This Bad Dental Habit Could be Causing Your Headaches

woman with headache caused by teeth grinding

Do you suffer from frequent headaches or migraines? The tension could be coming from something you haven’t given previous thought to: your teeth grinding and clenching habit. Also called “bruxism,” teeth grinding is known to cause a plethora or side-effects, ranging from worn teeth to, you guessed it, headaches.   How Does Bruxism Cause Pain? When your teeth are clenching against one another, it causes tension in the jaw muscles and around your TMJ (the hinge joint on each side of the mandible, just in front of your ear.) Over time the constant fatigue can radiate into the face, head, … Continue reading

Do You Have Gum Disease?

Checking for gum disease

Periodontitis — better known as “gum disease” — isn’t something that’s easily reversed like gingivitis. Rather, it’s an aggressive condition that causes deterioration of the gums and bone tissue that support your smile.   Left untreated, gum disease ultimately leads to tooth loss.   Fortunately, early screening and periodontal therapies can help to save your smile before tooth mobility becomes a concern. Here are some common symptoms to look for:   Bad Breath — Halitosis is an obvious side-effect of an active oral infection. Brushing and flossing won’t help if the cause lies deep under your gum tissues!   Receding … Continue reading

4 Tips for Preventing Cavities

Dental cavities (decay) can be difficult to keep away. To avoid them requires commitment. Here are four important tips that can help you keep your mouth healthy.   Choose the right Dental Hygiene Products In order to have a great dental hygiene routine at home, you’ll need to have the right products.  Use a fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash.  A tongue scraper and a soft, or electric toothbrush work great as well.  And don’t forget to floss twice a day.  Traditional string is fine, or you may consider investing in a water or air flosser.   Watch Your Brushing Technique When … Continue reading

Caring for Your New Dental Veneers

Woman flossing her dental veneer

Now that you’ve completed your smile makeover in Somerville, you want your investment to last as long as possible. But just like your natural teeth, veneers aren’t invincible. Aside from not using them as “tools” to open packages, there are a few other things to keep in mind if you want to help them look dazzling for years to come.   Floss Them Daily The margins of your veneers rest against your natural teeth, and like crowns, they can provide a prime location for plaque biofilm to collect over time. To prevent the edges from leaking or developing decay around … Continue reading

Three Common Problems Caused by Crooked Teeth

Girl with crooked teeth

If you have crooked or crowded teeth, you should strongly consider some type of orthodontic treatment to get them straightened out.  Aside from the appearance of a misaligned smile, crooked teeth can actually cause a number of problems.  Here are a just a few:   Increased Risk of Gum Disease Gum Disease can be caused by too much plaque buildup being left on the surface of the tooth, causing tartar to build up under your gums. It can be very difficult to properly clean your teeth when they are crooked.  This can in turn lead to gum disease.  It is … Continue reading

4 Reasons to Wear a Mouthguard

Woman wearing bite splint

Mouthguards, bite splints, and athletic mouthpieces are all just a few examples of the types of appliances that we make for our Somerville dental clients.   Although you might feel as if it’s easier to get an appliance over the counter at the supermarket, a professionally fitted mouthguard offers many advantages over loose, generic guards sold in stores. Here are four reasons to make the investment:   Reduce Your Risk of Concussion Yes, an athletic mouthguard can prevent you from chipping or knocking out a front tooth. But it has another benefit that most people aren’t aware of: concussion protection. … Continue reading