It’s Oral Health Month, and we’re here to tell you why a healthy mouth is essential to your overall health and how to stay proactive on all fronts. Of course, you should brush, floss, and visit your dentist every six months for a healthy mouth, but did you know that’s only the start? Many factors play a role in your oral health. Let’s look at the main ones affecting most of the population. 

Everything you eat or drink enters your mouth and goes through your esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. This means that the food you eat directly affects all of these organs. So, not only is it crucial to transfer nutrients through healthy foods to keep these organs functioning efficiently and effectively, but it’s also essential you set your body up for success through proper oral health practices. Without good oral hygiene, the built-up bacteria can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and issues in your digestive and respiratory tracts. Starting with healthy food and hygienic practices will go a long way in ensuring the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, and many of your organs. 

In addition, saliva helps wash away food and acid produced by bacteria in your mouth, decreasing your chances of many diseases and oral health issues. Unfortunately, some medications, such as decongestants, antihistamines, diuretics, antidepressants, and painkillers, reduce saliva flow and cause dry mouth. When your body produces little saliva, it’s harder to wash away the bacteria, and you become more susceptible to diseases like periodontitis. 

There are a few ways to counteract the feeling of dry mouth, but the most effective is to sip water throughout the day. In addition, you should limit your caffeine intake, never smoke or chew tobacco, discontinue the use of mouthwash with alcohol and opt for an alcohol-free wash, and chew sugar-free gum – this stimulates saliva flow. While dry mouth isn’t technically a symptom of poor oral health techniques, it adversely affects your oral health. 

Poor oral health can lead to other health issues, such as endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, and pregnancy or birth complications. 

This June (and every month after), ensure that a healthy mouth is your priority. Brush for at least two minutes twice daily, floss, use mouthwash, visit your dentist regularly, and watch what you eat; sugary food and drinks can significantly impact your oral and overall health. If you’re due for a cleaning, schedule an appointment at Cakmes Dental Studio. We’re happy to get you on the right track and ensure your oral health is helping your overall health.

Fillings fill (hence the name) open cavities created from tooth decay, cracks, breaks, and other damage. If you have a cavity, for example, your dentist will remove the decay and seal the open space with what is known as a filling. They can perform the same type of work for cracks, breaks, and other forms of damage.

Removing the decayed part of your tooth will stop further damage from occurring, and it will also eliminate the pain or discomfort you may experience. However, if you don’t take the proper precautions, the decay can spread to surrounding teeth, causing further damage and decay. 

The biggest preventative of cavities is proper oral hygiene. Bacteria, sugary drinks and foods, unhealthy snacks, and poor brushing and flossing are the most comment factors in which cavities appear. The better care you take of your teeth, the less likely you will get cavities. However, other factors can play a role, such as family history, certain medications (especially those that cause dry mouth), receding gums, and more. 

We check for any signs of cavities or other forms of damage that may need to be fixed at every visit. If we catch the issue early, the recovery is simple and quick. If you have tooth decay and don’t visit the dentist, the damage can take much longer to mend. 

Many people don’t notice signs or symptoms of tooth decay and are shocked when we reveal they have a cavity. The most common symptoms are:

• Mouth or tooth pain
• Bad breath
• Bleeding gums
• Tooth sensitivity – especially with hot or cold food and drinks 

At Cakmes Dental Studio, we offer tooth-colored fillings to ensure your smile is healthier, stronger, and more natural-looking. These composite resin fillings are a great way to keep your smile healthy and natural-looking. They look and feel like natural teeth, and there’s no shiny, silver metal distracting from the rest of your smile. If you’ve noticed any of the above symptoms, come in for a check-up to make sure that cavities aren’t the reason why. And as always, make sure you brush and floss your teeth properly every day. Healthy oral habits are the best way to avoid cavities and keep a healthy and beautiful smile.

Around 150 million Americans have at least one cup of coffee each morning; that’s about half of our country’s entire population. Many people can’t start their day without a fresh cup of joe, and often, that’s ok. One cup of coffee has about 95 mg of caffeine, and anywhere under 200 mg is considered safe, even for pregnant women. So, if you have one or two cups of coffee each day, you’re probably in the clear, but if you have more than that, use this month to consider reevaluating your caffeine intake. 

