Affecting Millions

Diabetics More Prone to Serious Oral Health Issues

It’s estimated that nearly 24 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, and said that millions more are simply undiagnosed.

According to a vast body of research, control of your blood glucose is closely linked to periodontal disease… but which came first, the diabetes or the periodontal disease?

Research says that it’s a two-way street. Having serious periodontal disease affects blood glucose and can contribute to the progression of diabetes. Those with diabetes are at an increased risk for serious gum disease because not only are they more susceptible to bacterial infection, they also have a decreased ability to fight bacteria that invade the gums.

Periodontal disease is also linked with a variety of serious health conditions, including diabetes.

The American Diabetic Association says those with diabetes are at higher risk for oral health problems, such as gingivitis (an early stage of gum disease) and periodontitis (serious gum disease). People with diabetes are at an increased risk for serious gum disease because they are generally more susceptible to bacterial infection, and have a decreased ability to fight bacteria that invade the gums.

But even when patients don’t have diagnosed diabetes to begin with, the presence of advanced periodontal disease significantly increases their risk of developing diabetes.

How Diabetes Affects Oral Health

Research has proven that those with poorly controlled blood glucose levels are more likely to develop more serious periodontal disease and lose more teeth than those with stable blood sugar.

Diabetics are more prone to the less common oral health conditions, like thrush, ulcers and early tooth loss.

What Those With Diabetes Can Do to Control Oral Health

First and foremost, those with diabetes need to get their blood glucose under strict control – not just for oral health reasons. Blood sugar stability helps slow the progression of the disease and can help prevent diabetics from facing some of the more serious side effects of the disease, like neuropathy, eye trouble and more.

Because diabetics are more prone to infections, keeping the harmful bacteria in their mouths in check is a good way to keep problems at bay. Oral care probiotics are a simple way to tip the balance of oral bacteria in favor of the friendly flora.

Good oral care is essential for diabetics. Patients need to keep up with regular dental appointments and professional cleanings, and, like the rest of us, they need to brush and floss with care.

No More Halitosis!

9 Reasons Your Breath May Smell

You’re on your way to an important meeting and you realize – your breath is horrible, and you have no time to do anything about it. You have no breath mints, no gum … and no chance of keeping the smell to yourself.

Bad breath can make a really bad impression, but once you understand what’s behind it, you can easily control your halitosis.

The Main Culprits Behind Halitosis:

1. Food. Yes, what you eat can cause your breath to smell. Of course, when you think of food and bad breath, you’re most likely to think of the common breath killers, like onions and garlic. These particular vegetables actually metabolize in a way that not only causes their smell to linger in your mouth, their odor is also secreted through your sweat. But onions and garlic aren’t the only causes of bad breath. Many other vegetables cause bad breath, as do dairy products, which create much more mucus in the mouth and throat. Snacking on a little cheese during happy hour may not be the best idea. Even chocolate can cause halitosis.

2. The breakdown of food in your mouth. As you eat, tiny particles of food become lodged between your teeth and below your gums. These bits of food cause a foul smell as they break down.

3. Beverages. As earlier discussed, dairy causes excess mucus, so dairy drinks can easily cause bad breath that doesn’t quickly dissipate. Sugary drinks cause the bacteria known to cause bad breath to flood the mouth. Bad-breath causing bacteria love to snack on sugar.

4. Dry Mouth. Some people have chronic dry mouth for no known reason. Others suffer from dry mouth as a side-effect of medications they take. Still others may suffer dry mouth from consuming alcohol, or consistently using alcohol-based mouth rinses.

5. Poor oral health. Teeth and gums that are not healthy can emit foul odors. For instance, those with periodontal disease often have strong-smelling breath, and cavities can also cause breath to smell.

6. Health issues. Many health problems can cause bad breath. Those with diabetes may have fruity smelling breath, or breath that smells like markers, if their diabetes is not under control. Those with kidney problems may have fishy smelling breath. And those with acid reflux often have halitosis as well.

