Damaged Tooth? Here’s Why it May Not Be as Unexpected as You Think!
By: Stephen Price DDS | Saturday, September 30th, 2017 | General Dentistry
Saturday, September 30th, 2017
One of the objectives we have when treating patients is to help them avoid problems as much as possible. How much nicer would dental visits – and life in general – be if you never had to endure a toothache; if you never needed a filling or root canal or crown! We imagine that there would be a lot less stress on an individual level!
We may understand that prevention is the best medicine, but that doesn’t mean we know exactly what to do to avoid dental injuries like cracked or broken teeth. To take action steps, it is necessary to know what, exactly, you’re trying to prevent. The idea of preventing tooth damage is too broad. Here, we break it down into specific steps, and why they are necessary.
Daily Oral Care
As if you need to hear again how you need to brush and floss every day, right? The thing is, dental injuries including chips and fractures are often preceded by unnoticed, minor damage to enamel. This damage is weakness caused by bacterial activity in the mouth. There is no way to completely eradicate the thousands of microorganisms that call your mouth home. This is why we consistently see those messages about brushing and flossing. When we brush (two full minutes) morning and night, we keep the scales of acidity tipped in our favor. We can further improve our protective measures against enamel weakness by sipping water throughout the day. Every few minutes. The water-rinse dilutes acidic residue and disrupts the formation of plaque.
Stress Management for your Teeth?
Stress management has become a hot topic of discussion in recent years, as research has discovered the link between unmitigated stress and a host of health concerns, including cardiac disease. But the mouth? Where does stress come in to affect our teeth? The link between stress and dental injuries, including cracks and broken teeth, is bruxism. When we are carrying stress, the body instinctively works to release it. Often, this occurs at night, when we sleep. Bruxism is an unconscious habit of grinding teeth or clenching the jaw. Ultimately, the excessive force can cause the gums to pull away from teeth. Enamel and dental restorations can also be damaged by this force. Reduce stress with specific techniques such as deep breathing, or another method that works for you. Also, put a barrier between that stress and your teeth in the form of a custom-fit night guard made by your dentist.
Do you need restorative dental care? Call our Burke office at (703)750-9404.
