Category Archives: Mouth Pain
Headaches Happening?
Approximately 40% of otherwise healthy individuals suffer from chronic headaches, and about one in eight North Americans suffers from recurring headaches that are so severe they interfere with normal life. It has been estimated that 80% of all headaches occur from muscle tension. You may be surprised to learn that many tension headaches are related to your bite. It may feel as though you’re wearing a steel hatband, or it may be a dull ache on one or both sides. Your headaches may be dental in origin if you experience:
- Sore jaw muscles when you wake up
- Teeth grinding
- Jaw joints that click or pop
- Head or scalp that’s painful to touch
If your physician has ruled out other possible causes, and you suspect the cause might be your bite, contact a dentist for an examination.
Sports Related Dental Trauma
Oral and facial injuries are the #1 sports trauma.
Knocked out teeth due to sports injuries often means many trips to dental specialists and thousands of dollars in tooth replacement or repair.
You can reduce your chance of concussions or tooth injuries by wearing a sports mouthguard. There are two types of mouthguards available, store-bought or custom made. “Store-bought” mouthguards offer some protection but do not fit or hold up as well as a custom made type. Store-bought types are bulky and require the athlete to apply constant pressure to hold them in place.
Custom fitted mouthguards offer superior protection, retention and comfort, and do not interfere with breathing and talking.
Playsafe mouthguards are heat & pressure formed over models of your mouth and specifically tailored to fit you comfortably, enhancing your level of play. Playsafe mouthguards provide the highest level of protection for your teeth. Playsafe mouthguards are available in multiple colors and various levels of protection to accommodate the different sports teams.
Common Dental Problems: Oral Cancers
This post is the seventh in a series of seven posts regarding common dental problems.
Brushing and flossing daily will go a long way toward keeping your teeth and gums healthy. But sometimes trouble arises even when you do everything right (blame bad genes or bad luck). Here are the issues you should be on the lookout for and what to do to keep them at bay.
Oral Cancers
An oral cancer may start with a small, pale, red, painless lump on some area of the mouth. A dentist can easily screen for the disease by examining and feeling round a patient’s mouth, head and neck.
Who’s at risk?
Of the estimated 30,000 cases of oral cancer diagnosed each year in this country, about three-quarters are associated with the use of tobacco or tobacco in combination with heavy alcohol use. Most cases occur after age 40. Many people aren’t screened, and detection usually occurs when the cancer is at an advanced stage. That’s why the five-year survival rate is one of the lowest for all cancers.
What to do
Stop smoking, and make sure your dentist screens you every time you visit. Even people missing many or all of their teeth should see a dentist regularly to make sure their dentures fit, as chronic irritation can be a risk factor.
