Dentists Woodridge Downers Grove Dental

Why is Oral Health Important for Men?

Men are less likely than women to take care of their physical health and, according to surveys and studies, their oral health is equally ignored. Good oral health recently has been linked with longevity. Yet, one of the most common factors associated with infrequent dental checkups is just being male. Men are less likely than women to seek preventive dental care and often neglect their oral health for years, visiting a dentist only when a problem arises. When it comes to oral health, statistics show that the average man brushes his teeth 1.9 times a day and will lose 5.4 teeth by age 72. If he smokes, he can plan on losing 12 teeth by age 72. Men are also more likely to develop oral and throat cancer and periodontal (gum) disease.

Why is periodontal disease a problem?

Periodontal disease is a result of plaque, which hardens into a rough, porous substance called tartar. The acids produced and released by bacteria found in tartar irritate gums. These acids cause the breakdown of fibers that anchor the gums tightly to the teeth, creating periodontal pockets that fill with even more bacteria. Researchers have found a connection between gum disease and cardiovascular disease, which can place people at risk for heart attacks and strokes. See your dentist if you have any of these symptoms:

• Bleeding gums during brushing
• Red, swollen or tender gums
• Persistent bad breath
• Loose or separating teeth

Do you take medications?

Since men are more likely to suffer from heart attacks, they also are more likely to be on medications that can cause dry mouth. If you take medication for the heart or blood pressure, or if you take antidepressants, your salivary flow could be inhibited, increasing the risk for cavities. Saliva helps to reduce the cavity-causing bacteria found in your mouth.

Do you use tobacco?

If you smoke or chew, you have a greater risk for gum disease and oral cancer. Men are affected twice as often as women, and 95 percent of oral cancers occur in those over 40 years of age.

The most frequent oral cancer sites are the tongue, the floor of the mouth, soft palate tissues in back of the tongue, lips and gums. If not diagnosed and treated in its early stages, oral cancer can spread, leading to chronic pain, loss of function, irreparable facial and oral disfigurement following surgery and even death. More than 8,000 people die each year from oral and pharyngeal diseases. If you use tobacco, it is important to see a dentist frequently for cleanings and to ensure your mouth remains healthy. Your general dentist can perform a thorough screening for oral cancer.

Do you play sports?

If you participate in sports, you have a greater potential for trauma to your mouth and teeth. If you play contact sports, such as football, soccer, basketball and even baseball, it is important to use a mouthguard, which is a flexible appliance made of plastic that protects teeth from trauma. If you ride bicycles or motorcycles, wear a helmet.

Taking care of your teeth

To take better care of your oral health, it is important to floss daily, brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice daily and visit your dentist at least twice a year for cleanings. Here are some tips to better dental health:

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to reach every surface of each tooth. If the bristles on your toothbrush are bent or frayed, buy a new one.
• Replace your toothbrush every three months or after you’ve been sick.
• Choose a toothpaste with fluoride. This can reduce tooth decay by as much as 40 percent.
• Brush properly. To clean the outside surfaces of your teeth, position the brush at a 45-degree angle where your gums and teeth meet. Gently move the brush in a circular motion using short, gentle strokes. To clean the inside surfaces of the upper and lower front teeth, hold the brush vertically. Make several gentle strokes over each tooth and its surrounding gum tissue. Spend at least three minutes brushing.
• Floss properly. Gently insert floss between teeth using a back-and-forth motion. Do not force the floss or snap it into place. Curve the floss into a C-shape against one tooth and then the other.

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Credits: Academy of General Dentistry

Dry mouth Dentist Woodridge, IL

Does your mouth feel dry and sticky when you first wake up in the morning? Do you feel the urge to drink lots of water?

Dry mouth can make it hard for you to swallow, chew your food or speak clearly. With a dry mouth your teeth can decay very quickly, and sometimes there are no warning signs for this condition.

Untreated dry mouth can also contribute to bad breath, and sometimes others will notice the stale odor. Dry mouth is a daily problem that makes you feel uncomfortable while you swallow, eat or speak.

It is a condition in which you do not produce enough saliva (spit) to keep your mouth feeling wet. Your physician or nurse does not always talk about dry mouth as a side effect when they give you a prescription for medicine, but dry mouth can be caused by the medicine you take.

Whatever you do, don’t stop taking your medicine but mention dry mouth to your nurse as soon as you can. Dry mouth can also be a sign of diseases and other conditions like diabetes – so make sure you tell your nurse or dental hygienist about dry mouth if it becomes a problem for you.

