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How Gum Disease Affects Your Body | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

When we think about our dental health, we mainly box it into things relating to our smile. If we don’t look after them, our smiles are affected. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Because our mouth is our first line of defense when it comes to our OVERALL health, it is important to know that how we treat our smiles can directly affect the way our body responds. Because oral issues, like gum disease or poor dental hygiene, can be linked to other life-threatening diseases, here is a breakdown of just what is affected:

Blood. Individuals with diabetes are more like to have periodontal disease than those without diabetes. Gum disease makes it harder to control you blood sugar, resulting in a high chance for diabetic issues.

Brain. Researchers have found that there may be a close link to poor oral health with an increased risk of dementia. Oral bacteria may spread to the brain through cranial nerves that connect to the jaw and may contribute to a type of plaque that has been linked to Alzheimer’s.

Heart. Individuals with gum disease are twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease. Harmful bacteria from your mouth enter your blood stream and attaches to fatty plaques in your heart’s blood vessels. Ultimately leading to inflammation in which makes you more prone to clots that may trigger heart attacks.

Lungs. Individuals with poor hygiene are hurting their respiratory systems. Gum disease may increase your risk of respiratory infections such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Reproductive system. Women with gum disease take an average two months longer to conceive a child that those who don’t have gum disease.

If you would like more information on health issues caused by poor dental hygiene, call Dr. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Greg J. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.

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Debunking the Myths: Periodontal Disease Edition | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

It may be a startling statistic, but three out of four Americans suffer from some form of gum disease. Despite the major prevalence, only three percent of those individuals actually seek treatment for their gum disease. Mainly this is because they are unaware of symptoms. With more research indicating that gum disease may be linked to several other diseases, maintaining healthy teeth and gums have become more and more important. Here are some common things in which the American Association of Periodontics have deemed as myths about oral health that should help you distinguish signs of gum disease:

Bleeding gums are fine.

Red, swollen, and bleeding gums are an important sign of periodontal disease. If you notice bleeding while brushing or flossing on a regular basis, you should schedule a visit with your dental professional in order to be evaluated for periodontal disease right away.

Don’t floss every day.

Having a set oral health routine is incredibly important. This includes keeping up with brushing AND flossing. Doing one without the other is giving opportunities for harmful bacteria to wreak havoc on your dental health.

Teeth lost to gum disease are gone.

This one is kind of tricky. While gum disease is a major cause of tooth loss, and you tooth is indeed lost forever, periodontists use procedures such as dental implants to replace teeth.

Gum disease is caused by poor dental hygiene.

Good oral hygiene can definitely contribute to the prevention of gum disease, however there are other factors in which having good oral hygiene won’t matter. For example, using tobacco increases your chances of developing gum disease by a large amount.

If you would like more information on gum disease, call Dr. Greg J. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.

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Hide Your Cavities with Tooth-Colored Fillings | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

We all know how to prevent cavities – you try to avoid too much sugar, you practice proper dental hygiene techniques on a daily basis and visit your dentist regularly. Unfortunately, there are times when things slip thru the cracks and your dentist reveals you’ve got yourself a cavity. Oh no! Now everyone will know you didn’t take care of your teeth! Not so fast…

In the past, our dental restorations were composed of metallic materials, making your dental fixes obvious to everyone. And since everyone has a selfie ready to go, having metallic fillings aren’t exactly ideal. But thanks to the advanced technology, your fillings can be as natural-looking as your real teeth.

Composite resins, or tooth-colored fillings, provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small to mid-sized fillings that need to withstand moderate pressure from the constant stress of chewing. They can be used on either front or back teeth, making them a fantastic option for people who prefer that their fillings look more natural.

It generally takes longer to place a composite filling than it does for a metal filling because composite fillings require the tooth be kept clean and dry while the cavity is being filled. Tooth-colored fillings are now used more often than amalgam or gold fillings, due to their cosmetic look. Need more reason to choose them? Here are the advantages:

  • Eliminates unnatural, traditional metal fillings
  • Diminishes discoloration caused by metal fillings
  • Prevents tooth decay and gum diseases
  • Strengthens your teeth
  • Undetectable to others; matches the exact shade of your teeth

If you would like more information about tooth-colored fillings, call Dr. Greg J. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.

