Did you know that 1 in 5 cases of total tooth loss is linked to diabetes? Diabetes affects your entire body including your mouth and teeth. Here are a few ways diabetes can impact your oral health:
An early warning sign of potential gum disease is bleeding while you brush or floss. At this stage, gum disease may still be avoided by maintaining proper oral hygiene and a balanced diet. Research suggests that if your blood sugar isn’t under control, it can worsen gum disease. When gum disease becomes severe, it can break down the bone that supports your teeth and lead to tooth loss.
According to studies, people with diabetes have less saliva. Symptoms may include a dry tongue, cracked lips, and constantly feeling thirsty. Medications and higher blood sugar levels can also contribute to dry mouth. You can manage your blood sugar levels to help improve these symptoms. Drink plenty of water and eat healthy, crunchy foods to get the saliva flowing.
Change in Taste
Diabetes can alter your sense of taste and certain flavors may not feel as rich to you as they once did. Try considering this as an opportunity to explore new tastes, spices, and textures to your food. Be cautious of adding sugar to your foods, as this could negatively affect your diet. Make sure to see our dentist if you have persistent issues with taste.
Diabetes affects your immune system and can cause you to be more prone to infections in the mouth. Oral thrush is one common infection among many who have diabetes. It will look like a white layered coating on your tongue and on the inside of your cheeks. This is a reaction to the yeast thriving on high levels of sugar that can be found in your saliva. Oral thrush may leave a bad taste in your mouth, but it can be treated.
Diabetes can slow down the process of healing any injuries, cuts, or sores in your mouth. Poor blood sugar control can prevent sores from healing quickly and properly. Be sure to see our dentist if something in your mouth hasn’t healed properly.
If you have diabetes and want more information on its impact on your oral health, schedule your next visit and talk to our doctor.
It usually starts pretty innocently. You’re biting into your favorite hard candy and suddenly you realize that there’s one little hard piece in your mouth you can’t seem to dissolve. You check it out and fear overcomes you when you see it’s a little chipped piece of a tooth.
Enamel may be one of the hardest substances in the body but like most things in life, it has its limit. Whether you are chewing on ice or grinding your teeth at night, there’s always a chance of putting your teeth at risk. If you have chipped your tooth, there’s no need to panic. Here are a few things we can do to restore your beautiful smile:
Tooth bonding has many structural uses, and it can be very helpful for repairing chipped teeth. Tooth bonding is a simple procedure that doesn’t require any numbing. The bonding materials and porcelain used are natural in color and can be designed to perfectly match your teeth. Your smile will look good as new, and people will have a hard time noticing you ever chipped a tooth to begin with.
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that helps protect your teeth, while at the same time improving its appearance. An AACD (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry) dentist will likely use a tooth colored crown made out of porcelain or zirconia to look identical to your teeth. Crowns will also provide the durability and strength your teeth need to withstand daily use. You may only need a partial crown if our dentist sees that the chip doesn’t affect the entire tooth.
Porcelain laminate veneers are made up of several thin layers of ceramic used to repair chipped teeth. They will be bonded to the teeth to replace the original enamel of the tooth with a special adhesive. Dental veneers are a fantastic way to get your tooth to look whole and healthy again.
If you have a chipped tooth and would like more information on these methods, or to schedule a consultation, contact our office today.
“Tooth worms” are the cause of tooth decay. That was the headline of a Sumerian text from around 5,000 B.C.E. Fortunately, the dental industry has evolved since then and we know “tooth worms” don’t exist. Here’s how dentistry has evolved into the comfortable, safe, and beneficial science of today.
In the Beginning
Did you know that the ancient Egyptians had designated doctors for teeth? Evidence has been uncovered suggesting the Chinese used acupuncture to treat pain associated with tooth decay as early as 2700 B.C.E.
Additionally, in 500 B.C.E., Hippocrates and Aristotle wrote of treating teeth and oral diseases by using sterilization procedures and red-hot wires. They also spoke of using these red-hot wires to stabilize jaw fractures and bind loose teeth.
The Visionary Thoughts of the 1600s-1700s
According to the Academy of General Dentistry, the 1600s and 1700s were a gold mine of innovation in the dental world. In 1695, Charles Allen published the first ever English dental textbook entitled The Operator of Teeth. In the book, he advises using a homemade toothpaste from powdered coal, rose-water, and “dragon’s blood” to keep teeth clean and white. Allen also suggests using dog’s teeth for transplants and even references wisdom teeth in his book.
In the 18th century, Pierre Fauchard was well ahead of his time in the medical practice when his master work The Surgeon Dentist was published. For the first time, dentistry was described as a modern profession. Some notable highlights in the book include sugar being the cause of dental caries (cavities), braces being used to correct teeth position, and the concept of a dentist’s chair light.
The Progressive 1800s
The discoveries and inventions of the 1800s were significant. In 1816, Auguste Taveau developed the first form of dental fillings made out of silver coins and mercury. In 1840, Horace Wells demonstrated the use of nitrous oxide to sedate patients and Thomas Morton employed the use of ether anesthesia for surgery.
That same year, Horace Hayden and Chapin Harris boosted modern dentistry by opening the first dental school, inventing the modern doctorate of dental surgery, and starting the first dental society. By the end of the 1800’s, porcelain inlays, the first mechanized dental drill, and the toothpaste tube had all been invented.
Scientific Advancement of the 1900s
The scientific development of the 1900s gave birth to some amazing advancements in the dental industry. Electric drills became available due to the invention of electricity. In 1907, precision case fillings made by a “lost wax” casting machine was invented to fill cavities, and Novocain was introduced into US dental offices.
In 1955, Michael Buonocore described the method of tooth bonding to repair cracked enamel on teeth. Years later, the first fully-reclining dental chair is introduced to put patients and dentists at ease. By the 1990s, “invisible” braces were introduced, along with the first at-home tooth bleaching system.
What Will the Future of Dentistry Hold?
Today, dental professionals are investigating the links between oral health and overall health. The use of gene-mediated therapeutics to alter the genetic structure of teeth to increase resistance to tooth decay is receiving attention. Some researchers believe that there may be a way to grow a new tooth structure around weakened enamel. Only time will tell what the future of dentistry will bring, but our office is dedicated to seeking the most effective modern technologies as they arise.
Schedule your visit to our office and experience what modern dentistry can do for you.