“What Are Your Teeth Made Of?”

Posted by drgracesun on June 16, 2009 under General Dental Knowledge, Information, Nutrition and Diet, Technology | Be the First to Comment

What are your teeth made of? What is in that precious white enamel ? What is inside your teeth? Teeth play a very important role in our mental and physical health. The function of our teeth not only play a role in allowing speech, but also help us to cut and chew food as the first step in our digestion system.

It is only natural to be curious about what teeth are made of and how they function within our mouth. The root anchors the tooth below the gum’s surface into the jaw bone, while the crown of the tooth extends out past the gum. The outermost hard shiny layer of the tooth is called enamel, and is the hardest substance in the body and functions as a food grinder. 92- 96% of enamel consists of minerals (hydroxyapatite, a phosphate and calcium salt) with the remaining part being water and organic material .

Lying just beneath the hard, shiny enamel surface of every tooth is the dentin layer. This layer of the tooth is composed mainly of calcified bony-like tissue (mostly hydroxylapatite), and like bone it contains collagen, water and other organic components (and is soft in consistency). Throughout the dentin layer are tiny passageways into the deep pulpal layer, connected to the enamel layer – these passages are known as tubules. Unlike enamel, dentin continues to modify throughout a person’s entire life. Dentin can grow or reform in response to a change in tooth conditions, such as tooth decay or attrition.

The innermost layer of the tooth is known as the pulpal layer. This inner sanctum of every tooth consists of nerves and blood vessels.  This pulp benefits the teeth in several ways: primarily, the pulp keeps the organic components of the teeth healthy and properly supplied with moisture and nutrients. The pulp also conduces senses such as heat, cold and trauma from the teeth into the body’s nervous system.

The important thing to remember about your tooth structure is that it is subject to change – when bacteria and other substances (like alcohol, smoke or even sugary liquid) is introduced into your oral environment, prompt cleaning (with a toothbrush and floss) is necessary to prevent premature decay. Once decay passes through the enamel layer into the dentin, decay will progress rapidly, even when not easily detectable from visual inspection. Only when the enamel has caved in and broken down does a cavity become visible. If the cavity was not treated early and the underlying dentin layer has already decayed (which can actually extend deep into the pulpal tissue), root canal therapy may be necessary, requiring a post and crown to restore the tooth. Ultimately, prevention is the best solution. Proper home care and regular dental check-ups can detect problems early, and are usually fixed easily.

“Can Sleep Deprivation Harm My Teeth?”

Posted by drgracesun on May 9, 2009 under Healthy Smile, Information | Be the First to Comment

Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most fundamental rules of good health. Getting 7 to 8 hours every night not only rejuvenates you for tomorrow’s activities, but sleep is essential for a well functioning immune system! Improper sleeping habits can also affect your oral health, including grinding and jaw problems which can lead to severe issues down the road.

A good night's sleep is essential for your health!

When trying to understand your sleeping habits, it is essential to understand the difference between REM and non-REM sleep. REM, which is short for rapid eye movement, accounts for about 1/5 to 1/4 of a typical person’s total sleep in a night, and is characterized by a rapid flickering of the eyes, irregular breathing, major voluntary muscle paralysis and decrease in body temperature. It is high in brain activity and it is when most of our dreaming occurs. REM sleep is the fifth and last stage of sleep that occurs in the sleep cycle, which repeats itself about five times throughout a period of sleep. It is preceded by four stages of non-REM sleep.  The 3rd and 4th stages of NREM sleep are the deep sleep stages, there is evidence that brain cells reset their sodium and potassium level during this deep sleep, and in fact the body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bones and muscle, and strengthen the immune system during this stage!

Usually the deep sleep represented with Delta waves in brain activity are long, slow undulating waves. Certain frequencies in the Delta range trigger the release of Human Growth Hormone and are thus beneficial to healing and regeneration. Quality sleep by definition must include deep sleep, which is the deepest, first cycle of your sleep – synchronizing your sleep with your body’s natural sleep cycle will help you obtain better quality sleep. For most of people, going to bed before 11 PM would follow the body’s natural biological rhythms. Your body’s call for sleep is essential, we need it to stay healthy.

Bruxism (grinding and clenching your teeth during sleep) is brought up with the contraction of your jaw muscles, which most intensively happens at the 2nd NREM sleep cycle stage, moving in and out of the REM cycles. If you don’t go to bed on time every night, or your sleep pattern gets interrupted repeatedly, you will not be able to get into the restful stage 3 and stage 4 sleep that your body needs. You will end up getting more of the shallower stages of sleep, and going through more clenching and grinding. As we have learned, the consequences of excessive force bought up with clenching and grinding of the teeth can lead to excessive wear on our teeth, breaking up dental restorations, overloading the mouth’s supporting structure, gum recession and even TMJ symptoms, if these destructive forces are not properly managed. Of course, we should all work on establishing healthier lifestyles, and  better rest. We can also work on better diet and cutting back on stimulants at night that can interrupt your sleep cycle. Having a custom-fitted nightguard made from your dentist might also be an idea worth exploring – consult with your dental professional, and stay healthy!

“Scuba Diving & Your Teeth?”

Posted by drgracesun on May 7, 2009 under Healthy Smile, Information, Smart Smile | Be the First to Comment

Do you enjoy scuba diving? Deep sea exploration is certainly a fun and exciting sport, especially in an exotic location! Before any big diving trip, most enthusiasts gear up on wetsuits, goggles, oxygen tanks and other equipment, but have you ever thought that mouth piece you’re wearing to get your oxygen can cause you dental problems?

This person was properly fitted for her mouthpiece!

Scuba diving is a sport enjoyed by over 4 million people a year, and if you dive, get yourself a proper fitting mouth piece to prevent jaw, teeth and gum problem! If you have a mouthpiece that is not fitting right for you plus the pressure changes from diving, you could suffer from what’s known as “diver’s mouth syndrome,” a painful condition caused by a ill-fitting mouthpiece that irritate your mouth, or you have been clenching your jaw very hard combined with the drop in air pressure as you explore beneath the ocean’s surface.

The mouthpiece that regulates oxygen flow from your oxygen tank to your lungs not only delivers fresh air, but it protects your teeth while diving. The tendency to clench your teeth while diving is very common, and because most standard scuba-diving mouthpieces will not really fit your mouth perfectly, the mouthpiece tends to put unnecessary pressure on the gum and jawbone. So biting hard into the mouthpiece, your gum could be full of lacerations and you could suffer from jaw joint pain or toothache as well after your trip is finished. If the pain lasts for over several days, you could even have a TMJ problem, which will take time to recover.

The best prevention is to make sure you are in good dental health before the trip, and to visit your dental professional who can evaluate how well your mouthpiece fits. Also, if you have recently undergone orthodontic treatment or have an extracted tooth (or temporary fillings), you must be extra careful and see your dentist before diving! Enjoy the under water world and be safe!