Manohar Dental Care Vizag

Monday, January 7, 2019

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How Do I Know if I Grind My Teeth?

There are a few ways to determine if you grind your teeth including:

Waking with a sore jaw
Being told by a partner who hears you do it
Catching yourself doing it (you wake yourself up)
Low grade headaches
Pain or popping in your jaw
Your dentist notices excessive tooth wear

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Do You Grind Your Teeth? How to Know and How to Stop

There’s no doubt that Americans are stressed. So much so that The American Psychological Association studies it.  Recently they have discovered we are most stressed about the future of our nation, money, work, our current politic climate, crime and violence.  Source: APA.org

While we take a look at stress as a reason for why we grind our teeth, it may not be the only cause. Teeth grinding (or bruxism) can be caused by a misaligned bite, sleep disorders, missing or broken teeth, or, yes, stress.

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4. When to See a Dentist

It’s recommended to have your child see the dentist within 6 months of your child’s first tooth eruption, or at age 1, whichever comes first. This helps establish a foundation for good dental hygiene. The dentist will help your baby with brushing techniques and address any concerns you have about oral care, such as thumb or pacifier sucking, teething, and more.

Always see your dentist if your baby has a mouth or tooth injury or other concern.

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3. How Many/What Types of Baby Teeth?

Babies are born with 20 primary teeth, also called baby teeth. The first to erupt are usually the central incisors which are the bottom and top front two teeth. From there, the mouth fills towards the back, with molars erupting last. Lateral incisors will quickly follow the eruption of the first baby teeth, and canine teeth will come in within a few months after that. Just after a year of age to age two, or even longer for some kids, first and second molars will begin to come in. 

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2. How to Help with Infant Teething

Teething infants can experience pain when their baby teeth are coming in. You will notice increased drooling, a desire to mouth/chew objects, sore gums, and maybe a grouchy demeanor. To help with teething:

Give your baby cool or cold items to chew and suck on such as a washcloth or teething ring or toy
Massage your baby’s gums with your fingers
Talk to your doctor about over the counter pain management solutions

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1. When Teeth Erupt

Your child’s baby teeth will begin to come in about 6 months of age, and will continue into their second year. As soon as teeth appear, decay can start so it’s important to start brushing those baby teeth with a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste (no more than the size of a grain of rice). These primary teeth will then begin falling out and be replaced with permanent teeth around age 6 and can continue into young adulthood. Check out our infographic to learn more about keeping those baby teeth healthy. 

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Four Things to Know About Baby Teeth

Whether a first-time mom, or a mom several times over, experiencing your baby’s developmental milestones is wonderful. When it comes to baby teeth, you want to make sure everything is on track with getting or loosing teeth, you are doing what you can to help, and, you may even want to celebrate it. With that in mind, here are 4 things to know about your baby’s dental health as well as some fun ways to celebrate along the way. 

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What is Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatment is the entire process of diagnosing the need for, conducting the procedure, and doing follow-up dental care to reduce your pain, save your teeth, and improve your dental health. The goal of root canal therapy is to save the tooth, which means you can get back to enjoying the food you love without pain. The entire process often includes a few visits, and with today’s technology is faster and more effective than ever before 

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Steps to a Root Canal

An x-ray is always done to check the extent of the infection and to see the entire tooth and root area.
Local anesthesia is applied to keep the patient comfortable during the process.
Rubber sheeting is placed around the tooth to keep it dry. A rubber guard keeps saliva away from the tooth that is being worked on to ensure safety.
The dentist creates an opening in the tooth that allows them to clean the inside of the tooth. If the tooth is going to be kept and restored (rather than removed), the infection is removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned.
After cleaning and shaping the inside, a special type of filling is done. Filling the space where the tooth pulp was removed helps to prevent reinfection and also helps strengthen the tooth.
Sometimes a post is used to give the tooth additional support. If enough original tooth structure is not present to support a final renewal, a post may be necessary.
A crown is used to complete the restoration.

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What is a Root Canal?

