Articles

When you make an appointment with your dentist, you're likely concerned about cavities or gum disease at worst. Yet each routine visit for a cleaning and dental inspection will include a basic screening for oral cancer. In some cases, the dentist may end up recommending further tests to rule out the chance of cancer. The key is to take these warnings seriously without feeling panicked or anxious. Oral cancer screening is a routine part of adult dental care, and a test or two is nothing to worry about. Learn what will make a dentist recommend testing and what methods are used to keep you safe if you show any mouth cancer symptoms.

Teeth grinding, or bruxism, occurs when you're asleep and you clench your teeth and jaw. Many people don't know they grind their teeth at night until a partner complains of loud noise or they wake up with a sore jaw or headache. While bruxism can put you at risk for chipped or worn-out teeth, there are ways to treat it. One option is to have your dentist fit you for a custom nightguard. A night guard for teeth grinding protects your teeth and can ease some discomfort associated with bruxism. For your dental nightguard to work best, it needs to be cleaned and cared for regularly. Here's what you need to do to maintain your nightguard. 

If you are missing most or all of your teeth on your upper or lower jaw (or both), implant supported dentures may be your best choice for restoring your healthy smile. Implant supported dentures may also be right if most or all of your teeth are damaged or decayed beyond repair. But what exactly are implant supported dentures? The dentists at Las Cruces Dental Solutions hear this question often, and would like to share the answer with you.

Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening medical condition. It results in temporary pauses in breathing during the night as a result of the muscles supporting the airway becoming too relaxed, causing an obstruction and making it difficult to breathe or get quality sleep. Those living with untreated sleep apnea experience an increased risk of diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and even death.Sleep apnea affects people of all ages, from infancy into late adulthood. It affects approximately 25% of men and 10% of women. Those over the age of 40, as well as those living with obesity, are at an increased risk of developing sleep apnea.

As the last few months wind down, you’ll want to schedule appointments with us here at Las Cruces Dental Solutions for anything you might have forgotten over the year. Most dental plans expire and start a new term on December 31st. If you don’t use up allowed benefits during the year, they won’t roll over and add up over time. Since you’ve earned the coverage you have, make the most of it before the year ends!

If you have one or more missing teeth, you might be considering dental implants to restore your smile but you may not know much about them. In fact, you may already know someone with dental implants, but not realize it because a tooth implant looks like a real tooth. Learning more about dental implants can help you decide if this state-of-the-art approach to restorative dentistry is right for you.

Tooth loss and decay don't have to be part of getting older. While many people assume that aging brings about dental health problems, the truth is that you can protect your teeth and gums and maintain a healthy smile throughout your lifetime. Understanding the connection between aging and dental health and the importance of oral care in elderly people will help you keep your teeth and maintain excellent oral health.

Sleep apnea is a fairly common sleep disorder that impacts your breathing as you sleep, causing it to start and restart. This can deprive your body of adequate levels of oxygen and can lead to all sorts of other sleep-related issues, not least of which will result in your not getting an adequate and rejuvenating night’s rest. Thankfully, there are some notable solutions that can restore your restful slumber.

When you're feeling annoyed, angry or stressed, a common reaction is to clench your jaw and grit your teeth. In some cases, though, grinding teeth, also called bruxism, happens involuntarily. You might not be able to control your teeth grinding or you might not even be aware it's happening, especially if it occurs during your sleep. Several factors can cause you to grind your teeth during the night.

Having healthy teeth is critical to your well-being because they allow you to chew food to make it easy to extract nutrients. Moreover, they play an essential role in giving you your appearance. If you aren’t comfortable with how your teeth look, you are likely to try and hide them when you are around other people. This is why it’s vital that you adhere to good oral health practices. This encompasses brushing your teeth at least twice every day and regularly scheduling a dentist visit to have your teeth professionally checked for cavities and other issues. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that you visit a dentist at least twice a year. You are probably wondering – why do I need to see a dentist twice a year? Here’s why…