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You might be noticing some changes as you get older: You’re getting winded easier and you’re wondering why book or magazine print has suddenly shrunk (it didn’t). Perhaps you’ve also noticed your mouth seems drier more often.

It could be a condition called xerostomia, in which your body isn’t producing enough saliva. Older people are more prone to it because it’s often a side effect of prescription drugs that can inhibit saliva production. Because seniors tend to take more medications than other age groups, xerostomia is a more common problem for them.

Xerostomia isn’t a pleasant experience. More importantly, it’s hazardous to your oral health. Saliva contains antibodies that fight bacterial infection, and it also neutralizes mouth acid that causes tooth decay. A lack of saliva puts you at greater risk for both tooth decay and gum disease.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to alleviate or ease the effects of xerostomia.

Cut back on spicy foods and caffeinated beverages. Spicy or salty foods can irritate your gum tissues and worsen dry mouth symptoms. Because it’s a diuretic, caffeine causes you to lose more fluid, something you can’t afford with xerostomia. Cutting back on both will improve your symptoms.

Drink more water. Increasing your daily water intake can help you produce more saliva. It also washes away food particles bacteria feed on and dilutes acid buildup, which can reduce your risk for dental disease.

Talk to your doctor and dentist. If you’re taking medications with dry mouth side effects, ask your doctor about other alternatives. You can also ask your dentist about products you can use to boost saliva production.

Practice daily hygiene. Daily hygiene is important for everyone, but especially for those whose saliva flow is sub-par. Brushing and flossing clear away dental plaque, the top cause for dental disease. Along with regular dental visits, this practice can significantly reduce your risk for tooth decay and gum disease.

Taking these steps can help you avoid the discomfort that often accompanies xerostomia. It could also help you prevent diseases that could rob you of your dental health.

If you would like more information on dealing with dry mouth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “10 Tips for Dealing With Dry Mouth.”

Even the most common dental issues can also cause further complications for your smile. Learn how to protect your smile from cavities!

A cavity is the most common dental problem that affects children and adults of all ages. Whether your general dentist has told you that you have a cavity or you are just trying to learn more about them, turn to your Phoenix, AZ dentist for the answers you need.

What is a cavity?

Often referred to as tooth decay, this problem causes holes to form in the enamel of your teeth. Cavities can range in sizes and can grow and become more severe if left untreated by your dentist.

What causes cavities?

A cavity forms when plaque forms on the teeth and isn’t properly removed through daily brushings. Sugar is the number-one culprit for causing cavities. Whenever you consume foods or drinks with sugar, the substance is converted into acid by the bacteria naturally growing in your mouth.

The acid is what eats away at healthy enamel. The more sugar you consume, the more acid attacks your beautiful smile undergoes. This will make you more susceptible to cavities.

What are the symptoms?

Unfortunately, not all cavities cause symptoms, so it can be difficult to know when there is a problem. That’s why it’s important to maintain those six-month visits to see your dentist, who can detect problems right away. Some signs that you may have a cavity include:

• Dental pain
• Tooth sensitivity
• A black stain on your tooth
• A hole in your tooth

What complications can arise if left untreated?

If you don’t visit your dentist for cavity treatment, this can cause serious issues for your smile in the long run. Some complications that can occur as a result of ignoring or leaving your cavity untreated include:

• Chronic or severe dental pain
• An abscess (an infected pus-like pocket that grows around the tooth)
• Pain or problems chewing food
• An increased risk for a cracked or broken tooth

If you don’t seek treatment right away, the cavity could cause damage to the point that the problem might not be reversible and the tooth will need to be removed and replaced with a dental restoration like an implant or dental bridge.

Cavities don’t have to be a serious problem. By coming in for those six-month dental exams, you can protect your teeth from common, but potentially serious dental issues like decay and gum disease. If you are overdue for your next cleaning and exam, then it’s time to call your preventive dentist today.

