Are you grinding your teeth at night? The condition, called bruxism, can be a painful problem if it goes untreated.
You may not even know you’re doing it. But if you wake in the morning with jaw pain, headaches, or chipped enamel on your teeth, you might be grinding your teeth in your sleep, a condition called bruxism.
Understanding Bruxism
In most instances, teeth grinding is a nighttime problem – if you have bruxism, you’re likely doing it while you’re asleep and might not realize it. “Many times, someone’s spouse or partner is the first one to notice the bruxism due to the terrible grinding sounds it makes when the person is sleeping,” says Timothy Chase, DMD, a cosmetic dentist in New York City.
Researchers still aren’t exactly sure why bruxism occurs in some people, but there are a number of theories. “Studies have suggested that nocturnal bruxism is mediated by the central nervous system and is linked to sleep arousal patterns, brain chemistry, certain drugs, alcohol, smoking, and genetic factors,” says Karyn Kahn, DDS, a dentist with the Cleveland Clinic. “Medications, such as SSRIs that affect dopaminergic systems, have been associated with bruxism. Personality and psychological factors, stress, and anxiety have been shown in some studies to affect bruxism in some individuals.”
Blueberries, wine and soy sauce stain while cheese, firm fruits and veggies ‘scrub.’
Eating certain foods and avoiding others can help keep your teeth white after you’ve used an at-home whitening kit or had cosmetic bleaching, an expert says.
“For many individuals who have had good results with either dentist-directed or over-the-counter whitening techniques, a significant concern is how to keep the teeth white after bleaching,” Dr. Raymond Garrison, professor and chairman of the Wake Forest Baptist Department of Dentistry, said in a Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center news release.
“We now know that there are foods that actually help to keep your teeth white rather than stain them. In fact, it may help patients avoid the time and expense of whitening retreatment.”
Firm fruits and vegetables such as apples, green beans, cauliflower, carrots and celery help scrub teeth while you chew. They also help promote the flow of saliva, which neutralizes acids and protects teeth, Garrison said.
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/teeth-whitening.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2015-06-06 22:01:442015-06-06 22:01:44Watch What You Eat After Teeth Whitening
Brushing your teeth is not enough to maintain good oral health over time. Flossing should be a regular part of your oral hygiene routine.
Cleaning the spaces between your teeth and along your gums with dental floss is as important to your oral health as cleaning your teeth with a toothbrush. Just like you brush your teeth every day, flossing should be part of your daily routine.
To better understand why flossing is so important, Richard H. Price, DMD, spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA) and a former clinical instructor at Boston University Dental School, compares it to cleaning your home: “You cannot effectively vacuum a house with only one attachment,” he says. “You need other attachments to get into the nooks and crannies. That’s what floss does.”
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/guide-to-flossing.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2015-06-03 01:50:152015-06-03 01:51:18A Guide to Flossing Your Teeth
The sunshine vitamin’s potential role in preventing tooth decay is the latest on its long list of health benefits.
Vitamin D might help prevent tooth decay, a new review of existing studies published in the journal Nutrition Reviews found.
The review includes data from 3,000 children enrolled in 24 clinical trials published from the 1920s to the 1980s. Overall, the trials showed that vitamin D supplementation led to a 50 percent drop in the incidence of tooth decay, perhaps because vitamin D helps the body absorb the tooth-building calcium it needs.
In the trials, the vitamin was delivered either via supplemental UV radiation or by diet products, such as cod liver oil, which contain it.
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/vitamin-d.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2015-05-30 03:03:492015-05-30 03:04:16Vitamin D May Prevent Tooth Decay
It’s no secret that smoking is bad for your overall health but using tobacco products can have serious consequences on your oral health, too.
In addition to affecting your overall health, tobacco use and smoking can cause a number of oral health issues, ranging from oral cancer to discolored teeth.
“You can get yellow teeth [and] a yellow tongue,” says Thomas Kilgore, DMD, professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery and associate dean at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. “You see a lot of staining on the tongue.”
Smoking and tobacco use can lead to more serious oral health complications as well, including gum disease and oral cancer.
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/smoking-oral-health.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2015-05-26 22:38:372015-05-26 22:38:37Tobacco Use and Your Oral Health
Brushing your teeth seems easy enough. But some toothbrushes are better than others and there is a right and wrong way to brush your teeth.
