Depression Affects Your Smile’s Health | Issaquah Dentist

In recent years, scientific research has discovered a close link between your oral health and your overall health. There are many conditions we can identify during a visual examination of your oral cavity, even if you don’t know you suffer from them.

This includes mental health problems such as depression. Recent studies suggest that depression conclude depression is closely related to poor oral health.

When someone is depressed, they lose interest in everyday activities, and in many cases, the person stops taking care of themselves, including neglecting his or her oral health in general. Not brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing at least once per day can be extremely detrimental to your mouth and set the stage for serious dental conditions in the future.

When you struggle with depression or other emotional condition your teeth will also suffer. Some signs of depression that will show in your teeth are:

General dental neglect. If you stop brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, you may have more cavities than usual, and your gums may be tender or swollen without the stimulation from brushing.

Periodontal disease. There is a close connection between depression and periodontal disease. Depression can affect your oral health through the salivary glands. When the production of saliva is restricted, you can have dry mouth which results in a higher risk for tooth decay.

Oral pain. Many people who have recurrent pain from conditions such as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) also suffer from depression. There is a clear connection between pain and depression, according to scientific studies.

Keeping your regular checkups will let us identify any potential problems that may develop in the future. If you struggle with depression, your teeth may show it at different levels.

For more information about the effects of depression on your smile, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

Most Common Mistakes People Tend to Make When Flossing | Issaquah Dentist

Flossing is an important part of your daily routine of getting a healthy smile and keeping cavities and gum disease away. Yet, most people don’t know it is possible to floss the wrong way and damage their teeth while doing it.

Flossing is considered important because when brushing and flossing the floss is responsible for the removal of 40% of bacteria and plaque. Below, we cover why flossing is important and a few common flossing mistakes. 

Bad Habits While Flossing

When you move from tooth to tooth quickly you risk not removing the tartar buildup on your teeth. Which is the whole purpose of flossing. We floss to clean old food and bacteria from between your teeth, but also helps remove a thin, damaging layer of plaque that can cause cavities to form.

Many people only floss one side of each of their teeth, think about it. Do you slide it between teeth and only put pressure against one side or do you take the time to slide up and down a few times against one tooth and then reverse the process against the other tooth?

Bleeding When You Floss

A full flossing routine should always involve cleaning teeth down below the gum line. This is where dental plaque can deposit in the pockets unreached by toothbrushes. If left untreated, plaque buildup near the root of teeth can lead to gingivitis and tooth decay. Bleeding gums when flossing is often an early sign of gum disease.

If you or your child has sensitive, swollen gums that bleed when they are brushed or flossed, then it most definitely is time to schedule a visit to our office. Gum disease is very treatable and can be reversed. Allow us to help get your oral care back on track. Call our office today to schedule an appointment.

For more information about flossing, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

Why You Need to Protect Your Gums When Pregnant | Issaquah Dentist

If you are pregnant, your calendar will likely fill up quickly with all of the things you need to do before the baby arrives. While this will likely include regular appointments with your doctor, it is important to remember your oral health during this time. Regular dental cleanings and some extra oral hygiene precautions can keep your mouth healthy.

Pregnancy Gingivitis

Pregnancy gingivitis is a result of hormonal changes that lead to issues in the mouth. Your gums may bleed easily and feel tender and swollen. These symptoms can begin at any time throughout a pregnancy and are a sign that your gums need extra care and attention.

Prematurity and Low Birth Weight

Unfortunately, some scientists believe that gum disease during pregnancy may be connected to bigger problems. There have been several scientific studies that found connections between periodontal disease and prematurity. This research found that women with gum disease may be at an increased risk for delivering babies prematurely or at a low-birth weight when compared to mothers with healthy gums.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that babies who weigh less than 5.5 pounds at birth could be at risk for learning disabilities, delayed motor skills, and other issues.

Preventing Adverse Complications

If you are pregnant and worried about these adverse outcomes, there are steps that you can take. Routine brushing and flossing – twice and once per day, respectively – is a necessity, and it is important to focus on the gums during your oral hygiene efforts. A periodontal evaluation may be useful to inspect the health of your gums, and you should monitor your gums frequently to look for any changes.

Maintaining good oral and gum health supports your overall health as well as the health of your baby. Call us today to set up an appointment so that we can help you to have a healthy pregnancy.

For more information about All-on-4 implants, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

How Does a Rainbow Diet Improve Your Oral Health? | Issaquah Dentist

We don’t know about you, but rainbows have always been our friends. We love the beautiful spectrum of color, in a harmonious palette that the rainbow brings us. Did you know, however, that you can also experience feelings of joy and harmony when you eat the rainbow as well?

Rainbow Eating

Eating the rainbow is actually a very simple concept. Rather than try to understand all of the complicated nutritional formulas that are out there, you can make sure that you have a variety of fruits and vegetables available for you to eat. Each color represents a different nutritional value with regard to vitamins and minerals.

For example, eating orange colored fruits and veggies means you are putting Vitamin C in your body, which is essential for healthy gums and circulation in your mouth. Each color means that a different vitamin, mineral, or value is added. Red colored fruits and veggies produce increased levels of Resveratrol, which means that it has anti-cancer properties, including oral cancers and throat cancers.

Yellow veggies or fruits mean that you can protect your mouth and throat from the effects of food allergies. Yellow citrus also works to protect existing body structures free from cancer and disease. Leafy greens are good for the calcium in your teeth, but they are also excellent for maintaining gum health and gum circulation. Blues and purples contain acids to improve gum health as well.

If you eat the rainbow, you not only improve your dental health, but you also improve your overall health as well. A rainbow diet also helps to prevent some types of cancer including stomach, mouth, esophageal, breast and prostate cancer.

