Have you ever gone on a trip and forget your toothbrush or toothpaste? It is common to forget when you are in a rush to make sure you have everything. That why it is a good idea to put together a oral hygiene kit for when you travel. Keeping all your dental care items in one bag, will make it easier to keep track of your dental care products. Here are some recommendations on the oral hygiene items to put in the dental hygiene kit.

* Dental Floss
* Toothbrush
* Travel Size Toothpaste
* Sugar Free Gum
* If you have Braces an Interdental Brush

Canker sores appear inside the mouth they are small ulcers with a white or grayish base and bordered in red. You can have one or more canker sores at a time.  Experts are not sure what causes canker sores, however they  do think that stress, as well as fatigue and allergies, can increase the risk of getting them. Canker sores are not contagious and normally disappear in a week to 10 days.  Cold sores/fever blisters, are caused by the herpes simplex virus and are contagious.

Cold sores are fluid-filled blisters that often appear on or around the lips, but can also crop up under the nose or around the chin area.  Emotional upset can trigger an outbreak. So can a fever, a sunburn, or skin abrasion.

If you are a person who is dealing with diabetes and needs to have a tooth pulled, you can expect a longer healing period. Any surgery must only be accomplished if the level of blood sugar is well controlled. Otherwise, you must postpone the treatment, unless there is an infection or an abscess, which should then be treated immediately.

Stress may cause you to have headaches, a stomachaches, or just a feeling of being on edge. Yet did you know that stress also effect your mouth, teeth and gums. The potential effects on your oral health from stress includes:

*   Mouth sores, including canker sores and cold sores
*   Clenching of teeth and teeth grinding (bruxism)
*   Poor oral hygiene and unhealthy eating routines
*   Periodontal (gum) disease or worsening of existing periodontal disease

When you do not have good dental habits, periodontal disease can reach an advanced level without you necessarily feeling any kind of pain, and without your gums bleeding.

Regular dental checkups, at least twice a year can help prevent periodontal disease. If you are a diabetic you may have to see a dentist more then twice a year, so go as recommended in order to detect any signs of gingivitis or periodontitis, as well as dental caries.

The causes of bruxism (teeth grinding) are not really known, however many believe that stress, sleep disorders and an abnormal bite can all play a role in bruxism.  If you think that you are grinding your teeth, make sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist. Your dentist can help you manage bruxism and its related symptoms, as well as repair and help prevent further damage to your teeth.

Many people may know to brush their teeth at least twice a day and to floss daily, however, there still are people that do not follow though on this basic dental care tip.

For good oral health, you should floss your teeth right before brushing in order to remove plaque and food particles. Then brush your teeth preferably after every meal.  If you a diabetic you may have a reduce saliva flow and you need to be more meticulous about your at home dental hygiene habits.

Many people probably grind or clench their teeth from time to time.  Problems arises when teeth grinding occurs on a regular basis the teeth can be damaged and other oral health complications can develop.

Your dentist can fit you for a mouth guard to help protect your teeth from grinding during sleep.  High stress can be a factor in teeth grinding so talk to your dentist or doctor for options in reducing stress.  Other tips to help stop teeth grinding would include: Avoid or cut back on caffeine, Avoid alcohol, Avoid chewing gum, and do not chew on anything other then food.

Periodontal dental services done by family dentist is one of the more costly dental care services provided.  Deep cleaning are necessary in order to treat gum disease, yet cost can be a factor for many people. In addition if a person needs to see a periodontal specialist the cost for their needed dental care just increased.

However by buying dental insurance you are able to reduce your cost in most cases by 50 percent. Making periodontal care more affordable.

Periodontal disease (Gingivitis and Periodontitis) is a bacterial infection that occurs around the gums that can over time reach the fibres and bone that support your teeth. If periodontal (Gum) disease is not treated by a professional dentist, your teeth can eventually start to move and eventually you can even lose them.

However by having proper at home dental and oral care habits and by seeing a dentist regularly you greatly reduce your risk of having periodontal disease.

Having regular dental checkups are important because you can have dental issue without knowing it.  Many times cavities do not hurt until the get large enough to cause issues. The same goes with gum disease, since gum disease is not painful until later stages.

