Stress can do a lot of bad things to your body, from headaches to backaches, high blood pressure to heart disease. But can
stress really make your
teeth fall out? Yes, it can, according to actress
Demi Moore, who told Jimmy Fallon during a recent appearance on
The Tonight Show that it’s the reason she lost her own two front teeth.
Moore was on
The Tonight Show to promote her film
Rough Night, and although she’d love to have been able to say her teeth loss was a casualty of a wild adventure (like “skateboarding,” she said, or perhaps a “rough night” like in the movie), she felt it was important to share the truth behind her dental woes. “Stress is literally, probably after heart disease, one of the biggest killers in in America,” she told Fallon.
In fact, it’s not the first time Moore went public on the topic of stress. In 2009, she famously
tweeted a photo of herself with her front right tooth missing. The following year, she told
Ellen DeGeneres that she “knocked” her own teeth out because she’d been clenching her teeth too hard, which is
one of the known effects of stress.
Clearly, Moore feels passionately about getting the word out, but it’s important to also explore why tooth loss happens and more importantly, how to prevent it. Moore didn’t provide details about the process other than to say that her front teeth were “sheared off,” which doesn’t paint a clear clinical picture. Although it’s a common
recurring dream that one’s teeth suddenly begin falling out, that’s not how the experts say it goes down.
Reader’s Digest got the scoop from Janet Zaiff, DDS, a dentist in Westchester County, New York. “Stress, of course, influences the body physically. When we think of its effects, we tend to think first of the more catastrophic problems such as
high blood pressure and heart problems. But there are also more
subtle problems, and these, in turn, can gradually lead to the bigger ones,” Zaiff explains. For example, a negative mental state can potentially hurt the bacteria in our mouths. These “changes in oral flora are known to cause heart disease, but they also lead to periodontal disease, which can lead to tooth loss,” Dr. Zaiff explains, although this usually puts more than just one or two teeth at risk. Dr. Zaiff also notes that when you combine periodontal disease with tooth grinding, tooth loss is certainly a possibility. Dr. Zaiff believes that in Moore’s case, another factor may be previous
dental work that caused a fracture. It’s hard to say for sure without having seen Moore’s dental records.
Either way, if you want to keep your pearly whites right where they are in your mouth, it’s important to get a handle on your stress
via Reader's Digest
No doubt eco-friendly has become an important ‘buzz phrase’ in most dental offices, not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because of patient awareness and inquiries. Still not sure what that means for your smile? Let these trends fill you in.
The paper factor: This past summer, the American Dental Association endorsed new deadlines for dental offices to have devices that capture dental amalgam waste so that it can be recycled. More and more dental offices are thinking and acting ‘green’ by reducing the amount of plastic used in multiple areas such as substituting digital scanning instead of plastic impression trays, and substituting cloth and paper for plastic in both sterilization and other patient protection disciplines.
Digital do-good: Digital is quickly replacing paper and plastic, so much so that many offices have converted to all-digital—especially in X-rays, charting and photo records. And while it doesn’t necessarily affect the health of a patient, it is something that helps the greater good. Biodegradable cleaners and disinfectants are now ‘in’ and dentists have become conscious of how they can make a difference in their offices every day to make their contribution towards cleaner living for our planet. We also now have 3D imaging, which is the most accurate way to get impressions, and we can use it for crowns, veneers and Invisalign. No more 'goop' is needed to get a mold of your teeth.
Lasers get more love: Sure, lasers sound like a high-tech solution for just about anything, but there’s also a real impact on what they help in terms of the environment. By use of a laser and air-abrasion, we can avoid removing so much less of a patient’s tooth structure was removed, and all without any local anesthetic. This is the future of dental patient care, which means fewer materials used because the restorative surface is so much smaller. And because many of the dental materials used today are resin-based, less material used means less resin. Also, keeping restorations smaller means less water used.
Metal is minimized: According to New York cosmetic dentist Zachary E. Linhart, DDS, recently, people have become concerned about bisphenol-A (BPA) in dental composites, in addition to the age-old worry about mercury in amalgam (metal) fillings. “No scientific, long-term studies have shown negative effects of BPA or mercury on humans in relation to dental fillings. BPA is a newer concern, and studies are still being done to see if, in these small doses, it can have a hormonal effect on humans.”
Via New Beauty Magazine
Having chronic gum disease gives people a 70% increased risk of developing Alzheimer's, scientists have found.
Research has linked gum problems and dementia for several years. These studies have usually been small in which a snapshot of people's health in time has been taken, rather than large studies tracking their likelihood of developing disease in the long term.
