Daily brushing and flossing keep teeth clean and free of decay – but if they've lost their sparkle or are looking yellow, don't worry! We've rounded up the best teeth whitening options so that you can select the best ones for you – and smile even wider.
Why Does Tooth Discoloration Happen?
There are two types of tooth discoloration, each dependent on origin:
Extrinsic discoloration is typically associated with habits or behaviors like tobacco use, consuming beverages like red wine, coffee, tea, or cola, or consuming highly pigmented foods and It results in an accumulation of colored compounds on your enamel.
Intrinsic stains occur within the enamel or in the underlying dentin, often caused by aging or genetic disorders as dentinogenesis imperfecta. Your enamel becomes more translucent with age, allowing the more yellow dentin to show through and resulting giving in a yellowish appearance.
So is teeth whitening the best way to treat tooth discoloration? It depends – while yellow teeth typically respond well to bleach, brown-stained teeth (or those with caps, veneers, crowns or fillings) may not.
What Are the Best Teeth Whitening Products?
Budget, the cause of tooth discoloration, and how quickly you will see results are factors to consider when selecting a teeth whitener. The following options have varying benefits:
Stain removal toothpaste: Although many toothpastes contain mild abrasives which scrub teeth and remove surface stains, whitening toothpastes contain additional polishing agents that boost stain removal – but unlike bleaches, they can't change the color of your teeth. The ADA notes that whitening toothpaste products primarily remove extrinsic stains and will typically not impact intrinsic stains.
Over-the-counter bleaching products: Coming in gel or strip form, OTC bleaching products are widely available at grocery stores or pharmacies. They contain one of two tooth bleaches and break stains down into smaller pieces, giving the appearance of brighter teeth.
In-office bleaching: By offering a higher concentration of a bleaching agent than that within OTC bleaching products, in-office bleaching whitens teeth faster than at-home methods – typically in one session, The dentist covers your gums with a protective gel or rubber shield and then applies bleach to your teeth. Several whitening methods involve lights or lasers.
At-home bleaching tray: Getting fit for a custom-made tray is another smile-brightening option. The dentist will provide directions for preparing the tray with the whitening gel and how long to place it in your mouth. These trays are also available as OTC products.
What Are the Risks of Teeth Whitening?
The biggest side-effect experienced by those using teeth whiteners is tooth sensitivity, which happens because peroxide in the whitener may reach the teeth's dentin layer and irritate the nerve of your teeth. According to the ADA, gum irritation may also occur when receiving at-home or in-office whitening treatment
While side-effects are usually temporary, selecting products with the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance ensures that they're safe and won't have adverse effects on your teeth.
Take note that while the effects of teeth whitening procedures fade over time, overuse can cause damage to teeth and gums. Consult with your dentist before you start using teeth whitening products to avoid causing potentially serious or lasting harm to your teeth or oral health.
Although choosing the best teeth whitener can be tricky, there's an option for almost every budget and type of tooth discoloration. Check with your dentist to get the smile of your dreams!
Saliva makes many normal, everyday activities possible, thanks to its unique composition. Without saliva stimulating your taste buds, you'd miss out on the experience of a delicious meal. Plus, chewing and swallowing would be not only tricky—but dangerous. So, what is saliva made of, and why is it so important? Learn more about the components of your saliva and how they work together to serve your oral and bodily health.
Location and Function
You have six main glands (three on each side of your mouth) that continually produce saliva. The parotid glands secrete saliva into your mouth above your upper molars. In contrast, the submandibular glands use ducts in your jaw beside your lower molars, and the sublingual glands empty saliva underneath your tongue.
Enzymes in saliva start the digestive process as soon as you chew your food. Without saliva to lubricate and soften food, chewing and swallowing is difficult. Saliva also keeps your mouth moist so that you can easily speak. Another key function of saliva is to wash harmful bacteria off your teeth and lower the acidity level in your mouth, helping to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. In addition, the calcium, phosphorus, and fluoride found in saliva help repair enamel.
What Is Saliva Made Of?
A healthy person produces 600 milliliters of saliva every day, and approximately 99 percent of that saliva is water. The remaining 1 percent contains a multitude of components, such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, immunoglobulins, proteins, enzymes, and mucins. These components of saliva, while only a tiny percentage of it, serve unique functions that are central to sustaining your health.
