In last month’s blog post, Dr. Denise DiBona and our team shared some major reasons to visit the dentist in Red Bank, NJ, from relieving pain to fixing cosmetic flaws. Today, we’re continuing our two-part blog series by looking at five more reasons you should make an appointment with us. We guarantee at least one or two will surprise you!

Because we truly care about our patients and take a total health approach, we can offer so many things at our office that most general dentists can’t. If you think we can help you or a loved one with anything below – or anything else – give us a call us at 732-945-5343.

1. You have bleeding gums.

In most cases, bleeding gums aren’t normal. It’s true that a little blood here and there might be a sign that you’re brushing your teeth too hard or with a hard-bristled toothbrush. (We recommend soft-bristled brushes – they clean just as well.) Often, bleeding gums are a sign of gum disease. In the early stages, you might just notice a little bleeding after you brush and floss. In the later stages, however, more problems can develop. Other signs of moderate to advanced gum disease include:

  • Gum sensitivity (especially to hot and cold)
  • Gum tenderness or pain
  • Red gums (not a nice, healthy pink)
  • Teeth pulling away from your gums (receding gums)
  • Teeth looking longer than they used to
  • Loose teeth
  • Change in your bite (the way your teeth come together when closed)

Gum disease is usually not an emergency, but it does require prompt care. After too much time of leaving it untreated, the disease cannot be reversed.

If you’ve read any of our blogs before, you probably know that gum disease has also been linked to chronic conditions throughout your body. A few include heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Regardless of whether there’s a cause, it’s best to play it safe and get your gum disease under control with help from a trusted dental professional.

Even if you think you’ve had gum disease for a while, don’t be discouraged and think it’s too late for you. In 30 years of treating patients, Dr. DiBona has never seen a smile that’s too far gone to improve. That said, you should make an appointment today if you experience any of these gum disease symptoms. Some are so subtle that the disease can cause damage without you even knowing.

2. You have headaches or migraines.

Most people go to the doctor for unexplained headaches. That’s often the best course of action. Still, it’s possible you’ve been to the doctor many times but haven’t been able to get rid of chronic migraines. That’s what we’ve heard from countless patients over the years. They’ve told us that they were tired of waking up with headaches and having to take medication to treat them, or they just deal with the pain.

But why would patients talk to us about their chronic headaches? Because we have a solution for some types of headaches and migraines. There’s a condition called TMD, or TMJ disorder. TMD is a condition of your TMJ, or temporomandibular joints, which allow movement of your jaw. Many people with TMD wake up with headaches because of the physical connection to the jaw joints and rest of the facial muscles. They also tend to grind their teeth in their sleep, and that alone can cause headaches.

If this describes you, we invite you to come in for a diagnosis. We can create a custom oral appliance you’ll wear at night. It repositions your jaw to help eliminate related head pain. It also keeps your teeth from grinding.

We also offer relaxation therapy, which may be done alone or with an appliance. Call today if you’re ready for relief.

3. Your dentures don’t fit well.

We mentioned in our last blog post that we can fix missing teeth. Related to this problem is the problem with bad dentures. For some people, ill-fitting dentures can cause the same hassles and distress that missing teeth did! Plus, bad dentures come with their own problems:

  • They don’t prevent bone loss.
  • They can increase your risk of decay, gum disease, and infection.
  • They cause sores in your mouth.
  • They can affect the way you speak.
  • They require denture adhesive, which isn’t 100 percent reliable and can affect the way your food tastes.
  • They can make you look older over time as a result of bone loss.
  • They can affect your diet and nutrition, like missing teeth can.

No one should have to suffer with any of this. It’s not normal. Let us provide quality dentures that are more comfortable and better-fitting. Our dentures are also lifelike, and we are always here to help if you have any problems with them.

Still, dentures have their limits. That’s why many of our patients choose to attach them to dental implants. Implant dentures are more comfortable and reliable than conventional dentures. Even better, implants can halt bone loss, and Dr. DiBona can even help build up your bone right here in our office.

4. You snore – a lot.

You might be asking, How can a dentist help me stop snoring? The answer is that the right dentist can help you stop snoring if your snoring is related to obstructive sleep apnea.

Millions of people suffer from sleep apnea. But millions more don’t know it. Here’s why. Sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing throughout the night – sometimes hundreds of times! When you stop breathing, your brain signals you to wake up – but most people jerk awake for a second or two until they’ve restored oxygen, so they don’t remember it the next day.

Obstructive sleep apnea is usually caused by tissues blocking your throat, or your tongue blocking your throat. That’s why you stop breathing. But blocking your airway can also cause loud snoring. Trouble is, many people don’t realize they’re snoring loudly. In fact, it’s usually the spouse or bed partner who hears all the snoring and gasping for breath while you sleep.

If you’re aware that you snore chronically, that you’ve been gasping for air during sleep, or that you always wake up exhausted after plenty of sleep (who wouldn’t be exhausted after waking up hundreds of times a night!), then see Dr. DiBona right away. As someone trained in the anatomy of the mouth, and in sleep apnea too, she can get you help.

Usually, a thorough exam, questionnaire, sleep study (at-home is an option), and simple oral appliance can get you back to normal. It can also help reduce your risks of sleep apnea, including:

  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • High blood pressure
  • Weight gain
  • Depression
  • Chronic dry mouth
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Problems falling asleep during work or even at the wheel

5. Your teeth are crooked.

Even if you’re an adult, it’s never too late to straighten your teeth. The office of Denise DiBona, DDS offers orthodontic options for adults of all ages. Sure, you might need metal braces or even want them. But perhaps you want something more discreet. In that case, ask about clear ceramic braces. These can handle the same problems braces can.

Maybe you are completely turned off by the idea of wearing braces. You remember what it was like when your friends or even when you wore braces back in the day. There were food restrictions, pain, broken wires, and extra time spent cleaning your braces. Although our modern braces have eliminated a lot of the old problems, an even easier option is Invisalign.

Invisalign clear braces are barely visible. These clear aligners straighten your teeth gradually, so you can see the results over time – without any metal! We’ve even had senior citizens benefit from Invisalign orthodontics. Aside from being clear, they are also removable. So you don’t wear them when you eat, which means you can still enjoy your favorite foods.

By now, we hope it’s clear that there are endless reasons to visit the dentist in Red Bank, NJ. Call 732-945-5343 if you want a smile that looks and feels great. We are confident we can help!