A few symptoms of oral cancer could be, mouth sore that does not go away. Unexplained numbness in the face, mouth, or neck. Problems chewing, speaking or swallowing. Causes of oral cancer, can include smoking cigarettes and using smokeless tobacco, drinking heavily, overexposure to the sun, and a family history of cancer.

Oral cancer has also been linked to the human papillomavirus, or HPV. Do not let fear keep you from the doctor, oral cancer that is caught early is treatable and curable. Often times your dentist will also look for any signs of oral cancer when you have your regular dental checks. Just another good reason to make sure to make and keep your regular dental appointments.

Leukoplakia is a reaction to an irritant, like rough teeth, badly fitting dentures, smoking, and smokeless tobacco. It can show up as white patches or plaques in the mouth, is usually painless, and can not be scraped off. Leukoplakia can also be a precancerous condition. Persistent patches or other changes in your mouth need a dentist’s evaluation.  See a dentist if you think you may have Leukoplakia for an evaluation and treatment.

You do not get cold sores and or ever blisters, from fevers or colds but they can be triggered by them. The virus that causes cold sores is usually passed via a kiss, shared utensils, or other close contact. Over-the-counter creams and ointments may help discomfort and speed healing. Frequent sores may require a prescription.

Your gums and bad breath issues Keeping your gums healthy is an important part of having good oral health but it also helps to control bad breath issues. Gum disease, is a common cause of bad breath. Bacteria gather in pockets at the base of teeth, creating bad odors. If you have gum disease, your dentist may recommend a periodontist, who specializes in treating this condition.

After Dinner Mints VS Chewing Gum

Often times people will have an after-dinner mints after a meal. However, sugary candies promote the growth of bacteria in your mouth and adds to bad breath issues. Instead, chew sugarless gum. By chewing gum it stimulates saliva, which is your mouth’s natural defense mechanism against plaque acids which cause tooth decay and bad breath.

Avoid foods that sour your breath. If you worry about your breath one way avoid bad breath issues is by avoiding food that sour your breath. Onions and garlic are the prime offenders. Unfortunately, brushing after you eat them does not help.

According to dentist Richard Price, a spokesman for the American Dental Association, “The volatile substances they contain make their way into your bloodstream and travel to your lungs, where you breathe them out, The only way to avoid the problem is to avoid eating them, especially before social or work occasions when you are mindful of your breath”.

Scrape your Tongue. One dental care habit that often goes undone is scraping your tongue after brushing you teeth. It is important to clean you tongue daily because the coating that normally forms on the tongue can host foul-smelling bacteria.

You want to gently brush your tongue with your toothbrush. If it is too big to comfortably reach the back of your tongue, try a tongue scraper. A tongue scraper is designed specifically to apply even pressure across the surface of the tongue area, removing bacteria, food debris, and dead cells that brushing alone can not remove.

Brush and floss your teeth more frequently. Did you know hat one of the prime causes of bad breath is plaque, the sticky buildup in your mouth that harbors bacteria. Also food that gets caught between your teeth adds to the problem.

All of us should brush at least twice a day and floss daily. If you are concerned about your breath, brush and floss a little more often. But do not overdo it. Brushing too aggressively can wear down enamel, making your teeth more vulnerable to decay.

Woman’s Dental Care and Osteoporosis

A woman’s mouth can say a lot about osteoporosis   If you are a woman, your dentist may be the first health professional to suspect you have osteoporosis and refer you to a physician before the disease advances. Symptoms of tooth loss or gum (periodontal) disease could indicate early stages of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis weakens bones by reducing their density. Although the disease may strike any gender at any age, the vast majority of sufferers are women over age 50.

Osteoporosis is difficult to detect, and most patients are not diagnosed until their bone density has decreased to the point that a fracture occurs. However, your dentist may detect the onset of the disease based on oral symptoms, your medical history and results of a clinical and x-ray examination. This is why it is important to visit your dentist regularly and to provide him or her with your complete medical history, even if you do not think it relates to oral health.

Eating Healthy has Benefits for Your Teeth.

An apple a day may keep the dentist away. Well, not really but it is part of good part of eating healthy, which is a good for preventive dental care. Parents can help themselves as well as their children prevent tooth decay and cavities by monitoring their eating habits. Lead by example, offer children healthy snack alternatives such as apples, bite-size carrots or other foods that are naturally sweet, and instruct children to avoid candies, chocolate, and other foods that contain refined sugar. If your children see you eating healthy they are more incline to eat healthy too.

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

Preventive Dental Care and Mouthguards

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.

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

How can your dentist tell if you have acid reflux.

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.

My teeth are really yellow and all the over the counter whitening products do not help. Can I get Veneers for my teeth.  

Reply:  You can get dental veneers for yellow teeth.  However I would first talk to dentist about having your teeth professionally whiten.  A dentist can whiten your teeth much better then any over the counter product.  Whitening is also much cheaper then dental veneers.  

If you choose to get dental veneers make sure you talk to a cosmetic dentist and keep in mind that both teeth whitening treatment and dental veneers are normally not covered under most dental insurance plans.  If you wish to save some money of these types of dental care services I would suggest looking into a low cost dental discount plan which can save you around 15 to 20 percent

I do not want to buy dental insurance on a regular bases.  I would like to buy a dental plan to get a dental check up and cleaning done since is see many dental insurance provide this service at no cost.  However can I cancel the plan right after having this service provided.  Or am I forced to keep the plan.   

Reply: You will need to read the terms and conditions of the plan you are looking at. Some insurance plans do require you keep it for a year. Where as other plans have long term waiting periods which would be okay for you if all want is preventive care but may not work out very well if it is determined you need additional dental services other then preventive care.  You may want to look into getting a dental discount plan since most of this plans will let you cancel with a 30 day written request. As long as you buy based on monthly payments and not yearly.