FAQs

During dental treatment, bleeding sometimes occurs. As a result, bacteria from the mouth can possibly enter the bloodstream and work their way to the heart. This presents a risk for some patients with cardiac abnormalities because the bacteria may cause bacterial endocarditis, a serious inflammation of the heart valves or tissues. Antibiotics reduce this risk. Certain heart conditions are more often associated with endocarditis than others. To determine if an existing heart condition poses a risk, we require a thorough medical history on your Health History Form. The form should also include the name and address of your family physician or cardiologist as well as the names and dosages of all medications that you take. Heart conditions for which antibiotics are required prior to dental treatment include: heart surgery within past six months, pacemaker, vascular surgery (replaced artery) within past six months, artificial heart valve, history of rheumatic fever, history of heart murmur (mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation), previous bacterial endocarditis, systemic pulmonary shunt, congenital heart defect, and acquired valvular dysfunction. In addition, bacteria in the bloodstream can settle in an artificial joint. This increases your risk of contracting an infection. For the first two years following a total joint placement, antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended for everyone. After two years, only high-risk patients may need to receive antibiotics for high-risk procedures.

Wisdom teeth, a.k.a third molars, usually will try to grow into the mouth at around age 18 to 20 years of age. They are no different than any other tooth except that they are the last teeth to erupt, or grow into the mouth. They are just as useful as any other tooth if they grow in properly, have a proper bite relationship, and have healthy gum tissue around them. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. When wisdom teeth are prevented from erupting into the mouth properly, they are referred to as impacted. Teeth that have not erupted are not necessarily impacted. It may be that it is still too early in someone’s dental development, and if time passes they might grow in properly. A dentist must examine a patient’s mouth and his or her x-rays to determine if the teeth are impacted or will not grow in properly. Impacted teeth may cause problems including infection, decay of adjacent teeth, gum disease or formation of a cyst or tumor. Many dentists recommend removal of impacted wisdom teeth to prevent potential problems of your wisdom teeth.

When gums are healthy, they fit snugly around the teeth. Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that support the teeth. Gum disease is usually caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on teeth. If plaque is not removed with thorough daily brushing and flossing, gums become irritated and swollen. The irritated, swollen gums can separate from the teeth and form spaces called pockets. Bacteria move into the pockets where they continue to promote irritation. If left untreated, the process can continue until bone and other tooth-supporting tissues are destroyed. Unfortunately, you may not even be aware that you have gum disease because often there is no pain. However, there are warning signs that you should be aware of: gums that bleed during brushing; red, swollen or tender gums; gums that have pulled away from the teeth; persistent bad breath; pus between the teeth and gums; loose or separating teeth; a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite; a change in the fit of partial dentures. Current research suggests that there is a link between gum disease and other health concerns including heart problems, stroke, diabetes, and increased risk during pregnancy. You can help prevent gum disease by brushing twice a day and flossing daily. In addition, avoiding tobacco use and eating a balanced diet are important in preventing gum disease. Regular checkups are important to monitor the pockets around each tooth to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy.

Use of any tobacco product (cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco) can increase your risk of developing oral cancer and gum disease (periodontal disease). Tobacco products can damage your gums by affecting the attachment of bone and soft tissue to your teeth. The attachment can decrease thereby causing receding gums. Now part of the tooth that used to be covered by gum tissue is directly exposed to air and the oral environment. This increases your risk of developing a sensitivity to hot and cold, or tooth decay in these unprotected areas. Additionally, smoking can delay healing after a tooth extraction or other oral surgery. Smoking can contribute to bad breath, stains on your teeth and tongue, and a build-up of tartar on your teeth. Several signs and symptoms that could indicate oral cancer include: irritation or burning or a sore that will not heal; pain or tenderness; development of a lump, or leathery, wrinkled patch inside your mouth; color changes or your gums (gray, red, or white spots) rather than a healthy pink color; and difficulty chewing or swallowing. By keeping your teeth clean with thorough brushing and flossing and seeing a dentist on a regular basis, you may be able to stop or prevent any of the above changes from taking place.

