Dry Mouth

Drs. Robert West and Denise VeyVoda of The Oyster Bay Family Dentists, located in Oyster Bay, NY, provide quality care for their patients. They treat a variety of conditions, including Xerostomia. This is commonly known as Dry Mouth. As the name suggests, patients suffering from this problem don’t produce enough saliva. They struggle with chewing, speaking, and swallowing. It lowers your quality of life while also putting your oral health at risk. Schedule an appointment with our staff right away if you notice any alarming symptoms.

 

You may not realize it, but saliva plays an important role in your life. Besides everyday tasks like eating and speaking, it keeps your mouth clean. Saliva is necessary for washing your teeth of food debris. Without properly working salivary glands, you’re at risk for plaque and tooth decay.

 

The first step at your appointment with your Oyster Bay dentist is to determine the cause of your dry mouth. Treatment depends entirely upon the source. Talk to your dentist about your medical history, along with any medications you are taking. There are over 500 different medications that result in negative dry mouth symptoms. Do your research when starting any drugs. If the pharmaceutical is the trigger, you should talk to your prescribing physician about switching to another type. Certain autoimmune disorders also put you at risk. Another possibility is certain medical treatments. Chemotherapy is infamous for creating dry mouth.

 

Once the cause of your dry mouth is determined, the treatment can begin. Here are a few general tips for reducing negative symptoms:

 

-Reduce your sugar intake. Sugar naturally dries out your mouth. That means cutting out or back on tea, soda, alcohol, and coffee.

-Water is necessary for your health, including your dental! Water keeps your mouth moist. Increase your water intake for a wetter mouth.

-Invest in over-the-counter dry mouth treatments. These are sold at your local grocery store or supermarket. They are available in mouthwash, gel, and toothpaste form.

 

The Oyster Bay Family Dentists, located in Oyster Bay, NY, are available for all your dental needs. To schedule an appointment with Drs. Robert West and Denise VeyVoda, call 516-922-5730 or visit their website.

Dental Emergencies

No matter how careful you are in your everyday life, accidents always happen! You and your family must be prepared for all dental emergencies. At Oyster Bay Family Dentists, Drs. Robert West and Denise VeyVoda offer emergency dental services. Call our Oyster Bay, NY, office right away when an accident occurs. Whether you hurt yourself playing sports, you fell or received facial trauma, we are here for you.

 

You must contact us as soon as your injury occurs. The quicker you do, the faster we can treat you. If you can’t get in contact with us for some reason, consider going to your local emergency department. Here is a basic guide while you wait for dental services:

 

-Dental crowns: whether they are missing or loose, you must locate the crown itself. If possible, try to place it back on the tooth. If it fits, try keeping it in place temporarily with over-the-counter denture cream.

-Missing filling: similar to a dental crown, it’s important to find it. Cover the area with sugarless gum for temporary protection.

-Toothaches: before scheduling an appointment, clean the area thoroughly. In certain cases, food or debris can get trapped between the teeth. This might be what’s irritating your mouth. If cleaning doesn’t work, see us right away.

-Tooth Injuries: when it comes to any injury directly to the tooth, try to save as much of the tooth as possible. If you break or chip a tooth, wash your mouth out while saving any of the fragments. Then apply an icepack to your face to reduce the swelling. For teeth that are only partially knocked out or dislodged, avoid touching the area at all costs. Reduce the swelling with anti-inflammatory medication. Lastly, we come to teeth that are completely knocked out. Find the tooth and try to place it back in its spot. If it won’t fit, get a cold glass of milk or salt-water, placing the tooth within it. This keeps the tooth alive while you wait for reattachment.

 

Your family should always be prepared for a dental emergency. When one happens, contact The Oyster Bay Family Dentists right away. We are conveniently located in Oyster Bay, NY. To schedule your emergency appointment with Drs. Robert West or Denise VeyVoda, call 516-922-5730. You can also visit their website.

Denture Stomatitis

As prosthodontists, we at the Oyster Bay Family Dentists have provided many people with new sets of teeth. When properly cared for, dentures will help to maintain a patient’s facial structure and can last for years. But they do require a patient to make changes to their oral hygiene routine, which is why we wanted to discuss the dangers of denture stomatitis.

Yeasts of the Candida genus are normally present in the mouth, but they aren’t usually harmful. Saliva contains antimicrobial enzymes that keep their population under control and washes away food debris, depriving them of a nutrition source. However, if a person wears an upper denture, the roof of their mouth may be covered and kept out of contact with saliva. This could allow Candida to rapidly multiply, creating the red sores that are commonly regarded as symptoms of stomatitis, or a yeast infection.

Yeast infections can be prevented by removing the upper denture and brushing it every day. Patients should brush the entire denture, not just the teeth, and they should use specialty toothpaste that won’t scratch soft plastic. (They may want to keep a separate toothbrush for this.) They should also brush the insides of their mouths before inserting the denture each morning. Stomatitis is not always painful, so patients will have to regularly inspect themselves for it visually.

Drs. Denise VeyVoda and Robert G. West operate The Oyster Bay Family Dentists at 123 South Street, Oyster Bay, New York, 11771. To schedule an appointment, call 516-922-5730 or visit Oyster Bay Dentists and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Wisdom Teeth Removal

Your wisdom teeth are the final set of molars that emerge in the back of your mouth. When wisdom teeth emerge, they will either come in naturally or crowd your gums. If your wisdom teeth protrude your gums, they need to be extracted at your local dentist. At The Oyster Bay Family Dentists, we can tell you if your wisdom teeth need to be removed through routine x-rays.

In most cases, wisdom teeth will grow in on an angle which can cause crowding for your teeth and possible damage to your jawbone or nerves. Wisdom teeth that develop that only partially impact your gums increase the chance for bacteria to build which leads to more cavities and gum disease.

If your wisdom teeth are causing you pain or there appears to be an infection, please give us a call. We. The earlier you remove your wisdom teeth, the less chance your teeth will shift and cause further problems.

To learn more about all of the services provided at our practice, contact The Oyster Bay Family Dentists. Our office is located in Oyster Bay, NY. To schedule an appointment with Drs. Robert G. West or Denise VeyVoda, please visit our website or call 516-922-5730.