Women and Periodontal Disease: Why women are more susceptible

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March 25, 2012

Here’s an interesting fact:  women are more prone to periodontal disease than men.  While periodontal disease can hit anyone on the face (or gums if you prefer), the hormonal changes taking place in certain periods of a woman’s life can increase the blood circulation in her gums.  This makes her gums swollen and sensitive to calculus and minute food particles which are stuck between teeth and along the gum lines.  When the gums are irritated, they are vulnerable to bacterial attacks and infection, which could give rise to the dreaded gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis resulting to teeth loss.

There are four stages in a woman’s life which could make her susceptible to periodontal disease:  puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.  During puberty, the surge in the sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone can cause an increase of blood circulation in the gums.  This then increases their sensitivity to irritants, making them vulnerable to bacteria.  Menstrual gingivitis is also not uncommon among women of puberty or childbearing age.  That is why it is necessary to stress the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene as well as regular dental check ups.  Your dentist may be able to prescribe the needed periodontal disease treatment for gingivitis and other gum infection during this period of your life.

The risk of periodontal diseases such as periodontitis and gingivitis is also particularly high during the second or third month of pregnancy and this could increase through the eighth month.  In some cases, pregnant women with gingivitis may feel large lumps in their gums.  These lumps are referred to as pregnancy tumors and may subside after pregnancy.  While they may not necessarily be cancerous or painful, these lumps can increase the pockets between teeth and gums and can allow bacteria to fill in.  These can, however be avoided by regular dental cleaning as well as good oral hygiene practices, such as flossing once a day and brushing at least 3 times a day.

Menopause, too are also susceptible to gum diseases and other oral health problems.  The changes in the hormonal levels among women in their menopause can cause dryness in the mouth and sensitivity to hot and cold food.  It could also cause changes in taste sensations.  Most dentists would recommend saliva substitutes to combat dry mouth and possibly gum diseases as the dryness in the mouth can increase the bacteria level in the oral cavity.  That is why increasing water intake as well as brushing teeth and flossing regularly is recommended to keep the bacteria level in the mouth at bay during this period in one’s life.

Categories: Health, Oral care, Oral Health.

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Treating tonsilolliths at home

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December 21, 2011

Tonsilolliths, commonly known as tonsil stones, are caused by an accumulation of the sulfur-producing bacteria and debris that become lodged in the tonsils. The debris may include mucous from post nasal drips and small food particles putrefy in the back of the throat and get collected in the tonsil crypts. These crypts are small divots or pockets which appear on the surface of the tonsils.

Having tonsilollith can be a nuisance to a person even if they are quite harmless.  These smelly white balls in the back of the throat causes a metallic taste in the mouth and can give a hindrance in swallowing and inhaling.  However, tonsil stones are not something that can simply be rid of with a pill or a potion. There’s a gradual process in treating these stones and one must be patient in following these procedures.

Watching want one eats is another way to treat tonsil stones. One must avoid milk and dairy products because these are known to stimulate the production of mucous and calcium, which are both elements of tonsilollith. Sugary foods can also add to the formation of tonsil stone. These are the food of anaerobic bacteria in the mouth and will disrupt the efforts to remove the tonsil stones. Eating before bedtime is also one of the causes of these stones because the food particles left on the mouth may accumulate in the tonsils and tonsil crypts.

Post nasal drip has been associated with the formation of tonsil stones. Sneezing, coughing or flexing the throat can also work to get rid of tonsil stones. This will release the stones from the tonsils and thus they will be coughed up. One must also know that these stones are the ones that causes bad breath and will most likely emit an extremely unpleasant odor.

Practicing good oral care is the most suggested procedure dentists always give. This is simple as it is but one must follow it. Brushing and flossing regularly can help remove food particles left in the mouth. Gargling with a mouthwash must be done to remove the bacteria in the mouth and it can help dislodge the stones from the throat allowing it to be spit out. Oxygenating toothpaste and mouthwash is also recommended together with a tongue scraper to effectively remove and neutralize the anaerobic bacteria at the back of the tongue. One can opt for a surgical procedure to completely prevent these stones from coming back. This procedure is through tonsil removal or tonsillectomy however, this can be dangerous and expensive.

 

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Different Approaches of curing loose teeth

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September 17, 2011

When it comes to dental health, we never should take it lightly else we will end up regretful. If we have poor dental health, our social life is affected. How do you think people would like it when you have foul breath? Or how do you like smiling in front of other people when one of your front teeth is missing?

 

There are many ways to cure loose teeth although knowing the root cause would help in determining the appropriate treatment to administer. As soon as any abnormalities in the mouth is observed or at first signs of gum infection (receding gums, bleeding gums), or if you chipped a tooth, or somebody punched you in the face, see the dentist at once for immediate corrective actions or preventive measures.

 

Gum disease is the number one cause of loose teeth.  When bacteria in the mouth start to build up, the gums start to recede and bones weaken the hold on the tooth. Other causes may be bruxism, or the habitual grinding of teeth especially when asleep; malocclusion or the misalignment of upper and lower set of teeth; or trauma experienced in the mouth due to accidents or if the face got banged.