Is a “teeth crush” a thing? According to a recent confession by Lucy Hale, it is. Hale, who has played Aria Montgomery for seven seasons on the hit TV show Pretty Little Liars, admitted her fascination with other people’s smiles to Kelly Clarkson during a recent episode of the latter’s talk show (Clarkson seems to share her obsession).

Among Hale’s favorite “grills”: rappers Cardi B and Post Malone, Julia Roberts, Drake and Madonna. Although some of their smiles aren’t picture-perfect, Hale admires how the person makes it work for them: “I love when you embrace what makes you quirky.”

So, how can you make your smile more attractive, but uniquely you? Here are a few ways to gain a smile that other people just might “crush” over.

Keep it clean. Actually, one of the best things you can do to maintain an attractive smile is to brush and floss daily to remove bacterial plaque. Consistent oral hygiene offers a “twofer”: It removes the plaque that can dull your teeth, and it lowers your risk of dental disease that could also foul up your smile. In addition to your daily oral hygiene routine at home, professional teeth cleanings are necessary to get at those hard-to-reach spots you miss with your toothbrush and floss and to remove tartar (calculus) that requires the use of special tools.

Brighten things up. Even with dedicated hygiene, teeth may still yellow from staining and aging. But teeth-whitening techniques can put the dazzle back in your smile. In just one visit to the dental office, it’s possible to lighten teeth by up to ten shades for a difference you can see right away. It’s also possible to do teeth whitening at home over several weeks using custom-made trays that fit over your teeth and safe whitening solutions that we provide.

Hide tooth flaws. Chipped, stained, or slightly gapped teeth can detract from your smile. But bonding or dental veneers, thin layers of porcelain custom-made for your teeth, mask those unsightly blemishes. Minimally invasive, these techniques can turn a lackluster smile into one that gets noticed.

Straighten out your smile. Although the main goal for orthodontically straightening teeth is to improve dental health and function, it can also give you a more attractive smile. And even if you’re well past your teen years, it’s not too late: As long as you’re reasonably healthy, you can straighten a crooked smile with braces or clear aligners at any age.

Sometimes a simple technique or procedure can work wonders, but perhaps your smile could benefit more from a full makeover. If this is your situation, talk to us about a more comprehensive smile renovation.  Treatments like dental implants for missing teeth combined with various tooth replacement options, crown lengthening for gummy smiles, or tooth extractions to help orthodontics can be combined to completely transform your smile.

There’s no need to put up with a smile that’s less than you want it to be. Whether a simple cosmetic procedure or a multi-specialty makeover, you can have a smile that puts the “crush” in “teeth crush.”

If you would like more information about cosmetic measures for enhancing your smile, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Teeth Whitening” and “Porcelain Veneers.”

There’s ample evidence tobacco smoking increases your risk for tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. But the same may be true for electronic cigarettes (E-cigs): Although millions have turned to “vaping” believing it’s a safer alternative to smoking, there are growing signs it might also be harmful to oral health.

An E-cig is a device with a chamber that holds a liquid solution. An attached heater turns the liquid into a vapor the user inhales, containing nicotine, flavorings and other substances. Because it doesn’t contain tar and other toxic substances found in tobacco, many see vaping as a safer way to get a nicotine hit.

But a number of recent research studies seem to show vaping isn’t without harmful oral effects. A study from Ohio State University produced evidence that E-cig vapor interferes with the mouth’s bacterial environment, or oral microbiome, by disrupting the balance between harmful and beneficial bacteria in favor of the former. Such a disruption can increase the risk for gum disease.

Other studies from the University of Rochester, New York and Universit? Laval in Quebec, Canada also found evidence for vaping’s negative effects on oral cells. The Rochester study found astringent flavorings and other substances in vaping solutions can damage cells. The Quebec study found a staggering increase in the normal oral cell death rate from 2% to 53% in three days after exposure to E-cig vapor.

Nicotine, E-cig’s common link with tobacco, is itself problematic for oral health. This addictive chemical constricts blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the mouth’s tissues. This not only impedes the delivery of nutrients to individual cells, but also reduces available antibodies necessary to fight bacterial infections. Regardless of how nicotine enters the body—whether through smoking or vaping—it can increase the risk of gum disease.

