How is bruxism treated? Here are the top tips to curb your teeth grinding habit before it’s too late!

Consider Quitting Alcohol and Tobacco

People who use tobacco and drink alcohol are twice as likely to grind their teeth as people who don’t [1]. If you grind your teeth, consider quitting tobacco and reducing or eliminating your alcohol consumption to better manage the habit. How exactly these substances influence your risk for teeth grinding isn’t known, but managing your behaviors when it comes to tobacco and alcohol use may help reduce bruxism.

There is even some evidence that suggests caffeine consumption can influence teeth grinding. If you clench or grind your teeth while asleep, eliminating caffeine in the hours before sleep may be helpful in stopping bruxism!

Evaluate Your Stress Levels

Stress is a major factor when it comes to teeth grinding, so better managing your stress may help improve the condition. People who suffer from chronic stress and anxiety are more likely to grind their teeth, so trying different relaxing techniques—whether it’s doing something you enjoy, taking on less at work, or finding additional support in your life—could help reduce or curb your bruxism habit [2].

Get Your Misaligned Teeth Fixed

For some patients, an abnormal bite or misaligned teeth can influence their risk of teeth grinding. When the jaw doesn’t close comfortably, it can place stress on the temporomandibular joints, which could affect bruxism.

While not everyone will need orthodontic treatment to fix these issues, others will. Your dentist can let you know during your consultation whether or not your bite could be affecting your bruxism, as well as what you can do about it.

Talk to Your Dentist About a Custom Mouthguard

While many cases of teeth grinding can be managed by identifying underlying factors that are influencing the condition, it’s important to protect your teeth while you’re getting your bruxism under control. Getting a custom mouthguard is one way to treat your bruxism and prevent damage to your teeth that may be irreversible in the long run [3]. Most dentist practices offer custom mouthguards for patients which are designed to be comfortable for nightly use to protect your smile!

Don’t Ignore Teeth Grinding!

Ignoring teeth grinding won’t make the problem go away. If you suspect you suffer from teeth grinding, or your dentist finds evidence of bruxism during your dental examination, don’t hesitate to begin treating the problem. Your dentist can help you uncover the cause and put a treatment plan in place for your bruxism!

Sources:
1. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/t/teeth-grinding
2. https://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Publications/Files/patient_49.ashx
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482466/

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Impacted wisdom teeth often require extraction in the presence of symptoms. What do you need to know about extraction of impacted wisdom teeth?

Addressing Symptoms Before the Surgery

If your impacted wisdom teeth have been causing you symptoms, these problems will need to be taken care of before the extraction takes place. An infected wisdom tooth or irritated gums will require treatment before the surgery happens in order to minimize the chances of infection after the surgery. If you’re getting your impacted wisdom teeth removed, chances are that they’re causing you some problems. Talk to your dentist to see if your symptoms need to be treated before the procedure to encourage a smooth surgery and faster healing time!

Breaking Up the Tooth

During the extraction of your impacted wisdom teeth, your oral surgeon may need to break up the individual teeth into pieces. This would happen if your wisdom teeth are coming in at an extreme angle or if the tooth is simply too large to be removed in one piece. Your oral surgeon will cut the tooth into pieces with a drill and then fully remove all the pieces from the socket. This practice is generally easier for the patient as well in regards to healing time.

If your tooth hasn’t fully emerged through the gumline, the extraction is likely to be more involved. This is because your oral surgeon may need to cut through bone in order to reach the tooth. The bone itself may be preventing the tooth through coming in properly. The more involved the procedure is, the more likely your healing time will be affected because of the larger wound created during the removal.

Healing Time

Your oral surgeon can talk with you about your expected healing time based on how the procedure went. While impacted wisdom teeth typically require a more involved extraction procedure based on their tricky position in the mouth, the majority of people heal within a few days after the procedure. Your surgeon can let you know what to expect and talk with you about your estimated healing time. If your impacted wisdom teeth required no bone extraction and weren’t coming in sideways, you may have an easier time healing!

Although having no symptoms may mean your wisdom teeth may not need to be removed, you should always check with your dentist to determine the potential consequences of leaving your impacted wisdom teeth in. Impacted wisdom teeth often cause symptoms that require their removal. Extracting impacted wisdom teeth is a little more difficult than normal wisdom teeth, but you should heal and feel back to normal in no time!

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Although every child is different in regards to losing baby teeth and getting their adult teeth in, the American Association of Orthodontists advises that your child be seen by an orthodontist around age 7. Although not every child will need braces this early (and some may not need braces at all), getting your child evaluated around this age allows your orthodontist to spot any big problems before your child’s mouth has time to mature and avoid more extensive treatment later.

Am I Too Old for Braces?

Good news—you’re never too old for braces! Although people typically have braces as children or teens, more and more adults are seeking orthodontic treatment that they didn’t or couldn’t have as a child. As long as your mouth is healthy, orthodontic treatment is an option for you regardless of your age. It’s never too late to seek a consultation!

Should I Consider Invisalign?

