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gum disease

What’s the Difference Between Gingivitis and Periodontitis?

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To effectively protect your mouth, it’s important to know the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis. By doing so, you’ll be able to identify issues quickly and seek proper dental treatment.

You have likely heard of the terms gingivitis, gum disease, periodontitis, and periodontal disease. But you may be less familiar with what they are and what causes them.

Good oral health includes much more than just brushing your teeth and flossing. Maintaining a healthy mouth also involves keeping your gums healthy. However, even if you cultivate good oral health habits, an illness like cancer or diabetes can affect the condition of your gums. Also, certain medications can affect your oral health.

To effectively protect your mouth, it’s important to know the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis. By doing so, you’ll be able to identify issues quickly and seek proper dental treatment.

What is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums, or gingiva. It generally occurs because a film of plaque, or bacteria, accumulates on the teeth. While gingivitis itself is a non-destructive type of periodontal disease, it can progress to periodontitis if left untreated. However, it’s also important to know that not all gingivitis leads to periodontitis.

Gingivitis is a form of periodontal, or gum, disease that causes the gums to be inflamed. It is caused by poor oral hygiene. Symptoms of gingivitis include:

  • Swollen or puffy gums
  • Receding gums
  • Tender gums
  • Bleeding gums
  • Bad breath

In the early stages of gum disease, bacteria in plaque build up causes the gums to become inflamed and may cause them to bleed when brushing. Even though the gums are irritated, the teeth are still firmly rooted in their sockets. At this stage, no irreversible bone or tissue damage has occurred.

What is Periodontitis?

Periodontitis is a more serious condition. When gingivitis is left untreated, it can lead to periodontitis. For a person with periodontitis, the inner layer of the gum and bone pull away from the teeth and pockets form. Debris collects in and between these small spaces and the area can become infected. As the plaque spreads and grows below the gum line, the immune system fights the bacteria.

As this process progresses, the toxins produced by the bacteria begin to break down the bone and connective tissue which is what holds the teeth in place. If left untreated, the pockets get larger and more tissue and bone are destroyed in the process. When this happens, the teeth are no longer secured and then begin to loosen and will eventually fall out.

What Causes Periodontal Disease?

Plaque build-up is the primary cause of gum disease. However, there are other factors to consider. Some of these include:

  • Hormonal changes, like those experienced during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can make the gums more sensitive and can make gingivitis easier to develop.
  • Many illnesses can affect the condition of the gums. Some of these include HIV and cancer. Persons with diabetes are at higher risk because the disease affects the body’s ability to use blood sugar. High blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, and long-term kidney disease can also affect oral health.
  • Oral health can be affected by certain types of medications. Some types lessen the flow of saliva, which protects the teeth and gums. Others can cause abnormal growth of gum tissue.
  • Bad habits like smoking make it difficult for gum tissue to repair itself.
  • Poor oral hygiene is one of the leading causes of gum disease. Not brushing or flossing daily can cause gingivitis.

How is Gum Disease Treated?

To treat gum disease, the goal is to promote the reattachment of healthy gums to the teeth. It’s important to reduce the inflammation and reduce the small spaces that have formed between the teeth and gums. Treatment options depend on the stage of the gum disease, how you respond to other treatments, and on your overall health.

At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we will go over the treatment options with you. We will access your overall health and come up with the best possible options.

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The Only Board Certified Dental Anesthesiologists in the State of Missouri, including the St. Louis Metro Area.

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5 Medical Conditions that Can Affect Your Teeth

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There are a number of different medical conditions that can affect your overall oral health.

When you go to the dentist for your routine dental exam, your dentist will check for more than just cavities. Your mouth can actually signal problems that are going on in the rest of your body. From your lungs to your heart and to your immune system, be aware of 5 health conditions that are linked to tooth and gum disease.

5 Medical Conditions that Can Harm Your Mouth

  1. Gastroesophageal reflux, commonly known as acid reflux, can affect your teeth. Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid or bile flows upwards into the food pipe. The result of powerful stomach acid in your mouth causes erosion on your back teeth because it dissolves the enamel. Brushing your teeth or rinsing vigorously with water during the day can reduce the effect of acid on your teeth. To prevent nighttime reflux, avoid eating before bed and avoid foods that are acidic and caffeine and alcohol.
  2. High Blood Pressure can increase your risk of developing gum disease. Some of the medications used to lower blood pressure can cause unwanted side effects such as gingival enlargement which is a condition in which your gums swell and begin to grow over your teeth.
  3. It is believed that there is a link between heart disease and oral health. Although not completely understood, if you suffer from gum disease, you are two times more likely to have heart disease. The idea is that bacteria from your gums is able to travel through your body, reaching your heart and causing cardiovascular issues. Therefore, the healthier you keep your mouth, the lower your risk of heart disease may be.
  4. Diabetes can cause severe gum disease. Diabetes may cause some peoples teeth to pull away from the gums, which can make them loose and even fall out. If you have diabetes and experience this problem, you need to work with a specialist so they can help you keep it under control with a healthy diet and good oral hygiene.
  5. There is a link between severe gum problems and chronic kidney disease. Long-term kidney disease can lead to a number of health problems including heart disease, poor bone health, and high blood pressure. All of these conditions can cause gum disease. It’s especially important for patients with kidney disease to have good oral care as a minor infection in your mouth could develop into a more serious problem.

