However, if you’ve noticed you have a headache when waking up, an aching jaw, or sensitive teeth, it’s possible that you grind your teeth and are causing damage to your smile without realizing it. What are the consequences of bruxism? They might be more serious than you think!

Tooth Fractures

Due to the immense pressure placed on teeth during teeth grinding, teeth can chip or break. Some people may notice what are called craze lines, or superficial cracks in the teeth that may affect the appearance of your tooth enamel. Others may have a deep crack or severely chipped teeth over time due to teeth grinding. Teeth can also break horizontally, and become worn- down, causing severe tooth sensitivity and the need for restorative dental work such as dental crowns or veneers [1].

Gum Inflammation

Teeth aren’t the only ones affected by bruxism—your gum tissue is impacted as well. In fact, bruxism can cause gum inflammation similar to that seen in gum disease, and can cause gums to pull back from the teeth in a condition called gum recession [2]. It’s suspected that the pressure placed on teeth as well as tooth roots in people with bruxism can cause this inflammation and recession seen in gum tissue.

Jaw Pain

Although occasional teeth grinding may not lead to jaw discomfort, chronic bruxism can cause inflammation and stress on your jaw joints, also called your temporomandibular joints. You may begin experiencing jaw stiffness and soreness, an inability to open your mouth all the way, or a clicking or popping noise when speaking or chewing. All of these are symptoms of TMJ disorders, which have been linked to bruxism [3].

Tooth Loss

If left untreated, chronic bruxism can cause such damage that it can lead to tooth loss. What happens is that gum tissue becomes inflamed, teeth become loose, and the consistent grinding of the teeth can cause teeth to become loose and eventually fall out. Bruxism can also cause damage to the alveolar bone, which is the bone that surrounds your teeth, which can accelerate tooth loss as well [4].

Are You a Teeth Grinder?

Bruxism can be managed and treated to prevent damage to your teeth and gums. If you suspect you grind your teeth, don’t hesitate to reach out to your dentist. Your dentist can also check for signs of teeth grinding during your regular exam. Treatment may be as simple as reducing your caffeine intake, or wearing a mouthguard to protect your teeth!

Sources:
1. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/teeth-grinding/
2. https://www.medicinenet.com/teeth_grinding_bruxism/article.htm
3. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/teeth-grinding.html
4. https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/shows.php?shows=0_xnrbtnca

The post Consequences of Teeth Grinding (Bruxism) appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

But how can you keep your teeth bright after getting a professional whitening? Here are the top ways you can protect the color of your smile to keep your teeth as white as possible for as long as possible!

Keep Up With Your Regular Teeth Cleanings

Regular teeth cleanings with your dentist help remove surface stains that can affect the appearance of your smile [1]. When you skip your professional teeth cleanings, these stains can accumulate over time, leaving you with a dull or discolored smile. Seeing your dentist regularly for teeth cleanings is one of the best ways to protect your new white teeth!

Use a Straw

If you’re a coffee, soda, tea, or wine lover, these beverages can stain your tooth enamel over time. Although you don’t have to give them up completely to keep your smile white, using a straw can help the liquids bypass your teeth and prevent them from staining your tooth enamel. Try using a reusable straw at home for your favorite beverages that stain teeth.

Ask Your Dentist About Take-Home Kits

When getting your professional teeth whitening, you can ask your dentist about any take-home or on-the-go kits they may offer so you can touch-up your teeth whitening over time. Many teeth whitening brands provide touch-up kits that are available through your dentist, and provide a stronger concentration of the whitening agent than over-the-counter options [2]. Ask your dentist about these take-home options to keep your smile looking great!

Drink Water When Eating

It’s no secret that water is a friend to your smile—it helps prevent dry mouth, bad breath, and keeps your teeth cleaner. But did you know that drinking water can help prevent teeth staining? That’s right, sipping water when eating, or consuming tooth-staining beverages, can help buffer your teeth from the compounds that can stain teeth. Plus, many tap water supplies contain fluoride, which can help keep your tooth enamel strong as an added bonus [3].

Considering a Professional Teeth Whitening?

Although a professional teeth whitening may not last forever, you can certainly extend the life of your white smile and keep it bright for as long as possible with the above tips. Ask your dentist about more ways that you can continue to enjoy your bright smile during your next teeth cleaning!

Sources:
1. https://www.nature.com/articles/bdjteam2017175
2. https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/whitening
3. https://now.tufts.edu/articles/what-causes-discolored-teeth-and-there-any-way-cure-

The post How to Keep Teeth Bright After Whitening appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

When tooth enamel is gone, it exposes dentin, the softer layer underneath. Dentin has small, tube-like structures that carry the temperatures from what we eat or drink directly to the nerves at the center of the tooth, which results in sensitivity.

