Your mouth tells more about your health then you think

In periodontitis, a chronic inflammation of the gums and the jawbone, the mouth is in constant contact with the bloodstream. Research shows a link between this inflammation and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The inflammatory substances released in the process put a strain on the blood vessels throughout the body.

The good news: periodontitis is treatable. Thorough professional cleaning and good daily oral hygiene calm the inflammation and thereby also reduce the strain on the heart and blood vessels.

The connection works both ways. People with diabetes have higher risk of severe gum disease, and high blood sugar also slows down gum healing. This makes it easier for inflammation to take hold.

Conversely, a healthy mouth helps keep diabetes under control: successful periodontitis treatment can Lower average HbA1c by approximately 0.5%. That is an effect similar to some medication adjustments. Do you have diabetes or does it run in your family? Please mention it during your visit so we can take it into account.

Due to hormonal changes, gets about half of pregnant women suffering from pregnancy gingivitis: sensitive gums that bleed more easily. Annoying, but manageable.

More important is this: women with untreated periodontitis have a higher risk of premature birth then women without. Are you planning a pregnancy or are you pregnant? A check-up and, where necessary, treatment are safe and sensible. Our dentists tailor the care to each trimester.

The link between smoking and gum disease is scientifically proven: smokers are much more susceptible to periodontitis and develop those at a younger age. The insidious thing is that nicotine constricts blood flow. As a result, the classic warning sign—bleeding gums—does not occur, sometimes until the jawbone is already affected.

In addition, the risk of oral cancer in smokers two to four times larger. The favorable news: the positive effect of quitting on the gums is already after visible for two to six weeks. For those who smoke, we recommend more frequent check-ups precisely because the warning signs tend to remain hidden.

The European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) outlined in a scientific overview how oral health is connected to men's overall well-being, ranging from cardiovascular diseases to aspects of men's health that are less easily discussed.

The common thread: regular checks pay off. Those who postpone complaints pay for it later in treatment time and comfort.

Sucking on a pacifier or thumb is normal and comforting for young children. If it continues for a long time, the pressure can push top teeth forward and cause an open bite: the front teeth no longer close together properly. The reassuring news: if your child stops around the age of three, then does the situation usually correct itself on its own, without treatment.

Two practical warnings that many parents do not know. Put the pacifier never in your own mouth To clean it: this is how you pass tooth decay bacteria to your child. And dip the pacifier never in anything sweet, however tempting. Questions about pacifier use, thumb sucking, or the first teeth? Our pediatric dentists are happy to take a look.

A canker sore is a small ulcer in the mouth: a white or yellowish spot with a red border, usually on the inside of the lip or cheek, on the tongue, or on the floor of the mouth. Not contagious and not dangerous, but quite painful. Without treatment, it takes an average of one to two weeks for the canker sore to disappear on its own. At Nüvodent, we treat canker sores with a gentle diode laser: the light is applied a few millimeters away from the canker sore, there is nothing cut away or burned away. The pain decreases in most patients during or shortly after the treatment and the aphthous ulcer heals often in a few days instead of two weeks.

Important to know: the laser treats the canker sore you currently have, not the cause. Anyone who regularly gets canker sores should look into underlying reasons such as an iron or vitamin B12 deficiency, stress, a sharp edge on a filling, or toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). And a spot in the mouth that after has not healed after two to three weeks, is not a canker sore until proven otherwise: it should not be lasered but examined. You can visit for this Kosta Pougia, even if you are not yet a patient at Nüvodent.

A cold sore, also called fever blister or herpes labialis, is caused by the herpes simplex virus, which most people carry for life. Most people feel an outbreak coming on: a tingling or burning sensation on the lip hours before the blisters become visible. Precisely then, a laser treatment yields the most results. The laser works completely contact-free, does not touch the blisters, and usually relieves the pain within a few minutes; with early intervention, the outbreak often remains milder and the scabs heal faster.

Fair is fair: the laser does not make you virus-free, no existing treatment does that. For a regular cold sore, acyclovir cream from the pharmacy is a reasonable first step; the laser is especially interesting if you want to get rid of the pain quickly, the ointment does little, or you want to break the pattern of recurrent outbreaks. We keep short appointments open so that you can [visit us] when a sore starts to appear you can be seen the same day bee Kosta Pougia. When making the appointment, please mention that it is for a cold sore.