Ever have any jaw pain, tenderness, or chewing difficulty with discomfort? Have you heard of the condition temporomandibular joint dysfunction? Want to learn what questions to ask your dentist?

According to an article at everydayhealth.com, “Questions To ask your Dentist”

“Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) is a common cause of jaw pain. The temporomandibular joint is in front of the ears where the lower jaw is attached to the upper part of the face. If you put your hands in front of your ears and open your mouth you can feel the temporomandibular joint area move. This joint can develop pain along with difficulty in chewing and biting. Temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction may also present with a clicking sound with jaw movements.

Top Questions to Ask Your Dentist About TMJ

• Are there medications I can take for the pain?
• Do I need a bite guard, and how do I use us it?
• Do I need to have any tests like an x-ray or a CAT scan?
• I grind my teeth during sleep.
• Will that lead to temporomandibular joint dysfunction?
• What causes temporomandibular joint dysfunction?
• Are there any jaw exercises you recommend for temporomandibular joint dysfunction?
• Are there types of food that will cause less jaw pain?”

Suffering from temporomandibular joint dysfunction; Dr. McElhinney of Reno Laser Dentistry can help. Visit renolaserdentistry.com for more information.

Are you a smoker? Worried about the negative effects that smoking has on your oral health? Do you have a need for a healthier lifestyle? How about some tips to help you make healthier decisions about your oral health.

According to an article at ada.org, “Smoking and Oral Health”

“Mark Twain once said, “Quitting smoking is easy. I’ve done it a thousand times.”

Quitting tobacco is difficult because all forms of it—cigarettes, cigars and spit (chewing) tobacco—contain nicotine and nicotine is the agent in tobacco that’s capable of causing addiction or dependence. However, you can quit once and for all. The reasons for quitting are simple: You’ll lower the chances of having a heart attack, stroke or cancer, including oral cancer. A smoke-free environment is healthier for those around you. If you’re pregnant, you’ll improve your chances of having a healthy baby. And, the money spent on tobacco can be used on other things.

What effects can smoking have on my oral health?

• Oral Cancer
• Periodontal (gum) disease—a leading cause of tooth loss and sensitivity
• Delayed healing after a tooth extraction or other oral surgery
• Few options for some kinds of dental care (smokers can be poor candidates for particular treatments such as implants)
• Bad breath
• Stained teeth and tongue
• Diminished sense of taste and smell

What effects can smokeless tobacco have on my oral health?

Like cigarettes, smokeless tobacco products contain a variety of toxins associated with cancer. At least 28 cancer-causing chemicals have been identified in smokeless tobacco products. Smokeless tobacco is known to cause cancers of the mouth, lip, tongue, and pancreas. Users also may be at risk for cancer of the voice box, esophagus, colon and bladder, because they swallow some of the toxins in the juice created by using smokeless tobacco.

Smokeless tobacco can irritate your gum tissue, causing periodontal (gum) disease. Sugar is often added to enhance the flavor of smokeless tobacco, increasing the risk for tooth decay. Smokeless tobacco also typically contains sand and grit, which can wear down your teeth.”

Need help overcoming the effects of smoking, contact Dr. McElhinney of RenoLaserDentistry.com for more information on how Dr. McElhinney can help.

Did you hear the great news that Michigan State University is in clinical trials for a saliva test to detect oral cancer?  How great would it be for dentist to detect oral cancer early? Want to learn more about the saliva test for oral cancer screening?

According to an article at medicalnewstoday.com, “Breakthrough News On Oral Cancer”

“A Michigan State University surgeon is teaming up with a Lansing-area dental benefits firm on a clinical trial to create a simple, cost-effective saliva test to detect oral cancer, a breakthrough that would drastically improve screening and result in fewer people dying of the world’s sixth most common cancer.

Barry Wenig, a professor in the College of Human Medicine’s Department of Surgery and lead investigator on the project, is working with Delta Dental of Michigan’s Research and Data Institute to compile study data and recruit dentists. The study will enroll 100-120 patients with white lesions or growths in their mouths and tonsil areas to test as part of the clinical trial.

Wenig and his team will be looking for certain biomarkers previously identified by researchers at UCLA; the biomarkers have been shown in studies to confirm the presence of oral cancer. By creating a simple saliva test which could identify the biomarker’s presence, physicians and dentists would know which patients need treatment and which ones could avoid needless and invasive biopsies.

“Most white lesions are benign, so a majority of people who develop them are getting biopsies that are not needed,” Wenig said. “Conversely, a simple test would allow us to identify those patients with malignant lesions and get them into treatment quicker.”

Oral cancer has a poor survival rate linked to late detection, Wenig said: Only 60 percent of patients live beyond five years after diagnosis. Among black males, the survival rate is less than 38 percent.

“The key challenge to reduce the mortality and morbidity of oral cancer is to develop strategies to identify and detect the disease when it is at a very early stage,” he said.

In addition to Delta Dental’s Research and Data Institute, which works with researchers from leading universities to monitor advances in science, Wenig is collaborating with PeriRx, a Pennsylvania company that will sponsor upcoming trials with the Food and Drug Administration.

“The results of this trial could be life changing for many people,” said Jed Jacobson, chief science officer at Delta Dental and a licensed dentist. “It is a tremendous opportunity for the dental community to participate in what could be a groundbreaking research project.”

Wenig and members of his team recently returned from southern California, where they met with UCLA colleagues, who are working to develop saliva diagnostic tests for other cancers as well.

