You may describe the taste coming from your gums as salty, bitter, or rotten. The foul taste may also linger on your breath in an offensive odor. What’s going on?
Bad Taste in Gums Indicates Infection
Healthy gums don’t have any taste, so any offensive one suggests that there’s something wrong. If the strange flavor is accompanied by a toothache or a nearby cavity, then that may mean a ruptured abscess is to blame.
But what if your teeth are just fine? It could mean the infection may be in your gums, themselves.
Bad Breath: Sign of Gum Disease?
Also called periodontitis, gum disease is a chronic bacterial infection. Germs in dental plaque make the gums inflamed and tartar buildup irritates the tissue. As the infection progresses, the gum tissue starts to break down and necrosis sets in. This, coupled with the plaque bacteria, leads to a foul taste in the mouth and noticeably bad breath.
Signs You Have Gum Disease
Periodontal disease is a serious oral health concern. If left untreated, it will lead to the loss of teeth. It also puts your body at risk of developing other conditions such as heart disease and stroke.
There’s always the possibility that you just have a piece of food stuck below your gums. This can cause temporary irritation and a bad taste. But you may have periodontitis if the bad taste coming from your gums stays with you for weeks or months.
Other signs of gum disease include:
To find out whether a gum or tooth infection is causing the bad taste in your gums, contact a dentist.
Posted on behalf of :
Prime Dental Care
417 Wall St
Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 651-8618
You know that an orthodontist is a dentist who puts braces on teeth. You may even recognize an endodontist as someone who performs root canals. But have you ever heard of a periodontist?
What Is a Periodontist?
A periodontist is a dental professional who specializes in treating the gums, ligaments, and bone structure around the roots of teeth. The word root “periodont-” literally means “around the tooth.”
Periodontists treat gum disease, place bone and gum grafts, perform deep tooth root cleanings, take biopsies, and place implants.
Your Gum Health Matters!
Your gums are so important that there are dental specialists dedicated to treating them! Gum health is closely linked to the rest of your body. Chronic tissue inflammation can lead to an increased risk for arthritis, stroke, heart disease, and many other conditions.
Not to mention, your gums and jaw bone are crucial to keeping your teeth in place. If you lose those supporting structures, your teeth will gradually loosen and fall out.
Taking care of your gums is an important part of maintaining a healthy and beautiful smile. Your smile will look balanced, your breath will be fresh, and your body will thank you.
Do You Need to See a Periodontist?
If you’re interested in a dental implant or have a concern that a periodontist can help you with, you can directly contact one in your area to set up an appointment. Otherwise, just schedule a visit with your regular dentist for advice.
Some gum health problems are minor and are easy to treat in the dental office. If you need the specialized help of a periodontist, then your dentist can refer you to a trusted professional.
Posted on behalf of:
Green Dental of Alexandria
1725 Duke St
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 549-1725
Gum disease causes permanent damage to the structures in your mouth and can seriously impact your health and social life in five major ways.
Gum disease causes swelling that makes the delicate tissue pull away from your tooth roots. You’ll be left with long yellow teeth that make you look older than you really are. These teeth will also be highly temperature-sensitive and prone decay.
Gum disease can make your gums feel uncomfortably itchy and tender. Some parts of your mouth may hurt too much to even floss or brush.
Periodontitis involves rotting tissue and it sure smells like it too! The stench caused by gum disease is worse than coffee or garlic breath and will make people go out of their way to avoid talking with you.
Eating, speaking, and even just smiling can become a challenge once teeth start to go missing. But the unfortunate outcome of gum disease is tooth loss. The gums and bone around teeth just disintegrate until permanent teeth fall out.
Gum disease is connected to an increased risk for many serious health problems. In addition to heart disease and stroke, having periodontitis can also:
The good news in all this is that gum disease is almost entirely preventable and easy to treat with medical help. Visit your dentist as soon as possible to lower your risk for periodontitis and the problems it causes.
Posted on behalf of:
Dental Care Center At Kennestone
129 Marble Mill Rd NW
Marietta, GA 30060
(770) 424-4565
Dentists have long debated back and forth about whether it’s better to brush or floss first.
Is it best to brush before flossing or floss before brushing your teeth? The answer may surprise you.
Study Confirms That Flossing First Wins
One recent study suggested that flossing before you brush may be the most effective way to clean your teeth. The study participants had less plaque left between their teeth when they flossed before brushing when compared with brushing before flossing.
