You may have heard the word gingivitis before, but do you know what it is and what to do if you have it? Gingivitis can make your gums swell, hurt or bleed when you brush, and it can make your breath smell. If you've noticed these symptoms, you may have gingivitis. But don't be scared! It's treatable and often reversible. And the best part is that you can start treating gingivitis in three steps:
Brushing at least twice a day
Flossing daily
Professional and preventative cleanings from your dentist
How Do You Get Gingivitis?
Gingivitis occurs when bacteria build up around your gumline causes your gums to become inflamed. That inflammation causes your gums to bleed easier than healthy tissue. Your dentist wants you to take care of your teeth when you show signs of gingivitis like bleeding gums because it's an early stage of gum disease. If you start reversing gingivitis with brushing, flossing and professional cleaning now, it can save you worry and more serious treatments later.
How to Fight Gingivitis with Proper Toothbrushing
The first step in fighting gingivitis is brushing your teeth using these tips.
Using a soft-bristled toothbrush that is small enough to get into the small places like your back molars is an excellent place to start.
Start brushing with the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gum line.
Use gentle and short back-and-forth strokes on each tooth. Don't press too hard.
It doesn't take a lot of pressure to remove plaque buildup, but it does take time. Brush your teeth for at least 120 seconds/ 2 minutes. You can divide your mouth into quadrants, or start in the same place every time. Use whatever technique feels comfortable so long as you don't skip over any teeth. Make sure you get both the front and back sides of your teeth too. Lastly, brush the chewing surfaces of your teeth and then your tongue to remove the last of the bacteria.
When was the last time you replaced your toothbrush? Toss old and worn toothbrushes as soon as they get frayed bristles, or every three months. They won't clean your teeth as well, and old toothbrushes can store bacteria. Talk to your dentist about which kind of toothbrush and toothpaste is right for you.
How Does Flossing Help Reverse Gingivitis?
Toothbrushes can't always clean between your teeth so bacteria and food can hide, irritating your gums and causing gingivitis. That's where flossing comes in. According to the ADA, dental floss removes plaque between your teeth and under your gum line, removing these irritants and helping reduce inflammation.
The best time to floss is around bedtime after you're finished eating for the day as part of your nightly brushing routine. There are many flossing products out there. Whichever you choose, ensure you are flossing with a clean section of floss, so you aren't moving bacteria to other teeth. Be gentle and don't force the floss. Slide the floss between each tooth and the front and back using push-pull and up-down motions.
Just like brushing, ensure you are not skipping any tooth or rushing the process. Taking care to do the job right can help reduce inflammation and treat gingivitis.
If you're overwhelmed with flossing product choices, ask your dentist for a recommendation on the right type of flossing product for your oral care needs.
Professional and Preventative Dental Cleanings
Brushing and flossing can remove bacteria and plaque when it's still soft. However, plaque will harden over time and become tartar. When new plaque builds on tartar, it can progress into more severe stages of gum disease like periodontitis. That's why it's so important to clean your teeth! If your gingivitis has not progressed to a more serious stage, a professional cleaning can help reverse it.
Your dentist may decide that you need dental scaling or root planing. Scaling involves scraping away tartar with dental tools. Root planing smooths over the tooth root to promote healing after your dentist removes the tartar buildup.
Preventive cleanings twice a year and consistent brushing and flossing will help fight gingivitis. Visit your dentist so you can find out the best treatment for you. You don't need to be scared. Gingivitis is a sign that your teeth and gums need help! Learning these tips now will help you fight off gum disease later.
Have you ever woken up from a sound sleep with a dry mouth at night? Dry mouth, or xerostomia, can be caused by something as simple as sleeping with your mouth open or as complex as a side effect of medication. Read on to find out what may be at the root of your nighttime lip smacking.
Signs of Dry Mouth
Dry mouth can be as simple as the salivary glands not producing enough saliva to keep the mouth moist. Saliva is key to washing debris from your teeth and remineralizing tooth enamel. With too little of it, you may be at risk for tooth decay.