Enamel is designed to protect your teeth, but when your tooth or tooth enamel has been damaged, sensitivity can be one of the first signs that something’s wrong. Here are the top causes of tooth sensitivity!

Aggressive Tooth Brushing

Brushing your teeth too hard can damage your tooth enamel over time, leading to tooth sensitivity. If you’re brushing your teeth with a stiff-bristled toothbrush, it’s time to switch to something softer—the American Dental Association recommends using a toothbrush with soft bristles [2]. You should also replace your toothbrush as soon as the bristles start fraying to prevent damage to your gums!

Teeth Grinding (or Bruxism)

Many people grind their teeth at night and don’t realize it. Teeth grinding, also called bruxism, usually happens when you’re not aware of it. However, your dentist can usually tell if you’re grinding your teeth. Bruxism can put immense stress on your pearly whites, leading to cracked or broken teeth and even gum recession, all of which can cause tooth sensitivity [3].

A Diet Lacking in Nutrients

Your tooth enamel needs nutrients to stay strong and healthy. Eating a diet with enough calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and vitamin C can support healthy teeth and gums. However, if you eat a diet with a lot of acidic or sugary foods and drinks, it can create an acidic environment in your oral cavity, which can cause tooth enamel to become damaged over time [4].

Gum Disease

Your gums help support your teeth, but they also protect your tooth roots from exposure. When you have gum disease, the gum tissue can begin to pull back from the teeth, which can cause tooth roots to become exposed [5]. This exposure can cause painful sensitivity to hot and cold drinks and even cold air if the tooth is located in the front of the mouth!

Damage to the Teeth

Many kinds of damage to the teeth can lead to tooth sensitivity. For example, if you have a cavity, a broken or chipped tooth, or even a dental restoration that needs to be replaced, you may experience tooth sensitivity [6]. This is because these oral health problems can cause damage to your tooth enamel.

Are Your Teeth Sensitive?

If you have sensitive teeth, your dentist can help you determine the cause and put a treatment plan in place. You don’t have to live with the pain or discomfort of tooth sensitivity—schedule an appointment with your dentist today to start enjoying the foods you love again!

Sources:
1. http://knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?abc=S&iid=329&aid=1319
2. https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/toothbrushes
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3081266/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862385/
5. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/10954-teeth-sensitivity
6. https://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science%20and%20Research/Files/patient_33.pdf?

The post What Causes Tooth Sensitivity? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Damages Your Tooth Enamel

Since alcohol is so acidic, it can wear away tooth enamel over time. Generally, the more acidic your drink is, the worse the damage can be. The acidity of alcohol can vary, but mixed drinks that include alcohol mixed with fruit juice, soda, or both tend to be much more acidic than other drinks.

When tooth enamel is worn away, it can cost a host of problems. A few of these dental issues include tooth sensitivity, tooth discoloration, cavities, and even gum disease [1]. The more frequently you drink alcohol, the greater risk you have for tooth enamel erosion.

Contributes to Dry Mouth

Another negative effect of alcohol on the oral cavity is dry mouth. Alcohol dehydrates you, which means less saliva in your mouth to help protect your teeth. Saliva not only acts a buffer between your teeth and harmful acids and bacteria, but it also helps nourish teeth with minerals such as phosphorus and calcium.

Dry mouth can not only lead to tooth enamel damage—it can also cause bad breath [2]. Dry mouth has also been linked to oral health problems such as increased plaque, gum disease, and an increased risk for oral infections such as oral thrush.

Increases Your Risk for Oral Cancer

Perhaps the most serious effect of alcohol on your smile is oral cancer. Alcohol increases your risk for oral cancer, and generally, the more you drink, the greater your risk [3]. Oral cancers include cancers of the mouth, neck, and throat that can start out with no symptoms and progress enough to metastasize, or spread to other areas of the body.

There is also evidence that alcohol can increase your risk for other cancers in the body, including esophageal cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. Dentists recommend getting an oral cancer screening annually to check for oral cancer whether or not you smoke or drink.

Which Beverages Are Best?

Although alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation, the best beverage for your smile is unquestionably water. You can even help reduce alcohol’s effects on the oral cavity by sipping water with your drink. You can also avoid mixed drinks whenever possible, and consider reducing your alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day or a few drinks per week to protect both your bodily health and your smile!

