Prevention and Treatment

The best way to protect your smile is to brush your teeth at least twice a day using fluoride toothpaste that has an approval of the ADA (American Dental Association). Frequent brushing removes plaque (bacteria which may cause gum disease). Brush all surfaces of your teeth with gentle strokes. Use a toothbrush with soft, rounded bristles and be sure to replace it as soon as bristles show signs of wear. Also, please remember to brush your tongue to remove bacteria that can cause bad breath.

Also, besides brushing, you should floss your teeth. Either waxed or unwaxed dental floss are equally effective. Floss removes plaque under the gum line and between teeth. Ask Dr. Berg about other suitable means for removing plaque.

Maintain a well-balanced diet to help ward off infection and decay and to keep your gums healthy.

Schedule your dental visits every six months for a general check up and cleaning.

Other things you can do to keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright, are to limit the amount of coffee, tea and nicotine you consume to prevent your teeth from staining. Be sure and consult your dentist about getting enough fluoride to prevent decay. Dr. Berg can provide you with good sources and the amount necessary for your oral health.

Watch for early signs of of oral cancer and ask Dr. Berg how to do self exams at home. Most oral cancers can be treated if detected early. Contact us if you observe any abnormal growths, persistent sores or swellings or repeated bleeding.

If you wear dentures (false teeth), it is important to keep them in good condition. Over time, dentures may need to be replaced or readjusted because of changes that occur in the tissues of your mouth. When necessary, we will make adjustments to your dentures or reline if your tissues have changed substantially.

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Gum Care

The leading cause of tooth loss isn't caused by cavities but by gum (periodontal) disease. Periodontal diseases are caused by bacteria present in plaque — the sticky film constantly forming around your teeth. These bacteria create toxins, which irritate the gums and result in a breakdown of the attachment of gum tissues to teeth. Over time, these toxins can destroy gum tissues, allowing the infection to progress to bone loss. An early stage of gum disease is called gingivitis, and if left untreated it can lead to more serious condition called periodontitis. The result of periodontitis can be tooth loss.

We will check your gums during your visit. Some early signs that may indicate that you gums need to be examined are;

• tenderness or sensitivity, especially when brushing or flossing
• bleeding gums when brushing or flossing
• red or swollen gums
• persistent bad breath or bad taste

• keep an eye on early signs of the disease
• see Dr. Berg regularly for teeth cleaning and exam
• brush and floss your teeth regularly to prevent plaque build-up. Use fluoride toothpaste and a soft bristle toothbrush
• maintain a balanced diet. Vitamin C is especially important for healthy gums.

Bad breath (halitosis)

Bad breath (halitosis) is a common problem, which often comes from the activity of bacteria in the mouth. Although there is no way of knowing for sure, most adults probably suffer from bad breath occasionally, with perhaps a quarter suffering on a regular basis.

The main problem is knowing whether we have it or not, because we are poor judges of our own breath odor. Some people suffer from bad breath without knowing it, while others build up exaggerated fears about breath odor even though they do not have it. The best way to find out whether we have bad breath is to ask for someone else's opinion. If we don't ask, other people are unlikely to tell us. Bad breath is usually treatable once a proper diagnosis is made.

If you have reason to believe that there is a problem, then see your dentist first, since bad breath often comes from the mouth itself.

Most cases of bad breath appear to be due to the breakdown of proteins by a variety of microorganisms. Several of the breakdown products are foul smelling gases of sulfur origin.

First we must do a thorough cleaning and get the patient to care for their oral health. In people with healthy teeth and gums, the odor usually comes from the far back region of the tongue, and grows stronger when the patient starts talking. Although we do not know why, the very back of the tongue is an important source of bad breath, possibly as a result of postnasal drip, which can get stuck on the tongue and is then broken down by bacteria on the tongue surface.

If the back of the tongue is the problem, then the dentist can recommend a method of cleaning the area, either with a toothbrush, or a specially designed tongue scraper (in some countries, tongue cleaning is a common and ancient practice). It takes time and patience to overcome the gagging reflex. But, eventually, tongue cleaning becomes easy. Care should be taken to clean the back of the tongue thoroughly yet gently, without inflicting pain or sores.

In some people, bad breath is associated with gum disease, especially if rubbing the areas between the teeth and gums yields a foul odor. Dr. Berg can help prevent and treat gum diseases in various ways, depending on the type and extent of the problem, but your own daily home care makes all the difference in the world in maintaining gum health between appointments. Cleaning of the spaces between the teeth is of great importance. One home tip to healthy gums (and less bad breath) is to smell the odor coming from the dental floss, and to work to clean those areas more carefully.

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