Aside from increasing your risk for cavities, dry mouth can be uncomfortable. If you are experiencing dry mouth at night, some noticeable morning signs are:
A sticky feeling in your mouth
Thick or stringy saliva
Bad breath
Dry or sore throat
Cracked or chapped lips
Mouth sores
Changed sense of taste
What Causes Xerostomia?
The occasional case of dry mouth at night may simply be due to dehydration, but age, medical conditions and habits can also contribute to its symptoms. The Mayo Clinic reports that several medications can cause dry mouth, such as muscle relaxants, depression and anxiety medications and antihistamines. It's also associated with diabetes and the autoimmune disorder Sjogren's syndrome. Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation, can change or damage the salivary glands, as can nerve damage to the head and neck area.
Frequent tobacco and alcohol use can lead to xerostomia. Besides putting you at risk for oral cancer, smoking causes changes in saliva production. Alcoholic drinks and tobacco also irritate an already dry mouth and contribute to bad breath.
Ways to Manage Dry Mouth at Night
If your dry mouth is caused by dehydration, treating it could be as simple as making sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day and before going to bed. Xerostomia caused by medication and other health conditions might need more help to stimulate saliva production, such as:
Sipping water frequently
Chewing sugar-free gum
Using a bedroom humidifier
Sucking on sugar-free lozenges
Make sure to visit your dentist at least twice a year for optimal oral health care. If you are experiencing dry mouth, regular cleanings can help prevent dental decay and gum disease. Your dentist may also recommend a hydrating rinse. No matter the cause of your nighttime dry mouth, you and your dental team can work together to find a solution.
Gum bleeding is not a healthy or normal sign. It indicates that there is infection, and it should be attended to, not ignored since it will not go away on its own and will worsen with time.
First understanding why your gums are bleeding will help to control it. We have bacteria in the mouth that includes germs that irritate the gums. That gum irritation takes the course of an infection. At first the infection causes the small blood vessels in the gums to expand to allow white blood cells to attack and defeat the bacterial. This expansion of small blood vessels (capillaries) allows both white and red blood cells to pass through readily. Since the capillaries are wider this is an indication that there are infective germs at work on your gums. Wider capillaries are more fragile, and you may see more bleeding when you brush. This is not a warning to stop brushing and flossing. On the contrary, the solution is to reduce the number of bacteria on an ongoing basis.
1. First things first. Remove the bacteria before they cause damage by brushing on the surface of the teeth up and down to the gum line. Where the brush does not reach, use floss between the teeth. Use a water pick to remove larger specks of food. There are mouth rinses that are antibacterial and anti cavity that will help you control bleeding gums that are useful.
2. If your toothbrush looks wilted, its time for a new one. An electric brush cleans your teeth four times faster and better than a manual brush but change the bristles frequently as well. Remember to floss every day, not just before you visit the dentist.
3. Sugar filled foods and drinks will cause damage when the residues stay in the mouth for a long time. Brush and floss after meals. Most important, rinse your mouth after a sugar filled snack or drink to wash away the particles that encourage bacterial growth.
4. Certain habits can cause bleeding gums to turn into missing teeth. Smoking of any kind is the number one culprit. This causes different effects including dry mouth. Copious saliva protects against oral bacterial infections. When smoking, medications, menopause, or surgery cause changes in salivary function. As the mouth becomes drier the mouth becomes more vulnerable to the damaging effects of harmful oral bacteria.
5. See your dentist on a regular basis for a cleaning and an exam to catch small problems before they get larger. Bacteria that stay on the teeth for longer than a day will harden and form hard deposits that brushing cannot remove. These deposits shield bacteria from the brush and will get thicker over time. A professional cleaning will remove these deposits, allow the gums to heal, and bleeding will diminish or cease entirely, stopping progression from bleeding gums to tooth loss.
When you follow these steps, the chances of destructive gum disease, and frequent cavities will diminish. Early treatment and avoiding these problems will result is a more comfortable life.
Many of us need braces. Perhaps your child will too. And usually, after they come off, you come up smiling in more ways than one. A healthy, straight smile gives most of us more confidence. But what if you could gain that confidence a little bit faster? Well, you can — with Damon braces.
