We all know what it’s like to accidentally put something burning hot in your mouth that has left your mouth not feeling so good. However, it is in fact a condition to experience a burning sensation even without eating the burning hot food.
What is Burning Mouth Syndrome?
Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is the condition in which any part of your oral cavity experiences a constant burning sensation. People who suffer from BMS have differences in the way nerves in the mouth connect with their brain.
What are the Symptoms of BMS?
Symptoms of BMS include the following.
A burning sensation in your oral cavity
Dry mouth
Increased thirst
Taste changes or loss of taste
Tingling or stinging
What are the Causes of BMS?
Though it is unclear what the specific cause is for BMS, these are some reasons why one may experience BMS.
Immune system issues
Hormonal changes
Allergies to dentures, oral devices, or toothpastes
Poorly fitting oral appliances
Nerve damage relating to pain and taste
How do you treat BMS?
After getting diagnosed, it is likely that your doctor will prescribe you a plan of action based on your specific case. There is no known cure for BMS as of right now, though treatments do exist to help lessen the symptoms. Saliva replacement products and oral rinses are common methods of treatment.
Contact your dentist for more information on Burning Mouth Syndrome!
Teeth whitening is a common process that orthodontists and dentists across the US use. But, what exactly are we adding to your teeth to make them appear whiter?
The “whitening” gel used to complete this process is made up of either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. These chemicals are fairly safe, but they are not drugs, so they aren’t regulated by the FDA. This means that buying over-the-counter carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide isn’t the best decision. When in doubt, always talk to your dentist.
Carbamide Peroxide
Carbamide Peroxide actually breaks down into hydrogen peroxide to work as a whitener. It’s a more gentle gel that works more slowly to reduce sensitivity in the teeth, which also keeps the patient more comfortable.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide is also a chemical used in wounds and mouthwash. The chemical changes the structure of a material under the enamel of the tooth to reflect light in a different way using oxygen. In a way, it oxygenates your teeth.
Brush, Floss, Mouthwash
Over all the chemicals, the classic dental hygiene never goes wrong. Brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash is the key to keeping your teeth clean, healthy, and sparkling white. Make sure to get your biannual dental cleanings in, and take care of yourself. Avoid foods and drinks that easily stain your teeth, such as coffees and teas.
Teeth whitening may cause some sensitivity, but the products used are generally safe. Consult your dentist for more information on what kinds of products we use.
Ever wonder if you can get a cavity on your front teeth?
Well, the mystery is solved! Yes, you can get a cavity on your front tooth, even though it is uncommon.
Where can cavities occur?
Cavities can occur in any part of the mouth, and any surface, as well as inside your tooth, including the nerve of the tooth. Because people are more focused on brushing their front teeth completely as the plaque is more visible, less cavities tend to develop on the front teeth. However, there is still a very real possibility of cavities developing in that area.
When would cavities occur on front teeth?
Typically, children who are not brushing twice a day and flossing once a day see more tooth decay causing a weakened tooth structure. Due to this build up of plaque, cavities can develop easier. One may experience more cavities as well if they experience dry mouth.
Can I stop them from occurring?
Continuing to practice a good dental hygiene routine is the best way to prevent cavities. Here are some other tips for preventing cavities on your front teeth.
Use fluoride toothpaste
After snacking or drinking something sugary, drink some water to rinse away acids
With so many different kinds of toothbrushes around, choosing the right toothbrush for you may seem like a difficult decision. However, we got your back. Here’s your guide for choosing a toothbrush for your kid!
Manual/Electric
Most professionals do not have a recommendation on whether manual or electric is better for the average patient. As long as you spend two minutes twice a day brushing, this aspect of your toothbrush doesn’t make a huge difference. However, if your dentist says you need to do a better job at brushing, need help timing your brushing, have limited manual dexterity, or tend to brush too vigorously, an electric toothbrush may be for you.