7. Illnesses involving the sinus or throat. Whether it’s post-nasal drip caused by the common cold or by nasal allergies, those with upper respiratory illnesses often have bad breath. In fact, doctors can often recognize sinus infections or strep throat based solely on the patient’s breath.

8. Use of tobacco. Smokers and those who chew tobacco have distinctive-smelling bad breath. The more one smokes or chews, the worse the breath can smell.

9. Poor oral care. Some people are prone to skipping the step of brushing their teeth twice daily, and the American Dental Association estimates that up to 80% of individuals don’t floss daily. Brushing teeth properly helps remove unhealthy bacteria from the teeth and gums, which significantly reduces the incidence of bad breath. But even if you brush twice daily like clockwork but skip flossing, you could be leaving your mouth wide open to the effects of halitosis. Flossing teeth significantly helps remove both food and bacteria lodged between teeth in places a toothbrush cannot. It also releases bacteria from below the gum line, not only reducing the likelihood of bad breath, but also significantly reducing the risk of periodontal disease.

Curbing Bad Breath At the Source

Sometimes it’s overwhelming to think of all the ways we can create halitosis. Thankfully, there is one simple way to help reduce halitosis – even morning breath! By altering the bacterial composition of your mouth, you can help crowd out bad-breath causing bacteria. A simple probiotic mint, filled with the beneficial bacteria known to reduce the colonies of harmful, bad-breath causing bacteria, can help control halitosis, regardless of its cause.

Remember, first impressions are lasting impressions. Leave your halitosis fears behind.

Something in the Air

Good Oral Care Helps Promote Healthier Lungs

If you are among the many who have chronic – or even occasional – respiratory illness, new research suggests the issue may start in your mouth.

According to research recorded in the Journal of Periodontology, those with respiratory diseases tend to have worse periodontal health than those with healthier lungs. Research showed that periodontal disease may increase the risk for respiratory infections, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia. These infections, which are caused when bacteria from the upper throat are inhaled into the lower respiratory tract, can be severely debilitating and are one of the leading causes of death.

Researchers found that bacterial respiratory infections could, in fact, be acquired through aspiration (inhaling) of fine droplets from the mouth and throat into the lungs. These droplets contain germs that can breed and multiply within the lungs to cause damage. Recent research suggests that bacteria found in the throat, as well as bacteria found in the mouth, can be drawn into the lower respiratory tract, causing infections or worsen existing lung conditions. People with respiratory diseases, such as COPD, typically suffer from lowered immunity, making it difficult to eliminate bacteria from the lungs.

The study included 200 participants between the ages of 20 and 60 with at least 20 natural teeth. Half of the participants were hospitalized patients with a respiratory disease such as pneumonia, COPD, or acute bronchitis, and the other half were healthy control subjects with no history of respiratory disease. Each participant underwent a comprehensive oral evaluation to measure periodontal health status.

The journal says researchers believe oral pathogens associated with periodontal disease can increase the risk of developing or exacerbating respiratory disease.

COPD causes persistent obstruction of the airways. The main cause of this disease is thought to be long-term smoking or long-term exposure to certain toxins and pollutants. The chemicals from the cigarette smoke or air pollution irritate the airways to cause chronic inflammation, which eventually leads to obstruction. Tissue damaged by COPD cannot be rejuvenated.

Researchers urge those with persistent respiratory illness to choose good oral care habits, like twice daily brushing and flossing.

Children and Gum Disease

Think Periodontal Disease is Just for Adults?

You brush your children’s teeth every day, and then you take them to the dentist for cleanings and to check for tooth decay. You expect the dentist may point out teeth that are crowding, or poor brushing habits. But what about periodontal disease?

Yes, your children can have periodontal disease. In fact, some studies indicate that nearly all children have gingivitis – the very first stage of periodontal disease.

Signs of Periodontal Disease

Keep alert for these signs of periodontal disease. If you notice any of these symptoms between dental appointments, you may wish to schedule an appointment to have your child assessed.

Bad Breath

Does your child’s breath stink? It might mean something… Sometimes children have bad breath because they don’t brush thoroughly, or because they don’t floss. It could be a sign of strep throat or a sinus infection. Or it could be a sign of periodontal disease. If your child has persistent bad breath, you need to have him or her examined by a dentist to determine the cause.