What Are Damon Braces and How Do They Work?
Damon braces aren't your traditional braces. Nope. Rather, an orthodontic treatment uses self-ligating braces, which means the brackets themselves have a component that closes around the wire to keep it attached. In contrast, traditional braces attach the archwire to the brackets with rubber bands. The Damon braces connect to a memory wire that attaches to the slide brackets without the tightness and pressure found in traditional braces. And then, over time, they're set to move your teeth gradually. You may need a tooth extraction or palatal expander as Damon braces use less force than conventional braces.
What Are The Advantages of Damon Braces
Damon braces have a lot going for them, most notably:
Appearance: Their clear brackets make them more aesthetically pleasing because they are virtually invisible, making them much less noticeable than traditional braces.
Faster Treatment: Patients with Damon braces finish over seven months before those with conventional braces.
Fewer Office Visits: With faster treatment comes fewer visits to your orthodontist to have them adjusted.
Less Pressure and Pain: Since they gradually move your teeth, there's less pressure resulting in less pain.
Less Friction: Less friction means less erosion of your teeth.
Less Plaque and Bacteria Build-up: Damon braces consist of fewer materials in your mouth, and thus, fewer places for plaque and bacteria to set up camp.
What Are The Disadvantages of Damon Braces
With life and Damon braces, you take the good with the bad. Drawbacks for them include:
Metal Wiring: While you can get clear brackets, metal wires are still the only choice for Damon braces.
Irritation: Like anything new, it will take time to adjust to the feel of braces cemented onto your teeth, which could irritate your gum tissues.
Cost: Less pain, adjustments, and time come with a slightly higher price.
What Do Damon Braces Cost
So — what is the cost? Here's the rundown on the price for Damon braces and some possible payment options.
Cost: As far as average cost of traditional braces and ceramic braces are concerned, an indicative price on internet suggests twenty five thousand onwards for traditional braces while something like between forty to seventy thousand rupees for the latter. However, it will vary based on your city and dentist. But it depends on your location and complexity of your orthodontic treatment as Damon braces tend to cost more than traditional braces.
Insurance: Many dental insurance plans and FSAs can be used toward Damon braces.
Financing: Some orthodontists offer financing and payment plans if needed.
How Do You Care for Damon Braces?
If Damon braces are for you or your child, you should protect your investment. Here's how:
Before you brush, rinse with water to help loosen any food lodged around your braces.
Use a brush designed for braces to brush at the gumline at a 45-degree angle.
Next, place the toothbrush on top of the brackets, angling down to brush on top of each bracket.
Then, reposition to slowly brush the bottom of the bracket and the wire, angling the toothbrush up.
Be sure to brush every tooth at the gumline and above and below the brackets to remove plaque and food debris.
Start flossing daily:
Try a floss threader to make flossing with braces easier.
Consider water irrigators to help flush out food particles in tight spaces.
After brushing, help prevent cavities by rinsing with mouthwash to help remove bacteria for a healthier mouth.
Now you know all the ins and outs of self-ligating Damon braces as an alternative to traditional braces. For any questions on getting that smile of your dreams, speak to your orthodontic professional.
Orthodontic treatment certainly helps in achieving a bright, beautiful smile. The time you spend wearing braces and the efforts you put for getting used to the braces is actually an investment for getting good health and confident smile. However having braces on your teeth can be a challenging task in your life. Challenges are not limited to just having to adopt braces, but you have to also keep yourself away from bad breath.
This blog tries to address bad breath issue. There’s no reason for you to believe you have to accept bad breath just because you are undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Here are some Fresh Breath Tips From KnightSmile Dental Practice:
Choice of Food:
Here are some of the food items causing bad breath during orthodontic treatment:
Garlic and onions.
Coffee and alcohol.
Sticky foods, for example chocolate.
Foods that are loaded with sweetness can contribute to bad breath.
Beverages having sugar contents.
Chewing sugarless gums acts as remover of food and dead cells from teeth, gums and tounge. Not just that, it promotes production of salvia. We encourage you to discuss with our team the type of food you should take during orthodontic treatment.
