A Dentist Reveals Three Bad Habits that Could Lead to Periodontal Disease

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers gum disease as one of the biggest threats to the population’s dental health. According to their latest report, an alarming 47.2 percent of adults aged 30 years and older have periodontal disease. The study conducted by the CDC also found that 70.1 percent of adults over 65 have it as well.

Bacteria infecting the tissue surrounding the tooth is the leading cause of periodontal disease. While you may be keeping up with your oral hygiene at home, there are other ways you may be unknowingly increasing your risk of developing it. Take note of these five bad habits that could cause or aggravate gum disease.

Smoking

Along with several lung diseases and respiratory illnesses, you can add periodontal disease to the numerous consequences of smoking. People who have been smoking for a long time or smoke a lot on a daily basis are more susceptible to periodontal disease. In fact, tobacco use is one reason why periodontal disease is so hard to treat in some patients. Smokers tend to collect more tartar on their teeth, lose bone faster as the disease progresses, and develop deeper periodontal pockets. So, not only is quitting smoking good for your health, but it is also a crucial step in avoiding gum disease. Read more from this article: http://bit.ly/2GkYlzF

A Dentist Warns Patients About the Dangers of Untreated Sleep Apnea

As it turns out sleep apnea is more detrimental to health than one would expect. Beyond losing some precious hours of shuteye and waking up tired, this condition may also increase your risk for developing other long-term and short-term health problems especially when left untreated. Sleep apnea is also known to make some pre-existing illnesses worse.

Even more alarming is the fact that out of the approximately 18 million Americans with sleep apnea, only 20 percent have been diagnosed and treated. This is why dentists urge their patients to look into several treatment options available, including intraoral appliances, or expose themselves to these dangers.

High Blood Pressure

If you already have high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea may cause it to worsen. Frequently waking up during the night stresses the body and causes hormonal systems to go into overdrive. As a result, your blood pressure levels also increase. Meanwhile, during your sleep, the low blood-oxygen caused by the cutoff of oxygen can also contribute to hypertension. Read more from this article: http://bit.ly/2rKWJvy

Your Dentist Can Give You Three Good Reasons Not to Be Afraid of Root Canals

Root canal therapy is a treatment performed by a dentist to preserve a tooth by removing bacteria and dying or already dead tissue inside. Quite simply, it saves the natural tooth, which is always better than an artificial replacement. Even so, patients dread having to hear the words “root canal,” let alone going to their dental clinic for the procedure.

Dentists say that this fear is most likely born out of lack of awareness or knowledge about the treatment. Certain myths regarding root canal out there are also not helping allay patients’ uneasiness. In truth, there is absolutely no reason to be scared of this procedure, and here are three excellent reasons to prove it. Read more from this article: http://bit.ly/2GnK0m0