SCOTTS VALLEY, SANTA CRUZ CA
Finding out you have a cavity when visiting the dentist can be disheartening, especially when you are diligent in your oral health care regimen. Trying to figure out how you got the cavity even though you brush your teeth twice daily, floss your teeth once a day, and regularly visit your dentist every six months can be a challenge. However, the professional dental team in Scotts Valley at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry has an answer and a solution to the mysterious cavity appearance. How you breathe can make your teeth more susceptible to cavities, regardless of your diligent dedication to your pearly whites.
Mouth Breathing
Consistently breathing through your mouth is not a natural way of breathing and could lead to an increase in cavities. Mouth breathing creates conditions for a dry mouth, which increases your risk of cavities. Leading myofunctional therapists in Los Gatos at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry explains that saliva rinses away food debris and harmful bacteria from your mouth, protecting your teeth and gums. Therefore, when your mouth is dry, there is no saliva to wash away harmful bacteria and cavities naturally form. Also, when breathing through your mouth, you can disrupt millions of bacteria that are necessary to maintain a proper pH balance in your mouth.
Long Term Effects
Consistently breathing with an open mouth can impose complications with your natural mouth posture. Take a moment and analyze how you hold your mouth when relaxed. Pay close attention to the position – is your mouth open or closed, are your teeth together or apart, and where does your tongue choose to rest naturally? These factors can indicate potential oral health problems, as they are critical to your mouth’s daily function. Santa Cruz myofunctional therapists advise against ignoring your mouth breathing condition. Avoidance leads to additional health concerns such as an increased risk for sleep apnea, stroke, heart disease, and even alter your appearance.
Controlling Your Condition
Altering your breathing patterns is not as simple as trying to convince yourself to breathe through your nostrils. Instead, treatment for mouth breathing could improve your mouth posture and includes retraining your muscles through a myofunctional therapy program. Our neuromuscular dentists in Scotts Valley can help you stop breathing through your mouth and begin breathing nasally. The changes in your breathing pattern help improve your oral health and reduce your risk of cavities.
Suitable Candidates
Mouth breathing and myofunctional therapy are suitable for patients at any age. Since the structure of a child’s mouth is malleable, they may respond better to treatment than an adult who has a well-established pattern of breathing. We can consult with you about your need for therapy. After a consultation, an examination will provide a clear picture of your necessary treatment needs and help determine the best course of action for you.
Myofunctional Therapy in Los Gatos, Santa Cruz, and Scotts Valley, California
It can be frustrating to find out you have a cavity when you dedicate time to taking preventative measures with your oral health regimen. However, now that you understand a possible cause of a mysterious cavity, you can visit our Scotts Valley myofunctional therapists to receive proper treatment. If you know you breathe through your mouth or are still full of questions about myofunctional therapy, feel free to call our office at (831) 438-4411 or schedule an appointment to get your concerns and questions answered.
