Bleeding gums

Bleeding gums can be a sign that you are at risk for, or already have, gum disease. However, persistent gum bleeding may be due to serious medical conditions such as leukemia and bleeding and platelet disorders.

Considerations

It is important to follow the instructions from your dentist in order to maintain healthy gums. Improper brushing and flossing technique may actually irritate or traumatize the gum tissue.

Causes

Bleeding gums are mainly due to inadequate plaque removal from the teeth at the gum line. This will lead to a condition called gingivitis, or inflamed gums.

If plaque is not removed through regular brushing and dental appointments, it will harden into what is known as tartar. Ultimately, this will lead to increased bleeding and a more advanced form of gum and jawbone disease known as periodontitis.

Other causes of bleeding gums include:

• Any bleeding disorder
• Brushing too hard
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Ill-fitting dentures
• Improper flossing
• Infection, which can be either tooth- or gum-related
• Leukemia
• Scurvy
• Use of blood thinners
• Vitamin K deficiency

Home Care

Visit the dentist at least once every 6 months for plaque removal. Follow your dentist's home care instructions.

You should brush your teeth gently with a soft-bristle toothbrush after every meal. The dentist may recommend rinsing with salt water or hydrogen peroxide and water. Avoid using commercial, alcohol-containing mouthwashes, which aggravate the problem.

Flossing teeth twice a day can prevent plaque from building up. Avoiding snacking between meals and reducing carbohydrates can also help. Follow a balanced, healthy diet.

Other tips:

• Avoid the use of tobacco, which aggravates bleeding gums.
• Control gum bleeding by applying pressure directly on the gums with a gauze pad soaked in ice water.
• If you have been diagnosed with a vitamin deficiency, take recommended vitamin supplements.
• Avoid aspirin unless your health care provider has recommended that you take it.
• If side effects of medication are irritating, ask your doctor to recommend another medication. Never change your medication without consulting your doctor.
• Use an oral irrigation device on the low setting to massage the gums.
• See your dentist if your dentures do not fit correctly or if they are causing sore spots in your gums.

Above article from: www.nim.nih.gov

Dentist NoblesvilleHamilton Town Dentistry
David Shock, DDS
Telephone: (317) 773-9992
14139 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 200
Noblesville, IN 46060

Diet and Oral Health

Cut the sugar, grab the milk!

Each time you eat a snack containing sugar or starch (carbohydrates), the resulting acid attack on your teeth can last up to 20 minutes, and a lot of snacks and drinks contain sugar. How much sugar? A single can of pop contains up to 10 teaspoons of sugar, and if you think that natural sugar (like the sugar in raisins or other fruit) is better for your teeth it’s not. Sugar is sugar, and the average Canadian consumes over 40 kilograms of sugar each year! Click here for a list of how much sugar your favorite snack might contain.

How can you defeat the sugar bug?


Beat the Clock - foods that are eaten during a meal usually pose less of a threat to teeth because of the additional saliva produced during mealtime eating. Saliva helps to wash food particles from your mouth and lessen the damage from acid.

Brush & floss those teeth - toothbrushing is important, and you should brush twice a day. Did you know that if you don’t floss, you miss cleaning up to 35% of each tooth? If you’re not sure how to floss, just ask your dentist.


Stock up on Dairy Products - yogurt and cheese, milk and milk products contain things that are good for your teeth. Everything that’s made from milk is a good source of calcium - an essential nutrient for the development of bones and teeth. Some scientific studies have shown that eating cheese might actually help to protect your teeth from cavities by preventing something called demineralization (the loss of important calcium in your teeth).


Above article from HealthTeeth.org


Dentist NoblesvilleHamilton Town Dentistry
David Shock, DDS
Telephone: (317) 773-9992
14139 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 200
Noblesville, IN 46060

Dental X-rays

Dental X-rays remain a valuable tool in detecting oral health problems

A study published in Cancer, the peer-viewed journal of the American Cancer Society, found that people diagnosed with meningioma, a generally non-cancerous tumor, are more likely to report that they’ve received certain types of dental X-rays in the past. 

There are several important things to understand about this study:

• This finding doesn’t mean that dental X-rays cause these tumors; much more research is needed.
• The results rely on the individuals’ memories of having dental X-rays taken years earlier. The ability to recall information is often imperfect. Therefore, the results of studies that use this design can be unreliable because they are affected by what scientists call “recall bias.”
• The study acknowledges that some of the subjects received dental X-rays decades ago when radiation exposure was greater. Radiation doses were higher in the past due to the use of old X-ray technology and slower speed film.

The American Dental Association's long-standing position is that dentists should order dental X-rays for patients only when necessary for diagnosis and treatment. Since 1989, the ADA has published recommendations to help dentists ensure that radiation exposure is as low as reasonably achievable. As precautions against radiation, ADA encourages the use of abdominal shielding (e.g., protective aprons) and thyroid collars on all patients. In addition, the ADA recommends that dentists use E or F speed film, the two fastest film speeds available, or a digital X -ray.

Dental X-rays are a valuable part of detecting oral health problems at an early stage. Many oral diseases can’t be detected with a physical examination alone. Dental X-rays help provide information about a patient’s oral health such as early-stage cavities, gum diseases, infections and some types of tumors. 

How often dental X-rays should be taken depends on the patient’s oral health condition, age, risk for disease and any signs and symptoms of oral disease that the patient might be experiencing. If you have concerns the ADA encourages you to talk to your dentist, but eliminating X-rays altogether could be detrimental to your oral health.

Above article from mouthhealthy.org

Dentist NoblesvilleHamilton Town Dentistry
David Shock, DDS
Telephone: (317) 773-9992
14139 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 200
Noblesville, IN 46060

Oral Health Care - Gum Disease Treatment

Gingival Recession

Gums may recede for any of several reasons, including thin tissue, abnormal position of teeth in the dental arch; malocclusion; inappropriate expansion orthodontics; heavy bite stress; and periodontal disease.

Video and article created by: ToothIQ.com

Dentist NoblesvilleHamilton Town Dentistry
David Shock, DDS
Telephone: (317) 773-9992
14139 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 200
Noblesville, IN 46060