Dr. Stephen Jarvie knows your dental health is closely connected to your overall health. We also know the mouth can oftentimes be the first place to indicate signs of health issues in the body. Recently, we found a helpful article that outlined seven warning signs that indicate it might be time to check in with Dr. Jarvie and team.

Flat, worn teeth plus headache (sign of stress)
Grind, grind, grind .... grind. If you live with a teeth grinder, you’re probably familiar with this unpleasant sound. Emotional or psychological stress can definitely contribute to teeth grinding. In addition, headaches, which are caused by spasms in the muscles, can radiate from the mouth and head down to the neck and upper back. Night guards, which we proudly provide at Dr. Stephen Jarvie, may relieve the symptoms, as well as protect your teeth.

Cracking, crumbling teeth (sign of Gastroesophageal reflux disease)
As we age we may notice that the enamel on our teeth starts to chip at the edges of our front teeth or form hollowed out “wells” on the surface of our molars. These symptoms may be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, which is a chronic digestive disease that occurs when stomach acid—and occasionally, bile—flows back into your food pipe. Other signs and symptoms of GERD include acid reflux, dry mouth and heartburn.

Sores that won’t go away (sign of oral cancer)
More than 21,000 men and 9,000 women are diagnosed with oral cancer annually, according to the National Cancer Institute. Those most affected include the elderly (most are over the age of 60) and smokers. The survival rate for oral cancer is 35 percent. When an open sore in the mouth doesn't go away within a week or two, or when you experience unexplained bleeding or numbness, it’s always a good idea to visit Dr. Stephen Jarvie so that we may rule out oral cancer. A lot of sores and ulcers may lurk underneath your tongue, where they are difficult to find.

Gums growing over teeth (sign of medication problems)
If you notice your gum growing over your tooth, and you're taking a prescribed or other medication, please give us a call as soon as possible. Certain medications may cause the gums to overgrow; the dosage will need to be adjusted, but it’s important we take a look.

Dry mouth (sign of Sjogren’s syndrome, diabetes)
Many things are known to cause dry mouth, but a lack of sufficient saliva is also an early warning of Sjogren's syndrome, as well as diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, 17 million Americans suffer from type 1 or type 2 diabetes, which is a metabolic disease caused by high blood sugar. Other signs of diabetes include excessive thirst, tingling in the hands or feet, frequent urination, blurred vision and weight loss.
Sjogren's syndrome, which affects approximately anywhere between 1-to-4 million Americans, causes white blood cells of the body attack—for unknown reasons—their moisture-producing glands. Symptoms also include dry eyes, as well as the mouth, but the rest of the body is affected by the disorder.

White webbing inside cheeks (sign of Lichen planus)
Lichen planus, whose cause is unknown, is an inflammatory skin disease that usually affects the skin, mouth, or both, according to the Mayo Clinic. On the skin it manifests with small purplish bumps while in the mouth it takes the appearance of a whitish, lacy pattern on the insides of the cheeks. The disease can't be passed from one person to another. Lichen planus may require relatively simple at-home care or no treatment. When symptoms are severe, such as pain or significant itching, please give us a call.

Crusting dentures (sign of pneumonia)
Older folks are known to inhale debris around the teeth and dentures, and inadvertently breathe in other materials into the lungs and airway, causing dangerous (even fatal) inflammation. Be sure to remove and wash dentures on a regular basis.

Give us a call if you have questions and if you mention this blog at your next appointment, get a free Velscope oral cancer screening!

Dr. Stephen Jarvie and our team know having an attractive smile puts a spring in your step—or two—as well as increases your self-confidence, no matter if you’re 14 or in your late forties. Smiling not only makes people happy and puts them in a good mood, doing it often can even help you live longer, according to previous studies!

If you’ve been hiding your smile because you have missing teeth or a gummy smile, it’s time to consider treatment with Dr. Stephen Jarvie. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn how quickly and efficiently today’s most advanced technologies can be !

Don’t hide your smile any longer—give us a call today to schedule your consultation. Mention this blog and save 15% off home whitening kits for our Orthodontic patients through Ultradent!

Dr. Stephen Jarvie knows image is everything. May happens to be National Teen Self-Esteem Month, and during this time, parents are encouraged to act as positive role models, help stop negative self-images, and improve confidence and security among teenagers.

We know one of the great ways to improve your confidence is to improve your smile. And that begins with a visit to our office. Has your child visited our office in the past six months for his or her regular check-up? We invite you to give us a call to book your appointment!

Be sure to mention this blog to get a 15% discount on home whitening kits for teens!

We are living in an age with a renewed commitment to conservation, and are frequently reminded to recycle, reduce and reuse. Last Sunday marked Earth Day, so today we thought we would discuss some of the things we do to conserve our natural resources and the environment.

We are committed to using only nontoxic cleaning products, and we actively recycle any recyclable items in our office! Each day, we strive to be more conscientious of our impact on the planet, and we do our very best to make sure that we are doing everything we can to be as green as possible.

Our office is also digitalized, which means we can operate without the use of large amounts of paper and printing materials. The information in our office can be sent and processed digitally, which is also more efficient. We take all of the steps possible to be a 'green' office, making us better for the planet and more convenient for our patients. We also encourage our patients to help us conserve energy by providing their email addresses for our correspondence. We can all help make our planet a better place!

We would love to hear how you minimize your impact on the environment. Leave us a comment below or post on our Facebook page!