tooth sensitivity

Have you experienced a tight jaw, impressions on your tongue or a tooth that seemed loose, chipped, or fractured? What about sore facial muscles, increased sensitivity in your teeth, or a partner that complains about clicking noises you make with your mouth? If you said yes to all or most of these, you could be a teeth grinder. Read on to find out why teeth grinding is harmful, what causes it, and what you can do to stop grinding and clenching your teeth during the day.

Why You Should Be Concerned About Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding or clenching, known medically as bruxism, is common in both adults and children. It could result in further teeth sensitivity as grinding wears down your enamel. If bruxism persists, you could end up damaging your teeth and it may require treatments such as root canals, bridges, or even dentures and implants.

Bruxism could also affect your jaw—teeth grinding might cause TMJ or even disfigure your face. You could experience headaches and earaches that you may not immediately associate with bruxism.

Grinding and Clenching—Why Does It Happen During the Day?

While doctors are not entirely sure what causes teeth grinding, common causes include sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or abnormalities in your teeth alignment (malocclusion). Many cases of teeth grinding and clenching happen at night, and can only be detected if your loved one notices it enough to wake him up.

But teeth grinding also happens during the day (daytime bruxism) and it is likely caused by anxiety and emotional stress. If you have daytime bruxism, you don’t necessarily experience nocturnal bruxism as well. Fortunately, there are means to stop bruxism before it wreaks havoc on your teeth.

How to Break the Habit

Try the following tips to help you eliminate teeth grinding during the day:

• Reduce stress and tension by doing the following:
• Keep a journal or writing pad handy. When you start to feel stressed out, take a few minutes to jot down your thoughts and feelings. This lets you release emotionally, and you can process it later to identify your stressors.
• Seek counsel. A trained professional will use different techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy to deal with your stressors and help you cope with emotional situations.
• Increased physical activity is proven to lower stress. Remember to stay hydrated.
• Avoid certain food and beverages that may trigger stress, such as caffeinated drinks (coffee, soda, etc.) and alcohol
• Under more extreme cases, use muscle relaxants as prescribed by your doctor.

• Avoid chewing gum, the tip of your pen, your pencil eraser, or other objects. Chewing will only encourage teeth grinding during the day.
• Use a mouth guard. This is especially important if you grind your teeth at night and you’re not aware. But mouth guards can also be helpful during the day if you’re still training your jaw. Daytime mouth guards are not as noticeable as night guards, so it appears discreet and allows you to talk comfortably.
• Talk to people you regularly interact with. During the night, ask your bed mate to gently wake you up so you can relax and stop grinding your teeth. During the day, ask people to help remind you not to grind or clench. Self-awareness is important to stop daytime bruxism but employ the help of others if you can’t catch yourself doing it.
• If you notice that you’re clenching, keep lips together, keep teeth slightly apart, and place the tip of your tongue between your teeth. This technique helps your jaw relax and eventually train you not to grind your teeth.

We hope these tips help you keep your daytime grinding in check! If you need any other tips or are interested in getting your teeth looked at, don’t hesitate to visit Chicago’s number one dentistry. Contact us today!

Dental hypersensitivity, also known as sensitive teeth, happens because of receding gums and/or because the enamel protecting the teeth has somehow become thinner. Brushing too hard can push back the gums and expose the roots of teeth, while acidic food and drinks, such as wine, can weaken the structure of the enamel and cause sensitivity. You know your teeth are sensitive when it’s painful to consume hot or cold foods and beverages.

In addition to certain food, did you know that breathing in the cold air can also trigger sensitivity? If you're in Chicago, where the winter temperature can reach -20 or lower, tooth sensitivity can be worsened by chilly air. Here are some ways for you to enjoy holiday treats and breathe in the winter air without worrying about painful teeth.

Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth

There are numerous types of toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth. Some of them are also formulated to whiten teeth and prevent cavities. This kind of toothpaste works to coat your enamel and lessen the sensitivity that your nerves feel. Look for American Dental Association (ADA) approved toothpaste brands with fluoride, potassium nitrate, or strontium chloride. Your dental care provider can also use professional strength toothpaste for additional relief and protection from hypersensitivity.

Use a Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride treatments in toothpaste or mouth rinse can prevent sensitivity. Fluoride reinforces the enamel to resist food acid and it also prevents tooth decay. Fluoride intake is important for children, as their permanent teeth erupt, but adults can still use fluoride treatments for overall oral health. While there are over-the-counter fluoride treatments available, their concentrations are lower than professional treatments provided by dentists. Whichever option you choose, fluoride treatments can still benefit you even as an adult.

Treat Receding Gums

If your gums are receding from aggressive brushing or gum disease, visit your dentist to discuss treatment options. Make sure to maintain good oral hygiene. Your periodontist may recommend deep cleaning or, in worst cases, surgery (gingivoplasty) to correct your gums. Treating receded gums can protect your roots and prevent tooth loss.

