5. I have gum recession around a tooth. Can anything be done to fix this problem?
Gum recession can be caused by inappropriate tooth brushing, grinding, gum disease and tooth movement. After correcting the cause, a periodontist can often repair the gum recession through tissue grafting. In this procedure, tissue is moved from the roof of your mouth to the area of recession and stitched in place. After healing, the tissue in the recession area will, in many cases, look as good as it did before recession occurred. Discomfort afterward is usually minimal and the procedure is often covered by dental insurance.

6. My spouse told me I continually have bad breath. What can I do about it?
Most chronic bad breath is caused by bacteria and volatile sulfur compounds on the back of your tongue. Effective treatment is relatively simple. You must clean the bacteria off your tongue with a good quality tongue scraper. Then, brush your tongue with zinc-based paste or gel to kill the bacteria. Do this twice a day. Simply using mints or gum won't remove or kill the bacteria. Our office recommends the Breath-So-Fresh brand of tongue scraper and breath gel. You can obtain these from our office.

7. Does smoking increase your chances of getting gum disease?
Smoking increases the frequency and severity of periodontal (gum) disease. If you smoke one pack of cigarettes per day that risk increases to nearly 13 times. Cigarette smoke contains hundreds of toxic chemicals. Nicotine is known to constrict blood flow and oxygen, which increases disease-causing bacteria around your teeth. The best way to reduce your risk is to quit smoking. Contact your health care professional for options to help you stop smoking.

8. I lost a tooth recently and there is a depression forming in the area. What is it and what can I do?
Teeth provide stimulation to maintain bone height and density. Once a tooth is lost, bone also begins to disappear, especially during the first year after tooth loss. The only way to prevent this bone loss is to replace the missing tooth with a dental implant. Dental implants return stimulation to the remaining bone and prevent it from losing density and dimension. Implants are the standard of care in dentistry to replace missing teeth today. Even if it's been years since you've lost teeth, dental implants may still be an option.

9. My denture doesn't stay in place when I talk and chew. Can I do anything about this?
Adding dental implants under a denture can provide significant stability for chewing and talking. Dental implants are placed in your jaw and connected to your denture using balls, bars or clips. This makes the denture very stable, eliminating slipping, clicking and the need for denture adhesive. It can even return some chewing sensation. The number of dental implants you will need varies between individuals. Anyone with difficulty wearing upper or lower dentures can change their quality of life with dental implants.

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