I don’t know how I chipped my tooth
Have you noticed a chipped or cracked tooth, but don’t how it happened? It could have been damaged while you were sleeping. Grinding or clenching your teeth during the night will cause your teeth to chip, crack and even break. To keep you from seriously damaging your teeth, we recommend a dental appliance called a mouthguard. A custom-fitted mouthguard, sometimes called a nightguard, protects your teeth from grinding and clenching in your sleep. At Yahara Dental we are careful to make sure you have a proper fit to prevent pain in your jaw joint. Do you also have frequent headaches? […]
How your teeth come together
Malocclusion, or misalignment, occurs when upper and lower teeth don’t meet comfortably. Two of the most noticeable types of jaw misalignment are an overbite, where the upper teeth stick out, and an underbite, where the lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth. Malocclusion causes jaw pain, headaches, and you may also bite your cheeks or other areas inside your mouth. Correct jaw alignment allows for effective chewing and distribution of biting forces equally over all the teeth. Severe malocclusion can interfere with eating, breathing, sleeping and speech, and cause discomfort and pain even when your jaw isn’t moving. […]
Drink water to help protect your teeth
For more than 70 years, communities in the United States have benefited from community water fluoridation, the process of adding a small amount of fluoride to public water supplies to achieve a level known to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. Almost all water contains some naturally occurring fluoride, but usually at levels too low to prevent tooth decay. Fluoridated water is effective, because it keeps a low level of fluoride in the mouth—specifically in the dental plaque and saliva—all day. Even with the use of other fluoride products, such as toothpaste and mouth rinses, fluoridated water reduces tooth decay by […]
Four great ways to reduce your risk for oral cancer
Stop using tobacco or don’t start – Tobacco, whether smoked or chewed, exposes the cells in your mouth to dangerous cancer-causing chemicals. Drink alcohol only in moderation – Excessive alcohol consumption can irritate the cells in your mouth, making them susceptible to oral cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, moderation for healthy adults means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger. Protect your lips from excessive sun exposure – When outdoors, stay in shaded areas if possible. […]
Will painful, bleeding gums while brushing & flossing eventually go away?
If your hands became swollen and started to bleed when you washed them, you would be concerned. Yet, many people think swollen, bleeding gums during and after brushing and flossing is normal. Swollen and bleeding gums are a warning that something is wrong with your oral health. It could be as simple as poor brushing and flossing techniques. Or, it could be gingivitis, a disease caused by a buildup of plaque which contains germs that break down the healthy tissue around the teeth. If gingivitis is left untreated, it can lead to periodontal disease, a long-term gum condition that damages […]