Protect Your Teeth With A Mouthguard for Bruxism

Bruxism is also known as grinding. When someone bites down and moves the surface of their upper teeth across the surface of their lower teeth it is called Bruxism, or grinding and it can be very damaging to your smile. While you may be inclined to run to the store and find the cheapest mouthguard you can, getting one from the dentist that is a proper fit is a better and safer idea.

Having a proper fitting mouthguard can ensure that your airway stays open properly when you are sleeping. Having a mouthguard that is too big can cause problems breathing and one that is too small may not prevent you from grinding your teeth.

A proper fitting mouthguard can also ensure that it is giving you the right protection. If you have a mouthguard that doesn’t fit your smile, you may still be grinding different surfaces causing damage that breaks or cracks one of your teeth. It can seem like a great idea to get a cheaper one from any store, but having a proper fitting mouthguard will better in the long run.

For more information on Bruxism and mouthguards, contact Dr. Strutz and her fantastic dental team.

Protect Your Toothbrush

Keeping your toothbrush dry and clean is essential to ensure it is capable of doing its job correctly. Do you know that your toothbrush is one of the most critical tools to keeping your body healthy? Without it so many things can go wrong, including dental decay, periodontal disease and other dental problems that are costly to repair. Here are 4 tips to keeping your toothbrush in great shape.

1. Always keep it away from other hygiene products. If your toothbrush is touching other items in a drawer it is more likely to get bacteria or other germs on it that will stay in the bristles until the next time you brush.
2. Keep it dry. Bacteria grows on the bristles when it is wet. This then can be transferred to your mouth as you are brushing.
3. Change out your toothbrush every six months at least. It is no coincidence that dental appointments for cleanings are two times a year and during this time you get a new toothbrush. Feel free to use it, that is why your dentist gives it to you.
4. Rinse any leftover toothpaste off of your toothbrush. Leftover toothbrush can have other bacteria and items stick to it. Keeping it clean will help prevent other bacteria being left behind when you brush.

Following these 4 tips will help you keep a healthy smile. For more information on healthy dental habits contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

Is Stress Impacting Your Smile?

You may feel the stress of the day in your entire body. Your muscles may be tight, you may feel overly tired, and when you shrug your shoulders all you feel may be tight muscles pulling on everything. There are some other symptoms that you may not notice right away but could be impacting you as well. Have you heard of Bruxism?

Bruxism is grinding of your teeth at night or during the day. When your body is stressed out, this can seep into your nighttime habits causing extreme wear and tear on your jaw, teeth and overall smile.

If you wake in the morning and your jaw is sore, or you have cracked or broken teeth and you didn’t recently get into a competitive sport, we highly recommend that you contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team in order to see if you are impacted by grinding your teeth at night. Don’t panic if you do however, there are plenty of options that can fix your smile.

For more information on Bruxism contact, Dr. Judy Strutz and her team!