Invisalign is a clear aligner that can be removed and is custom-fit to your smile. You’ll need to talk with your orthodontist about whether or not you’re a candidate for Invisalign. Invisalign could be a good choice for you if you’re an adult who’s worried about your appearance with braces or not being able to eat some of your favorite foods. However, if you have complicated dental issues and want your orthodontic treatment to be as short as possible, traditional braces may be the better option!

Do Braces Hurt?

Like all new things, braces take some time to get used to. Your teeth may feel sore or mildly uncomfortable for a few days after you first get your braces or after your adjustments. Braces have come a long way since their first introduction in the 18 th century, and technology allows your orthodontist to keep your treatment as comfortable as possible. Be patient with your braces and ask your orthodontist what you can do to minimize any discomfort you’re feeling.

How Long Will My Child Need to Have Braces?

Every child is different! Your child may only need braces for a few months, others for a few years. It all depends on the severity of the problems and the earlier you seek treatment, the better!

What Problems Do Braces Correct?

Braces can correct a number of problems, including straightening crooked teeth, correcting bite problems, and fixing jaw issues. All of these could lead to bigger oral health problems later on—crooked teeth lead to tight spaces where bacteria and plaque form, leading to decay; bite problems and jaw problems lead to improper wearing of teeth and could even lead to TMJ.

Schedule a consultation with an orthodontist if you’re considering treatment for yourself or for your child. Your orthodontist can answer any more questions you may have and talk with you about your options for treatment, if needed!

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Keep Teeth Wipes in Stock

Keeping some teeth wipes in stock or with you for on-the-go cleaning can be a great alternative for when you run out of toothpaste. These small wipes are finger gloves that help to clean your teeth and get rid of plaque and food particles with their textured cloth-like feel. Although these are great alternatives to have around, they’re not meant to take the place of a proper brushing—so only use when you need to!

Use Baking Soda

Many conventional toothpastes incorporate baking soda into their formulas. There’s a reason for this! Baking soda is popular to use not just in toothpaste but for other cleaning tasks, too. It’s safe and effective for you to use when you’re missing toothpaste or even a toothbrush. When you run out of toothpaste, everyone usually has some baking soda on hand in the kitchen! Use your toothbrush, a cloth, or your finger and use that baking soda to “brush” your teeth!

Rinse with Mouthwash or Hydrogen Peroxide

If you have regular mouthwash on hand, this is great. Mouthwash can help fight bad bacteria, remove particles in between your teeth, and leave you with fresh breath! However, if you don’t regularly use mouthwash (you should!) or if you happen to be out of that too, you can use hydrogen peroxide to help clean your mouth until you get access to some toothpaste. Don’t use it full strength, and never swallow it. Simply mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water and swish around in your mouth to help combat bad bacteria and remove food particles.

Chew Gum or Herbs

Sugar-free gum can help to stimulate your saliva production, therefore helping to balance the good and bad bacteria and even help remove food particles and leave you with a fresh mouth. This definitely isn’t a replacement for brushing and should be used only when necessary—however, it can help in those times when you find that you’re out of toothpaste!

If you happen to be camping or even if you have a garden at your home, you can make use of plants to help “clean” your mouth! Herbs like mint, rosemary, and even sage and thyme can help your mouth to feel fresher and get rid of any bad tastes. These won’t actually clean your teeth, so again, be sure to brush when you can!

Being out of toothpaste isn’t an excuse to skip your normal brushing routine. Enlist the help of some of these alternatives, many of which are easy to have on hand in times of need, such as peroxide and baking soda. Keep teeth wipes, sugar-free gum, or mouthwash on hand for when you don’t have any toothpaste!

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Tobacco use is one of the primary things that increases the risk of oral cancer. In fact, the risk increases the longer a person has used tobacco produces and directly correlates to how heavily tobacco is used.Both smoking and chewing put a person at risk.

Heavy alcohol drinking also increases risk. In fact, the combination of heavy tobacco and alcohol use can double a person’s odds of getting oral cancer.

The Effects of Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that is primarily associated with cervical cancer in women. However, researchers have linked HPV with an increased risk of oral cancers as well. HPV is the most common STD, and individuals infected with it often get it again. Cancer risk increases with the number of times that a person is infected with the disease.

The Role of Age and Gender

Men are twice as likely to experience oral cancer as women are. This is primarily attributed to lifestyle since men are more likely to be heavy habitual smokers or drinkers.

Age is also a factor when it comes to oral cancer. The average age at which this health condition is diagnosed is 62. About 2/3 of people with oral cancer are over the age of 55

Decreasing Oral Cancer Risk

While there are a few risk factors that cannot be controlled, such as several rare genetic factors, the majority of behaviors that contribute to oral cancer are lifestyle choices. Tobacco use is the main factor, but quitting now can stop your odds from continuing to increase.

The same holds true of heavy drinking and risky sexual practices. In each case, the risk of cancer is increased by frequency. If a person were to quit smoking and drinking (or at least only drink in moderation) and practice safe sex, he or she would be able to stop their odds of being diagnosed with oral cancer from continuing to increase.

The longer these practices are continued, the greater the risk, so taking positive action today is the best way to save your mouth in the future. Don’t forget to keep your regular dental appointments as early detection is the key to successful treatment of oral cancer.

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