Silver Spring Dental Professionals Discuss: The Causes, Symptoms and Consequences of Dry Mouth, PART 2

This two-part article series examines a fairly common condition, dry mouth or “xerostomia” that can cause a higher risk of oral infection and tooth decay.

Welcome back to our two-part article series on the causes, symptoms and consequences of “dry mouth” or “xerostomia”. In our previous article post, we spoke to a Silver Spring dental professional who discussed the symptoms of dry mouth, as well as the long-term repercussions of ignoring such a chronic condition. In this article, we’ll address two pressing questions: (1) What causes dry mouth and (2) What can be done about it?

The Causes of Xerostomia

1. Lifestyle Factors: Smoking or chewing tobacco is notorious for causing dry mouth, as is alcohol.


2. Sinus Problems: Continuously breathing through your mouth causes saliva to evaporate, which can lead to dry mouth.


3. Dehydration: If your body is short of water, so will be your salivary glands. Conditions and ailments that cause dehydration can therefore also lead to dry mouth. These conditions include blood loss, diarrhea, fever, vomiting and excessive sweating.


4. Certain Medications: Many medications and over-the-counter drugs can cause xerostomia as a common side effect. These medications for allergies, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, pain, acne, hypertension, obesity, nausea, asthma, diarrhea, urinary incontinence and even Parkinson’s disease. Decongestants, antihistamines, sedatives and muscle relaxants can also cause dry mouth.


5. Certain Infections and Diseases: Xerostomia can also be a symptom of certain ailments, such as mumps, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, HIV/AIDS, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, stroke, cystic fibrosis, Sjögren's syndrome and hypertension.


6. Certain Medical Treatments: Any procedure or treatment that risks damage to the salivary glands, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy for cancer treatment, can compromise the healthy production of saliva, resulting in dry mouth.


7. Nerve Damage: Accidental trauma or surgery in the neck and head area can cause nerve damage that can result in dry mouth.


8. The Surgical Removal of the Salivary Glands: This might be necessary for the removal of cancerous tissue from the oral cavity.

Treating Dry Mouth

There are two approaches to treating dry mouth. The first is to address the immediate symptoms by keeping your mouth irrigated. Keep a bottle of water handy and take regular sips to keep your mouth moist. You can also chew sugar-free gum, which will help stimulate the production of saliva in your mouth. The second approach is to address the root cause of dry mouth. If you suspect it may be the result of a medication you’re on, speak to your doctor before you simply stop taking it. It may be possible to eliminate the problem by adjusting the dosage or swapping it for a different drug. In the case of smoking and heavy drinking, cut down or stop all together.

Then, there are the preventative measures you should be taking. If you suffer from dry mouth as a result of smoking, medication, illness or any other condition, you should be going the extra mile to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Without the natural production of saliva, your mouth is extremely vulnerable to oral bacteria, which puts you at a greater risk of gingivitis, gum disease, thrush, tooth decay and cavities. Silver Spring dental professionals generally advise that you maintain a rigorous home oral hygiene routine and make regular use of an anti-bacterial mouthwash. You may even be prescribed a saliva stimulant medication, Salagen, which combats dry mouth.

A Final Note on Dry Mouth

“This uncomfortable condition can have some serious health impacts on your teeth and gums,” warn dentists in Silver Spring. If there is no solution to the root cause of dry mouth, then be sure to speak to your dental healthcare professional about how you can minimize the impacts upon your oral health.”

The Dentist in Silver Spring Discusses: The Causes, Symptoms and Consequences of Dry Mouth, PART 1

This two-part article series examines a fairly common condition, dry mouth or “xerostomia” that can cause a higher risk of oral infection and tooth decay.

We’ve all at one time experienced “dry mouth”, perhaps associated with a specific medication we took or after a heavy night out! But what few people understand about this uncomfortable condition is that it can actually have a deleterious effect upon the health of your teeth and gums.

In this two-part article series, we shall be speaking to a dentist in Silver Spring about what causes dry mouth or “xerostomia”, how it can be dangerous to our oral health and what can be done to treat the condition.

