Reading Dental Associates Blogs

While you may think that some loss of teeth is inevitable with aging, it is actually possible for all of your teeth to last a lifetime. One of the ways you can achieve this goal is to avoid periodontal disease (“peri” – around; “odont” – tooth), which is caused by bacteria that attack the tissues around the teeth. Unfortunately, you may not even realize you have gum disease as the signs and symptoms are not always as apparent to...

Routine dental treatments like fillings are usually best handled by an affordable dentist, but if you suffer from advanced gum disease, or you plan to have tooth implants placed, you may need to see a specialist known as a periodontist. It’s especially important to see a periodontist if you use tobacco or you have conditions that predispose you to periodontal disease. These include diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and lung...

When we don't produce enough saliva, the mouth gets dry and uncomfortable. Dry mouth or xerostomia is common in older people affecting around one in five elderly people. Saliva moistens and cleanses the mouth, helps to process food and prevents infection by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. Some people mistake thirst for dry mouth, but the causes are different.Dry mouth can cause discomfort, affect speech and swallowing, affect...

Both long-standing and new patients ask these types of questions. Patients can be unhappy when presented with the fact that oral conditions indicate a “cleaning” will not be sufficient to take care of their problems.What do you say to their questions? How does your periodontist respond? Is the staff prepared to deal with the need for comprehensive treatment explanations delivered to skeptical patients? Be prepared! You can answer your...