Posts Tagged ‘gentle dentist’

So what does that have to do with a dental blog? Plenty. It is all about form, fit and function. While we all love the looks of a great smile, your teeth have an important function; they are designed to bite and chew your food for a lifetime of proper digestion.  Just as tap shoes do not transform an elephant into a tap dancer, a mouth full of malpositioned teeth, ill-fitting crowns or loose dentures will not produce an effective bite, which dentists call occlusion.  Your teeth, ligaments, nerves, muscles and bone, all working together, control occlusion. Your teeth must be in alignment to withstand the normal pressures of chewing food. 

Inch for inch, your jaw muscles are among the most powerful in the human body.  Normal chewing places about 70 lbs/sq inch of pressure on the back teeth, and clenching your teeth can increase that force to 150-300 lbs/sq inch.  Bruxism is teeth grinding, often during sleep.  The forces in bruxism during sleep have been measured at over 1000 lbs/sq inch of force, enough to crush the front end of a car.  If normal pressure is applied evenly to your teeth, the force is comfortable.  But if you have occlusal problems and all that pressure is applied to just a few spots, the teeth, ligaments and nerves can signal pain.  Over time, the tooth absorbing this punishment can fracture. 

You may have an unstable bite (malocclusion) due to missing teeth or periodontal disease, or if your teeth are worn down or out of place.  Ill-fitting crowns or bridges can also disturb your bite.  That powerful force, misdirected due to an incorrect bite, can cause pain and damage to your remaining teeth.  The upper and lower teeth should fit together well, without causing your TMJ (temporomandibular joint) to become unstable.  TMJ dysfunction can lead to pain in your jaw or face, as well as headaches and other complaints.

 If you have an unstable on ineffective bite, bruxism, misaligned teeth or TMJ pain, see your dentist and request a bite analysis. A small adjustment may be all that is needed to correct the situation and prevent problems later. A custom night dental guard can help with bruxism, and other types of dental treatment can improve occlusion. And while we can’t guarantee that a visit to our office will give you a new superpower like tap dancing, we can relieve pain, restore occlusion and allow you to chew your food comfortably again.

We have long known that there is a link between diabetes and gum disease, but which comes first?  Can controlling periodontal disease help reduce the risk of diabetes? The answer: Possibly YES!

Normal healthyy gum tissue is pink, not red. Healthy gums do not bleed during usual dental care.  Gingivitis, or inflamed gums, is caused by bacteria in plaque. In this mild form, it is curable. But if left untreated, periodontal (gum) disease can develop where gaps form between the teeth and gums. These gaps trap bacteria, which multiply rapidly in the mouth, and further destroy the bone holding the teeth in place. In the most serious cases, the bone dissolves and the teeth cannot be saved.

 Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that there are nearly 60 million Americans have pre-diabetes. Many of these people will develop Type 2 diabetes within 10 years.  Periodontal diseases of the gums and bony tissues of the mouth may allow pre-diabetes to progress. The gaps or pockets between the teeth and gums become infected, releasing natural toxins called cytokines. Cytokines may play a role in damaging the pancreas and disturbing sugar metabolism.  

Scientists from Denmark and the Unites States have observed in animals and humans that periodontal diseases can disturb the glucose (sugar) regulation of a non-diabetic who has pre-diabetic characteristics, thus contributing to the progression of Type 2 diabetes.

According to Dr. Preston D. Miller, Jr., President of the American Academy of Periodontology, “These findings underscore the importance of taking good care of your teeth and gums: it may be a simple way to prevent diabetes, or to prevent the progression of diabetes.”