The Problem with Asthma for Your Oral Health

It’s not easy to live with asthma. There are many reasons for this, one of the easier ones to overlook being the dental ramifications of the condition. Indeed, asthma makes you considerably more susceptible to suffering tooth decay.

The big problem with asthma, when it comes to your oral health, is that it encourages your mouth to dry out. Your saliva is an important defense mechanism, cleaning your teeth and gums and fighting off decay. When your mouth dries out, the bacteria can thrive, sugar lingers on your teeth longer, and you invite serious dental problems. Most people struggling with asthma get into the unfortunate habit of breathing through their mouths, which quickly dries you out. At the same time, the medication you take to manage asthma can serve to dry out your mouth all the more.

If you struggle with asthma, you should take particular care of your teeth. Always brush, always floss, and always keep your regular appointments with our Issaquah dentist. We can give you the care you need while accommodating your condition and avoiding asthma attacks during your treatments.

Dental Care Following a Stroke

A stroke is a serious matter, one which has long-lasting implications for your health. Unfortunately, some people can overlook the effects that a stroke can have on your oral health. If you recently suffered a stroke, be mindful of the following problems that you may encounter:

First of all, your daily oral hygiene routine may suffer. With a compromised strength in your grip and a decreased manual dexterity, the simple act of brushing and flossing can turn into an ordeal. In some of the less severe cases, you may simply need to wrap a washcloth or some similar padding around your brush to get a better grip. Others may benefit from an electric toothbrush, or a special flossing tool.

When it comes time to visit your dentist again, be sure to inform us of any medication you may be taking. Some of the medication taken by patients who recently had a stroke have negative implications, particularly anticoagulants. As these drugs encourage excessive bleeding, special care may need to be taken during certain dental treatments.

Finally, if you are struggling with memory loss, consider having your dentist write down your instructions after your visits.

The Effects of Heart Health on your Dental Care

A heart attack is a difficult thing to go through, one which will have long-lasting implications on your health and the way you take care of yourself. Your oral health is no exception. After your heart attack, be sure to take the following precautions to get the most of your care without risking any further damage:

First of all, it is generally a good idea to wait a minimum of six months after a heart attack before undergoing any serious dental treatments. Your body may not yet be strong enough to deal with the anxiety commonly associated with dental procedures. Further, if your doctor has prescribed you with medication to treat your heart, this medication may not react well with your treatment; some of these encourage bleeding, which can be dangerous in any invasive procedure.

When you are once again ready to return to our Issaquah dentist, give us a list of any medications you are taking, and their dosages. You may also benefit from giving us the contact information for your doctor, in case you have any further heart-related problems during your visit.

Green Tea Can Protect Your Teeth

Many people drink green tea for its strong health benefits. It’s packed with antioxidants, combating damage to your cells and encouraging a youthful, vibrant appearance. If you’re a fan of this classic tea, the news just keeps getting better: Green tea has also been linked to valuable benefits to your oral health.

In a scientific study, a group of people between the age of forty and sixty-four who were in the habit of drinking a cup of green tea every day were found to be 19% less likely to have lost teeth to dental problems. This can be attributed to the warm fluid rinsing out the mouth, combined with antimicrobial catechins in the tea itself.

Oolong tea was determined to have a similar, weaker effect. Mixing green tea with sugar was determined to counteract its positive effect. Coffee apparently has no positive effect on your mouth, while sweetened coffees are downright detrimental.

To learn more about how to foster healthy teeth in your daily routine, contact our dentist’s office in Issaquah.

Is Your Toothbrush Contaminated?

You should generally expect your toothbrush to gather bacteria as you brush with it, which is why it is recommended that you rinse it out and sanitize it periodically. However, if you share a bathroom with other people, there are worse things than bacteria to worry about.

According to a study recently presented at the meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, many toothbrushes become tainted with human fecal particles. Most of these come from shared bathrooms. Of the toothbrushes stored in such bathrooms, a full sixty percent are contaminated, while eighty percent of these had feces coming from someone other than the brush’s owner.

This contamination is largely the result of the toilet, which sends up a faint spray of water when you flush it. There isn’t much to this spray, but over time it can build up on anything that is left out in the open too close to the bowl. With this in mind, try to keep your brush in a closable container, and contact our Issaquah dentist for more information on healthy brush maintenance.

Coping With Canker Sores

Everybody gets a canker sore every now and then, and few people know what to do about it. What are these painful little sores? How do they happen, and how do you get rid of them?

In truth, nobody is entirely sure what causes most canker sores. However, they can often be attributed to trauma in the delicate tissues in the mouth. You will therefore want to shield your sore from additional aggravation by protecting it from anything that might poke, burn, or irritate the damaged tissue. This can mean avoiding certain foods, particularly citrus fruit and other acidic substances. It also means cutting back on chewing gum or other items, which increase your risk of biting down on your injury.

The good news is that the pain from a canker sore should generally last no longer than a few days, and the sore should vanish completely in no more than two weeks. If it persists longer than this, or if it is a particularly large or painful sore, then you may need to seek out professional help. Contact our Issaquah dentist for further help.