Category: Advice for patients

This post contains advice for the patients as well

Don’t Let Just Anyone Touch Your Occlusion

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Grinding or clenching of the teeth is a very common problem. It is a nasty problem for its bearer as it causes pain in the muscles and in the jaw joint, headache, toothache and even disturbed sleep at night. If nothing is done to the problem the teeth will eventually suffer from the grinding especially if the occlusion is imbalanced. There will be a recession in the gum, worn enamel, chipped enamel and periodontal problems to start with.

So if you do know that you grind or clench your teeth at night – or even more so if you clench your teeth during the day which is a definite sign that you do it also at night – go to see your dentist. But here’s an important advice:

Do not go to see just any dentist. Find a specialist in that has done 3 extra years of stuyding to gain the title prosthodontics (even better if one has a PhD).

Why? I will tell you the reasons from my own experience.

My First Mouth Guard Or Should I Say Bite Block

I am a dental professional and in my early career I was quite naive and thought that all the dentist can do all the stuff they are taught at school. I was so wrong.

In my first year after graduation I had a bite guard made by a regular dentist in my practice. I soon realised it wasn’t perfect and sought help from a specialist in prosthodontics who was working in our practice.

The first thing the specialist did was that he filed away about 0,7 cm (0,28 inches) of the hight of the bite guard without fitting it in the middle of the filing. Once he was done with the filing he started to adjust it to my occlusion. He was covered with acrylic dust and he did lots of eye rolling and head shaking.

He told me that the bite guard is not ideal and it would be better to have it redone. I never really used it after that and I carried on suffering from the grinding and clenching of the teeth.

My Second Mouth Guard – When Desperate You Accept Anything

Couple of years later I lived in another country and once again sought help from a dentist for the grinding. She recommended me an anterior night guard (also known as NTI or MCI) which she did routinely for every patient suffering from grinding.

Now I tried to find you a web site that had a photo and impartial info about anterior night guard but wasn’t able to find one. So I took a photo of mine. I must apologise that the device is not in a mint condition anymore. There is my current mouth guard (that I will tell you more about later in this post) in the photo for comparison.

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NTI/MCI/anterior night guard on the left

I felt this anterior night guard – I will call it MCI from now on – relieved the symptoms I had. I was very happy about the dentist and the MCI. Until I spoke to a former colleague of mine, a very good dentist.

He warned me that I was in risk of developing an anterior open bite due to a use of MCI. I did not second guess him once he explained the reasons.

With MCI the back teeth do not make contact. And when the teeth don’t make a contact with the opposite side they will erupt while the front teeth are kept in place by MCI. The over-erupted back teeth cause the open bite in the front. Simple as that.

We’ve all seen what happens to a tooth that lacks an opposing partner in occlusion. It over-erupts!

So I got an advice to use the MCI for 2 weeks and then keep 2 weeks break to avoid the over-erupting back teeth. So I did. But it did not keep the symptoms of grinding at bay.

My Third Mouth Guard Was Almost What It Should Be

Five years later I was back in my home country where I was advised to have a mouth guard done by a dentist in my practice. I did and she removed my upper wisdom teeth so that it was easier to have the mouth guard done. Once I received the mouth guard I didn’t feel it was helping me at all.

At this point I had had enough of the dentists in this matter and decided to see a specialist in prosthodontics. One that was known to be a good one.

The specialist did a careful examination on my teeth and the mouth guard. He said the mouth guard was ok’ish and that he just needed to adjust it. I also showed him my MCI which he advised to use only as emergency basis and only 4-5 days in a row.

I told to the specialist that I have a feeling that only my last molars were in contact. He checked it and said there was no imbalance – meaning that my bite was as it should be. I also asked if I should do the exercise for the jaw muscles. The specialist said there is no benefit of it.

I had to return to see the specialist every 6 months and every time he adjusted the mouth guard and charged quite a lot even compared to the specialist’s fares.

After 3 years of using the mouth guard there was a hole in it. I had apparently “bitten” through it. It was time to have a new mouthguard done.

My Fourth And Current Mouth Guard

For one reason or another I did not completely trust the specialist I had been seeing so I asked for recommendations of specialists from my colleagues. Based on the recommendations I went to see a specialist in prosthodontics and stomatognathic physiology – she had PhD too!