Sources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5535480/
2. https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(17)30467-1/pdf
3. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-
sheet

The post How Does Alcohol Affect Your Dental Health? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

But when it comes to choosing the best floss for your smile, are there different types? The answer is yes! Here, we review a few of the most popular types of floss for your smile, and
which one could be your best pick.

Waxed Floss

Waxed floss is typically made out of nylon and coated in wax. It comes flavored, but it can also be unflavored too. Waxed floss is less likely to shred or break than unwaxed floss, but it may be harder to grip and get into tight spaces between your teeth. However, for people who have some room between their teeth, waxed floss tends to be more comfortable for flossing than unwaxed [2].

Unwaxed Floss

Unwaxed floss is also usually made from nylon but doesn’t have a wax coating on it. As such, it’s more prone to breaking than waxed floss, but it’s better at getting into challenging spaces between teeth. It’s typically not flavored and is easy to hold, which means you may use less floss during your daily oral care routine.

Dental Tape

Dental tape is typically recognizable because it’s wider than regular floss. The strands also tend to be flatter as well. Dental tape can come both waxed and unwaxed. It tends to be more comfortable to use and more effective for people who have more space between their teeth.

This type of floss can also be easier to hold and use for some people, making it a potentially good choice for those who have a hard time flossing.

Water Flosser

A water flosser is a type of device that you can use to floss your teeth. It doesn’t work like traditional floss—instead, the device uses a stream of water that cleans plaque and food particles from between your teeth. Water flossers don’t produce waste like regular floss does, and it’s a great cleaning tool for people who have braces, which are difficult to floss with nylon strands. While water flossers aren’t as convenient as regular floss when traveling and cost more, they’ve been shown to be more effective at removing plaque than regular floss [3].

Which Is Right for You?

The type of floss you pick all depends on what’s easiest and most comfortable for you to use daily. People who have teeth that fit close together may benefit from unwaxed floss or water flossers, while people with more space between their teeth may prefer waxed floss or dental tape. Whatever type of floss you’ll use, that’s the one you should choose to maintain your beautiful smile!

Sources:
1. https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/floss
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11763934/
3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5599945_Plaque-
Removal_Efficacy_of_Four_Types_of_Dental_Floss

The post Are There Different Types of Floss? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Reducing or eliminating added sugar in your diet can certainly go a long way toward protecting your teeth and gums. But how can you reduce your sugar consumption to save your smile?

Here are some top tips to help you get started!

Shop Mindfully

Knowing how much extra sugar you’re consuming is a good place to start when trying to kick your sugar habit. Added sugar can hide in foods that are often marketed as being healthy or natural, such as yogurts, granola bars, and salad dressings.

There’s also a difference in sugar content between traditionally sweet foods and treats. For example, a typical serving of dark chocolate can contain as few as two grams of sugar while a typical cookie can contain 11 grams, and a slice of cake, 31 grams [2].

So shopping mindfully and reading nutrition labels can help you determine how much added sugar is sneaking into your daily diet. If you don’t have sugar close to hand, it can make it easier to kick the habit when a craving strikes!

Focus on Fruits

A lot of fruits (and veggies too!) contain high amounts of water, which means you can still enjoy something sweet without ruining your teeth. Fruits still contain natural sugars, but their water content can act as a buffer between teeth and the sugar and acids in fruits, helping to protect your tooth enamel.

For example, a peach contains 89% water and apples contain about 86% [3]. So instead of reaching for a sweetened yogurt or candy, focus on fruits. Fruits also contain beneficial nutrients such as vitamin C and antioxidants that can support not just oral health, but your overall health too!

Drink Plenty of Water

Water can help you stay hydrated and feel full, so it may help reduce impulse snacking on sweets. It’s easy to think you’re hungry when really you’re thirsty, so before reaching for sugar, try drinking a glass of water and waiting to see if you still feel hungry [4].

Water is also beneficial for your oral health in general—water helps prevent dry mouth, which can increase your risk for cavities. Drinking plenty of water when eating can also prevent acids from food from damaging your tooth enamel, making it a smart beverage choice even when you’re not avoiding sugar!

Have You Thought About Quitting Sugar?

If you’ve considered quitting sugar, this dietary change can have big benefits for your dental health. However, you don’t have to cut out all sugar to experience the benefits—you can simply reduce your consumption and enjoy sugar in moderation to protect your smile!

