Your Dental Health and Smoking

Your teeth, like the rest of your body, are negatively affected by smoking. It creates both long and short-term dental problems. In terms of your teeth, the most noticeable side effects are bad breath, staining, and yellowed coloring. Only a professional dentist like Dr. Kattaura can help with these problems. A proper dental examination and cleaning eliminate stains. If you are looking for a friendly and personalized care team, contact Ardas Family Dental today. Learn more by visiting our office in Parker, CO.

 

The American Dental Association (ADA) holds the position that tobacco usage inhibits taste while damaging your oral health. It does this in a few separate ways. On a basic level, it stains your teeth. Your teeth slowly become a shade of yellow. It is hard to remove these stains once they set in. You’ll need to schedule professional cleanings with your Parker, CO, dentist. She offers various teeth whitening services. These can bring your teeth closer to their natural brightness. The only way to fully prevent further staining is to quit smoking altogether. The likelihood of developing cavities also rises. When you smoke, your mouth dries out. You need saliva to keep your teeth clean. Saliva removes debris while keeping the teeth hygienic. Without the proper amount of saliva, your entire mouth is at risk.

 

Smoking has a direct effect on your immune system. When an individual has periodontal (gum) disease, their gums are painfully inflamed. Smoking agitates your gums more than they already are. Your immune system responds by increasing inflammation.

 

Smoking is a dangerous habit. Talk to our staff today about quitting. Scheduling an appointment with Dr. Kattaura is the first step towards a healthier life. We can walk you through the entire process. Reaching out to your friends and family is important. You’ll need their support throughout the process. Take some time to research different behavioral distraction techniques. Use these to distract yourself when you feel the need to smoke. It is a long and difficult process, but well-worth the health increase.

 

Ardas Family Dental is located in Parker, CO. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kattaura, visit her website or call 720-459-8420.

Smoking and Pulp Infections

You doubtlessly knew that smoking isn’t good for your mouth, but you may not have known it can hurt your dental pulp. Although prosthetic teeth have helped many people, we at Ardas Family Dental try our best to preserve the natural dental structure of a patient with a toothache. But new research has shown that smoking makes it particularly difficult to treat dental pulp infections.

The pulp inside a tooth can become inflamed in response to an injury or an infection. Inflammation is a part of the body’s immune response, as are antimicrobial peptides inside the dental pulp. These tiny bits of amino acid kill the bacteria responsible for infections, but smokers have suppressed immune systems. We already knew that smokers suffered from higher rates of gum disease, but new research has shown that smokers also lack antimicrobial peptides in their dental pulp.

We can use root canal therapy to remove infected dental pulp and seal a tooth shut, eliminating the source of a patient’s discomfort. But with a suppressed immune system, there is a higher risk of the infection returning. There is good news: some smokers who quit produced new antimicrobial peptides. In addition to other benefits, if a patient quits smoking, they may be less likely to require a root canal in the future.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Smoking with Sleep Apnea

Smoking will exacerbate any respiratory condition, and it is proven to cause snoring and lead to obstructive sleep apnea.  Patients struggling with sleep apnea should see Dr. Roopi Kattaura and the staff of Ardas Family Dental for evaluation. We can help patients find relief from sleep apnea with a snore guard, but quitting smoking is up to you!

Smoking causes upper airway inflammation, meaning the swelling causes the airway to narrow and disrupts the flow of air to the nasal passage and throat.  This causes snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.  Cigarettes are highly addictive, and some smokers seek treatment for sleep apnea like a snore guard or CPAP machine, but continue to smoke. Smoking with sleep apnea not only puts more stress on the heart every day, but negates any treatment a sleep apnea patient is undergoing.

Habitual smokers may feel relaxed by one last cigarette for the day, but it actually creates more complications for restful sleep. Smokers can experience nicotine withdrawal overnight, causing more waking up and restlessness.  Quitting smoking cold turkey is very difficult, but even lessening the amount of cigarettes or avoiding smoking at nighttime can help you achieve more restful sleep.  Most smokers cannot quit on their own or on their first attempt, so don’t get discouraged!

To learn more about sleep apnea and the treatments we provide, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at the practice, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Roopi Kattaura of Ardas Family Dental, visit Restorative Dentist Parker, CO for more information or call 720-459-8420. 

Periodontal Treatments and Cirrhosis at Ardas Family Dental

Oral health is a critical component of overall health. At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, we recognize that people with gum disease are often fighting complicated health battles, and we want to help them. Lots of new research has come out in recent years indicating that improved oral health may improve a patient’s odds against other diseases, as well, which is why we’re passing along a study examining the link between gum disease and cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis is caused by inflammation of the liver that has become so chronic that the liver is covered in scar tissue. It causes inflammation throughout the body and cognitive decline. It is unsurprising that cirrhosis often occurs alongside gum disease since both can result from smoking and overuse of alcohol. But people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, another cause of cirrhosis, also are at elevated risk for gum disease.

To investigate whether there is a causal link, scientists divided people with cirrhosis and gum disease into two groups: a control, and people who received periodontal therapy. They found that the people who got treated for gum disease had a significant reduction in cirrhosis symptoms, including inflammation, and cognitive decline. More research is this exciting area is needed, but in the meantime, we hope our patients will understand that good dental care could have life-changing results.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.