Oral health problems

It’s easy to put your oral health on the back burner. After all, you brush your teeth every day so what’s another visit to the dentist really going to do for you? You might tell yourself you can put it off for another month or two. But this justification is flawed – dental appointments are recommended every six months so the pesky plaque that no toothbrush will ever tackle properly can be scraped from your teeth. And that bi-annual appointment is important so you can have a thorough dental exam to make sure that your mouth is completely healthy and shows no signs of decay or disease. It’s especially important not to put off a visit to the dentist when you’re experiencing persistent oral health problems like those mentioned below.

Dry Mouth

You wake up in the morning and your mouth is super-dry. It’s normal, right? You just slept for hours so brushing will help get the saliva going again. Yes and no. Whatever time of day you experience severe mouth dryness, know that dry mouth is often a side effect of certain medications, aging, diabetes, and other illnesses. While you may think that there is no way to combat the inevitable, it’s important to understand how critical a role saliva plays in oral health. Adequate levels of saliva should be a constant presence in your mouth in order to help wash away bacteria and prevent it from settling on your teeth and forming plaque. Is not brushing your teeth before bed really that bad? >>

Bad Breath

Eating an onion bagel is one thing, but still having bad breath days after you ate that potent, savory food is a problem. In a healthy mouth, a thorough flossing and brushing of your teeth and tongue should be enough to wash away any traces of post-eating bad breath. But when the odor sticks around, there are several reasons that could be at the root of the problem, including gum disease, insufficient preventive care, and even diabetes. Are seasonal allergies hurting your oral health? >>

Loose Teeth

The only time in your life that it’s OK to have loose teeth is when you’re a child who’s losing their baby teeth. Loose teeth are typically an indication that gum disease has settled into your mouth, and it’s likely at a pretty advanced stage. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults, making the gum pull away from the tooth. This movement creates pockets around the tooth that are able to fill up with bacteria and food particles, furthering the infection and eventually causing the tooth to fall out completely. Periodontal therapy will be necessary to restore your oral health. 4 restorative dentistry solutions for a broken crown >>

Bleeding Gums

Every once in a while you might floss your teeth a little too enthusiastically and cause your gum to bleed. But if you’re keeping up with the proper preventive care there should really never be any bleeding in your mouth, especially when you floss and brush. There are times in a woman’s life when she may experience more sensitive gums due to hormone changes – especially during pregnancy – but in most situations bleeding gums signal that something is seriously out of whack with your oral health. More often than not, bleeding gums are caused by gingivitis, which is the early stage of gum disease.

If you experience any of these oral health problems or other suspicious, painful, or abnormal symptoms, make an appointment with Dr. Shaista Najmi at Ivory Dental in Jacksonville, Florida, to discuss the health of your teeth and gums.

Welcome 7am–7pm!


Request Your Appointment Online or Call Today!