The mouth is like a door to the entire body. So, it’s not surprising that occasional symptoms are indications of some common problems, such as:

•Bad Breath: This typically occurs from an overload of bacteria in the mouth.
The bacteria that break down food in your mouth excrete odor-producing materials. If not thoroughly cleansed away, the build-up becomes obvious in your breath odor. What to do? Naturally, brush and floss twice daily and use a tongue scraper to clear embedded bacteria in the tongue. Chew sugarless gum after meals to aid saliva flow, which washes away germs. And, drink plenty of water.

•Canker Sores: These painful mouth sores often occur during times of fatigue or stress.
When your immune system is vulnerable, an added helping of stress can trigger a canker sore. While over-the-counter medications help to numb the pain, swishing with warm, salty water may help just as well. Generally, canker sores last a week to ten days. Ask Dr. Claiborne about medications that will speed healing.

•Very Sensitive Teeth: This often indicates too-rigorous brushing or using a hard bristle toothbrush.
While you want to be thorough when brushing your teeth, overdoing it can damage enamel and gum tissue. When the gum tissue surrounding teeth is damaged, tooth roots become exposed to heat and cold. Use a light hand and toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Damaged enamel and worn gum tissue doesn’t heal itself. During an examination, we can assess if your damage needs to be repaired by gum therapy.

•Sores, Red or White Patches, Etc.: When an unusual oral problem does not go away in 10 days to 2 weeks, make arrangements to be seen promptly!
Some unusual spots or soreness in the mouth may be a sign of oral cancer. Although some are painless, it doesn’t mean they are harmless. Oral cancer is one of the deadliest of all cancers and has the worst survival rate if not caught in earliest stages. Schedule an appointment immediately!

For problem that involves the tissues in the mouth (including the tongue and soft palate), call (828) 274-9440 to arrange a consultation.

Have you ever been to a dinner or cocktail party and had someone whisper in your ear, “You have spinach in your teeth”? If you’re like me, you start assessing how many people you’ve been smiling and laughing with since you indulged in the spinach dip!

Having an appealing, flattering smile begins with a clean, healthy mouth. If you’re behind on your dental exams and cleaning, then that’s your first step. This visit will only remove any tartar or plaque build-up on your teeth and brighten your teeth with a thorough cleaning on all sides, including in-between. This will also help you have refresher breath!

When heading to a holiday gathering that will include food (as most do!), slip away to the restroom after eating to check your teeth. A bit of black pepper or a poppy seed can ruin your smile, which is often the first thing people notice when meeting you. Also, be sure to tuck some floss in your pocket or purse to remove bits that don’t swish away with water.

One more tip: Every time you eat or drink something (other than water), an acid attack begins in your mouth. This is not only bad for tooth enamel, it triggers production of oral bacteria that eat away at gum tissues and tooth surfaces. Rather than nibble your way through New Year’s Day, consider eating three healthy meals. If you must snack, select crunchy carrots, celery or apples rather than that leftover Christmas fudge! This can help you avoid cavities along with a good oral hygiene routine at home.

Smiling, laughing and being close with others is more joyful when you feel confident about your mouth. A healthy mouth is a positive reflection on you. Call us at (828) 274-9440 if you want to restore your smile to a healthy state.

It’s pretty rare that I run into someone who claims to “enjoy” getting their teeth cleaned. As a matter of fact, I not only hear the opposite from most people, occasional complaints about how “rough” their Hygienist is accompany the dislike of these visits.

The reality of this is not a hard-handed Hygienist or that dental cleanings are merely dreadful procedures. The reality is (drum roll) your cleanings are uncomfortable because your gums are tender. And, the reason your gums are tender is because you probably don’t floss your teeth.

Tender gums indicate that bacteria is attacking your sensitive oral tissues. Gums that bleed easily are a symptom of periodontal (gum) disease. If treated early, the cost and time required to restore your gums to a healthy state will be minimal. However, as gum disease progresses (and it WILL without treatment), the procedure is more involved.

Once your gums are restored to good oral health, it is a simple process to keep them that way. However, this requires twice daily brushing (at minimum), daily flossing (not a difficult or time-consuming task once you get the hang of it), monitoring sugar intake and drinking plenty of water to keep the mouth moist.

We see a number of patients periodically who have had their gums restored to a healthy state for evaluation and cleanings in-between visits to their regular dentist’s office. They come in smiling and leave smiling. Their cleanings are neither dreaded or uncomfortable. And, their smiles sparkle and their teeth are at minimal risk for cavities.

Join them! Call us at (828) 274-9440 to schedule a periodontal evaluation.

Mental alertness seems to decline as people age. But, could this have more to do with tooth loss and inflamed gums than the aging process? The findings of a study indicate a possible association between oral health and cognitive function (the mental process of knowing, awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment) in middle aged adults. As part of the national Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, researchers investigated whether tooth loss and the presence of periodontal (gum) disease relate to reduced mental function.

Participants included over 11,000 late middle–aged adults who were studied from 1996 through 1998. Researchers measured delayed word recall, digit-symbol substitution and word fluency accompanied by a dental screening. Of the 8,554 participants who had natural teeth remaining, nearly 6,000 were given oral exams to measure dental condition, number of natural teeth and presence of inflammation from gum disease. Adjustments were made for factors including smoking, alcohol use and diabetes.

Approximately 13% of the study’s participants were totally without teeth. Of the participants with remaining natural teeth, over 27% had less than 20 teeth. Over 12% of those showed some level of periodontal (gum) disease.

Compared with participants who had natural teeth remaining, those without any natural teeth had lower scores for all cognitive tests. For participants who had fewer teeth and bleeding gums, they had lower digit-symbol substitution and word fluency scores.

The researchers feel the findings show that the absence of natural teeth relates to having less mental sharpness. Tooth loss and bleeding gums (a sign of periodontal bacteria) also seems to indicate reduced mental function among middle age people who still have some or all natural teeth.

Does being without teeth and having gum disease mean you are at risk for cognitive decline? Or, can gum inflammation negatively effect an adult’s mental sharpness as early as middle age? As research continues, we will keep you updated on the findings.

In the meantime, remember that prior research has already established that the health of your mouth effects your overall health. The bacteria of gum disease can become bloodborne through inflamed tissues and cause adverse reactions elsewhere in the body. This bacteria has been associated with coronary artery disease, diabetes, arthritis, preterm babies, and memory loss.

Be  committed to your oral health and your entire body will thank you!