One of the largest longitudinal studies on the topic has now found a strong correlation between gum disease, or periodontitis, and risk of Alzheimer's. The 
[Photographs: Vicky Wasik] // image via web[/caption]
Have you heard the latest health & wellness hype that sparkling waters are bad for your teeth? You may have sworn off your Coke and Diet Coke addictions for the good of your health, but if you've switched to flavored waters like La Croix, you might not be making such a great health decision, either.
Gingivitis is one of the 
Let’s be real here: We know that visiting the dentist can be something that makes many patients nervous. Research shows that 20% of individuals who experience severe anxiety will only go to the dentist if absolutely necessary.
We give you all the information and discuss solutions.
Dr. Clark and our team will share with you a full range of options and information so you can make an educated decision about your personal treatment. We will not rush you into a decision you’re not comfortable with.
Additionally, we offer safe, effective dental sedation that has helped other patients like you overcome their dental fears. There are several options available; our team will be happy to discuss the solution that’s right for you and your treatment.
photo via Pinterest[/caption]
It has been estimated that as many as half of all Americans snore at least some of the time. Nearly everyone considers “snoring” to be a nuisance, but in many cases it is not considered to be a significant health risk. However, it may prevent the snorer or others sharing the bedroom from getting a good night’s sleep.
The cause of snoring is well understood. When we fall asleep, the soft tissues of our throat, mouth and nose relax. In some individuals, this may partially restrict the flow of air. Breathing through the narrowed air passages causes the relaxed tissues to vibrate, which is the sound we hear. The more narrowed the air passage, the more difficult it becomes to breathe and the louder the snoring.
Snoring tends to be more common as we age and may be worsened by certain anatomic conditions, such as being overweight, a large tongue or tonsils, and even a deviated nasal septum. It may also be affected by lifestyle choices, such as smoking and alcohol consumption. However about half of all snorers have a much more serious condition called “Obstructive Sleep Apnea” or “OSA.” In addition to snoring, people with sleep apnea have altered breathing patterns which can range from very shallow breathing to gasping, choking or even pauses that can last for a few seconds to a minute or more. This makes it very difficult to get enough air and lowers the amount of oxygen reaching their brain.
OSA sufferers may find it difficult to reach or maintain deeper levels of sleep and may even waken briefly hundreds of times a night as they struggle to catch their breath. Sleep apnea can lead to daytime drowsiness, inability to concentrate, fatigue, irritability and other minor disturbances. However, it may also cause much more serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, glaucoma, high blood pressure, heart attack and even strokes. It is important to understand that not every snorer has OSA. But anyone with OSA almost always has loud and frequent snoring. To tell the difference requires a sleep study where the individual has his or her breathing carefully monitored over the course of a night. The sleep study must be ordered and your condition diagnosed by your medical doctor.
Treatment of snoring and OSA can be as simple as quitting smoking, losing some weight, changing the position you sleep in, wearing adhesive nasal strips that open the nasal passages or reducing the amount of alcohol you consume. For more severe cases of OSA, a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine may be prescribed by your medical doctor. This device forces air into the lungs through tubes that fit into the nose or a mask placed over the nose and mouth while you sleep. The constant air pressure forces open the collapsed tissues and allows for normal breathing. While it is very effective, some sleep apnea patients experience difficulty using a CPAP machine, as it can be uncomfortable, embarrassing or inconvenient. Fortunately, a visit to the dentist may be your answer to a good night’s sleep.
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The MicrO2 Sleep Apnea Device (image via microdental.com)[/caption]
Research has shown that simple snoring and mild to moderate OSA may be successfully managed with an oral appliance that repositions the lower jaw and helps open the airway. The oral appliance is worn in the mouth while you sleep and fits like a sports mouth guard or an orthodontic retainer. Many patients consider these dental appliances to be more comfortable to wear than a CPAP mask. They are also quiet, portable and easy to care for. If you and your doctor decide that oral appliance therapy is the best treatment option, he or she will write a prescription for a sleep apnea appliance and refer you to a dentist trained in sleep medicine. Even more good news — oral appliance therapy is also covered by many medical insurance plans.
For those that cannot be treated with either CPAP or an oral appliance, there are surgical options. To open the airway, some tissue from the soft palate, tonsils and adenoids may be removed. This is normally done by an ear, nose and throat specialist, or an oral surgeon. Another way to open the airway surgically would be to reposition the jaws in a more forward position. This would require an oral surgeon and possibly an orthodontist. Surgical options should, of course, be reserved as a last resort.