It is considered that a quarter of people in Bath suffer from dry mouths, and it gets more prevalent with age and it’s caused by a myriad of things. Certain medications can affect the salivary gland, reducing the amount of saliva produced. Radiotherapy too can damage these glands. Bad diet, smoking, blocked sinuses, anxiety and dehydration can also reduce saliva in the mouth leaving it extremely vulnerable to other problems. Saliva is important to the health of the mouth. It breaks down the acids in foods and fights the bacteria that forms plaque and if a dry mouth is allowed to continue and go untreated, the plaque build up can lead to gum disease and invariably, dental decay, cavities and eventually tooth loss and decay can be expensive to treat. A dry mouth will also affect speech and lead to bad breath. Regular check-ups become important with a dry mouth, to monitor any growth in gum disease or tooth decay and to get advice on ways of tackling the problem. Dental hygiene and diet are the important factors in this. Drinking lots of water, avoiding caffeine based drinks, sucking sugar free sweets and ice cubes all aid the problem as does avoiding smoking and heavy smoking.
Canker sores are quite common and they don’t usually need treatment as they go away on their own. Many sores are caused by foods that one eats, but they are also caused by ill fitting dentures, braces and other orthodontic attachments. Some dental sores are caused due to allergy to certain materials that dentists use while repairing teeth. Some of these sores are also caused due to vitamin deficiencies.
Even though these sores tend to go away on their own, a Swindon dentist warns that there are certain types of these sores that do need to be shown to a dentist because they could be a potential threat to one’s health if neglected.
A canker sore that has not gone by itself after more than a fortnight should certainly be shown to a dentist. In the same way, a sore that is larger than normal should also be shown to a dentist. Other warning signs are high fever that accompanies the sore and also extreme pain, especially when it hinders eating and swallowing. This can make it very difficult for you to lead a normal life. Repeated outbreaks of these sores are also a warning.
A dentist will be able to discover the cause of the sore, and to take corrective steps so that they will not occur again. Like most ailments, these sores too respond best to treatment if it is administered in the early stages, reducing the money spent on treatment as well as discomfort that the patient will feel.
Sleep apnea is a condition that affects people when they sleep. It actually involves the temporary cessation of breathing during sleep due to a blocked airway and can have very serious health complications. Sleep apnea is linked to heart disease and stress and can be very damaging to your overall health. What is even more amazing about the condition is that some people are completely unaware that they have it. Because it only occurs during the night, unless a loved one notices, you are unlikely to know what is happening when you sleep. Even then, many people simply mistake sleep apnea for snoring, which is the sound omitted during breathing while asleep.
There are two main types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by the collapse of the soft palate at the back of the throat. This temporarily blocks the airways before it is reopened again. This can happen many times each night putting a great deal of strain on the body. The other type of sleep apnea is central sleep apnea (CSA), which is caused in the respiratory centre of the brain which stops sending signals to the lungs to breathe. The two are very different but ultimately have the same consequences.
Sleep apnea is the underlying cause of many health conditions such as stress and anxiety. In children it is often the reason for low attention span and underachieving in school. Sleep apnea, specifically OSA, can be treated by Bath dentists who can use special appliances to be worn at night to prevent the palate from collapsing. This will hopefully be able to allow you a good nights sleep for the first time in a long time. Without knowing it, you could be making the most important change to your life. Make an appointment with your dentist if you have concerns about sleep apnea.
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