Bleeding Gums

Gums that bleed while brushing (when there are no loose teeth in the mouth) are an indication of gum inflammation. Children should not have gum inflammation.

Puffy Gums

Swollen or puffy gums are another symptom of periodontal disease, or its predecessor, gingivitis. You may also notice that puffy or swollen gums are red.

Receding Gums

Receding gums, or gums that are pulling away from teeth, can expose the roots of the teeth. This is very dangerous for the teeth and can lead to the loss of permanent teeth.

It’s important to understand that there are many considerations for childrens’ oral health. When it comes to your kids’ mouths, it’s not just about tooth decay. Be alert for symptoms of periodontal disease, and if you notice any of the symptoms listed above, be sure to contact your dentist.

What’s That? I Need A Breath Mint?

Do you think your breath smells? Do you know?

If you notice that lots of people are offering your breath mints or gum, it really might mean that you DO have bad breath. Like the old saying goes, never turn down a breath mint!

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is one of the most common oral health complaints.

The Bad News Behind Bad Breath

Unfortunately, the bad news about bad breath is that you may be the last to know that you have it.

The other bad news is that most breath fresheners not only cannot be trusted to do their jobs, but they are also usually full of sugar which is the ideal food for the bacteria that are causing your bad breath in the first place.

Yep, that’s right. Not only do breath fresheners NOT make your breath fresher, they actually make your breath smell worse.

Why Don’t Most Breath Fresheners Work?

Here’s how it works: Inside your mouth, there are hundreds of different species of bacteria. Most of them are completely harmless – they just find the warm, wet, dark place that is the human mouth a good place to call home. A few are a little more worrisome.

The worrisome bacteria include the bacteria known to cause tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Then there are a few other bacteria in the mouth that are considered beneficial bacteria. Why beneficial? Because, by their very presence, they keep the bad bacteria at bay. They compete for space and nutrients, effectively crowding out the harmful bacteria.

So, who’s to blame for your bad breath?

You guessed it – the same bacteria that claims the blame for cavities and periodontal disease. You see, when these little guys feast on sugar (a common ingredient in most breath fresheners) and other food particles, they release Volatile Sulfur Compounds , which smell just as bad as they sound.

Oral Care Probiotics For Truly Fresh Breath

The only way to truly eliminate bad breath is to get rid of the bacteria that causes it. By using a probiotic mint twice daily, you can allow the beneficial bacteria to keep the bad bacteria in check, and finally kiss that bad breath goodbye!

Now that makes sense!

What’s That Smell?

Ready to Kiss That Morning Breath Goodbye?

Was it the onions on your salad? That cup of decaf after dinner? When you wake up with morning breath, the cause hardly matters. You want the bad taste in your mouth – and the stink that goes with it – gone, and fast, please!

If your morning breath is caused by foods like garlic, onions or even beverages coffee, it will probably linger even if you give brushing and flossing your very best shot. The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can cause a lasting foul odor. After foods like onions and garlic are digested and the pungent oils are absorbed into your bloodstream, they’re carried to your lungs and are given off in your breath until the foods are eliminated from your body.

Another major cause of morning breath is dry mouth. Not only do our mouths produce less saliva at night, if you are a mouth-breather or someone who snores through your mouth, you’re likely to have a very dry mouth at night. This can translate to some very smelly breath in the morning. Drinking alcohol can also lead to dry mouth.

If you suffer from periodontal disease, you may also have morning breath. Fortunately, this is something you can potentially avoid by brushing and flossing properly before bed each night. If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, collecting bacteria that can emit chemicals, such as hydrogen sulfide — the compound that gives rotten eggs their characteristic smell. Over time, a colorless, sticky film of bacteria called (plaque) forms on your teeth.

If it’s not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums, causing gingivitis and tooth decay, and eventually forming plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums called periodontitis.

The microscopic uneven surface of the tongue also can trap bacteria that produce odors.

