The Mouth and Body Connection

Your teeth and gums are just as important as the rest of your body, and if you are slack with your oral hygiene habits, you could be asking for trouble.

The American Dental Association explains that brushing twice and flossing once each day should be part of your oral health routine. You should also follow a good diet with plenty of fruits and veggies. Include dairy products as well for strong bones and teeth. Of course, regular dental checkups, twice a year or more so if you are susceptible to tooth decay or gum disease, should also be added to the mix.

The health of your mouth is a reflection of your entire body as your mouth really is the gateway to the rest of your body.

Regular checkups can tell your dentist quite a bit about the rest of your body, including whether or not you could be at risk when it comes to chronic disease.

Poor Oral Health Can Affect your Overall Health

Recent studies have suggested that your mouth mirrors the rest of your body as a whole. In other words if your mouth, teeth and gums are healthy, your overall health is probably good as well. On the other hand, poor oral health could indicate other health issues.

The Academy of General Dentistry explains that there is a relationship between stroke and heart disease and periodontitis. Perodontitis is the more serious form of gum disease and can cause other health implications as well. Studies also show that pregnant women who have gum disease are more likely to give birth prematurely.

Other research is showing that over 90 percent of all systemic diseases have oral manifestations including dry mouth, mouth ulcers, and gum problems. 

Some of the diseases include: 

• Diabetes
• Oral Cancer
• Leukemia
• Kidney Disease
• Heart Disease 

If you have regular checkups with your dentist, he or she may be able to spot or even diagnose a health problem in the early stages.

Keeping your mouth healthy should be a priority, and if you can’t remember the last time you saw your dentist, call or click and schedule an appointment today.

Lumineers® in Farmington Hills

A beautiful smile can be yours when you visit Gentle Touch Family Dentistry. The talented Dr. Fawaz M. Ahmed from GentleTouch Family Dentistry is a true artist and can determine what cosmetic or restorative dental procedures would be best for your particular needs.

Not everyone is born with perfect teeth and that is where your favorite Cosmetic Dentist in Farmington Hills comes in. Dr. Fawaz M. Ahmed will examine your teeth and gums and look at the structure of your face before determining what cosmetic or restorative dental procedures would be best for you. It may be something as simple as in office tooth whitening or dental bonding. If you are in need of an entire smile makeover, Dr. Fawaz M. Ahmed may recommend dental implants, dental contouring, or dental veneers.

Speaking of dental veneers, if the thought of porcelain veneers has turned you off because they are permanent, talk to Dr. Fawaz M. Ahmed from Gentle Touch Family Dentistry about Lumineers®. Lumineers® are the painless way to give you a perfectly white aligned smile, without painful tooth removal.

With conventional porcelain veneers, your dentist has to remove part of your natural tooth structure to make way for the porcelain veneer. With Lumineers®, there is no shaving or grinding because Lumineers® are so thin. Lumineers® will transform your smile into a natural grin, and what’s even more impressive is that your new Lumineers® can be placed over the bridges and crowns that you already have.

Lumineers® are as thin as a contact lens and are placed directly over your natural teeth. This means that you can fix your chipped, misaligned, discolored, or stained teeth without anesthetic.

In as little as two or three dental appointments, Dr. Fawaz Ahmed, your Farmington Hills Lumineers® dentist, can turn your frown upside down.

If you would like to know more about cosmetic dentistry, including Lumineers®, call or click and schedule an appointment with Dr. Fawaz Ahmed from Gentle Touch Family Dentistry in Farmington Hills today. 

Dry Mouth Can Affect Teeth and Gums

If you are always thirsty, you could have Dry Mouth. According to your dentist, Dry Mouth is a condition that affects billions of people all over the planet. Dry Mouth is uncomfortable, but most importantly, Dry Mouth could have a drastic effect on your teeth and gums.

Although everyone is different, the majority of sufferers have similar Dry Mouth symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms 

• Bad breath
• Horsy throat
• Sore throat
• Pain when swallowing
• Constantly thirsty
• A dry or sticky feeling
• Mouth sores
• Split skin
• Cracked lips
• Dry throat
• Tingling or burning on your tongue
• Problems with tasting and chewing food
• Difficulty swallowing food 

Complications

The Mayo Clinic explains that people who have Dry Mouth sometimes find it hard to sleep because of constant thirst. If you suffer from Dry Mouth, you may also find yourself sitting in the dentist’s chair more often than you would like, as Dry Mouth is a condition caused by a lack of saliva.

