Smoking is the biggest cause of gum disease and can be attributed to many other problems too. Not only does smoking lower your body’s ability to fight infections and raises the possibility of heart disease, it poses a high risk for tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss. In fact, people who smoke are up to three times more likely to lose all of their teeth than people who don’t smoke. Additionally, 43% of people 65 years of age and older reported losing all of their teeth due to smoking, according to the CDC.

Once you sustain bone loss, you never get it back. Dr. Mehta recommends doing everything you can now to prevent gum disease and any other problems, including stopping smoking.

It’s completely normal to enjoy a beer or glass of wine at the end of a long day of work. Consuming alcohol in moderation isn’t bad. However, going over the daily recommended amount of alcohol numerous times a week or daily leaves a higher risk for developing serious complications.

One of those complications as a result of excessive drinking is gingivitis or periodontitis. Why is this, you ask? According to research performed by senior researcher of NYU Langone Health in New York City Jiyoung Ahn, consuming copious amounts of alcohol changes the bacteria makeup of our mouths. Human mouths have good as well as bad germs and when that balance becomes disrupted, the bad can overwhelm our bacterial makeup and cause disease.

Diabetes, whether genetic or developed later in life, is another cause of periodontal diseases. People who have this condition may experience an increase of glucose in their saliva. Too much glucose in saliva leads to bacterial growth and eventually tartar buildup along the gum line. If this is left unmonitored or untreated, too much buildup leads to gingivitis.

Individuals who have type 1 or type 2 should always listen to their specialists about best practices for preventing gum disease and other conditions. Although it may be difficult to manage, it prevents you from getting invasive treatments to solve the problem.

Another risk factor of developing periodontal diseases are genetic conditions.

There are many different genetic factors that contribute to that risk factor, including:

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Papillon-Lefèvre Syndrome
Marfan Syndrome
Down Syndrome
Certain genetic mutations
Cyclic neutropenia
If you’re born with or later diagnosed with any of these conditions, it’s best to inform Dr. Mehta as soon as you can so she can keep a close watch on you when you come in for your regular cleaning.

Certain autoimmune diseases like AIDS, Lupus, and Crohn’s disease can also cause individuals to develop periodontal diseases. There are a few different reasons for this happening. Some autoimmune diseases themselves seriously suppress the immune system, which puts individuals at a higher risk for bad buildup.

Additionally, some treatment or medication that people with autoimmune diseases have also weaken the immune system. This puts those individuals higher on the risk scale for getting that bad bacterial buildup. If left untreated, the germs can eat away at your teeth’s bone.

If you know you have an autoimmune disease that puts you at risk for these factors we’ve talked about, let Dr. Mehta know! She’ll make a special note and ensure you’re checked out and good to go during your routine cleanings.

As you may have been able to guess, one of the biggest causes of any gum disease or other problem is due to poor oral hygiene habits. Whether individuals don’t brush twice a day, forget to floss, or do neither activity, plaque and tartar will build up over time and further push your gums away. At that point, bacteria will house itself in all those gaps. The longer germs stay in those gaps, the bigger the chance that one has developing a periodontal disease.

Hormonal changes that girls, young women, and older women experience can also be a risk factor for developing periodontal diseases. The female hormones estrogen and progesterone cause greater blood flow to your gums, which can be a reason why they’re more sensitive or bleed easier. These hormones, which are present at all different stages of female life (including monthly menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause), can also cause the gum line to be inflamed.

Inflamed and sensitive gums make it easier to separate from the tooth if left untreated for too long. That’s why it’s especially important for women to have excellent oral hygiene habits.

Everyone experiences stress at one point or another. Whether good or bad, it’s a part of life that everyone has to deal with. Stress you experience for a prolonged period of time isn’t healthy for you.

When the human body experiences too much stress for a long time, your immune system is downregulated and certain hormones like cortisol last in your system longer. Both of these make it difficult for your body to fight infection and control things such as bacterial buildup.

Even while you’re stressed, it’s a good idea to practice good oral hygiene to keep that nasty germ buildup away for good.

Excessive teeth grinding can also put you at a higher risk for developing periodontal diseases. Grinding your teeth can wear them down, lower your immune system, and even be responsible for shifts in your mouth structure. Although little shifts aren’t inherently horrible, the gaps created by those shifts leave a wide open place for germs to breed and fester.

The best thing you can do to prevent periodontal disease is to engage in good oral hygiene habits. Good oral hygiene you should follow includes using good tooth brushing and flossing techniques, each performed daily. Even if you have braces or retainers that make it difficult to floss, there are plenty of tools out there that make it easier to keep up with your oral hygiene.