These are the first studies of their kind, with many more needed to fully understand the effects of vaping on the mouth. But the preliminary evidence they do show should cause anyone using or considering E-cigs as an alternative to smoking to think twice. Your oral health may be hanging in the balance.

If you would like more information on the effects of vaping on oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

Tooth decay is a destructive oral disease, which along with periodontal (gum) disease is most responsible for tooth loss. And as you age, your disease risk goes up.

One form of decay older people often experience is root cavities. Unlike those occurring in the visible crown, root cavities often occur below the gum line and are especially destructive to tooth structure.

That’s because, unlike the crown protected by ultra-hard enamel, the roots are covered by a thin, mineralized material called cementum. Although cementum offers some protection, it can’t compare with the decay-resistant capacity of enamel.

The roots also depend on gum coverage for protection. But unfortunately, the gums can shrink back or recede, usually due to gum disease or over-aggressive brushing, and expose some of the root surface. With only the cementum to protect them, the roots can become highly susceptible to decay. If a cavity forms here, it can rapidly advance into the tooth’s interior, the pulp, weakening the tooth and increasing its risk of loss.

To stop the decay, we must treat root cavities much like we do with crown cavities: by removing any decayed structure and then filling the cavity. But root cavities are often more difficult to access depending on how far below the gum line they extend. We may need to perform minor gum surgery to expose the cavity to treat it.

But as with any form of tooth decay, the best strategy is to prevent root cavities in the first place. Your first line of defense is a daily hygiene habit of brushing and flossing to remove dental plaque, the main cause for tooth decay. You should also visit your dentist at least twice a year (or more, if recommended) for more thorough cleanings and checkups. Your dentist can also recommend or prescribe preventive rinses, or apply fluoride to at-risk tooth surfaces to strengthen them.

You should also be on the lookout for any signs of gum disease. If you see swollen, reddened or bleeding gums, see your dentist as soon as possible. Stopping possible gum recession will further reduce your risk of root cavities.

If you would like more information on the prevention and treatment of tooth decay, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Root Cavities: Tooth Decay Near the Gum Line Affects Many Older Adults.”

Chronic jaw pain and limited jaw mobility are two common symptoms of a group of conditions known as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJD or TMD). Several effective treatments have developed over the years, despite the fact that the underlying causes for TMD remain an elusive quarry for medical researchers.

But we may now have a promising new lead in understanding TMD: a possible link between it and other systemic inflammatory diseases. In recent study researchers interviewed over 1,500 people with TMD about various aspects of their lives. Nearly two-thirds reported at least three or more other inflammatory health conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic headaches or rheumatoid arthritis.

These statistics suggest a relationship between TMD and these other conditions. Further exploration of these possible links could result not only in a greater understanding of TMD but better treatment strategies for it and the other related conditions.

In the meantime, though, what can you do if you’re currently dealing with TMD?

As of now the approaches with the best results continue to be conservative, non-invasive techniques we’ve used for several years. Thermal therapies like hot or cold compresses to the jaw area, for example, are quite effective in providing pain relief, and muscle relaxant drugs have proven beneficial for improving jaw mobility.

More radical approaches like jaw surgery have also come into prominence. But there’s a caveat here: a significant number of people find their conditions don’t improve or may even worsen. In the study previously mentioned, only 38% of respondents who had undergone jaw surgery saw any range of improvement (from slight to significant); by contrast, 28% indicated no change in symptoms and 46% said they were worse off.

It’s important, then, that you thoroughly discuss your condition with your dentist, verifying first that you have TMD.  Together you can develop a treatment plan to relieve pain and restore jaw function. If your dentist or surgeon suggests surgery, consider seeking a second opinion before choosing this more radical approach.

Hopefully, further research into the causes and relationships of TMD with other health conditions will yield still better treatments. In the meantime, you may still find relief and improve your quality of life with the proven techniques available now.

If you would like more information on treatments for chronic jaw pain, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Chronic Jaw Pain and Associated Conditions.”