Biting your tongue and cheeks

Everyone has accidentally bitten his tongue while eating or woken up with a small mark on the inside of his cheek. But what do you do if this nuisance becomes a common occurrence? Many people frequently bite the inside of their mouth during sleep or while eating, but the causes vary. In some cases, it is due to misalignment of the teeth or poor denture fitting.

In that situation, the teeth can overlap with the person’s tongue, increasing the chance of a bite. In other cases, a person may constantly breathe with his mouth open, leading to a slightly swollen tongue, which can again lead to accidental bites. In some rare cases, a person may also have seizures, causing him to involuntarily bite his tongue or cheek. Regardless of the reason, though, constant wounds in the mouth can become more than just annoying.

Over time, biting can lead to scars and decreased sensitivity, so it is important to treat the bites properly and speak with a dentist about preventing future occurrences. He or she will help you identify the cause of the biting and hasten the time until you can eliminate the bites altogether.

Recognizing and treating toothaches

In its most basic form, a toothache is described as having pain in or around a tooth. If you've ever experienced this type of pain, you know it can grow from a mere annoyance to being a full-fledged medical problem. Usually, toothaches are caused by tooth decay and cavities, but they can also result from an infection. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, tooth decay is caused by a combination of poor dental hygiene and genetics.

However, a toothache can also be a sign of an earache, abscessed tooth, jaw or mouth injury, or even a heart attack. To treat the pain, it is recommended that you contact your dentist immediately to schedule an appointment. The benefit for you, as a True Care customer, is that you can be assured that you will get pain relief at a significantly reduced cost. To help ease the pain during the time it takes to get in for an appointment, over-the-counter pain medications can also be taken. If the toothache is caused by a decayed tooth, your dentist may suggest such treatments as antibiotics or a root canal.

As a final note, it's especially vital that you seek medical care if your toothache is causing you severe pain, if it lasts longer than one or two days, or if it is accompanied by a fever or earache. Your dentist will be able to treat the symptoms and can even take X-rays if the cause is not easily determined. Be prepared to answer questions about the frequency and strength of the pain, any associating symptoms, and factors that worsen the pain (for instance: drinking, consuming cold liquids, or chewing).

If you have any doubts, the best course of action is always to seek the advice of a professional. This will save you from experiencing ongoing pain around your teeth and restore you to full health.

Signs of a great toothbrush

You know how important it is to brush your teeth twice a day to fight plaque and cavities -- but are you using the right brush? In reality, every person’s mouth is different, which means everyone needs different traits in a toothbrush.

For instance, look at the size of your mouth: If you have a generally small mouth, it’s a good idea to find a brush with a small head. Small-headed brushes allow you to angle the brush more effectively in a small space and can get into hard-to-reach corners. In terms of the handle of the brush, look for one with a good grip. Handles are made to fit in varying-sized hands, so make sure the one you pick fits nicely in yours.

If you have arthritis, pay special attention to the surface of the handle and select one that won’t slip easily. Finally, when it comes to the bristles, most people benefit from a brush that is soft, but not too soft. Packages specifically labeled “soft” are generally not the right choice, unless your dentist recommends it for you. Instead, look for ones that feature “medium” bristles. These ones will not be so rigid that they hurt your gums, but they will also stand up under pressure and remove plaque effectively.

If you have any questions about choosing the right brush, talk to a dentist on your True Dental Discounts - dental plan. He or she can recommend the right brush for your mouth and even give you pointers about improving your technique.

What should I know about sedation at the dentist?

Although most dental visits are for preventative purposes and require no anesthesia, in some cases, you may need to undergo a more complex procedure. In such an instance, your dentist may recommend using anesthesia. Depending on the procedure, you may need just a simple sedative to help you relax. These include anti-anxiety agents and can be applied along with a local sedative, according to the American Dental Association.

Once provided, a patient will become moderately sedated but will still be responsive to touch or verbal instructions. For more complex procedures – such as tooth extractions – your dentist may recommend drugs to induce a deep sedation. Under this type of sedation, a patient loses feeling in the intended area and reaches a reduced state of consciousness. Some patients also elect to undergo general anesthesia, which causes the patient to lose complete consciousness for the duration of the procedure.

This is often used during wisdom tooth extraction, but the American Dental Association suggests it can also be used for children who have extreme anxiety at the dentist or for people with disabilities that make it difficult to control movement. In order to make safety the highest priority during procedures with anesthesia, you as the patient should be sure to communicate the following information to your True Dental Discounts dentist ahead of time:

• Any current or past illnesses or health conditions; 
• Any medications taken, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements; 
• Any allergies to medications. 

With this information, your dentist can help you make informed decisions about your dental care.

Dreaming of better gum health

How much sleep did you get last night? If it was six hours or less, you could be at increased risk for gum disease progression. A 2007 study in the Journal of Periodontology looked at the way lifestyles affect a person’s periodontal health and found that lack of sleep was one of the biggest factors in gum disease. People who had slept at least seven hours were less likely to experience advancement of the disease, leading researchers to speculate that a lack of sleep may reduce the body’s immune response, which then contributes to gum disease progression.

Another major lifestyle factor was smoking. More than 40 percent of participants in the study who experienced a progression of gum disease were smokers. This may seem obvious, but it reinforces the idea that tobacco use affects far more areas of a person’s health than just the lungs. Other influential factors identified in the study included high stress levels and daily alcohol consumption. Many of these factors are related, so it’s important to be self-aware. For instance, high stress levels may cause a person to lose sleep, which can then lead to progression in gum disease.

By fixing one contributing factor, other problems may be lessened, as well. Your True Care Advantage dental plan dentist can help you identify signs of periodontal disease and show you specific ways to stop it from progressing. By making changes to your lifestyle, you can quickly get back on the path to oral health.

Should you get your wisdom teeth removed?

Many people wait until they feel pain in their mouth to get their wisdom teeth – also known as third molars – removed. However, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, waiting is not always the wisest choice. Even if your mouth doesn’t hurt, extensive damage can be occurring under the surface.

People who wait longer often have more complicated procedures because the roots of the teeth grow longer and make removal more difficult. AAOMS estimates that 85 percent of people will eventually need their wisdom teeth removed and suggests that this is best done in young adulthood. Removing the teeth by the time a patient is a young adult helps ensure optimal healing and reduces the chance for periodontal infections in the surrounding tissues. Wisdom teeth are removed while a patient is under anesthesia, so it is important to talk to an oral surgeon on your True Care discount dental plan about your options. He or she will describe the procedure and give you tips to make your recovery as smooth as possible.