Stay Hydrated
Water not only flush the mouth but also produces salvia, which acts as a constant cleansing agent. It dissolves substance of food and drink from your mouth. A continuous dry mouth leads to bad breath as it reduce production of saliva which removes bacteria and excess food from your mouth – both of which cause bad breath.
Brush often
Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day. If possible brush teeth with fluoride toothpaste first thing in the morning and before you go to bed. This removes food particles and bacteria that cause bad breath. Not just teeth, you should brush your tongue as well because tongue holds a lot of bad smell bacteria which can causes bad breath. You should brush your tongue gently without being harsh on it.
Flossing
Flossing with braces might seem tricky, but it is a necessity. Ask our team at KnightSmile Dental Practice to teach you the best way to floss effectively with braces. Flossing can remove plaque and bacteria from between your teeth, where your toothbrushes can’t reach. Flossing should be done at least once a day to avoid bad breath during orthodontic Treatment.
Mouthwash Use
Mouthwash generally provides a temporary cure for bad breath, but sometimes it acts well to get away from being noticed for bad breath. An antiseptic mouthwash acts better as it kills bad bacteria. It works more than just an ordinary mouthwash. Look for mouthwashes with hlorhexidine, cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorine dioxide, zinc chloride and triclosan, or if you are confused, use the mouthwash recommended by our dentist for the best results. You should swish the mouthwash around in your mouth for 30 seconds. Mouthwash certainly help to avoid bad breath during your orthodontic treatment.
Smoking or chewing tobacco
Bad breath is one of the side effects of smoking and tobacco apart from many other life threatening effects that smoking and tobacco cause. Smoking and tobacco should be strictly avoided to keep away from bad breath and severe deceases like Cancer.
Together, you and our team at KnightSmile Dental Practice, can keep your mouth healthy and fresh during and after your orthodontic treatment.
“Say cheese”. Who doesn’t want to look good while smiling but it won’t be possible without a healthy dental hygiene. However, having a perfect smile is not the only motivation to take care of oral hygiene. Because there are bacteria that can badly affect your teeth over time in the form of cavities, gum disease, and others. So, to help you smile, laugh, eat, and drink freely, here’re some helpful dental hygiene tips you must follow.
1. Brush Your Mouth Properly
This is obvious but many people still overlook this simple but vastly important habit. Some people brush their teeth but don’t pay much attention to mouth in general.
To start, remember to brush both inner and outer surface of teeth with back-and-forth and up-and-down motion. Another common mistake while brushing is that people try go too hard on teeth which results in bleeding gums. Always brush lightly to avoid that.
When you are done with teeth, brush the roof of your mouth and the surface of your tongue. Keep your hands light on those too.
Incorporating the habit of cleaning the whole mouth is beneficial because not only it keeps your teeth and gums healthy, it prevents bad breath and many other mouth diseases.
2. Floss Regularly
The number of people who floss is comparatively lower those who brush teeth. However, you should not take flossing lightly just because you have brushed your teeth. Because flossing helps you remove food residue and other substances that are between the teeth. These are the tiny, small spaces a brush can’t clean and that’s why flossing is recommended.
3. Limit (or More Preferably, Stop) The Intake of Sodas and Alcohol
Other than being bad for your health, sodas are also popular for their part in tooth decay and gum disease in patients. Yes, you love these sodas and other beverages, but you have to limit or stop taking them for the sake of your teeth and your health. If you really want to take a drink, choose fresh juices and milk.
4. Avoid Smoking
Smoking is notorious for causing oral cancer and lung cancer, but still a wide population of the world is still hooked to it. Although the above ill effects of smoking are enough for you to stop or stay away from smoking, they are not it.
Regular smoking leads to enormous oral and dental problems like bad breath, increased risk of plaque, discoloration of teeth, increased risk of getting white patches in mouth called leukoplakia, and increased risk of gum disease. Furthermore, frequent smoking is also linked with decreased success rate of dental implanting.
5. Increase The Intake of Calcium and Vitamin-Rich Food
When you are cleaning teeth correctly and staying away from harmful things and habits, it’s time to consume healthy food for your teeth (and for your health).
