Mind your mouth

So many people struggle with alcohol and drug abuse and suffer from mental health problems. Poor mental health and risky behaviors can be devastating to the body and lead to poor physical health, including poor oral health.

Depression and stress can cause people to grind their teeth to the point of fracture. Eating disorders, like bulimia and anorexia nervosa, where the person throws up frequently, can cause tooth erosion, problems with the tongue, and difficulty swallowing . 

Tobacco use leads to stained teeth and eventually causes tooth loss because the gums and jaw bone have been affected. Pot users experience dry mouth and greenish-black staining on the teeth. Because marijuana burns at a hotter temperature than tobacco, pot smokers subject the tissue of their mouths to a high degree of heat. Research has now shown that e-cigarettes and vape are also damaging to the health, whether or not they contain nicotine (E-cigs may be useful in helping smokers quit, but more research is needed.)

Alcohol abuse dries out the tissues of the mouth and can damage the salivary glands. Use of alcohol and tobacco together are known to put people at higher risk for oral and throat cancers. Drinkers who also smoke are at a seventy-times higher risk of developing cancer versus those who use either tobacco or alcohol alone. 

People who use drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, or heroin, experience a multitude of dental health problems including stained and decayed teeth, loose teeth, dry mouth, inflammation of the mouth and gums, and sinus problems.

Drug and alcohol abuse affect every part of a person’s overall health but there are many ways to get help. If you are struggling with an addiction or feeling overwhelmed, please speak with someone today. You can’t keep your body healthy if your mind is hurting.

January 22 - 28 is National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week. For resource and other information visit: 

https://www.ncadd.org/blogs/in-the-news/national-drug-and-alcohol-facts-week-ndafw-is-coming-january-22-28-2018

additional source: Kisely S. No Mental Health without Oral Health. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie. 2016;61(5):277-282. doi:10.1177/0706743716632523.

This blog is not intended to treat or cure any disease. If you need medical or dental treatment, please seek the help of a doctor or dentist.

Take time to smell the floss

Many people who feel they take great care of their teeth still aren’t flossing or aren’t flossing every day. Not flossing between the teeth can result in cavities between the teeth and for those who already have fillings or caps, decay that returns.

Not flossing is like taking a shower and washing your face, but not washing your hair or ears. Just like your body would not feel properly cleaned, your teeth aren’t cleaned thoroughly if they aren’t flossed.

I have recently started asking my patients to up their flossing game. The suggestion I am now making may sound like an odd one, but it comes from the dental health presentations that I have given to tens of thousands of students of all ages:

Floss your teeth, then take the string or the floss pick and smell it. It will stink. There is nothing like that smell. 

If you find that you have smelly breath or a bad taste in your mouth even though you brush faithfully, you will now understand why and this practice will encourage you to continue to floss. 

Smell the floss - ym'18

If you haven’t flossed in a while, your gums will bleed and that can be very disturbing. Keep flossing. The bleeding will subside and eventually stop. The smell of those plaque germs on the floss, however, will be there every time reminding you to get those sticky, stinky germs out of your mouth. So my advice is take time to smell the floss. Your reward is healthy teeth and a beautiful smile.