November is American Diabetes Month, a time set aside to raise awareness of diabetes and provide new ways of managing the disease. If you suffer from diabetes, you know the far-reaching effects it can have for your overall health – and your dental wellness is no exception. That is why it is so important to receive dental preventive care, in addition to your regular diabetes treatment and management. Fortunately, we provide thorough preventive dentistry to help maintain your oral and physical health.

At Chisholm Trail Smile Center, Dr. Matthew Bridges offers a full array of preventive services. He proudly employs state-of-the-art digital x-rays to make earlier and faster diagnoses. Most importantly, he offers compassionate, personalized care. He will get to know you and your specific health needs to provide the best possible dental treatment. 

Contact our Duncan, OK, office today to schedule your dental preventive care.

American Diabetes Month 2022

Every year, the American Diabetes Association choses a different theme for American Diabetes Month. This year, the theme is “Today’s Diabetes Hits Different!” Since the COVID-19 pandemic, diabetes patients face a new set of challenges. The disease hits different communities, has different risk factors, and raises the risks of different complications. Most significantly, today’s patients have different and higher costs to worry about. 

Fortunately, as the American Diabetes Association points out, today’s patients also have different ways to fight the disease. 

Diabetes and Dental Health  

Diabetes can raise your risk for a number of oral health conditions. Gum disease is the most common of any diabetes-related health complication, affecting 22% of diabetes patients.

There are several reasons that diabetes could lead to gum disease. If you have uncontrolled blood sugar, the sugars can also end up in your saliva, providing food for harmful oral bacteria. Second, diabetes can affect your immune system, making it more difficult to fight off infections, including periodontitis. Furthermore, if you have diabetes, gum disease may be more severe and difficult to manage. 

But the connection between oral and physical health goes two ways. Research shows that dental preventive care and gum disease management could actually help to lower your A1c.

Dental Preventive Care for Those with Diabetes

So what does oral care look like if you have diabetes? It begins at home with a firm commitment to routine brushing and flossing. If you wear dentures, you should clean the prosthetic at least once a day. After all, tooth loss does not make you immune to gum disease. 

Second, schedule your dental exams and cleanings. At these appointments, your hygienist can remove the plaque and tartar that eventually lead to gum disease. Furthermore, Dr. Bridges can conduct a complete exam to look for the early signs of gingivitis. That way, he can catch the condition in the very earliest stages when it is reversible. 

Be sure to tell Dr. Bridges about your diabetes diagnosis at your first appointment. Although biannual exams and cleanings are typical, he may recommend additional visits since you are in a higher risk group. Plus, he can partner with your healthcare team to provide truly comprehensive care. 

Contact Chisholm Trail Smile Center Today

If you are facing a diabetes diagnosis, new or old, don’t let your oral health go overlooked. Contact us to schedule your dental preventive care. 

You can reach us online or call (580) 255-4880.

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Do you suffer from gum recession? Dr. Matthew Bridges can help restore your gums with gum grafting and connective tissue grafting at Chisholm Trail Smile Center. Call our Duncan, OK dental office at (580) 255-4880 to make an appointment.

Why Would I Need Grafting?

When bacteria infect the gum tissue, they are constantly excreting harmful acids. These are the same acids that can leach minerals from tooth enamel and initiate the start of a dental cavity. However, when these acids come in contact with your gum tissue for long enough, they cause the tissue to die. This usually happens at the gum line first, and thus leads to recession of the gums. When teeth start to look longer, as though the tissue is pulling back away from the teeth, this indicates that your gum tissue is being destroyed.

The reason why gum recession is a critical situation is because your teeth need gingival tissue to stay stable in your mouth. Gingival tissues form an elastic-like membrane that holds the tooth roots in place and resist the force of biting, chewing, and brushing the teeth. The same way that a plant needs soil to support it, your teeth need adequate gum tissue to stand in your mouth.

Gum grafting and connective tissue grafting use donor tissue from another part of your mouth to replace lost gingival tissues. This can help ensure your tooth roots stay supported and are better protected from mouth bacteria. When a recommended gum graft is not performed, the tissue will continue to pull away from the teeth and roots, and tooth loss becomes a potential outcome. You also have a greater chance of developing tooth decay below the surface of the gums, which is harder to treat than cavities in the crown of a tooth.

How Are Gingival Grafts Different from Connective Tissue Grafts?

There are two types of gingival (gum) tissue that support the teeth. The pink gum tissue that you see surrounding the teeth is dense and forms a tight seal around the teeth. However, below this tissue, lies a thinner, red-colored tissue that called the mucosa, which protects and supports the roots.

The purpose of gingival connective tissue grafting is to protect the roots of the tooth by adding to the gingival mucosa that sits below the gums. Donor tissue from beneath the soft palate of your mouth is used to thicken and strengthen this connective tissue. A free gingival graft uses tissue directly from the roof of the mouth to add to the keratinized gum tissue you see around your teeth. As the donor tissues heal in place, they add to the bulk of gingival tissues that surround and protect the teeth and roots, to make up for the loss caused by bacterial damage.

What Happens During Gum Surgery?

