Frequent Headaches? The Cause May Be in Your Mouth: Gordon Dental Kansas City

Frequent Headaches? The Cause May Be in Your Mouth

Did you know that in many cases, frequent, or even constant headache pain can be treated more effectively by your dentist, instead of by your GP? Headaches are strange beasts. Their cause is often elusive, and they can range from mildly irritating to unrelentingly painful. Since frequent headaches can interfere with your quality of life, if you experience pain that remains after treatment from a physician, you might wish to see your dentist. After all, you may be suffering from what is called a "dental headache."

What Can Trigger a Dental Headache?

Most dental headaches are classified as "tension" headaches, and are the result of muscular tension that builds up in the region of the face and jaw. Frequently, this tension is a symptom of malocclusion, or - to put it simply - a "bad bite." All sorts of things can cause a bad bite, including previous dentistry, orthodontics or incoming wisdom teeth. Having a bad bite essentially means the chewing surfaces of the teeth do not meet along a smooth curve when the jaw is shut. This causes the muscles in the jaw to continually overcompensate for the imbalance, resulting in pain and soreness that radiates throughout the head.

Understanding "Referred" Pain

This radiating of headache pain is part of why a headache can be difficult to diagnose.  Because of the complex nerve structure in this region of the body, where pain is often "referred" from its place of origin to other locations throughout the skull, patients experiencing such pain can unwittingly steer a doctor away from a proper diagnosis by merely focusing on the localization of the pain. So, in instances of referred pain, even though we may be experiencing discomfort in the temple region of our head, for example, the true origin of the pain may be in the musculature surrounding the jaw and the result of an improper bite. The good news is, malocclusion can be fixed rather easily by reshaping teeth that might be too high, or by wearing an orthotic that corrects your bite over time.

TMJ and Bruxism

Two other issues we see in the dental world that can result in frequent and/or constant headaches are Temporomandibular Joint Dissorder (TMJD) and teeth grinding (Bruxism).  TMJD occurs as a result of problems with the mechanism of the jaw and its surrounding muscles, and 99% of the time is the result of an injury to the joint. Anything from whiplash to sports trauma, or even something as simple as having your mouth extended too wide for too long in your dentist's office can trigger TMJ.  If you experience frequent "popping" or "clicking" of your jaw, particularly if you've ever experienced trauma in this area of your head, you'll want to visit your dentist for a checkup.

Lastly, Bruxism, a habit even babies can develop, can be another cause of frequent headaches.  After all, grinding your teeth for hours upon hours as if you were consuming a Thanksgiving feast all night long, puts the muscles of your face through a tremendous workout without rest. If you find that you often wake with a headache that goes away shortly after rising, you may be, in fact, grinding your teeth.

So there you have it, the story of the headache your dentist is best primed to correct. It's also worth mentioning that, aside from headache causes described above, headache pain can also be caused by more familiar dentistry issues like cavities, a tooth infection or an abscess.  All the more reason to visit your dentist to see if that headache you're always suffering from is actually coming from your mouth.

Call Gordon Dental at 913-649-5017 for a free consult, or visit

www.kcgordondental.com

Diabetes And Dental Health

25.8 million children and adults in the United States – 8.3% of the population – have diabetes. And not too far behind those 25.8 million are the estimated 79 million Americans with prediabetes. What's worse, the prevalence of the disease is on the rise, with an estimated 552 million to be diagnosed by 2030. Its progress has become so staggering, the International Diabetes Foundation has termed Diabetes as “The Global Burden.” Diabetes is a serious illness, and its complications are manifold. Most know of its impact on circulation, visual acuity, and heart and kidney function. Many aren't aware, however, of its deleterious effect on gum tissue. If you're prediabetic, have diabetes or have a loved one with the disease, you'll want to learn more about how to ward off this commonly unknown side effect of the disease.

Diabetes is a disease with tentacles. It touches and degrades so many aspects of a person's physical health, it becomes difficult to be mindful of all its complications without proper vigilance.  Yet, vigilance is precisely what is needed, particularly with regard to its role in a healthy mouth, because having diabetes can not only lead to oral disease, but the presence of oral disease can also aggravate diabetes. When it comes to diabetes and the mouth, it is unfortunately, as the scientific community calls it, a “two way street.”

What are some of the Oral Health complications of Diabetes?

