Gum Disease Treatment White Bear Lake, MN

Gum Disease in Women

There are certain times in a woman's life when she may be more susceptible to gum disease. The changes a woman goes through, puberty and menopause among them, pregnancy and menstrual cycles also, cause hormonal changes in the body. Those changes may require a woman to adjust her diet and exercise patterns.

For instance, as we all know, pregnant women tend to snack a lot. It's important for them to avoid sugary, sticky snacks.

The changes can affect many of the tissues in the body, including the gums. The gums can become unusually sensitive and can react strongly to hormonal fluctuations. All this can leave a woman vulnerable to gum disease. Studies have also shown that pregnant women with gum disease are far more likely to deliver pre-term, low birth weight babies.

Talk to Your Dentist About Your Risk of Gum Disease

If you are a woman, talk to your dentist about any special steps you should take to maintain good oral health while going through the different periods of your life. At White Bear Smiles, we specialize in treating gum disease in patients of all ages and genders. Contact our comfortable dental office in White Bear Lake, MN to learn more about gum disease. 

• You can take over the counter pain medication for any discomfort you may have. Ibuprofen or Advil helps to reduce swelling.
• Rinse with warm salt water if your gums are sore and tender (1 tsp. salt in 1 cup warm water). Or, if a medicated rinse has been prescribed, use it as directed.
• Brush gently today even if your gums are tender to help remove the plaque that has started to reform.
• You don't need to floss or use any home care aids today if there is too much sensitivity. But starting tomorrow, do so each day.
• Follow all our home care instructions exactly as directed. Success of treatment depends directly on the improvement of your oral hygiene.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water today to help remove the bacteria that are present.
• Avoid eating crunchy, spicy, or hot foods today, i.e.: taco chips, carrots, crispy fried chicken.
• No smoking if at all possible for 4 to 6 weeks. If after a few weeks your teeth become sensitive to cold, due to less inflammation in the tissue, you may want to try a sensitive toothpaste such as Colgate or Crest Sensitive.
• If you have any questions or if you experience unusual swelling, pain or bleeding, please call our office.

Hard-to-Reach Spots Can Lead to Cavities

Regardless of how carefully you tend to your teeth, they should be cleaned professionally every six months. You simply can't reach every spot at home. It's on those hard-to-reach spots that plaque will accumulate and turn into cavity-causing compounds called tartar and calculus.

Bacteria live in plaque and calculus and convert foods to acids that attack tooth structure. Either your dentist or hygienist will do the cleaning, which consists mainly of scraping off the accumulated hardened deposits of plaque.

The Dental Cleaning Process

Generally, the cleaning will involve hand scraping of the accumulation with a small sickle-shaped instrument called a scaler or with the use of an ultrasonic machine that generates high-frequency sound waves. Those waves are generated through a tip that actually vibrates plaque deposits loose. The plaque particles are then flushed off with water. Because part of the reason for cleaning your teeth is to avoid gum disease or periodontal disease, it is necessary to clean the sides of the roots as well as the crowns. Once the teeth are thoroughly cleaned, the dentist will polish them with a mild abrasive, leaving you with clean teeth and a glistening smile.

Contact Our White Bear Lake Office

If you're due for a dental cleaning, contact our office to schedule your appointment. We want to ensure you have a beautiful and healthy smile for a lifetime! 

Causes of Bad Breath

Don't worry. Most people, at some point, are going to have a problem with bad breath. And the problem stems from bacteria. We all have bacteria in our mouths. The bacteria produce sulfur compounds, which have a pungent odor. While most people's systems keep the bacteria in balance, some people simply produce more bacteria than others. Some 25 percent of the population has a chronic problem with an overabundance of bacteria.

How to Prevent Bad Breath

The American Dental Association recommends that you drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. This helps produce the saliva that washes away excess bacteria.

Another place where bacteria can collect is on your tongue, especially on the back of it. This is considered to be the main source of bad breath. What we recommend is that everyone use a good tongue scraper every morning. After a thorough scraping, then brush your teeth and tongue with an ADA approved toothpaste. This will also help with gingivitis and gum disease, the second most common reason for bad breath.

Contact Our White Bear Lake Office For Prevention Tips

If bad breath is a periodic or constant problem for you, talk with your dentist about ways to address it. Call our office in White Bear Lake, MN for an expert consultation.