DRY MOUTH SYMPTOMS:

• Dry or sticky feeling in the mouth like your mouth is stuffed with cotton balls.
• Burning feeling in mouth or tongue and sometimes tongue feels like shoe leather.
• Difficulty or discomfort when chewing, swallowing or speaking.
• Dry lips and throat or mouth sores.

Take a moment to determine your risk of dry mouth.

Risk factors for dry mouth include:

• Medications~ about 500 or more (!) so check with your medical or dental professional about dry mouth as a possible side effect.
• Sjögren’s syndrome~ dry mouth may be present in combination with dry eyes.
• Diabetes mellitus~ poor glycemic control has been associated with dry mouth.
• HIV/AIDS
• Depression
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Addison’s disease
• Alcoholic cirrhosis
• Generalized dehydration and salivary gland infection

QUESTIONS – YES/NO:

1. Are you taking one or more prescription drugs on a daily basis?
2. Does your mouth feel sticky and dry when you wake up in the morning?
3. Do you have difficulty swallowing or speaking?
4. Do you sip a lot of water to keep your mouth from feeling dry?
5. Does your throat feel dry and does your mouth sometimes burn?
6. Does your tongue burn or has it changed to a darker red color?
7. Does your tongue sometimes feel as dry as shoe leather?
8. Do you sometimes get mouth or tongue sores that will not go away?
9. Does the amount of saliva in your mouth seem to be too little?
10. Do you sip liquids to aid in swallowing dry foods?
11. Does your mouth feel dry after eating a meal?

If you responded “yes” to one or more questions, talk to your physician/nurse and visit your dentist/dental hygienist for information on dry mouth and oral health.

DRY MOUTH COMFORT/CARE TIPS:

• Sip room-temperature water throughout the day and night and carry a water bottle with you at all times.
• Avoid drinking lots of water at an extreme water temperature (very hot or very cold).
• Only drink sugarless drinks and avoid carbonated beverages.
• Avoid drinks with caffeine because caffeine can dry out the mouth. Drinking coffee, tea or a diet soda occasionally is OK but don’t overdo it.
• While eating a meal, make sure you include a beverage like water. Drink water before, during and after the meal.
• Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless candy to stimulate salivary flow.
• If you smoke or drink alcohol, don’t! Both alcoholic beverages and smoking dry out the mouth and make you more susceptible to gum diseases and oral cancer.
• Elect an alcohol-free over-the-counter mouthwash if you are in the habit of using a mouthwash. Read the label and make sure alcohol is not listed as an ingredient.
• Try using a nighttime humidifier to moisten room air.

Visit your local dentist to develop a comprehensive plan for treating and managing dry mouth. This plan may include more frequent trips to the dentist.

In-office dental treatment for dry mouth may include in-office topical fluoride treatments, prescription home fluoride, antibacterial/antifungal mouthrinses or other products and Xylitol gum. Diagnostic x-rays may need to be taken more frequently to prevent and restore dental decay. In addition, self-care instruction must be reinforced to include brushing at least twice a day. Daily compliance with interdental plaque/biofilm removal is also important. Self-care instruction should be customized according to patient needs.

If you have a persistent dry mouth, you may be at greater risk for fungal or viral infections in your mouth. These ulcerations may also develop from trauma caused by friction of oral tissues against denture clasps, appliances or edges of worn or defective dental restorations.

There are many medications available for use in treating common infections associated with dry mouth.

For more information on dry mouth, talk to your dental team.

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Credits: Oral-B

Dentist Woodridge Kids teeth whitening cleaning

Fluorosis: What Is It?

Your permanent teeth form under your gums in the jawbone during early childhood. Except for your wisdom teeth, the crowns (the part you see in the mouth) of all of the permanent teeth fully form by the time you are about 8 years old. If you consume too much fluoride as a young child, the extra fluoride can disrupt the formation of the enamel (outer part) of your permanent teeth and lead to fluorosis, which varies from minor discoloration to surface irregularities of the teeth. The extra fluoride does not affect other parts of the tooth. Once your teeth have erupted into your mouth, they are not susceptible to fluorosis.

Fluorosis is a cosmetic condition, not a disease. Often, it is so mild that only a dental professional can detect it. Most cases of fluorosis result from young children taking fluoride supplements or swallowing fluoride toothpaste when the water they drink is already fluoridated.

