Healthy Mouth, Healthy Pregnancy - Part II

Ensure a healthy mouth for you and
your baby!

Last month we wrote about awaiting the arrival of your new baby, and some of the risks of your oral health. Today we talk about puffy gums and what they can signal.

Pregnancy Tumors

Some women experience pregnancy tumors.  These puffy areas of the gums are typically non-cancerous, but can be painful or uncomfortable for you. Pregnancy tumors are inflammatory reactions to an irritant like plaque, and can bleed and become unsightly to some women, causing them to refrain from eating, smiling and talking. 

It is very important to see your dentist while you are pregnant. Drs. Cooley and Cooley will be able to ensure that your teeth remain healthy, as well as determine if you are prone to or suffering from any pregnancy induced oral health issues. 

Concerned About Your Oral Health?

Talk to one of our dental professionals at Cooley Smiles Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Bellevue, WA. We invite you to visit our website at www.cooleysmiles.com or call us at (425) 998-6998 to schedule your individualized consultation with our doctors.

Preventive Care vs. Reactive Care

Keep your smile beautiful with regular visits!

All too often, many assume that a dental appointment is not needed because there are no real dental issues going on at the moment. Contrary to popular belief, your dentist is there for more than knocked out teeth and toothaches. The right dentist can help with proper preventive care to help keep your mouth healthy and to help prevent more serious issues from occurring.

Every 6 Months

At the very least, you should be visiting Dr. Aaron or Dr. Brandon Cooley every 6 months. This allows him to fully inspect your teeth and gums to ensure that there are no issues that you are not aware of yet. When you let conditions with your teeth get out of hand, the resolution can be rather invasive. By keeping your twice yearly appointments, you can keep your mouth healthy and your pain to a minimum.

Why Get A Baseline?

When you visit our office regularly, it allows us to have a baseline with which to compare your mouth to each time you visit. At your initial New Patient appointment, your Bellevue dentist will perform x-rays and other routine procedures to assess what is normal for your individual mouth. On subsequent visits, Drs. Aaron or Brandon Cooley will be able to determine if anything has drastically changed.

Immediate Assistance

Of course, if you have any issues that require immediate dental assistance, you should not delay in seeing your dentist. Anytime you experience pain, bleeding, a lost permanent tooth, a lost filling, or anything out of the ordinary, you should call us right away.

Healthy Mouth, Healthy Pregnancy - Part I

Staying mouth healthy during your pregnancy.

Pregnancy and awaiting the arrival of your baby can be an exciting time, but it can wreak havoc on your oral health. Your body goes through many hormonal changes, as well as physical changes that could affect the health of your mouth more than you may realize.

Gum Disease

The largest risk to your mouth during your pregnancy is the risk of gingivitis and gum (periodontal) disease. The hormones that are created to keep your baby safe can put you at higher risk for pregnancy- induced gingivitis. If you don’t already have gum disease, this condition is usually temporary, and usually appears between the second to eighth month of pregnancy. Keep up with your home care by brushing at least twice a day and flossing daily, as well as getting your professional cleanings. There has been some studies linking gum disease to premature births, so speak to your dentist about what you can do to if you have gum disease and reducing your risk of complications.  

Need to Schedule Your Next Cleaning in Bellevue, WA?

Call us today at (425) 998-6998 for your individualized consultation with Dr. Aaron or Dr. Brandon Cooley.

Happy "Tooth"thousand fourteen!

At Cooley Smiles, we're ringing in the New Year in style. We invite you to come by our offices and see the difference that our patients are talking about! From comprehensive family dental care, to complex cosmetic makeovers and sleep apnea therapies, the Bellevue dental team at Cooley Smiles offers only the best.

As you pin up your list of New Year's Resolutions, don't forget about your oral care! Is there a procedure you've needed but have been putting off? Or perhaps you've always wanted to fix the space between your front teeth but hadn't gotten around to scheduling a consultation. Many of our patients are surprised to learn how affordable cosmetic dentistry is, and appreciate the financial plans that we offer to help their dental needs and desires fit their budget.

