tips for adjusting to dentures

You know many things can affect your teeth, such as not taking care of them properly, eating too much sugary foods, and more. There are also some health problems that can affect your teeth that you may not be aware of. Below are two of these problems so you will know what to do with your teeth if you ever get one of these illnesses.

Heart Problems

There are many heart problems that can affect your teeth. For example, if you have congestive heart failure, the medication you take can cause dry mouth. Dry mouth is bad for your teeth because you need to have saliva in your mouth to help keep your teeth clean.

Many people with high blood pressure take some type of beta blocker. This type of medication causes dry mouth, but it can also cause your gums to swell. This makes it difficult for you to get your teeth completely clean, which can cause tooth decay.

Make sure you tell your dentist what medication you take. If you have congestive heart failure make sure you tell the doctor about this also. This is because lying in a dental chair for long periods of time may cause fluid to build up in your lungs. If this happens, you will have a hard time breathing. To help with this the dentist will not recline the chair back as much. The dentist can also talk to your doctor to get their opinion on changes the dentist should make in your care.

Stroke

If you experience a stroke, this can cause many effects on your body. For example, you may be paralyzed on one side, have problems swallowing, speaking, have blurred vision, and have memory problems. If you are paralyzed on one side of your face you will have more problems when brushing and flossing those teeth. Because of this decay will build up easily.

To help with this situation, you can purchase floss holders that make it easier to floss your teeth. There are also special hygiene devices that you or your caregiver can use. For example, there are toothbrushes that have three heads instead of one. This allows you to clean several teeth at a time. Power toothbrushes work well also as they clean your teeth much better than manually brushing them. Power toothbrushes for stroke victims have a much longer and larger handle.

Your dentist can give you many tips on properly caring for your teeth if you have any of these illnesses. Contact a clinic, like Advanced Dentistry of St. Charles, for more help.