dentures

We use our tongues to talk, drink, and eat. Any time they get hurt, it can feel like the pain is magnified ten-fold. Usually, pain on the underside of the tongue is caused by a minor injury or ailment and isn’t cause for too much concern. Here are 5 reasons the underside of your tongue may hurt.

#1 - Injury from a Bite

Nearly everyone has accidentally bitten his or her tongue, probably more than once. It can hurt, but the pain usually subsides in a few minutes. Depending on where and how it was bitten, it could hurt more on the underside of the tongue, especially if the bite was the result of a fall or a blow that caused you to bite down inadvertently. Irritation may continue for a few days if your taste buds – the small bumps on the tongue – are injured from the bite and become infected and inflamed.

#2 – Irritation from Foods or Foreign Objects

Common orthodontic devices like dentures and braces can cause tongue pain and irritation if they don’t fit quite right. Often the irritation occurs when someone has just gotten their braces or dentures, and they are still adjusting. Both braces and dentures can cause sores or cuts on the tongue and inside of the mouth that can be remedied by gargling with salt water or using over the counter oral gels or pain relievers.

Irritation can also come from foods, particularly those served at a high temperature like hot cocoa or soup or those that are spicy. Accidentally sipping or biting into something that’s too hot can cause the tongue to feel burned and to become red and swollen. Most tongue burns from too-hot foods are first-degree burns that heal quickly, but more severe burns should be seen and treated by a doctor. Spicy foods can make the tongue feel as if it’s burning and can exacerbate other conditions.

#3 - Canker Sore

Canker sores can develop on the tongue, underneath the tongue, or on the inside of the mouth. The cause is unknown, but they look like a small crater and may be red with white and yellow in the center. Canker sores can be related to irritation and injury from braces or biting the tongue, but may also be triggered by other factors, including stress. They usually stop hurting in 7-10 days and are completely gone within a few weeks.

#4 - Strained Tongue

The tongue is one of the strongest muscles in the body. It’s rare for it to become strained because it’s accustomed to nearly constant use from eating, talking and drinking, but it is possible. A strained tongue would be most likely to occur from overexertion or overuse of the muscle.

#5 – Glossitis, or Inflamed Tongue

Glossitis is inflammation of the tongue that is often the symptom of another issue. Acute glossitis has a sudden onset, usually stemming from an allergic reaction. Chronic glossitis, on the other hand, is recurring and generally signals an underlying health issue. Allergic reactions or irritation from food or medication, low iron levels, mouth trauma, dental appliances like braces or dentures, dry mouth, and certain diseases are all potential causes of different types of glossitis.

There are many reasons people may experience pain on the underside of the tongue Most of them are not serious and will go away within a few days or, at most, a few weeks. Tongue pain, however, can be the sign of a serious underlying medical issue. Always consult with a dentist to ensure that the pain isn’t the result of a severe problem, like a viral infection or even tongue cancer. Reach out to us today to find out what may be causing pain on the underside of your tongue!

Whether you’ve lost your front teeth due to an injury or an oral disease, dental implants can give you your full smile back again. Dental implants are the best solutions available for missing teeth. Not only do they look just like your natural teeth, but they also keep you from developing other serious oral issues that come with missing your front teeth. Let’s take a look at how exactly a dental implant can fix your front teeth now.

What’s Wrong With Having a Missing Front Tooth?

Missing one or both of your front teeth isn’t the best look in the world and you can’t really hide a missing front tooth. If that’s not enough to get you to fix your dental problem, there are other serious health issues that come along with missing a tooth as well.
If you don’t replace a missing tooth or teeth with an implant, and instead choose removable dentures or no fix at all, you may experience issues with eating, pain and jawbone loss. Since you’re missing a tooth, you will likely not be able to eat normally, and may experience pain from your exposed gum. Even more serious, you may lose jawbone volume. Implants are the only restorative dental solution that stops jawbone loss by allowing your bone to grow tightly around the implant.

How Exactly Do Dental Implants Help With Missing Front Teeth?