There are many benefits to drinking coffee; it can help wake you up, focus, and stay alert, as well as potentially help you lose weight and decrease the chances of certain cancers or diseases. However, there are also many negatives to relying on coffee and caffeine. For example, coffee can cause restlessness or insomnia, especially if you consume more than 200 mg of caffeine per day. It can also increase your heart rate and blood pressure, cause nausea or vomiting, and cause bad breath and yellowing of the teeth. 

Effects of Coffee on Your Teeth

It’s no secret that drinking coffee can turn your teeth yellow. The reason for this is due to the tannins in the beverage. Tannins cause colored compounds to stick to your teeth, leaving an unwanted yellow stain behind. Tannins are in other beverages such as red wine and tea. 

Many people brush their teeth immediately after finishing their coffee to get rid of that awful coffee breath, but we are here to tell you to stop doing that. Coffee contains acid, and brushing your teeth immediately after eating or drinking something acidic weakens your enamel and can cause further staining. Instead, wait at least 30 minutes before your brush your teeth. During this time, you should rinse your mouth out with water and drink a full glass of water to help prevent bacteria buildup. In addition, professional whitening can help reverse signs of staining.

If you want to switch to energy drinks or tea to reduce the effects of coffee on your teeth, please do so in moderation. Many energy drinks contain at least 200 mg of caffeine and can increase your blood pressure and anxiety and impact your sleeping patterns. Keep these factors in mind as you choose between whiter teeth and adverse health issues. 

At Cakmes Dental Studio, we can unlock a smile up to eight shades whiter in less than an hour. If coffee keeps you going every morning, we can help reverse the adverse aesthetic effects. This month, take time to evaluate your caffeine intake and make adjustments when necessary; if the only negative you see with your morning cup of coffee is yellow teeth, we can help. Call us today to schedule a whitening consultation or a bi-yearly cleaning.

Have you recently been thinking about whitening your teeth? If so, you should consider getting your teeth professionally whitened instead of using at-home whitening products. Many people often feel unsatisfied with the results you get from at-home whitening kits because at-home products cannot provide the benefits that professional whitening can. At Cakmes Dental Studio, we can provide you with all of the following benefits of professional teeth whitening, so you are guaranteed to be satisfied with your results. 

Guaranteed Results in a Timely and Thorough Manner

Oftentimes, at-home whitening products take weeks or months for patients to see a difference in their smile; with professional whitening, this will never be the case. When someone gets a professional teeth whitening treatment, the whitening agent is pharmaceutical grade and works at a much greater intensity than over-the-counter whitening products have the ability to. Also, professional teeth whitening requires less upkeep because the whitening is always completed in a thorough manner. At Cakmes Dental Studio, we use the most effective teeth-whitening products on the market, and we have the ability to make your teeth up to eight shades whiter in about 45 minutes. 

Guaranteed Safety 

When using over-the-counter whitening products, there is always a safety risk involved. There is a chance your gums or teeth react poorly to the product or that you could have an allergic reaction. Professional whitening treatment is a safer option than an at-home whitening treatment because the dentist doing the whitening procedure has years of experience performing the procedure and will be able to intently monitor your teeth while the whitening is being completed. If an allergic reaction were to occur, the dentist would know exactly what to do in that situation, whereas if you had an allergic reaction at home, you would have to call your dentist or the emergency room for assistance. 

A Customizable Experience 

When you get your teeth whitened professionally, dentists are able to give you a customized experience regarding your teeth sensitivity and mouth size. All teeth have different sensitivity levels, and at-home kits don’t take that into consideration as all are the same strength and size. When someone gets their teeth professionally whitened, doctors are able to change the strength of the whitening agent in order to avoid irritating the patient’s teeth and gums. Further, all at-home whitening kits are the same size, which could work for you, or not – you don’t know until you test it out. When you receive a professional whitening, dentists are able to accommodate different mouth sizes, unlike at-home products. 

