product. You can imagine what happens when acid gets dumped on your teeth. Holes start to form in the weakened surface, and a cavity develops. Soon, you have bacteria invading the inside of the tooth and headed to the nerve. Next, an abscess develops and the tooth needs to be removed if too much damage has occurred.
A similar process occurs in gum disease. Gum-loving bacteria produce toxins that cause inflammation and bone destruction. Teeth go bad because they’ve lost their supporting bone around the base of them.
Bad Teeth Signs and Symptoms
If you experience symptoms of tooth decay, you need to visit your dentist as soon as possible. Waiting works well if you’re looking for a bus, but it’s not a great idea when you have mouth pain. The earlier that cavities are identified, the easier their treatment. If you experience the following symptoms, you should make firm plans to visit a dentist:
- Tooth pain including sensitivity, throbbing, or soreness
- Any kind of pit, hole, or sharp edge on a tooth
- Pus or drainage around a tooth
How Do You Handle Bad Teeth?
There isn’t a “one size fits all” solution for teeth that go into decline. In many cases, repairs can be made to the existing teeth. Or gum disease can be controlled with therapy and new homecare habits. When teeth cross the proverbial line, they may need to be removed. In this scenario, dentures become one possible solution to the missing teeth issue. However, dentures have a few drawbacks to consider:
- Dentures are by nature removable appliances, and they may move in the mouth and cause sore spots on the gums.
- Dentures do not provide the same eating experience that natural teeth do. Hence, there is a chance that they may lead to poor eating habits, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies.
- Sometimes, dentures are not fitted properly and have a poor bite. This may also lead to changes in jaw joint thus creating jaw, neck pain, and headache.
Fortunately, dental implants offer up a wide array of options if bad teeth end up needing removal. These strong, titanium cylinders sit in the jawbone and mimic the root of a tooth. This powerful support system can be used to hold a denture firmly in place. On the other hand, they can replace a single tooth or several missing teeth.
Cost may be a consideration when it comes to dental implants. However, this depends on the number of dental implants being placed and other associated procedures which can be discussed with the dental office or the dentist.
We Can Help
Many people wonder how they can find the best dental info and best dentists articles online. The reason many people are looking for local dental information online is fairly simple. For one, they want to know what is going on in their mouth. For instance, if your dentist tells you that you need a root canal on your back molar and need to see an endodontist, you want to know more. You may be curious to find out what is a root canal and who are local endodontists? What does an endodontist do?
At Dental Chat, we help cut through the confusion and provide accurate, valuable blogs on every topic. Here is a local dentist link to Endodontics Dental Chat about Local Endodontists. The best part is that we network with local dental blogs and local dentist bloggers who share their local dentist articles with us. We are looking to list the best local dental offices and best dentists for patients that need to have a root canal or another dental service. We are always looking to expand and grow and offer the Best Local Dental