Nail biting and teeth

You've probably heard you mom say it a hundred (or more) times: biting you nails is bad for your teeth! Still, slightly less than half of all adults report some regular nail biting. Beyond the disease potential from putting your hands in your mouth, nail biting poses specific risks to the teeth. Read on to learn why this common habit is detrimental to your oral health and how to prevent it!

Nail biting requires you to use your teeth in ways that they were never designed. Using the front teeth to mash through the thick keratin on the nails wears away at the thin enamel on the ends of the incisors. These teeth were designed for tearing and cutting, not puncturing hard objects. Chipped enamel, irregular wear patterns and even tooth movement can all occur with prolonged nail biting. Some studies also report an increased frequency of TMJ pain in nail biters. The constant pressure on the jaw joints and muscles can be enough to cause soreness or even trigger headaches. 

At the core, nail biting is usually tied to stress or emotional strain. Mindfulness, stress reduction techniques and meditation can help cut out nail biting at the source. Keeping nails short and trimmed can also limit access for the teeth and thus prevent chewing as well. Some patients also use nail polish as a bad taste-deterrent, with certain brands of polish containing flavor additives specifically to stop nail biting. Finally, strong tasting/smelling ointments such as tea tree oil have been used for years to remind us to keep our fingers out of our mouths. 

All in all, you should never use your teeth for anything other than eating and chewing. Nail biting, opening packages or holding objects with your teeth can all result in cosmetic or structural damage. If you would like to know more about how to manage nail biting, repairing chipped enamel or educating children on protecting their teeth, please give our office a call!

What is your mouth telling you?

If you pay attention, your mouth does a great job of cluing you into its problems. From color changes to random aches and pains, the oral cavity responds very vividly to alterations in environment. With this in mind, we made a list of some of the most common complaints at dental exams and screenings nationwide. However, this article isn't a substitute for an actual diagnosis. Only a dental professional in a clinical setting can give you the full story! Read on to see how and why we respond to these common complaints:

Red/puffy/bleeding gums- This usually indicates some type of disease process occurring in the periodontal tissues. While fixing the problem involves a dental checkup and cleaning, it usually starts with better brushing and flossing techniques at home. 

Sensitive teeth near the gum line- Gingival recession (where the gums wear away from the necks of the teeth) affects about 50% of the adult population and almost 90% of those over 65. As the gums recede back, they reveal bare tooth root material, called cementum. This layer conducts cold to the nerves much quicker than enamel. We recommend switching to a sensitivity toothpaste like Sensodyne to help ease the shock with cold foods. 

Sore teeth/jaw on both sides- This is typically an indication of clenching or grinding. While we can make a custom fitted night guard to protect dental enamel, grinding itself is a psychological process that occurs subconsciously. 

Tooth sensitive to chewing after a filling- While post-filling sensitivity can indicate many problems, pain to chewing is a telltale sign of a high spot in the new material. This is easily fixed at a follow up appointment to re-contour the biting surface. 

Lingering pain to temperatures- Prolonged sensitivity to hot and cold usually means the nerve within the tooth is irritated irreversibly. That tooth will most likely need a root canal or other nerve therapy. 

Cracked lips or burning gums after switching toothpaste- Many toothpastes contain a compound called sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Some patient's soft tissues will become irritated, red or swollen after being exposed to this chemical. For those with more sensitive gums, we recommend seeking out a milder product like Sensodyne or Biotene paste while avoiding products with SLS.

 Food constantly stuck between two back teeth- This usually indicates that a physical space has opened between two adjacent teeth. With time, the teeth move as they adapt to changes in jaw space and biting forces. An opening between two posterior chewing teeth should be addressed to protect the gums and bones in this area. Constant food impaction will speed up the progression of periodontal disease exponentially. 

In general, it is difficult (or impossible) to properly diagnose a dental problem without an exam and appropriate x-rays. This list serves as a general idea of how a dentist may interpret your complaint into a treatment or recommendation. It does not take into account your personal dental history, medical history or any other specific information. If you would like more information on dental exams, diagnosis or emergency treatments, please give our office a call!

Fall Festivals, Winter Parties and Dental Woes

The next three months will be marked by office parties, fun sized candy bars and indulgent meals with your friends and loved ones. For many of us, this can also be a stressful time between end-of-year obligations and hosting family gatherings. Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry wants to take a moment to remind our patients about the risks posed during these fall/winter months, and how to manage them. Remember, it only takes a few easy changes to protect your teeth and save yourself from future dental headaches. 