“These tests are as noninvasive as it gets; patients simply need to spit into a cup,” Wenig said. “The ease of the test will greatly expand our ability to effectively screen for the cancerous lesions.

“Right now, there are no early screenings available for most head and neck cancers.”

Dental screenings are very important in order to maintain optimal oral health. Want the best dentist in Reno? Click here to contact Dr. McElhinney of Reno Laser Dentistry.

Do you have a common problem with halitosis? Do you clean your tongue daily? Having bad breath puts a damper on your self-confidence and social life. Good news is that there is help for this condition.

According to an article at eoralhealth.com, “Tongue Cleaning”

“Halitosis is a common complaint with up to one third of the general population being affected, and can sometimes become an obsessive concern to the individuals whom it affects.

Arising from a number of sources including the sinuses, gastrointestinal tract, ingested food and lungs, the mouth remains the most frequent cause of oral malodour. It is most commonly associated with the by-products of dying bacteria in periodontal pockets and particularly the top of the tongue. These by-products result from the microbial fermentation of proteins, peptides and mucins found in lysed neutrophils, desquamated epithelial cells, saliva blood, gingival crevicular fluid and any residual food stuffs retained on the oral surfaces. The most evident of the malodorous compounds are known as volatile sulphur compounds (VSC’s) with hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulphate accounting for around 90% of the VSC’s.

The micro-organisms implicated in halitosis are predominantly Gram-negative anaerobes which secrete chemicals that produce the malodour in many instances. More recent research has revealed that the Gram-positive bacterium aids the efforts of the anaerobes by denuding the available glycoproteins of their sugar chains, resulting in the production of odorous gasses from the proteolytic breakdown of the denuded proteins. Species that produce these malodorous compounds include treponema denticola, porphyfomonas gingivalis, tannerella forythensis and eubaterium species.

There is a vast array of ‘tongue cleansers’ that have become available in the UK market (38 at the last count!). The most consistent shape for a tongue cleanser throughout history has been the “U” shape.

Historically, a widely used material utilised for tongue cleaning was the bark of the Neem tree. The neem tree (Azadirachta indica) is a tropical evergreen related to mahogany. The bark to the neem tree was believed to have healing properties in the Ayurvedic system. The bark is now known to possess large numbers of catechins and immuno-modulatory and immuno-stimulating compounds. The aroma from the moistened neem bark leaves a pleasant and clean after taste. Tongue cleansing has a fascinating and wonderfully rich history embedded in cultural and religious symbolism as well as medicinal and herbal regimens.

The Tianos, an ancient Puerto Rican community discovered by Columbus, used beautifully carved ‘vomiting sticks’ to induce regurgitation and then cleanse the tongue as part of a ritual inhalation of the hallucinogen ‘cohoba’. Hallucinations were believed to be communication with the various gods. Thus, the cleansing of the gateway to the body had huge cultural and religious significance.

There are many ancient religions that emphasized cleanliness of the oral cavity including the tongue. Early Buddhist literature cites numerous evils associated with an unclean tongue, stating: “The mouth becomes evil smelling, the taste conducting nerves of the mouth are not cleaned, and bile, phlegm and food cover the tongue over”.

Click here to read the entire article:

Are you looking for a dentist with experience in the Reno area? Dr. McElhinney of Reno Laser Dentistry has more than 30 years of experience and can handle any dental need you may have. Click here to contact Dr. McElhinney’s office to set-up an appointment.

Does your tooth sensitivity occur constantly or intermittently? Sometimes intermittent tooth sensitivity can occur while ingesting hot or cold beverages. So what happens if the case is constantly is it really tooth sensitivity or is it something more perhaps nerve damage?

According to an article at colgate.com, “what is tooth sensitivity and what causes tooth sensitivity”

"Tooth sensitivity is something that affects a number of people. It is often caused by eating or drinking something hot, cold, sweet or acidic. Under normal conditions, the underlying dentin of the tooth (the layer that immediately surrounds the nerve) is covered by the enamel in the tooth crown, and the gums that surround the tooth. Over time, the enamel covering can get thinner, thus providing less protection. The gums can also recede over time, exposing the underlying root surface dentin.

The dentin contains a large numbers of pores or tubes that run from the outside of the tooth to the nerve in the center. When the dentin is exposed, these tubes can be stimulated by changes in temperature or certain foods. Here is an image of what the dentin tubes look like under the microscope:

What causes it?

• Exposure of the dentin can occur due to a number of factors. Some of the more common reasons are:
• Gum recession due to age or improper tooth brushing
• Acidic beverages (such as soda) that cause enamel erosion and dentin exposure
• Tooth grinding – this may actually cause most or all of the teeth to feel sensitive
• Brushing with a very abrasive toothpaste, brushing incorrectly and/or brushing more than three times a day could result in a loss of enamel
• Gum disease, which can result in gum recession
• A chipped or fractured tooth may expose the dentin

In addition, some dental treatments can cause sensitivity. Treatments such as such as teeth whitening, professional dental cleanings, having braces put on or getting a filling placed have been known to cause sensitivity during or after the procedure.

What can I do about it?

The first step in doing something about dental sensitivity is to find out what the cause is – a dental professional can help you with this. If the sensitivity is due to exposed dentin, there are a number of steps you can take, as can your dental professional, to help reduce the sensitivity."

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Suffer from tooth sensitivity, need to make an appointment with the best dentist in Reno then click here to contact Dr. McElhinney of renolaserdentistry.com. Dr. McElhinney has 34 years of experience in the dental industry.