Avoid Over-Brushing

The recommended number of brushing is two times—first thing in the morning and before bedtime. Brush for two minutes using a soft bristle toothbrush. Avoid brushing immediately after meals. The acids in the food and drink we consume weaken our teeth and brushing right after will only strip the teeth of more minerals, therefore resulting in more sensitivity.

After meals, rinse using water to neutralize the mouth’s pH balance and let saliva break down the acids and sugars first. If you must brush, wait at least 30 minutes after eating to do so. Learn more about how to avoid over-brushing here!

Avoid Acidic and Sugary Food and Drinks

Make conscious choices about your diet to prevent cavity formation and enamel breakdown. Avoid eating sugary food like candy and drinking carbonated drinks, such as sodas. Wine is highly acidic, but if you pair cheese with it, the cheese's enzymes help break down the acids. Choose food high in phosphorus such as fatty fish and tofu, and low-acid fruits like apples and bananas.

Get Your Teeth Checked Out

See your dentist once or twice a year for checkup and cleaning. You may need to visit more often if you are prone to getting frequent cavities or if you have a gum disease. Your dentist can provide you with a combination of solutions if you suffer from sensitive teeth. Dental appointments are crucial for your oral health. Until then, brave the Chicago winter with these tips to reduce sensitive teeth.

We hope these tips help you face Chicago’s chilly winter with a grin! If you struggle with sensitive teeth, it’s very important to see a dentist to find out what’s at the root of your sensitivity problem. Don’t hesitate to make an appointment with Chicago’s number one dentistry, Water Tower Dental Care, today!

You might be surprised that a dental office is writing about eating disorders. But eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia nervosa can devastate your teeth, gums and overall oral health. According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), about 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder for a period of time in their lives in the US. That’s a lot of people suffering with a disorder that can seriously damage not only your teeth, but your entire life.
Dentists are often the first people to discover that a patient has an eating disorder because the signs are so obvious. We’re going to take a look at some of those signs today.

What are eating disorders?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, eating disorders are illnesses that cause extreme changes to your daily diet, such as eating very small amounts of food everyday or severe overeating. A person with an eating disorder may be able to alter their diet with small changes at first, but at some point the urge to eat less or more becomes uncontrollable.
Some of the most common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating. Anorexia nervosa usually involves a severe and distorted fear of becoming fat or gaining weight. People with anorexia may not be fat at all, or may even be underweight. This fear can lead the person to undereat, exercise excessively, or purge after eating by forcing themselves to throw up or use laxatives, diuretics, or enemas.
Bulimia nervosa typically involves seemingly uncontrollable overeating (binging) followed by purging with self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or using laxatives, diuretics or enemas.
The American Dental Association notes that eating disorders are caused by various physical, emotional and social issues and focus on body image, food and weight, along with many other issues. Eating disorders are much more complicated than whether someone is overweight, underweight or anywhere in between.

What are some signs that an eating disorder is damaging your teeth?

Eating disorders can wreak havoc on your entire body, including your teeth. While it may be hard for parents to tell if their child has an eating disorder, it’s typically obvious to dentists after a certain period of time. Many of the dental issues that come along with eating disorders are caused by stomach acids damaging your teeth as a result of vomiting. But nutritional deficiencies caused by under eating are also terrible for your dental health.
Here are a few signs that an eating disorder is damaging your oral health and teeth:

• Xerostomia, or dry mouth symptom, caused by enlarged salivary glands
• Tooth decay and enamel erosion, especially in the inside of the upper front teeth
• Tooth sensitivity, thinning and chipping due to enamel erosion
• Tooth discoloration and/or change in the shape or size of your teeth
• Mouth sores that may bleed easily
• Bleeding gums
• Tender mouth and throat
• Dry, red and cracked lips

Treating eating disorders

Though your dentist may be able to temporarily improve the dental damage caused by eating disorders, there’s not much they can do to heal your teeth in the long run if the eating disorder continues. The best thing you can do is see an experienced and skilled therapist that specializes in eating disorders. Since eating disorders are complicated and vary from person to person, it’s very important that someone who suffers with an eating disorder speak with an expert as soon as possible.
To reduce the effects of purging on your teeth, don’t brush your teeth right after you vomit. The acids from your stomach erode your enamel, and brushing your teeth immediately afterwards can make enamel erosion even worse. Instead, immediately wash out your mouth with club soda, a sugar-free mouthwash, or, as a last resort, water. This will help neutralize the stomach acids. 30 minutes later, gently brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
If you think you might have an eating disorder, it’s important that you seek professional help as soon as possible before irreversible damage is done. Along with damaging your relationships, mental health, self-esteem, and physical body, eating disorders can also result in death.
Please don’t be afraid to visit Water Tower Dental Care or contact us if you’re worried about how your diet is affecting your teeth and oral health. We have seen many patients with eating disorders and would love to inspect your mouth to let you know how your teeth are doing.
We also work with a Behavioral Health Care Center in our office that specializes in eating disorders, called ASCENDchc. Together, we can put you on the path to a healthier life.