Communicating openly with your eye doctor

Sometimes the things you don’t say can be just as powerful as the ones you do. In the case of going to the eye doctor, keeping an open and honest line of communication is vitally important to protecting your vision. Often, people will neglect to tell their eye doctor important information about their health, including problems with high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma. They may also remain silent about a family history with cardiovascular disease or stroke. While these health concerns may not seem immediately related to vision care, it is absolutely important to tell your eye doctor about your entire medical history.

If an ophthalmologist is unaware of prior medical conditions, he or she may not be able to recommend the correct treatments or medications. This can lead to serious health consequences if you are prescribed medications with conflicting side effects or are allergic to a certain substance. Before you go to your next eye appointment, make a list of any questions you want to ask your doctor, and bring along a sheet that outlines your medical history. It’s normal to want to say everything is fine when the doctor asks how a current treatment is working, but doctors appreciate honesty about your health. Being open about your struggles and conditions will allow you to be treated more safely and effectively. So, the next time you visit your eye doctor, speak up. The health of your eyes and body depends on it.

Biting your tongue and cheeks

Everyone has accidentally bitten his tongue while eating or woken up with a small mark on the inside of his cheek. But what do you do if this nuisance becomes a common occurrence? Many people frequently bite the inside of their mouth during sleep or while eating, but the causes vary. In some cases, it is due to misalignment of the teeth or poor denture fitting. In that situation, the teeth can overlap with the person’s tongue, increasing the chance of a bite. In other cases, a person may constantly breathe with his mouth open, leading to a slightly swollen tongue, which can again lead to accidental bites.

In some rare cases, a person may also have seizures, causing him to involuntarily bite his tongue or cheek. Regardless of the reason, though, constant wounds in the mouth can become more than just annoying. Over time, biting can lead to scars and decreased sensitivity, so it is important to treat the bites properly and speak with a dentist about preventing future occurrences. He or she will help you identify the cause of the biting and hasten the time until you can eliminate the bites altogether.

Caring for your mouth after dentures

Even though dentures are different from a person’s original teeth, it is still very important to take care of your oral health once you switch to dentures. To do this, you must first continue to brush every morning. Using a brush with soft bristles, you should brush your gums, tongue and palate to get rid of any plaque that may have settled in your mouth. Brushing also helps a person’s circulation, so it should not be skipped once dentures are worn. Second, pay attention to what you eat. Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is a good way to ensure oral health, regardless of whether a person has dentures or not.

Finally, denture-wearers must still visit the dentist regularly. Many people make the mistake of thinking they no longer need to go to the dentist once their teeth have been removed. This is not true. The American Dental Association explains that a dentist must still check patients’ mouths for the presence of oral diseases or cancer. A dentist can also monitor the fit of dentures to make sure the patient is comfortable and has no problems eating or talking. To determine how often you need to visit the discount dentist, just ask him. It differs for everyone, and your dentist will be able to advise you of a proper schedule. By following these tips, you can continue to enjoy a healthy smile long into your denture years.

Laser treatments for glaucoma patients

If you are one of the over 4 million Americans who suffer from glaucoma, you may be interested in a treatment option known as cyclophotocoagulation. This is a laser surgery that is designed to reduce the fluid entering a patient’s eye, thereby lowering eye pressure. According to the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, cyclophotocoagulation is generally used to treat advanced open-angle glaucoma after other treatment options have not been successful. In cases of open-angle glaucoma, a patient’s eye does not drain liquid properly, causing pressure to build up and eventually damage the optic nerve.

To solve this, some patients turn to cyclophotocoagulation surgery, which uses a laser to damage the ciliary body so that it will create less fluid in the eye. This is generally an outpatient procedure and is performed with local anesthesia. After the surgery, some patients experience pain or inflammation, but this should go away after a couple of weeks. An ophthalmologist in your True Dental Discounts vision plan will conduct follow-up exams to monitor the pressure in your eye and make sure your eye is healing properly. As a whole, Cyclophotocoagulation can be an extremely beneficial procedure in treating open-angle glaucoma, so talk to your eye doctor to see if it might help in your individual situation.

Protective eyewear during sports

It is easy to take vision for granted, especially while playing sports, but the reality is that eye injuries are common and can be permanent. To protect your vision, take note of the recommendations from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The Academy separates sports into various risk groups according to the dangers they pose to players’ eyes. For instance, high-risk sports include paintball, boxing, basketball, baseball, racquetball, and hockey. Moderate-risk sports include tennis, football, soccer and golf, while low-risk sports may be considered to be swimming and wrestling.

Gymnastics and track are generally considered safe for the eyes. Players of most high-risk sports are encouraged to wear face masks or sports goggles approved by an organization like the American Society of Testing & Materials (ASTM). Remember, sunglasses, contact lenses and regular eyeglasses do not offer eye protection, so wearers must still put on proper eye protection. Many eye doctors specialize in vision protection and sports injuries, so talk to a doctor on your True Dental Discounts vision plan to find out more information about the best equipment for you or your children.

Ouch! What to do if your child gets a tooth knocked out

Summertime can be one of the most fun and active seasons for your child, but it can also be one of the most dangerous seasons when it comes to dental injuries. It is not uncommon for children to fall off a bike or get injured during a sport and realize they have lost a tooth. If this happens, don’t panic. Teeth can be saved in most cases when an adult can quickly jump into action. First, though, check two things: make sure your child does not have any other serious injuries that may require an ambulance, and determine if the tooth that was knocked out was a baby tooth or an adult tooth.

If the tooth was a baby tooth, don’t worry about finding the tooth or getting it placed back into the mouth. It is still a good idea to see the dentist to make sure no other damage was done, but it is not vital to save the tooth when an adult tooth will soon be erupting anyway. If, however, it was an adult tooth, there are several things you can do to preserve the tooth and increase the chances of it being successfully replanted into the mouth. Just remember that the faster you locate the tooth and get your child to the dentist, the more likely it is that the tooth can be saved. If a tooth is knocked out:

• Do not let the tooth dry out, and do not soak it in water. If the tooth is dirty, put it in milk immediately.
• Do not scrape or touch the root surface.
• After making sure the tooth is clean, put it back into the socket and hold it in place on the way to the dentist. If it cannot be put back into the socket, keep it in a glass of milk to prevent it from drying out.
• Go straight to your True Dental Discounts, dentist or a hospital immediately. During treatment, a dentist will give your child a “splint” to keep the tooth in place while it heals.

It is important to remember that knocked-out teeth can often be prevented by reminding your child to wear a mouth guard during recreational and sporting activities. Teeth are surprisingly easy to damage, so it’s always better to be overly cautious and protect your child’s beautiful smile.

Solutions for hearing loss around the home

Most of us take for granted that we can talk to someone over the phone and open the door when we hear the door bell chime. But for people with hearing loss, these tasks are not so simple. Fortunately, technology has now made it possible for hard-of-hearing people to “hear” the door bell and other alerts in the home, as well as carry on a conversation over the phone. For instance, telephone amplifiers can be coupled with a person’s hearing aid to improve the person’s ability to hear a caller.

For people who still cannot hear well enough for a conversation, they can use Voice Carry Over, which is used with a telephone relay service. In these cases, the operator translates what the other person is saying by converting their words to text on a screen. When it comes to “hearing” the door bell, people can install systems that pick up the signal and cause lights to flash, fans to spin, or a small device to vibrate. The same goes for sleeping alarms, fire alarms, and more. Talk to your True Dental Discounts hearing specialist about the best options for your home to find out more information.