Firstly, avoid marathon meals and snack sessions. Does that bowl of halloween candy call to you at all hours of the day? Every time we eat or drink anything other than water, our mouths become acidic enough to demineralize enamel for thirty minutes. If you eat one candy bar every half hour, your teeth would spend the whole day in this softened state. Likewise, the classic 4pm to 9pm holiday meals have the exact same effect. Minimize your risks by paying attention to the duration over which you are eating. By limiting yourself to three meals a day with light sugar/carb free snacks in between, you give you saliva a chance to use its natural remineralizing powers. 

Another way to avoid dental troubles this holiday season is to stay hydrated with water. When the thermometer drops, we often gravitate towards teas, coffees and other warm beverages. Unfortunately, these are often acidic, sugary and sipped over a long period of time. This creates a perfect storm for cavities and damaged enamel. Try to swap out some of your favorite fall/winter drinks for an old fashioned glass of water. This small change spares your teeth from demineralization, provides a rinsing effect and (if you are drinking tap water in Southern California) provides a beneficial dose of fluoride. Its a win-win-win!

Finally, make sure to take care of yourself! As the days get shorter and the calendars get more full, it becomes easy to forget the basics. Make sure to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss once a day. Additionally, don't ignore your regular dental cleanings and exams! It can make a huge difference in the longevity and comfort of your teeth. If you would like to know more about how to keep your teeth healthy this fall/winter season or schedule an exam, please give our office a call!

CAMBRA and Preventative Dentistry

    At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, we tend to ask a lot of questions. Some of them are are expected (“Do you floss regularly?”), while others (“What type of water do you drink?/Do you chew gum?”) might raise some confusion. While our investigations might seem slightly tedious, they are critical to our practice philosophy and how we treat our patients. These questions are part of a revolutionary preventative dentistry strategy known as CAMBRA.

    CAMBRA, or Caries (cavity) Management By Risk Assessment is a series of weighted factors and criteria that allow dentists to quickly and effectively determine tooth decay risk. By going over your dietary habits, home care techniques and medical history, we can obtain an accurate picture of how your tooth decay will progress (or continue to stay static) in the coming years. While this isn’t a “crystal ball” looking into your smile’s future, it is the best marker we have at determining your unique oral health situation.

    This screening technique relies on a simple thought process: if your habits and lifestyle lend themselves to an acidic, dry or bacteria prone mouth environment, then you will be at a greater risk for tooth decay. While this may seem obvious, what CAMBRA does is determine which factors are the most destructive, which ones can be “treated” and which ones are based on habits or lifestyle. Using this information, we can help our patients better manage their tooth decay, ultimately resulting in fewer office visits, fillings and incidences of dental discomfort.

Once we have determined your risk for tooth decay, we can make recommend products that can help you better manage your unique risks. One of these great products is Carifree Ctx3. This mouthwash-like rinse combines pH neutralization (to minimize mouth acidity), fluoride (to rebuild enamel) and xylitol (to naturally inhibit acid-producing bacteria). We love this rinse because it targets three of the decay cornerstones outlined in CAMBRA in an easy and convenient delivery method.

    Here is an example of how CAMBRA works: A 24 year old male comes in with and is diagnosed with a cavity on one of his molars. We go over his medical history and see he is taking medications that cause dry mouth. When discussing his eating habits, we find that he is a frequent snacker and enjoys sticky, processed foods. Finally, we note that he almost exclusively drinks bottled water and sports drinks. Using CAMBRA, we can determine that his tooth decay risk is likely caused by his medication and eating/drinking habits. We then recommend that he considers cutting back on snacking and sticking to 3 meals a day, stops drinking sports drinks (when not necessary) and starts drinking more filtered water, to both counteract the dryness caused by his medication and add fluoride exposure. While we will still need to treat his current tooth decay, we have now given him the knowledge and tools to better manage his oral care in the future.

    At our office, we treat every patient as a unique individual with unique needs. This is why CAMBRA fits so well with how we perform dentistry. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather a dynamic diagnosing tool that flexes with you. We are proud to operate our office on the CAMBRA model, and are incredibly satisfied with the results our patients have seen!