Your salivary glands help keep your teeth and gums healthy by washing away the food particles, debris and bacteria. If you aren’t producing enough saliva, the bacteria will convert to acids that can erode the enamel on your teeth causing tooth decay. Your gums will also pay the price if natures thirst quencher isn’t doing its job.

If you have Dry Mouth, your mealtimes could be less than enjoyable. Your saliva helps you taste, chew, swallow, and enjoy your food. If you have Dry Mouth, you probably know how tasteless breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks have become.

What Can Be Done 

• Sugarless gum and hard candy that is sugar free can help stimulate saliva flow
• Nix the caffeine as it will dry out your mouth
• Use a no-alcohol mouthwash
• Keep a water bottle handy and drink, drink, drink
• Look for saliva substitutes that contain xylitol
• Try a mouth rinse that is made specifically for Dry Mouth
• Avoid non-prescription decongestants and antihistamines
• Don’t breathe through your mouth, use your nose
• By a humidifier to keep moisture in the air
• Use fluoride toothpaste
• Schedule twice-yearly checkups with your dentist
• Ask your dentist about prescription tooth products for Dry Mouth 

If you or someone you know suffers from Dry Mouth, call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist who may be able to help. Call or click today. 

Schedule a Smile Makeover Consultation

Your smile says a lot about who you are, but if you don’t like your smile, you may want to call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist for a smile makeover. A smile makeover consultation with your cosmetic dentist can give you the confidence you need giving you the courage to share your pearly whites with the world.

Below are a few reasons that you may want to schedule an appointment for a smile makeover.

A little really does go a long way, especially when it comes to the most popular cosmetic dental procedure, tooth whitening. There are hundreds of over the counter tooth whitening products available that can give you a brighter smile, however, your dentist uses more powerful tooth whitening products, and can even whiten your smile chairside.
 
If you have older silver amalgam fillings, root canals that are stained or metal crowns that you don’t like, talk to your dentist about tooth colored fillings and tooth colored crowns. Thanks to modern 21^st century dental procedures, you can have your old fillings and crowns replaced giving you a beautiful new smile.
 
Cosmetic dentistry is much more affordable than you might think. Talk to your dentist about a smile makeover and make sure you make him or her aware of your budget. The prices may pleasantly surprise you.
 
If you have dental anxiety, speak to your dentist as most cosmetic dental procedures are not painful. Your dentist can help you relax and can offer oral sedation, so that you will not feel a thing, whether you are receiving dental implants, porcelain veneers, tooth colored fillings or an entire smile makeover.
 
When you schedule a smile makeover with your dentist, you will be amazed at the results and the transformation as cosmetic dentistry not only makes you look younger, but makes you feel younger as well.

Regardless of your dental issues, your dentist can help. Thanks to today’s dental procedures and tools you don’t have to live with cracked, missing, crooked, chipped, or stained teeth.

Stop hiding your teeth when you smile and schedule an appointment for a smile makeover consultation today. 

Smoking can cause Tooth Loss

If you smoke or use tobacco, you are putting your teeth and gums at risk. Every time you take a puff or chew, your teeth and gums are paying the price.

According to WebMD, tobacco use does more than stain your teeth. Cigarettes, pipes, cigars, Hookah, and chewing tobacco can also cause chronic halitosis.

Your dentist explains that nearly half of all periodontal disease, the most serious form of gum disease in smokers, is caused by smoking. If left untreated, chronic gum disease could cause you to lose your teeth.

According to recent studies, tobacco could be one of the biggest, if not the biggest risk factors when it comes to periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is a serious bacterial infection that actually destroys the bone and soft tissue that anchors your teeth to your jawbone. Bacteria grow in the plaque that forms inside the pockets that surround your teeth. Your body’s reaction is to kill the plaque, which leads to the breakdown of bone and soft tissue.

During the earlier stages of gum disease, also known as gingivitis, you will notice that your gums might bleed when you brush and floss. If left untreated, the infection will get worse and break down your gums. When this occurs, your gums will separate from your teeth while forming pockets. The worse the gum disease, the deeper the pockets. The pockets fill with bacteria, food particles, and plaque and destroy the structures that support your gums and teeth. People with serious periodontal disease could have teeth that are painful and loose, some may lose their teeth completely.

