Life stages and medical conditions
Oral health through pregnancy, menopause and older age, and with diabetes, medications, dry mouth and other conditions.
- Life stages and medical conditions
Why cavities can become a new problem after retirement, and what lowers the risk
New decay after years without it is common and usually reflects changes in the mouth rather than carelessness. Gums recede with age and uncover root surfaces, which are…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Menopause, dry mouth and gum changes: what to report to your dentist and physician
Yes, the two may be connected, and both deserve a mention at your next dental visit and your next medical visit. Reviews of oral health around menopause associate the…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Sjögren disease and cavity prevention: a plan for a mouth with little saliva
Sjögren disease dries the mouth, and saliva is the main defense against decay: it washes away sugar, neutralizes acid and supplies the minerals enamel uses to repair…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Dental care before head and neck radiation: why the dentist visit comes first and what to ask
National cancer and dental guidance recommends a dental examination before head and neck radiation begins, because radiation in that area often reduces saliva, sometimes…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Oral health after cancer treatment: what to watch for and how your dentist and oncology team coordinate
Cancer treatment can change the mouth for months, sometimes years. The most common problems are dry mouth, higher cavity risk when saliva is reduced, taste changes, sore…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Choosing a dentist when you have complex medical needs: what to ask first
Ask how the office will learn about your health, not whether it "accepts" patients like you. Specifically: how it gathers and updates your medical and medication…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Preventive antibiotics before dental treatment: who they are for and who decides
Usually not. Current American Heart Association guidance recommends a preventive antibiotic before dental procedures that involve the gums or tooth roots only for a…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Oral health with an eating disorder: how dental care can help without judgment
An eating disorder can affect the mouth. Stomach acid from vomiting can wear the enamel, most often on the inner surfaces of the upper front teeth, leaving teeth…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Why your dentist needs to know about sleep apnea, even if you are already treated for it
Sleep apnea is a medical diagnosis made by a physician, usually after a sleep study, and a dentist cannot diagnose it. Your dentist still needs to know, for three…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Blood thinners and dental treatment: why you should never change your medication on your own
For most routine dental care, including cleanings, fillings and many single-tooth extractions, current ADA guidance and systematic reviews support continuing your blood…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Sports mouthguards for teens: questions about fit, protection and replacement
A mouthguard is recommended for any sport with a real chance of a blow to the face or a fall, not just football or hockey, and athletes without one have more than twice…
- Life stages and medical conditions
How diabetes can change your dental care plan, and what your dentist needs from you
Diabetes does not change what good dental care is, but it usually changes how closely that care is watched. Gum disease is more common and can be more severe when blood…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Food allergies, latex sensitivity and your dental appointment: what to tell the office first
Tell the office before the appointment, in writing on the health history form and again when you are seated. Latex matters most: gloves, rubber dams and elastic items…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Dental sealants for children: what parents should ask before saying yes
Often yes, for a child whose newly erupted permanent molars have deep grooves or who is at higher risk of decay, but the decision belongs to an examination of each…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Dry mouth from medication: questions for your dentist and your prescriber
Hundreds of common medications, including many for blood pressure, mood, allergies, bladder control and pain, can reduce saliva, and less saliva means a higher risk of…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Dental care during pregnancy: what to tell your dentist and what to discuss at each visit
Yes. Check-ups, cleanings, X-rays when an examination calls for them, fillings and treatment for a painful or infected tooth are considered safe throughout pregnancy…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Dental treatment while taking immunosuppressive medication: what to plan with both doctors
Most routine dental care can go ahead while you take medication that suppresses your immune system, but your dentist needs to know exactly what you take, why, and when…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Newly diagnosed with diabetes? Why a dental check-up belongs on your list
Because diabetes and gum disease affect each other. Higher blood glucose makes gum infection more likely and harder to control, and gum disease is associated with worse…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Helping an older adult with daily mouth care: a caregiver's practical guide
The goals are the same as for anyone: brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, clean between the teeth once a day, take dentures out at night and clean them, keep the…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Dental care when you have an autoimmune condition: what changes and what to tell the team
An autoimmune condition usually changes the details of your dental care, not whether you can have it. Common effects include dry mouth, especially with Sjögren's…
- Life stages and medical conditions
A mouth sore that has not healed in two weeks: why it deserves an examination
Most mouth sores, including canker sores, cheek bites and denture rub spots, heal on their own within about two weeks. A sore, lump, or white or red patch that is still…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Vaping and your mouth: what to tell your dentist and what to ask
Vaping is newer and far less studied than smoking, so the honest answer is that its long-term effects on the mouth are not settled. What is known: most vaping liquids…
- Life stages and medical conditions
Reflux and tooth enamel: what your dentist may notice before you feel it
Yes. Stomach acid that reaches the mouth can dissolve enamel, a process called erosion, and it often shows first on the inside surfaces of the upper front teeth and the…