Posts Categorized: Oral Systemic Health

Flossing your teeth is very important

flossing your teeth

Do you brush your teeth regularly? Perhaps you wouldn’t think of skipping a brushing. There are many people that brush religiously, yet do not floss. Less than half of Americans floss daily and 10 percent don’t floss at all. Both brushing and flossing are important to your dental health. Flossing helps prevent cavities, gingivitis, and… Read more »

Straight teeth | How important is it?

Is it important to have straight teeth?

Why straighten crooked teeth? Have you ever wondered why it is so important to have straight teeth?  Do your choppers really need to be straight? Are truly straight teeth attractive as well as necessary? The answer is yes to all of these questions. Making everything straight offers a multitude of benefits. Dr. James Fondriest in… Read more »

Bleeding Gums – It Is More Serious than You Might Think

bleeding gums

Some dental health issues are only obvious once you know you have them. Until then, the symptoms may not seem serious, especially if they don’t include pain in and around a tooth. For instance, if you notice a small amount of blood mixed in with your saliva when you brush and floss your teeth, you… Read more »

Visible Signs of Gum Disease – Diagnosis

Visible signs of gum disease

Most patients understand that they need a dentist to diagnose and make recommendations for gum issues. Having said that, it is good to have an idea of what the visible signs of gum disease. Gum disease is the second most common dental health issue for adults in the U.S. It isn’t because the disease is… Read more »

Pancreatic Cancer and Gum Disease Linked

If you’ve been keeping up on the developments with periodontal disease and other health problems, then you probably won’t be surprised to find that periodontal disease may also be linked to pancreatic cancer.  So far periodontal disease has been linked to a host of other chronic illnesses including heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure,… Read more »

Endocarditis from Dental Treatment

Before 2008 it was required of certain patients to take antibiotics before dental treatment. It was thought that dental treatment would cause endocarditits. This was to help protect them from a rare but very serious infection of the heart lining called Infective Endocarditis. Before invasive treatments that might leak harmful bacteria which can travel to… Read more »

Gum Disease Linked To Kidney Problems

Gum Disease Linked To Kidney Problems

Periodontal disease is definitely earning itself a bad reputation. Not only has it been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, dementia, and even impotence in men, and recently gum disease linked to kidney disease. Dr. Fondriest, explains the recent study linking periodontal disease and kidney disease.

Periodontal Disease And Impotence

Men beware, not only has periodontal disease been linked to many systemic health problems including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, it has been linked to impotence as well. So if you are a man looking for a reason to take better care of your teeth and gums, don’t wait to make a New Year’s resolution…start… Read more »

Gums Bleed When Brushed | Why?

gums bleed when brushed

If you only floss occasionally then it is usually normal that your gums bleed when brushed. Hopefully at least they then consider flossing more. When there is bleeding with brushing, most people brush their teeth less vigorously. This is actually usually the wrong thing to do. It may be that you actually don’t know how… Read more »

Heart Disease and Oral Health

It has been theorized since the 1920’s that heart disease and oral health are linked. Recent research has indicated links not only between heart disease and oral health, but between oral health and diabetes, hypertension, lung infections, and dementia. Although the links are not perfectly clear, research continues to try to narrow down specifics as… Read more »

Replacing Mercury Fillings | Should my silver fillings be removed

Must all silver amalgam fillings which contain mercury be replaced? Has your dentists suggested replacing all of yours? This is a hot button issue among dental professionals in the U.S. Is there enough mercury in silver amalgam fillings to cause illness? Are there facts that prove mercury leaches from silver fillings and causes illness? If… Read more »

Diagnosing the tongue: A Window To Your Health?

Feeling lethargic? Under the weather? Stick out your tongue. Your tongue is one of the most under-appreciated and overlooked organs in your body. A tongue is truly a fascinating thing. Not only does it consist of eight muscles that run in all directions so your tongue can move in the many unique ways it does,… Read more »

Periodontal Disease | Risk Factors, Treatments

stages of periodontal disease

Other than tooth decay, periodontitis is the leading threat to dental health. Numerous studies have indicated a link between dental health, mental health, and your overall health.  Poor oral health has been associated with heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and lung infections. In the old days when no links to systemic issues were know, tooth… Read more »

Gum Disease in Women

female hormones and gum disease

Women tend to be caretakers. They take care of their children, their husbands, their parents, stray animals, even their children’s friends. If there is someone to take care of, they often do it. Research shows that women also take better care of their teeth than men. Women have less gum disease than men. This can… Read more »

Oral bacteria | Culprits that Cause Dental Diseases

Oral bacteria

Have you ever stopped to consider what the greatest threat to your smile is? It might be traumatic impact from a fall. If you smoke or chew tobacco, then it might be the chemicals your mouth is exposed to through the habit. In most cases, however, the greatest threat to your dental health is something… Read more »

Systemic diseases from gum disease

Are you worried about gum disease affecting you at some point in your life? Did you know that there are many systemic diseases associated with and caused by gum disease? If you haven’t already, there’s a good chance that you might, considering that gum disease affects over 70% of adults in the United States today…. Read more »

Can Green Tea Improve Your Oral Health?

Over the past few years, research has emerged touting the many oral health benefits of green tea. According to numerous studies, the soothing, warm elixir can lower your risk for a range of systemic diseases, including cardiovascular disorders and diabetes. Additionally, many health and beauty experts claim that green tea helps treat acne and calm… Read more »

Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s Link

There is a link between gum disease and Alzheimer’s. Taking care of oral health can delay or reduce the risk of developing cognitive impairments. In honor of Alzheimer’s awareness month, Dr James Fondriest would like to discuss how taking care of your oral health can help delay or reduce the risk entirely of developing cognitive impairments… Read more »

Link between flossing and healthy knees

It seems strange, doesn’t it? You’re reading correctly. Recent research has discovered a correlation between gum disease and arthritic knees. Gum problems have been linked to many systemic health issues such as arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. Periodontal Bacteria Migrating to the Knees Scientists found traces of periodontal bacteria, or gum bacteria, in the knees… Read more »

Lost teeth linked to dementia

A recent article from the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found a significant association between tooth loss and dementia. Those who can no longer chew food have a higher likelihood of developing dementia. Gum disease creates a bacterial shower in your circulatory system. This bacterial shower is linked to many systemic diseases such as… Read more »