General Dentistry St. Louis

For more than 20 years, The Dental Anesthesia Center has been a general dentistry office, unique to the field of Sleep Dentistry. We specialize in helping patients of all ages achieve good oral health. We value our patient relationships, making it our priority to deliver gentle dental care that you deserve from sedation dentists in St. Louis. We work hard to make you feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere.

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The Only Board Certified Dental Anesthesiologists in the State of Missouri, including the St. Louis Metro Area.

Call (314) 862-7844

How Starchy Food Can Affect Your Child’s Teeth

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child eating chips

When it comes to their children’s oral health, many parents know that diet plays an important role in how strong our teeth and gums are. But many don’t know that it’s not only sweets that should be avoided, but also starchy food that might not taste sweet at all, but still break down into sugars.

What Is Starch?

Starch is a carbohydrate and it’s one of the main sources of energy for our bodies. Starch is crucial in our diet, and we are far from recommending banning it from the diet of your child, as you will deprive him of important macronutrients.

Starchy is contained by many products and it’s either native or modified, meaning it’s contained naturally by the product or it has been added during the processing. This distinction is important, as it will give us a better idea of what starchy food is good for your child and what you should consider avoiding.

So What Makes Starchy Food so Bad for Your Child’s Teeth?

Cavities form when the bacteria in the plaque – a thin film that covers your teeth after you eat – attack your teeth’s enamel and makes them vulnerable to decay. This bacteria feeds mostly on the sugars found in food, which is why sweets are so bad for your teeth. But starchy food also breaks down into sugar, making certain starch-rich products bad for your oral health.

Processed starchy food like chips, pretzels, crackers or corn puffs can have a bad effect on your teeth’s enamel because they tend to stick to your teeth, prolonging the exposure to sugars. The plaque that lingers in your mouth is not so easy to remove by simply brushing and can lead to cavities, demineralization and even gum disease.

What Alternatives Can You Offer?

As said before, it’s important to differentiate between naturally contained starches and processed ones, as the latter should be avoided as much as possible. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t feed your child starch-rich products, but be sure to choose items like fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain bread and cooked food made from scratch.

Oral hygiene is equally important in promoting dental health, so make sure that your child brushes at least twice a day, flosses and rinses his mouth with water after eating starchy and sugary foods.

Regular visits to your St. Louis pediatric dentist will also keep cavities away from your child’s teeth, as they can get professional cleanings, tooth sealing and other preventive treatments that protect the enamel from decay.

If you still have questions about how to keep your child’s teeth healthy, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist and ask about the best options in terms of diet and oral hygiene for your little one. Give us a call today at (314) 862-7844 to learn more or schedule an appointment!

Treating Gum Disease with Dental Sedation

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Dental sedation can be an excellent option for those with dental anxiety who have gum disease.

Oral health is linked to the general health of the body, influencing other big systems, like the cardiovascular, digestive or skeletal systems. Keeping your gums and teeth healthy and clean goes far beyond a pleasant appearance, as it directly advantages your other functions, preventing diseases like diabetes, stroke or bone infection.

If you do have gum problems, it is important to get the right treatment early in the development of the disease, as it will surely become worse if left unattended. Here are some of the basic things to know about periodontal disease.

sedation dentist for gum disease

Symptoms of Gum Disease

Unfortunately, gum disease is the sort of condition that can develop undetected until it is bad enough to show visible symptoms. Some of the obvious signs that you are dealing with periodontal disease include red, swollen gums, bleeding while brushing your teeth, flossing or eating hard food, bad breath, and receding gums.

Check your gums carefully in the mirror when doing your oral hygiene and look for any of these signs. If you think something should be checked, make an appointment with a dentist as soon as you can.

Not missing your dental check-ups will also help you prevent advanced gum disease. Your dentist can monitor your gum health and act when the first signs of trouble appear.

Causes for Gum Disease

Gingivitis, or gum disease, starts when food traces get stuck in between the teeth or in between the gums and teeth and solidify in a layer called dental plaque. If plaque is not removed soon after forming, by brushing and flossing your teeth, it becomes harder and harder, eventually getting so stuck that only a professional cleaning at the dentist will remove it. This hardened plaque is called tartar.

Your gums can and will be irritated by plaque and tartar and will react by swelling, getting red, bleeding, and eventually receding, leaving a big part of the tooth exposed. Gingivitis can lead to tooth loss if left untreated.

Effects of Periodontal Disease on the Body

Besides affecting your oral health, gum disease can have repercussions on the rest of the body too. Medical studies have found a link between untreated periodontal disease and systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular ones, diabetes or stroke.

Sedation Dentistry in Treating Gum Disease

Because it can go for a long time undetected, gum disease can easily be left untreated, becoming active and symptomatic when it is usually quite advanced. Many people don’t get the treatment they need because they fear the pain and discomfort caused by dental treatment.

For patients with dental anxiety, sedation dentistry could be an excellent solution, as it helps your dentist perform the cleaning and treatment needed.