Bristles
Soft bristles are best for your gums and enamel. They are also best at removing plaque and debris from your teeth. Unless you have a dentist recommendation, stick with softer bristles.
Size
You can pick whatever brush handle size you prefer, but when it comes to the head of the toothbrush, opt for a smaller-headed toothbrush. This will make it easier to reach the spots in the back of your mouth.
Personalize it!
The most fun part about picking out a toothbrush is making it yours. Whether it be themed with characters from your favorite show, or simply your favorite color, personalizing your toothbrush can make you want to brush more.
Make sure to also change out your toothbrush whenever you start noticing wear-and-tear on the head of it, or after three months.
Dental treatments can get very confusing very fast, so it’s important to get educated on the basics of how your dentist may approach a cavity or other common dental issues. For cavities, fillings and crowns are the most common approaches to remedying the issue.
But, what exactly are fillings and crowns?
Crowns
Crowns are typically made from porcelain, metals, resins, and ceramics, and are used primarily for the following purposes.
Strengthen a weak tooth
Replace a missing tooth
Cover an implant
Cover an unattractive tooth for cosmetic purposes
Fillings
Dental fillings are utilized for filling cavities within your teeth. They are made from composite resins, dental amalgam, and gold fillings.
So, what’s the difference?
Fillings are used to fill a cavity, while crowns cover it completely. Crowns last longer than fillings, and are used for cavities when there is not enough of the tooth to hold a filling.
However, the bottom line is, prevention is key. Practicing good dental hygiene habits now will allow you to avoid either of these procedures in the future.
If you have a child younger than 12 months, it’s important to start establishing a healthy relationship between the child and their dentist. The dental home is this consistent relationship between the dentist and the patient, ensuring that all oral health and hygiene aspects are properly taken care of. Establishing a dental home is the first and best way to prevent future oral health issues, and ensure that some form of treatment will be in place to take care of issues as they arise.
Understanding that a dental home is necessary for a child to have proper oral health care is one thing, but actually setting up a healthy dental home can be a little more tricky. Here are some of our tips!
Insurance, insurance, insurance. One of the toughest parts of setting up appointments at a new dentist is ensuring that your insurance is valid at that practice. Be sure to call ahead and check whether or not the practice accepts your insurance, and inquire what the copays might look like, especially if you’re tight on money.
Ask people you know and trust to refer you to a dentist. Whether this be from your best friend or your own physician, people who have first hand experience with the practice you’re looking into will be your best source of information. Choosing someone focused on continuing education and who is cautious in setting up safety plans for oral health issues is a great way to find someone who will treat your child’s oral health care as their priority.
Research the practice’s values and offerings. Look into what kind of experience the practice provides. Going to the dentist isn’t the most fun activity for kids, so it’s important to look for someone who provides a fun meaningful experience for your child. Ensure that they use the best practices possible in treating your child, and that their values and mission match up with yours.
Communicate with the dentist personally. The best way to get to know someone is to talk with them and ask questions directly. Schedule a pre visit with them and bring your child to discuss how the dental home would function going into the future. Assess the organization and protocols of the practice, and ensure that it’s something you’re satisfied with.
You may be wondering what in the world the connection between diabetes and oral health might be. Diabetes deals with glucose levels and diet, right?
In fact, people living with diabetes are at a higher risk for periodontal disease and developing dental cavities.
How does diabetes affect your mouth?
Diabetes itself puts people at higher risk for poor oral health, but it is also the medications that may increase the risk. Those with diabetes sometimes are forced to postpone a dental treatment to make sure their glucose levels are ready for a procedure. All of these factors combined make it more difficult to be consistent with oral healthcare.
What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is the most advanced stage of gum disease. At this stage of gum disease, there may be some loss of tissue and bone, which leads to teeth becoming loose and moving around. This also results in pain, bad breath, and even tooth loss in serious cases. Read more about gum disease by clicking here!
How can you make sure your oral health is in check?