 

Enough intakes of vitamins C and D also aids in preventing gum disease. Eating cranberry also helps as it may prevent bacteria from sticking to teeth. Use toothpaste with tea tree oil. It was found out that tea tree oil has antibiotic properties. Other natural ways to keep the mouth and teeth healthy are brushing the teeth at least twice a day, flossing teeth daily especially before going to bed to remove food particles in between teeth, eating smart – limiting sugary food, not smoking or chewing tobacco, and seeing the dentist regularly.

 

For any other causes of loose teeth, dental procedures are done by the dentist or orthodontist. If you have bad bite (malocclusion), consult your dentist about it. A treatment can be done or having replacement crowns. The new crowns will fit over the natural crowns and the previous imbalance in the size and position of the teeth will be corrected. For those who grind teeth while sleeping, this can be prevented by using a night guard before going to sleep. The guard fits over teeth and prevents grinding. Loosened teeth will firm up over time. Another way is by using a splint, where a loose tooth is joined to the firmer one to stabilize.

 

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Night time treatment for Dry Mouth

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August 17, 2011

Dry mouth and cracked lips at night can be very painful and uncomfortable.  And since there is an absence of saliva, your mouth will be susceptible to various oral and dental problems.  To name a few, there’s tooth decay and halitosis.  There’s also the embarrassment of waking up with a horrible breath next to your partner.  However, you can kiss dry mouth goodbye by increasing saliva production during night time before you sleep.  So how do you that?  Any food that requires sucking and mastication can induce saliva production.  Here are some foolproof tips on increasing saliva flow at night.

You can start by putting on lip balm on chapped lips.  Dry mouth can also cause cracked lips which can be very painful.  You can opt for a mint flavored lip balm for a calm and soothing effect.  Next, grab a glass of ice chips and suck and chew on one every 15 minutes.  This not only soothes and hydrates your mouth but also encourages salivation.  You can do this an hour or two before retiring to bed.  Once you are ready to go to bed, take a sip of the melted ice water and chew on another ice chip.

You can also opt for sucking the pit of the fruits like mangoes, plums or peaches.  This will also stimulate salivation.  You can do this 30 minutes before retiring to bed.  Another alternative to this is chewing on a sugar-free sorbitol gum.  One minute before bedtime, take a stick of gum and chew on it for the next 60 seconds.  This will increase saliva flow.  Once you’re done, place the gum on a plate on your bedside.  If you find yourself waking up at night due to dry mouth, chew on the piece of gum again for another 60 seconds.

Another way to alleviate dry mouth at night is avoiding tobacco, alcohol and caffeine before bed time.  These will aggravate your oral situation, making it more difficult for you to sleep due to the discomfort of a dry mouth.  Use an alcohol-free mouthwash after brushing to cleanse your mouth without stripping away much needed moisture.  You can also gargle with green tea steeped for 60 minutes.  Green tea has properties that not only kill bacteria but also keep your mouth moisturized.  Before you sleep, power on the air humidifier and try sleeping with your mouth open to prevent dry mouth.

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Extending the Treatment of Gingivitis through Preventive Measures

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July 25, 2011

A lot of people may probably wonder about catching gingivitis even though the proper treatment procedures have been followed.  A lot of researches and resources have mentioned that brushing your teeth at least twice a day can be very effective in battling this dreaded disease.  However, even though this procedure is already followed, there are people that still suffer from gingivitis.  They are still tangled in the web of dental health problems.  As a result, people are now skeptical and confused with as to what treatment method may really work.

Treating gingivitis does not end up in plain tooth brushing.  Actually, that method only constitutes one third of the whole process to healing.  Sometimes even tooth brushing can be harmful for there are cases such as over brushing.  In this case, the gums are harmed due to the excessive force applied in the brushing process.  Therefore, we should not limit the treatment of the said dental health problem to the tooth brush alone.

One way of addressing this is extending your teeth cleaning process.  By this we mean that we are not limited on using the toothbrush as a means to clean the teeth.  After doing the occasional tooth brushing, you can also use a dental floss.  This floss can help in cleaning the layers of the oral cavity a notch higher.  Since it is possible that the teeth may not be totally rinsed after brushing, using floss can somehow help in further cleansing.

Apart from that, using medications that are prescribed by your dentist would also help in the faster treatment and recovery.  In the case of gingivitis, one of the most evident and difficult enemies that you would face would be the intolerable pain in your mouth.  The pain is mainly caused by the swelling of your gums.  The antibiotics that are prescribed by your dentist are effective remedies in relaxing your gums and eliminating the accompanying pain that you experience.  The natural method has also been gaining popularity in terms of treatment for gingivitis.  You can use ointments, oils, or any solutions that are made of peppermint, clover, and other known herbs.  The organic method is also an affordable alternative should the medications become very costly.

However, it is much recommended to go beyond the treatment.  What is needed to prevent gingivitis from coming back would be coming up with various preventive measures.  As the popular saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”.  For gingivitis, preventive measures would include better oral hygiene, avoiding too sweet, salty, and spicy foods as well as regular consultation with your dentist.

Categories: Oral Health.

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