Important Steps to Combat Gum Disease

Caring Dental of Spotswood, General Dentistry, Oral Health, Patient Education, Preventative Dentistry

There is a disease that is running rampant through American adults, and while your thoughts probably immediately go to the pandemic situation that we are currently experiencing, we are referencing something that greatly affects your oral health: Gum Disease. Gum disease currently affects more than half of American adults. Since February is Gum Disease Awareness Month, we wanted to discuss the importance of taking care of your gum health and ways that you can help prevent this disease from affecting you or a loved one.

Learn About Our New Technology

Caring Dental of Spotswood, General Dentistry, Oral Health, Technology

Is a dental practice that keeps up with advancements in technology important to you? Your answer should be yes, because it is important to us. We believe in constantly evolving as a practice to bring you the latest and greatest in dental technology. We have recently added a new piece of technology equipment to the office to bring you more comfortable and efficient procedures. Continue reading to learn about this new addition to our office.

Alcohol and Oral Health

Caring Dental of Spotswood, General Dentistry, Oral Health

Now that December has arrived, we are in the throes of planning for the holidays. Along with the added stress the holidays bring, we are also dealing with the effects of the year we have had. For many, the holidays will look very different this year, with cancelled holiday parties and smaller, more intimate gatherings than usual, even just limited to immediate family. Although there will be some differences this year, many of you will still be enjoying a glass of wine at your Hanukkah dinner, a cup of eggnog in front of your Christmas tree, and popping a bottle of champagne to ring in the New Year. Before the liquid courage starts flowing this holiday season, we want you to be aware of how alcohol consumption can affect your oral health.

Prevention Is Key

Caring Dental of Spotswood, General Dentistry, Patient Education, Preventative Dentistry

As a child, you may have constantly been reminded to brush your teeth every morning and night, as well as floss, so that you would have healthy white teeth when you grew up. You may also have been taken to the dentist twice a year and never missed a routine cleaning and exam appointment. As adults, however, we can get complacent with our dental care because we don’t have any problems. We might think it’s ok to miss a night here or there of brushing and no big deal if we skip a dental visit because we are too busy. This is a bad habit to fall into, however. Taking care of your teeth is just as important as it was when you were a child. Consistent care can reduce many of the tooth, gum and mouth diseases that not only wreak havoc on your mouth, but can affect your overall health, as well.

Diabetes and Oral Health

Caring Dental of Spotswood, General Dentistry, Oral Health, Patient Education

It is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that over 100 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that interferes with the body’s ability to process the glucose produced from the foods we eat into usable energy. Did you know that it can also affect your oral health?

High blood sugar weakens the immune system, so those with diabetes have a decreased ability to combat the bacteria that can cause infection in the gums. In fact, research indicates that those with diabetes are three times more likely to develop gum disease than those who aren’t diabetic.

The diabetes-oral health connection is a two-way street. Not only are people with diabetes more susceptible to serious gum disease, but periodontal disease could make it harder to control blood sugar levels, which could contribute to the progression of diabetes.