Whether you call it bad breath
or halitosis, it’s an unpleasant
condition that’s cause for
embarrassment. Some people with
bad breath aren’t even aware
there’s a problem. If you’re
concerned about bad breath, see
your dentist. He or she can help
identify the cause and, if it’s
due to an oral condition,
develop a treatment plan to help
eliminate it.
Bruxism
What
is Bruxism? "Keep a stiff upper
lip" or "get a grip!" That's
often the advice we get—and
give—on how to cope with stress.
If you take it literally, the
result could be grinding your
teeth or clenching your jaws.
It's called Bruxism, and often
it happens as we sleep, caused
not just by stress and anxiety
but by sleep disorders, an
abnormal bite or teeth that are
missing or crooked. Symptoms
include a dull headache or a
sore jaw.
You
could have teeth that are
painful or loose from severe
grinding. This can lead to
fractures in your teeth. Your
dentist can fit you with a mouth
guard to protect your teeth
during sleep. If stress is the
cause you need to find a way to
relax! Physical therapy, muscle
relaxants, counseling and even
exercise may help reduce
tension. Don't make your teeth
the brunt of your stress.
www.nti-tss.com
Periodontal disease is an
infection of the tissues that
support your teeth. Your gum
tissue is not attached to the
teeth as high as it may seem.
There is a very shallow v-shaped
crevice called a sulcus between
the tooth and gums. Periodontal
diseases attack just below the
gum line in the sulcus, where
they cause the attachment of the
tooth and its supporting tissues
to break down. As the tissues
are damaged, the sulcus develops
into a pocket: generally, the
more severe the disease, the
greater the depth of the pocket.
www.perioprotect.com
Sleep Apnea
Affects more than 12 million
Americans worldwide. It is more
common in men than women. People
who are overweight and those who
are diabetic are more at risk.
It strikes in 3 different forms
and is diagnosed through a
polysomngram, which monitors the
bodies sleeping pattern.
They all have a common
characteristic which is that
each patient will stop breathing
for a minute or longer. It is
vital that the body receives
oxygen, when the body stops
breathing this process cannot be
completed. The symptoms are
similar to that of snoring,
except more extensive.
Severe/Constant fatigue,
irritability, headache, and
disturbed rest are just to name
a few. Fortunately there are
also many different options to
treat sleep apnea. The surgery
and recovery time is about the
same as that in snoring except
the doctor may also remove the
tonsils and adenoids as well.
Snoring
Is the vibration in the airways
caused by some type of
obstruction. Many things can
offset it. Allergies, excess fat
(around the throat area),
obstruction (caused by foreign
material), and weakening
muscles. This is not anything to
be alarmed about. Common
symptoms of snoring are lack of
focus, drowsiness, and fatigue.
There are many different
treatment options available &
your doctor will help choose an
option that fits you. One of the
most common surgeries to treat
and alleviate snoring is a
“Uvulopalatopharyngoglossoplasty
(UPPP).” The doctor would go in
and remove the accumulation of
excess fat in the uvula and soft
palate. This surgery takes about
one hour, with recovery in 10-14
days, and able to see specific
results in six weeks.
The only moveable bone in the
entire skull is the mandible
(jaw). The jaw is responsible
for a person to chew and talk,
which for most of society is
essential. The temporal bone is
on the both sides of the skull,
which connects via ligaments and
muscles to attach itself to the
mandible (jaw). Being able to
move the jaw without pain is a
good sign your TMJ is intact.
However 10 million Americans
currently have TMJ. It is caused
by everyday life, which may
include stress, grinding of
teeth, poor bite/teeth habits.