If these benefits aren’t enough to encourage you, we bet this last one will. We are running a “White Christmas” special on our Philips Zoom whitening for the month of December. It is $199 for one Philips Zoom whitening or $299 for a Philips Zoom whitening and take-home trays. If you decide to purchase one of our whitening specials, as long as you pay for it in the month of December, you will be able to use it at any time! You can even leave a voicemail or text us when our office is closed to ensure you get the deal. To learn more or schedule an appointment, click here! 

It’s hard to believe, but there are just a few weeks of the year left! With that comes last-minute gift shopping, spending time with family, and making sure that you’ve used your medical, dental, and vision benefits.

Most people know, but many forget that you pay for your dental insurance whether you use it or not – so you might as well use it! Dental health is a big factor in overall health, and it can even play a role in your mental health and social life. 

Depending on your insurance, you’ll see varying levels of coverage, but most plans will allow for at least two cleanings and one x-ray exam each year. If you need or want work beyond that, many dental insurance benefits cover a large majority of the cost of preventative dental care treatments, if not the entire cost. 

Preventative care treatments typically include:

• Routine cleanings
• Examinations
• Sealants
• Fluoride treatments
• Periodontal care
• X-rays
• Oral cancer screenings
• Mouthguards
• Patient education

When it comes to general dental care, insurance typically covers around 50 to 80% of the cost of treatment. 

General dental care treatments typically include: 

• Tooth-colored fillings
• Porcelain inlays onlays
• Porcelain crowns and bridges 
• Dental implants 
• Removable partials
• Dentures
• Root canals 
• Minor tooth extractions
• Cerec restoration 

Regardless of the type of treatment you need, it is important to remember that although you pay for dental insurance that does not mean that your insurance benefits roll over from year to year. If you don’t use your benefits before the year ends, you will likely miss out on the services your insurance can help cover. 

At Cakmes Dental Studio we provide all of the services listed above and more, and would love nothing more than to help you take care of your dental needs and help you end every year feeling confident in your smile! 

The end of one year and the beginning of a new one are always the perfect time to evaluate your progress; whether that be your progress at work, your physical health, your mental health, or even the relationships you’ve built, evaluating what you have done in the past year and what you hope to achieve in the future are healthy ways to establish goals and keep yourself accountable. 

Take care of yourself, focus on your goals, and take advantage of your dental benefits before the year ends! Book an appointment at Cakmes Dental Studio by calling us at (865) 584-6163 or by filling out this form! There’s still time to end the year on the right note, with a healthy and beautiful smile at the center of it all. 

When thinking about everything that contributes to a healthy smile, many may think that brushing and flossing are sufficient. The truth, though, is that gum care is just as important as dental care. Periodontal care, also called gum care, is an essential part of maintaining good oral health. 

Healthy gums contribute to strong teeth and a healthy mouth, overall. If left untreated, gum issues can cause severe damage. When bacteria and plaque build up below or along the gum line, it can lead to inflammation, which may result in gum disease, gingivitis, or periodontitis. Bacterial infections can also attack bone tissue which can cause teeth to become loosened from the gums. 

Many people who have gum disease in the early stages don’t realize it or are unaware of the signs. Inflamed or swollen gums, loose teeth, tenderness around the teeth along the gum line, and bleeding gums are often the first signs and symptoms of gum disease. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, there are links between periodontal disease (gum disease) and several systemic diseases. The diseases include, but are not limited to, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, Alzheimer’s, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular disease. Gum disease has also been linked to preterm childbirth. When handled in the early stages, gum disease is easily treated and has an excellent prognosis. 

Before brushing your teeth, always be sure to floss in between each tooth. This allows you to reach areas that your toothbrush can not, which helps remove any remaining food in the teeth and can help prevent bacterial growth. Regular dental cleanings are also important in the overall health of your gums. Your dentist will be able to examine your gums to check for any irregularities or signs of infection.

If you have any gum concerns or are in need of a regular cleaning, Cakmes Dental Studio is here to provide you with the best dental care available so that you can be confident in your healthy and beautiful smile. Our office offers a variety of periodontal care services to ensure that your gums stay in great shape. A few of the services we offer include periodontitis treatment, gingivitis treatment, bacterial infection treatment, and inflammation care. Contact our office at (865) 584-6163 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.   

