Dry Mouth

Ever notice that when you get tired, your eyes get dry or your mouth gets dry?  Well, for most of us, this is our body shutting off the water for the night.  This has implications for your mouth and your overall health because your natural oral protector, your saliva, is reduced while you sleep.  If you haven't cleaned your teeth well before bed, then the bacteria still in your mouth can have a party all night long!  They build up tartar, which are essentially large colonies of attached bacteria to your teeth.  This situation can lead to gum disease and more cavities.
Another possible contributing factor to dry mouth during the day is that of dehydration.  Many of us don't drink enough water, which may cause a lowering of our immune defenses.  Even though it may mean more trips to the bathroom, we need to drink water in order to maintain our health, including our saliva.  Cheers!

The Grind

Grinding your teeth can cause things like sore muscles when you wake, damage to your teeth, or pain in your jaw joints.  Although some of us realize we grind or clench during the day, many times we are doing it at night while sleeping.  There may be solutions for you if you are having pain, and you would benefit from having your concern evaluated at your dentist's office.  Your dentist may prescribe the use of a nightguard.  This piece of plastic helps to prevent tooth damage and may help relieve joint discomfort.
One of the causes of so much grinding done by so many of us is the amount of stress we endure in our lives.  A simple home remedy for night clenching/grinding that may help relieve the stress is to perform our own de-stress routine before bed.  Whether it is reading, listening to music, or having quiet time to reflect, we need something daily to help remove ourselves from the mental stress we feel.  Another great stress reliever can be to do some stretching.  Any type of stretching or exercise routine needs to be okayed by your family doctor if you are starting something new, however, light exercise before bed may help you to sleep better and relieve stresses that can develop in our bodies.  At the very least, talk things over with your healthcare provider and get as much information as you can about how you are doing so that you can make wise decisions about your health.

Toothache or Sinus Congestion?

Because there is a sinus cavity right about some of our upper back teeth, our bodies can give us the impression that we have a toothache when there is nothing wrong with our teeth or gums.  If you are feeling pressure in your sinus cavities and you seem to have tooth pain that comes and goes that isn't very severe, you will want to check with your dentist to see if your teeth are the cause or if there is another explanation.  Remember, you are the owner of your mouth, and you make the ultimate decision.  So whatever you are told, try to get all the information you need to make a wise decision regarding your oral health.

Bad Breath!

I love onions and garlic, but nobody else likes it when I eat them!  Certain foods can cause bad breath, and it's so unfair because not everyone has that problem!  (Sniffle)  Bad breath has many sources, some of which we can change, others we can't.  Definitely, we can prevent bad breath by staying away from the foods

that seem to cause it for us.  Another thing we can do is simply clean our mouths after eating those foods.  The bad breath can also be caused by acid reflux.
As far as food goes, particles of our diet gets lodged in the tonsils at the back of our throats and our tongues.  This is the body's way of preventing sickness by developing resistance as soon as it enters our mouths, however, it also means saving a little bit of that smelly food in the back of our mouths, which can cause bad breath.  Another way to develop bad breath is to not floss your teeth.  In between our teeth, small particles of food can be trapped, feeding the bacteria there for a long time and developing unpleasant odors.  As advertised, mouth rinses can help to combat the bad breath, however they do not penetrate very deep into food our in between our teeth.  So, in short, avoid bad breath by thoroughly cleaning your teeth by brushing, and if that doesn't work, just avoid having the foods that cause bad breath enough to maintain healthy relationships!  Merry Christmas!

Don't forget your toothbrush and floss!

