Salivary Sample Tests – What They Can Do

Saliva has a significant role in supporting the health of soft and hard tissues in the mouth. The defensive functions of saliva include maintaining a neutral oral pH, cleaning and remineralizing the dentition, aiding swallowing and digestion, and protecting oral tissue. Reduced salivary secretion can lead to multiple oral problems, such as dental caries, fungal infections, mucositis, and periodontal diseases. Saliva is also regarded as the mirror of the body, reflecting the overall patient's state of health.

Diagnostic Tool

The diagnostic properties of saliva are readily accessible, and the sample collection is non-invasive. A sample can be tested for proteins, electrolytes, hormones, antibodies, as well as other substances. The benefits are even greater when multiple samples over a period of time are obtained and tested.

Chair-side diagnostic tests and biosensor technologies are currently under development. These tests can be used to evaluate oral fluids for disease detection, which will also enable improved access and healthcare outcomes for patients. The detection of specific periodontal pathogens hidden in a patient’s mouth can promote treatment planning and risk assessment using hard data, rather than a subjective assessment.

For example, a saliva test can identify highly toxic bugs linked with aggressive forms of periodontal disease. The salivary test report will specifically state which antibiotics will be effective for each bacterial profile. Patients with periodontal disease can be periodically tested to determine if the process is active due to various bacteria. The salivary sample test results can be used to determine a treatment plan that is individualized for each patient, rather than providing a one-size-fits-all approach.

Future Development

Large-scale clinical trials and independent authentication studies are needed before noninvasive oral fluid tests become commercially available for the early detection of oral cancer and other systemic conditions. Further refinement of oral fluid screening tests to help identify individuals at increased risk for oral and systemic diseases holds great promise to strengthen our understanding of the relationship between overall health and oral health.

Dental practitioners can better explain and link the gap between oral and systemic health by implementing saliva testing. Additionally, the clinical events and the science of salivary diagnostic testing can have a positive impact on patient outcomes with minimal to no health risks or financial concerns for many patients.

Give the dental office of Dr. Steven K. Okamoto a call to see if you can benefit from Salivary Sample Testing.

Smoking and Your Dental Health

Many people don't understand the damage that smoking does to their mouth, gums, and teeth. Smoking has many negative effects on the mouth that can lead to the weakening of gums and advancement of periodontal disease. Smoking significantly weakens your oral health, constricting the blood flow to your mouth and turning it into a breeding ground for bacteria. Smoking may also

• Give you bad breath
• Cause staining of the teeth
• Increase needed recovery time from oral surgery
•  Raise your risk of developing oral cancer

Smoking weakens our immune system and increases risks of developing periodontal (gum) disease significantly. The swelling and irritation connected with gum disease can distress the underlying bone and other supporting structures, eventually causing tooth loss if left untreated.

Gum disease is still the most common cause of tooth loss in adults, and people who smoke are more likely to have bacterial plaque, which leads to gum disease. Smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, and can also suppress your immune system, affecting your capacity to recuperate from common illnesses and heal from minor injuries. 

Any use of tobacco increases the risk of developing a compromised immune system, making it more difficult to treat other illnesses, like oral cancer. It can also increase your risk of developing cancer of the tongue, inflamed salivary glands and the chance of leukoplakia, or white patches inside the mouth.

Smoking and Your Smile

Tobacco use increases the risk of tooth decay and makes cosmetic and restorative treatments more complicated. It also leads to deep tooth discoloration, so professional teeth whitening treatment is less effective. When you stop smoking, and your oral health improves, you may still require veneers to brighten your smile.

Smoking creates more dental plaque and causes gum disease to get worse more quickly than for non-smokers. To combat the effects of smoking, your dentist may recommend you see a dental hygienist, for extra treatment. Thorough cleaning and keeping a closer eye on the health of your mouth can help prevent the negative side effects of smoking. Your dental hygienist will most likely advise you to visit your dentist every three to six months to keep ahead of any problems.

Call us today to schedule an appointment to keep your smile looking bright. 

The Value of Regular Cleanings

Not many dental patients need to be reminded that visiting the dentist twice a year is routine and important, but they don’t often stop to think about why exactly that is. Dental appointments end up being e-mail reminders that pop up on your calendar every so often and seem easy to put off, but there’s real value in regular cleanings, including:

Catching Decay and Damage Early

While dental crowns and fillings are accepted as typical dental treatments, they’re restorations used after decay has already taken hold. When you think about it that way, these procedures seem less easy to ignore and prevention becomes more important. Even small points of decay are still damage to teeth that can ultimately compromise dental health – and some patients don’t even know they have a cavity in its initial stages.

That’s where routine dental appointments become essential. During your examination, Drs. Okamoto can tell you when small spots of decay have developed, thereby preventing the need for more serious treatment and helping to preserve your teeth. Even if a tooth doesn’t feel sensitive or damaged, there’s a chance you could be experiencing tooth decay; only a dentist will be able to tell you for certain during a routine examination.

Prevention of Gum Disease

Gum disease is another common problem, but one that is discussed more frequently, as there are plenty of products that promise to help prevent gum problems and keep your smile healthy. But the truth is that it’s hard to have healthy gums without regular dental cleanings. Even with patients’ best efforts, there are places under the gum line or on and between teeth can be missed through regular brushing and flossing, allowing plaque and tartar accumulate. Though these contribute to gum disease, keeping regular preventive appointments with your dentist provides for thorough removal of build-up and keeps soft tissue infection at bay.

Creating Positive Dental Experiences

Fear of the dentist is powerful and can keep many patients away for years on end. This creates risk for serious dental problems and puts an ever-growing gap between you and your dentist. But when you visit your dentist for regular cleanings, you give them the opportunity to get to know you, earn your trust, and battle any dental anxiety, so you can have a healthy smile. Even complex dental procedures can be made more comfortable when you visit twice a year and keep up good communication with your dentist.

Are you Due for a Cleaning? Call our Office!

Call Drs. Steven and Michelle Okamoto today if you’re due for your next dental cleaning or have a question for our team.