Also take into account that about 80% of Americans have gingival inflammation and that over 50% of Americans over 50 years old have periodontitis, yet only about 4% are getting treatment for gingivitis or periodontitis, it is a safe bet that most Americans have gum disease and do not know it.

Another possible consequences of having dry mouth is called burning mouth syndrome. Burning mouth syndrome is described as a burning sensation on the tongue and or other parts of the mouth. It is painful and can be frustrating for a person that is dealing with it. If a person has burning mouth syndrome because of dry mouth one way to treat it is by drinking more water throughout the day.  However in some more serious cases drug therapy may be recommended

Your adult teeth should last for a lifetime. However having poor hygiene and unhealthy food choices can lead to poor oral health.   Symptoms of poor oral health can include: Spots on the teeth, Bad breath, Loose teeth or Fillings, and Sensitivity to hot or cold.  Practice good oral health habits by regularly visiting the dentist, brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and floss daily.

Dry mouth is caused by a lack of saliva or a lack of saliva production by the salivary glands. Also if a person is a diabetic, the increase of sugar in their saliva leads to a decrease in the quantity of their saliva.

Saliva contributes to a natural cleaning of your teeth. People suffering for dry mouth can have other complications such a d dental caries, ulcers, fungal infections, it can also be harder to wear removable dentures and or partials.

“Meth Mouth”  is a term used to describe the mouth of a methamphetamine user because of the rampant tooth decay that often occurs with the use of this dangerous drug. Using meth can cause decay so bad that the teeth cannot be saved and must be pulled instead.

Methamphetamine use damages dental health in many ways:  The use of this drug, can make users experience cravings for sugary carbonated beverages, which is bad for teeth.  The “high” from this drug can lasts for about 12 hours, users will normally not brush or floss, therefore leaving the sugary substances on their teeth for long periods of time.  The drug acidic contents can also damage teeth. Ingredients can include battery acid, lantern fuel, antifreeze, hydrochloric acid, drain cleaner, lye and over-the-counter cold medications containing ephedrine.  Many users of methamphetamines usually tend to clench or grind their teeth. which can cause teeth to wear down, crack and brake.

People who have diabetes are more prone to certain dental and oral problems and therefore should pay special attention to their oral hygiene.  Some oral complication of diabetes are infections and dry mouth.  Together they both can lead to dental decay, gum disease and delayed healing after surgery. Anyone with diabetes should see a dentist regular which may mean more then just twice a year if advise by their dentist in order to maintain their oral and dental health.

Some people may think that if they floss before brushing it is better because you are dislodging food particles which brushing would then sweep away.   However the benefits of flossing has less to do with freeing food bit you can see then the debris you can not see.

Dentist Jennifer Jabloow DDS in Manhattan states  “Flossing is better able to remove the microscopic debris between your teeth after you’ve brushed off larger particles that were in the way.” Therefore after you are done brushing your teeth spit out the excess toothpaste hold off on your final rinse until you have finished flossing.  According to  Men’s Health dentistry advisor Kenneth Young, D.D.S., doing this can help transfer the toothpaste’s fluoride into the crevices between your teeth, maximizing its germ-fighting action.

There are many reason why a person has misaligned teeth and having misaligned teeth can create addition dental problems such as:

*Chewing problems

*Misaligned teeth can cause a higher degree of difficulty in maintaining good oral hygiene, which in turn can increase the risk of dental decay and gum disease.

*Stress to the teeth, jaw or facial muscles.

*For some people misaligned teeth can cause a lack of self-esteem

All surgery come with a certain amount of risks, however considering that on average no more the 12% of wisdom teeth ever causes any problems down the road you may want to give a second though to having wisdom teeth removed.

Some of the risks of wisdom teeth removal include:  Pain, Lockjaw, Hemorrhage, Dry Socket, Perodontal damage, Infection, Injury to Temporomandibular Joint, Fracture of Adjacent Teeth. Fracture of the Mandible, Fracture of the Maxilla, Anesthetic Complications and Sinus exposure or infection. If you or your child wisdom teeth are not causing any trouble think twice before having them pulled.  You may also want to get a second dental opinion about having to have wisdom teeth pulled.