Symptoms

Teeth affected by mild fluorosis may show no visible changes or changes visible only to a dental professional. Mild to moderate fluorosis is characterized by white lines, streaks or spots. In more severe fluorosis, the teeth can become pitted and have brown, gray or black spots, and the enamel can be misshapen.

Diagnosis

Your dentist and dental hygienist will ask if your child received fluoride supplements, used fluoride toothpaste or drank fluoridated water in previous years. They also will ask about past and present medical conditions or disabilities that may affect your child’s teeth. Your dentist will examine your child’s teeth and gums and take X-rays to make sure there are no other defects in the teeth.

Other conditions may look like fluorosis. Developmental defects and craniofacial problems can cause disruptions in the enamel or dentin of the teeth. In addition, infants or young children who have high fevers or experience trauma (such as a fall that injures a tooth) may have discolored teeth. Young children can get cavities in their primary teeth, so any tooth discoloration should be checked at the dental office.

Expected Duration

The spots and stains left by fluorosis are permanent and may darken over time.

Prevention

If you have a child under 6, put only a small smear or pea-sized amount of toothpaste on his or her toothbrush and encourage him or her to spit rather than swallow after brushing. Avoid toothpastes with flavors that may encourage swallowing. Keep all fluoride-containing products (toothpastes, mouthwashes, etc.) out of the reach of young children.

The addition of fluoride to drinking water is one of the great preventive disease programs of the 20th century. Children should take fluoride supplements only if the water they drink does not contain enough fluoride. If your child is taking fluoride supplements now, check the amount of fluoride in your water. If you are on a public water supply, call your supplier to ask about the fluoridation level. You can also have your dentist check a sample of your water. Then discuss with your dentist whether your child needs fluoride supplements.

Some foods and beverages contain fluoride. For example, many fruit juices and soft drinks contain fluoride at levels similar to fluoridated water. Some bottled waters now have added fluoride. Young children should drink limited amounts of these beverages.

Treatment

Many cases of fluorosis are minor enough not to need treatment or the fluorosis may occur only on the back teeth, where it can’t be seen. More serious cases and cases involving the front teeth can be treated by removing the surface-stained areas through tooth whitening or other procedures. Severe cases of fluorosis can be covered with restorations, such as bonding, crowns or veneers.

When To Call a Professional

If you notice white streaks or spots on your child’s teeth or notice that one or more teeth are discolored, contact your dental office.

Prognosis

Teeth affected by fluorosis are not diseased. Cosmetic concerns can be addressed with whitening to remove surface stains and veneers or other restorative procedures to cover the discoloration.

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Credits: Aetna Inc.

Teeth Implants Downers Grove Dental Clinic

Tooth implants have been used successfully for many years. Your implant should last for a very long time if you take the following points to heart.^{1, 2}

Smoking

This is one of the greatest risks for implant-related complications. You should therefore try to quit smoking.

Oral Hygiene

Thoroughly cleaning and caring for the implant during all steps of the treatment is extremely important. Careful attention to your oral hygiene every day is important for the survival of your implant.

Maintenance

Visiting your dental practice for regular checkups (recalls) is just as important. You and your dental team have to decide how often these visits should take place, but they are usually at intervals of 3 to 6 months. At these visits, your implants, teeth, and gums are checked and professionally cleaned, including the areas you cannot reach at home. Professional cleaning of implants is more complex than cleaning teeth, which means that it takes longer and may require special instruments.

Mucositis and peri-implantitis can develop without any obvious symptoms. This is another reason why regular checkups with your dentist are so important. Mucositis and peri-implantitis do not usually cause pain, so patients often fail to notice the development of these diseases.

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Credits: Colgate-Palmolive Company

Dentist Downers Grove Dental – Cracked Tooth

What Is It?

Unlike teeth with obvious fractures, teeth with cracked tooth syndrome usually have fractures that are too small to be seen on X-rays. Sometimes the fracture is below the gum line, making it even more difficult to identify.

Cracked tooth syndrome more often occurs in molars, usually lower molars, which absorb most of the forces of chewing.

People who grind or clench their teeth may be more susceptible to cracked tooth syndrome because of the constant forces put on their teeth. Sometimes a person’s normal bite causes certain molar cusps (the highest points of the tooth) to exert so much pressure on the opposing tooth that it cracks.

Teeth with large fillings or teeth that have undergone root canal treatment are weaker than other teeth and may be more likely to crack. People with one cracked tooth are more likely to have others, either at the same time or in the future.

