Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Holiday Stress and TMJ Pain

Friday, December 27, 2013

Feeling a little stressed out over the holidays? Don't feel bad, the holiday season includes travel, visits with relatives and way too many late nights.

All of these things can make us happy but can also increase the stress levels. For lots of people a higher stress level can translate into headaches and jaw pain.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ or jaw joint) is the most complex joint in the body and it is surrounded by incredibly strong muscles and, as a bonus, a very large facial nerve runs very close to it.

This is a perfect combination for creating painful TMJ problems if you clench or grind your teeth. Some people clench or grind (called bruxism) due to stress but most of us don't even realize we are doing it. Most bruxism occurs at night when we are sleeping so unless your bed partner hears the gnawing or your dentist sees your teeth breaking down - you'll never know until you develop symptoms.

Migraine headache, neck pain, facial pain, jaw clicking, even pain in the shoulders and back can be connected to TMJ problems.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms please contact Boca Raton TMJ dentist Dr. Ken Mogell at 561-394-9000 to schedule a consultation.

Until your appointment here are a few tips:

Don't chew gum or eat anything chewey (bagels, etc)
For two weeks don't eat anything harder than cooked pasts
Avoid raw vegetables, including salad greens
Watch your posture, don't rest your chin on your hands or hold a phone between shoulder and ear
Practice "lips together, teeth apart" to rest the jaw muscles

Labels: headache, TMJ

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Body and Mouth Connection

Thursday, December 26, 2013

The mouth is the gateway to the body and researchers keep discovering more links between oral health and overall health.

Diabetes and gum disease often go hand in hand. In a catch-22 relationship, patients with diabetes are more likely to develop gum disease and diabetic patients who have gum disease have a harder time controlling their blood sugar.

People with gum disease are also more likely to have heart disease. Researchers believe this is caused by the inflammation from the gum disease wreaking havoc in other parts of the body, including the arteries. 91% of people with heart disease have gum disease.

Treating existing gum disease has been shown to reduce the pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Both osteoporosis and severe gum disease cause bone loss and some studies have suggested that women with osteoporosis have gum disease more often than those who do not.

The bacteria from gum disease may make pneumonia and other lung conditions more serious and some studies have even linked obesity to gum disease. It seems that gum disease gets worse much more quickly in the presence of high body fat.

Taking good care of your oral health means more than just a pretty smile - it means a healthier you! Remember to brush and floss every day and visit your dental hygienist regularly. For those with healthy gums a visit every six months should be fine.

If you have a compromised immune system, are diabetic or if you have active gum disease then you will probably need to visit your hygienist more often to keep your gums healthy.

Schedule your next visit by contacting Boca preventative dentist Dr. Kenneth A. Mogell today at 561-394-9000.

Labels: gum disease, oral hygiene

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Train Crash Linked To Sleep

Tuesday, December 03, 2013

Sadly the New York train crash that happened a couple of days ago has a link with so many other accidents: someone fell asleep.

It now appears that one of the train operators dozed off and did not slow the train in time for the curve in the tracks.

Add this tragedy to the list of truck crashes, ferry accidents and airplane near-misses that all have sleepiness as a component.

Why are all these people so sleepy? It could be undiagnosed sleep apnea. One of the most important questions we ask when screening for obstructive sleep apnea is about daytime sleepiness. How likely are you fall asleep watching TV, in a movie, in a car?

If you answer yes to these questions it is a red flag that testing for obstructive sleep apnea should be scheduled at a sleep lab.

Find out more about your risk for obstructive sleep apnea by contacting Dr. Kenneth Mogell at 561-394-9000.

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Chocolate Toothpaste?

Sunday, December 01, 2013

Yes, there is a chocolate-based toothpaste and it actually remineralizes teeth.

A recent study evaluated a toothpaste called Theodent which contains a compound called theobromine, which is found in chocolate.

Teeth become hypersensitive when the tooth enamel is worn away. This often occurs because of frequent consumption of acidic beverages (sodas), or GERD. When tooth enamel is damaged teeth are also more susceptible to tooth decay.

The research was funded by Theodent and compared Theodent, Sensodyne and Colgate. The researchers found that Theodent outperformed Sensodyne (another toothpaste for sensitive teeth) and Colgate.

If you are experiencing sensitive teeth please give us a call at 561-394-9000. Sensitive teeth are not something that should be ignored.

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