Oral Health
Oral Health offers guidance on brushing, flossing, and preventing dental issues to help maintain healthy teeth and gums for a brighter smile.
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Cheek Biting (Morsicatio Buccarum)
Persistent cheek chewing can indicate an underlying mental-health-related response to stress and anxiety. Management may involve psychotherapy, stress-reduction techniques, and dental appliances. Chronic cheek biting, or morsicatio buccarum, involves repeatedly gnawing or nibbling the inner lining (mucous membrane) of the mouth — including the cheeks, lips, and tongue. It is listed as a body-focused repetitive […]
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How to Stop Biting Your Tongue in Your Sleep
You can end up biting your tongue during sleep because of underlying problems such as facial muscle spasms, seizures, Lyme disease, and other conditions. Addressing these root causes can often stop nocturnal tongue biting. Biting your tongue usually makes you want to shout “ouch.” While exact numbers aren’t available, clinicians note that nearly everyone bites […]
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What to Expect During Each Stage of Your Tongue Piercing Healing Process
A tongue piercing generally requires around six to eight weeks to fully heal. That said, the exact recovery period depends entirely on how you look after the new piercing. Contact your physician if you notice any signs of infection. (img by Denver Youth Dentistry) Continue reading to learn which symptoms are common during healing, how […]
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How to Stop Your Tongue-Sucking Habit
Tongue sucking is a behavior that can look like you’re holding a hard candy or lozenge between your lips and tongue. Although less common than thumb or finger sucking, tongue sucking can produce pain, discomfort, and embarrassment. The habit occurs in both children and adults. If you or someone close to you has a tongue-sucking […]
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What You Need to Know About Dental Anesthesia
Are you scheduled for a dental treatment and wondering about anesthesia? Approximately 10 to 30 percent of individuals feel anxious or fearful about pain from dental care. Anxiety can postpone needed treatment and let dental issues get worse. (img by Aliadent) Anesthetics have been in use for more than 175 years. The first documented anesthetic […]
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How to Choose Dentures or Implants — and Why
When you need to replace one or more missing teeth, you have several choices, including dentures and dental implants. Picking the appropriate option depends on multiple considerations, such as cost, personal preference, and the condition of your jawbone and remaining teeth. Both dentures and implants have particular strengths and drawbacks, so it’s essential to review […]
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What to Do When a Dental Crown Becomes Dislodged
If you’ve ever fractured a tooth, chances are a dentist told you that a crown was needed. A dental crown is a cap placed over a compromised tooth. Unlike a veneer, which covers only the front surface, a crown generally envelops most or all of the tooth to reinforce and protect it. (img by Charles […]
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What Is a Cemented Crown?
(Credit image: dardespot/Getty Images) A cemented crown is a cap placed over a tooth that has been worn, fractured, or otherwise compromised. The process for fitting a cemented crown is generally brief and straightforward, and complications are uncommon. An alternative to a cemented crown is a screw-retained crown, which is fastened to an implant with […]
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7 Causes of Black Spots on Gums
Dark spots on the gums are most often harmless. They can result from minor bruising, benign moles, or melanotic macules. Still, in some cases they might signal a more serious issue like oral cancer. Healthy gums are typically pink, but occasionally you may notice black or very dark brown patches. Many of the potential causes […]
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Why Are My Gums Sore?
Overview Gum tissue is naturally delicate and sensitive, which means a variety of factors can lead to sore gums. You may experience pain between teeth, on the surface of some teeth, or across the entire gum line. Sometimes the discomfort is confined to the rear of the mouth. Sore gums can be swollen or bleed, […]