Questions about eating the rainbow or eating in general to maintain good oral health? Why not give us a call? We can talk with you about your oral health and steps you can take to make it better.

For more information about diet improvements, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

Symptoms of Sensitive Teeth | Issaquah Dentist

A lot of people have sensitive teeth, but they may not have realized what that meant until it was officially diagnosed. We see people all the time who are showing symptoms of having sensitive teeth. Do you have sensitive teeth? If you are not sure, we can help.

The symptoms show up slowly, so you may be in the early stages of a problem. Here are a few symptoms to watch out for if you think you may be slowly getting sensitive teeth.

Temperature Changes Cause Discomfort

The first symptom that most people note when developing sensitive teeth is that temperature changes in their mouth begin to cause them discomfort. If you have started to notice that going from standard body temperature to either hot or cold temperatures starts to make your mouth a bit sore, this could be due to increased tooth sensitivity. Some people only have discomfort with one temperature, usually cold, while others get discomfort with both.

Sensitive Teeth Can Also Lead to Headaches

If you have started getting more headaches, it could also be a symptom of sensitive teeth. When your teeth become more sensitive, no matter what the sensitivity is, it can lead to pain and pressure in your head. When you avoid the items you have developed a sensitivity to, the headaches should subside. If you have noticed this pattern, you need to come in for a checkup.

People all around the world struggle with the discomfort of sensitive teeth on a daily basis. Thankfully, we can do a lot to minimize, if not eliminate, sensitive teeth. Call our office today and let us see what we can do to help you remove that type of discomfort from your life. Just because you find yourself shying away from certain items now, does not mean you need to live the rest of your life like that.

For more information about sensitive teeth, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

Calcium Needs to Be a Big Part of Your Diet When Restoring Your Oral Health | Issaquah Dentist

If you think about calcium, you probably already know that it is essential for healthy bones. Do you know that it is just as important for your oral health? Of course, you need calcium to keep your teeth strong, but it is also needed for your jaw.

Calcium is also important in muscle health. It is absolutely essential when it comes to oral health. What happens if you have had problems, and you are trying to restore your oral health? Do you still need calcium? The answer is a resounding yes!

Each Part of Your Mouth

There is not a part of your mouth that does not need calcium. It is found even your blood vessels and nerves. When trying to restore oral health, you will want to make sure that you ingest enough each day. Not only will you end up with a healthier jaw and teeth, it will help you to heal.

Calcium and Gum Disease

In many cases, a calcium deficiency can be linked to gum disease. In several studies, people who had enough calcium in their diets had healthier gums than people who were not getting enough calcium. Gum disease can lead to other health issues beside just oral ones.

Sources of Calcium

Dairy is possibly the best-known source of calcium. Milk, cheese, and low-sugar yogurt are all great sources. Leafy green vegetables are another great way to add calcium to your diet. Supplements can help as well.

If you have oral troubles because of a lack of calcium, you need to make an appointment to see us right away. A calcium deficiency can lead to tooth loss and other problems. We would like to help you to turn things around and to get back on the right track.

For more information about calcium, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

If You Struggle with Depression, Your Teeth May Show It | Issaquah Dentist

In recent years, scientific research has discovered a close link between your oral health and your overall health. There are many conditions we can identify during a visual examination of your oral cavity, even if you don’t know you suffer from them.

This includes mental health problems such as depression. Recent studies suggest that depression conclude depression is closely related to poor oral health.

Signs of Depression in Your Oral Health

When someone is depressed, they lose interest in everyday activities, and in many cases, the person stops taking care of themselves, including neglecting his or her oral health in general. Not brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing at least once per day can be extremely detrimental to your mouth and set the stage for serious dental conditions in the future.

When you struggle with depression or other emotional condition your teeth will also suffer. Some signs of depression that will show in your teeth are:

  • General dental neglect. If you stop brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, you may have more cavities than usual, and your gums may be tender or swollen without the stimulation from brushing.
  • Periodontal disease. There is a close connection between depression and periodontal disease. Depression can affect your oral health through the salivary glands. When the production of saliva is restricted, you can have dry mouth which results in a higher risk for tooth decay.
  • Oral pain. Many people who have recurrent pain from conditions such as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) also suffer from depression. There is a clear connection between pain and depression, according to scientific studies.

Keeping your regular checkups will let us identify any potential problems that may develop in the future. If you struggle with depression, your teeth may show it at different levels. The health of your mouth, in general, will suffer from the effects of depression.

For more information about depression, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

How Water Impacts Your Oral Health | Issaquah Dentist

Food, water, air – the basics to life. And while food is delicious, water is the more vital of the two. Water is vital to many of your body’s natural functions by keeping your body hydrated and free from many illnesses. But water is also very important for your oral health. Without clean water, you’ll begin to experience a number of different issues with your teeth and gums.

In the U.S. and many other countries, the city drinking water includes fluoride. This helps to keep your teeth strong and healthy. Without clean drinking water, your teeth will be exposed to a number of bacteria. These bacteria will attach themselves to your teeth and begin to eat away at the enamel there, especially if you don’t brush your teeth regularly. They can also lead to gum disease.

In areas without clean drinking water, it’s also common to find manganese and other elements in the water. Continued exposure to high levels of some of these elements, especially those that are highly acidic, can cause damage to your teeth and gums.

Water also helps keep your mouth clean by washing away some of the bacteria and food particles that have become stuck in your teeth. While it’s no substitution for brushing or flossing, drinking plenty of water will help your mouth clean, especially if the water is clean.

Overall, drinking water keeps you healthy in multiple ways and protects your teeth. If you haven’t had access to clean drinking water for some time, you need to come in to see us for a checkup and a cleaning as soon as you can.

For more information about water, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.