Hey, my name is Shelly Katalgo. My love for sedation dentistry started in high school. My best friend had a severe fear of going to the dentist and I wanted to help her feel better about it. Although I always enjoyed my dental visits, I felt bad that she struggled so much with going to hers. My parents taught me about sedation dentistry and I instantly dreamed of becoming a dental professional. I wanted to help kids like my friend stay fear free throughout their appointments by using gentle techniques and professional medications. Although I opted to follow a different career path, my passion for dentistry remained throughout the years. I will update my site with developments in this industry as soon as they are reported. I will also discuss the benefits of sedation dentistry in detail. Thanks for visiting. I hope you come back soon.
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Understanding The Importance of Sedation Dentistry
How To Keep Your Teeth From Getting Excessively Damaged By GERD
Franklin Steward
GERD or gastric reflux disease is the medical condition colloquially known as heartburn and can cause a wide variety of health problems. Its impact on tooth decay is very rarely discussed, but it can cause permanent and irreversible oral health damage. Here's what you (and, if necessary, your cosmetic dentist) can do to keep your teeth from getting damaged.
How GERD Wears Down Teeth
When GERD flares up, it causes stomach acid to travel up your throat and into your mouth. This creates a very uncomfortable feeling in your stomach and a bitter taste in your mouth. That bitter taste is the acid, and it's eating away at your teeth every time you have a GERD episode.
Though one GERD attack won't cause an excessive amount of damage, that damage will build up over time. Combine that with all the natural wear-and-tear your teeth go through as you age and you end up with a very dangerous oral health problem.
Ways To Stop GERD
The best way to stop GERD from damaging your teeth is to decrease its occurrences. While there are many different medicinal treatments that you can utilize to control it, the following tips will quickly decrease GERD symptoms:
- Lose weight – People who are overweight often suffer from higher instances of GERD, leading to worsened tooth decay.
- Eat lightly at night – GERD most often occurs at night, and if you decrease the amount of food you eat before bed, you can decrease its effects.
- Raise the head of the bed six inches – This helps keep much of the acid in your stomach from rising high into the esophagus, potentially keeping it out of your mouth.
- Wear loose clothes – Wearing tight clothes can increase the strain of GERD, making more stomach acid rise.
- Avoid certain foods – Acidic foods (such as tomatoes and citrus foods), spicy dishes, chocolate, alcohol, and caffeine all contribute to GERD. Cut down or eliminate your intake of these foods to limit your GERD symptoms.
Another important tip is to avoid brushing your teeth immediately after experiencing GERD. Why? Brushing will only spread the acid further across the surface of your teeth, increasing its spread and further impacting the health of your teeth.
Porcelain Veneers Can Halt GERD Damage
While these tips can help a lot, porcelain veneers are among the most popular way to halt GERD-influenced tooth decay. Why? They stick directly to the damaged areas of the teeth and help make them stronger. This helps decrease or even halt the decay of your teeth.
Even better, the tougher porcelain will wear down more slowly than your teeth when exposed to stomach acid, further slowing decay. Best of all, you'll have a great smile and feel a lot better than you did before the procedure.
So if you suffer from GERD and want to avoid losing your teeth, call up a cosmetic dentist right away. They can help you find a solution that works for your teeth and keep them safe from the damage caused by GERD.
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