I was kinda shy when mentioning that I have a feeling that only my last molars were in contact – well hell yeah, one specialist had told me I was imagining things.

Only this time I was told I was right. She also told me that I have a partial anterior open bite. I was flabbergasted. I knew that not all the dentist master the matters of occlusion but even the specialists get it wrong!

And once she had done her magic about my occlusion by balancing it I felt the difference immediately.

By the way – my intact upper wisdom teeth were unnecessarily removed by the dentist who made my third mouth guard. A mouth guard can be done with the wisdom teeth in place as long as they are nicely positioned as mine were.

So after I had my occlusion sorted out I got my new bestest of the best mouth guard. It is amazing I must say. It brought me an immediate relief. But I was only half way through the treatment.

I was booked to see a dental hygienist who did massage for the muscles of the jaw in 3 separate visits and gave instructions (based on the specialist’s recommendations) on how to exercise the muscles by stretching and strengthening them. I realised that having a mouth guard is not enough. It won’t take away the root cause of the grinding which in my case was the weak muscles that did not support the jaw.

The MCI I was not allowed to use again. I did not argue with that.

Conclusion

I, a dental professional had three mouth guards (including the MCI) done until I got a proper one. None of the dentists I saw for the mouth guard had a clue about occlusion or what is the best treatment for it. The second specialist was only concentrating on the mouth guard and did not find the imbalance in my bite. Naughty naughty. I guess he was concentrating in money making – I sense these things as I am HSP – and that was probably one reason I didn’t go back to see him.

I worry over the patients who do not have an understanding of what is right treatment for grinding and clenching of the teeth. There are lots of people using MCI every night and they have been using it for years and years. Do they realise that the open bite they have developed is caused by the use of MCI? No they don’t as the dentist won’t necessarily tell them – especially if the patient is seeing the same dentist who recommended the MCI (see my previous post about this phenomenon). And it is not guaranteed that another dentist will tell either.

Also very commonly the treatment dentists offer for the grinding is the mouth guard. And only the mouth guard. But that is never enough! The best thing any dentist can do for the patient who is suffering from the grinding is to REFER to a specialist.

Important information for the patients: You can make a self referral to a specialist by simply booking an appointment. They will not say no to the new patients. Be prepared to pay more for the mouth guard but it is money well spent.

The occlusion is a delicate thing. I always advice patients not to let just anyone adjust the bite. It can go from bad to worse. You are in better hands when seeing a specialist in prosthodontics. The higher educated one the better – in any health matter.

I learned my lesson the hard way. I suffered from the grinding for many years. I lost two intact wisdom teeth unnecessarily. And I can’t help but think that the malocclusion on my back teeth and the partial anterior open bite were caused by the MCI. There was a dreadful moment when the specialist was thinking that I might need crowns for my intact canine teeth to fix the open bite and to get enough support for the side movements of the jaw. So I can count myself as lucky that the malocclusion could be fixed by simply filing the teeth.

Phew!

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Wild West of the Home Whitening

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Oh dear, where to begin.

The reason I chose this topic for my next post is that I was reading a dental blog that gave homemade teeth whitening tips to people. I’m sure the intention was good when they listed all known household items than can whiten the teeth. You see people love to get self-help tips on their health – especially on their teeth to avoid seeing the dentist. But dental professionals should know better not to advice certain things as they can very quickly cause permanent damage to the teeth.

(This is a reminder for all of us not to believe everything you read from the net especially regarding your health)

Stains

There are two types of stains on your teeth. Surface stains and deep stains.

Surface stains build up from coffee, tea, red wine, smoking and certain spices, mouthwashes and vitamin supplements (iron in a liquid form).

Deep stains are those that will make the natural colour of your teeth (which you will see after scale and polish when the surface stains have been removed) yellower. The older you get the yellower the teeth will get (or have you seen elderly people with pearly white teeth? If you have they are false).

