Article Title:

Dentist-Orthodontist; Wellness of teeth and overall health habits

Summary:
Orthodontic Dentistry; Tooth Habits that Lead to the Dentist s Chair : There are many
habits that individuals have which can affect the overall health and wellness o
f their teeth. In some cases, orthodontic intervention may be necessary. It s impo
rtant for patients to listen to dentist and orthodontic recommendations in order
to avoid further damage to their teeth and jaw bone. Thus, orthodontists work w
ith more than just braces. In fact, there as their name suggests, orthodontists
deal in dental bone structures. This makes the human tooth habits of special imp
ortance in this profession.
Keywords:
Thumb sucking, Tooth grinding
Article Text
Orthodontist Dentist; Wellness of teeth and overall health habits
Co-Editor-in-Chief, Judy J. Johnson, DDS
Friday, March 12, 2010 - 07:01 AM
Tooth Habits
There are many habits that individuals have which can affect the overall health
and wellness of their teeth. In some cases, orthodontic intervention may be nec
essary. It s important for patients to listen to dentist and orthodontic recommen
dations in order to avoid further damage to their teeth and jaw bone.
Tooth Grinding
Patients who grind their teeth typically do so as a stress-related behavior. Th
ey do it during the waking hours and at night during sleep. These patients ofte
n describe a sore jaw or a headache upon waking up in the morning. Tooth grindi
ng and tooth clenching go hand in hand. It may be a subconscious habit, which t
he patient may not even be aware that he or she is doing. Some experts believe
that tooth grinding is due to sleep deprivation.
Teeth grinding is very noisy and may be disturbing to someone s sleeping partner.
Kids sometimes grind their teeth when they are shedding their baby teeth. A de
ntal professional or orthodontist will be able to see that someone is grinding t
heir teeth by the wear and tear on the teeth.
Such tooth grinding and jaw clenching habits are referred to as parafunctional h
abits when the grinding or clenching is beyond the normal habit. This occurs wh
en the habit becomes more frequent or excessive. When an individual grits his o
r her teeth for a prolonged period of time, this type of habit is referred to as
a tooth to tooth habit. Parafunction habits can manifest as tooth to soft tiss
ue habits as well. An example of a tooth to soft tissue habit is thumb sucking,
abnormal tongue posture habits or nail or foreign object biting.
Sucking on Your Thumb
Thumb sucking interferes with the positioning of the upper and lower teeth. It
can cause the upper teeth to splay out and the lower teeth to fold inward. It m
ay also cause open bite of the front teeth when the teeth are closed together.
An orthodontic treatment can treat these issues. Sometimes, surgical reposition
ing of the upper and lower jaw relationships may be necessary as a form of treat
ment.
Overzealous Brushing
This is a potential cause of gum recession as well as loss of supporting bone ar
ound the teeth. Excessive scrubbing of the teeth, which can include brushing vi
gorously from side to side or up and down, might be compared to a jackhammer on
full power.
Brushing too vigorously can cause the bristles of the toothbrush to drive the gu
ms away from the tooth, eventually leading to exposed root surfaces. When this
occurs, it can cause tooth sensitivity to cold and to touch.
The correct brushing method includes gently brushing the teeth and gums, yet eff
ectively cleaning the teeth. An electric toothbrush is often recommended becaus
e they provide the correct amount of pressure to effectively clean the teeth and
keep the gums healthy.
Biting and Chewing on Hard Ice
This is a very common habit and is bad for teeth. This type of habit causes a t
remendous amount of stress on the bite. Ice is notorious for carving and breaki
ng away rock and other mountains, so it s easy to understand why it would be so ha
rd on the teeth.
Chewing on hard ice typically will lead to tooth pain, cracking, fracture and in
some cases, may lead to total breakage of a tooth to the point where it cannot
be repaired. That being said, people should avoid chewing on ice at all costs.
If someone needs to chew hard ice for some reason, they should make sure that i
t is crushed and slushy.
Holding Hard Objects between the Front Teeth
Individuals who hold hard objects between their front teeth, such as pens, penci
ls and other hard objects are also causing damage to their teeth. The damage th
at this action causes is similar to the damage, which is done when an individual
chews hard ice.
Teeth can only withstand a certain amount of pressure and force. Beyond that di
stinguished amount, the teeth become damaged. Professionals typically recommend
holding the teeth apart and lips together as often as possible. This will help
individuals to avoid unnecessary placement of hard objects between the teeth.
Sucking on Lemons
Sucking on lemons is sometimes suggested for the purpose of teeth whitening, how
ever, this is a very bad habit for someone to get into. When done regularly, th
e citric acid from the lemons is extremely strong and can withdraw minerals from
the teeth, which will erode the tooth s surface.
Chronic sensitivity to cold food and drinks, a chalky and worn look to the tooth
enamel, weakening of the teeth, such as chipping and cracking and a greater too
th decay caused by loss of protective enamel can be side effects of sucking on l
emons.
There is a rumor that drinking citric fruit or eating a lot of citrus fruits is
damaging to the teeth, but this is not necessarily accurate. As long as these t
ypes of fruit drinks and fruit are not held in the mouth for too long, they don t
typically cause damage. For the references and resourced information, go to http
://www.dentalvisits.com/orthodontic-dentist/wellness-of-teeth-and-overall-health
-habits.aspx
Resources about the Author:
http://www.dentalvisits.com instantly schedules nationwide online medical and de
ntal appointments for <a href="http://www.dentalvisits.com/blog/article.aspx">do
ctors dentists orthodontist new york</a>. Patient versions of dental articles ar
e library referenced for online publication by co-editors-in-chief Judy J. Johns
on DDS and Tracy E. Austin, MD. Dr. Johnson is a member of The New York Academy
of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Austin is a member of the A.M.A., American Medical Wr
iters Association and the Association of Health Care Journalists.