Proteins: The second leading component of saliva after water. Though proteins make up only a fraction of saliva's composition, they serve numerous functions. Proteins work as the first line of defense in eliminating oral bacteria and help form a protective layer on your teeth. They are thought to aid in taste by interacting with taste receptors in your mouth.
Enzymes: The enzymes found in saliva are specific proteins responsible for sparking chemical reactions in your body that help begin the digestive process. For example, these enzymes assist in breaking down starches and fats in your mouth.
Mucin: You might equate mucin to the buildup of mucus that happens when you get a cold, but the mucin found in saliva aids in digestion. This specific protein helps you eat and swallow safely by keeping the mouth lubricated.
Electrolytes: Electrolytes are minerals in your body, such as calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium. Inside your mouth, these particular minerals help strengthen and harden your enamel, which in turn helps reduce your risk of cavities.
How to Keep Your Salivary Glands Healthy
Follow these simple tips to keep your salivary glands healthy and productive:
Avoid smoking and tobacco products.
Limit alcohol intake and don't use recreational drugs.
Closely monitor any health conditions, like diabetes.
Notify your doctor if a prescribed medication dries your mouth.
Talk to your doctor about solutions for snoring or breathing through your mouth at night.
Maintain a good oral hygiene routine to reduce bacteria in the mouth.
See your doctor whenever you have signs of infection in your mouth or swollen salivary glands.
Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day.
What Is Dry Mouth?
When your glands don't produce enough saliva to keep your mouth comfortably moistened, you may have xerostomia, more simply known as dry mouth. Everyone experiences dry mouth occasionally, especially when nervous or stressed. But many people experience dry mouth frequently due to medication side effects or more serious complications that interfere with saliva production. Symptoms of dry mouth include difficulty chewing, changes in taste, a burning sensation throughout the mouth, mouth sores, and cracked lips.
More than 500 medications (over-the-counter and prescription) can cause dry mouth or increase its severity. Decongestants and antihistamines are common culprits, and some antidepressants, blood pressure medications, sedatives, antispasmodics for cramps, and antipsychotics for anxiety can also cause dry mouth.
Drugs used to treat Parkinson's disease and prevent nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy or radiation treatment may also trigger dry mouth.
To lessen the symptoms of dry mouth, sip water throughout the day and avoid smoking and drinking beverages with caffeine or alcohol. To stimulate more saliva flow, chew sugarless gum, suck on sugarless candies or use a saliva substitute recommended by your doctor.
Other Conditions That Affect Saliva Production
Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that affects the salivary glands and may cause dry mouth or mouth sores. Dry mouth is a symptom associated with HIV, Parkinson's disease, and diabetes. Chemotherapy can sometimes make the mouth feel dry because the saliva becomes thicker.
A salivary gland infection can occur due to dehydration, chronic illness, or blockage from a salivary stone duct. Smoking or poor oral hygiene can also result in a bacterial infection of a gland.
Mumps is a viral infection that most often affects the parotid gland. Besides dry mouth, symptoms of a gland infection may include:
Fever
Redness on the cheeks or neck
Swelling or pain in the upper neck or side of the face and difficulty opening the mouth
See a dental professional if you are concerned about a salivary gland infection or another condition affecting your body's ability to produce saliva. Remember, a wet mouth is a healthy mouth, and salivary glands are the key.
Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis, colloquially known as trench mouth, is a form of gum disease. This very painful infection leads to bleeding gums, ulcers in the gums, and excessive salivation. It is also often accompanied by foul breath. It has a collection of common symptoms and predisposing risk factors, but it can usually be prevented and treated with proper oral hygiene habits.
Trench mouth comes about when harmful bacteria is able to grow in the mouth. It is a rapidly progressing form of gingivitis. Its name dates back to World War I, when it was common for soldiers to experience severe gum and dental problems. Soldiers did not have much access to dental care or any way of maintaining their oral hygiene while in battle. Trench mouth became a common concern for those who were unable to brush, floss, and take other precautionary measures.
Signs and Symptoms of Trench Mouth
The first key to catching trench mouth early is to identify its symptoms. Getting timely treatment will help to prevent complications and will allow damage to be halted, decreased, or even reversed.
