Snoring is a noise that releases from our mouths when we sleep. It occurs when the muscles and soft tissues relax in the throat and mouth, which causes the tissues to vibrate as we breathe in and out. Snoring is a well-known medical condition that may be caused due to teeth alignment causing limited airspace, making it difficult to breath while asleep. Other elements that may be causing snoring is excess body weight, alcohol intake, or sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a medical condition that stops you from breathing, regularly, while asleep. Breathing may stop 20-30-times per hour, which impacts your overall health because it prevents your brain from getting to the REM cycle of sleep and leaves you feeling drowsy during the day. Some symptoms that can be found when struggling with sleep apnea are, tiredness, lack of concentration, irritability, poor memory, and headaches. If you are struggling with any of these symptoms, give us a call today to schedule an appointment to discuss possible sleep apnea solutions.

Wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth that appear in our mouths, and usually erupt between our late teens to early twenties. Some patients will get their wisdom teeth, without any problems, however, most patients have them removed before they have a chance to become impacted and cause issues with our other teeth or jawbone. Removing wisdom teeth is not an easy task, if a tooth is impacted, it is most likely under the gums, embedded in the jawbone. If that is the case, we would need to remove a portion of the tissue covering the area, and then proceed to extract one tooth at a time. Recovery depends on your oral health and to what extent your wisdom teeth are impacted.

Teeth grinding, also known as Bruxism, is extreme grinding of the teeth, clenching of the jaw, or both. This condition tends to be common during the night but can also happen during the day. Some symptoms that relate to teeth grinding are; jaw aches, headaches, and sensitive teeth. If bruxism is left untreated, it can cause long-term oral health issues like tooth wear, cracks, or even crack restorations that are currently in your mouth. Our first step that we recommend is a night guard, however, if the grinding continues, we request that you schedule an appointment with us to prevent further issues to your teeth and oral health.

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a strong smell that remains in our mouths for an extended period. If you are struggling with bad breath it may be due to dental issues, mouth infections, dry mouth, or smoking. Bacteria is most likely lodged in between your teeth, which is why we recommend following a strict dental regime that includes flossing, brushing, and mouthwash twice a day to remove any debris that may be settling. If bad breath does not resolve, we suggest scheduling an appointment at our office to track down what is causing the issue.

Malocclusions, also known as crowded teeth, crossbite, overbite, underbite, and open bite, are misalignments of our teeth that can lead to oral implications. Malocclusions are hereditary but may also be caused by frequent pacifier use after the age of three, prolonged bottle feeding, injuries that caused a misaligned jaw, impacted teeth, or poor dental care. Some treatments that can help with malocclusions are braces, removal of teeth, jaw surgery, or wires to help stabilize the jawbone.

Bleeding gums is a common symptom of gum disease. There are chances that bleeding gums can be caused by brushing our teeth too aggressively, or from wearing dentures that do not fit properly. However, most bleeding tends to come from gingivitis or gum disease. This occurs when bacteria are stuck to our teeth, which resulted in the build-up of plaque. If the plaque is not removed, it can harden into tartar, which irritates our gums and increases the chances of bleeding and periodontitis.

Cavities are areas of teeth that have become decayed, resulting in holes in our teeth. Cavities are caused by the build-up of plaque, a substance that sits on our teeth and is made of bacteria, saliva, and food particles. Although cavities begin small, there is the chance for them to become larger if they are left untreated. Cavities are difficult to see because most do not show pain in the beginning, however, by visiting the dentist, cavities can be caught early using digital x-rays.

Cold sores are small blisters that form near our mouths which are commonly connected to the herpes simplex virus. Cold sores are complex because some patients who carry the virus do not have breakouts; however, those who have a weak immune system or high stress, may find themselves getting cold sores more often. Some symptoms that arise during a cold sore breakout are burning sensations on the lip or face, raised red blisters, fever, and muscle aches.

Gum disease is branched from gingivitis, which is an inflammation of our gums. This commonly happens due to poor oral hygiene and results in swollen gums and bleeding when brushing or flossing. However, as gingivitis becomes gum disease, also known as periodontitis, your gums may become swollen, red, and lead to recession.

Gum recession is a condition where your gums begin to pull away from your teeth, which ends up exposing your tooth roots. Gum recession stems from periodontal disease and can be caused by aggressive brushing, plaque buildup, hormonal changes, and genetics. If your teeth are exposed to gum recession, it is best to contact us to help prevent further oral health complications.

Oral cancer starts with the cells in our mouths which slowly become a tumour as cells group together and destroy tissue. It looks like a small sore, but it does not go away, which should cause suspicion. It can develop on multiple areas around our mouths, such as: the lips, gums, tongue, inner cheeks, roof of the mouth, or under the tongue. 

A healthy smile is at the top of all our lists. However, as time goes on, we may notice that our teeth start to become stained. Stained teeth are caused by lifestyle habits such as what we eat, what we drink, poor dental hygiene, medications, and our natural age.

Tooth sensitivity can be uncomfortable. If you experience tooth sensitivity when you eat or drink hot or cold items, this can be a sign of cavities or root exposure. This should be checked by your family dentist at your next dental appointment.