Connection between Alzheimer’s And Gum Disease

A study published in January 2019 suggests that Alzheimer’s disease may be caused by the same type of bacteria that causes advanced gum disease. This type of bacteria is commonly known as Porphyromonas gingivalis also known as P. gingivalis.

Connection between P. gingivalis and neurodegeneration

Researchers have been able to find that P. gingivalis basically produces toxic enzymes which can be called gingipains. These enzymes can be quite troublesome for the brain. P. gingivalis DNA has also been found in the Alzheimer’s brains, according to a study.

And since it is the fact that P. gingivalis is the major culprit causing gum disease, it would come as no surprise that this type of bacteria can do the real damage to any part of the body it invades.

And so, you need to make sure that you take good care of your mouth because mouth is just like an entry point of the body. If you are not taking good care of your oral health, the P. gingivalis will not only damage your gums but it will also start producing problems for other systems of your body.

While the research in this matter is not complete yet, researchers believe that it is the first piece of puzzle that they have solved.

The mouth-body connection

It would be worth discussing the mouth-body connection here. It is a no-brainer that everything we put in our bodies goes through the mouth. And it is the same area which lies outside of the immune system’s jurisdiction. This is the reason that bacteria and other germs can remain unharmed in the mouth. The area of focus for the dentists and doctors is the gum pocket. Under the gum tissues and above the teeth’s surface is usually an area which remains away from the immune system. Thus, any unchecked bacteria such as P. gingivalis can buildup in these pockets and form a force to invade not only the internal system of the mouth but also in the other vital systems of the body.

And since P. gingivalis is the same kind of bacteria that can cause Alzheimer’s, it is quite important to make sure that you take care of your oral health.

Take care of your oral hygiene

It is really very important to take care of your oral hygiene. First, you have to brush your teeth twice in every day. And then, you will need to floss for at least once in a day. The biggest benefit of flossing is that it cleans hidden and interdental areas quite amazingly. Moreover, flossing can actually stimulate the gum tissues, leading to the stronger grip of gums over the teeth. And while there are many misconceptions about flossing, you need to avoid getting influences by those misconceptions.

Importance of Good Oral Health for Pregnant Women

Plenty of evidences suggest that good oral health is quite important during pregnancy. The recent study by Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) states that a pregnant woman with healthy teeth and gums can put the child on a path of having good oral health.

Now, it is quite unfortunate that most of the women do not realize the importance of oral health during pregnancy. During pregnancy, release of certain hormones triggers several body changes which weaken the immune system. Any dental complication during this process can get permanent because of the weakness of immune system.

Here, we are going to discuss a few dental health complications which can occur during pregnancy.

Pregnancy gingivitis

Gun inflammation during pregnancy is a common condition. This problem is mostly referred to as pregnancy gingivitis. The common symptoms associated with pregnancy gingivitis mainly include swelling, bleeding, tenderness and unusual redness in gums.

According to a stud, good health of gums is extremely important for the better health of your fetus. Advanced stages of gum disease during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight and premature birth.

Increased plaque buildup

As mentioned above, pregnancy involves a lot of hormonal changes. These changes can affect your oral health. For instance, there can be a lot of plaque buildup during pregnancy. Due to these hormonal changes, your body may not respond to the oral hygiene habits you had been continuing with in the normal days.

One thing that you are going to have to keep in mind here is that pregnancy itself doesn’t cause plaque. It’s actually your body’s weaker resistance which doesn’t put much of a fight against the plaque buildup process. if this plaque is left untreated, it can lead to pregnancy gingivitis which can turn into a serious oral health condition in longer run. And if you had gingivitis before becoming pregnant, this condition may worsen during pregnancy. This is the reason that you need to get dental care every now and then during pregnancy.

Tooth enamel erosion

The regular bouts of morning sickness during pregnancy can lead to enamel erosion. The reason is the increased amount of acidity in the mouth. You can neutralize this acidity with the help of water with baking soda mixed in it. However, you need to use this mouth rinse before you brush your teeth.

Oral health tips during pregnancy

During pregnancy, you need to make sure that you visit your dentist regularly. Regular dental visits can save you from many oral and dental health complications. At home, you are going to have to make sure that you are taking good care of your oral hygiene. You need to brush and floss your teeth regularly. You can ask your dentist about the right way of brushing and floss in order to specifically avoid the oral health problems which are related to pregnancy. Moreover, you need to stick to the use of an effective antimicrobial mouthwash. This mouthwash is going to help you avoid gingivitis. Finally, you have to make sure that you are eating healthy foods which are good not only for your teeth but also for your body. You need to get all of the support you can against oral and overall health complications.