Common symptoms of trench mouth include:
Bad breath or a bad mouth taste
Bleeding in response to irritation or pressure
Ulcers in the mouth
Grayish film on the gums
Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
Pain in the gums
Diagnosis is usually done during an examination. Its trademark symptoms, which include gum sensitivity and bleeding, are generally enough to diagnose trench mouth. If you have other conditions, or are taking immunosuppressant drugs, that will be taken into account as well. You may also need to receive an x-ray to see if the infection has spread into the bone beneath your gums.
Common Risk Factors of Trench Mouth
Someone with gingivitis is already at a higher risk of developing trench mouth. You are likely to be susceptible to this overgrowth of bacteria if you have poor dental hygiene, eat a poor diet, smoke, or are constantly stressed out. Pre existing illnesses, such as mouth, teeth, or throat infections, diabetes, HIV/AIDS or an otherwise weakened immune system, will all contribute to one’s likelihood of developing trench mouth.
Treatment of Trench Mouth
The infection will worsen if left untreated. If ignored, it will place the individual at risk for tissue damage, ulcers, and potential tooth loss.
It can typically be cured in only a matter of weeks!
Treatments include:
Antibiotics to stop the spread
Pain relievers
Professional dental cleaning
Implementing proper oral hygiene skills
Adopting healthy habits is important during this time. Additionally, it is recommended that you avoid smoking and eating spicy or excessively hot foods during this time.
Preventing Trench Mouth
Ignoring the symptoms can lead to serious complications and health risks.
Proper dental hygiene is crucial in preventing trench mouth. Regular dental visits, and getting timely care for any issues that do come about, will ensure that your efforts are paying off and that anything that does arise is taken care of quickly!
Setting up a routine dental check-up should rank at the top of our list of priorities and to-do’s. It’s one of the most important things you can do to ensure you keep both your mouth and your body in the best of health.
Moving dental check-ups from to-do to must do
Why isn’t it up there? Usually it’s a question of work pressures and other demands on our available time. And some of us have grown up with an irrational fear of dentists. However, there are good reasons why neither of those excuses are valid. The time spent having a check-up is one of the best investments in avoiding pain, inconvenience and possible health issues down the line. And modern dentistry has numbed the noise, pain and fear of dentists that may have been generated by childhood, or your parent’s memories of dental visits.
The dental check-up process:
A regular check- up should ideally be done every six months. Intervals may need to be closer if you are undergoing longer term dental treatment, or at risk of developing conditions that could threaten your health in the future. Preferably do not extend the gaps beyond a year, even if you feel your oral health is in perfect working order.
During the check-up a Vancouver dentist will conduct several investigations:
CHECKING FOR RED FLAGS FOR YOUR GENERAL HEALTH:
As your dentist examines your mouth and teeth, he or she will be alert to any signs of major threats to your health. Many serious diseases, including pancreatic and oral cancer, diabetes, heart disease, strokes and even Alzheimer’s, have been shown to have links with oral health. Early detection and treatment can make a great difference to the outcome of these diseases.
IDENTIFYING FUTURE RISKS TO YOUR TEETH AND GUMS:
Your dentist knows what to look for when he checks your teeth. He or she is not looking only for what is wrong at present, but will also be alert to any indications that suggest tooth or gum problems in the future. The more your dentist knows about your dental and general health history, the better. This will make it easier to predict future treatment needs, and what needs to be monitored for signs of deterioration. Be sure to inform your dentist of any changes in your health since the last visit, and of any medication you are currently taking.
KEEPING YOU IN THE PROGRAM:
Your dentist is up-to-date on what’s happening in both the dentistry treatment field and in preventative steps that can be taken to avoid future risks. Ask questions and listen to advice regarding how you can improve your oral hygiene regimen so as to avoid future dental problems.
PROFESSIONAL CLEANING:
Doing our best to keep our teeth clean is at the core of our oral hygiene programs. However, sometimes it’s good to call in the pros. Teeth are designed as pulping and grinding implements. To function efficiently, nooks and crannies are part of their structure, like serrated blades in kitchen implements. These depressions and hollows, and the narrow gaps between our teeth, are difficult to clean completely if you don’t have professional equipment. So if your dentist or hygienist does a thorough cleaning, you will know that all the bacteria-friendly plaque and tartar are gone for a while.
