Bad Breath

The topic of bad breath can be tough to confront, whether it’s yours or someone else’s. And, whether or not you know you have it, it’s always a good idea to take steps against bad breath—as they are often one in the same with good dental hygiene.

 

Most bad breath can be traced to a source in the oral cavity, whether it’s trapped food particles or potent beverage residue, bacterial and plaque buildup, unclean dental prosthetics, gum disease, or even cavities. Many of our patients here at Lewelling Dental Care regularly ask us what they can do to prevent bad breath.  Besides completing all necessary dental work and consistently undergoing regular exams, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce bad breath on your own.

• Drink plenty of water: Drinking water helps flush away food and beverage residue. It also keeps your teeth and gums hydrated, which inhibits bacteria growth.
• Reduce intake of coffee and alcohol: Both substances can contribute to stubborn breath and dehydration.
• Abstain from all tobacco products: Cigarettes, pipes and chewing tobacco all contribute to fouls breath and other periodontal issues that feed into the problem.
• Brush, floss and use alcohol-free mouthwash every day: Good oral hygiene controls bacteria and prevents a number of dental problems. Your at-home hygiene efforts are extremely important in keeping your smile beautiful and fresh.  

Headache Relief through TMJ Care

Anyone that suffers from headaches knows that they are the last thing you want to wake up to in the morning.  A pounding headache as soon as you open your eyes is not only painful, but it makes it difficult to function and start your day.  If your morning migraines are largely focused behind your eyes, near your temples, around your jaw and ears or in the back of your head, your headaches could be a sign of a dental problem.  Although very common, it’s something few headache sufferers think about.

 

Turns out many patients that complain of chronic migraines are actually suffering from TMJ disorder.  TMJ has to do with your jaw function and is often a result of night grinding.  If you think that TMJ could be the cause of your migraine, you should be on the lookout for some of the other common symptoms.  Many of my patients that are suffering from TMJ also have pain when opening and closing their mouth, trouble chewing, find that their jaw can be stuck open or shut, have clicking or popping sounds when opening their mouth, and they grind their teeth while sleeping or during moments of stress.

 

 TMJ can cause severe pain in patients that are suffering from the disorder.  Call 510-276-6040 to schedule an appointment to find out if TMJ is the reason behind your chronic headaches.  Don’t waste time suffering from your migraines.  Let me help you with your night grinding habit and stop your headaches from interrupting your day.

Yours in good smile health,

 

Dr. Shital Kazi, DDS, FAGGD

Clicking / Locking Jaw Joint

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is responsible for clicking and locking of the jaw joint. Usually, this is due to a disorder of this joint, which not only causes locking of the joint, but can also cause pain and problems chewing as well.

Here at Lewelling Dental Care, we provide diagnosis and treatment of disorders relating to a clicking and locking jaw joint. Treatments include dental procedures and orthodontic appliances that help prevent some of the side effects of TMJ disorder.

TMJ disorders cause more than just clicking and locking of the jaw joints, though this is one of the most common signs. Other symptoms include problems chewing, grinding the teeth at night, pain when opening or closing the mouth, ear pain, jaw pain and headaches, and hearing popping sounds when opening the mouth. Clicking and locking of the jaw joint often causes teeth grinding, which can be damaging to the teeth enamel and tooth structure. Patients with this condition often wake up with a sore jaw from clenching or grinding.
Dr. Shital Kazi provides oral appliances, such as mouth guards, to help keep the pain to a minimum. It is not always possible to prevent TMJ disorder, but the teeth can be protected and the pain minimized through treating the different side effects.

Call us at 510-276-6040 to find out more about treatments for clicking and locking jaw joints.