Basics of Bruxism

Do you constantly wake up with jaw pain? Do you catch yourself clenching your teeth in the middle of the day? If you’ve answered yes to one, or both of these questions, our doctors at Chapel Street Dental would like to discuss bruxism with you. Bruxism is a condition in which a patient grinds, gnashes, or clenches his or her teeth during sleep. Because this condition can cause damage to surrounding teeth, it is usually treated with a night guard.  

Mild bruxism may not require treatment, but severe bruxism can lead to jaw disorders, headaches, and damaged teeth. If you experience increased tooth sensitivity, jaw soreness, or tight jaw muscles, you may be considered a “bruxer.” For a proper diagnosis, it’s best to visit our doctors at Chapel Street Dental where you will receive personalized care for this problem.

If you have questions or concerns regarding bruxism causes and treatment, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.newhavendentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Chapel Street Dental in New Haven, CT, call 203-772-1000.

What is Halitosis?

If you are feeling self-conscious because your breath has been less than fresh, it’s time to review your oral care habits and perhaps your lifestyle habits as well. Halitosis, or chronic bad breath, is something that mouthwash, mints, and chewing gum won’t solve. Additionally, tobacco use and a poor diet will only contribute to foul-smelling breath. If you are embarrassed by your bad breath, schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Chapel Street Dental.

It is one thing to have bad breath after eating a meal that is heavy on the onions, but it’s another thing to have bad breath that persists for a long period of time. If quick fixes are only disguising the odor, you should visit one of our doctors to get the situation under control. To prevent chronic bad breath, you should brush thoroughly at least twice a day, for two minutes. Don’t forget to floss between the teeth to remove the leftover food particles that are causing your breath to stink.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral health, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.newhavendentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Chapel Street Dental in New Haven, CT, call 203-772-1000.

Sectioning Teeth

When patients need teeth extracted, they can count on Chapel Street Dental. Although it is always our desire to prevent a tooth from needing to be removed, there are times when the wisdom teeth threaten the push all the other teeth out of alignment. To make their removal easier, we sometimes cut them into sections.

The wisdom teeth are the largest teeth and have multiple roots clinging to strong ligaments. Teeth are usually removed by being rocked back and forth while being pushed with an elevator tool or grasped with forceps, but this may not work with wisdom teeth. Yanking them may require an unsafe amount of force and they may be caught under the gum line. Instead, they are cut into sections using a dental drill. The patient is numb during this and the incision site is bathed in water continuously to prevent it from overheating. When the teeth have been broken up, they may be lifted out with less force and without incisions needing to be made into the gum line. There is also less risk of a tooth breaking accidentally.

Chapel Street Dental is located at 806 Chapel St, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510. To schedule an appointment, call 203-772-1000 or visit New Haven Dental and fill out a contact form.

 

Acid Reflux and Teeth

The team at Chapel Street Dental highly values preventive care, which is why we want to educate our patients about the dangers of acid reflux. This disease can have a devastating effect on the body, teeth included, but we can help fix the damage.

Stomach acid is so strong that the stomach secretes special mucus to protect itself. When that acid escapes upward into the esophagus, it burns as it goes. This is what causes the sensation called heartburn. When the acid reaches the mouth, it erodes the enamel covering the teeth, leaving them more sensitive. If a patient experiences acid reflux twice a week or more, they are said to have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). These people’s teeth are eroded so much they appear to become glazed before developing tiny pits.

Patients can prevent acid reflux by reducing their intake of citric acid, onions, garlic, fried meat, and alcohol. They would also do well not to eat before lying down. We can also provide fluoride treatments that will better protect their enamel and repair damage the teeth have already incurred.

Chapel Street Dental is located at 806 Chapel St, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510. To schedule an appointment, call 203-772-1000 or visit New Haven Dental and fill out a contact form.

 

Don’t Neglect Your Tongue

When you brush and floss your teeth, are you giving your tongue the attention it needs? Our doctors at Chapel Street Dental encourage you to look in a mirror after reading this to see what color your tongue is. If you notice that your tongue is white, this is due to a layer a bacteria that has planted itself on the tongue and won’t go away until you clean it. A tongue scraper is a powerful tool to implement into your oral care routine, allow us to explain why.

A tongue cleaner, or a tongue scraper, is a device that is designed to clean the coating on the upper surface of the tongue. Regardless of how you clean your tongue, doing so will improve bad breath and the overall health of your mouth. Tongue scrapers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but you, if you don’t wish to invest in one, brushing the tongue, works just as well.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral hygiene or oral care, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.newhavendentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Chapel Street Dental in New Haven, CT, call 203-772-1000.

Dangers of Dental Plaque

Plaque is constantly forming on our teeth, especially after the meals we eat. Plaque is a sticky, colorless film of bacteria and sugars that can cause periodontal disease and cavities if not adequately removed by brushing and flossing. If you take your finger and scrape your nail against your enamel, do you notice any plaque? If so, our doctors at Chapel Street Dental encourage you to brush it away to avoid its consequences.

When we eat, plaque uses the sugars in food to produce acids that eat away at tooth enamel. If plaque isn’t brushed away, it can harden into tartar which only our team of hygienists will be able to remove. As the plaque and tartar buildup increase, gum tissue can become red, swollen, and may bleed when you brush your teeth. To avoid the dangers of dental plaque, it’s critical to brush at least twice a day, floss at least once a day and visit us twice a year for professional cleanings.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral hygiene or oral care, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.newhavendentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Chapel Street Dental in New Haven, CT, call 203-772-1000.

Research into Filling Failure

At Chapel Street Dental in New Haven, we apply the latest medical research toward preventive care for our patients. Recently, scientists examined some of the causes of dental filling failure, and we wanted to share them with our readers in order to emphasize the importance of regular check-ups.

Fillings generally last for ten years. Some of the most common factors in people whose fillings failed early were alcohol and tobacco use. The study only examined male smokers, but it found they and people of both sexes who drank alcohol had a higher chanced of filling failure after just two years. The scientists were surprised to find that filling failure also seems to run in families and they speculated about a genetic reason for this.

There was also a lot of positive news. The study found that white resin bonding does not have a higher failure rate than the old amalgam fillings. This is good because white fillings are generally thought to be better looking and to be unaffected by changes in temperature, which some people complain about with metal fillings.

Chapel Street Dental is located at 806 Chapel St, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510. To schedule an appointment, call 203-772-1000 or visit New Haven Dental and fill out a contact form.