Many oral health problems start small and rapidly turn into bigger ones if a dentist doesn't address them. The key to keeping your mouth healthy and your dental costs low is prevention, and part of prevention means making regular visits to your dentist for cleanings and checkups. During these visits, we are able to take a close look and see if anything is out of the ordinary. We use all sorts of cool digital imaging equipment and radiography to spot things the human eye might not otherwise see.
Since we're just past the middle of the year, we decided to dedicate this week's blog post to remind you to schedule an appointment with your dentist. We're going to drive our point home by sharing three oral health issues you shouldn't ignore when you experience them:
Bad Breath
Bad breath may seem harmless (except maybe to your significant other), and most of the time it is for the most part. Smelly spices can cause it or it can happen when you run out the door and forget to brush your teeth. But it's important to also remember that bad breath can be the result of more serious conditions like advanced stages of gum disease or ketoacidosis. If you find yourself experiencing consistent bad breath, consider making an appointment with your dentist to see if there is something you can improve in your routine or if something of concern is causing it.
Blood When You Spit Out Your Toothpaste
At some point, many people will see a little blood in their toothpaste when they spit it out in the sink. Too many folks ignore this not-so-subtle warning sign from their bodies. You might at first think you just brushed your teeth too hard, but this blood indicates that you have gum disease. If this happens to you regularly, we also bet that if you ran your finger along your gumline you'd find at least one puffy, swollen spot. Unchecked, this can lead to advanced stages of periodontal disease and loose teeth. We highly recommend making an appointment with your dentist to avoid worse problems as a result of gum disease.
Dry Mouth
Some people have a condition called xerostomia, or dry mouth. Sometimes this occurs on its own, sometimes it's related to another condition, and sometimes it occurs because of the side effects of medications. It's usually a special need of many elderly patients as they are simply more likely to take a greater number of medications than other age groups. The problem with dry mouth is that it can lead to greater instances of tooth decay, oral infections, and gum disease. If you regularly experience it, talk to your dentist about ways to minimize your risk.
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