Oral health is an umbrella term encompassing the conditions, disorders, and diseases affecting the oral cavity and jaws. Oral health concerns are much more than just the teeth. While the health of the teeth play an important role in oral health, they are not the only factor affecting it.
Oral health includes the health of the anatomical structures surrounding the teeth, also known as the periodontium. These periodontal tissues include the alveolar bone of the upper and lower jaws, the gum tissues covering the bone, and the ligaments connecting the teeth to the surrounding bone. You can have perfectly healthy teeth and yet lose them to an unhealthy condition of the periodontium.
Oral health also involves disorders or conditions of the soft tissues of the mouth. Many people suffer from sores, cysts, and tumors in the lips, cheeks, palate and tongue. This includes temporary ulcers, like canker sores and fever blisters. It also includes painful oral disorders like lichen planus and pemphigus.
Salivary function is an essential part of a healthy mouth. A dry mouth will have impaired oral health, and your dentist will help you manage this condition. A dry mouth cannot be a healthy mouth!
Although we are turning back the clock for daylight savings, you can’t turn back time on your teeth. Studies have shown that one in five Americans has untreated cavities, which is decay that has damaged a tooth’s hard, outer enamel layer and created small holes. Cavities can arise in people of all ages, including children
Your daily brushing and flossing routine is crucial to thwarting dreaded cavities and gum disease from invading your smile, but by itself, it’s still not enough to maintain top-notch oral health. There is a reason we recommend regular dental cleanings and exams! Seeing our dental team for routine dental checkups and cleanings supports your daily
October is here and fall has officially begun, bringing with it Breast Cancer Awareness Month as well as National Dental Hygiene Month. This is a time to raise awareness for both and help to prevent problems by monitoring your health and being mindful of your lifestyle choices. Whether you are fighting cancer or dental problems,
When it comes to protecting your teeth, your first line of defense against tooth decay and cavities is tooth enamel, as it is the outermost covering that protects the more vulnerable dentin and tooth pulp below. Your enamel comes equipped for the job as the hardest substance in your body. However, because it doesn’t have
When you come in for dental exams and we have cleaned your teeth and gum line and removed any hardened plaque, our dentist can look at them for any signs of trouble, such as cavities, loose or broken teeth, damaged fillings, and evaluate your risk rate of certain diseases which might also take into account
Our team strongly encourages everyone to floss daily, but do you ever wonder why? Well, flossing is vital for top-notch oral health and smiles. It can help you and your oral health in more ways than you might realize. This means that if you forget to floss, your smile can also suffer. Forgetting to floss
Are you familiar with endodontics and what it entails? Endodontics is a form of dentistry that is dedicated to caring for the inner workings of a tooth. If for any reason you have suffered pulp damage or damage to your roots, you will need to visit our dentist so that the appropriate treatments can be
According to the Centers for Disease Control, half of people in the United States over 30 years of age have some form of periodontal, or gum disease. Gum disease can range in seriousness from early stage gingivitis (bleeding, inflamed gums) to periodontitis. With periodontitis, tooth loss is a potential risk. Most people think that bleeding
If you find yourself with bad breath or have had someone remark on your breath, you might be experiencing halitosis. Bad breath may come and go depending on what food you are eating or if you have “morning breath,” common in those who tend to breathe through the mouth. Still, the most common culprit is