Brushing your teeth regularly is key to maintaining healthy teeth and gums and preventing periodontal (gum) diseases, but it’s also important to make sure you choose the right toothbrush for your teeth and use proper brushing techniques. Done correctly, brushing your teeth at least twice a day — in the morning and in the evening before going to bed, for at least three minutes — can help ensure long-term dental health.
“It takes time to brush effectively,” says Richard H. Price, DMD, spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA) and a former clinical instructor at Boston University Dental School. “Most people just rush through it.” Dr. Price suggests setting a timer for three minutes and brushing and flossing until the time runs out.
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/oral-hygiene.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2015-05-23 10:12:522015-05-23 10:12:52Toothbrush Tips to Keep Your Teeth in Shape
These common foods can help hide halitosis — at least for a short while.
Maybe you shouldn’t have had those raw onions with your hamburger at lunch, because now you’re faced with bad breath all afternoon. Many people find they can’t hide what they ate because certain foods linger in their systems, causing bad breath. Onions and garlic are probably the most common and most well-known instigators of bad breath, or halitosis, but there are others.
The issue with foods like onions and garlic is that they contain pungent oils that get carried through your bloodstream to your lungs. When you breathe out, the pungent leftovers are exhaled too.
Fortunately, just as eating certain foods can cause your breath to be unpleasant, other foods can help mask bad breath — for a time. “It will only be temporary,” notes Gerald P. Curatola, DDS, clinical associate professor at the New York University College of Dentistry and an oral health and wellness expert for The Dr. Oz Show. The following foods could provide relief for an hour or two, until you are able to attack the underlying cause — odor-producing bacteria in your mouth.
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/foods-mask-bad-breath.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2015-05-19 23:53:432015-05-19 23:55:46Foods That Mask Bad Breath
The last teeth to develop can cause havoc for the rest of your healthy mouth. Yet there’s growing controversy about whether we really need to have them taken out.
Just as you enter adulthood, your wisdom teeth make their presence known in the far reaches of your mouth. Wisdom teeth — officially the third molars — are the last set of teeth to come in, usually between 17 and 25 years of age, in the so-called “age of wisdom.”
For some, these teeth come in fine. For many others, wisdom teeth don’t come in properly (if at all), are vulnerable to disease, and need to be removed to protect a healthy mouth.
It’s estimated that 95 percent of American 18-year-olds “have wisdom teeth, and most of them have little if any chance to function in a normal manner,” says Louis Rafetto, DMD, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Wilmington, Del.
So if wisdom teeth are virtually useless in millions of mouths, why do we have them? One theory lies in the mouths of our ancestors. Early humans needed an extra row of teeth to chew their food: a diet of uncooked, hard items like roots, nuts, and meat. “I’m not an expert on anthropology, but clearly the need for and utility of wisdom teeth in the past exceeds that of the need of today,” says Dr. Rafetto.
https://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/wisdom-teeth.jpg300702mbiermannhttps://www.mcbiermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lgoo.pngmbiermann2015-05-15 23:13:492015-05-15 23:13:49Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?
Experts say that your oral health could clue you in to the condition of your heart — so listen up! Here’s what you should know about the links between your teeth, gums, and ticker.
You brush, floss, and follow all your dentist’s commandments for healthy teeth and gums (kudos!). But did you know that those mouth-healthy habits may ultimately keep your heart healthy, too?
Research has found a surprising number of links between the state of your mouth and your heart. In fact, we now know that people who develop gum disease (either gingivitis, a milder form that results in inflammation and infection of the gums, orperiodontitis, which develops when the inflammation and infection spread below the gum line) are nearly twice at risk for heart disease.
And in one study of 320 adults — half with heart disease — researchers found that these participants were also more likely to have gum disease, bleeding gums, and tooth loss.
What’s the connection? Researchers are still figuring that out.
Try these foods to help build strong teeth and healthy gums
What you eat affects your mouth not only by building healthier teeth and gums, but also by helping prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Learn how to eat the best diet for your teeth, including the foods to eat, beverages to drink, and what to avoid.
What you eat affects your mouth not only by building healthier teeth and gums, but also by helping prevent tooth decay and gum disease. While a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and unsaturated fats will benefit your overall oral health, there are a few standout foods and nutrients that can really boost it.