If you’re having problems keeping up with your oral hygiene and need some pointers or new techniques to follow, schedule an appointment with Dr. Mehta! She’ll give you all sorts of suggestions to make taking care of your pearly whites easy again.

Right along with good oral hygiene habits comes a routine dental cleaning. Dr. Mehta recommends all patients get regular cleanings once every six months. Even if you take really good care of your mouth now by brushing and flossing daily, these regular cleanings are a great opportunity to get scaling and root planing all the way to your gum line. It also gives Dr. Mehta a chance to listen to any of your concerns and keep an eye on whether you develop certain conditions, such as gingivitis or periodontitis for example.

If you have certain medical conditions, you may have to schedule your routine cleanings or periodontal cleanings to happen more often. It’s always best to follow the guidance of what your dentist gives you!

This tip only applies to individuals that smoke. If you’re concerned about your oral health getting worse and see an active decline and you smoke, Dr. Mehta recommends you stop smoking. As touched on previously, smoking can cause a bunch of problems. Even after you stop smoking, you may have to deal with conditions for years to come. There’s no better time to stop smoking than now. Your body will thank you for it. If you need help with resources on how to stop, click this link for more information and excellent suggestions.

We’ve all heard doctors talk about how good it is to have a balanced diet that properly fuels our mind and bodies. But did you know that your eating habits also play a huge role in the upkeep of your oral health? As with consuming alcohol, consuming your favorite foods and drinks is perfectly fine in moderation. However, consuming an excess of certain foods is not only bad for your mouth as it is for the rest of your body too.

Here’s a list of foods and drinks that may contribute to more plaque buildup on or around your teeth:

Sticky foods
Overly sugary foods
Carbonated soft drinks
Starchy foods
Sour or acidic food and drinks
Sticky, sugary, starchy, and/or acidic foods and drinks can all stick and be harder to clean off. Some stickiness may even require a procedure where your dental hygienist scales your mouth and engages in root planing. They can also dry out your mouth or wear down the enamel. Once your enamel goes away, it can’t grow back!

Just as there are plenty of foods that harm you in excess, there are foods that contribute to a healthier mouth too.

Here are some foods and drinks that are high-quality, nutrient dense, and overall good for you:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• High fiber foods
• Black and green teas
• Dairy products
• Lean meats and fatty fish
• Lots and lots of waterFruits, vegetables, and foods high in fiber all help clean out your mouth. Additionally, they can help satisfy certain cravings you have as well as provide a healthier alternative to those cravings. Ensuring you’re well hydrated is good for more than just your mouth, too. It helps your body fight infections and makes sure everything is functioning how it should.

Getting plenty of sleep is another thing that contributes to good oral hygiene. It’s recommended that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. Getting enough sleep helps regulate digestion, hormones, and promotes an overall healthy state of living. Falling in a cycle of sleep deprivation puts you at risk for many conditions, such as obesity, higher stress levels, and poor oral hygiene to name a few.

If you’ve tried everything under the sun and still find yourself not getting enough sleep each night, we recommend scheduling an appointment with a sleep specialist to get your sleep back to normal.

Has a hygienist ever recommended that you start using mouthwash daily, even if you regularly floss and brush your teeth? If so, it’s for a good reason. Anti-plaque mouthwash has ingredients that kill germs responsible for gingivitis and periodontitis. Depending on the brand you get, your anti-plaque mouthwash may even have properties that help protect against tooth decay.

Mouthwash is also a helpful tool that rinses away any leftover food or plaque that brushing doesn’t take care of. After measuring the amount specified on the bottle of mouthwash, swish it in your mouth for at least 30 seconds before spitting it out and rinsing.

As always, if you have questions about whether or not you may need to start using mouthwash, give Dr. Mehta a call! She’s happy to help you, ready to answer any questions you have and recommend the right products for you to keep your mouth as healthy as possible.

Does it seem like no matter how hard you try to keep your mouth healthy that something always goes wrong? That’s completely okay. As you read earlier, there are a number of things that contribute to developing these periodontal diseases. Sometimes, it’s inevitable to develop them, even with excellent oral hygiene habits. That’s where Dr. Mehta comes in with her premium periodontal maintenance therapy.

If you suspect you may have a periodontal disease or are concerned about signs you have for it, call Chicago Loop Dentistry to schedule your periodontal maintenance appointment! It’s nothing to be embarrassed about- Dr. Mehta and each other dental hygienist care about all patients and wants to help you get your smile and confidence back.

The initial stage of treatment for periodontal disease is usually a thorough cleaning that may include scaling or root planing. The objective of these non-surgical procedures is to remove etiologic agents such as dental plaque and tartar, or calculus, which cause gingival inflammation and disease. Scaling and root planing can be used as a stand-alone treatment, or a preventative measure. They are commonly performed on cases of gingivitis and moderate to severe periodontal disease.