Symptoms

You may experience pain in the tooth when you bite or chew. However, it probably will not happen all the time. The tooth may be painful only when you eat certain foods or when you bite in a specific way. You will not feel a constant ache, as you would if you had a cavity or abscess, but the tooth may be more sensitive to cold temperatures. If the crack worsens, the tooth may become loose.

Many people with cracked tooth syndrome have symptoms for months, but it’s often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are not consistent.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of cracked tooth syndrome is often difficult. Your dentist will do a thorough examination of your mouth and teeth, focusing on the tooth in question. He or she may use a sharp instrument called an explorer to feel for cracks in the tooth and will inspect the gums around the tooth for irregularities. Your dentist also may take X-rays, although X-rays often do not show the crack.

Your dentist may use a special instrument to test the tooth for fractures. One instrument looks like a toothbrush without bristles that fits over one part of the tooth at a time as you bite down. If you feel pain, the cusp being tested most likely has a crack affecting it.

Your dentist may shine a fiber-optic light on the tooth or stain it with a special dye to search for a crack. If the tooth already has a filling or crown, your dentist may remove it so he or she can better inspect the tooth.

Expected Duration

How long symptoms last depends somewhat on how quickly a cracked tooth can be diagnosed. Even then, treatment may not always completely relieve the symptoms.

Prevention

If you grind or clench your teeth, talk to your dentist about treatment. Grinding can increase your risk of cracked tooth syndrome.

Treatment

Treatments for cracked tooth syndrome do not always completely relieve the symptoms.

Treatment depends on the location, direction and extent of the crack. Cracks vary from superficial ones in the outer layers of the tooth to deep splits in the root affecting the pulp (the center of the tooth, which contains the tooth’s nerves).

If the crack affects one or more cusps of a tooth, the tooth may be restored with a crown. If a crack affects the pulp, you probably will need root canal treatment. About 20% of teeth with cracked tooth syndrome require root canals. After a root canal, the tooth will no longer be sensitive to temperature, but it still will respond to pressure. This means that if you felt pain when you bit down before the root canal, you probably will not feel it as intensely as before, but you may feel it from time to time.

In some severe cases, the tooth may need to be extracted. Some cracks extend into the root of the tooth under the bone and there’s no way to fix the tooth. If your dentist decides the tooth needs to be extracted, you can have it replaced with an implant or a bridge.

When To Call a Professional

If you experience pain upon biting or chewing, contact your dental office.

Prognosis

Treatment of cracked tooth syndrome is not always successful. Your dentist should inform you about the prognosis. In some people, a restoration with a crown will relieve all symptoms. In others, root canal treatment solves the problem. Some people continue to have occasional symptoms after treatment, and may need to have the tooth extracted.

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Baby bottle tooth decay | Ask dentist at Alivio Dental Downers Grove

Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by the frequent and long-term exposure of a child’s teeth to liquids containing sugars. Among these liquids are milk, formula, fruit juice, sodas and other sweetened drinks. The sugars in these liquids pool around the infant’s teeth and gums, feeding the bacteria in plaque. Every time a child consumes a sugary liquid, acid produced by these bacteria attack the teeth and gums. After numerous attacks, tooth decay can begin.

The condition also is associated with breast-fed infants who have prolonged feeding habits or with children whose pacifiers are frequently dipped in honey, sugar or syrup. The sweet fluids left in the mouth while the infant is sleeping increase the chances of cavities.

Why should I be worried about baby bottle tooth decay?

Giving an infant a sugary drink at nap or nighttime is harmful because during sleep, the flow of saliva decreases, allowing the sugary liquids to linger on the child’s teeth for an extended period of time. If left untreated, decay can result, which can cause pain and infection. Severely decayed teeth may need to be extracted. If teeth are infected or lost too early due to baby bottle tooth decay, your child may develop poor eating habits, speech problems, crooked teeth and damaged adult teeth. Healthy baby teeth will usually result in healthy permanent teeth.

How can I prevent baby bottle tooth decay?

Never allow a child to fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, juice or other sweetened liquids. Clean and massage the baby’s gums to help establish healthy teeth and to aid in teething. Wrap a moistened gauze square or washcloth around the finger and gently massage the gums and gingival tissues. This should be done after every feeding.

Plaque removal activities should begin upon eruption of the first baby tooth. When brushing a child’s teeth, use a soft toothbrush and water. If you are considering using toothpaste before your child’s second birthday, ask your dentist first. Parents should first bring their child to the dentist when the child is between 6 and 12 months old.

Will changes in my child’s diet help prevent baby bottle tooth decay?

A series of small changes over a period of time is usually easier and eventually leads to better oral health.