It's not too late to call and schedule your next appointment - we're available to help you! Call us today at (425) 998-6938, or visit our website at www.cooleysmiles.com to learn more!

Flossing = Better Health!

Flossing = Better Health!

Our Bellevue Dentists, Dr. Aaron Cooley and Dr. Brandon Cooley recommend that you floss your teeth at least once per day. Whether you choose to make this a part of your morning or evening routine is up to you; it is how you floss that is important.

The Importance of Flossing

Flossing is the only way to get the debris that settles between your teeth as well as any bacteria. If food is left to settle, it turns into plaque and is a job that only your dentist can handle. Even extreme amounts of brushing your teeth will not effectively get rid of all of the debris between your teeth, which is why flossing is so important.

Choose Your Favorites

There is no hard and fast rule about the type of floss that you must use; whatever feels good to you is what you will be the most likely to use on a daily basis. You can choose between waxed and unwaxed floss and various interdental cleaners to get in between your teeth. The interdental cleaners can be brushes or sticks that easily get between your teeth.

The best products to purchase are those that have the ADA seal on them. These products tend to be safer to use in your mouth as well as the most effective at removing debris, bacteria and plaque. Each product will have a reason for the ADA seal, which will help you decide which product you are most comfortable using with your daily brushing and flossing routine. 

To learn more about your dental health and the types of family and cosmetic dental services that we offer at Cooley Smiles, please visit our website at www.cooley-smiles.com.

Chew Gum and Help Your Teeth!

Chew sugar-free gum with xylitol and help your teeth!

If you like to chew gum, you might be happy to hear that chewing sugarless gum can be good for your oral health. It is important to know the facts when it comes to chewing gum, however, because not all gum is created equal. In order to receive the oral health benefits, the gum should be both sugarless and approved by the ADA as is signified on the packaging. Another great benefit of gum that has xylitol added is that it can help prevent cavities as well.

How is Gum Good for you?

Research shows that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after your meal can help to prevent tooth decay. This is possible because of the increase in the production of saliva that gum produces. The more saliva that is in your mouth, the more food residue and bacteria that gets washed away, instead of staying on your teeth and causing tooth decay. In addition, it helps to remove the acids that are on your teeth as a result of eating acidic foods. Too much acid can cause the enamel on your teeth to break down, which is another culprit in tooth decay as well as sensitive teeth.

Brushing is Still Necessary

Even though chewing sugarless gum is good for you, it does not mean that you do not need to brush and floss. You should still be brushing your teeth at least twice per day and flossing at least once. This will help ensure food particles and bacteria that are stuck between your teeth and in hard to reach places are removed, reducing the risk of tooth decay. 

Learn more about your dental health on our Bellevue, WA dental website!

Eating Disorders Can Harm Oral Health

The dangers of eating disorders are fairly widely known, but one aspect that is not as well-known is its danger to a person’s oral health. Dental health is highly dependent on the nutrition that the body receives. When a person suffers from an eating disorder, they are not providing their body with the required nutrients, which could result in swollen or bleeding gums, dry gums as a result of a lack of saliva being produced and damaged tooth enamel as a result of chronic vomiting.

It does not matter if you suffer from anorexia or bulimia; your teeth are at risk. In addition to talking to your doctor in order to get help to overcome the disorder, you need to stay in close contact with Dr. Aaron Cooley or Dr. Brandon Cooley and it is vital that you practice proper oral health. On a regular basis you should be:

• Practicing proper brushing techniques at least twice per day. This includes brushing all areas of your teeth and replacing your brush every couple of months.
• Flossing at least once per day in order to rid your teeth of harmful bacteria that the toothbrush cannot eliminate.
• Rinsing your mouth with baking soda and water after vomiting in order to neutralize the acid from the vomit.

It's important to keep your regular dental appointments. In general, you should see your Bellevue dentist once every six months, but if you are suffering from additional dental problems as a result of your disorder, it is essential to see him more often.