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Having Plaque Isn’t an Award | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

Keeping your mouth clean and healthy isn’t really difficult. Brush twice a day for at least two minutes, floss and rinse each day and it will help improve your chances for a positive checkup next time you visit the dentist. If you deviate from this formula in any way, your chances for dental issues will increase. The first symptom on deck? Plaque.

You may have heard of plaque before and may not be familiar with what it is. The formation of plaque is caused by the lack of thorough brushing and flossing within our daily dental routine. Plaque poses as a huge threat to your teeth because once the plaque hardens, the end result is tartar. And unfortunately, tartar need to be removed through professional teeth cleanings, which means another dental appointment in your future.

During this dental appointment, you can expect to receive a full scheduled hour with a registered dental hygienist, who will use the latest technology to thoroughly clean the surfaces of your teeth in order to prevent a variety of problems including tooth decay and gum disease. In addition, you will not only diminish any plaque buildup in your mouth but will be able to maintain ideal oral health. Along with a professional teeth cleaning, your dental hygienist will take the time to check periodontal measurements, check oral pathology, and perform fluoride treatments.

It is necessary to emphasize the importance of teeth cleanings because brushing and flossing alone will not completely prevent dental problems. Regular checkups are necessary. Not only will you get a deep cleaning, but you will also be able to stop any dental issues from getting worse.

If you would like more information about plaque, call Dr. Greg J. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.

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Sleeping Issues and Your Teeth | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

We all know that we need a good night’s sleep. Not only for our overall health, but just to keep us functioning in our day-to-day lives. Most of us aren’t getting enough sleep, especially if you are living in the adult world. We work hard all week and hope that the weekend brings us some well-needed rest. But what if this sleep involves snoring? Chances are, you aren’t getting a good night’s sleep, regardless of the amount of time allotted.

If you are, what’s often described as a “loud snorer”, it is imperative that you follow a strict oral hygiene routine to reduce the chances of you developing any number of oral health problems. Not only do we not give our bodies enough time to regroup, but our teeth need saliva for protection. Because snoring causes your mouth to dry out (xerostomia), it can lead to a variety of oral health problems, including bad breath (halitosis), burning mouth syndrome, mouth sores, infections, tooth decay and in worse cases, gum disease.

If you have chronic sleep issues due to snoring, you may need to use an oral appliance to combat the negative dental side effects, like discomfort, excess salivation, TMJ, facial muscle pain and even bite changes.

To put simply, snoring has a huge effect on our teeth, both directly and indirectly. If you feel that you and your family are already suffering too much because of your snoring, consult a dentist. They can present to you a number of medical treatment options to help you deal you’re your snoring problem.

If you would like more information about sleep issues, call Dr. Greg J. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.

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No One Needs to Know You Had a Cavity | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

We all know how to prevent cavities – you try to avoid too much sugar, you practice proper dental hygiene techniques on a daily basis and visit your dentist regularly. Unfortunately, there are times when things slip thru the cracks and your dentist reveals you’ve got yourself a cavity. Oh no! Now everyone will know you didn’t take care of your teeth! Not so fast…

In the past, our dental restorations were composed of metallic materials, making your dental fixes obvious to everyone. And since everyone has a selfie ready to go, having metallic fillings aren’t exactly ideal. But thanks to the advanced technology, your fillings can be as natural-looking as your real teeth.

Composite resins, or tooth-colored fillings, provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small to mid-sized fillings that need to withstand moderate pressure from the constant stress of chewing. They can be used on either front or back teeth, making them a fantastic option for people who prefer that their fillings look more natural.

It generally takes longer to place a composite filling than it does for a metal filling because composite fillings require the tooth be kept clean and dry while the cavity is being filled. Tooth-colored fillings are now used more often than amalgam or gold fillings, due to their cosmetic look. Need more reason to choose them? Here are the advantages:

  • Eliminates unnatural, traditional metal fillings
  • Diminishes discoloration caused by metal fillings
  • Prevents tooth decay and gum diseases
  • Strengthens your teeth
  • Undetectable to others; matches the exact shade of your teeth

If you would like more information about tooth-colored fillings, call Dr. Greg J. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.