During the holiday season, many people might suffer from an increase in stress and anxiety. This time of year presents numerous occasions for unwanted aggravation. Mall parking spots seem like treasured objects and avoiding a long line in every store seems impossible. Your Richardson dentist, Dr. Diep Truong, discusses how stress can show in your mouth.
Stress Shows
Many people experience an uptick in stress and anxiety this time of year. However, numerous people remain unaware of their condition. Sometimes, the effects of stress can take a toll on your oral health. Typically, when people suffer from stress, their immune system suffers a performance reduction. When the immune system cannot combat harmful bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, oral health and overall health can diminish.
So you enjoy a nice glass or two of red wine at social events (or every day, depending on how much you enjoy your wine). Research has shown that some compounds related to red wine can actually benefit your oral health, but those compounds do not protect your teeth from red wine stains. With these tips from Dr. Truong, your Dallas area dentist, you can continue to enjoy your glass without the added worry of staining your teeth.
Drink Responsibly. Your Teeth Will Thank You
If you spill red wine on your white dress, tablecloth, or carpet, then a little white wine or seltzer can usually help lift the stain. The same principle applies to your teeth; swirl the white wine or seltzer (don’t gargle, it’s disturbing to those around you) between glasses of red wine to help diminish the red’s staining power. Try this technique with caution; chasing wine with wine can lead to increased inebriation. (more…)
Aches and pains are a normal part of life, but when you experience a serious injury, the pain can take over every waking minute (and make it pretty difficult to sleep, while you’re at it). Severe toothaches can have this kind of all-encompassing power. Your mouth and jaw are such a big part of day-to-day life (talking, eating, smiling) that a radiating pain in that area can make you feel useless. Your Richardson dentist, Dr. Diep Truong, will offer you a few scenarios of what might cause a toothache, and what you might want to do in each case. (more…)
Many people rely on herbs and spices to add flavor to meals without additional fat and sodium. There are more benefits to spices than just adding a kick. Herbs and spices, either fresh or dry, have a high concentration of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Certain spices have even been shown to help with the inflammation and recession of gums that go along with gum disease. Your Richardson dentist, Dr. Diep Truong, will highlight some of the spices that might help your dental and overall health.(more…)
Gums (also known as gingival tissue) frame your smile and protect the roots of your teeth. You might not realize how important gums are to the look of your smile. People born with uneven gums, or too much gum tissue, however, are ever-aware of how their gums affect the attractiveness of the way their grin looks. Your Dallas dentist, Dr. Diep Truong, explains why many patients opt for a procedure called gum contouring when they feel their gums don’t look quite right.
Too Much Gum Tissue
When people are born with an overabundance of gingival tissue, it can make their teeth look unusually small. You may have witnessed a person cover their mouth when they smile, or try to open their mouth at the bare minimum when they return your grin. Smiles are important in making social impressions and making us feel good. Statistics prove that people with confident smiles make more money in the work place, and have more success with relationships. Everyone deserves a high quality of life, and confidence in your smile is a big part of that. Gum contouring procedures utilize lasers to precisely remove excess gum tissue, and unveil a well-proportioned smile.
Gum Contouring for Gum Recession
Gums that are set too high or have shrunk away can make your teeth appear bigger. This usually occurs as a result of gum disease, but can also be a side effect of menopause. The concerns with gum recession are not purely aesthetic. When infected gum tissue pulls away from teeth, roots are exposed. If roots are directly exposed to bacteria, root canal procedures, abscesses, and potential tooth loss are all possible. When too little gingival tissue is the problem, a gum contouring procedure might be recommended in conjunction with other periodontal therapies, regenerative procedures, and crown lengthening. (more…)
Can you picture 158 trillion individual candy corns? That would be the equivalent of 600 million pounds of candy (and a serious contributor to major tooth decay). This is what Americans purchase annually for trick-or-treating. Tooth decay is a concern when it comes to over-consumption of candy. Your overall health is certainly affected by diet, but sugar plays a particular role in feeding the bacteria that cause cavities. When bacteria binge on sugar, they can create plenty of lactic acid to wear down your protective tooth enamel. As long as you are keeping up with your dental checkups twice a year, and brushing and flossing regularly, you should be able to avoid any long term damage to your teeth. Your Dallas dentist, Dr. Truong, has some fun facts to offer you about candy, as long as you promise to consume your Halloween goodies responsibly.
Over the last several centuries, the field of dentistry has seen incredible advances. There have also been certain oddities in dental hygiene products. Any interest in brushing your teeth with cupcake, eggplant, or bacon flavored toothpaste? Your Richardson dentist shares some interesting moments in dental history. (more…)
Many people harbor concerns that they will be exposed to too much radiation if their dentist wants to give them x-rays. The concept of a camera that can take a picture of the inside of your teeth is understandably difficult to fathom. What you may be surprised to find out, however, is that our bodies naturally give off small amounts of radiation every single day. In fact, if you sleep next to someone, you are receiving as much radiation from them over a year as you would from a set of dental x-rays at a six month exam. Your Richardson dentist, Dr. Diep Truong, explains why radiation from x-rays is nothing to feel concerned about. (more…)
As Halloween approaches, children are sure to expose their teeth to massive amounts of candy. Lollipops are one of the worst treats for propagating tooth decay. Teeth are literally bathed in sugar as a lollipop is consumed over a longer period of time than most candies. Bacteria in your mouth feed on sugar to create acid, weakening enamel, and infecting teeth with decay. Imagine if there were a Halloween treat you could pass out to the neighborhood children that would actually fight tooth decay. Your Richardson and Dallas dentist, Dr. Truong, explains how an amazing discovery called Keep 32 might impact dentistry, and candy consumption, in the future.
What is Keep 32?
Exciting new research is being conducted by Jose Cordoba of Yale University, and Erich Astudillo of Universidad de Santiago, in Chile, that can potentially eradicate the bacteria that cause cavities. Keep 32 is a chemical that only requires 60 seconds of exposure in the human mouth to kill Streptococcus mutans.The molecule, not only targets S mutans, but could prevent cavities from ever starting in the first place. A bacteria-free environment can be maintained for several hours after the initial 60 second exposure. (more…)
Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, leads to tooth decay. The early stages of gum disease might seem benign, with mildly puffy gums and a little bleeding after you brush and floss. However, when gum disease progresses, it can lead to serious infection and even the loss of teeth. Lately, gum disease has been linked to more serious conditions, like heart disease, diabetes, and pre-term labor. Luckily, ongoing research is leading to new discoveries that might, one day, eradicate gum disease. Your Dallas and Richardson dentist, Dr. Truong, shares the details of one particular study that proposes using protein filled capsules to treat periodontitis (advanced gum disease).
Gum Disease has a New Enemy: Protein
Dr. Steven Little reported on the research at the 244th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society. Laboratory experiments were performed on mice to reach a hypothesis that the progression of infection could be halted. Furthermore, the experiment showed that tissues damaged by gum disease could even be regrown with the use of protein. (more…)
During the holiday season, many people might suffer from an increase in stress and anxiety. This time of year presents numerous occasions for unwanted aggravation. Mall parking spots seem like treasured objects and avoiding a long line in every store seems impossible. Your Richardson dentist, Dr. Diep Truong, discusses how stress can show in your mouth.