Dr. Mehta will only perform scaling and root planing after a thorough examination of the mouth, which may include taking x-rays and visually examining the mouth. Depending on the condition of the gums, the amount of tartar present, the depth of the pockets, and the progression of periodontitis, Dr. Mehta may recommend scaling and root planing. In some cases, a local anesthesia may be used during the procedure.

Antibiotics or irrigation with anti-microbials (chemical agents or mouth rinses) may be recommended to help control the growth of bacteria that create toxins and cause periodontitis. In some cases, Dr. Mehta may place antibiotic fibers in the periodontal pockets after scaling and planing. This may be done to control infection and to encourage normal healing.

When deep pockets between teeth and gums are present, it is difficult for Dr. Mehta to thoroughly remove plaque and tartar. Patients can seldom, if ever, keep these pockets clean and free of plaque. Consequently, surgery may be needed to restore periodontal health.

Different Periodontal Therapy Solutions

• Scaling
• Root Planing
• Medications
• Gum Grafts
• Periodontal Flap Surgery
• Dental Implants

When scaling is performed, calculus and plaque that attaches to the tooth surfaces is removed. The process especially targets the area below the gum line, along the root. Scaling is performed with a special dental tool called an ultrasonic scaling tool. The scaling tool usually includes an irrigation process that can be used to deliver an antimicrobial agent below the gums to help reduce oral bacteria.

Root planing is performed in order to remove cementum and surface dentin that is embedded with unwanted microorganisms, toxins and tartar. The root of the tooth is literally smoothed, which promotes healing, and also helps prevent bacteria from easily colonizing in the future.

If treatment is successful, scaling and planing may have many periodontal benefits. One is that it can help prevent disease. Research has proven that bacteria from periodontal infections can travel through the blood stream and affect other areas of the body, sometimes causing heart and respiratory diseases. Scaling and root planing remove bacteria that cause these conditions.

Another benefit of treatment is protecting teeth against tooth loss. When gum pockets exceed 3mm in depth, the risk for periodontal disease increases. As pockets deepen, more bacteria are able to colonize, eventually causing a chronic inflammatory response by the body to destroy gingival and bone tissue. This leads to tooth loss.

Finally, scaling and root planing may make the mouth more aesthetically pleasing, and should reduce bad breath caused from food particles and bacteria in the oral cavity. Superficial stains on the teeth will be removed during scaling and planing, adding an extra bonus to the procedures.

It’s not uncommon to wake up and be taken aback by your smelly breath. Most of the time, bad breath goes away after sufficient brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash. If you find yourself constantly having bad breath even after taking care of your oral hygiene, it’s probably a good time to give Dr. Mehta a call. Persistent bad breath is a sign that bacteria is building up in your mouth in places you can’t reach with your toothbrush. Dr. Mehta will take a look at your gum line, tooth structure, and offer suggestions for treatment.

Receding gums are characterized by your teeth seeming longer as well as gaps between your teeth or gums you didn’t notice before. There are many possible causes for receding gums, including hard brushing, improper tooth alignment, teeth grinding, or improper oral hygiene. It’s important to schedule an appointment at Chicago Loop Dentistry as soon as you notice your gums receding. Receding gums gives bacteria a chance to deposit itself and grow inside the new pockets between your teeth and gums, which could eventually lead to tooth decay or tooth loss. Unfortunately, once your gums start receding they don’t necessarily grow back. That’s why it’s important to get them taken care of as soon as possible so the problem doesn’t progress any further.

There are multiple causes to why your gums bleed. Brushing your teeth hard, swollen gums, and eating pokey food can all be a culprit. It’s not uncommon for your gums to bleed every once in a while even with proper oral hygiene practices. However, you should be concerned if your gums seem to bleed every day or from very little stimulation.

Where there’s bleeding gums, there’s bacteria. When there’s a buildup of bacteria that’s left alone for too long, there are more serious consequences that follow. No matter how much you think your gums are bleeding, it’s never too late to start getting help. Give Dr. Mehta a call so you can get your oral health back on track!

It’s not uncommon to experience jaw pain or mouth pain every once in a while. After all, everyone moves their jaw funny or experiences soreness as a part of life. However, it becomes not normal when the pain suddenly becomes worse or becomes more consistent.

Unfortunately, there are many causes of jaw pain. However, not all of them necessarily mean something’s terribly wrong with your oral health. If you experience jaw pain that’s sudden or more consistent, it’s time to make an appointment. That way, a full panel of tests can be performed to see exactly what the problem is.