The state of your mouth can offer valuable insights into your dental, oral and overall health. Any bleeding when you brush your gums is a sign that you should see your dentist. Unhealthy gums can affect your overall health. Atherosclerosis, clogging of the arteries, has a strong link to gum disease. Pain on biting might mean a cracked tooth. Sugar sensitivity usually indicates a cavity. Tenderness to cold might just need a change of toothpaste. Tenderness to hot is likely to be more serious. The pulp of your tooth can become inflamed for many reasons. The only way to find out, for sure, what’s going on is to see your dentist. Bad breath can be caused by poor oral hygiene. A good electric toothbrush, flossing and scraping your tongue all help. Throat infections also cause bad breath. Don’t assume that problems will resolve by themselves. See a dentist at least once a year. Remember: “You don’t have to floss all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep!”

Dr. George Cadigan, Exclusively Dentures, exclusvielydentures.ca