Bruxism

Bruxism is the fancy word for when people grind or clench their teeth. Don't think that you are the only one with this problem, 8-10% of adults share in suffering from this sleeping disorder. It is the third most common sleeping disorder following snoring and sleep talking.

During sleep Bruxism the upper and lower teeth come into contact up to 40 minutes every hour and at a force of 115 kilograms. This creates jaw pain, headaches, and damage to the teeth and surrounding tissue.

So what can you do? Stress, smoking, alcohol, and caffeine are believed to set off or worsen the condition so steer clear of those. Dentists may also fit you for a customized mouth guard to help protect your teeth and alleviate some of your symptoms.

What Smoking can do to your Teeth

We all know that smoking is bad for us. It not only harms our overall health, but there are many lasting effects on our mouth and teeth. Smoking can result in:

• Oral cancer
• Bad breath or halitosis
• Black hairy tongue
• Gum recession - especially with chewing tobacco, the gums recede away from where you place the tobacco, exposing the roots
• Delayed healing of the gums
• Increased severity of periodontal disease
• Nicotinic stomatitis (smoker's palate) - inflammation of salivary gland openings on the roof of the mouth
• Staining
• Tar deposits remaining on the teeth

Cosmetic Dentistry Takes Over

While it is crucial to take care of your teeth in the traditional sense, such as: oral hygiene, preventing, diagnosing, and treating oral diseases, and keeping the mouth generally healthy; cosmetic dentistry is gaining in popularity. Partially due to technological advances and innovations, dentists are now able to offer a wider range of services. It is also becoming more affordable for patients to reap the benefits of these treatments.

At Complete Dental Health, many cosmetic services are available in addition to traditional dental services. Below is a list of the treatments that Complete Dental Health has to offer.

• Zoom whitening
• Invisalign invisible braces
• Porcelain veneers
• Dental implants
• Bonding
• Porcelain crowns, onlays and inlays
• Recontouring

The ADA Joins the Race to Go Green

The American Dental Association, which represents more than 155,000 dentists nation wide, is taking steps to become more environmentally friendly. They have implemented several BMPs (Best Management Practices) in order to better protect the environment.

One step that the ADA is taking is to eliminate the use of bulk mercury in dentistry. Dentists now use encapsulated amalgam, which are capsules containing a small amount of elemental mercury and the powdered metals with which it is mixed. The ADA has also reduced the amount of dental amalgam that enters the waste stream.

Since dentists are voluntarily taking on these new practices, it provides hope that other fields of business and other associations will begin to implement their own environment protection programs.

Comfort in the Office

People may dread going to office visits such as the doctor or the dentist, but it does not have to be that way. Many offices have taken steps towards making customers feel more comfortable.

The staff at Complete Dental Health have incorporated many of the comforts of home into a patients visit. IPods are in every room with enough music choices to suit anyones preference. Customer Laura Walcher states, "In Hillcrest, Drs. Landau and Collins ought to get the Nordstroms award for customer service, since theirs may even leave Nordstroms in the dust. Show up: you get hot and cold drinks, cookies, flowers, coffee cups filled with sugar-free treats, cordial greetings by name coming and going, and friendly reminder calls for each appointment. I may move in."

It is important for patients to feel welcome and comfortable during an office visit. Good customer service helps to keep anxiety down and patients relaxed during treatments and checkups.

USC Oral Cancer Screenings

College students and those with a college education have traditionally smoked less than that of lower educated Americans. However, recent studies by the American Cancer Society show that this is changing and that 20% of college students have admitted to smoking.

USC's School of Dentistry is launching a campus wide event on Thursday, November 15th in conjunction with Great American Smoke Out Day. The dental hygienist class of 2008 will be offering free oral cancer screenings and stop smoking kits to the hundreds of students who are expected to attend.

The dental hygiene students are joining the American Cancer Society, USC Colleges Against Cancer and the USC Pharmacy to help students and the community become aware of the benefits of being tobacco free.

Dentists in the Senate

On November 6th, three general practice dentists were elected to the New Jersey state senate. This is the first time that three dentists have served on the New Jersey Senate at the same time. This means that 8% of the NJ senate will be represented by dentists.

Dr. S. Gerald Cardinale is the longest-serving member of the New Jersey senate, and Dr. Jefferson Van Drew and Dr. Joseph Pennacchio will sit as first time members. They will all be able to keep their practices full time while serving on the part time legislature.

California has at least one senate member who owns his own dental practice, which means, there is plenty of room for more!

Too Much Fluoride?

Fluoride has always been thought to be a good thing, however, there is debate about whether or not there is too much fluoride put in our drinking water. Fluoride is also found in places you would least expect it: soft drinks and even beer.

Dr. Fleming is a Durham dentist and on the FDA dental advisory committee, and he believes that the fluoride added to water could be damaging to the the teeth as well as overall health. In 2006, a report by the National Academy of Sciences identified fluoride as a potent hormone disruptor that can affect your thyroid and potentially lower the IQ of children. The report also says that children who drink fluoridated water can develop fluorosis, which is a defect in their teeth that can cause discoloration and erosion of the enamel. Last year, Harvard researchers released a study that showed that the risk of bone cancer increases five fold for teenage boys who drink fluoridated water.

However, the American Dental Association said that as long as the fluoride that is being added to water is regulated and held to the guidelines, then it is safe as well as good for dental health.

Athletes: Don't Forget About Your Teeth!

While athletes spend hours perfecting their body and keeping it healthy, they often forget about their teeth. Athletes face extra hazards when it comes to oral hygiene.

Runners, cyclists, and other athletes can often experience "cotton mouth." This is when the mouth becomes dry due to an increased air intake which in turn reduces saliva. Saliva forms a protective coating around our teeth, so when we experience cotton mouth we are at a higher risk for dental decay.

This problem is only made worse when athletes go to quench their thirst. Sports drinks, gels, and special diets that are consumed during races and training only create more problems. The sugar and carbohydrates found in these items increase the overall acidity in the mouth.

Don't stop working out though! Here are some helpful hints that can help protect you and your mouth:

• Chew gum between workouts and meals to help your teeth become re-mineralized
  
• Use sports drinks that contain xylitol as a sweetener instead
• Rinse your mouth out with water or ice after consuming a sports drink or bar
  

Welcome to the Complete Dental Health Blog!

Stay tuned for great articles and resources on dental health, Invisalign, cosmetic dentistry, veneers, orthodontics, implants, sedation dentistry, and much more!

San Diegans are in luck - San Diego Dentists Dr. David Landau and Dr. Tim Collins are sponsoring this blog to provide answers to your questions on all aspects of dentistry. We hope you visit the blog often for new tips and news!