One day, after you’ve finished brushing your teeth, you notice that your gums look swollen and darker than usual. In other words, they are slightly irritated and inflamed. How did this happen?

Understanding the potential causes can help you know what to do to address this problem, so keep reading to learn four ways that you can disrupt and disturb gums.

Gum disease—at first it may not seem like a huge deal, but when you look at the facts, it can be downright frightening. About half of adults over the age of 30 have untreated gum disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss. Those who have this pervasive condition are two to three times more likely to experience a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke. Countless studies have brought to light undeniable links between gum disease and other serious and potentially life-threatening diseases.

So how can you prevent or treat this condition before it wreaks havoc on your smile and your body? Although professional help through cleanings and periodontal therapy is required, you can do your part through your diet choices. Below are foods and drinks that actually help fight gum disease!

Did you know that gum disease has been found to increase the risk of major systemic health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease? It even has been linked to Alzheimer’s and certain kinds of cancer. Needless to say, protecting your gums from infection is an essential part of your overall well-being.

But how do you keep your gums strong and healthy? Here are six easy ways!

If you are feeling a tight pinch in your budget over the past year, you’re far from  being alone. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, rent has risen in price by 7 percent, electricity by 15.5 percent, and groceries by 13 percent. Inflation has made it difficult to afford much beyond the essentials like dental insurance and even these are not easy to pay for nowadays.

During these lean times, you have to make hard decisions and cut out superfluous expenses. As a result, you may cancel your manicure appointment or learn a new skill on your own to save money. However, there’s one appointment you shouldn’t skip—your biannual dental checkup and cleaning. Keep reading to learn why this visit is essential and how it can actually help you save money.

Nowadays, every dollar counts. As much as possible, you avoid unnecessary expenses, but then you get a bad toothache and know you need to see a dentist right away. How much will it cost you? Although your dental insurance covers preventive care, will it pay for any of your emergency care?

These are complicated questions that can best be answered by your emergency dentist’s office, but here are some concepts to keep in mind and help you know what to expect in terms of cost.

As their teeth continue to come in, your preschooler looks more and more like a little person, not a baby. But that special smile could be put at risk—if you believe certain myths about children’s dentistry. What are these myths? How could they endanger your child’s smile? Learn the truth behind just four common myths to protect your favorite smile from harm.

A few years ago, you lost a permanent tooth and decided to replace it with a dental bridge. It looks natural and has served you well—until you chew on a hard candied nut, and it comes out completely!

While this situation can be unnerving, you should understand why this can happen and have a clear idea of what to do next. Keep reading to learn more about how to handle if your bridge fell out.

Take a moment to think about and appreciate how strong your teeth are. Enamel, the outside layer of teeth, is the strongest material in your body, and it experiences tremendous force when you bite and chew. However, enamel is far from being indestructible, and once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.

So how can you make sure your enamel lasts as long as possible? What are the potential risks against it? Keep reading to find out!

It takes a village to raise a child, so the saying goes, but some lessons are best learned in the home. As a responsible parent, whether you homeschool or not, you know that one of your primary responsibilities is to teach your child about taking care of themselves. An important lesson they should learn early on in life from you is how to keep their smile healthy and strong. Here are some ideas for teaching oral health to make the process more fun and successful for everyone!

As you stand in the oral care aisle at the store, you debate whether you should try the whitening treatment there or talk to your dentist about professional teeth whitening. You can’t deny that the price is right for the products in front of you, so why would you choose to brighten your smile at the dentist’s office?

Well, the truth is that professional whitening has a lot more to offer than what you’ll find anywhere else—even online. Keep reading to learn the difference that this option offers and why you should consider contacting your dentist for teeth whitening!