What Does This Have To Do With My Mouth?

When you go to the physician's or dentist's office, you are frequently asked to fill out a health history form.  You may wonder why your dentist needs to know about your surgeries or any medications you take.  In fact, this information is very important to your dentist.  Many times, sickness manifests itself in some way in your mouth, to begin with, but also, having some work done in your mouth may stress your body's systems too much.  Your dentist wants to help you gain the best oral health you can, and this is unavoidably connected to your overall health.  So, next time you feel like grumbling about those health histories, remember that this information will help to avoid any complications and may help in the diagnosis of your oral health.

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.