Benefits of Flossing First
It’s quite possible that flossing before brushing gets your teeth the cleanest they can be. Removing more debris lowers the risk of tooth decay and gum disease, and a cleaner tooth surface has better access to fluoride from the toothpaste used in brushing.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is that having a habit of flossing first makes it harder to skip this chore. It’s easy to conveniently forget to floss! If you brush first, your teeth will feel clean and your mouth will taste minty-fresh leading you to conclude that your job is all done. But get that flossing out of the way, and the hard part is over.
Brushing or Flossing First—When it Doesn’t Matter
The difference between brushing and flossing first is small and may not have a major impact on your oral health. The most important thing is to get your flossing in at least once a day. Do it whenever you have the time and whenever you want to do it, whether it’s before or after you brush. Find a routine you can stick with to get the greatest benefit out of flossing.
Visit a local dentist for more dental hygiene tips.
Posted on behalf of:
Pure Dental Health
2285 Peachtree Rd #203
Atlanta, GA 30309
(678) 666-3642
Are bleeding gums a common occurrence for you? Even if your gums always bleed when you brush or floss it may be time to see a dentist. Bleeding gums are never normal.
Why Gums Bleed
Normal brushing and flossing and dental cleanings don’t cause healthy gums to bleed. Gums that are already sick will easily bleed when disturbed, however.
Your gums are made up of a complex and sensitive tissue. When they’re exposed to irritants such as plaque bacteria, they swell up as part of an immune response. The skin over swollen gums thins out and the blood vessels inside the tissue expand. This makes them very susceptible to bleeding when they’re bumped.
What Does it Mean When Your Gums Bleed?
If your gums bleed from a normal activity such as brushing, then that’s a sign that they’re probably swollen.
Gum swelling is often due to poor oral hygiene. If you don’t brush and floss your teeth properly or often enough, the plaque that’s left behind can trigger gingivitis. Swelling may also be an overreaction to irritants due to hormone changes such as during pregnancy.
How to Stop Bleeding Gums
Happily, it’s quite simple to treat gums that bleed when you brush. The first thing you might try is switching to a soft toothbrush and brushing more often to ensure all the plaque is gone. Use an anti-gingivitis rinse to reduce bacteria in your mouth. Swish with salt water to soothe sore gums and bring down the swelling.
Gum swelling and gingivitis can lead to a more severe form of gum disease called periodontitis. So if your gums bleed during brushing, schedule a dental checkup right away.
Posted on behalf of:
Gold Hill Dentistry
2848 Pleasant Road #104
Fort Mill, South Carolina 29708
(803) 566-8055
Yes, you’ll be relieved to learn that swollen gums are reversible. Whether or not your gums get better, however, depends mainly on you.
Why Gums Swell
Swollen gums are marked by:
As you likely are experiencing, swollen gums can be quite uncomfortable. What’s causing this discomfort?
The tissues in your delicate gums are reacting to plaque bacteria left on your teeth. When these germs come in contact with your gums, they trigger an immune response that results in increased blood vessels and fluids in your gums.
If you have poor oral hygiene, then your gums may swell often from constantly being covered in plaque. At other times, hormone fluctuations in your body can make your gums more sensitive despite having great oral hygiene.
How to Reverse Gum Swelling Quickly
Swishing warm salt water around your mouth can give you instant relief from swollen gums. But the most effective step is to brush and floss thoroughly. Clean your teeth as best you can and rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash. The swelling should start to go down as soon as your teeth are cleaner.
Make a few small but important diet changes, as well. Malnutrition can cause gum swelling so it’s important to make sure you’re getting all your vitamins from a balanced diet.
Is it Time to See a Dentist for Gum Swelling?
If your gum swelling doesn’t improve within a week or two, it could be a sign of trouble. Chronic gum swelling may be due to a serious infection called periodontitis, commonly referred to as gum disease. Left untreated, this condition can lead to tooth loss.
Call your dentist for an appointment to learn more about preventative gum health.
Posted on behalf of:
Gilreath Dental Associates
200 White St NW
Marietta, GA 30060
(770) 514-1224
Brushing your teeth will almost never be the most important thing you’ll do in any given day. But your oral hygiene is still important!
Here are five reasons why you’ll want to make sure you never miss a day of brushing and flossing.
The main germs responsible for bad breath grow on your teeth and tongue. If you brush those every day, then you’re more likely to have sweet breath that won’t push your friends away.
A reputation for neglecting your oral hygiene can precede you and make meeting new friends a challenge. You can may even have difficulty getting a job. Good grooming is key to being taken seriously.
Losing your teeth can make you look old long before your time. On the other hand, if you take good care of your teeth and gums they’ll stay with you for life.