Sources:
1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14972061/
2. https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/11703-ways-to-remove-added-sugars
3. https://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/article/how-much-water-your-
food
4. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/heres-the-deal-with-your-junk-food-cravings/

The post Top Tips to Kick Sugar and Save Your Smile! appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Tender and Bleeding Gums Are a Sign of Gum Disease

Most often, tender and bleeding gums are a sign of gum disease [1]. Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, happens when plaque builds up around the gumline. Plaque can accumulate as the result of poor oral hygiene or a poor diet. Some people may also be more genetically disposed to develop gum disease, such as if one or both parents have had the condition.

When plaque builds up, it can irritate the gum tissue and lead to swelling, which is what causes tender gums. Gum tissue may also bleed when your brush or floss your teeth. Even if you only occasionally see blood when brushing, follow up with your dentist to see if you could have gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease.

Other Symptoms of Gum Disease

Gum disease may include other symptoms besides just tender or bleeding gums. If you have gum disease, you may also experience [2]:

• Receding gums or exposed tooth roots near the gumline
• Teeth that appear longer
• Loose teeth or gaps between teeth
• Chronic bad breath
• A persistent bad taste in your mouth

If you have any of these symptoms, especially with bleeding or swollen gums, it’s time to visit your dentist to get your smile evaluated for gum disease.

How to Prevent and Treat Gum Disease

Fortunately, gum disease can typically be reversed if caught early. Therapy may include a deep cleaning, called a root planing and scaling, to help remove bacteria and restore healthy gum tissue.

However, once gum disease progresses, the condition can become more difficult to treat. You may need antibiotic therapy or even a gum graft to help stop the progression of gum disease.

Gum disease can also be prevented with proper home care habits such as daily brushing and flossing, using mouthwash, and visiting your dentist for regular cleanings and checkups [3]. Your dentist can also help you assess your risk for gum disease to determine if you could be more at risk based on your oral health and family history to put appropriate preventative measures in place.

Do You Have Tender and Bleeding Gums?

If you’ve been noticing your gums are more tender or you’ve been seeing blood when brushing—or you’re experiencing other symptoms of gum disease—it’s time to schedule an appointment with your dentist to see what the problem could be. Your dentist can help you take the best care of your smile to both prevent and treat gum disease!

Sources:
1. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/gum-disease/more-info#symptoms
2. https://www.perio.org/consumer/gum-disease-symptoms.htm
3. https://www.perio.org/consumer/prevent-gum-disease

The post Tender and Bleeding Gums: What Does It Mean? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Straighter Teeth Can Mean Better Oral Hygiene

If you have crooked teeth or a misaligned bite, it may be worth it to consider orthodontic treatment. Straighter teeth are not only easier to clean, giving you a brighter smile, but correcting your bite can also help prevent jaw discomfort associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders [1].

You aren’t limited to metal braces when it comes to getting straighter teeth. Invisalign can treat the majority of cases that braces can treat, and there are also ceramic and lingual braces, both of which help minimize the appearance of your orthodontic treatment.

Dental Veneers Can Boost Self-Confidence

While any type of dental work has the potential to boost your self-confidence, dental veneers are an excellent cosmetic option for getting your dream smile [2]. Dental veneers are thin shells made of strong porcelain ceramic that cover your natural teeth. As such, they can correct many issues with your smile, including:

• Deep discoloration that doesn’t respond to professional teeth whitening
• Minor misaligned or crowded teeth
• Chipped teeth
• Gapped teeth

An experienced cosmetic dentist can review your options with you for improving your smile if you’re unhappy with your teeth. Depending on what treatments are available to you, you may be able to dramatically improve your smile with just one form of treatment!

Investing in Your Smile Means Investing in You

Investing in a brighter, healthier smile means investing in yourself. Research shows skipping the dentist can result in poor oral health and even an increased risk of tooth loss, which can decrease your quality of life [3]. By prioritizing your oral care, you can protect your teeth from problems that can affect both your physical health and your quality of life.

So while you’re recommitting to your health and wellness this year, make your smile a priority, because your teeth affect more than just your appearance. Contact your oral healthcare professional today about your scheduling options for a regular cleaning and exam, a consultation for orthodontic work, or for exploring cosmetic dentistry options!

Sources:
1. https://www.aaoinfo.org/blog/why-do-straight-teeth-matter/
2. https://www.nature.com/articles/bdj.2007.977
3. https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2017.361

The post Why a Healthier, Brighter Smile Should Be Your New Year’s Resolution appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Oral Bacteria Feed on Sugar to Produce Acid

Your mouth contains dozens of different types of bacteria, and not all of them are bad. Some help balance bad bacteria to keep your mouth healthy and resist damage that can result in cavities and gum disease. However, oral bacteria metabolize sugar and produce acid as a result [1]. This acid is what harms teeth, so eating more sugar in your diet, especially frequently throughout the day, can cause your oral cavity to be more acidic and contribute to oral disease.