Special Needs Dentistry

St. Louis Sedation Dentistry

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5 Dental Emergencies and How to Manage Them

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Dealing with a dental emergency may be unpleasant, but it is the best way to minimize the pain you are going through and address the problem.

Tooth pain or discomfort should generally prompt you to make an appointment with your dentist. Ignoring dental problems can lead to a variety of problems, from prolonged pain and difficulties eating to heart disease. When it comes to dental trauma or infection, these emergencies don’t allow any postponing.

st. louis with a severe toothache

If you are not sure whether your pain qualifies as a dental emergency and you want to know what you can do about it, here is a list of the most common dental emergencies.

Toothaches

Whether it signals a cavity, tooth decay, gum disease or some other problem, the dreaded toothache may be a sign of trouble. It can be a very debilitating pain which radiates and pulsates. When you experience such pain, you need to see your dentist for a diagnose. However, until you get to the dentist’s office, you may consider taking an over the counter anti-inflammatory, as reducing the swelling will help ease the pain. If you are postponing your visit because you are afraid of the procedure, our St. Louis sedation dentist can make the entire process comfortable for you.

Broken or Chipped Tooth

If you get a crack in a tooth or you chip off a piece of it, chances are it is not really an emergency. The dentist can schedule you right away for a consultation, just to see what steps he will need to take next time. If you are in pain, though, he will likely act right away.

Depending on the depth of the crack or the size of the chipped piece, you can experience discomfort at tooth level, especially if the dentin is exposed. You can also hurt your tongue or cheeks in sharp edges, so try to chew on the other side to protect them as much as you can.

Swollen Face

If other conditions are more or less urgent and could wait a day or two if you’re not in great pain, a swollen face likely requires a trip to the emergency room ASAP. It is a symptom that you need to address as soon as possible, as it may indicate an infection. It could be a tooth, your gums or even your bone, and it can spread to your throat or ear.

Abscess

A tooth or gum abscess is usually annoying and painful enough to send you to the dentist the next day. Sensitivity to hot and cold food and beverages, pain on contact, starting to swell are all signs that you might need a root canal.

Bleeding from the Mouth

Any type of bleeding from your mouth is not normal, so schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as you can. In certain cases, it can indicate a chronic gum disease that needs to be addressed before your gums start receding and you lose your teeth. If your bleeding is caused by a dental procedure or an injury and it won’t stop, speak with your dentist ASAP.

Dealing with a dental emergency may be unpleasant, but it is the best way to minimize the pain you are going through and avoid improvised treatments that don’t really address the problem. Leave it to the professionals to take the best course of action and remember it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Give The Dental Anesthesia Center a call today at (314) 862-7844.

5 Common Reasons Your Child’s Gums Are Bleeding

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If your child’s gums are bleeding, it is not the end of the world, but it is an issue that requires your attention.

A parent never wants to see their child bleeding. You may be afraid at first, but then compose yourself, diagnose the issue, and solve it. What makes gum bleeding so frustrating is that it is hard to decipher why it is happening. If a child falls off their bike and skins their knee, the cause and treatment are obvious. However, with bleeding gums, this is not the case. If your child experiences bleeding gums for an extended period, it is best to visit a St. Louis pediatric dentist. If they have just begun to bleed, you can try to solve it by understanding the common causes.

New Toothbrush

Some toothbrushes have very firm bristles, especially when they are new. If your child has been using a worked in, soft bristle brush for a few months and then switches to hard bristles, it could cause bleeding. You can avoid this by inspecting the new toothbrush carefully. Make sure it comes with soft bristles, rather than hard ones that need to be used to soften. (Read more: Tips on Buying a Toothbrush for Your Child)

Flossing

If your child has not been flossing regularly and then starts to floss, there is bound to be some bleeding. Don’t let this scare you! When your child doesn’t floss for an extended period, their gums become sensitive and inflamed. When they do start to floss, the gums may bleed a little bit. This is entirely normal and is merely a part of the process of strengthening gums. If you see bleeding, have your child floss every other day for a couple of weeks. After that, they can move on to daily flossing.

Too Much Pressure

Sometimes a child gets carried away with their dental routine and applies too much pressure when brushing or flossing. If you suspect this, watch your child go through their dental routine. If you notice that they are being too aggressive, tell them to lighten the pressure.

Medication

If your child has just started taking a new medication, that could be the culprit. Certain medicines tend to sensitize gums, so be careful in administering them. The most common case is when a medication dries a child’s mouth out significantly. Dry mouths are more likely to bleed.

Gum Disease

The worst case scenario is your child having legitimate gum disease. The cause for this is usually poor oral health. Your child is likely not brushing and flossing enough, and the result is a buildup of plaque. That plaque buildup leads to gum disease, which causes bleeding. If you think this might be the case, you will want to see a pediatric dentist for advice.

If your child’s gums are bleeding, it is not the end of the world, but it is an issue that requires your attention. Your first step should be reviewing the simplest common causes and seeing if you can work the issue out yourself. If the problem ends up being more complicated, you can always give The Dental Anesthesia Center a call at (314) 862-7844 to schedule an appointment.