Patients who undergo cancer treatment sometimes are unaware that it can affect the teeth, gums, and salivary glands. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments can cause several oral side effects: inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes; painful mouth and gums; dry mouth; severe tooth decay; burning, peeling or swelling of the tongue; change in ability to taste; poor diet due to problems with eating; increase in the risk of developing oral and systemic infections. If possible, have a thorough dental checkup at least two weeks before treatment begins. During treatment, you should continue to brush teeth twice a day using a fluoridated toothpaste and floss once a day. We may recommend a mouth rinse in addition to daily brushing. Fluoride gel may also be indicated for home use to reduce the likelihood of tooth decay. If dry mouth develops we may recommend a saliva replacement, sucking sugar-free candy, or frequent sips of water. Soft moist foods like cooked cereals, mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs may be suitable if your mouth is sore. Additionally, it is recommended that you avoid alcohol and tobacco. Contact us if you have questions about the affects your cancer treatment is having on your mouth.

Gingival recession is a pathological movement of the gum margin away from the tooth. This causes the root surface of the tooth to be exposed. Exposed root surface causes pain upon exposure to cold and hot liquids and foods, and can be very sensitive to tooth brushing. Gingival recession is also unaesthetic, especially if the tooth is located in the front of the mouth when the person speaks or smiles. Some people have a very wide smile and show many teeth when they smile. An uneven gum line can be distracting and even compromise a beautiful, pleasing smile. Recession can be caused by a variety of reasons including: brushing too hard with a toothbrush, prominent roots, orthodontic treatment, muscle attachments, and periodontal disease. Treatment for recession depends on the cause and how much of a problem it is causing the patient.

Xerostomia refers to a sensation of a dry mouth. Dry mouth may be caused by a number of factors including salivary gland dysfunction, aging, smoking, mouth breathing, radiation therapy to the head region, and HIV infection. Additionally, a wide variety of medications may produce dry mouth as a side effect. Xerostomia affects women more frequently than men and it is also more common in the elderly. This dryness may be caused by decreasing salivary gland secretions due to increasing age, but this is often difficult to prove because so many older patients take medications that may induce xerostomia. Treatment of dry mouth is difficult and often unsatisfactory. Artificial salivas are available and may help make the patient more comfortable. In addition, continuous sips of water throughout the day and sugarless candy can be used in an effort to stimulate salivary flow. If the dryness is due to the patient’s medication, consult with the patient’s physician to either discontinue the drug, modify the dosage, or try a different drug. Because of the increased potential for dental decay, frequent dental visits are recommended. Daily home fluoride applications can be used to help prevent decay and prescription mouth rinses can be used to minimize plaque buildup.

Many young people don’t realize that there are numerous alarming side effects that could happen to them if they get an oral piercing. Because your mouth contains millions of bacteria, infection is a common complication of oral piercing. Other side effects include pain, nerve damage, an increased flow of saliva and injuries to the gum tissue. If a blood vessel was in the path of the needle during the piercing, severe and difficult-to-control bleeding can result. For some, blood poisoning or even blood clots can occur. For many, the swelling of the tongue is a common side effect. And in extreme cases, a severely swollen tongue can actually close off the airway and prevent breathing. The jewelry itself also presents some hazards. You can choke on any studs, barbells or hoops that come loose in your mouth, and contact with the jewelry can chip or crack your teeth. So, skip the mouth jewelry and let your healthy smile make your fashion statement.

Yes. According to an article recently published in the “Journal of the National Cancer Institute,” men with poor oral health have a significantly increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer over those with good oral health. Researchers from Massachusetts and Puerto Rico recently conducted a clinical study to evaluate the potential association between oral health and the development of pancreatic cancer. This study included over 50,000 male health professionals between the ages of 40-75 years who were followed for 16 years. Results indicated that a history of periodontal (gum) disease increased the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 64%. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and usually causes no symptoms until it has spread to other sites in the body. This study shows that having great oral hygiene and seeing your dentist for cleanings and checkups can have an affect on your overall health.