Tooth Pain Due To Sinus Pressure

Seasonal allergies are quite common. When you get these allergies, you get runny nose, a lot of sneezing, and a need to get some meds to get relief from the painful condition. These allergies can result in another issue in some people; pain in the upper molars. Since it feels more like a toothache, it is worth mentioning the connection between this pain and sinus infection.

Now, you may not be sure if you really need to visit the dentist if you have tooth pain that feels like generating from your sinuses. One thing that you need to keep in mind in this regard is that it doesn’t hurt to visit the dentist no matter what kind of tooth pain you are experiencing. The major sign of pain due to seasonal allergies is that you are also going to have facial pain.

When you will visit the dentist, he is going to check the situation. Then he will run x-rays tests to diagnose the condition. A thorough exam will be done in order to know if this condition is not due to bruxism, cavities, abscess or any other issue related to your jaw. If there isn’t any dental issue, there is a good chance that the problem you are having is due to allergies. In this situation, you will be referred to the doctor dealing with issue you have.

In many cases, the pain is not due to allergies. It can be due to jaw pain which occurs as a result of sinus infection or congestion. The doctor is then going to prescribe you some medicines in order to treat the issue you are having. These medications may include antibiotics, painkillers or anti-allergy medications.

You can know about the real problem by paying attention to the type of pain you are having. For instance, tooth pain due to sinus infection is usually dull. More precisely, it feels like a harsh pressure. Pain is going to erupt when you will have seasonal allergy, cold or congestion. Since the underlying cause of the pain is an infection in the sinuses, your doctor is going to prescribe you the medications to treat infection. It may be the antibiotics.

The pain is not going to be related to the sinuses if it is originating more from the molars. If it is originating from the roots of the upper molars, it may be related to the sinus infection. If there is a swelling in your gums, it is certainly a dental issue, not a sinus-related one.

Pain in the jaw can radiate pain in such a way that it might affect the molars. The pain may be quite similar to that resulted from sinus infection. However, it is a jaw-related problem and you need to get it treated from your dentist.

The pain in your molars may be due to sinus infection or allergies but you do not know what it is. Therefore, it is worth going for the dental visit to get your teeth and jawbone checked. You don’t have anything to worry if the pain is due to sinus infection.

Is It a Good Idea to Replace Toothpaste with Mouthwash?

Mouthwash provides fresh sensation to the mouth due to the ingredients present in its composition. But do you know that it does nothing to clean your mouth? Although the mouthwashes are loaded with ingredients such as fluoride and other antibacterial agents, they do not remove plaque from your teeth. It doesn’t matter how often you swish mouthwash in the inside of your mouth.

Plaque is basically a bacterial buildup that gathers on the teeth not only throughout the day but also during the night. If you are not brushing your teeth with proper technique or you skipping the brushing of your teeth, you are going to end up having a buildup of plaque on your teeth. One thing that you need to keep in mind is that the plaque can have extremely negative effects on your oral health. If you are not brushing your teeth, you are essentially letting the plaque to harden. This hardened plaque, also known as tartar, can cause tooth decay, bad breath and gingivitis. Thus, it is very important to brush your teeth and daily. Make sure that you brush your teeth twice in a day and that too with a proper brushing technique.

One thing worth mentioning here is that neither toothpaste nor mouthwash alone can do anything to remove plaque gathered on and around your teeth. The main function of a toothpaste or mouthwash is to release ingredients in the mouth that can strengthen the teeth and slow down the process of tooth decay. However, they are not going to do anything with the plaque.

Now, if you want to keep the plaque buildup at bay, you will need to floss and brush your teeth with a soft –bristled toothbrush combined with high quality toothpaste and the mouthwash loaded with the ingredients that can help you strengthen your teeth. The best thing about fluoride is that it tends to restore the tooth enamel by giving it back the ingredients lost due to acidity of plaque. Therefore, fluoride needs to be the primary ingredient of the toothpaste and mouthwash you are using.

Remember, most of the dental problems occur due to not brushing and flossing your teeth on daily basis. Problems such as cavities, gum disease and bad breath are resulted by deficient oral hygiene. When you do not brush and floss your teeth, the plaque tends to gather on and around your teeth. Plaque is a sticky material which doesn’t go away simply by swishing the mouthwash inside the mouth. You will need to use toothbrush with proper technique to get rid of this plaque.