We talked about taking milk and fresh juices, they are gold for your teeth – consume them frequently. Also, increase the intake of other dairy products. Moreover, take food that contains vitamin D and vitamin B complex as they are important for gum strength.
6. Visit Dentist Regularly
It goes without saying but let us state that again to aware people of the importance of regularly visiting a dentist for healthy teeth.
If your dentist suggests you can benefit from a night mouth guard, you might want to listen to them. Dentists don’t recommend this piece of equipment to everyone, and if they are suggesting one for you, there is a specific reason for it.
A night mouth guard is required for people who grind and clench their teeth at night. According to the American Sleep Association, approximately 10 percent of adults and 15 percent of children grind their teeth at night: a condition called sleep bruxism.
Along with preventing you from grinding your teeth into a damaged state, a night mouth guard has many other impressive benefits.
1. Prevent Headaches and Facial Pain
An adequately designed night mouth guard “shuts down” the muscles that you use for chewing. This allows these overworked muscles to get some much-needed rest at night.
When you spend the entire night grinding and clenching, you’ll often find yourself experiencing facial pain and headaches throughout the day. By using a night mouth guard, your muscles will relax, and you’ll prevent future headaches and facial pain.
2. Improve Sleep Patterns
Your night mouth guard positions the jaw in a strategic way that serves to relax all the surrounding muscles as well. Additionally, they’re designed to be lightweight for maximum comfort. These factors help improve your sleep patterns and the overall quality of sleep you get every night.
3. Achieve a Better-Looking Smile
Everyone wants a nice smile. Well, wearing a night mouth guard can help to protect your smile for better-looking teeth overall. Nightly grinding and clenching of your teeth and jaw can lead to chipped teeth, damaged fillings, and even excessive wear and tear of your teeth.
4. Avoid Costly Corrections
Unfortunately, sleep bruxism isn’t a condition you can ignore and hope it’ll go away. Allowing sleep bruxism to continue without treatment can cause severe damage to your enamel and jaw joints. These issues can require extensive and costly repair treatments. You can save yourself a lot of money and time by wearing your guard every night.
5. Prevent Future Dental Issues
Your teeth may appear stationary, but they can actually “drift.” This is especially common in patients who grind their teeth. Over time, this drifting will cause your smile to change and possibly become crooked. You can avoid teeth drifting by wearing your night mouth guard, which also acts as a kind of orthodontic retainer.
For older patients who are starting to experience bone loss, the night guard acts as a splint and helps prevent teeth from developing excessive mobility.
You expect your mouth to taste salty after a few potato chips. But if you haven’t been snacking and your mouth tastes salty, what’s going on?
Ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist Michael Medina, MD, explains the most common reasons for a salty taste in your mouth and what you can do about it.
Why does my mouth taste salty?
In most cases, a salty taste in your mouth isn’t a medical emergency — but it is a sign that you shouldn’t ignore. The most common reasons for a salty mouth include:
1. Dehydration
Your saliva (spit) naturally contains a small amount of salt. But when you’re not well hydrated, the salt in your saliva becomes more concentrated. Imagine a sprinkle of salt in a glass of water versus that same amount of salt in a teaspoon of water. The teaspoon of water will taste saltier because there’s less water to dilute the salt.
“Dehydration changes the quality of your saliva,” says Dr. Medina. “Often, you can get rid of the salty taste by drinking enough water each day.”
But if you have a heart or kidney condition, don’t reach for a giant jug of water just yet. “People taking diuretics for heart or kidney disease may need to limit their water intake,” Dr. Medina cautions. “If you have any health conditions, ask your healthcare provider how much water you should drink each day.”
2. Dry mouth
Also known as xerostomia, dry mouth is when your salivary glands don’t make enough saliva. People with dry mouth may notice taste problems, including a salty or metallic taste. Usually, you’ll have other symptoms, too, like bad breath and a constant sore throat.
