Alternative Answers to Dental Problems: Gum Disease, Tooth Loss, Dental Care Costs

Early Signs of Gingivitis

May 7, 2008 – 6:24 pm
Swollen and bleeding gums are an early sign of a serious dental condition called gingivitis. Fighting gingivitis is a constant struggle for millions of Americans. More than 75 percent of Americans over 35 have some form gum disease. Gingivitis is caused by the bacteria in plaque - a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. If nothing is done, swollen bleeding gums will cause further infection ...

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Periodontal Surgery

April 19, 2008 – 12:39 am
I don't care to ever again experience periodontal surgery to correct bone loss and pockets around the roots of my teeth. I hope you never need to experience this either. This surgery took hours and involved pulling the gums down to expose the jaw bone. The surgeon even removed bone spurs he found on my jaw bone. I could smell the bone as it was being ground down, like the smell of burning hair. It is best to take care of your mouth and prevent ever having to go through periodontal surgery. I ignored my mouth problems for too long, ignored the bleeding gums, but when some of my teeth began to loosen, it was only then I took action and by then it was getting too late, the deep pockets around my teeth had formed and bone loss was already ...

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Pregnancy and Bleeding Gums

April 9, 2008 – 7:03 pm
Bleeding gums during pregnancy is a common occurance because pregnancy generally worsens any existing gum problems, sometimes quite dramatically. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can exaggerate the body's normal response to dental plaque. This hormonal increase effects the way the gum tissues react to the bacteria in plaque, resulting in an increased likelihood that a pregnant woman will develop bleeding gums if her oral hygiene is not good enough to prevent it. Bleeding gums during pregnancy is suffered by many pregnant women. ...

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Fighting Gum Disease; You Can Win the Battle!

April 7, 2008 – 1:28 pm
Fighting gum disease is a continuous struggle for millions of people. In fact, more than 75 percent of Americans over 35 have some form of gum disease. What to look for: In the earliest stage, your gums might swell and bleed easily. At the final stage, you might lose your teeth. So, if you want to keep your teeth, you must fight gum disease using good oral hygiene practices. When some of my teeth began to loosen, I knew I was in trouble. I ended up having oral surgery to try and remedy the deep pockets ...

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Is Smoking Linked to Gum Disease?

March 29, 2008 – 8:26 am
Did you know smoking and gum disease go together? Current smokers are four times more likely than people who have never smoked to have periodontitis, but ex-smokers who had abstained for 11 years did not have any increased risk, according to the findings published in the Journal of Periodontology. Nearly 53% of gum disease in this study was attributed to current and former smoking. Smoking and gum disease are apparently linked. If you smoke then you need superior oral hygiene to prevent smoking related gum disease. Using superior oral hygiene techniques, smoking related gum disease ...

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Periodontal Disease, Dental Plaque Bacteria and Arterial Blockages

March 21, 2008 – 9:21 pm
If you suffer from periodontal disease, you need to do something about it. There is more at risk than your teeth! The American Academy of Restorative Dentistry (AARD) studied the effects of bacteria to possible links between gum and heart disease. By exposing human blood platelets to samples of bacteria taken directly from patients' mouth, researchers at Temple University Schools of Dentistry and Medicine have further confirmed a possible link between periodontal bacteria and heart disease. Temple 's study is the first to take a large number of dental plaque bacteria directly from the mouths of patients with severe periodontal disease and test their affect on blood platelets. "Almost immediately after we exposed human blood platelets to the dental plaque bacteria the platelets began to clump together" said Dr. Eugene Whitaker , Associated Professor of Dentistry and lead investigator. In addition, "out of all the periodontal bacteria we tested, porphyromanas gingivitis was ...

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Cure for bleeding gums

March 19, 2008 – 6:14 am
When your gums bleed, it is not stopping the bleeding that should be your concern, it is the root condition that causes the bleeding that should be addressed. Bleeding gums are caused by gum disease, an inflammation or swelling of the gum tissues that afflicts many people. Untreated, gum disease can cause gingivitis and periodontal disease which can cause tooth loss and oral damage. There is no ...

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The Difference Between Discount Dental Plans and Dental Insurance

March 17, 2008 – 7:50 pm
What is the difference between a discount dental plan and dental insurance? I'll list the characteristics of each below: Characteristics of Dental Insurance include: Limitations, deductibles and annual maximums Waiting periods for major dental procedures Time-consuming written claims process Limitations/exclusions on pre-existing conditions Certain dental specialties, such as cosmetic dentistry, are rarely covered Consumers pay expensive monthly premiums for defined coverage Typically inaccessible to individuals and families unless provided by their employer Characteristics of Discount Dental Plans include: No annual limits, members enjoy discounts on most dental services all year long Most plans activate within 1 - 3 business days No tiresome paperwork hassles, plan membership card is presented for discounts on most dental services No health restrictions Select plans include discounts on dental specialties, including cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics Consumers pay affordable membership fees for access to a network of providers offering discounts on most dental procedures Available directly to individuals, families, businesses and groups To sum it all up, discount dental ...

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Warning signs of gingivitis, better get it handled.

March 15, 2008 – 8:35 am
You are beginning to realize something is going wrong in your mouth because now you have mouth sores, bright red shiny swollen gums, extreme bad breath, and gums that bleed easily. You probably have gingivitis. The risks for developing gingivitis include injury or trauma to the gums from any cause, uncontrolled diabetes, pregnancy, general illness, and poor dental hygiene. The signs of gingivitis are often overlooked because often the condition isn't painful until it is very advanced. You should watch your mouth carefully for signs of gingivitis, especially changes in ...

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This Sounds Terrible: Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis

March 13, 2008 – 8:09 pm
Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis is an ugly name for an ugly disease. It is also known by another ugly name - trench mouth - so called because of the dreadful damage it does to the mouth. Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis is a progressive painful infection of the gums with ulceration, swelling, and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth ...

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