In addition to carefully and thoroughly brushing and flossing your teeth before bed each night, consider using oral care probiotics. By flooding the mouth with good bacteria, oral care probiotics leave little room for smelly bacteria to thrive. But don’t think of it as a short-term solution like a piece of gum or a mouthwash. Used twice daily, oral care probiotics hit bad breath where it really counts, knocking out the bad bacteria in places that brushing and flossing alone simply can’t, like in the pits and crevices of the teeth, deep beneath the gums and in the surface of the tongue.

Now that you know what’s behind that stinky morning breath, don’t you think it’s time to go ahead and kiss it goodbye?

Pink in the Sink

Why Do My Gums Bleed When I Floss?

One of the reasons some people are hesitant to floss their teeth is because they dislike it when their gums bleed, and their gums seem more prone to bleeding when they floss.

Don’t Ignore Your Bleeding Gums

Whether your toothbrush is pink after brushing or you bleed when flossing, be sure to mention it to your dentist. Bleeding gums is one of the first signs of gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums due to a buildup of plaque. Gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease. Fortunately, if gingivitis is caught and treated early enough, you might be able to reverse it, so be sure to talk to your dentist about any bleeding you may see.

But Why Do My Gums Bleed?

Your gums may be prone to bleeding due to inflammation (in the case of gingivitis) or during pregnancy, due to fluctuations in hormones.

Other causes of bleeding gums include:

•    Any bleeding disorder
•    Brushing too hard
•    Hormonal changes during pregnancy
•    Ill-fitting dentures
•    Improper flossing
•    Infection, which can be either tooth- or gum-related
•    Leukemia
•    Scurvy
•    Use of blood thinners
•    Vitamin K deficiency

If Brushing and Flossing My Teeth Makes My Gums Bleed, How Do I Make Them Stop?

While it may seem counterintuitive, twice daily brushing and flossing are exactly what you need to keep your gums from bleeding, if the bleeding is caused by a buildup of plaque. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush and proper flossing technique will also go a long way stopping that pink in the sink.

Things to Consider

Less Saliva Means More Cavities

Dry mouth is a common problem that could lead to an even more common – and more costly and painful problem – cavities.

A number of things can reduce the flow of saliva. The prevailing cause generally is medication. From antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications to diuretics, narcotics, antihistamines and blood pressure medications, many prescription and over-the-counter medications can quell your normal flow of saliva.

You may have also noticed that your mouth is dry at night. This is because when we sleep, salivary glands produce less saliva. Our salivary glands also tend to produce less as we age, so dry mouth is more common in older people. Not only that, the composition of our saliva changes as we age, making our saliva less protective as we age.

Unfortunately, any alteration in the quantity or quality of one’s saliva can reduce the benefits that saliva can provide. The presence of xerostomia, which refers to a state of diminished salivary flow, can tip the balance between tooth demineralization and remineralization in favor of tooth decay, or the forming of cavities.

Brush and Floss

Since salivary flow decreases at night, be sure to brush and floss at night before going to bed to ensure that you’re removing both food particles that may be left behind and as much harmful bacteria as possible.

Drink!

Those with chronically dry mouths should drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, to moisten the mouth and to keep food and bacteria from staying lodged between teeth.

Try Oral Care Probiotics

Saliva isn’t the only thing that protects your teeth from harmful bacteria. The good bacteria that live in your mouth also help to protect your teeth and gums from the harmful bacteria that reside there. Oral care probiotics help replenish those residential beneficial bacteria to support gum and tooth health.

Chew Sugarless Gum

Since chewing increases the flow of saliva, chewing sugarless gum can help increase your flow of saliva without feeding the bacteria known to cause cavities and gum disease.

Healthy Foods for Healthy Smiles

Great Food Choices to Support Healthy Teeth

We want to have clean, healthy, white teeth. Here’s what we know we need to do:

1.    Brush our teeth twice daily.

2.    Floss once daily (ideally).

3.    Avoid sugary junk foods.

4.    Avoid tobacco products.

5.    Avoid drinking sodas and sports drinks.

But What Foods Should We Eat to Support Tooth and Gum Health?

