Headaches? Visit Your Dentist!

In case you are among the many who suffer from frequent headaches, you know that the first response is often to head to the medicine cabinet for pain relief.  However if this is a chronic problem, it worth visiting your dentist, as the root of your pain may lie inside your mouth.

The cause of your headaches might lie in dental occlusion, which is a "Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) disorder, a neuromuscular jaw condition caused by an imbalanced bite."

Could There be More than Lunch Lurking on Your Retainer?

According to a recent study, held by the researchers at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute, poor cleaning may allow for build-up of microbes on orthodontic retainers.

The study was published in the "Society for Applied Microbiology's," journal Letters in Applied Microbiology. Dr Jonathan Pratten, together with his team studied the types of microbes which live on retainers. The study showed that potentially pathogenic microbes were growing on at least 50 percent of the retainers. This may very well indicate a need for the development of improved cleaning products for orthodontic retainers.

Steps To Help Ensure Your Child's Bright Smile

In accordance with the U.S. Surgeon General, tooth decay is considered to be the most common, chronic childhood disease; taking into account the fact that more than 40% of American youngsters experience tooth decay before they are 5 years old. In order to avoid this outcome, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) encourages parents "to bring [their] offspring to a pediatric dentist by the time their baby's first tooth appears." In addition, the AAPD claims that the dental costs for children who have their first dental visit by the time the child is five years old, are nearly 40% less expenisve and evidently more effective than for those children who are older.

For parents of infants, the Academy makes the following recommendations: