Learn more about the importance of saliva.

Learn more about the importance of saliva.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Dentist Purcellville VA
Purcellville Dental 

Timothy A. Smith, DDS 

609-T East Main Street 
Purcellville, VA 20132

Get Familiar With Oral Thrush

What Is Oral Thrush?
Oral thrush, also known as candidiasis, can occur in anyone of any age, from babies to the elderly. Oral thrush is a condition that occurs when a fungus called candida albicans builds up on the lining of the mouth. The result is white lesions on the tongue or inner cheeks.

Oral thrush can sometimes be confused with leukoplakia. But leukoplakia lesions are caused by chronic irritation from rough edges on teeth, fillings or crowns, not by an organism. And leukoplakia lesions develop over time, while thrush lesions may develop suddenly. A thrush infection can spread and involve the roof of the mouth and the gums, where it can cause symptoms such as redness and irritation. See your dentist if you have any type of lesions on your tongue or in your mouth so you can determine the cause of the problem and plan a course of treatment. The goal in treating thrush is to stop the infection from spreading.

Healthy babies and children may not need treatment-the lesions may resolve on their own. Sometimes adding yogurt to you or your childís diet may do the trick and reset the bacterial imbalance caused by the excess amount of the thrush fungus.

People with HIV or other immunosuppressive illness are at increased risk for the infection to spread. If you are in this category, your doctor or dentist may recommend an antifungal medication.

To prevent thrush from occurring or recurring, follow a consistent oral health care routine, and try to include yogurt with live, active cultures in your diet, especially if you take antibiotics for a chronic condition. Frequent use of antibiotics can promote the growth of the Candida fungus because they upset the natural mixture of microorganisms in the body.

The above article is from: OralB.com

Dentist Purcellville VA
Purcellville Dental 

Timothy A. Smith, DDS 

609-T East Main Street 
Purcellville, VA 20132

Why Do Gums Recede?

Learn more about why gums recede.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Dentist Purcellville VA
Purcellville Dental 

Timothy A. Smith, DDS 

609-T East Main Street 
Purcellville, VA 20132

Recognizing and Treating Oral Thrush

Recognizing and Treating Oral Thrush
Oral thrush, also known oral candidiasis, is a condition that occurs when a fungus called Candida albicans builds up on the lining of your mouth.

Anyone can develop oral thrush, but babies, young children, older adults, or anyone with a compromised immune system due to an illness such as HIV are more susceptible. Conversely, candidiasis lesions can be an early sign of an HIV infection.

The main symptom of oral thrush is creamy white lesions in the mouth, usually on the tongue or inner cheeks. In some cases, the lesions may appear on the roof of the mouth or on the back of the throat.

Interestingly, oral thrush is not caused by poor oral hygiene. Thrush is caused when the naturally occurring fungi in the body get out of balance, which is why the very old, very young, and people with weak immune systems are at higher risk. Good oral hygiene, however, is an essential part of treating oral thrush. Healthy adults and children can recover fairly easily from the infection, especially if they follow a complete oral care routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily proper flossing.

To read the entire article please visit: OralB.com

Dentist Purcellville VA
Purcellville Dental 

Timothy A. Smith, DDS 

609-T East Main Street 
Purcellville, VA 20132

Treatment for Abscessed Teeth

Learn more about the treatment for abscessed teeth.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Dentist Purcellville VA
Purcellville Dental 

Timothy A. Smith, DDS 

609-T East Main Street 
Purcellville, VA 20132

Tooth Abscess Symptoms And Treatment

Symptoms And Treatment Of Tooth Abscess
If you have a toothache that goes beyond mild to moderate tooth pain and reaches a level of severe, throbbing pain, it could be a sign of a tooth abscess. A tooth abscess is a pus-filled lesion at the roots of a tooth, and is caused by an infection. The first sign is a throbbing toothache that won’t go away.

At first, the tooth will likely be sensitive to chewing and biting, as well as to heat and cold. You also may develop a fever, swollen lymph nodes in your jaw or neck, or swelling on your face.

If the abscess ruptures, you’ll know because of the nasty-tasting discharge in your mouth. Although the pain may recede if the abscess ruptures, you still need to be treated by a dentist in order to get rid of the infection, save the tooth and avoid complications. If the abscess doesn’t rupture, the infection can spread to other parts of the body. This is not a problem to ignore.

Treatment will likely include draining the abscess if it hasn’t ruptured. Your dentist also may recommend that you take over-the-counter pain relievers, rinse your mouth with warm salt water, and take antibiotics. More severe abscesses may require a root canal to remove infected tissue, and the worst cases require extraction of the tooth.

A tooth abscess can get its start as an untreated tooth cavity, so the best way to prevent an abscess is to prevent the cavity in the first place by following a consistent oral health routine of twice daily tooth brushing and daily flossing. Regular visits to your dentist are important too, especially if you’ve been treated for an abscess. This allows your dentist to confirm that the infection has cleared.

The above article is from: OralB.com

Dentist Purcellville VA
Purcellville Dental 

Timothy A. Smith, DDS 

609-T East Main Street 
Purcellville, VA 20132

Pregnancy & Oral Health

Learn more about the risks to your oral health during pregnancy.

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Dentist Purcellville VA
Purcellville Dental 

Timothy A. Smith, DDS 

609-T East Main Street 
Purcellville, VA 20132