Did you know that cavities can lead to life-threatening brain infections? How about the fact that having gum disease increases your risk for stroke and heart disease?
Good oral hygiene now can prevent periodontal disease as well as other diseases that can have a major impact on your overall health.
Poor oral hygiene will lead to complications such as abscesses, infections, loose and missing teeth, difficulty eating normal foods, and chronic pain.
Spare yourself all of this unnecessary discomfort and risks by asking your dentist for tips on improving your oral hygiene.
Posted on behalf of:
Bayshore Dental Center
810 W Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd #2900
Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 330-2006
Having a less-than-perfect smile may not be such a big deal. But having gum disease is.
Gum disease, also called periodontitis, leads to tooth loss and can even predispose you to other health complications.
Crooked teeth are far more than just a cosmetic issue. Having tipped or crowded teeth could actually put you at higher risk of gum disease. Here’s how.
The Dangers of Crooked Teeth
Your teeth are healthier when spaced out in even alignment than when they’re crammed together. Overlapping teeth trap plaque bacteria and food debris which lead to decay and gum irritation. Properly spaced teeth are easy to clean with a toothbrush or floss and are thus more likely to be healthy.
Crooked teeth also put uneven tension on your gums. This leads to gum recession which worsens the effects of gum disease.
Braces Can Lower Your Risk of Periodontitis
Orthodontic treatment frees up space between your teeth and reduces tension on the gums. Even a short treatment period can make a difference in your oral health. Wearing braces or an orthodontic retainer may seem uncomfortable or inconvenient at times. But it’ll all be worth it in the end when you have healthy teeth and gums that are easy to keep clean.
Can Braces Make Your Gums Healthier?
Your teeth and gums may stand to benefit from braces if in addition to crooked teeth you have:
See a dentist in your area for a gum health and orthodontic evaluation to see if braces are right for you.
Posted on behalf of:
Dental Care Acworth
5552 Robin Road Suite A
Acworth, GA 30102
(678) 888-1554
Gum disease is serious but treatable. By following these seven steps under professional guidance, you can rebuild your smile and restore your oral health.
The very first thing you need to do if you suspect gum disease is to see a dentist or periodontist. A gum health professional will assess your gums for signs of disease and let you know exactly which steps to take next.
Most treatment for gum disease involves a deep cleaning to remove tartar and bacteria from below the gum line. This step is crucial to controlling the infection.
Some patients benefit from antibiotic therapy to reduce the bacteria causing the inflammation. Your doctor may recommend local application around specific teeth, a therapeutic antimicrobial mouthwash, or a course of prescription pills.
Smoking delays healing and makes gum tissue tough and inflexible. Cut back on the habit while your gums recover from treatment.
Now that your gums are responding well to treatment, you must maintain the progress you’ve made. Brush and floss every day to prevent more germs from infecting your gums.
An orange a day could boost your gums’ immune health. Check with your doctor before taking any supplements.
Have your teeth lost support due to gum disease? You may need bone grafting, gum tissue grafting, or replacement teeth. Replacing these lost structures will keep your mouth healthy and prevent you from developing gum disease again.
Ready for healthier gums? Call your dentist to get started.
Posted on behalf of:
Smile Design Studios
6130 Highway 6
Missouri City, TX 77459
(281) 969-7388
Come Halloween time, many people are thinking up scary costumes to put on for parties and outings. Yet it seems that the scariest features are the ones that don’t come off when you remove the mask!
Realizing that your teeth are getting longer can be a terrifying experience.
What causes this condition? Is there anything you can do to prevent it?
Gum Recession Causes Long Teeth
It’s probably not that your teeth are getting longer but that your gums are getting shorter. Gum recession is when the tissue that normally covers your teeth shrinks away and exposes the long yellow roots.
Gum recession can be caused by a number of factors:
How to Prevent Long Teeth
There may be some gum recession factors that you have no control over. But by changing up a few small things in your daily routine, you should be able to slow down the damage.
For example, try switching to a toothbrush with soft or even extra soft bristles. Swap the manual toothbrush for a powered one that cleans your teeth for you with just the right amount of pressure.
What about the damage that’s already been done? Your dentist can recommend a few solutions for protecting your exposed teeth and keeping them bright and healthy. Dental bonding and fluoride treatments are very good for fixing long teeth. In extreme cases, you may even qualify for gum grafting to replace the lost tissue.
Ask your dentist for more advice on how to make your teeth look shorter and less scary!
Posted on behalf of:
Pure Dental Health
2285 Peachtree Rd #203
Atlanta, GA 30309
(678) 666-3642
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