X-RAYS
might be recommended if your dentist suspects there might be problems that are hidden within the jawbone or in places in the mouth that are not easily examined with the naked eye. There are two types of X-Rays, one of which shows just a few teeth, and other larger ones which show the entire mouth as well as the bone structure around it.
Regular check-ups provide a chance for your dentist to really examine your teeth and mouth, and get a clear picture of where you stand in terms of oral and general health. If your only visits to the dentist are when you are writhing in pain and desperate for relief from it, your dentist does not have the same opportunity to focus on other areas and issues in the mouth.
Oral hygiene isn’t something we consider too often. Aside from brushing our teeth and attending our biannual dentist checkups, we leave our teeth to look after themselves. However, that doesn’t mean that our mouth is in the best shape it can be. There are many reasons why you might have unhealthy oral hygiene. We’ll cover some common issues and warning signs.
Warning Signs
Waiting until symptoms become serious is a mistake. If you go to your dentists twice a year, they should pick up on most problems before they cause any pain. However, some things can happen quickly. If you notice any of the following symptoms, book an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.
Ulcers, cold sores, or other tender areas in the mouth that don’t heal within a few weeks
Bleeding or swollen gums when brushing and flossing
Chronic bad breath
Sudden onset of sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages
Toothache or pain
Receding gums
Pain when eating, chewing, or biting
Jaw clicking
Cracked or broken teeth
Dry mouth
5 Causes of Dental and Oral Diseases
So, what are the five reasons your mouth is unhealthy?
1. Smoking
Nicotine is notoriously bad for the health of your teeth. Smoke causes discolouration and poor gum health. Gums recede and struggle to heal as less oxygen gets into the bloodstream.
2. Bad Habits
It’s not enough to just brush your teeth twice a day. Brushing technique and flossing all come into the equation. Two minutes of brushing thoroughly twice a day is the best way to ensure you keep your teeth in top condition.
Moreover, sugary drinks, coffee, tea, or red wine can harm your teeth. Try to drink through a straw and rinse your mouth out with water afterwards.
3. Family History
Genetics plays a part in oral hygiene. Family background can influence your mouth structure, how susceptible you are to certain diseases, and also certain habits. It isn’t much you can do about your genetics. To mitigate gum disease or tooth decay risks, speak to your dentist about the steps you can adopt and ensure you’re extra vigilant about brushing and flossing.
4. Medical Conditions
Diabetes and other medical conditions are often responsible for specific mouth issues. People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop oral problems and gum diseases than others. High blood sugar levels in the bloodstream lead to more sugar in the saliva, which is the perfect condition for bacteria to build up. Bacteria causes tooth decay and gum disease.
Furthermore, certain medicines can dry your mouth out and further the risk of oral disease. These include antihistamines, decongestants, painkillers, high blood pressure medications, and muscle relaxants.
5. Hormone Changes
Hormone changes might also impact the health of your mouth, particularly if you’re pregnant. Hormone changes can further the risk of gum disease and pregnancy tumours. Both are significant and need treatment straight away to avoid harming the baby. Pregnant women are also at risk of developing dry mouth (xerostomia), leading to plaque, gum inflammation, and tooth decay.
Moreover, pregnancy can cause behavioural attitudes that might hurt your oral hygiene. For example, food cravings may lead to more consumption of sugary foods. Morning sickness can make it hard to brush your teeth. Plus, the acid from frequent vomiting may be harmful.
Similarly, hormone changes during menopause might increase the risk of gum disease and burning mouth syndrome (BMS).
Types of Dental and Oral Diseases
There are different types of dental diseases. You’ll likely experience one of them within your lifetime, even if you’re extra vigilant about your oral hygiene. Types of oral diseases include:
Cavities
Gum disease (gingivitis)
Periodontitis
Cracked or broken teeth
Sensitive teeth
Oral cancer
Diagnosing Oral Diseases
If you approach your dentist with symptoms you’re concerned about, they will conduct an oral exam. They will inspect your teeth, mouth, throat, tongue, cheeks, jaw, and neck. They may also take an x-ray of your mouth or gum probe.
