Do you have various questions about your oral health, but always find it difficult to ask when your dentist is working on your mouth? If so, you may be curious about the answers to these questions relating to individual and family dental care alike. 

Why Do Your Gums Bleed?

Bleeding is a sign that your gums are not healthy, which is due to the plaque that's growing on your teeth. It's a type of bacteria that replicates and continues to grow until it reaches the gum tissue. The plaque hardens into tartar and will cause your gums to swell up, turn bright red, and then easily bleed due to gingivitis. While the best way to prevent bleeding gums is to brush and floss every single day, you'll want to visit a dentist when you are experiencing this problem. They can help get your teeth clean beneath the gum line, reduce inflammation, and prevent your bleeding gums from getting worse.

Is a Water Flosser a Good Alternative To Flossing?

While a water flosser is a great tool for removing debris between your teeth, it does not replace the need to floss your teeth. A water flosser can certainly help those people that have gum disease, dental bridges, and braces, since the water can get in places that floss can't reach. However, flossing every day is still the best way to scrub the teeth and remove plaque on the surface.

If you do not have the dexterity to use normal dental floss, consider using a floss pick that can help you get the floss between your teeth. While you won't be able to wrap the floss around each tooth, it will do a better job than not flossing at all or using just a water flosser. 

What Is the Purpose of the Light Used When Getting a Filling? 

If you are getting a white-colored resin filling placed in a tooth, you'll notice that the dentist puts a special light in your mouth afterwards for several seconds. This can cause you to wonder what exactly is that light and what it does. Your dental filling material is sensitive to blue light wavelengths, and exposure to this type of light is what changes the filling material from something malleable into its hardened form that will not change shape. The light is essentially a curing light that helps the filling material harden and be ready to chew with immediately.