A root canal is a dental procedure that cleans the inside of a tooth when the pulp in the tooth has become infected. This could happen due to:

A tooth abscess
Needing a crown
Severe tooth decay
Facial/mouth/tooth trauma
Cracked tooth and/or filling

Often a patient will notice tooth pain, extreme temperature sensitivity in the tooth, swelling and soreness, and even discoloration in an infected tooth. If you’re experiencing these symptoms – call your dentist, as the pain may be resolved with a root canal!

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What is a Root Canal? Nothing to be Scared of. Really.

Root canal – two words that strike fear at the very mention despite the fact most can’t answer the question, “What is root canal treatment?” Most people hear the words “root canal” and think “pain”, but done correctly, a root canal actually relieves pain.

But, what is a root canal? Who needs one and why? What is the process and what can you expect if you are getting one? Here are some general answers, but to learn more, talk to your dentist about your specific situation to discover what is best for you.

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Combating Gum Disease Even with Hormonal Changes

Good oral care will help reduce gingivitis and gum disease not just during hormonal swings, but throughout your life. What does good oral care look like? The American Dental Association recommends the following daily home care routine:

Brush your teeth twice a day for two-minutes or more with a fluoride toothpaste.
Floss daily
Rinse your mouth daily with an alcohol-free, ADA approved mouthwash
Chew sugar-free gum after eating and between brushings to increase saliva
See your dental health provider twice a year for cleanings and general check-ups
Talk to your dentist about any concerns in your oral health or how your lifestyle or health plays a role in your oral care

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When do Hormones Fluctuate?

Women experience hormonal changes throughout their life span. Here are five main times when hormones fluctuate:

Puberty – Large amounts of progesterone and estrogen are introduced to the body during puberty making gingivitis conditions more likely. Irritants such as plaque build-up can increase the redness, swelling and discomfort. Good oral care during this time is critically important, especially if orthodontics are in place.
Monthly Menstruation – Menstrual gingivitis is a temporary condition where irritation, bleeding, and soreness in the gums presents itself a few days before your period, and can continue through it. Some women also experience canker sores and/or swollen salivary glands during this time. If it doesn’t end when your period ends, speak to a dentist.
Birth Control – Women who use progesterone for birth control are likely to experience an increase in gum inflammation more often than women who don’t. Birth control should be included on your list of medications to discuss with your dentist during your visits. Contraceptives can also change how other medications work in your body, so it’s important to discuss this before any oral surgeries.
Pregnancy – Significant changes happen in a woman’s body during pregnancy, and pregnancy gingivitis can happen at nearly any point. Healthy gums prior to pregnancy help reduce or eliminate pregnancy related gingivitis, but morning sickness, nausea, and dietary changes can also play a part in the oral health changes during pregnancy. Talk to your dentist about any worrisome changes and let them know that you are pregnant.
Menopause – In addition to fluctuating changes in hormones during menopause, women are also likely to be taking medications that lead to dry mouth. Saliva helps to rinse the mouth of bacteria and food particles, so without it, or less of it, tooth decay and gum disease have a higher likelihood.

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Hormones and Oral Health

First and foremost, hormones affect your blood supply, which means they impact every part of your body, including your gums. The American Academy of Periodontology say over 38% of American women suffer from gum disease, which they are more susceptible to due to female hormone changes. Not only are your gums affected but hormones affect your body’s response to toxins, such as bacteria found in your mouth. Your gums have estrogen receptors that are impacted by changes in your hormone levels, and this means when your hormones change, you may experience gingivitis like symptoms, or current symptoms may increase. 

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Women’s Health Week: Hormones and Your Oral Health

Any woman over the age of twelve is familiar with the effects hormones can have on your life.  A lesser known fact about hormones is that they can impact your oral health too. Since oral health is so important to overall health, understanding how hormones play a part is valuable as well.  So, during Women’s Health Week, we are exploring hormones and your oral health. 

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Elderly Dental Care: The Basics

As you age, it is not uncommon to see gum recession and experience dry mouth. Both make you at higher risk for cavities and gum disease as less saliva is present to wash away bacteria. To save your teeth and maintain good oral care:

Continue to see your dentist twice a year
If approved by your dentist, chew sugar-free gum after meals when you aren’t able to brush
Be sure any dentures, implants, crowns or bridges are in good condition and speak to your dentist if you have any concerns
Look at affordable dental plans that will support your good dental health habits

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