Jaw clenching is the cause of a sore jaw and may even lead to the dislocation of the temporomandibular joint. You may also experience clicking and locking of the jaw.

Key takeaways:

- Bruxism originates from the central nervous system and can be triggered by stress, anxiety, alcohol consumption, smoking, and medications.

- Symptoms include worn tooth enamel, chipped or fractured teeth, earaches, headaches and tooth sensitivity.

- Your dentist will help to reduce the effects of grinding or clenching and minimize the symptoms.

Dental fabricated nightguards are designed to provide a stable bite that does not interfere with a healthy, comfortable jaw closure. Adjustment of the device by a dentist can help reduce contraction of jaw muscles during bruxism, which may minimize jaw joint stress and protect tooth enamel.

Read the full story here

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2016/12/waking-up-with-a-sore-jaw-you-may-grind-your-teeth-at-night/

Cracks that extend below the gum line into the root of the tooth necessitate extraction of the tooth. Emphasis is placed on detecting cracks early to save teeth from extraction.

Key takeaways:

- Small cracks can become large cracks within no time -- meaning that you should seek dental treatment at the earliest possible moment.

- Early diagnosis and treatment of cracked teeth will prevent spreading of the crack and adverse outcomes.

- People can cut the risk of cracked teeth by avoiding chewing on hard things, clenching or grinding, and wearing a mouth guard when playing sport.

One major contributor to the observed uptick in cracked teeth cases is the increasing lifespan of the American population, which according to numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has reached 78.8 years.

Read the full story here

https://vitalrecord.tamhsc.edu/saving-cracked-teeth-begins-with-early-diagnosis/

As rule, you should not eat food while wearing the grills. After all, grills were not meant to worn at all times.

Key takeaways:

- Grills made from non-precious metal may cause irritation and allergy.

- People who wear grills should observe good oral healthcare since food particles may stick between teeth and the grills.

- To prevent dental problems, you should limit the frequency and duration of wearing your grills.

Food and other debris may become trapped between the teeth and the grill allowing bacteria to collect and produce acids. The acids can cause tooth decay and harm gum tissue.

Read the full story here

http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/g/grills

Dental professionals differ in their opinions about flossing. Their differing opinions rest on whether flossing should come before or after brushing teeth.

Key takeaways:

- Practicing good oral hygiene is of utmost importance in keeping your teeth in good health.

- Flossing before brushing is recommended since it will ensure that people don't forget this tedious task.

- Another school of thought recommends flossing AFTER brushing to make sure that fluoride gets into the spaces between the teeth.

The bacteria around the teeth organize themselves as colonies and [flossing] stirs them up. If we get in there and stir them up every 24 hours we render them less dangerous.

Read the full story here

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/wellness/a50762/floss-before-or-after-brushing/

Compared to stem cells from other areas of the body, those from baby teeth are more powerful. You can talk to your dentist to have baby teeth collected and properly preserved.

Key takeaways:

- Baby teeth have valuable and powerful stem cells that can transform into any type of cell in the body.

- Having baby teeth stored in a tooth bank eliminates the need to wait for a bone marrow donor and increases the likelihood of acceptance of the tooth derived stem cells.

- There are a number of services that your dentist can recommend to cryopreserve stem cell from baby teeth at a fee.

As stem cells age, they become less powerful. If your child needs stem cells as an adult, the teeth that currently live in their mouth will no longer be very useful.

Read the full story here

https://www.davidwolfe.com/doctors-urge-parents-save-kids-baby-teeth/

You should always honor dental appointments with your dentist for regular checkup and cleaning. The removal of plaque will prevent in incidence of gum disease.

Key takeaways:

- Plaque will cause inflammation and swelling around the gums the longer that it stays there. Gingivitis does not cause pain and may go unnoticed for a long time.

- Gum disease is linked to the increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

- Good oral hygiene will help prevent gingivitis. Brush your teeth twice every day and floss your teeth to avoid plaque buildup.

Make an appointment with your dentist, too. Guys with bleeding gums or signs of cavities?toothache, pain when you eat hot or cold food, or pain when you bite down?should get a cleaning every three months.

Read the full story here

http://www.menshealth.com/health/what-bleeding-gums-mean

Savoring your favorite drink may cause the erosion of tooth enamel. The longer a soft drink stays in the mouth, the more the exposure to acids in the drink.

Key takeaways:

- Tooth erosion has been on the rise as people consume lots of acidic drinks. Acid corrodes tooth enamel making it thin and leads to sensitive and cracked teeth.

- Drinks such as soft drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks, and teas contain high amounts of acids.

- These drinks also contain high amounts of sugar that combine with plaque bacteria to produce acids that attack tooth enamel.

In soft drinks, especially in cola soft drinks, one of the main flavoring agents is phosphoric acid. That's the acid we use in dentistry to roughen tooth enamel before applying a bonding agent. We use it like sandpaper.

Read the full story here

https://consumer.healthday.com/dental-and-oral-information-9/misc-dental-problem-news-174/acid-drinks-blamed-for-increase-in-tooth-erosion-624866.html

Dentists recommend that parents learn more about how to help their babies when teething happens. The use of teething gels is not recommended since they contain benzocaine.

Key takeaways:

-�The child is their best teacher in the regulation of pain and pressure. They will know when and how much pressure to apply to relieve their pain and discomfort.

-�You should provide a plain but solid teething ring which allows the baby to apply pressure on their own.

-�Try massaging baby?s gums with a clean finger or a cooled washcloth to provide some relief.

"It's important to respond to your baby when it comes to coping with the pain," he said in a university news release. "Your baby may want more pressure or less pressure, so it'll take a lot of experimenting to see what works and which areas of the gums are most sensitive."
Read the full story here https://consumer.healthday.com/dental-and-oral-information-9/misc-dental-problem-news-174/teething-tips-from-dental-specialists-716985.html

What do you know about your teeth? The incisors are the teeth at the front of your mouth and are used to cut up your food. The premolars and the molars are found at the back of the teeth and help to grind and chew food.

Key takeaways:

- Teeth are arranged in a curved line along the top and bottom jaws in the mouth. The visible part is the crown whereas the root is found within the gum.

- A sticky coating of germs/bacteria forms on the teeth during the day. The creamy coating is referred to as plaque and is the cause of tooth decay.

- Brush your teeth the last thing at night and at least one other time during the day. You should use fluoride toothpaste that helps to keep tooth enamel strong.

Every time you eat or drink anything sugary your teeth are under attack from the plaque acids for up to one hour. This is because the sugar mixes with the bacteria in the plaque to produce the harmful plaque acids.

Read the full story here

https://www.dentalhealth.org/tell-me-about/topic/childrens-teeth/my-teeth

The use of toothpaste dates back to 500 BC with the ancient Greeks who used iron rust and coral powder to clean their teeth. They would chew on twigs and use them as toothbrushes.

Key takeaways:

- Take great care of your dental health as it's related to your overall health.

- A third of the tooth is found beneath the gums. The gums should be thoroughly cleaned to avoid dental problems.

- Tooth decay may be responsible for the yellow color of tooth enamel. The yellow shade is not only caused by coffee and other foods.

Plaque contains millions of bacteria, made up of 200 to 300 different species. The main culprit for poor tooth health is Streptococcus mutans, which converts sugar and other carbohydrates into the acids which eat away at your teeth.

Read the full story here

http://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/things-you-didnt-know-about-your-teeth#1