The Importance of Saliva

You don’t pay any attention to saliva when it’s there, but when it’s not you’re guaranteed to notice! “Saliva plays an essential role in digestion and in protecting your teeth and gums against bacteria,” explain Silver Spring dentists. “It is your body’s inherent defense against the plethora of micro-organisms and pathogens that naturally swarm your mouth.”

Saliva:

• Contains enzymes that break down food,
• Has an anti-bacterial action, helping to control the bacteria in the mouth,
• Washes away food debris, cleansing our mouths after a meal,
• Keeps our mouth nice and moist and comfortable.

When your body doesn’t produce enough saliva, you get a condition called “xerostomia” or “dry mouth”, which may present with one or more of the following symptoms.

The Symptoms of Dry Mouth:

The most obvious symptom of this condition is the absence of saliva in the mouth, which is an uncomfortable sensation that causes:

• A dry and/or sore throat
• A sticky, dry sensation in the mouth
• Your tongue to stick to the roof of your mouth
• A tingling or burning feeling in the mouth and tongue
• Dry nasal passages
• Terrible thirst
• Halitosis, or bad breath
• Hoarseness
• Difficulty chewing, tasting and swallowing your food
• Difficulty speaking

Chronic dry mouth sufferers may even experience the development of sores in the mouth, cracked lips and split skin at the corners of the mouth in addition to a red, inflamed and parched tongue.

“It’s quite incredible just how far saliva goes to keep us comfortable and our mouths healthy,” remarks the dentist in Silver Spring. “It’s only when we suffer from a condition such as xerostomia do we become fully aware of the role it plays.”

But why exactly is “dry mouth” considered to be such a problem? What are the ramifications for our oral health in the long term?

The Long Term Repercussions of Dry Mouth

The biggest problem associated with xerostomia is infection. Saliva protects the teeth and gums against bacteria, while helping to wash away the food debris and sugary residues that these microorganisms feed upon. “Without saliva, your mouth is so much more vulnerable to bacteria and all the health concerns they cause,” explain Silver Spring dentists. These include:

• Gingivitis, or infection of the gums
• Thrush fungal infection
• Increased plaque formation
• Cavities and tooth decay
• Chronic bad breath

In fact, in the long term, xerostomia can even lead to periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss if measures aren’t taken to protect one’s oral health.

This leaves us with two remaining pertinent questions... (1) What causes dry mouth? (2) What can be done to prevent it and/or mitigate the damage?

Stay Tuned for Part 2

Stay tuned for our next article installment in which a qualified and experienced dentist in Silver Spring will provide the answers to these pressing questions!

Dentists in Silver Spring MD Ask: Do You Have Gum Disease?

This article explains what gum disease is, what the symptoms of this condition are and how it can be dealt with.

Do you have gum disease?

This question may sound outrageous and one can be sure that the majority of you reading this are shaking your head vehemently in response. Well, consider this: according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 80% of the American population presents with some form or stage of gum disease. In other words, if you were standing in an elevator with nine other totally random people, only two people in that crowded space would be in good oral health. The rest would be suffering from an oral bacterial infection of some degree.

Makes you want to hold your breath until you get out the elevator, doesn’t it?

According to dentists in Silver Spring MD and to national healthcare organizations, tooth loss, dental decay and gum disease are pervasive problems in our modern society. This is in spite of all our advanced medical technology and preventative measures and our greater appreciation for good oral hygiene. The bottom line is that people just don’t spend the time and money necessary to keep their teeth and gums in excellent condition.

So, the questions are: DO you have gum disease? What can you do about it?

The Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease

It’s hard to believe that you could have something as serious as gum disease and not even know it. Most people deny that they have any oral problems whatsoever, but this is in most cases ignorance. Oral bacterial infections do not typically cause any pain, which makes the other initial symptoms of gum inflammation and swelling quite easy to ignore.

Chronic bad breath is another symptom of oral infection, but let’s face it: few people enjoy telling a friend or family member that their breath is insufferable. Oral bacterial infections also weaken the gums, causing them to tear easily and bleed when brushing or eating hard crunchy foods. For the record – from the collective wisdom of dentists in Silver Spring MD - bleeding gums are NOT normal. Too many people believe otherwise. It’s not. It could be a sign of gum disease.