Fresh Vegetables

Not only are fresh vegetables great for your overall health, they are great for your teeth. Eating vegetables – and a small amount of fruit, for that matter – stimulates saliva flow. Saliva washes away the harmful bacteria, leaving less to attach to your teeth or to populate beneath your gumline. Because of this, increasing natural saliva production is a good way to decrease your risk of developing cavities and developing periodontal disease and it’s also a great way to ward off bad breath.

Whole Grains

Whole grains are rich in B vitamins, which support gum health and can also keep toothaches at bay. Since B vitamins are water soluble (meaning they aren’t stored in the body), they need to be eaten regularly for you to continue reaping their many benefits. This group of vitamins includes B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), niacin, B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, B12 (cobalamine), biotin, and pantothenic acid.

Milk & Cheese

Dairy products are alkalizing, meaning they reverse the harmful effects of acids. This is a fantastic thing in the mouth, as acid is the enemy of healthy tooth enamel. Acid erosion sets the stage for tooth decay. Cheese and milk are great alkaline foods.

Water

Not only does the water nourish your body, it helps clear food debris from your teeth without leaving behind any unwanted sugar molecules and without staining teeth, the way coffee and tea do.

Probiotics

In addition to a healthy diet (and daily brushing and flossing), oral care probiotics are a great way to support tooth and gum health. These beneficial bacteria come as a tasty, easy-to-use probiotic mint for adults or probiotic chew for children ages 3 – 11. Both dissolve quickly in the mouth to restore the good bacteria essential for good oral health.

When it comes to maintaining tooth and gum health, choose fresh, choose whole, choose alkaline, and choose water – and you will be making the best possible choices for your teeth and gums.

Do Tongue Scrapers Beat Bad Breath?

Do you use a tongue scraper? Why? Because you like the way your tongue feels after it has been scraped? Does it make your mouth feel cleaner? Do you think it makes your breath fresher?

Tongue scrapers come in all shapes and sizes – and with all kinds of promises. From reducing bad breath to allegedly reducing plaque build-up, tongue scrapers are often touted as one of the best over-the-counter dental tools.

By scraping the surface of the tongue, these devices are said to eliminate bacteria in the mouth and improve bad breath.

The truth is, a good old tooth brush, tooth paste, and dental floss are actually the most important tools for maintaining oral health – just ask your dentist!

While most people brush their teeth at least once or twice daily, flossing falls far behind, with only about 12 percent of Americans flossing daily, and 49 percent don’t floss at all.

The American Dental Association says that there are many benefits to regular flossing, including decreased risk of gum disease, better breath, reduced plaque build-up between teeth and polished tooth surfaces. You simply cannot go wrong by taking a little extra time to floss daily.

What if Brushing and Flossing Aren’t Busting Your Bad Breath?

If you have persistent bad breath, it probably means that there is a bacterial imbalance in your mouth. The best way to kiss bad breath (and its ugly cousin, morning breath) good-bye is to get the bacteria in your mouth back in balance.

What?! I Have Bacteria in My Mouth?

You sure do. In fact, the human mouth is home to between 700 – 800 bacteria. Most of these bacteria are just hanging around because the mouth is a warm, wet, dark place. They cause no harm and affect no benefit. A few, however, are to blame for bad breath. These bacteria naturally emit volatile sulfur compounds as a byproduct. These VSCs are to blame for the vast majority of chronic bad breath conditions.

On the flip side, there are also beneficial bacteria that make their home in the human mouth. If you have chronic bad breath, you are likely lacking in the beneficial bacteria department.

An Easy Fix for a Stinky Problem

Many cultures have long relied on the health benefits of beneficial bacteria, often called probiotics. Through more than 25 years of research, one American researcher, Dr. Jeffrey Hillman, has identified three strains of probiotics found in very healthy mouths. Using this information, Dr. Hillman had developed a probiotic mint that, when used twice daily after brushing, can stop bad-breath-causing bacteria in its tracks. The beneficial bacteria in these mints crowd out the bacteria responsible for bad breath making your mouth kissing fresh – even before you brush in the morning.