Sugar and Summer Foods

Watermelon, apple pies, lemonade, soft drinks and rich foods. They are all part of a normal summer for most. So, how has your summer diet been? Most of us have been enjoying the summer with family and friend, vacations and special times with the young ones, which can mean a lot of sweet and rich foods. There is nothing wrong with indulging in fun foods now and then. And, when you do so, you should take a little extra care of your teeth and gums.

Extra soft drinks and sweet treats means more sugar. And, if you do not brush following eating or drinking high sugar and high carbohydrate foods, you are inviting trouble. Brushing cleans away any remaining sugars left deposited on your teeth. And flossing daily keeps these remnants from building up between your teeth. Bacteria in your mouth will consume these sugars, creating an acid that can weaken and erode your teeth.

So, what easy rules should you follow? Brush following every meal and snack. Floss daily as well. And, watch out for some foods and treats that can fly under the radar. Mints such as tic-tacs and fruits are often refreshing for your palate and they taste good but both are high in sugars and can undermine your dental health plan.

So, have fun the rest of the summer and keep brushing.

What do you see in Facebook conversations?

Remember, one power of social networking is to help people by sharing your knowledge, experience and advice. On Facebook and on Twitter, it is not unusual for some one to complain or ask questions about a symptom. For instance, recently a friend told me about how one of his Facebook friends went in for an inconclusive MRI because of persistent headaches. The friend’s doctor has suggested it as a diagnostic measure because the headaches had been unexplainable.

My friend posted on their wall the question: “Do you also have jaw pain or grinding teeth at night?” My friend was wondering if the cause of her headaches may have been neuromuscular, a TMJ joint disorder. They knew about it from knowing a neuromuscular dentist… me.

This is why I think it is important to reach out to everyone I know and remind them of some important points. They are:

1) TMJ is hard to diagnose, especially for general practitioners. It is easy to prescribe pain pills for pain with diagnosis or order expensive testing which, as in this case, was inconclusive.

2) TMJ is a jaw joint disorder and pain is common in that area, but symptoms can range from migraine headaches, to shoulder pain, to back pain and more. If a head, neck or upper back pain cannot be identified, it very well might be linked to TMJ.

3) Neuromuscular dentists treat TMJ non-invasively.

4) Ask a friend who is showing symptoms to consider a visit me for an TMJ consultation. Worst case, we rule it out!

So, I encourage you to listen to what your friends are saying on social media and know the symptoms of TMJ. If you see someone suffering and frustrated because their doctors can’t figure it out or they are struggling with unnecessary pain medications, please refer them to me. At the very least, we can rule out TMJ for them.

TMJ and Inflammation

This time of year, a lot of people suffer from allergies. With all the pollen of spring in the air, there are a lot of irritated sinuses and general inflammation. This is seasonal and often controlled with over the counter medication. However, if this sort of discomfort in the head and neck area is only made worse by the allergy season, it may be time to be evaluated for TMJ.

TMJ or tempromandibular joint disorder manifests itself with both pain and irritation in and around the head and neck. The jaw joint is not properly aligned causing inflammation in the surrounding connective tissues. This can lead to all kinds of irritation beyond the standard jaw pain and jaw clicking and popping. TMJ can cause ringing in the ears, waxy build up in the ears and general inflammation and discomfort in the face and neck area.

I am trained in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ and I make a point of mentioning it frequently because many people tend to just live with TMJ pain or simply get pain medications diagnosed to deal with the discomfort and pain. If you have any persistent head, neck or jaw pain, including migraine headaches, please contact me today to be checked out for TMJ.

Thinking about cosmetic dentistry

There is something about this time of year that makes people get motivated. Spring cleaning is a few weeks away but the motivators seem to start now. The holidays are behind up and the summer is only a few months away. And, a lot of people are either waiting on their tax refund or know what the damage is there, so the pressure is off. In general, as we swing into March, it‘s a time when people start thinking about doing what’s next.

If you have considered cosmetic dentistry in the past, you might be thinking about it now. There are many great reasons to improve your smile. Sure, you can look at it from the viewpoint that a perfect smile can help with your career or give you an added edge socially. Or you can look at cosmetic dentistry as a way of giving yourself something long lasting, like the confidence to express your true self.

A lot of people have healthy teeth but they just do not like how they look. These people tend to shy away from smiling or being too expressive. And, it’s a shame when we don’t get to see their full personality because of this inhibition.

Cosmetic dentistry changes all that. The most common comment we hear following cosmetic dentistry is that the patient feels a new sense of confidence. They feel like they are free to smile because they know their teeth and smile are beautiful. And, when that happens, they let their whole personality out.

If you have ever felt this way, why not contact me today to discuss what cosmetic dentistry can do for you?

Watch your mouth! For health warning signs that is.

As we head into the New Year, here is a list of general health-related conditions that show warning signs in your mouth. Sure you want to keep your dental health strong and many people know that gum disease is connected with heart disease. I encourage you to have more awareness of your dental health in the new year and that includes these warning signs.

Flat, worn teeth and headaches are signs of stress and TMJ. People often grind their teeth in their sleep when they are experiencing stress. This stress level, left unchecked, can lead to other physical and emotional issues. And, TMJ… you’ve seen plenty about TMJ treatment on my blog. If you have worn teeth and bruxism, please see me for a TMJ evaluation.

Cracking teeth is a warning sign for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Stomach acid is a major factor in tooth erosion. Of course not brushing away sugars will cause your tooth enamel to erode, too. But if you take good care of your mouth with brushing and flossing and you still have tooth erosion, you may want to look for treatment for GERD.

A mouth sore that don’t heal is a sign of oral cancer. An oral cancer screening is part of your regular checkup and it is a good reason to keep your appointments for cleanings and check ups.

Gums that grow over teeth are a sign of issues with prescription medication. Your medication for seizures, heart disease or autoimmune diseases could be causing this reaction if the medication is not adjusted properly.

And, a dry mouth is a sign of diabetes. There are many early warning signs of diabetes and one small tip that you might need to see a doctor for a diabetes screening is a persistent lack of saliva.

Watch for these warning signs as you manage the home care of your dental health. Please see me regularly for check ups this year as well, so we can make sure your dental health is at its peak.