Maintain a stable at-home dental hygiene routine- brush twice a day, and don’t forget to floss
Every six months, visit the dentist for a cleaning and evaluate your dental care plan
Work towards quitting smoking, if you smoke
Take note of your sugar intake in both food and drinks
Fluoride is commonly used in standard toothpastes. It’s a great substance to clean and polish teeth, and fight against cavities. Topical application of fluoride is typically what is recommended for children. There are several different ways you can apply fluoride topically.
Toothpaste
As we mentioned earlier, fluoride is used in most toothpastes, and this type of toothpaste should be used until adult permanent teeth are fully in. A pea-sized amount of toothpaste should be given to children above the age of three, and they must brush at least in the morning and the night. Make sure that your child knows to spit after brushing, and there should be limited water for rinsing after brushing so that all of the fluoride doesn’t get stripped from the teeth. They should also not ingest this toothpaste.
Rinses
Rinses can also be an extra supplement that will help prevent cavities. However, these are only recommended for high-risk children above the age of six. They must be able to rinse and spit without supervision by the parents. We also recommend avoiding rinses that contain alcohol in them. Mouthwashes, supplements, and gels can also be used. Consult your pediatric dentist before adding a rinse to your routine.
Varnish
Varnish is a fluoride supplement that is applied by a dental professional topically. This is the most useful supplement for reducing cavities, and it is recommended that varnish should be applied every three to six months after teeth start coming in. However, this can change based on how many cavities your child is prone to getting.
Fluoride is a great supplement, but make sure that you aren’t overdoing it, as too much fluoride can cause fluorosis, white lines and streaks on the teeth.
We know fruit juice can be a delicious and convenient addition to your child’s snack. Unfortunately, drinking fruit juice is not as nutritious as eating fruit. When in doubt, it’s important to provide your child with cut up fruit.
What’s so bad about fruit juice?
We often think that since fruit juice has the name fruit in it, it’s made from exclusively fruit, which is far from the truth. Fruit juice comes with high levels of sugar and enamel-damaging acids, which aren’t very healthy for your teeth. Here are some other issues with fruit juice.
Can cause cavities
Can cause weight gain
Can cause diarrhea when too much is drank
Can cause unhealthy weight loss
What does the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommend?
The official AAP recommends the following servings when considering fruit juice.
Younger than 12 months: Do not routinely give fruit juice since it offers no nutritional benefit at this age
1-3 years: Limit fruit juice to a maximum of 4 oz/day (1/2 cup)
4-6 years: Limit fruit juice to a maximum of 4-6 oz/day (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup)
7-18 years: Limit juice to 8oz/day (1 cup)
What should you do?
We highly recommend just serving fruit slices instead of fruit juice to your child. You can even mix it up with cute plating, such as creating smiley patterns.
If you do choose to serve your child fruit juice, look for the labels that indicate the juice to be made from 100% juice with no preservatives or additives. Make sure to follow the AAP’s recommendations from above.
Though we frequently use a standard fluoride toothpaste to cleanse our teeth daily, there are alternative substances that are helpful and beneficial for our dental care. One of these substances is called hydroxyapatite, a mineral that both strengthens and whitens teeth.
So, what is this mineral exactly?
Hydroxyapatite is a calcium phosphate that actually is already in human teeth and bones. The purest form of this substance is white, and that’s why our teeth, when they are healthy, are white. Lab-made hydroxyapatite is just as effective as natural hydroxyapatite in our bodies.
To add to the effectiveness of the mineral, it is the “most stable form of calcium phosphate,” so it won’t decompose through processes like oxidation. This makes it beneficial for various medical issues.
What can we use this mineral for?
Dental Health: Like we mentioned before, hydroxyapatite is a better alternative than fluoride for your dental health. When this mineral is added to toothpaste, it fills up the holes in the enamel.
Surgery: This mineral can also be used in bone and tooth surgery by coating implants. It can also help bones regrow and be repaired.
