FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
What is dry mouth and what can I do about it?
Dry mouth, or xerostomia (zeer-o-STOE-me-uh), refers to a condition in which the salivary glands in your mouth don’t make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Dry mouth is often due to the side effect of certain medications or aging issues or as a result of radiation therapy for cancer.
Treating dry mouth can be tricky and specific to an individual. Treatment can be (but not limited to) avoiding or changing medications, drinking more water, saliva substitutes, avoiding mouthbreathing, sucking sugarless candies or chewing sugarless gum. Even stopping smoking or limiting alcohol and caffeine.
How often should I change my toothbrush?
If you are using your toothbrush every day, every three months is a good rule of thumb. But the specifics are actually down to two things you want to avoid:
1. Making your toothbrush a microbiological hotel, and
2. Once the bristles are frayed or curved out, they aren’t nearly as effective at cleaning.
**Note** Please use a soft bristled brush; medium and hard bristles can injure teeth over time.
What are the dangers of Oral Piercings?
The most common dangers of oral piercings are:
- Increased amounts of bacteria and inflammation in mouth
- Chipping and cracking from the piercing being present (very common)
- Allergy to metal
- Can damage or even move teeth over time
Some studies report that because of the complications associated, a person is up to 3 times more likely to lose a tooth if they have an oral piercing.
What causes tooth decay?
Short answer – Bacteria.
Longer answer it takes:
- Bacteria (especially strep. mutans)
- A spot on a tooth to stick to
- Food for the Bacteria (sugar – any kind but table sugar (sucrose) is it’s favorite).
- Time. This is where brushing and flossing can help; it limits the time the bacteria is in contact with the tooth.
Do Dentures have to come out at night?
Wearing dentures is a little bit like wearing shoes. If you wore your shoes all the time, your feet would not be as healthy. If a patient wears dentures ALL the time, their gums are not as healthy. You should let your gums rest apart from your dentures at few hours a day. Most people just take them out at night and just let their gums rest while they sleep. But you could find other times of the day if it is more convenient.
What are dental implants UNDER dentures all about?
Dental Implants don’t have to replace just single teeth. They can be strategically placed to go under a denture to help hold a denture in place better. There are a few requirements for this to work (amount of space required, amount of bone, and cost). But if your denture is loose and no traditional approach is working, you can always check with your dentist to see if you are a good candidate.
Why do dentures get loose over time?
Getting a denture (especially your first denture) is like buying a pair of pants at the beginning of a diet. That denture is designed to fit your ridge the way it was at THE moment the impression was taken. Over time a ridge shrinks (especially that first year after extractions) and your denture stays the same. After that first year it changes much less. Some people are lucky to go a long time (decades even) with very little change and then…all of a sudden…their mouth changes and they are forced to deal with a loose denture again.