Both kinds of gum grafting surgery can be completed in our office, and take about 45 minutes. You will be given an anesthetic injection to ensure you feel no sensitivity during the appointment. You may also be given a sedative to help you relax and stay comfortable during the procedure. If you are given a sedative, you will need to have a friend or family member drive you home afterward.

After the treatment, your mouth will be sore, and you will have sutures. It takes about one to two weeks to heal, so you will need to be gentle on your mouth, and eat only soft, cold foods that don’t irritate your teeth or gums. You will not be able to brush or floss for about two weeks, so we will give you detailed instructions on how to clean your mouth and a prescription rinse to use.

To learn more about gingival grafts and connective tissue grafts, contact Chisholm Trail Smile Center for an appointment with Dr. Bridges. Call our Duncan, OK dental office at (580) 255-4880 to make an appointment.

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When that pesky toothache pops up, visiting the dentist is typically the first thought to comes to mind – and rightfully so. Sure, a dentist is licensed to repair your cavities and examine your teeth, but did you know he or she can do so much more for you? You’ve probably heard that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In much the same way, your mouth is the window to your body and can reveal a lot about your overall health. Outlined below are just 10 ways your general dentist can help improve your health with just a simple dental exam.

If you are looking for a general dentist in the Duncan, OK area, at Chisholm Trail Smile Center we offer a wide range or preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry services. To learn more, please contact our office today online or by calling (580) 255-4880.

Check for Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is one of the fastest growing and harder to detect cancers. It affects the soft tissues in the mouth, throat, and salivary glands. When caught in it’s earliest stages, survival rates are good. During a routine check-up, your general dentist will check for blocked salivary glands, chronic ulcers, unexplained bleeding, and red or white patches on the tongue. He will also check your head and neck for swollen lymph nodes and any abnormal cysts or lumps.

Discover the Early Signs of Gum Disease

After checking your enamel for any signs of decay, the dentist will review your gums for pockets of inflammation, tenderness, prolonged bleeding, and redness. Gum disease is a bacterial infection that affects the soft and hard tissues inside your mouth. When symptoms are caught early, they are easily managed and sometimes reversible. But if the condition reaches more advanced stages, it is considered chronic and usually requires more complex procedures. It is estimated that one out of every two people over the age of 30 have some form of gum disease, which means it’s very common – all the more reason to keep up with those biannual visits. Because infection can spread through the bloodstream, gum disease has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, and other systemic issues.

Smell Your Breath

This may seem like a weird one – but it’s true. By smelling your breath, the dentist can determine if there is something going on underneath the surface. Bad breath could be a sign of tooth decay, gum disease, lack of flossing, or poor brushing techniques. Your oral hygiene regimen should include scraping your tongue, flossing, and brushing your teeth morning and night.

Identify Oral Symptoms of Diabetes

Bad breath is also a sign of diabetes, especially when it is followed by other oral symptoms, such as swollen gums, an abscessed tooth, or gum recession. Diabetes weakens your body’s ability to properly fight off infection and can put your oral health in jeopardy. When filling out your medical history, it’s important that you include if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or any other medical condition so he can recommend the necessary treatments.

Perform Oral Surgery

Tooth extractions, dental implants, root canal therapy, and wisdom teeth removal used to be something that required the attention of an oral surgeon. Many general dentists have undergone the necessary training and certifications to provide their patients with more services so they can receive these treatments and others under the same roof.

Evaluate Your Tongue

A healthy tongue should be pink in color with small bumps (taste buds). If your tongue is geographic, swollen, discolored, painful to the touch, or has small patches – it could mean you have something more serous going on, such as oral cancer. Your tongue should be given special attention during your oral hygiene routine. Taking an extra 30 seconds to brush your tongue can remove unhealthy bacteria. Because your mouth runs about 98.6 degrees in temperature, bacteria from the foods you eat or the habits you keep can spread quickly. You may also consider investing in a tongue scraper.

Detect Sinusitis

Your sinuses sit right above your upper jaw – and when they are impacted due to the common cold, flu, sinusitis, or allergies, it can result in severe tooth and jaw pain. X-rays will be able to identify whether your dental pain is the result of tooth decay or another medical condition.

Provide Orthodontics

Correcting crooked teeth used to require a separate visit to the orthodontist. However, general dentists certified in orthodontics can also provide traditional braces and Invisalign® – making it a convenient one stop shop for all your dental care needs.

Treat Your Children

General dentists who offer family dentistry services are equipped at treating patients of all ages, including adults, seniors, and young children. This eliminates the need for having a separate medical professional for both parent and child. Oftentimes, appointments can be scheduled together all on the same day. Be sure and ask your dentist how soon you can start bringing your child.

Administer BOTOX® Cosmetic

Facial aesthetics is a new and exciting trend in general dentistry. If your dentist is certified, at the completion of your treatment you can receive BOTOX® Cosmetic injections to minimize fine lines and wrinkles. These injections have also been proven to treat TMJ disorder.

Visit Us Today

Contact our office today online or by calling (580) 255-4880. We look forward to meeting you.

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