• Tooth Decay: Occasionally, an observant dentist who notices a high instance of cavities in an otherwise healthy mouth is the first to suggest a patient be tested for diabetes. The reason for this is that uncontrolled diabetes results in higher levels of salivary glucose. When coupled with a diabetic's diminished salivary production, the mouth tends to bathe in an environment ripe for tooth decay, and these parallels are markers that get a dentists’ attention. If you're already diabetic, you'll want to keep your dentist informed of your disease and its current state so they can always be on the lookout for related problems in your mouth.
• Gingivitis And Periodontal Disease: Because diabetes lowers the body's ability to fight infection, people with the disease are more likely to encounter bouts with gingivitis and periodontitis. Both gingivitis and periodontitis are bacterial gum infections, with gingivitis being the less advanced version of the two. Having either condition, though, requires diligent care because of a diabetic's inability to fight these infections properly. Diabetics have the added burden of having to contend rising sugar levels caused by the body's reaction to stress and infection. The resulting “see-saw” effect can be quite difficult to manage, to say the least. If nothing else sways you to consider your oral health as it relates to diabetes, this single interrelated factor alone should convince you this is a battle you need to fight from an offensive, rather than a defensive position.
• Fungal Infections: Also related to the body's inability to fight infection, diabetics are likely to experience a greater incidence of oral fungal infections. Thrush, which can be common in infancy as a baby develops their immune system is often seen in diabetic patients as well.
• Loss of Taste: In the far reaching realm of diabetes complications, losing your ability to taste certainly ranks among the more unpopular. Here, nerve damage is the culprit, as untreated or uncontrolled diabetes can cut off nerve transmissions to the brain from the taste buds, thus impairing or completely removing one's ability to taste. Not good.

Diabetes is a serious illness, and thankfully, it is one that can be prevented. If you already have the disease, it can also be controlled by following the advice of your doctor and your dentist. Be sure to make all of your health care team members aware of your disease so you can best stay on top of it. There is nothing worse than the awareness that you could have saved yourself from risky complications through better self-care. And there is nothing better than knowing that you did save yourself from additional illness by doing the right thing. So be proactive, and be healthy!

Call 913-649-5017 for more information or visit

or visit www.kcgordondental.com 

Dental X-Rays: Are They Safe and Necessary? Gordon Dental Kansas City

Dental X-Rays: Are They Safe and Necessary?

"Do you have any questions for me today?" Each time you visit your dentist, you're likely to hear this familiar refrain. By asking, your dentist is able to address any concerns you may have about your teeth, a procedure, or just share information that helps you remain informed. Perhaps one of the more common question dentists and hygienists are asked surrounds the safety and necessity of X-rays. This is a great question - with answers that differ from patient to patient. So let's examine it a bit further. We believe you'll be surprised to learn just how safe today's X-rays are, and which audience asks this question even more so than patients.

X-ray Safety Is Always Being Tested

So, who asks this question more often than patients?  Would you believe, dentists? That's right. Together with the FDA (Food & Drug Administration), the American Dental Association (ADA) routinely asks this question, and revises its guidelines when advances in science and technology provide new methods to reduce exposure. In fact, the X-ray of today is far superior to those of even just a decade ago, thanks to faster film speeds, digital X-rays, and the use of protective aprons and thyroid collars.

Below are the general guidelines the ADA and FDA recommend for adults. It's important to remember that because all dental care is patient-specific, these guidelines are to be used as an adjunct to the professional opinion of your dentist. Only your dentist has knowledge of your health history and vulnerability to oral disease, and is in the best position to make such recommendations.

• New Patients:
  Full X-rays are generally suggested for new patients to provide your dentist with a full history of your prior oral care and current needs.
• Continuing Care Patient with, or at increased risk for cavities:
  One set of X-rays every 6-18 months.
• Continuing Care Patient with no clinical cavities and not at increased risk for cavities:
  One set of X-rays every 24-36 months.
• Continuing Care Patient with periodontal disease:
  Dependent upon the professional judgment of your dentist.
• New and Continuing Care Patients being monitored for dental/skeletal relationships:
  Dependent upon the professional judgement of your dentist.
• Patients with, but not limited to, proposed or existing implants and root canals:
  Dependent upon the professional judgement of your dentist.

Call 913-649-5017 or visit www.kcgordondental.com for more information

Dental Sealants: Gordon Dental Kansas City

Dental Sealants: What They Are and How They Work

Every dentist wants to ensure children’s teeth are as healthy as possible, and one of the first preventive measures they will usually recommend is dental sealants.  In fact, The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends placing dental sealants on the first and second set of permanent molars, which generally come in at 6 and 12 years of age. But what are dental sealants, how do they work, and why should you choose them for your child?

Dental sealants are hardened plastic shields, placed on the chewing, or occlusal, surface of molars and pre-molars, which seal the surface of the tooth. Sealants work by keeping food and other bacteria-causing material from getting trapped in the tooth and causing decay -- which can ultimately lead to cavities. In one study, kids who got sealant treatment had half the tooth decay of children who brushed regularly but didn’t get sealants. 

The cost for dental sealants is modest, roughly $30 to $40 per tooth, which is usually covered by dental insurance, and the sealants can last anywhere from 5 to 10 years. Dental sealants were first given approval by the ADA in 1976, and while in the past there had been questions about the use of sealants and if they can be used safely, a new study concludes that sealants are safe if dentists make sure to rinse or wipe away residue after treatment. The journal Pediatrics states that the benefits sealants provide in preventing cavities outweigh any possible risks.  

Sealants can help prevent food from getting into the places where a child might have difficulty brushing. Without a sealant, it is more likely that your child could develop a cavity in an otherwise unprotected tooth. Cavities require fillings, which run the risk of failure over time.  If you want to give your child’s molars the best protection against potential cavities, dental sealants are a great place to start. Ask your child’s dentist about the possibility of sealants for your child. 

Call 913-649-5017 to get an appointment at Gordon Dental

Or visit www.kcgordondental.com