Treating Oral Problems
Even if you’re on top of your oral care, you’ll still need to attend regular checkups with your dentist. They will be able to point out any warning signs you haven’t noticed, offer treatments, and give advice about the general care of your mouth. Toorak Dental Studio provides general dental services, such as cleaning, replacements, and fillers to ensure your mouth is always in perfect condition.
Oral health is essential and should not be taken for granted. Regular dentist appointments, good dental hygiene habits, and a healthy diet are all necessary to maintain oral health and prevent tooth extraction. This article will discuss how to prevent oral health issues that may lead to tooth extraction by visiting a dentist in Burbank, as well as other preventive measures.
From cavities, gingivitis, plaque buildup, and other oral health problems, our teeth can suffer greatly if we neglect them. Although tooth extraction is a dentist’s last resort, it can still be necessary in certain cases if the damage to the tooth has become too severe. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to prevent these dental health issues and keep your teeth healthy, strong, and beautiful for years to come.
How to Prevent Dental Health Issues to Avoid Tooth Extraction?
Visiting a dentist in Burbank
Regular dentist appointments are key to maintaining the health of your teeth and gums. Not only can they spot any issues that might be present, but they can also provide solutions if any problems arise. During routine dental visits, a dentist in Burbank will thoroughly examine your mouth for cavities, clean plaque buildup, check for signs of gingivitis, and provide advice on ways to improve your overall oral health.
Good Dental Hygiene Habits
It is also important that you maintain good dental hygiene habits at home between dentist appointments. You should brush your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste twice a day for two minutes each time and floss at least once a day to remove any food particles and plaque buildup. Additionally, consider using an antibacterial mouth rinse or dental products such as electric toothbrushes and tongue scrapers to keep your mouth clean.
Healthy Diet
Eating a balanced diet that is high in fiber and low in sugar is also essential for oral health. Foods rich in calcium, like dairy, are especially important for strong teeth and gums. Additionally, avoiding sugary foods and beverages will help reduce the risk of tooth decay and other dental health issues.
Conclusion
Maintaining good oral health requires a combination of dentist visits, dental hygiene habits at home, and a healthy diet. Visiting a dentist in Burbank regularly, brushing and flossing daily, and eating a balanced diet can help keep your teeth healthy and strong. Taking these steps can help prevent oral health issues that may lead to tooth extraction down the road.
Proper oral hygiene isn't just for freshening your breath after lunch. You may have heard about plaque-fighting oral care products or heard about the importance of flossing, but what exactly is plaque? Learn what plaque is and how to remove and prevent it from damaging your teeth with this guide.
What is Plaque?
Plaque — also called biofilm — is a colorless layer of bacteria buildup on your teeth. When we eat foods full of carbohydrates, the bacteria in our mouth feed on those carbohydrates and produce acids. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), those acids can weaken enamel and increase the risk of developing cavities. Further, plaque will eventually harden into tartar and make your gums swollen and bleed easily, an early sign of gum disease. The good news is that plaque removal is simple with good oral hygiene and your dental hygienist's help.
How to Remove Plaque at Home
Getting rid of that sticky biofilm is easy. Thoroughly cleaning all surfaces of your teeth, between your teeth and under the gumline, can help remove the food debris that feeds bacteria. When plaque has hardened into tartar, also known as calculus, you must visit your dental hygienist to remove it, as normal brush and flossing will not.
Brushing Your Teeth
You should brush your teeth at least twice a day or after every meal. Brush for at least two minutes to prevent bacteria buildup and decay. It doesn't take a lot of pressure or vigorous brushing to remove plaque. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to brush each tooth will help remove buildup and food debris.
Remember that bacteria love carbohydrates found in sweets, soda, or snacks. So, reducing the amount of this food and drinks, along with brushing and cleaning between your teeth, is crucial to keeping plaque under control.
Floss, Flossers and Other Interdental Cleaners
Cleaning between your teeth and under the gumline is crucial for biofilm and plaque removal and can help prevent gingivitis and tooth decay. There are several kinds of products that will clean in those hard-to-reach places.
Traditional dental floss can curve around your teeth to clean every side of each tooth.
Water flossers use a water jet to clean between the teeth.
