Image via Wikipedia

Bruxism refers to the action of unintentionally clenching your jaw during sleep and moving the lower teeth against the upper teeth.  In other words, grinding your teeth.

This condition can affect men, women and children of all ages.

People often have no idea they are grinding their teeth at night until they either find themselves waking up with a sore jaw, or someone tells them that it is happening.

In fact, many “bruxers” grind their teeth so hard and repetitively, the noise produced can be extremely loud.  So loud, they can not only wake up people in the same room, but other rooms as well.

The harmonic noise produced is often quite a bit more disturbing to others sleep than someone who snores loudly.  And it’s not at all uncommon for a heavy bruxer to actually wake themselves up with the noise – which, of course, is vibrating their whole head!

While the exact cause of Bruxism is unknown, research has found that stress and anxiety are two factors that contribute greatly to the condition.

A sore jaw upon waking is not the only symptom, sufferers also often find that they have indentations on their tongue and their cheeks.

People with this condition can minimize it by taking breaks during the day to try to reduce their stress levels. They should also meet with their doctor to discuss other treatment options that are available.

The least invasive thing is also the easiest – they will most likely suggest you use a mouth guard for your Bruxism.

Mouth guards for bruxism are available online from places like Night Guard Lab.

Bruxism is most commonly treated with a customized mouth guard, such as those available from Nightguardlab,  to cover and protect the teeth throughout the night.  It’s a very reliable treatment.

At minimum, any grinding you’re doing will merely wear down the plastic mouth guard rather than your tooth enamel.  They can also help you avoid the pain and expense of broken or chipped teeth.

However, mouth guards are not the only treatment and are often used in conjunction with other methods.

Muscle relaxants can be prescribed to patients that suffer from this condition as well, taken only before they go to sleep.

The muscle relaxers work much as you would imagine. They diminish the tension in the jaw muscles, causing them to slacken.

The patient continues to wear the mouth guard as well, just in case any grinding still occurs.

It may not be possible to completely eliminate the grinding at night. Thus, it’s important to consistently wear the mouth guard, as this provides the best safeguard and protection throughout the night.

For some more severe cases an anti-anxiety medication may be prescribed. This solution is particularly helpful for people who suffer from very high stress levels or are living with some form of an anxiety disorder.

These medications help to keep them calm and will also address the issue of relaxing their muscles.

It should be noted that, for some people, the condition never completely goes away.   And some sufferers find that they continue to deal with it, regardless of lifestyle changes that are implemented.

Doctors have several different treatment options so that they can customize treatment to each individual to minimize the negative effects of Bruxism.

As with all aspects of medicine, treating every patient as a unique individual proves especially helpful for those people who will never be completely cured of Bruxism.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Grinding Teeth at Night May Be a Sign of Daytime Stress (nlm.nih.gov)
• Bruxism Or Teeth Grinding Treatment And Cure (slideshare.net)

It is well known that how we feel and look plays a large role in how we feel about ourselves. It is difficult to present yourself with confidence when you are not looking and feeling your best. People who have missing or yellow teeth find it difficult to smile and to engage in conversations with any confidence as they are always aware that they do not look or feel as good as they should. Preventive dentistry can prevent this from happening and allow you to present yourself with confidence.

Proper dental care is essential in having healthy teeth. Taking preventive measures can insure that your teeth and gums are healthy and stay healthy. Preventive dentistry includes not only diagnosing and treating possible problems as soon as they arise but also includes education on the best way to keep your teeth white and healthy and prevent future health problems for your teeth. There has been much written about how poor oral health can affect your physical health and lead to all sorts of medical conditions and complications. However, poor oral health can also affect your physiological health as well.

We’ve all heard the comment about how such and such would be handsome or attractive if it weren’t for that missing tooth or how someone would have a beautiful smile if their teeth were a bit whiter. The people who have these problems are very aware of what people are saying about them and this may make them less willing to put themselves into business and social situations where they feel that their teeth will be noticed. While poor oral care can make someone feel bad about themselves, good oral care can have the opposite effect. The best way to have bright teeth and good oral care is to start with preventive dentistry. While it is best to begin taking care of your teeth right from the beginning it is never to late to begin a program of good preventive dental care.