How to Prevent Teeth Grinding
/in UncategorizedAre you grinding your teeth at night? The condition, called bruxism, can be a painful problem if it goes untreated.
You may not even know you’re doing it. But if you wake in the morning with jaw pain, headaches, or chipped enamel on your teeth, you might be grinding your teeth in your sleep, a condition called bruxism.
Understanding Bruxism
In most instances, teeth grinding is a nighttime problem – if you have bruxism, you’re likely doing it while you’re asleep and might not realize it. “Many times, someone’s spouse or partner is the first one to notice the bruxism due to the terrible grinding sounds it makes when the person is sleeping,” says Timothy Chase, DMD, a cosmetic dentist in New York City.
Researchers still aren’t exactly sure why bruxism occurs in some people, but there are a number of theories. “Studies have suggested that nocturnal bruxism is mediated by the central nervous system and is linked to sleep arousal patterns, brain chemistry, certain drugs, alcohol, smoking, and genetic factors,” says Karyn Kahn, DDS, a dentist with the Cleveland Clinic. “Medications, such as SSRIs that affect dopaminergic systems, have been associated with bruxism. Personality and psychological factors, stress, and anxiety have been shown in some studies to affect bruxism in some individuals.”
Read more
Watch What You Eat After Teeth Whitening
/in Teeth WhiteningBlueberries, wine and soy sauce stain while cheese, firm fruits and veggies ‘scrub.’
Eating certain foods and avoiding others can help keep your teeth white after you’ve used an at-home whitening kit or had cosmetic bleaching, an expert says.
“For many individuals who have had good results with either dentist-directed or over-the-counter whitening techniques, a significant concern is how to keep the teeth white after bleaching,” Dr. Raymond Garrison, professor and chairman of the Wake Forest Baptist Department of Dentistry, said in a Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center news release.
“We now know that there are foods that actually help to keep your teeth white rather than stain them. In fact, it may help patients avoid the time and expense of whitening retreatment.”
Firm fruits and vegetables such as apples, green beans, cauliflower, carrots and celery help scrub teeth while you chew. They also help promote the flow of saliva, which neutralizes acids and protects teeth, Garrison said.
Read more
A Guide to Flossing Your Teeth
/in General Care, Oral HygieneBrushing your teeth is not enough to maintain good oral health over time. Flossing should be a regular part of your oral hygiene routine.
Cleaning the spaces between your teeth and along your gums with dental floss is as important to your oral health as cleaning your teeth with a toothbrush. Just like you brush your teeth every day, flossing should be part of your daily routine.
To better understand why flossing is so important, Richard H. Price, DMD, spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA) and a former clinical instructor at Boston University Dental School, compares it to cleaning your home: “You cannot effectively vacuum a house with only one attachment,” he says. “You need other attachments to get into the nooks and crannies. That’s what floss does.”
Read more
Vitamin D May Prevent Tooth Decay
/in Dental Education, General Care, Healthy LivingThe sunshine vitamin’s potential role in preventing tooth decay is the latest on its long list of health benefits.
Vitamin D might help prevent tooth decay, a new review of existing studies published in the journal Nutrition Reviews found.
The review includes data from 3,000 children enrolled in 24 clinical trials published from the 1920s to the 1980s. Overall, the trials showed that vitamin D supplementation led to a 50 percent drop in the incidence of tooth decay, perhaps because vitamin D helps the body absorb the tooth-building calcium it needs.
In the trials, the vitamin was delivered either via supplemental UV radiation or by diet products, such as cod liver oil, which contain it.
Read more
Tobacco Use and Your Oral Health
/in General Care, Oral HygieneIt’s no secret that smoking is bad for your overall health but using tobacco products can have serious consequences on your oral health, too.
In addition to affecting your overall health, tobacco use and smoking can cause a number of oral health issues, ranging from oral cancer to discolored teeth.
“You can get yellow teeth [and] a yellow tongue,” says Thomas Kilgore, DMD, professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery and associate dean at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. “You see a lot of staining on the tongue.”
Smoking and tobacco use can lead to more serious oral health complications as well, including gum disease and oral cancer.
