Oral Piercing Dangers

Are you considering getting an oral piercing? If so, our dentists encourage you to think twice. Oral piercings can damage your smile in more ways than you might realize. In fact, they can be quite a danger to your teeth and gums. Some dangers of oral piercings include:

-Infection, pain and swelling: Your mouth is a very moist environment that is home to high amounts of bacteria. If your piercing gets infected, it can be life-threatening quickly. It can also make the tongue swell, which can block the airway.

-Damage to the teeth and gums: A piercing can rub against the teeth and gums and wear them down and even irritate them. This can cause tooth fractures and even receded gums. If you have the habit of biting or chewing on the piercing, there is a chance you can break and scratch the teeth as well.

-Damaged nerves: Sometimes the piercing causes a numb tongue because of nerve damage. This is usually temporary, but it is sometimes permanent. This can affect your sense of taste, your speech and how you move your mouth. It can also cause blood loss if you suffer tongue blood tissue damage.

Do you have any questions about oral piercings in Las Cruces, New Mexico? If so, please contact David Sudimack when you have the chance. All you need to do is dial 575-522-7320 and our dental team will be more than happy to help you in any way we can. We look forward to hearing from you!

Content Smiles: Bruxism

When assessing your oral health care, it’s always a good idea to determine if an underlying condition is present while you sleep. Various visual clues may indicate that you are suffering from an oral health ailment at night such as bruxism. Bruxism is a condition in which you grind and gnash your teeth as you sleep, which can be caused by stress or an underlying condition with your health. In order to keep your smile safe, it is always important to look for any visual clues that bruxism is present.

If you are suffering from bruxism, it could be due to an underlying condition that may be linked to stress. Because of this, a visit to your dentist may be required. Your dentist can prescribe oral appliances such as night guards and bite plates to help treat the condition. However, it is best to spot the condition on your own before it has done any sort of significant damage.

Visual clues associated with bruxism include damage to your tooth enamel. Because your tooth enamel is the outer layer of your teeth that is designed to help provide an additional layer of protection, it is important to always keep it strong and safe. As you grind your teeth while you sleep, your tooth enamel will slowly wear away. Visual indicators include teeth that are flat or worn down. Other common signs of bruxism include jaw and muscle pain, headaches and indentations or markings on your cheeks and tongue.

Would you like to know more about bruxism? With the appropriate care for bruxism from David Sudimack, we can help you to protect your teeth. If you would like to schedule an appointment at our dental office in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Dr. David Sudimack and our team can be reached by calling us at 575-522-7320.

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Easy Sources of Fluoride Intake

When your teeth are regularly exposed to bacteria and acidic food, they can be stripped of valuable minerals that keep the tooth enamel, and therefore your smile, protected against tooth decay. One of these important minerals is fluoride, which your smile needs in sufficient amounts to remain resistant to harmful dental acids, bacteria, and plaque that often result in dental conditions such as tooth decay and sensitivity.

The following tips can help you receive a proper fluoride intake from easy-to-find sources and dental products:

1. Drink fluoridated water every day. If your city adds fluoride to its tap water, increasing your fluoride intake can be easy. Otherwise, we invite you to speak with our dentist about your options.
2. Choose dental hygiene products with fluoride to keep your smile clean. Our dentist would be happy to recommend fluoride mouthwash and toothpaste to improve your tooth enamel in between dental appointments.
3. Receive professional fluoride treatment. Following your dental cleaning and exam, our team can provide a fluoride treatment to your clean smile in the form of a foam, gel or varnish.

Our dentist, Dr. David Sudimack, and our friendly dental team would be happy to schedule an appointment with you at David Sudimack to discuss whether you would benefit from fluoride treatment in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Please feel free to give us a call at 575-522-7320 today!