So, as you can see, all of these initial symptoms of gingivitis can quite easily be ignored. It’s only when the more severe problems occur - loose teeth, dental discoloration, oral lesions and the visible build-ups of calculus on the teeth - that people are forced to admit they have a serious problem. By then, the treatment required is far more complex and expensive, too.

Treating Oral Infection and Gum Disease

Gum disease is a rather loose definition of an oral bacterial infection. This infection can be localized around a single tooth, or it can affect your entire mouth. There are also varying degrees of gum disease or bacterial infection. In its initial stages, dentists term it “gingivitis” - inflammation of the gums. In its advanced stages, it becomes known as “periodontitis.”

If you suspect that you may have an oral infection or disease, your primary responsibility is to book an appointment with the dentist. Once a diagnosis has been made, a treatment will be prescribed. You will need to take much better care of your teeth moving forward. Regular and thorough brushing and flossing are a must. If you have been diagnosed with gingivitis or periodontitis, it might be a good idea to incorporate an anti-bacterial mouthwash into your hygiene routine. Cut down on acidic, sugar-rich foods and beverages (including alcohol) and give tobacco-use the boot.

A Final Note...

Tooth loss is a very real risk for those who don’t care for their teeth properly. If you don’t fancy a future of denture wearing, it comes recommended by dentists in Silver Spring that you take the necessary measures to get your oral health back on track.

The Dentist in Silver Spring Talks About Smoking and Your Oral Health

This article explains the detrimental effect smoking has upon the health of your teeth and gums.

There really is very little doubt about the fact that smoking, or any form of tobacco use, is terrible for your health. Dentists in Silver Spring and other health organizations are constantly warning the public against the dangers of this habit. The problem about advertisements against smoking is that it tends to highlight the long-term ramifications of tobacco-use, such as lung cancer and heart disease. As a result, the warning signs tend to be ignored, especially by young smokers who feel as though they have their whole lives to quit.

“I’ll quit smoking before I get old enough to fall sick from it.”

“I’ve only been smoking for a few years. Not enough to kill me yet!”

“I don’t plan on being a lifelong smoker, so I’ll be safe.”

Aside from the fact that these sentiments are completely illogical, smoking has a variety of undesirable effects on the body that manifest themselves in the short term. And in no other area are these effects more visible than in the health of your teeth and gums.

The Effects of Smoking on Your Oral Health

Smoking, by its very nature, is a counter-intuitive addiction for us to develop. It tastes awful, it makes you stink like an ashtray and it dictates your day-to-day behaviors to quite a large extent. Our bodies were not designed to be able to inhale smoke; otherwise we would have evolved with some kind of inbuilt filter! Instead, we suffer through the addiction, hating ourselves when we do smoke and feeling miserable when we don’t.

The psychological effects of smoking aside, this addiction takes a terrible toll on the health of your teeth and gums:

• “Dry Mouth”: Smoking causes xerostomia or “dry mouth,” a condition marked by the slowed production of saliva in the mouth. Saliva is an important natural defense against bacteria, so those who suffer from dry mouth are more susceptible to cavities, tooth decay and gum disease.

• Soft Tissue Inflammation: Smoking burns and irritates the soft tissues in the mouth, causing the gums, tongue, palate and buccal lining (inner cheeks) to become inflamed and sensitive.

• Tooth Discoloration: The nicotine and other chemicals in cigarette smoke seep into the tiny pores in your dental enamel, causing the teeth to become stained and discolored. In the long run, this can have a devastating effect on one’s smile aesthetics.

• Slowed Healing: Tobacco-use causes a squeezing of the blood vessel of the gums which restricts the amount of oxygen rich blood getting to the right place at the right time. This causes damage because this area won’t get enough blood and not having the right blood supply retards the natural healing processes in the mouth. This not only increases a person’s risk of developing oral infection or disease, it also compromises their ability to fight it off and heal properly. Patients requiring dental surgery - especially dental implants - are warned by the dentists in Silver Spring Maryland to cease smoking in the weeks beforehand as it can substantially lower the chance of success.

