General

Are you a tea-drinker? Good on you! There are few better substances to put into your body than a good cup of tea. Green tea in particular is known to contain a variety of antioxidants and other nutrients that serve to foster good health, reduce stress, and even prevent cancer. But could your tea-drinking habit also be putting you at an increased risk of certain cancers?

Indeed, a study has shown that people who regularly drink tea have a greater chance of suffering esophageal cancer. After looking at a selection of esophageal cancer patients, researchers observed that those who drank more than a litre of black tea every day were among the most vulnerable.

The good news is that it is apparently not the tea itself that is the problem, but rather the temperature at which it is consumed. Drinking tea at above sixty five degrees seems to put your throat at a significantly greater risk, while drinking it at over seventy degrees is even worse. With this in mind, try allowing your own tea to cool a bit before you drink. A good rule of thumb is to let it sit for at least four minutes after it is done boiling. Meanwhile, if you get your regular check-ups with our Bellingham dentist, you should be able to maintain good oral health.

I’ve you’ve ever suffered from severe dental pain, you probably know that it can be among the worst pain you’ve ever felt. Many people struggling with such pain are willing to try all sorts of crazy things to find relieve their agony, including magnet therapy. This is the practice of using powerful magnets in an effort to lessen pain and promote your body’s natural healing practices.

Advocates of magnet therapy explain that magnetic fields run through your body, and manipulating these fields can have a real effect on your health. Some claim that the magnets act upon your blood, which contains iron. Unfortunately, these claims are highly suspect; while it is true that there is magnetism in your body, the iron in your blood is not in a state where it should be affected by magnets. Though it is not impossible that magnets could be used to heal, the supposed effects of magnet therapy are unproven at best. If you need help managing dental pain, talk to our Bellingham dentist for effective, time-tested dental treatments.

Have you ever thought much about the effects of the ingredients hiding in your toothpaste? Many big toothpaste brands contain trace amounts of substances that are not entirely beneficial. Here is a list of some of the common substances that you might want to look out for:

• Blue Dye Number 2: Some research has indicated that this artificial coloring agent might lead to allergies and certain behavioral issues in children.
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: This substance is potentially aggravating to your delicate gum tissues, which can sometimes cause canker sores.
• Triclosan: It is not well understood what effects extended exposure to this substance has on human health. The Environmental Protection Agency says that further research is needed.
• Hydrated Silica: This substance is an abrasive. It is valuable for cleaning teeth, but has the potential to wear down enamel.

If you are looking for a toothpaste to best suit your own needs, talk to our Bellingham dentist. We can advise you on the best ways to go about your regular oral hygiene.

Does going to the dentist make you feel anxious? This is a common occurrence, particularly if you are a child. Indeed, most of the more impactful cases of dental anxiety can be traced back to a bad childhood experience, making it all the more important to make your little ones comfortable when they come to visit our Bellingham dentist. To do so, keep the following tips in mind:

Start taking a child to the dentist as early as you can. Exposure to the dentist at a young age helps to accustom him or her to the experience.
Don’t resort to bribery. If you feel the need to offer your child a reward for going to the dentist, he or she will pick up on the idea that this is an unpleasant experience.
Be encouraging, but don’t use phrases like “everything will be okay”. You can’t guarantee that your child won’t feel any pain or discomfort, and you don’t want to lose his or her trust in such an event.
Manage your own dental anxiety! You may not even be aware of the emotional cues that you give your child when you discuss going to the dentist’s office.

A lot of our favorite foods are supposed to be eaten either hot or cold. Whether you’re digging into a pizza fresh out of the oven or dishing out a frosty bowl of ice cream, you probably agree that heat and cold our among our best culinary friends. Unfortunately, these extremes in temperature are generally not doing any favors to your mouth.

When you consume particularly hot or cold food or beverages, you risk damaging the fragile tissues that make up your gums. You’re also impairing their ability to repair themselves. The problem is all the more pronounced if you’re eating a hot food and a cold food in quick succession. Be mindful of what you eat, avoiding anything that starts to burn your mouth and staggering your hot and cold dishes to mitigate any damage on your gums. In this way, you should be able to enjoy all of your favorites without putting yourself at greater risk of gum disease.

Talk to our Bellingham dentist to learn more about how you can maintain healthy teeth and gums.