If you have neglected your dental care for too long the best place to start is by making an appointment with a dentist. He will examine your teeth, find out what needs to be done to improve the situation and help start you on a plan towards better oral hygiene and dental care. He will clean your teeth, examine your gums and diagnose any problems you may have and begin treatment of those problems. He may recommend bridges or dentures and show you the correct way to clean and care for them. He will show you preventive dentistry techniques to use at home to help prevent future problems. In short he can help you to regain your ability to smile and to socialize with self confidence. Not only will the physical benefits be noticeable but the psychological benefits will as well. You will experience a new sense of self confidence that will amaze you.

It is never too late to begin a program of preventive dentistry. Seeing a dentist regularly can help improve your overall oral health and prevent future problems making you feel better about yourself and more confident when dealing in a social or business setting.

When I was young, I remember situations where I was experiencing jaw pain. And like any other young boy, I dismissed those flashes of pain as something that would go away. Now remember, I was too young to think any more of the pain, but was old enough to know that pain that emanates from the mouth requires dental care.

The pain throbbed incessantly. It was a pain that was very much different as opposed to the pain one might have if one has a toothache. I know the kind of pain that would merit a dentist’s attention, and this jaw pain I was having was not it. I shrugged it off as some kind of muscle pain.

Big mistake. After a few days, the left side of my mouth was swollen and I couldn’t open my mouth to even sip a glass of iced tea. After some trepidation, I finally agreed to see a doctor. It was a general health doctor, or whatever you call it, and his prognosis was, I should see a dentist. I was adamant and refused to see a dentist since I was so sure that it was muscle pain. I’m sure you guys understand my fear of dentists, after all, who among us didn’t fear them at such a young age right?

Eventually, I agreed. The pain continued and when the dentist examined me, he told me that it was because of an abscess in a tooth that spread throughout my jaw. He was asking me why I waited so long before I went to him and I just shrugged. Apparently, if the abscess was left untreated, the pain would go away, but then would come back worse than ever and would be beyond help.

In conclusion, dear readers, if you fell some kind of jaw pain, and you are not sure what it is. Take the safest route and visit your nearest dentist. Sometimes it may be just muscle pain, but just to be sure, it may be something happening in your mouth. Your best bet would be to get proper dental treatment every six months so that your dentist can evaluate whatever it is that’s happening to your mouth.

Image by rosefirerising via Flickr

Bacterial plaque, bad breath and dental problems are all directly linked.

The anaerobic bacteria that live in the mouth cause bad breath or halitosis, dental decay, periodontal disease and gingivitis.

Anaerobic means living in the absence of air.  These types of bacteria are mostly the ones that cause disease.

Some dental issue definitions are:

Bad breath – the odor produced by bacteria living off food particles, each other and dying tissue.  Bad breath can also be caused by other more serious health issues.  An example of this is diabetes that can cause acidosis which in turn causes bad breath.

Dental decay – caused by the acidic excrement from the bacteria. The tooth is literally being dissolved by chronically being bathed in this acid.

Gingivitis – the inflammation of the gums caused by your own body trying to fight off the invasion of the bacteria.

Periodontal disease – (perio = around, and dontal = tooth) the loss of bone and tissue attachment around the teeth. It is caused by a microbial invasion around the teeth by anaerobic bacteria.

Between the teeth, along the gum line and on the surface of the tongue is where the film of plaque grows best.

The odors and acids tend to accumulate in these areas.

Bad breath is caused by not being able to keep the population of bacteria under control.  In most cases, poor oral hygiene is the culprit.

Cleaning the teeth twice daily is the minimum requirement for reducing the population of bacteria.  However, meticulous cleaning is difficult.

Tooth brushing does not access in between teeth and often causes ridges and grooves along the gum line.