Dental picks can reach between the teeth if you have braces or another barrier to flossing with dental floss.
Ask your dental hygienist for recommendations on flossing products, or you can look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance for their approved products.
How Can I Prevent Plaque Buildup?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, it's easy to prevent plaque buildup with proper care. Now that you've learned about how bacteria builds up on your teeth, remember to do the following:
Brush all surfaces of your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day
Clean between your teeth and under your gumline with floss, water flossers, or another tool daily
Limit sugary or starchy foods and drinks, especially snacks
Schedule regular visits with your dental hygienist and dentist
If plaque builds up for too long, it can harden into tartar, which cannot be removed at home. Fortunately, your dentist and dental hygienist can treat plaque or tartar buildup issues and give you special instructions for your exact situation. Happy brushing. You've got this!
Your dental professional has probably told you about bacteria and plaque and their effects on your oral health. But do you know about supragingival calculus? Read on to learn what supragingival calculus is and how establishing a good oral care routine can prevent bacteria buildup in the mouth.
Calculus vs. Plaque
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), calculus forms when sticky plaque on the teeth is not removed and is left to harden. Once it hardens, the calculus — also called tartar — sticks to the tooth like a barnacle to a boat. The American Academy of Periodontology notes that while dental plaque can be removed at home, calculus must be removed by a dental professional, as it strongly adheres to the tooth surface.
A review in the International Journal of Dental and Health Sciences (IJDHS) explains that plaque can form on any surfaces inside the mouth where nutrients are available to feed the bacteria. As colonies of bacteria (called biofilm) develop in the mouth, they collect the minerals found in your saliva and in the foods you eat. These minerals, which include calcium and phosphorous, stick to the biofilm and harden with it over time, creating a rock-like adhesion on the tooth called calculus or tartar.
Types of Calculus
According to the IJDHS review, there are two types of dental calculus: supragingival and subgingival. The difference between the two types is the location of the calculus relative to the edge of the gum tissue.
If you think of the edge of the gums like a shirt sleeve and imagine the tooth is like your hand in the sleeve, you can get a better image of this classification. The parts of your hand and wrist that extend visibly outside the sleeve would be considered supragingival (above the gumline), whereas anything unseen below the sleeve would be considered subgingival (below the gumline). Calculus above the gumline can appear whitish or yellowish in color.
Removing Supragingival Calculus
While your dentist and dental hygienist can typically detect supragingival calculus visually, dental professionals also receive extensive training using equipment other than their eyes. One such example, according to the IJDHS review, is an instrument known as a dental explorer, which helps the dental professional feel and remove calculus. A scaler is another common handheld instrument used to remove calculus above the gumline, as a review in the Saudi Dental Journal notes. In addition to these, new technologies — such as ultrasonic and laser tools — have also emerged to help dentists and hygienists detect and remove calculus.
It's important to remove calculus as soon as it's detected to prevent further bacteria buildup and retain gum health. The ADA notes that as supragingival calculus develops, the gums can become swollen and bleed easily. This condition, termed gingivitis, can worsen into a more serious form of gum disease if left untreated.
Prevention Is the Best Medicine
To ensure that your oral care routine reduces and minimizes calculus formation, focus on controlling plaque buildup at home. You can decrease your chances of developing calculus deposits by establishing good oral care habits, such as brushing your teeth twice a day, cleaning between them with floss and using an oral rinse. At your routine dental visits, your dental professional will remove all existing calculus deposits and help get your smile in tip-top shape.
Could The Way You Sleep Be Causing Your Oral Health Issues?
Once you turn out the light and settle in for some shut-eye, you might not think the eight or so hours while you sleep could impact your oral health. However, behaviours in our sleep can sometimes affect our teeth and mouth, leading to dental health issues.
To help you understand whether your oral health concerns could be linked to the way you sleep, check out our guide to four dental health conditions that can be caused or exacerbated by your sleep patterns.
Oral health concerns linked to sleep
1. Dry Mouth
If you regularly wake up with a dry, sore throat and dehydrated mouth, you may be suffering from a condition called xerostomia - otherwise known as dry mouth. While dry mouth can be the result of certain medications, smoking, or particular diseases, it can also be caused by sleeping with your mouth open.
