Bad Breath

The topic of bad breath can be tough to confront, whether it’s yours or someone else’s. And, whether or not you know you have it, it’s always a good idea to take steps against bad breath—as they are often one in the same with good dental hygiene.

 

Most bad breath can be traced to a source in the oral cavity, whether it’s trapped food particles or potent beverage residue, bacterial and plaque buildup, unclean dental prosthetics, gum disease, or even cavities. Many of our patients here at Cadena Dentistry regularly ask us what they can do to prevent bad breath.  Besides completing all necessary dental work and consistently undergoing regular exams, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce bad breath on your own.

• Drink plenty of water: Drinking water helps flush away food and beverage residue. It also keeps your teeth and gums hydrated, which inhibits bacteria growth.
• Reduce intake of coffee and alcohol: Both substances can contribute to suborn breath and dehydration.
• Abstain from all tobacco products: Cigarettes, pipes and chewing tobacco all contribute to fouls breath and other periodontal issues that feed into the problem.
• Brush, floss and use alcohol-free mouthwash every day: Good oral hygiene controls bacteria and prevents a number of dental problems. Your at-home hygiene efforts are extremely important in keeping your smile beautiful and fresh.  

White Fillings

When teeth become decayed, they're often in need of a filling. Nowadays, most patients don’t want to have fillings that are obvious to others when talking, smiling or laughing. Here at Cadena Dentistry in Del Rio, TX we provide composite resin fillings, which are also known as white fillings.

 

These fillings are the same color as the patient’s tooth, so they aren’t obvious to anyone else. White fillings not only helps the patient protect their tooth from further decay, but feel more confident when they smile knowing no one knows it’s there.

 

White fillings have many benefits to patients that make them a great dental filling option:

• They are the same white color of the tooth being filled.
• White fillings can be blended to be any shade, regardless of the color of the tooth.
• They are not significantly more expensive than other fillings.
• White fillings are just as efficient in protecting teeth as alternatives.

It takes slightly longer for the process of white fillings than metal fillings because white fillings are blended to match our patient’s tooth. Otherwise, they look and feel like any other filling, allowing the patient to fill a cavity and protect their tooth from more serious problems. If you have a cavity and are in need of a filling, call us today at 830-775-3322 to see if you are a candidate for white fillings.

Oral Cancer Screenings

Oral cancer screenings are one of many services we offer here at Cadena Dentistry. We provide these screenings during each dental check-up to look for early signs of oral cancer, which is usually treatable if found early. It only takes a few moments to complete and lets our patients get an early diagnosis for more successful treatment.

 

Approximately 41,000 people have been diagnosed with oral cancer in the United States in 2013 alone, according to the American Dental Association, so it is important to get screened. If you smoke or drink heavily, it is essential that you have regular oral cancer screenings.

 

The following steps are completed during oral cancer screenings:

1. An ultraviolet light is used to look inside the mouth and on the gums and tongue.

2. The outside of the face is inspected for sores, including the lips, cheeks and neck.

3. Sores and other spots are examined inside the mouth, including the cheeks, inner lips, gums and roof of the mouth.

 

Oral screenings are a part of dental hygiene exams and check-ups and take only about 5-10 minutes in total. If your doctor finds any unusual spots, a biopsy is taken of the tissue for further testing.

Sleep Apnea

If something affects you when you’re asleep, how can you tell? That’s one of the problems with sleep apnea. Many people are affected and don’t even know it.  Even their sleep partners often mistake sleep apnea as snoring and don’t recognized the serious health effects until it’s too late. Fortunately, there are a few common signs and symptoms that may indicate you or someone you care about has sleep apnea.  If you notice any of the following, please be proactive in seeking a diagnosis and any necessary treatment:

• Daytime sleepiness, fatigue or regular drowsiness
• Dry mouth, sore throat and/or headaches that frequently occur upon waking
• Abrupt awakenings followed by shortness of breath, as well as gasping or choking while asleep
• Loud snoring, which remains the most prominent though easily dismissed sign of sleep apnea.

If left untreated, sleep apnea can amount to some serious health risks that include stroke and heart disease.  Thankfully, there are a variety of treatments, therapies and procedures that can correct sleep apnea and eliminate its harmful effects.  We can help sleep apnea patients here at our practice; so if you or someone you love may be affected, please call us for more information on how we can help.