To incorporate these changes:

• Gradually dilute the bottle contents with water over a period of two to three weeks.
• Once that period is over, if you give a child a bottle, fill it with water or give the child a clean pacifier recommended by a dentist. The only safe liquid to put in a bottle to prevent baby bottle tooth decay is water.
• Decrease consumption of sugar, especially between meals.
• Children should be weaned from the bottle as soon as they can drink from a cup, usually by their first birthday, but the bottle should not be taken away too soon, since the sucking motion aids in the development of facial muscles, as well as the tongue.

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Credits: Academy of General Dentistry

Kids teeth dentist downers grove dental clinic

Though you lose them early in life, your primary teeth, also called baby teeth, are essential in the development and placement of your permanent teeth. Primary teeth maintain the spaces where permanent teeth will erupt and help develop proper speech patterns that would otherwise be difficult; without maintenance of these spaces, crowding and misalignment can occur, resulting in more complicated treatment later. Baby teeth also are primers for teaching your child good oral care habits. It is important to take care of your child’s primary teeth. Even though primary teeth last only a few years, decay, cavities and infection can take its toll and may require expensive treatment to repair.

When do baby teeth come in?

Your child’s primary teeth generally make their appearance when he or she is 6 or 7 months old, though it can occur as early as birth. There are 20 primary teeth, followed by 32 permanent teeth that will eventually replace them. Your child should have all his or her primary teeth at age 3 and will keep them until age 5 or 6, when they begin to loosen and fall out. This process usually lasts until the child is 12 or 13. Primary teeth fall out because permanent teeth are pushing them, and by about age 14 children have 28 permanent teeth, plus four additional teeth, called wisdom teeth, that grow behind the permanent teeth in late adolescence.

What can relieve my child’s discomfort during teething?

Between the ages of 6 months and 3 years, your child may experience sore gums and general oral discomfort as primary teeth erupt. While some lucky children experience no apparent discomfort during eruption, many others do. Signs that eruption is causing discomfort in your child include crankiness, lack of appetite, excessive drooling, restless behavior, pink or red cheeks, coughing, upset stomach and chewing or sucking of fingers and toys. There are ways you can bring your child relief. A cold, wet cloth for your baby to suck on can sooth gums. There are also teething accessories and toys your child can chew on to relieve discomfort. Thumb sucking also brings relief, however, dentists recommend this practice should cease upon the arrival of the first permanent teeth, so it does not interfere with the normal development of a child’s oral cavity.

Should loose primary teeth be pulled?

Losing primary teeth before they are ready to fall out can affect the proper positioning of the permanent teeth. If a baby tooth is lost too early, other teeth may tip or fill in the vacant space, forcing permanent teeth to come in crooked. If a baby tooth is knocked out, see your dentist, who may recommend a space maintainer to reserve the gap until the permanent tooth comes in. In instances where a primary tooth is loose because of the emergence of a permanent tooth, have the child wiggle the tooth or eat something hard, such as an apple, to help it along. Once the shell of the tooth is disconnected from the root, the discomfort in extracting a loose primary tooth is minimal.

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Credits: Academy of General Dentistry

Dentist Downers Grove Dental Halloween Treats

Each year, Americans spend close to $9 billion on candy, and in October a lot of that candy will end up damaging the teeth of trick-or-treating children. You might be surprised to learn, however, that when it comes to causing cavities, not all candy is created equal.

“Cavities and tooth decay are caused by prolonged exposure to sugar,” says Ken Sutherland, DDS, a senior dental consultant for Delta Dental. “Parents can help their kids fight cavities by decreasing the amount of time sugar comes in contact with their teeth, as well as limiting the amount of candy they consume.”

Sugar has long been identified by oral health experts as a major cause of tooth decay and cavities. Naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth feed on sugar in candy and other foods and turn it into acid. This acid attacks tooth enamel and causes decay.

Sticky or chewy candies result in sugar being in contact with teeth for longer periods of time. When children chew sticky candies such as caramels or taffy, candy gets stuck on the surface and in between crevices. The longer the sugar is stuck to the teeth, the more time the bacteria have to feed on the candy and produce acid. The more acid is produced and the longer the amount of time the teeth are exposed to it, the more chance your child has of developing cavities.