• Gum Disease and Oral Cancer: Tobacco-use is one of the greatest causes of gum disease and oral cancer. Both are serious conditions that, unless diagnosed early and treated, are potentially fatal.

A Final Note from Dentists in Silver Spring Maryland

It’s not an easy undertaking for anyone, but quitting is the only way you can improve your chances of living a long, healthy and happy life. Find out what it is you need to kick the habit today and DO IT.

The Silver Spring Dentist Talks About The Importance of X-Ray for Dental Health

This article explains why X-ray is such an important tool for the preservation of good oral health.

You’ve heard it said before: prevention is better than cure! It’s also a whole lot less expensive and, for the most part, completely painless. When it comes to the health of your teeth and gums, what does prevention involve? For one, it requires a meticulous home oral hygiene routine with regular and thorough brushing and flossing. It also requires regular scheduled visits with the Silver Spring dentist and oral hygienist. But one of the most important diagnostic tools needed to prevent severe conditions from claiming the lives of your teeth and the youthful beauty of your smile is X-ray!

About Dental X-Ray and Why it’s so Important

Right now, you may be imagining the dentist zapping tiny disease-causing pathogens in your mouth using some kind of futuristic X-ray gun. Well, the benefits of X-ray are a touch more intellectual than that. X-ray provides dentists with a clear picture of what’s going on underneath the gums. It allows dentists to view the jawbone, the roots of the teeth and the insides of the crowns without actually having to perform complex, invasive and painful surgery to do so. X-ray, in other words, is an indispensible diagnostic tool, without which dentists would be “flying blind.”

Imagine you have a toothache and you go to the Silver Spring dentist for a solution. He investigates the problematic tooth visually, but can’t seem to see anything obvious. The tooth looks fine on the outside and the gums underneath it appear healthy and pink. The dentist then takes an X-ray image of your jaw centered on the tooth that seems to be causing you all that pain and discomfort. Upon reviewing the pictures, the dentist spots the cause of all your trouble: a hairline fracture in the tooth root. Without even having to perform any surgery, the dentist has identified the problem and can now plan a very precise and effective solution.

Cone Beam CT Scans

X-ray saves patients thousands of dollars on needless and dangerous surgery by enabling dentists to identify problems and pinpoint treatment. Over the years, even this technology has been advanced, improved upon and refined. Cone Beam CT scans are an example of the more sophisticated machinery being used in dentist’s offices nowadays. CBCT scans take 3D X-ray images and feeds the data digitally into a computer imaging software program. This software allows dentists to manipulate a 3D view of a patient’s jaw and dentition. Treatment planning is done in detail prior to any surgery and, thanks to this technology, without the patient needing to be in the same room!

A Final Note on X-Ray Technology

Any dentist in Silver Spring MD will tell you that a comprehensive dental exam really isn’t complete without X-ray. Hidden problems, such as fractures, abscesses and endodontic infection can readily be identified and treated before any visible or obvious symptoms have begun to reveal themselves. This prevents the need for costly, invasive restorative procedures further down the line. And as we all know, prevention is better than cure!

The Silver Spring Dentist Talks About Teeth Whitening Treatments

Teeth whitening is a wonderful quick and easy treatment that can be done to remove the appearance of staining and discoloration, making your smile appear years younger.

It’s an inescapable truth... white is the preferred hue for your teeth when it comes to modern standards of beauty. Just compare the two pictures below! You are inherently programmed to find the second smile the more attractive one. Brown, grey and yellow simply don’t make the cut and rightly so!

Very few people are ‘born’ with perfectly white teeth. It takes a fair amount of professional intervention to get your teeth looking absolutely flawless. In fact, your dental enamel is naturally an off-white or even pale yellow color. So how do all those celebrities get their smiles looking like sunlit snow? Well, it takes a few visits to the Silver Spring dentist and perhaps some teeth whitening!

Ask the Dentist in Silver Spring: How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

A teeth whitening treatment essentially involves the application of a special gel to the crowns of the teeth. A strong dental light is then shone on the teeth to activate the bleaching agent in the gel, which, in professional whitening kits, is typically a 10% concentration of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide.

