Talkin' gum disease with Bridgeview Dental

Our staff discussed gum disease and the benefits of dairy in your diet last week, and thought we'd follow-up a little more on gum disease today.

It’s easy to tell when you have a cavity, but unfortunately, periodontal disease, or gum disease, can exist in your mouth without you even knowing. In fact, you can have the beginning stages of gum disease without noticing any pain or discomfort. Since gum disease can be undetectable, Drs. Briles and Parks will tell you it’s important to watch for the following warning signs in order to prevent the disease from worsening!

• Gums that appear red or swollen
• Gums that feel tender
• Gums that bleed easily (during brushing or flossing)
• Gums that recede or pull away from the teeth
• Persistent halitosis, or bad breath
• Loose teeth
• Any change in the way teeth come together in the biting position
• Any change in the way partial dentures fit

If you or someone in your family is showing these signs, please schedule an appointment with Bridgeview Dental right away by calling 971.285.3726. We can diagnose the problem and begin treatment to save your teeth and give you back a healthy mouth!

Enjoy the rest of your Memorial Day weekend!!

Your pal, dairy! From Bridgeview Dental

Our team at Bridgeview Dental want to know: is dairy a major part of your diet? If not, it probably should be. A study conducted in 2008 found that regular consumption of dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, can lower your chances of contracting periodontal disease, or gum disease.

Gum disease is caused by a bacterial infection in the mouth that affects the gums and jaw. Gum disease results in a loss of teeth and bone, and has been connected in studies to certain cases of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease and osteoporosis.

Results of the study show that adults who consume at least 55 grams of lactic acid a day are less at risk for gum disease. Eating dairy is not just healthy for building strong bones, but is also essential for maintaining a strong, healthy mouth. So the next time you reach for a quick snack, choose some cheese or a glass of milk, and remember that with each bite and sip you are preserving your teeth for a lifetime of great smiles!

For more information about the health benefits of eating dairy or keeping your teeth healthy, please give us a call at 503.224.9130.

Connect with Bridgeview Dental on Facebook!

At Bridgeview Dental, we value the relationships we have developed with our patients in both Portland and surrounding communities. Even if you only visit us every few months, did you know that you can now connect with Drs. Parks and Briles on our Facebook page?

We invite you to “like” Bridgeview Dental on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BridgeviewDental. We share office news and updates on our Fan Page, so check it out! By Liking our page, you will receive updates from our office automatically on Facebook!

See you on Facebook and enjoy your week,

- Drs. Parks and Briles and the Bridgeview Dental staff

Write a Review of Bridgeview Dental!

Our team at Bridgeview Dental provides full-scope dental care for the whole family from preventative hygiene to implant and cosmetic dentistry. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality dental service using state-of-the-art technology with the utmost precision and comfort.

Whether you've visited our office for a week, months or years, Drs. Briles and Parks would love to hear your feedback about the way we run our office. There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice with the rest of the world, but we encourage you to head to our Google Local page and write a review there.

After all, reviews help Drs. Briles and Parks create more and more beautiful smiles here in Portland. We look forward to reading your reviews!

Bridgeview Dental, supporting National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

You might not know it, but May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. In 1983, President Reagan encouraged Americans to include more physical activity into our lives, and the reminder is even more significant today as more and more people are distracted by television, social networking and working more hours. Living an active lifestyle can - and does - improve physical and mental health, productivity and overall well-being. The best part? It doesn’t have to take a lot of time or effort.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided these public health guidelines for your reference. The guidelines call for people to exercise one hour every day of moderate intensity physical activity (such as playing sports or brisk walking) or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity (jogging, jumping rope or dancing).

At Bridgeview Dental, we always encourage our patients to exercise or participate in sports (luckily, Portland happens to be one of the more fittest cities in the U.S.) However, we want to remind you to always wear a mouth guard or other forms of mouth or facial protection when doing so. To learn more about how often you should exercise, we recommend you check out these helpful tips, courtesy of our friends at the American Heart Association.