Environment: When used in air filters, hydroxyapatite can help absorb and decompose carbon monoxide, a dangerous substance. It can help also absorb fluoride.
What are the benefits of hydroxyapatite?
It is a non-toxic mineral, while fluoride can inflict harm. Hydroxyapatite also does not cause any inflammation.
Bone can grow on the surface of this mineral, meaning that the hard tissue in the body can be repaired by hydroxyapatite.
Hydroxyapatite is anti-microbial, meaning that it can fight bacteria in your mouth.
It is biocompatible and bioactive, so it can help your bones and teeth grow, and is identical to what substances are already in our bones and teeth.
For most people, having white teeth is a sign of good hygiene, and with age, teeth begin to yellow. To ensure that teeth are white, chemical cleansers and other substances are sometimes used that may result in various health complications. Instead, there are many natural remedies available for whitening teeth and protecting enamel.
Double check your diet. Drinking coffee, teas, juices, and other drinks that stain your teeth may not be the best option if you’re considering limiting staining on your teeth. Wait 30 minutes before eating after brushing your teeth. Eat more high fiber foods, such as spinach, which will get your saliva flowing to clean up the acid from your teeth.
Some studies also show that brushing your teeth with baking soda may result in whiter teeth over time. Though you do not have to brush your teeth with just baking soda, you might want to look at products that do contain baking soda in them.
Go to the dentist. Your best place to get your teeth shiny and white is to get a cleaning done at your dentist. If your tooth staining is too much to fix, the dentist may suggest a veneer or an implant to fix it.
Use bananas, oranges, or lemon peels. Theoretically, citric acid should help with whitening your teeth. Though the results of doing this won’t always be the same for every person, it’s worth a try. Take the peel and rub it on your teeth for about two minutes before rinsing and brushing your teeth thoroughly.
Use non abrasive active charcoal toothpaste. Activated charcoal can pull toxins out of your mouth, which will reduce staining on your teeth. This natural substance is important to look at carefully, as a more abrasive version of it may not have the same effects and can cause health issues.
Try oil pulling. Like the citric acid peel remedy, oil pulling theoretically should reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth causing less plaque buildup. Take a tablespoon of coconut oil and swish it around your mouth for 20 or so seconds. Rinse with warm water, brush, and floss. However, be warned that there is no scientific evidence to this, unfortunately. Since oil cannot penetrate the enamel surface, it cannot remove the stains. However, the ancient Ayurvedic practice is still commonly used. It’s relatively inexpensive, so might as well give it a try.
Most importantly, whitening your teeth isn’t just about the cosmetic effects. It’s about keeping your teeth healthy and clean. As long as you are brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash after you eat, keeping your teeth clean won’t even be an issue.
Sugar substitutes are commonly used as a zero calorie sweetener in various dental products, such as mouthwash, toothpaste, and chewing gum. Xylitol is one of the most common sugar substitutes in dental products.
What is Xylitol?
Xylitol is a sweetener that is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol. Most sugar substitutes are chemically produced, but xylitol is known for being the more healthy of options. In the past, xylitol has been used as “ infusion therapy for post-operative, burn, and shock patients, in the diet of diabetic patients, and as a sweetener in products aimed at improved oral health,” according to The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry.
Benefits of Xylitol
Xylitol has been known to be quite beneficial in several areas of the body, including, but not limited to the following.
Increased bone density
Weight loss
Stabilization of blood sugar
Reduction of insulin levels
Reducing plaque/improving overall oral health
Risks & Treatments
Though xylitol is very helpful to humans, the substance is toxic to dogs. There are no major negative side effects if consumed according to the serving size. Even if swallowed, there are no risks to xylitol observed.
As for treatment, xylitol must be consumed 3-7 times per day to be effective. Frequency is more crucial than quantity. The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry also supports the use of xylitol in dentistry institutions, as long as it is not used excessively.