So what will damage your teeth? I will tell you. Starting from the worst. But at first for clarification

  • I will not give any instructions on how to use these substances
  • it won’t be a comprehensive list of the substances that is advised to use for teeth whitening purposes but a list of most common ones

Whitening Toothpaste

There are normally two types of whitening toothpastes. Toothpastes with increased abrasivity (normally all most common brands’ whitening toothpastes e.g. Crest, Golgate, Arm&Hammer) have high RDA level (higher than RDA 100) and if used regularly, it can lead to toothwear. This toothwear is permanent. I never advice anyone to use these toothpastes on regular basis.

Safer types of whitening toothpastes are the ones that do not have high RDA level but are based on papain enzyme which whitens the teeth. Examples of these toothpastes are brand Youtuel (RDA 40) and Glodent. When I used Youtuel for the first time somewhat 20 years ago, it was impressive how well it removed surface stains.

If you are interested to read a study about papain enzyme as whitening ingredient, click here.

Lemon

Would you love to get white teeth with practically no money spent at all (as you get the lemons anyway for cooking etc) plus super sensitive teeth and eroded enamel to go with the deal? Yes? Use lemon.

An advice to use lemon for teeth whitening isn’t under any circumstance acceptable by a dental professional. Lemon is highly acidic fruit and can erode the teeth when used regularly. Erosion will result in sensitive teeth. Imagine if you already have thinned enamel for any reason and you start to use lemon for whitening purposes. You will soon find out it wasn’t a wise move as your teeth will become so sensitive to the cold that even breathing through your mouth hurts. Also the thin enamel will make you more prone to decay.

In 2005 BBC had to apologise publicly for a lemon tooth whitening tip when one of its programmes recommended lemon as a money saver to families. I happened to watch this programme and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Thank goodness British Dental Health Foundation soon found out about the programme as well and complained to the BBC.

I’m not convinced that the apology reached everyone who watched the programme.

Strawberry and Baking Soda

Now combination of these two used daily for longer period of time will damage your enamel. Baking soda works as abrasive and strawberry as an acid. A very bad combination.

Safe frequency of use is once a week.

Baking Soda

It is slightly abrasive to teeth and can damage the teeth especially if used with vigorous brushing technique.

Do not use baking soda if you have braces. It can soften the glue.

Salt

Salt crystals can scratch the enamel. Make sure to let the salt dissolve in the water before using it (kinda looses the point of using it, doesn’t it?).

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide is the only known substance that removes deep stains. It doesn’t remove the surface stains so scaling and polishing is normally needed prior the whitening.

There are products over the counter (OTC) that contains hydrogen peroxide but these should be used under a supervision of a dentist as the excessive use of hydrogen peroxide will weaken the enamel permanently.

After Words

If you cause damage to your enamel by these abrasive or acidic home whitening products, it will be permanent. Thin enamel not only make the teeth sensitive to cold and prone to decay but it also makes the teeth look darker or yellower in colour. The dentin under the enamel is more yellow than the enamel and it will start to show through when the enamel gets thinner.

Important facts to remember

  • you can never ever change the natural colour of your tooth by lemon, baking soda, strawberry, whitening toothpastes etc. You may be able to remove the stains from the surface of the tooth but not the actual colour that is different with every individual
  • you should never replace fluoride toothpaste with any of the above means. Thinning of the enamel together with lack of fluoride will speed up sensitivity and decaying
  • all the means of whitening the teeth will result in damage of the enamel at certain level
  • any of the whitening products do not whiten fillings or crowns
  • the surface stains will carry on building up after the whitening if you carry on smoking and drinking coffee/tea/red wine. Also the new whitened natural colour of your teeth (whitened by hydrogen peroxide) will little by little get more yellow for the same lifestyle reasons

An impartial information about the risks of teeth whitening is almost impossible to find. The internet is full of practices advertising themselves and saying it’s all fine and dandy to do the whitening. So be cautious!

If you are interested in reading reliable article click here.

 

Should You Use a Mouthwash?

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Yes and no.

If you are a patient and you ask this question from two dentists there is a BIG chance that you will get two answers. The other shows you the green light and the other the red.

There is no consensus amongst the dental professionals about the recommendations. Even the professors in dentistry argue about the recommendations publicly. They give statements to the press for and against the mouthwashes after a new study about the risks of the mouthwashes is released. Some negate all the study’s conclusions.

So no wonder it leaves patients confused if us professionals are too.