Dry mouth becomes more common as people age, but it can signal certain health conditions like diabetes. “Many people get relief from over-the-counter products like lozenges and mouthwashes designed to lubricate your mouth,” says Dr. Medina. “If these things don’t help, talk to your provider. Long-term dry mouth can increase your risk of tooth decay.”
3. Medications
Certain medications can cause dry mouth as a side effect, leading to a salty or metallic taste in your mouth. If you’re taking any prescription medications and notice a dry mouth, talk to your healthcare provider. They may be able to switch your medication or recommend home remedies, such as dry mouth lozenges, to combat the problem.
Medications that can cause a dry mouth or salty taste include:
Antidepressants, especially tricyclic antidepressants.
Antihistamines, which treat allergy symptoms.
Chemotherapy for cancer treatment.
Diuretics, usually prescribed for heart or kidney disease.
Pain relievers, including prescription or over-the-counter pain medications.
Sedatives, used to treat anxiety, panic disorders or sleep disorders.
4. Postnasal drip
Allergies or a long-term sinus infection can cause a constantly drippy nose that drains down your throat. Known as postnasal drip, this symptom can also cause a salty or “off” taste in your mouth.
“If you have postnasal drip, you might feel like you always want to clear your throat or cough,” says Dr. Medina. “Postnasal drip can also affect your taste and smell. See your provider to find out why it’s happening.”
5. Neurological disorders
Any abnormal taste, including a lingering salty taste, can mean your brain’s taste signals aren’t working as they should. But this cause is rare.
“The brain contains nerves that are connected to taste,” explains Dr. Medina. “Rarely, a problem with those nerves, such as a brain injury or tumor, can interfere with taste. Usually, however, you would notice other symptoms, like seizures, vision changes, headaches or loss of smell.”
When to see your healthcare provider for a salty mouth
A salty taste by itself is often due to dehydration or a dry mouth. See your healthcare provider if you have a salty taste and:
Change in your voice or hoarseness.
Lump in your neck.
Swelling of salivary glands in front of your ear or under your jaw.
Trouble chewing or swallowing.
Other health conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease or an autoimmune condition.
“Many times, you can get rid of a salty taste with proper hydration and dry mouth products,” notes Dr. Medina. “But it’s important to find out the cause so you can get proper treatment.”
Many people across the country struggle with different dental issues. Impacted teeth is a common oral/dental problem that can often cause pain and discomfort in the mouth and jaw area. A lot of people often dismiss impacted teeth as a simple toothache, and don’t get the dental care they need in order to address the issue, ultimately leading to worsening problems.
What Is an Impacted Tooth?
An impacted tooth is simply another term for a tooth that has not completely broken through the gum tissue. A tooth can become impacted when there is not enough room within the jaw to accommodate the tooth. Some people naturally may have more impacted teeth than others, but the most common impacted teeth are a person’s third molars, also known as wisdom teeth.
4 Problems That Impacted Teeth Can Cause
Impacted teeth can cause someone a variety of issues from pain to even cysts, or lesions within the jaw. It is important to keep an eye out for any symptoms you think you may have with an impacted tooth and discuss these with your dentist or an oral surgeon.
1. Pain
The most common issue that comes along with an impacted tooth is pain. Whenever a tooth grows or erupts incorrectly, it can create pressure or get irritated easily, causing pain. Many people experience pain at the site of the impacted tooth, and others experience jaw pain under the impacted tooth.
2. Infections
The mouth is full of bacteria, both good and bad. If you have an impacted tooth that is struggling to erupt or is slow to break through, bacteria can infect the site. Food also can get stuck between crowded teeth causing cleaning issues, swelling, and infection.
3. Damage to Other Teeth
Whether it is your permanent adult teeth or wisdom teeth coming in, impacted teeth have the ability to cause damage to nearby teeth. When trying to break through the gum, the impacted tooth can push into or ‘crash’ into the other teeth around them, causing sensitivity and damage. They can also cause resorption of the roots of adjacent teeth.
4. Cysts
Cysts are another common problem caused by impacted teeth and occur when fluid forms around one of the eruption sites of a tooth. Cysts can result in pain and possibly damage to the roots and bone of surrounding teeth.
Do You Have an Impacted Tooth?