Acid Harms Your Tooth Enamel and Dentin

Acid produced by oral bacteria when they metabolize sugar harms your tooth enamel, which is the outermost, protective layer of your teeth, and dentin, the softer tissue underneath.

When tooth enamel is worn away due to acids, it doesn’t grow back. This can result in oral health problems such as [2]:

• Increased risk for cavities. Tooth enamel protects teeth from bacteria that can cause tooth decay, but when tooth enamel is compromised, bacteria can attack dentin and lead to the formation of a cavity, which may appear as a dark spot on the tooth.
• Tooth sensitivity. Enamel also keeps hot and cold temperatures from reaching the pulp of your teeth, where sensitive nerve tissue lives. When enamel is worn away, teeth can become more sensitive.
• Discolored teeth. Dentin naturally has a more yellow color than tooth enamel, so missing tooth enamel can result in teeth that appear more yellow or discolored.

With all the harmful effects consuming sugar has on your teeth, it makes sense to reduce your sugar consumption to protect your oral health!

What About Sugar-Free Foods and Drinks?

While sugar-free foods and drinks would seem to be healthy replacements for those that contain natural sugar, evidence shows that these products can still have an acidic effect on teeth due to their artificial sugar substitutes [3]. If you’re considering sugar-free products, remember to use caution just as you would with products that contain sugar!

Protect Your Teeth by Limiting Your Sugar Consumption

You can protect teeth by limiting your sugar consumption, but as this isn’t always feasible, you can also drink plenty of water and minimize your sugar intake instead of snacking all day.

It’s also best to wait to brush teeth until about an hour after you’ve stopped eating—brushing any sooner can damage tooth enamel that’s been weakened from acids after eating sugar. As always, your dentist is there to help you keep your teeth healthy and minimize sugar’s effect on your smile!

Sources:
1. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/nutrition/food-tips
2. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sugars-and-dental-caries
3. https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2015/11/113015_sugar.free.php

The post How Does Sugar Impact Your Teeth? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

How does bottlemouth syndrome happen? When your child drinks from a bottle that contains anything other than water—including juice or milk—the acids that these drinks produce in the oral cavity negatively affect tooth enamel. When tooth enamel is weakened, bacteria can cause the decay process or even an infection. Your child may even need oral surgery to correct the decay in bottlemouth syndrome [1].

Here’s what you need to know about bottlemouth syndrome to protect your child’s teeth!

Who’s at Risk to Get Bottlemouth Syndrome?

Any child that drinks from a bottle for a prolonged period of time is at risk to get bottlemouth syndrome and experience tooth decay [2]. Typically, those most at risk to get bottlemouth syndrome are babies who:

• Have juice, milk, formula, or soda in their bottle
• Walk around with their bottle during the day
• Take their bottle to bed or naptime
• Use a bottle as a pacifier

Children should never constantly expose their oral cavity to these liquids. Even though your baby’s primary teeth will eventually fall out, it’s still important to keep them healthy. These temporary teeth act as placeholders for the adult teeth that will emerge as they grow!

What Are the Signs of Childhood Tooth Decay?

Symptoms of bottlemouth syndrome can include red or irritated gums, white spots on the teeth that could indicate early enamel damage, or a light or darker brown spot on the tooth [3].

Your child may also complain of sensitive teeth or pain in their mouth. However, for many, cavities don’t cause any symptoms early on, so you’ll need to rely on your experienced dentist to spot decay early during your child’s regular checkups.

Healthy Habits to Protect Your Child’s Teeth

The good news is that you can protect your child’s teeth from bottlemouth syndrome by adopting healthy habits as your baby grows. These habits include [4]:

• Not sharing your saliva with your baby, as bacteria in your mouth can influence their risk
  for tooth decay
• Brushing your child’s teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day
• Avoiding putting sugary beverages, even all-natural fruit juice, in your baby’s bottle
• Never letting your child take a bottle to bed
• Teaching your child to drink from a cup by their first birthday
• Taking your child to their dentist for regular checkups, starting around their first
  birthday

If you have any questions about what’s safe for your child’s smile when it comes to bottle use, don’t hesitate to ask your kid-friendly dentist. While bottle use is safe and even necessary for some children, you can protect your baby’s smile by following the above tips and being aware of the signs of early tooth decay!

Sources:
1. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/oral-
2. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/teething-tooth-
3. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/b/baby-bottle-tooth-decay

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