Tips for limiting the effects of sugary treats

• Choose candy that can be eaten quickly and easily to limit the amount of time sugar is in contact with the teeth.
• Steer away from sticky candies like gummy fruit snacks, caramels, taffy, popcorn balls and other candies that expose the teeth to sugar for long periods of time.
• Limit consumption of sour candies that may contain acids (such as citric acid) to intensify the sour flavor. These acids can contribute to dental erosion and cavities.
• Encourage children to eat a small amount of candy in one sitting followed by a glass of water or a thorough tooth brushing.
• Encourage children to eat a good meal prior to trick-or-treating, so there will be less temptation to fill up on candy.
• Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books or pens and pencils.

Halloween is a great time for parents to think about their children’s teeth, but oral health should be a year-round concern. Regularly encourage good oral health habits with your children, including flossing daily, brushing at least twice a day and visiting the dentist regularly. That way you’ll ensure the sugary villains don’t stick around on your children’s teeth long after Halloween is over.

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Information courtesy of the Delta Dental Plans Association

Bad breath? Contact Dentist at Downers Grove Dental Clinic

“About 75 percent of bad breath or “halitosis” is caused by the mouth itself.  Other causes include gastric problems, sinus infections or severe gum disease,” says Mark Wolff, DDS, Ph.D., director of operative dentistry at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. One of the key successes in treating bad breath is determining the cause. Once your dental professional determines what the cause is then treatment for it can then begin ¹.

Bad breath can be caused by the following:

• External factors – foods such as onions and garlic, beverages like coffee and alcohol, and smoking
• Poor oral hygiene – where plaque and food debris is left on the teeth
• Dentures – plaque and food debris can form on dentures, which need to be cleaned daily
• Tonsils – cryptic areas (crevices) in the tonsils can allow food debris to become lodged in the tonsil area
• Respiratory tract infections – throat, sinus and lung infections
• Dry mouth (Xerostomia) – can be caused by salivary gland problems, medication, mouth breathing, radiation therapy and chemotherapy

Who Should You See If You Have Bad Breath?

If you believe your diet is causing bad breath, then consult with a dietician or nutritionist who can work with you to modify your diet. If you have poor oral hygiene and are suffering from gingivitis (inflammation of the gum tissue in your mouth) or have periodontal disease (bone loss around the teeth sometimes referred to as “pyorrhea”), consult your dentist and periodontist and work with your dental hygienist to improve gingivitis and thorough oral hygiene instruction at home. The tonsils and respiratory infections will need to be followed by your physician or a specialist such as an ear, nose and throat physician or pulmonologist. A large majority of people in the United States are suffering from dry mouth due to medications they may be taking, salivary gland dysfunction and those who may be going through radiation and chemotherapy treatment for cancer therapy. Please consult your oral maxillofacial surgeon, your physician or oncologist for their professional recommendations for prescription or over-the-counter products that can alleviate dry mouth symptoms. Those patients who are diabetics, have liver or kidney conditions, and gastrointestinal disorders should see their physician, urologist or gastroenterologist for their insights on how bad breath can be reduced regarding these systemic diseases. Contact your dentist office for a recommendation of which dental or medical professional you should see for your bad breath condition.

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©Copyright 2009 Colgate-Palmolive Company

Reference:
1. Ooh, That Smell: What to Do if It’s Coming From You – Dentists Discuss Treatments for Bad Breath. Reviewed information at http://www.webmd.com/news/20010809/ooh-that-smell-what-to-do-if-its-coming-from-you.

Clicking or popping could mean trouble, that is if it comes from your jaw. Joint sound is one of the most recognized signs of temporomandibular disorders, commonly referred to as TMD. While not all jaw sounds necessarily point to TMD, it could be an early sign and always should be checked out by your dentist, urges the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an organization for general dentists dedicated to continuing education.

The temporomandibular joints are the points at which the lower jaw (the mandible) attaches to the skull. They are among the most complex joints in the human anatomy. If you place your fingers on the sides of your face, just in front of your ears, and open and close your mouth, you can feel the movement of the mandible in the temporomandibular joints.

Researchers have discovered that sound can be a good tool when diagnosing TMD. Sounds from subjects with TMD had a larger amplitude than sounds fromsubjects without the disorder.

“Joint sound for some people is normal, but it could still mean trouble,” says AGD spokesperson Julie Ann Barna, DMD. “The difference between healthy jaw movement and TMD is said to be only one millimeter.”

Dr. Barna says that if TMD is diagnosed, a team approach to therapy by a dentist and physical therapist leads to effective treatment. She advises that patients should contact their dentist as soon as they notice any new joint sound or discomfort in the mouth. “It may be nothing,” she says. “But it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

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Credits: Academy of General dentistry