Oral Health & Your Body

What is Acid Reflux? Acid reflux, also called GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), is when stomach acid washes up into the throat. If a person experiences this symptom, commonly called heartburn, more than twice a week, he or she may have acid reflux. But not...

What is gum disease? Gum disease occurs when germs destroy gums and bone around the teeth. It starts with plaque, and the goal of daily brushing and flossing is to remove this sticky substance before it becomes an issue. If plaque is not removed, it becomes tartar,...

Dentists Can Identify Clues to Eating Disorders With nearly 10 million women and 1 million men suffering from eating disorders in the U.S., more dentists are becoming the first line of defense when it comes to recognizing these problems in patients—especially teens....

Link between Gum Disease and Heart Attacks When a person has gum disease, the body reacts to mouth bacteria with swelling. Gum disease is an inflammatory disease, as can be heart disease. This swelling response results in inflammation in the blood vessels lining the...

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)? OSA is when a sleeping person stops breathing because something is blocking the airway. When this happens, the body doesn’t take in the oxygen it needs. This leads to potentially life threatening conditions that affect the heart,...

Oral cancer, or cancer of the mouth, can be detected in early stages because the mouth is an area of the body where changes can be seen easily. HPV is a virus that infects certain skin surfaces, including the mouth, throat, tongue, tonsils and others. Infection occurs...

Expecting a baby? Expect oral health changes too. Pregnant women may experience some changes in oral health due to a surge in hormone levels. Regular brushing and flossing will help lessen “pregnancy gingivitis,” a condition that affects most pregnant women to some...

What is it? TMD/TMJ describes a group of diseases that involve jaw joints, the muscles that control jaw movement and tooth contact. Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs) are often called TMJ by doctors and patients, though TMJ actually refers to the jaw joints...