Good oral hygiene starts with keeping your teeth and gums healthy by practicing good dental habits. Taking a little time each day to follow some of these healthy habits is key in preventing problems down the line, such as gum disease, cavities, and more. Maintaining good oral hygiene is also the first step in ensuring that you’re in good health overall. Following these healthy dental habit tips daily and having regular checkups with your dentist are two of the best practices to keep your smile healthy and happy.

Brush Twice a Day

For most people, it’s a given that brushing your teeth is the key to good dental health. However, there are many factors involved when it comes to proper brushing techniques. First, be sure to have the correct toothbrush. Always choose toothbrushes that have been certified by the American Dental Association (ADA) and try to replace your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months. When brushing, do so twice a day for at least two minutes each time. Use circular motions and remember to brush all sides of your teeth, as well as your tongue and inside of your mouth.

Floss Each Time You Brush

Flossing should be done every time you brush your teeth. It helps to remove any plaque or bacteria, especially in areas where your toothbrush may not reach. Flossing also reduces inflammation at the gum line and can help prevent gum disease. 

Drink Plenty of Water and Follow a Healthy Diet

What you eat and drink has a big impact on your oral and dental health. Limit the number of sugary foods and drinks you consume, as these can lead to cavities and are harmful to the enamel of your teeth. Drinking plenty of water can help rinse some of the acids from these sugary foods and drinks out of your mouth as well. 

Check-In with Your Dentist Regularly

Regular dental checkups and cleanings are necessary even for those who take the best care of their teeth. Dentists can perform thorough cleanings of your teeth to remove all possible plaque. They’ll also be able to check for any potential problems such as cavities or gum disease. Most insurance companies cover two dental checkups per year, so be sure to take advantage of this and schedule your dental appointment accordingly. 

At Cakmes Dental Studio, our number one goal is keeping patients feeling confident by ensuring that they are maintaining the best oral health possible. If you have any concerns about your teeth or gums, give our office a call to set up an appointment. In between dental checkups, be sure to follow these daily habits to promote a lifetime of good dental health!

Vaping and e-cigarettes have spread quicker and faster than coronavirus did. Ok, maybe not as fast, but these days it is hard to go in public and not see someone holding their Juul. Vaping has become an alternative to cigarettes, which eliminates the health concerns that come from tobacco. However, vaping and e-cigarettes might have even more health concerns due to the unstudied chemicals that do not have the long history of health effects that cigarettes do have. To say it simply: the unknown factors of vaping makes it even more dangerous. There have been more recent studies about how vaping affects your oral health, which Cakmes Dental Studios has been paying attention to. Here are some adverse effects that vaping has on oral health.

Receding Gums

Nicotine reduces blood flow, which in turn affects your gums more than you may think. Without enough blood flowing through your veins, your gums don’t get the oxygen and nutrients they need to stay healthy. Vaping causes the death of gum tissues, which in turn causes gum recession. 

Tooth Decay

Studies have evaluated that e-cigarette aerosols have similar physio-chemical properties as high-sucrose, gelatinous candies, and acidic drinks. Data suggests that the combination of the viscosity of e-liquids and chemicals in sweet flavors may increase the risk of cariogenic potential. Cariogenic potential in non-scientist talk is the potential for tooth decay.

Bruxism

Nicotine inhaled during vaping acts as a muscle stimulant. This can cause you to grind your teeth, which is also known as bruxism. Grinding, chewing, or clenching your teeth regularly leads to tooth damage, severe pain, and other oral complications. 

Cell Death

According to a 2018 review, studies of live cells from human gums suggest vaping aerosols can increase inflammation and DNA damage. This can lead cells to lose their power to divide and grow, which can speed up cell aging and result in cell death.

These are just a few of many health concerns scientists have uncovered about vaping and its relation with oral health. If you are an e-cigarette user, you must have regular check-ins with your dentist to make sure you can prevent as much damage as possible. At Cakmes Dental Studio, we offer many services to keep your teeth clean and healthy. Call (865) 584-6163 and schedule an appointment if you have any concerns.