5 common medications that increase tooth decay

Medications are supposed to make you healthier, but sometimes the side effects have negative impacts on your teeth and oral health.

All the medications listed shared a common side effect of xerostemia, or dry mouth. Dry mouth is a common factor that increases the risk of tooth decay and infection.

People with diabetes are susceptible to periodontitis, a gum infection that can resultin tooth loss. New research helps explain why…

A new study led by University of Pennsylvania researchers unequivocally demonstrates the population of oral microbes (microbiome) is affected by diabetes.  Diabetes causes a shift to increase the pathogenicity of the microbiome.

It may sound strange but many people don’t realise they grind their teeth. The habit can be very damaging to teeth and can have follow on symptoms you may not expect. 

Exactly when, why and how long you clench and, or grind varies. The habit is usually involuntary and often associated with stress. It’s common for people (including children) to clench and grind during their sleep so we’ll often hear of partners and parents complaining about the noise before the patient is aware.   

Osteoporosis treatment may lower the risk of severe periodontitis in women by nearly 50 %...

A recent study of 500 postmenopausal women who received service at an osteoporosis diagnosis center in Brazil, revealed that women over the age of 50 treated with estrogen for osteoporosis are 44 percent less likely to have severe periodontitis than women who did not receive the treatment.

Regular brushing not only keeps your pearly whites smiling bright, but could help to prevent bowel cancer.

A recent US study suggests same mouth bacteria that cause bleeding gums can travel via the blood to the bowel where they could trigger cancer or worsen existing tumours.

Your temporomandibular joint is the hinge connecting your jaw to the temporal bones of your skull, which are in front of each ear. It lets you move your jaw up and down and side to side, so you can talk, chew, and yawn.

Problems with your jaw and the muscles in your face that control it are known as temporomandibular disorders (TMD).

Before you discount your snoring as nothing out of the ordinary, consider this: People whose snoring is caused by severe sleep apnea have a 40 percent greater chance of dying early than do their peers. That’s because this sleep disorder is related to a host of health problems, from heart disease to depression. Here are some of the associated health complications

Exactly how many Australians suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is difficult to tell, but it’s thought that around 9% of women and 25% of men in Australia have clinically significant OSA. As the waist lines of Australians increases, so too does the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea and the health issues that come with OSA.

Despite this, a large proportion of Australians with OSA remain undiagnosed and untreated.

The World Health Organisation estimates oral cancer is the eleventh most prevalent cancer in the world.  Often associated with smoking, what is alarming is the incidence of oral cancers in non-smokers in Australia - 20% of cases affect non-smokers.

Does your mouth feel dry and sticky when you first wake up in the morning?

Do you feel the urge to drink lots of water?

Dry mouth can make it hard for you to swallow, chew your food or speak clearly. With a dry mouth your teeth can decay very quickly, and sometimes there are no warning signs for this condition. Untreated dry mouth can also contribute to bad breath, and sometimes others will notice the stale odor.