According to your dentist smokers have more tartar than people who don’t smoke. This could be because of the lack of saliva. Calculus or tartar is plaque that is hardened and must be removed by your dentist.

Smoking also makes gum disease treatment more difficult as smoking will hinder healing. A recent study indicated that people who smoke were two times more likely to lose their teeth after periodontal treatments than people who did not smoke. Smokers also do not respond very well following oral surgery treatments and are less likely to have success with dental implants because the bones will not heal properly.

If you smoke or chew tobacco call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist who may be able to help you kick the habit for good. Call or click now. 

Bad Oral Health Habits

You may think you are doing the right thing when it comes to your teeth and gums, but according to the American Dental Association, some of your oral habits may not be as healthy as you think.

Ice

Chewing on ice is a bad habit, and one that makes your dentist cringe. You may be saying it’s only water, but once it freezes, you could be setting yourself up for chips, cracks or even a broken tooth. Chewing on ice can also cause gum damage. Your blender has a special blade just for ice. You can only imagine what ice does to your teeth. Keep the ice in your glass and your dentist will be happy.

The Wrong Toothbrush

If you use a brush that is too hard it will cause gum recession and abrasion to the roots of your teeth. Your dentist recommends that you use a multi-tufted soft bristled toothbrush to avoid gum damage.

Brushing with Too Much Force or Too Frequently

Even if you are using a multi-tufted soft bristled toothbrush, you could still damage your teeth and irritate your gums if you use too much force. A gentle whisking action is really all you need to break up the plaque on the surface of your teeth. Brushing too often could also be damaging your teeth. Morning and night is sufficient as too much brushing, especially right after you eat, could cause enamel erosion.

Nail and Pencil Biting

Chewing on anything other than food will cause damage to your teeth and gums. Nail and pencil biting are nervous habits that could cause chips or breaks.

Grinding and Clenching

Known as bruxism, tooth clenching and grinding exerts excessive pressure on your teeth causing them to wear over time. Most people brux at night while sleeping, but clenching and grinding can occur during the day because of stress. If you are a clencher or grinder, call and schedule an appointment with your dentist for a custom fitted mouthguard that may help you stop bruxing.

If you would like more information regarding healthy habits for teeth and gums, call or click and schedule an appointment with your dentist today. 

Don’t Ignore an Abscessed Tooth

If you have been ignoring that toothache, you could be asking for trouble. Your dentist explains that a toothache could become infected causing a dangerous abscess. 

Colgate explains that an abscessed tooth is usually a very painful infection, however occasionally you may have an abscessed tooth and not even be aware of it, especially if the pulp, which is the nerves, blood vessels and tissue inside of the tooth, has died.

An abscessed tooth is commonly caused by tooth decay, tooth trauma or if the tooth has been broken or is chipped. Gingivitis and periodontal disease could also be to blame for an abscessed tooth.

You may have an abscessed tooth if you are experiencing throbbing, shooting, or sharp pain in a particular tooth or surrounding teeth. Other signs and symptoms of an abscessed tooth include: 

• Pain when you chew
• Fever
• Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold
• A bitter taste in your mouth
• Swollen glands in your neck
• General discomfort
• Chronic bad breath
• Upper or lower jaw swelling
• An open or draining sore on your gums 

As mentioned above if the pulp in the root of your tooth dies because of the infection your toothache may suddenly stop, however, that does not mean you that it has magically healed as the infection is still active and will continue to spread.

If you have been diagnosed with a tooth abscess, your dentist will come up with a strategy to help save the tooth and prevent additional complications.

To eliminate further infection, your dentist may drain the abscess with root canal therapy. Root surgery may also be needed to remove the root tissue that is infected. After the surgery or root canal therapy, your dentist will place a dental crown to help protect the tooth.

If the infection has severely damaged the tissue, your dentist may have to extract your tooth to allow for socket drainage. Your dentist may decide on an incision in the gum tissue to allow for drainage. This type of treatment also allows you to keep your tooth. Antibiotics will be prescribed as well to help fight off the infection.

The best way to avoid a nasty infection is to practice good oral hygiene that includes brushing twice and flossing once each day. Make sure that you eat a healthy diet and see your dentist twice a year.

If you would like more information regarding dental abscesses, or have a toothache that just won’t go away, call or click and speak to your dentist today.