How should you take care of your mouthguard tips

* Make sure to clean your mouthguard by washing it with soap and warm (not hot) water.
* Before storing, soak your mouthguard in mouthwash.
* Keep your mouthguard in a well-ventilated plastic storage box when not in use. Make sure the box has several holes so the mouth-guard will dry.
* Heat is bad for mouthguards, so do not leave it in direct sunlight or in a closed automobile.
* Do not bend your mouthguard when storing.
* Do not handle or wear someone else’s mouthguard.
* Call your dentist who made the mouthguard if there are any problems with your mouthguard

Periodontal disease (Gingivitis and Periodontitis) is a bacterial infection that occurs around the gums that can over time reach the fibres and bone that support your teeth. If periodontal (Gum) disease is not treated by a professional dentist, your teeth can eventually start to move and eventually you can even lose them.  However by having proper at home dental and oral care habits and by seeing a dentist regularly you greatly reduce your risk of having periodontal disease.

One way preventive dental care is over looked, is by not wearing a mouthguard when need. A mouthguard can prevent serious injuries such as jaw fractures and neck injuries by helping to avoid situations where the lower jaw gets jammed into the upper jaw. Mouthguards are effective preventing laceration and bruising of the lips and cheeks, especially for those who wear orthodontic appliances.

Another possible consequences of having dry mouth is called burning mouth syndrome. Burning mouth syndrome is described as a burning sensation on the tongue and or other parts of the mouth. It is painful and can be frustrating for a person that is dealing with it. If a person has burning mouth syndrome because of dry mouth one way to treat it is by drinking more water throughout the day.  However in some more serious cases drug therapy may be recommended

Part of having good preventive dental care habits is cutting down on carbonated beverages, fruit juice and acidic foods can harm teeth. Acid in our food can cause enamel to wear away. When that happens your teeth are at a higher risk for tooth decay

Dry mouth is caused by a lack of saliva or a lack of saliva production by the salivary glands. Also if a person is a diabetic, the increase of sugar in their saliva leads to a decrease in the quantity of their saliva.  Saliva contributes to a natural cleaning of your teeth. People suffering for dry mouth can have other complications such a d dental caries, ulcers, fungal infections, it can also be harder to wear removable dentures and or partials.

Acid reflux, is caused when the esophageal sphincter, which separates the stomach from the esophagus, allows acid to seep out of the stomach. Often times this acid can cause heartburn, but not always. In the absence of heartburn symptoms, one of the first indication that a person may have acid reflux is by the erosion of the enamel on their molars or on the backside of their teeth.

Since your stomach acid can eat away at the enamel on your teeth, your dentist may be the first one to notice the symptoms of acid reflux when he or she detects tooth enamel loss. If detected, your dentist may refer you to a specialist, who may prescribe treatment or recommend lifestyle changes specifically for the treatment of acid reflux, such as avoiding acidic foods.

People who have diabetes are more prone to certain dental and oral problems and therefore should pay special attention to their oral hygiene.  Some oral complication of diabetes are infections and dry mouth.  Together they both can lead to dental decay, gum disease and delayed healing after surgery. Anyone with diabetes should see a dentist regular which may mean more then just twice a year if advise by their dentist in order to maintain their oral and dental health.

As you age, you become more vulnerable to developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease. According to current studies, symptoms of these diseases can manifest themselves in the mouth, making dentists key in diagnosing the diseases. In fact, your dentist may be the first health professional to notice a problem.

In addition, it is important to visit your dentist regularly because some oral problems, for instance root decay, can only be detected in its early stages by x-ray examination.

Your dentist can diagnose and treat dental health problems before they become larger more serious dental issues. However they can only do that when you are making and keeping your regular dental appointments.

New research suggests that the health of your mouth mirrors the condition of your body as a whole. Such as, when your mouth is healthy, chances are your overall health is good. On the other hand, if you have poor oral health, you may have other health problems. So, seeing a dentist regularly not only helps to keep your mouth in top shape, but also allows your dentist to watch for developments that may point to other health issues.