The human tongue should have a healthy, pink color. Therefore, if you ever notice that your tongue has turned red, this may be cause for concern. There is a number of reasons that your tongue may have turned red, including the following:

• Benign Migratory Glossitis: This condition is characteristic of patterns forming on your tongue that resemble geographic formations, giving this condition the nickname “geographic tongue”. Sometimes, these patterns will have a thin, white outline. It is usually a harmless condition, though you should talk to our Bellingham dentist if it persists longer than two weeks.
• Scarlet Fever: If your red tongue comes with swollen taste buds that give it a strawberry-like appearance, you might have this disease. In such a case, you will want to talk to your doctor to learn more.
• Kawasaki Syndrome: Generally, this condition will only be observed in young children. It is accompanied by a high fever, and sometimes swelling in the hands and feet. Children suffering from this condition should be brought to a doctor.
• Vitamin Deficiency: Occasionally, a red tongue can mean that you simply need to get more vitamin B12 or folic acid.

A large number of children will suffer from bruxism at some point. Somewhere between fifteen and thirty-three percent of American children are thought to exhibit some degree of tooth-grinding. It is common for this to occur as new teeth come in, since the pain caused by this experience leads to grinding. Most kids will quickly stop grinding after this passes, but the habit will occasionally persist. Should you observe this activity in your own child, try the following:

Stress is a major cause of bruxism. Is your child going through major life changes? Look for potential stressors, and find ways to help manage them.
Dehydration is another big cause of bruxism. Be sure that your child is getting enough water, especially if he or she is an athlete.
Show your child how to massage the muscles around his or her jaw, or try applying a warm washcloth to relax the muscles.
Does your child chew a lot of gum, or other objects? You may want to put an end to this.

Bruxism is a serious problem, and can lead to costly dental issues if allowed to persist. Talk to our Bellingham dentist for help identifying the cause of your bruxism and find a way to manage it.

Brushing and flossing means more than just keeping up healthy teeth and gums. Your oral health has an important connection to the health of the rest of your body. This is why, when you struggle with tooth decay or gingivitis, you may be at risk of far worse diseases. According to researchers, gum disease may actually be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer.

This research is coming to us from the Harvard School of Public Health. According to their study, there is compelling evidence that there is a link between periodontitis and pancreatic cancer. Periodontitis is a form of gum disease which affects the gum tissues which support teeth, leading to a loss of bone structure in the jaw. It was found that men with a history of periodontitis have a 64% greater chance of developing pancreatic cancer, compared to men who never struggled with gum disease.

It is unclear whether it is the gum disease that causes pancreatic cancer, or if an increased cancer risk makes you more susceptible to gum disease, so more research is needed. One way or another, you should always keep a close eye on your teeth. Contact our Bellingham dentist for your regular appointment every six months.

Your best chance of surviving oral cancer is to catch it at its early stages. This is why a regular screening is an important part of the experience with our Bellingham dentist. However, you can also be on the lookout for the warning signs yourself. These signs include all of the following:

• Feelings of pain, tenderness, or loss of sensation in your face, mouth, neck, or ear.
  Lumps, or rough, crusty, or eroded areas around the lips, inside your mouth, or in your neck.
• Patches of velvety red or white in your mouth, or a patch that is speckled red and white.
• Unexplained bleeding in your oral cavity.
• A bleeding sore in your face, neck, or mouth that doesn’t heal by itself after a couple of weeks.
• A persistent sore throat, or a persistent feeling that you have something caught in the back of your throat.
• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, or other decreased mobility in either your jaw or tongue.
• Persistent trouble speaking, including hoarseness or slurred speech.
• Your teeth no longer fit together they way they usually do.
• Sudden weight loss.

Any one of these could indicate oral cancer, or it could point to something different. Only your dentist can properly diagnose you. Should you experience any of the signs listed here, contact Tetrick Family Dentistry right away.

Your diet has a significant impact on the health of your teeth and gums. Well-chosen and well-balanced meals can make a big difference in how much tooth decay or gingivitis you experience. Obviously, cutting down on sugars is a healthy choice, but there is also a selection of important nutrients that you should make sure you are getting enough of in order to foster a healthy mouth. The following list will help you to cultivate a mouth-friendly diet:

• Calcium: Your teeth need plenty of calcium to rebuild themselves and stay strong. You can get calcium from dairy products, leafy greens, and meat.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is used by your body to absorb calcium. This vitamin comes from certain fortified foods, or from modest exposure to the sun.
• Vitamin C: A vitamin C deficiency brings about loose teeth and weak gums. It also harms your ability to fight infections.
• Fiber: Foods that are high in fiber and low in sugars, like vegetables, whole grains, and meat, serve to scrub your teeth as you chew.

Talk to our Bellingham dentist for more ways to get the best out of your oral health.