Don’t let tooth pain control your life. If you think you have an impacted tooth, you should consult with an oral surgeon and see what your next steps might be.
Our brain contains thousands of nerves and multiple neural pathways, and sometimes those nerves can encounter abnormalities or injuries that result in chronic conditions. One such condition is trigeminal neuralgia, a painful disorder affecting the trigeminal nerve, which runs through the face and upper jaw area. Since its trademark spasms can be triggered by touching the face, some people first notice the symptoms when brushing their teeth and may mistake it for a dental problem. This condition, however, is considered a neurological issue as opposed to an oral health issue. While there is no cure, pain management methods are available.
Life With Trigeminal Nerve Pain
Neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve creates few to frequent attacks of shooting facial pain that may feel like a burn or an electrical shock. An attack can last for a few seconds or up to two minutes and can affect a person for an hour or more at a time.
A person with facial neuralgia may find daily life difficult. As the condition worsens, eating and speaking can be affected, and even simple facial contact like shaving, flossing, or putting on makeup can trigger a wave of pain. The constant worry about the next episode may lead to depression and other mental health stressors, which are just as necessary to manage as the neuralgia itself.
What Causes Trigeminal Neuralgia?
The condition occurs when a blood vessel or tumor presses on the trigeminal nerve. This contact, in turn, puts pressure on the nerve and damages its protective coating. When or why it can come about, that can be due to injury to the nerve from sinus surgery, oral surgery, head trauma, a stroke, or a complication of multiple sclerosis. According to the Mayo Clinic, this kind of neuralgia can affect people of any age but is most common in adults 50 or older and more often affects women.
Trigeminal Neuralgia And Your Teeth
Besides mimicking the teeth or gum pain of a dental problem, this condition might surface as pain in the lips, nose, eyes, or forehead. If you are experiencing tooth sensitivity or tooth pain and think it might be trigeminal neuralgia, talk to your dental professional, as these could be signs of something else if you're not experiencing any other symptoms of this condition.
Diagnosis and Treatment
A thorough medical exam and history are required to diagnose trigeminal neuralgia. Once you talk with your dentist and doctor about the problem, they will refer you to a neurologist, who may order an MRI of the head or other imaging to confirm the problem and start creating a treatment plan.
While there is no cure or a treatment that will be effective for every individual, there are pain relief methods your doctor or neurologist may recommend. Nonsurgical treatment is usually the first approach a doctor will take to manage the condition.
Since neuralgia is neuropathic (originating directly from the nerve), the pain associated with it does not respond to ordinary pain relievers or opioids. Anticonvulsants, such as carbamazepine (usually used to reduce seizures), can often minimize pain and attacks. A neurologist may also prescribe a muscle relaxant or other medication to help control facial "shocks."
Surgery and Other Options
Surgeons recommend invasive procedures only after available drug options have been shown not to help a person manage the condition. Surgeons might turn to a minimally-invasive procedure called microvascular decompression, in which a surgeon makes a minor incision behind the ear and places a “pillow” between the nerve and blood vessel that’s putting pressure on it. This procedure has been successful with patients, with over 75% experiencing complete pain relief after a year of surgery.
It may seem strange, but some of the primary invasive surgeries for treating this condition involve damaging the nerve to relieve pain. One of these procedures is called brain stereotactic radiosurgery (Gamma knife), which uses radiation to target the nerve and “damage it,” which relieves pain. Another type of nerve-damaging surgery is called a rhizotomy, where a surgeon damages the nerve fibers to help ease pain through an injection, balloon compression, or thermal lesioning.
The use of Botox, derived from the botulinum toxin, is being investigated as an additional non-surgical option due to its potential to freeze muscles of the face. Research with Botox as a treatment is still ongoing, but a small study published in the journal Medicine shows promising results.
If you have been diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, talk to your neurologist about the best options for managing your symptoms. You may also decide to meet with a counselor to address the mental health concerns associated with the condition. No matter your age or stage in life, your treatment team can help you on your way to recovery, so you won’t have to fear any pain when showing off your bright, beautiful smile.