There are many reason why a person has misaligned teeth and having misaligned teeth can create addition dental problems such as:

*Chewing problems
*Misaligned teeth can cause a higher degree of difficulty in maintaining good oral hygiene, which in turn can increase the risk of dental decay and gum disease.
*Stress to the teeth, jaw or facial muscles.
*For some people misaligned teeth can cause a lack of self-esteem

There are many reasons as why someone can have misaligned teeth. Below is a list of what can causes teeth to be misaligned.

* Heredity
* Loss of baby teeth prematurely
* Having a trauma to the face (such as a sport injury or car accident)
* Bad habits such as prolonged thumb sucking.

However malocclusion (Misaligned Teeth) issues can be address by an orthodontic dentist. An orthodontic examinations consists of taking x-rays, photographs and impressions of the teeth in order to determine the proper coarse of treatment. Many time orthodontic dentist will provide free consults.

Flossing is very important part of your daily dental care habits not only for your teeth but for you gums. People do not always realize just how important it is to take care of their gums as well as their teeth. Gum disease is an infection of the gum tissue and bone that support the teeth and is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

In addition, according to recent studies it has been shown that the health of your gums may have a connection to some chronic diseases. Having gum disease has been linked to and may be a risk factor in developing Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and diabetes. Experts are studying how inflammation in the mouth caused by gum disease may influence other areas of the body such as your brain, heart and pancreas. Although the exact connection between gum disease and some other chronic diseases is not known, this connection between medical and dental conditions highlights the importance of maintaining good oral health to achieve good overall health.

Since dental veneers are often used for improving the appearance of ones teeth, many dental insurance plans will not provide benefits for dental veneers because it is consider to be a cosmetic dental service. Therefore before having dental veneers check with your current dental insurance plan to confirm is coverages are provided.

If not you may want  to review a dental discount as an option to save money of the cost of having dental veneer work done.  Normally dental discount plans can save you around 20-25 percent off the cost of dental veneers.

Regardless of age it is important to make sure you brush you teeth. Brushing your teeth helps to remove the thin film of bacteria that builds up on your teeth each day and contributes to tooth decay and gum disease.  It is suggested that your brush your teeth for at least two to three minutes with fluoridated toothpaste, if possible brush your teeth after every meal or at least twice a day.

However has you do age you will want to pay special attention to your dental care habits. Although tooth decay can occur in any area of the tooth as you age decay is more likely to develop around old filling or the root of the tooth that can become exposed by receding gums. Therefore make sure to visit your dentist regularly so that he or she can keep an eye on these factors.

Dental veneers can be used by dentist to either improve the appearance of a tooth or to restore it if it is damaged.  Here are some dental problems where a dental veneers are useful.

1) To improve the appearance of darken teeth where previous teeth whitening treatments failed.
2) To restore teeth that are moderately worn out. (Note: severely worn teeth should be repaired with a dental crown)
3) To restore fractured teeth
4) To close spaces between teeth
5) To arrange the appearance of slightly misaligned teeth

For both 4 and 5 it is recommended to consider orthodontics services first.   However talk to your dentist and discuss the correct coarse of dental care treatment for you.

The leading cause of tooth loss in adults is not the aging process but gum disease. It is important to understand that gum disease can happen at any age.  However, with good oral health habits and a healthy lifestyle you help to keep your gums healthy and your teeth for a lifetime.

It is not really the gum that is helping to remove dental plaque from your teeth when you chew it. However, by chewing gum after eating it can help stimulate and produce saliva.  One role saliva plays n your mouth is to partially clean your mouth following a meal. Therefore chewing on gum can stimulate your mouth’s saliva to be constantly produced.  This will help remove some of the food debris, and some of the dental plaque that has been created after you have eaten.

However some plaque can be consistent and sticks to teeth and saliva by itself can not remove it.  It is only by brushing and flossing thoroughly that you can make sure you have removed the dental plaque from around your teeth  in order to prevent tooth decay

Edentulism (tooth loss) has been the focus of a recent study, which traced it over the last hundred years. The project’s report highlights the numbers of people losing teeth and requiring dentures. The single most influential determinant of the decline was the passing of generations born before the 1940s, whose rate of edentulism incidence far exceeded later cohorts. High income households experienced a greater relative decline, although a smaller absolute decline, than low income households.

Dental Bonding is a process where a tooth colored substance is applied to the affected teeth. The dentist is able to shape the bonding material to fit the contour of the tooth, filling in the gap.