We don’t often think about our gums unless they ache or bleed. Like our teeth, we sometimes take them for granted. But we’ve come to realize through research that our gums are very important to our health. We take care of our overall health by seeing our physician for regular check-ups. Because periodontal disease (gum disease) can affect the results of our check-ups, we need to take care of our teeth and gums just as diligently as we take care of the rest of our body. Your Encinitas, CA, periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, is a trained periodontist, and will be happy to explain the link between periodontal disease and other systemic diseases.
Diet And Dental Health
Diet and dental health go hand in hand. If you don’t eat nutritious foods your dentition won’t remain healthy. Without healthy dentition, you won’t be able to consume nutritious foods. You need a healthy bite and strong teeth to chew high protein foods, such as meat, greens, and beans. If you have sore gums, loose teeth, or are missing teeth, that can be difficult. Our teeth and gums need certain nutrients to remain healthy. If you are interested in learning more about nutrition and dental health, your Encinitas, CA, periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, is a trained periodontist, and can discuss a nutritious diet and the effects if will have on your teeth and gums.
Gum Grafting
The link between dental health and overall health has people looking in the mirror twice. How do your teeth and gums look? How do they feel? Are your gums bleeding, red, or swollen? Do they feel tender to the touch? Maybe they are pulling back from your teeth, or receding? Today people are interested in maintaining their overall health and looks, and because periodontal disease (gum disease) can mar both, periodontal plastic surgery is becoming a popular treatment option. If you have the symptoms of gum disease, your Encinitas, CA, periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania can counsel you regarding treatment.
Hormones and Gum Disease Linked for Some
Hormonal fluctuations and surges aren’t something you can directly control. Unfortunately, hormones cause side-effects throughout our lives. You may experience mood swings, bloating, blemishes, or any number of unpleasant emotional and physical manifestations of hormones in your years. You may not realize that dental health issues can also be linked to cyclical hormone changes – namely gum disease and other periodontal issues.
Hormonal Surges and Gum Disease
When a young woman hits puberty, estrogen and progesterone begin to ramp up production which can increase blood flow to gum tissues. This leads to an exaggerated response to plaque and tartar build-up. During menstrual cycles throughout a female’s reproductive years, salivary glands and gum tissues can become irritated and inflamed. Women who are prescribed progesterone-based birth control (more commonly known as the pill) sometimes experience puffy, swollen gums. During pregnancy, hormones and (more…)
Dental Implants and Oral Diseases
Losing one or more teeth is often the severe result of untreated oral diseases, like periodontitis, but it doesn’t mean the disease has run its course. Even if you replace your lost teeth, the oral disease that claimed them can still be a menace to your oral and overall health. As a skilled periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania has extensive experience dealing with complex oral diseases, as well as replacing lost teeth with innovative dental implants. As she warns, dental implant placement is only successful when your mouth is free of oral diseases, and maintaining your new smile relies on preventing an oral disease from returning. (more…)
Smoking Cessation: Nicotine Dependence Q & A
According to the American Cancer Society, only about 4% to 7% of people are able to quit smoking without medicines or other help. The chemical, nicotine, is the cause for tobacco addiction, whether it’s smoked or chewed. The dependence on nicotine means you may not be able to stop using the substance, although it is causing harm to your body. To help you defeat a nicotine addiction, Dr. Ann Kania is happy to offer council on your journey towards smoking cessation. (more…)
A Periodontist’s Connection to Lost Teeth
What does a periodontist have to do with tooth loss? As an expert in maintaining the health of your gums, your Encinitas periodontist is specially trained to help you prevent and control gum disease—the leading cause of permanent tooth loss in the US. Should you lose one or more teeth, Dr. Kania can also help you rebuild your smile by assessing your eligibility for a dental implant restoration. (more…)
How Deep of a Dental Cleaning Do You Need?
There’s more than one way to clean your teeth, and all of them are important at different steps in your dental hygiene routine. The most common is to simply brush and floss your teeth twice a day. In between brushings, the many kinds of oral bacteria in your mouth gather and form dental plaque, which can calcify (harden) if ignored, or if your toothbrush misses it. Since tartar can’t be removed with water and toothpaste, a healthy patient also requires routine dental checkups and cleanings at least once every six months. If bacteria work their way underneath your gums, inciting the onset of gingivitis, then you may need a deep dental cleaning, or periodontal cleaning, to save your smile from gum disease. (more…)
Your Powerful Smile
You might recognize the maxim, “Smile and the world smiles with you.” Did you know, however, that studies have shown the human smile actually is contagious? It’s also the most widely recognized expression in the world, transcending language to portray a person’s joy and good will. As the subject of numerous studies, however, the power and benefits of smiling go far beyond sharing your joyful expression with others. It can also significantly improve your self-image, reduce chronic stress, serve a number of important social functions, and, perhaps, help you live longer and healthier. (more…)
What Does a Periodontist Do?
Unlike your general dentist, who utilizes a broad range of treatments for most common dental issues, a periodontist is an expert who specializes in the tissues and structures that support your teeth. Preventing, diagnosing, and treating issues with your periodontal tissue (gums) may be necessary to preserving your natural teeth. When advanced gum disease, or rampant oral inflammation, is present, your dentist will likely recommend you to a periodontist for specialized treatment. (more…)