And oral irrigating does not cut through the sticky greasy barrier the plaque produces.

It is possible to use modern technology and techniques to quickly and easily perform a thorough oral cleaning, though.

Meaning, the best results will probably be achieved with an electric or ultrasonic toothbrush and either manual flossing or using a flossing device.

The key is to be able to access every surface of every tooth and then be able to remove the entire layer of plaque.

If one or more areas are chronically missed, disease will likely develop.

Often, bad breath is caused by infections from dental decay, gingivitis, or periodontal disease.

Once again, poor oral hygiene is the biggest reason for these infections.

Unknown to most people is the fact that improper flossing may take an infection from one part of the mouth and spread it to a healthy part.

The infections may also cause some gum tissue to die, which adds to the food feeding frenzy of the bacteria.

Bad breath from periodontal disease has a characteristic smell.  It’s the gasses from the disease process and dead tissue that you smell.

There are other factors that contribute to the bacteria and odor besides food and infection.

Smoking, mouth breathing, alcohol-based mouth washes and certain medications increase dry mouth.  Reduced saliva in the mouth does not allow your mouth to flush away the bacteria that cause the odor like it normally would.

In addition, the bad breath odor may be from sources other than the oral cavity.

Some medical conditions cause bad breath.

Infections in the lungs, nasal cavity or sinuses can cause odor that is associated with bad breath.  Bad breath in diabetics is a rather common occurrence.

Those with stomach acid conditions may have chronic, toxic-smelling breath.  And finally, less likely, but still possible, bad breath can be associated with certain conditions related to malfunctioning kidneys and some cancers.

Because bad breath is so repugnant to both the individual who has it as well as those they come in contact with, it is important to maintain a thorough oral hygiene regimen that includes cleaning the teeth at least twice, if not three times every day.

Want to learn more on how to reduce bad breath, have a white, healthy smile and manage periodontal disease? I have designed and developed a home dental cleaning system that uses the technology of the professional Prophy-Jet to power wash between your teeth and around the gum line.

I invite you to sign up for my articles at http://dentalairforce.com

Dental Instruments

Are you afraid of the dentist?

If so, you are not alone.  Dentist office fear is common.

Let’s face it, there are plenty of scary tools and procedures that take place at a dentist’s office.

Let’s take a look at the most common dental fears and how to beat them.

The biggest fear people experience when needing dental care is fear of the dentist themselves.

In actuality, the dentist does not enjoy inflicting pain.

Even if you have had a bad experience with a dentist in the past, try to put that one experience behind you.

Remember, most dentists are there to help – not hurt. Most people become a dentist to help others.  This is an important fact to keep in mind.

Of course, a big concern for many people facing a dental visit is the fear of pain associated with their procedure.

If this is one of your fears, you’ve probably had a painful dental experience in the past – probably as a child.

A great way to overcome this problem is to simply explain your concerns with your dentist. There are plenty of pain eliminating options available these days.  Let your dentist help you find the right solution for you.

The drill is another cause of anxiety for dental patients.  For many patients, the sound of the drill alone is more than enough to cause worry.

Try these 2 techniques to overcome this phobia:

First, get familiar with the tools (instruments) your dentist will use.

Ask your dentist for permission to hold the drill.  Hold the drill while it’s running and you’ll see there’s nothing to fear.

Second, listen to music during your treatment to reduce the anxiety of hearing the drill.

Another great idea is to watch a movie during your dental procedure. These days, many dental offices have the ability to play movies during your treatment.

Choking is another common fear many dental patients struggle with.

Having your mouth filled with dental instruments can make you feel as though you can’t breathe.

You may also experience anxiety from excess saliva that makes it difficult to swallow.

To overcome this problem, ask your dental technician to allow you to control the vacuum-like tool used to clean excess saliva from your mouth.  This will allow you to control the suction, giving you added comfort.

Of course, anxiety associated with a dental visit is common.

Discuss these tips and ideas with your dentists and the two of you can work together to make your dental experience more comfortable and enjoyable.