34,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year. It will cause over 8,000 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day. Of those 34,000 newly diagnosed individuals, only half will be alive in 5 years. The death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development. Often it is only discovered when the cancer has metastasized to another location. Oral cancer is particularly dangerous because it has a high risk of producing second, primary tumors. This means that patients, who survive a first encounter with the disease, have up to a 20 times higher risk of developing a second cancer. This heightened risk factor can last for 5 to 10 years after the first occurrence. The demographics of those who develop this cancer have been consistent for some time. While the majority of people are over the age of 40 at the time of discovery, it does occur in those under this age. There are links to young men and women who use chewing or spit tobacco. The human papilloma virus has now been shown to be sexually transmitted between partners, and is implicated in the increasing incidence of young non-smoking oral cancer patients. This is the same virus that is the causative agent in more than 90% of all cervical cancers. From a gender perspective, for decades this has been a cancer which affected 6 men for every woman. That ratio has now become 2 men to each woman. Tobacco use in all its forms is number one on the list of risk factors. At least 75% of those diagnosed are tobacco users. When you combine tobacco with heavy use of alcohol, your risk is significantly increased, as the two act synergistically. Those who both smoke and drink, have a 15 times greater risk of developing oral cancer than others. Learn more about oral cancer screening.

Meth (methamphetamine) addicts have a combination of drug induced symptoms and behavior patterns that cause severe tooth decay and gum disease. The drug induced symptoms are dry mouth, increased body temperature, muscular hyperactivity, and violent, self destructive behavior patterns. The dry mouth and increased body temperature produce a ferocious thirst. The increased body temperature combined with the increased hyperactivity produce a physical need for quick energy and a huge appetite for sugar. Soda, (especially Mountain Dew) is a cheap, ever-present source of both fluid and sugar and many meth addicts eat and drink little else. The dry mouth produced by the methamphetamine tends to exacerbate the severity of the decay, and the increased muscular activity produces relentless bruxing (grinding and clenching) which causes the decay weakened teeth to break. Meth also produces violent and self destructive behavior which directs the addict’s attention away from looking after his or her own well-being. Consequently, little attention is paid to personal hygiene, including oral hygiene.

The most common oral health problems associated with diabetes are: tooth decay; gum disease; salivary gland dysfunction; infection and delayed healing; fungal infections; and taste impairment. Thus, it is important to keep you medical records current. Make sure your dentist knows: if you have been diagnosed with diabetes; if the disease is under control, and the names of all prescription and over-the-counter drugs you are taking. When diabetes is not controlled properly, high glucose levels in saliva may help bacteria thrive. Because diabetes reduces the body’s resistance to infection, the gums are among the tissues likely to be affected. Periodontal diseases are infections of the gum and bone that hold your teeth in place. Patients with inadequate blood sugar control appear to develop periodontal disease more often and more severely, and they lose more teeth than do people who have good control over their diabetes. Fungal infections, especially in denture wearers, occur more frequently among people with diabetes. These infections produce white (or sometimes red) patches in the mouth that are sore. When on the tongue, they can cause a painful, burning sensation. It can also cause difficulty swallowing and compromise the ability to taste. Watch for signs and symptoms of oral disease and contact your dentist when problems arise. Practice good oral hygiene, follow your physician’s instructions regarding diet and medications, and schedule regular dental checkups to maintain a healthy smile.

Yes. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is an involuntary muscle relaxing of the upper esophageal sphincter, which allows stomach acid to move upward though the esophagus and into the oral cavity, resulting in enamel erosion. Symptoms such as belching, unexplained sour taste or heartburn usually alert the patient to the condition. However, in silent GERD, these symptoms do not occur, and enamel erosion of the back teeth may be the first indication of the disease. Enamel or dental erosion is an irreversible process involving mineral loss and chemical dissolution of tooth structure resulting in tooth sensitivity and improper tooth-to-tooth relationships (how you bite). If a dentist is suspicious that a patient may have gastric reflux, he/she will refer the patient for further medical evaluation, because successful treatment of this medical condition is necessary before dental treatment can be initiated successfully.

Canker sores are often confused with cold sores. An easy way to distinguish between the two is to remember that canker sores occur inside the mouth, and cold sores usually occur outside the mouth.

A canker sore (also called aphthous ulcers) is a small ulcer with a white or gray base and red border. There can be one or a number of sores in the mouth. Canker sores are very common and often recur.​

A cold sore, which is also called fever blister or herpes simplex, is composed of groups of painful, fluid-filled blisters that often erupt around the lips and sometime under the nose or under the chin. Cold sores are usually caused by herpes virus type I and are very contagious.

Canker sores usually heal in about a week or two. Rinsing with antimicrobial mouth rinses may help reduce the irritation. Over-the-counter topical anesthetics can also provide relief. Cold sores usually heal in about a week. Over-the-counter topical anesthetics can provide temporary relief and prescription antiviral drugs may reduce these kinds of viral infections.