Read more
Toothbrush Tips to Keep Your Teeth in Shape
/in Oral Hygiene, Tips & TricksBrushing your teeth seems easy enough. But some toothbrushes are better than others and there is a right and wrong way to brush your teeth.
Brushing your teeth regularly is key to maintaining healthy teeth and gums and preventing periodontal (gum) diseases, but it’s also important to make sure you choose the right toothbrush for your teeth and use proper brushing techniques. Done correctly, brushing your teeth at least twice a day — in the morning and in the evening before going to bed, for at least three minutes — can help ensure long-term dental health.
“It takes time to brush effectively,” says Richard H. Price, DMD, spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA) and a former clinical instructor at Boston University Dental School. “Most people just rush through it.” Dr. Price suggests setting a timer for three minutes and brushing and flossing until the time runs out.
Read more
Foods That Mask Bad Breath
/in General Care, Healthy Living, Oral Hygiene, Tips & TricksThese common foods can help hide halitosis — at least for a short while.
Maybe you shouldn’t have had those raw onions with your hamburger at lunch, because now you’re faced with bad breath all afternoon. Many people find they can’t hide what they ate because certain foods linger in their systems, causing bad breath. Onions and garlic are probably the most common and most well-known instigators of bad breath, or halitosis, but there are others.
The issue with foods like onions and garlic is that they contain pungent oils that get carried through your bloodstream to your lungs. When you breathe out, the pungent leftovers are exhaled too.
Fortunately, just as eating certain foods can cause your breath to be unpleasant, other foods can help mask bad breath — for a time. “It will only be temporary,” notes Gerald P. Curatola, DDS, clinical associate professor at the New York University College of Dentistry and an oral health and wellness expert for The Dr. Oz Show. The following foods could provide relief for an hour or two, until you are able to attack the underlying cause — odor-producing bacteria in your mouth.
Read more
Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?
/in UncategorizedThe last teeth to develop can cause havoc for the rest of your healthy mouth. Yet there’s growing controversy about whether we really need to have them taken out.
Just as you enter adulthood, your wisdom teeth make their presence known in the far reaches of your mouth. Wisdom teeth — officially the third molars — are the last set of teeth to come in, usually between 17 and 25 years of age, in the so-called “age of wisdom.”
For some, these teeth come in fine. For many others, wisdom teeth don’t come in properly (if at all), are vulnerable to disease, and need to be removed to protect a healthy mouth.
It’s estimated that 95 percent of American 18-year-olds “have wisdom teeth, and most of them have little if any chance to function in a normal manner,” says Louis Rafetto, DMD, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Wilmington, Del.
So if wisdom teeth are virtually useless in millions of mouths, why do we have them? One theory lies in the mouths of our ancestors. Early humans needed an extra row of teeth to chew their food: a diet of uncooked, hard items like roots, nuts, and meat. “I’m not an expert on anthropology, but clearly the need for and utility of wisdom teeth in the past exceeds that of the need of today,” says Dr. Rafetto.
Read more
Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart?
/in General Care, Healthy Living, Oral HygieneExperts say that your oral health could clue you in to the condition of your heart — so listen up! Here’s what you should know about the links between your teeth, gums, and ticker.
You brush, floss, and follow all your dentist’s commandments for healthy teeth and gums (kudos!). But did you know that those mouth-healthy habits may ultimately keep your heart healthy, too?
Research has found a surprising number of links between the state of your mouth and your heart. In fact, we now know that people who develop gum disease (either gingivitis, a milder form that results in inflammation and infection of the gums, orperiodontitis, which develops when the inflammation and infection spread below the gum line) are nearly twice at risk for heart disease.
And in one study of 320 adults — half with heart disease — researchers found that these participants were also more likely to have gum disease, bleeding gums, and tooth loss.
What’s the connection? Researchers are still figuring that out.
Read more
The Tooth-Friendly Diet
/in General Care, Oral HygieneTry these foods to help build strong teeth and healthy gums
What you eat affects your mouth not only by building healthier teeth and gums, but also by helping prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Learn how to eat the best diet for your teeth, including the foods to eat, beverages to drink, and what to avoid.
What you eat affects your mouth not only by building healthier teeth and gums, but also by helping prevent tooth decay and gum disease. While a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and unsaturated fats will benefit your overall oral health, there are a few standout foods and nutrients that can really boost it.
Read more