Well Should You?

Generally no.

If you have a good oral hygiene – brushing twice a day and cleaning between the teeth most nights – and you use a fluoride toothpaste there’s no reason to use a mouthwash.

But there are exceptions – naturally!

If you suffer

  • from a gum disease you might be advised to use a mouthwash containing chlorhexidine (CHX) during and after a periodontal treatment. It is a very effective ingredient that kills bacteria. But remember to use it only as advised by a dental professional
  • from an extreme dryness of the mouth through an illness (e.g. Sjögren’s syndrome) you might be advised to use fluoride mouthwash regularly to prevent decay

Remember that in both of these cases you should choose the alcohol-free version.

Dangers of Using a Mouthwash

Oral cancer

If you use a mouthwash that has alcohol (ethanol, but I’m going to use the word alcohol instead) levels of 25% or higher and you have been using it since your teenage years the studies state that you have higher chances for getting an oral cancer.

One leading brand (the one that rhymes with word blistering) can have alcohol levels as high as 26% and this high level is thought to be toxic for gingival tissues when used in abusive amounts. But – and it is a big but – why do they add alcohol to the mouthwashes when it is a known fact that for alcohol to be toxic for bacteria it must be used at 40%? This means that there is no help from alcohol levels as low as 26% but it can still be harmful to the gingival tissues.

Discolorations

If you use a mouthwash containing CHX for a longer period of time it will stain your teeth. Stains can be removed but it will cost you of course.

In my professional life I have noticed that for some unknown reason the leading blistering-rhyming mouthwash stains the teeth with some patients even though it doesn’t contain the CHX. Actually the looks of the stains is different to those that build up from the CHX. After a thorough interview of the patient no other explanation was found to the stains than the mouthwash the patient had been using. The staining stopped once the patients stopped using the mouthwash.

Dry mouth and bad breath (halitosis)

Alcohol in mouthwashes can dry the mouth and the dry mouth is prone to halitosis. People often seek help from the mouthwash for the halitosis but it can actually make the matters worse.

Lichen planus

If you have been diagnosed with lichen planus you should not use any mouthwashes unless advised by a professional. But even in this case you should not use mouthwashes with alcohol.

WELL SHOULD I?

Wouldn’t it be the wisest thing to do if you DIDN’T use a mouthwash whilst us professionals argue about the health risks of the mouthwashes? It’s your health that is gravely at risk if the alcohol in mouthwashes is proven to be harmful.

I have seen patients who are going through the cancer treatments for oral cancer and I have seen the 50% of them who survived the cancer. I can tell you that it’s not a pretty sight. Not during the treatments or after surviving it.

Why would you play a Russian roulette over your health? I wouldn’t and therefore I am not using any mouthwashes.

If You Still Want to Use a Mouthwash

Always choose the alcohol-free fluoride mouthwash.

Remember

  • it can stain your teeth
  • it never replaces brushing or cleaning between the teeth
  • that in many countries the mouthwashes are considered as cosmetics by law. In some countries they are considered both cosmetics and drugs. But when considered as cosmetics they are not that highly regulated as drugs are. So what you could actually be rinsing in your mouth is a cocktail of chemicals that no-one knows (or cares) how they affect the health
  • that if you are also a heavy smoker it increases the risk of getting an oral cancer. If on top of that you are a high consumer of alcoholic drinks you are even at higher risk

Conclusion

I really don’t get it how we cannot decide if the mouthwashes containing alcohol should be recommended or not. It’s just ridiculous that even inside one dental practice opposite recommendations are given to the patients.

What all of us professionals agree is the fact that alcohol is an aldehyde and it is metabolised by the oral bacteria to acetaldehyde which is carcinogenic in humans. Carcinogens cause cancer! And yet we argue about the risks of using an alcohol containing mouthwash.

What are the reasons behind all this? Some have suggested that some of the dental professionals have financial commitments to the manufacturers of the mouthwashes. I must emphasise that this is a hearsay. But if you have read my previous post about the integrity amongst dental professional you understand that everything is possible.

If you are interested to read about groundbreaking study about the risks of using the alcohol containing mouthwashes (one that caused a mayhem amongst dental professionals) visit here.