As saliva is essential for ridding the mouth of harmful bacteria, dry mouth can have a negative impact on your oral health. If you’re experiencing symptoms of dry mouth and think you may be sleeping with your mouth open, you might want to see your GP or Dentist to have a sleep study.
2. Bruxism
Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding, which often occurs overnight while we sleep. Aside from causing a wide range of dental health problems - including pain, loose teeth, and cracked or chipped tooth enamel - teeth grinding can also lead to headaches, myofascial muscle pain, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
Teeth grinding can be caused by a wide range of health conditions, from stress and anxiety to certain neurological conditions or simply genetics. If you’re aware that you’re grinding your teeth in your sleep - or if you regularly wake up with a sore jaw, head or neck - talk to your dentist about how to address bruxism.
3. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
As mentioned above, constant grinding of the teeth or clenching of the jaw can lead to problems with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which is located near the front of your ears where the upper and lower jaws connect. The grinding or clenching that can lead to TMJ disorder usually occurs overnight while you sleep.
Symptoms of TMJ disorder include waking up with sore or stiff muscles around your jaw, experiencing frequent pain in your head, neck or back, and having difficulty opening your mouth wide (you may also hear a clicking sound when you move your mouth).
Treatment for TMJ disorder differs greatly depending on the severity of your condition and the underlying cause. Your dentist will be able to advise on the best course of action to address the issue.
4. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax too much while you sleep, impacting your ability to breathe normally and causing you to wake up multiple times during the night.
OSA can cause severe disruption to your sleep, leaving you feeling drowsy and unable to concentrate during the day. It can also impact your health if left untreated, including lowering the flow of oxygen to your organs and causing uneven heart rhythms.
If you have mild to moderate sleep apnoea, you may benefit from an oral appliance worn at night, called an oral mandibular advancement device, which is custom-made by your dentist. This helps to prevent the tissues at the back of your throat from blocking your airway while you sleep. As sleep apnoea treatment can vary significantly, talk to your dentist about the different options available.
Cosmetic dentistry is focused on improving the form and function of teeth. One of the main aspects of this field of dentistry includes reshaping teeth that are uneven. There are a few cosmetic dentistry procedures that can be done to reshape certain teeth so that they appear more even and aligned with their surrounding teeth. Additionally, reshaping can help with a more even bite, which can improve eating habits. Ready to learn more about these procedures?
Cosmetic dentistry to reshape teeth
The following outlines a few procedures that can be used to reshape teeth. Keep reading to find out more.
Dental bonding
One of the best cosmetic dentistry procedures to consider for teeth reshaping is dental bonding. Dental bonding is a relatively simple procedure that can significantly improve the shape of uneven teeth.
During a dental bonding procedure, a cosmetic dentist will etch the front of the tooth so that a dental composite resin can be applied. The resin will match the color of the surrounding teeth so that the entire procedure is relatively discreet. Once applied, the dentist will shape resin so that it can fill in the abnormalities. Lastly, a curing light will be used to harden the composite resin, thus bonding to the tooth.
Porcelain veneers
Another common cosmetic dentistry procedure that can be used to reshape teeth is porcelain veneer placement. Porcelain veneers are thin dental coverings that go right over a tooth. They work great for teeth that are in the front of the mouth, as they look natural in shape and color. Additionally, they are extremely durable, which makes it difficult for future damage to occur. Veneers can be placed to reshape a tooth that is too short, too small or even too thin.
Veneers are placed by a cosmetic dentist in a procedure that can take up to two hours. The dentist will etch the surface of the tooth so that the veneer is able to be cemented into place. Using dental cement, the custom made veneer can be attached to the natural tooth, thus allowing the tooth to be thoroughly reshaped.
Dental crowns
Dentistry often relies on the use of dental crowns. They are extremely versatile and can be used for many things. However, in cosmetic dentistry, they are often recommended for reshaping teeth. Dental crowns work great for teeth that are in the back of the mouth, especially for ones that may be too small or too short.
During a dental crown placement procedure, the cosmetic dentist will have a dental lab custom-make the crown so that it provides a perfect fit for the patient. Typically, cosmetic dentists recommend porcelain or ceramic dental crowns because they are white in color and allow for discreet treatment.
