What is a night guard and what does it do?

What is a night guard and what does it do?

TMD is the most devastating and most frustrating disorders for patients who come to dentists. Moreover, this disorder is the most difficult to treat conservatively. It affects mostly 3rd and 4th decades of life and usually women are more effected than men.
It has been shown and according to recent studies that bruxism and clenching have a role in causing

 TMD.

Bruxism is the grinding of teeth. Biting forces in bruxism are significantly stronger than regular chewing. These biting forces can wear down teeth and joints as well as create jaw muscle soreness.
Bruxism occurs in about one in every 10 people. Most dental patients are unaware of their bruxism, largely because it occurs at night while they are sleeping. It is usually the patient’s spouse who notices the bruxism because they can see and hear the grinding of teeth.

Signs of Bruxism include bulging size of the muscles of mastication, mobility of teeth, wear and fracture of teeth, fillings, crowns and dentures, as well as recession of gums.

Clenching is a bad habit that is difficult to control and occurs during the day. This habit involves the constant application of force by the lower and upper teeth. Clenching has many of the signs also found in bruxism.

What is a Nightguard?
A nightguard is a dental appliance, as shown below, made from a hard or soft acrylic that is typically worn at night while sleeping. When worn properly, nightguards can make a world of difference for bruxers and clenchers by reducing the wear on teeth, and preventing the fracture and failure of crowns, fillings and dental implants.

Many patients with TMD have a relief from the pain of TMD after wearing the nightguard. The length of time for wearing the nightguard depends on the severity and intensity of the pain.

If you have these habits, it is better to contact your dentist before you develop TMD.


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Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Bad Breath

Bad breath is a major turn off and can also be one of the biggest dreads for some people. This embarrassing problem is caused by bacteria which dwell on your tongue and in other parts of your mouth.

 Read on to find more about some natural ways which can help you keep your breath fresh at all times.

1. Chew Mint Leaves

Mint leaves are one of the best natural remedies to combat bad breath. Mint refreshes your mouth and gives off a pleasing smell. Chlorophyll present in leaves also absorbs odours and leaves you with a refreshing breath.

2. Gargle with Salt Water

Rinsing and gargling with salt water can clear bacteria as well as food particles and debris on which the bacteria feed on. Put one teaspoon of salt in lukewarm water and swirl the mixture until the salt dissolves completely. Gargling with this mixture will also help you keep a healthy mouth.

3. Brush with Baking Soda

Baking soda contains hydrogen peroxide which neutralized the acid present in your mouth. Acids make for a favourable environment for bacteria growth in your mouth. Simply wet you toothbrush and sprinkle some baking soda over it to brush your teeth.

4. Eat Apples

Apples are often called as nature’s toothbrush as they are known to eliminate many kinds of bacteria in your mouth that can cause bad breath. Be sure to chew well on your apples while eating them.

5. Binge on Yogurt

Yogurt can help you to get rid of bread breath permanently. Consume yogurt regularly up to a period of six weeks to effectively combat bad breath.

6. Go Vitamin-C

Vitamin-C rich foods can help you to combat bacteria build up in your mouth as well as other diseases like gingivitis. Lemons, oranges and carrots are some of the foods that are high in Vitamin C.

7. Drink More Water

Bacteria thrive better if your mouth is dry. Staying hydrated will help your body to regulate all biochemical process and get rid of waste and other toxins. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to get rid of bad breath.

8. Chew on Neem

Neem has powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties. If you can endure its bad taste, you can permanently eliminate all signs of bad breath by chewing on neem leaves.

9. Chew on Cardamom

If neem leaves are too bitter for you, then you can also chew on cardamom which is quite pleasing to chew. Cardamom also helps in eliminating bad breath from your mouth.

There are numerous remedies for bad breath but not each one of them suits everybody. It is best to try out each to find the one which suits you the best. Though bad breath is an intermittent problem, it can be easily prevented by inculcating a few simple habits.