We end up traveling a lot during the holidays to see family or spend time with friends.  If you are traveling whether with family or friends or by yourself, you'll want to take along your toothbrush and floss.  Our home habits can get completely thrown off by the differences in schedule and location we sometimes experience during the holidays.  We also eat food we would normally not eat.
     Another important point that is often overlooked when considering our health is the need for a time of de-stressing.  Stress can be linked to many medical issues, if not as the cause, then at least a contributor.  One tool for relieving stress is to look for and realize the things we have to be grateful for.  It takes no skill or talent to identify the negative in our lives, everything we think we lack that we deserve, etc.  Many people have experienced the blessing of being brought back from a life-threatening event with a greater appreciation for each day, each happy moment, each breath.  This holiday season may we appreciate the small things, and express our appreciation to the ones we care about, the beauty in the world around us, and even strangers who help us.  This is the key to a happy, full life!

An Erosive Relationship...

Some of us enjoy lemonade as our preferred drink.  And you might enjoy an ice-cold Coke or Pepsi, also.  There is also a very acidic substance that some of us deal with on a daily basis:  stomach acid.  If you have acid reflux or anything like it, your stomach acid is probably doing a number on your teeth!  In addition, acidic drinks, like soda and lemonade, can make your enamel thin or even etch it away, which exposes the live part of your teeth.  If the live part is exposed, then your teeth may be sensitive to temperature and sweets.  Although it may be unrealistic to stop drinking soda or sucking on lemons entirely, controlling you diet and what you drink and eat is important to keeping your mouth healthy.  There are things you can do if you suspect that your drinks are too acidic.  You can rinse your mouth out with water after drinking.  Also, you can chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless candy to stimulate your saliva.  Saliva is your natural protector because it can buffer the acids in your mouth to a degree.  If you have questions about erosion, ask your dentist.

Prevention is Better Than Patching!

If while driving, heaven forbid, you have ever accidentally zoned out and struck another vehicle with your front fender, you know how much easier it is to prevent an accident than it is to pay for one in time and money.  Nowadays, we have the luxury of having fenders and our car bodies replaced with new parts, but there was a time when hammering out the dents and using Bondo before repainting were the only options.  In a way, this can be compared to what happens when we 'zone out' and neglect our oral health.  It costs much less in time and money to prevent the decay or gum disease than it is to patch things up.  Most unfortunately, we have no current method to regrow your teeth or your gums/bone, so once we remove the cavity or once the gum disease has taken your bone, we have only the option of patching things up, or cleaning things out, and maintaining the new condition.  As your dentist knows, once the tooth is patched, it is susceptible to needing another patch later, often progressing to larger treatment.  It is better to prevent than patch!

What if I have braces?

Braces, or any orthodontic appliances, make it so we need to do a lot of extra work to clean our teeth.  The metal from the appliances can keep food and bacteria stuck to our teeth easier, increasing our risk of cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.  There are things you can do to help clean your teeth with braces.  One, you can purchase an electric toothbrush.  Electric toothbrushes can help to do more work for the amount of time you brush.  There are even inexpensive electric toothbrushes that can help.  Flossing can be very tedious when you have to work around braces.  Floss threaders can be used, and there are other options that you can ask your oral health professional about.  Another vital time to have your teeth checked is after the braces come off!

Getting rid of the tartar...

http://www.lifesambrosia.com/2009/10/homemade-tartar-sauce-recipe.html

Tartar sauce is great with fish, but the tartar we all need to get rid of frequently is the tartar on our teeth.  Another name for it is calculus, and we all know what that word means:  a hard math class.  The tartar we're talking about is a build-up of bacteria, literally a colony of bacteria, and they've moved in!  The hard tartar usually can only come off during a visit to your dentist for a check-up and cleaning.  Where tartar is more of a problem is if it builds below your gumline, where your tooth brush can't reach.  This tartar is irritating to your body and in response, your body can stay inflamed in the area.  Over time, the inflammation can cause the bone around your teeth to withdraw, making your teeth loose.  The inflammation is what we call active periodontal disease, or active gum disease.
You can do something about tartar to prevent it!  As you brush and floss daily, you are breaking up the bacteria so they can't build tartar.  Without their removal the bacteria can colonize, and this can lead to active gum disease and cavities.  See your oral health professional today to determine any needs you have, and you can ask if there are any areas in your mouth where tartar can get trapped.