After about 30 minutes, the enamel of the teeth will have been bleached quite a few shades lighter, eliminating the appearance of staining and discoloration caused by repeated exposure to the natural tannins, dyes and pigments in foods and beverages. A professional whitening treatment can also help to counteract the appearance of staining caused by smoking or chewing tobacco. In severe cases of discoloration, patients may first require treatment for decay or gum disease, or a cosmetic procedure such as porcelain veneers.

Can Anyone Go for Teeth Whitening?

A professional teeth whitening is one of the simplest and quickest cosmetic procedures offered by the dentist in Silver Spring, so most people are able to book themselves in for a treatment without any problems. However, in cases where patients present with a poor standard of oral health, your dentist may first recommended treatment to resolve these issues. A bacterial infection of the gums - for example, periodontitis and gingivitis - can render the soft tissues in the mouth weak and very sensitive, which might cause them to react adversely to the bleaching agent in the whitening gel.

In any case, it is always advisable that patients first have their oral health restored to an acceptable standard before simply opting for cosmetic improvement. This can quite naturally come about by improving health and hygiene.

How Long Do the Results of a Teeth Whitening Last?

This really depends upon what kind of staining agents - and the frequency with which you consume them - you expose your teeth to. If you’re a heavy coffee drinker and a smoker, no doubt your results will be shorter-lived than a non-smoker who restricts their coffee intake. Generally, however, the results of a professional teeth whitening can last up to a year before re-treatment becomes necessary.

Remember, bleaching your teeth may remove evidence of past staining, but it won’t prevent future staining, so you may want to go easy on the red wine for a while! Also, nothing preserves the youthful beauty of your pearly whites like proper oral hygiene. A teeth whitening treatment will not erase evidence of decay and infection caused by negligence.

Advice on Silver Spring Cosmetic Dentistry: Maintaining Lifelong Smile Confidence, PART 2

A thorough home oral hygiene routine and a diet that is low in sugar, fats and acids. These, according to Silver Spring cosmetic dentistry experts, are two of the four things we can do to keep our teeth and gums healthy for life. And as we all know, healthy teeth and gums are the essential components of a beautiful and attractive smile! In this article, the second half of the series, we shall move on to the next two important areas of oral health care that will help you keep your teeth in excellent lifelong condition: regular appointments with the dentist and knowing which habits to avoid, or seek immediate treatment for.

Advice on Silver Spring Cosmetic Dentistry: Regular Dental Appointments and Professional Cleanings

Going for regularly scheduled dental appointments and professional cleanings are an integral component of the preventative care that will – that's right – prevent serious problems such as cavities, tooth decay and gum disease from happening in the first place. Every time you go for an appointment – which should be twice a year – the dentist will perform a thorough visual inspection of your teeth and gums. X-rays will help the dentist inspect the health and orientation of your teeth beneath the gum, revealing any problems such as decay, abscesses and cavities. If problems are identified, they can be treated in their infancy before they have the chance to do extensive and perhaps even irreparable damage. Incidentally, preventative treatment is painless and far less expensive than the procedures required to treat advanced disease.

The hygienist will then perform a thorough cleaning of your teeth, scraping away plaque (bacteria) and hardened deposits of plaque (tartar) from the surface of your teeth and just below the gum line. This calculus simply cannot be removed with regular brushing and flossing and even the most rigorous home oral hygiene cannot prevent the accumulation of tartar on the teeth.

If you ever experience any oral problems or dental pain in between appointments with the dentist, it is crucial you book an appointment as soon as possible. Do not wait more than two days.

Silver Spring Cosmetic Dentistry: Habits to Avoid or Seek Treatment For

• Using your teeth as tools to force open containers / tear packaging / chew ice.
• Teeth grinding (Bruxism)
• Tobacco use of any kind, whether its chewing or smoking
• Excessive alcohol drinking
• Drug abuse (both prescription and illegal)
• Eating disorders

All of the habits and addictions mentioned above have serious and far-reaching effects on your general health, but they also ruin your teeth and can, in the long term, cause tooth loss and edentulism (toothlessness). If you do suffer from any of them, speak to your Silver Spring Cosmetic Dentist about what you can do to treat the damage done, prevent further damage and free yourself of the habit or addiction all together.