Dental implants help in a variety of ways. Here are just a few of the most common ways a dental implant can benefit your mouth if you’re missing a front tooth:

• They creating a replica of your missing tooth that looks and acts just like your natural teeth. Implants are strong, stable and last for a lifetime.
• While other treatments don’t fuse with your jawbone, osseointegration (fusing) occurs between your dental implants and your jawbone so that your bone tissue grows tightly around your implant.
• They provide you with a healthy and normal bite.
• Dental implants can’t develop cavities like normal teeth. But you still need to clean and take care of implants just like you would your natural teeth.

What’s the Dental Implant Procedure Like?

If you’re getting a front tooth implant at Water Tower Dental Care, you will typically be treated in our office and be placed under local anesthesia or another kind of sedation. The dental implant procedure typically occurs like this:

• First, your dentist will place a titanium post into your jawbone. This replaces to the tooth’s root.
• The post will fuse with your jawbone as your mouth heals, just like a root would. This keeps you from dealing with serious dental issues that occur with other treatments for missing teeth, like dentures. The osseointegration process could take weeks or even months.
• When your dentist sees that the osseointegration, or fusion, between your jawbone and the implant is successful, he or she will secure an abutment to the top of your dental implant. This abutment will connect the replacement tooth to the post.
• Finally, the replacement front tooth will be secured to the abutment, and you will have a full set of front teeth again.

If you have a missing front tooth, you should seriously consider dental implant surgery to prevent any further issues from occurring. Our dentists at Water Tower Dental Care are dental implant experts. Contact us today to find out more about how a dental implant can help your specific case of missing teeth!

As a senior, it’s even more imperative to practice good oral hygiene. As the body ages, more issues can arise that create problems with the gums and teeth. However, by following some simple oral hygiene tips and visiting your dentist on a regular basis, seniors can help keep their teeth healthy for longer and shining bright.
There are a few problems that most seniors should be aware of and do their best to prevent.

Gum Disease

All seniors (and non-seniors) should be aware and ready to fight gum disease. As a senior, you have an even higher risk of developing gum disease when dentures or bridges are being used.

Darkened Teeth

Even with the best oral hygiene, a lifetime of consuming foods and beverages that can stain your teeth or harm your enamel will have a negative effect on your teeth. While there are preventative steps you can take, darkened teeth can be harder to battle when you are older. Aim to keep teeth white and clean for as long as possible.

Less Taste

Diseases, medications, and dentures can all attribute to a diminished sense of taste. This is something to talk to your dentist about if it becomes a concern.

Tooth Loss

Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss. If you are experiencing loose teeth, inflamed gums, or bleeding gums, consult your dentist immediately.

Dry Mouth

There are many cases of dry mouth with seniors. Much of this is due to medications with side effects that include dry mouth. This can cause bacteria and food particles to not be properly flushed out of the mouth.  If you are experiencing a dry mouth, drink plenty of water, apply lip moisturizer frequently, and avoid salty foods.

Stomatitis Induced by Dentures

If one uses ill-fitting dentures, a buildup of the fungus Candida albicans can cause inflamed tissue underneath the denture. Consult a dentist if you are experiencing this problem.

Root Decay

If gums recede and the bottom of your teeth is exposed to bacteria and acids, the root of the tooth can eventually become harmed and begin to decay. Often the solution is to crown that part of the tooth to help protect it from further damage.

Best Solutions to These Dental Issues for Seniors

Most importantly, to avoid all of these issues and more, the best solution is to practice good oral hygiene. For a senior that means:

Brushing at Least Twice a Day 

Seniors should brush in the morning and night along with trying to brush after meals. If you cannot brush after a certain meal, make sure to drink lots of water to help flush out any acids, bacteria, and food particles left in your mouth.

 Flossing Once a Day

The best defense against gum disease is proper flossing once a day. Flossing does not need to be done more than that as it can begin to harm the gums. Once a day is best for helping clear out the pockets within the gums of food and bacteria.

Non-Alcoholic Mouthwash

Use a mouthwash if you find your teeth sensitive or flossing very difficult. Non-alcoholic will keep the mouth from drying out as well.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

While it’s important to visit your dentist every six months, if you are having issues or concerns, it may be best to visit them more often. Prevention is the best way to have healthy teeth for a lifetime.