Blog

Spit It Out! Top Juicy Facts About Spit

We don’t literally mean spit it out, whatever it may be. In fact, it’s never really polite to spit in public (or while reading blogs online). What we really mean is that despite how gross spit may seem, it’s actually some pretty cool stuff. All of us at my dental office in Douglasville want to ‘spit out’ some of the top fun facts we know about saliva.

Be The Match

Many people every year are diagnosed with a blood cancer. A lot of times, it’s a child. Your spit could actually help. BeTheMatch.org encourages people to register to be a bone marrow donor by simply swabbing your cheek. A bone marrow match can’t always be found for someone with blood cancer, so this organization helps a lot to increase the number of possible donors. Your spit could literally help save a life.

“I Produce How Much Spit a Day? Gross!”

The average person produces about one or two quarts of spit every, single day. That’s a lot of spit! And while your initial reaction may be, “Ewww!” or “Gross!,” let’s talk about why this is a good thing.

Spit is crucial for a healthy and decay-free mouth. Saliva helps rinse away any lingering food particles, neutralizes acids, and keeps the tooth enamel strong. It also helps to preserve the soft and hard tissues in the mouth. When there isn’t enough spit flowing in the mouth, decay and other oral infections can occur. Trust us, all that spit is actually keeping you healthy!

CSI: Saliva

Research conducted at UCLA has led to even more advancements in our ability to put an age to criminals by using, you guessed it, spit. Our saliva contains DNA, and over time, the DNA in the saliva changes. Essentially, this means that science and spit can help predict a person’s age to within five years. Why five years? Because the DNA breakdown isn’t necessarily an indicator of true age, but of what’s called biological age.

This breakthrough could help doctors too. If they know your biological age, they’ll have a better idea of how old you really are and can better decide what’s the most important treatment or what you’re more at risk for.

Yes, spit can be gross, but it can also be extremely helpful at keeping your mouth healthy and cavity free. Another thing that helps with both? Regular visits to my Douglasville dental office. If it’s been awhile since you’ve seen a dentist, give us call! We welcome you, and your spit (it is part of what we do), any time!

Serving patients from Douglasville, Lithia Springs, Villa Ricca, and surrounding areas.

Seniors and Oral Health

A common misconception is that as we age, we must lose our natural teeth. That’s not necessarily always true. With a lifetime of proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits to my Douglasville dental office, it’s possible to keep your teeth for your whole life. However dental care for seniors becomes particularly important.

Gum Disease

People of all ages are at risk for developing gum disease; however, by age 65, 1 in every 4 will have this dangerous disease. While it is treatable, it’s important to catch it early before it has a chance to affect the rest of the body. This makes regular visits to your dentist in Douglasville extremely important, especially for our senior citizens.

Gum disease may lead to some scary and unpleasant whole-body health problems and even more issues in the mouth. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, 20-30 percent of adults have gum disease severe enough to lose their teeth. And that’s not all. Gum disease has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. To help keep your gums safe, avoid the following:

• Smoking
• Poor diet
• Inadequate oral hygiene

Dry Mouth

As we age, the number of medications we take tends to increase. While this change is good for helping ease any problems you may have, it can be detrimental to your oral health. Many medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, may cause dry mouth. Dry mouth is an uncomfortable and dangerous problem as it greatly increases the chance of decay, gum disease, and other oral infections.

Whole Body

Your mouth is directly linked with the rest of your body. If you want to keep your body in tip-top shape, you need to take care of your mouth. Additionally, it’s incredibly important to let your dentist in Douglasville know of any health conditions you may have, including, but not limited to, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, as these can all affect your oral health and will dictate the path of treatment most appropriate to you.

We always encourage you to maintain proper oral hygiene and keep up with regular dental appointments for optimal overall health, especially as you age. Seniors are important individuals to all of us here at my dental office in Douglasville, and we love to care for some of the most special smiles.

Serving patients from Douglasville, Lithia Springs, Villa Ricca, and surrounding areas.