What Causes Tooth Decay?
by Austin Davis

The buzzing emptiness of the dentist’s office lulls the child to sleep in his chair. His mouth is covered with a mask, and he breathes in the laughing gas that calms him and gives his surroundings an unreal quality. Before he closes his eyes, he stares hungrily at the jars in the corner on the dentist’s desk—jars of suckers, of stickers, and he stares less hungrily at the jars of dental floss that the doctor will enthusiastically hand him once his cavity has been filled.

This is an image which we commonly associate with dentist offices. Children—candy-eating, cookie jar-raiding kids—who don’t like to bathe and don’t like to brush (their hair or their teeth) are the most common victims of tooth decay, we think. But this isn’t the case—tooth decay can affect everyone, even those in the prime of their life, and even those who consider themselves aging, but healthy.

You don’t have to munch chocolate constantly to harm your teeth—this result can be achieved simply by aging. As you grow older, changes occur all throughout your body, and not the least in your mouth. These changes foster tooth decay. The gums recede from the teeth, displaying parts of your tooth roots. These roots have no protective enamel, and thus are easier for plaque to get at than the actual tooth. Plaque is made of food debris, saliva, and the usual bacteria of the mouth, and is used to make food into acids. However, when the sticky substance collects around the gum line and into the crevices of the teeth, it can cause decay by hardening into a substance called tartar and wearing away at the tooth’s protective enamel.

Cavities can also form because of dry mouth—a condition caused by the decrease of saliva.

There are certain parts of the mouth that are more prone to decay than others. Teeth that are very close together, for example, can decay more easily than others because they’re harder to clean.

Another belief revolving around cavities and tooth decay is that these are much less of problems these days. But despite the widespread modern image of the smiling medieval peasant, his blackened teeth jutting in angles out of his mouth, tooth decay was a rare occurrence before the 1700s brought the spread of sugar plantations in the Americas. As sugar became more available, cavities-- called ‘caries’ in the dental community, from the Latin word ‘rot’—followed.

But even though the middle-aged can easily fall prey to decay, it is still true that children and the elderly are the most susceptible to this particular form of rot. Even the youngest of children can start feeling its effects, due to baby bottle tooth decay, which affects infants who often go to sleep with their bottles. Although putting one’s child to sleep with sweetened milk or fruit juice can seem healthy enough, the sticky sweetness of those drinks work on the child’s mouth while she is sleeping and gradually cause decay. As you can see, it is essential to watch out for the health of your teeth—even before you have any.

Austin Davis may be contacted at http://www.freecarcity.com

What Causes Tooth Grinding?
by Austin Davis

Every night your spouse awakes to a strange sound—squeaky, grinding like chalk against a blackboard. As you lay in your bed, asleep, completely unaware, your teeth are wearing themselves away.

Tooth grinding, called bruxism, affects a large portion of adults—estimates range from 50 to 95%. It usually occurs at night, while the bruxer isn’t aware of it to stop it. You may have been a tooth grinder for years without realizing it. But if this is the case, how are you supposed to tell? How do treat it? And what’s so bad about it, anyway?

Bruxism is caused by a number of problems, but two of the main ones are stress and internalized anger. Too much work, too little sleep, too much worry, can all build up frantic energy in the body that finds an outlet only when you sleep, by letting itself out upon your teeth. Internalized anger occurs in people who have anger problems, but repress them—again, the repressed energy builds up. It has to go somewhere.

These, you may think, are problems that come with life. What are you to do about them? Relaxation techniques like Yoga help for some. Another way to cut down on your stress is to first cut down on your caffeine intake. Just a few less cups of coffee a week could make the difference between full, healthy teeth, and eroded white lumps.

Other causes are less personal in nature—tooth grinding can also be caused by calcium deficiency, parasites like pinworms, and an abnormal bite. If you discover that you are grinding your teeth, it’s best to schedule an appointment with your dentist. A dentist can recommend medicines and activities to rid yourself of the grinding problem. If your bruxism is caused by an abnormal bite, you may have to wear a mouth guard to prevent your teeth from knocking together. Over time, this mouth guard will reshape your bite until it (the mouth guard) is no longer necessary.

Now that you know how to prevent it, how can you tell if you have it in the first place? This is made more difficult if you live alone and no one is there to be bothered by the noise you make grinding your teeth at night. But there’s no need to worry, because the results manifest themselves physically. Some signs that you may be grinding are headaches, pain and tiredness in the muscle of the face, locking of the jaw (along with noises such as clicking), and sensitive teeth. These signs don’t necessarily point toward bruxism, but if you notice any of them it’s best to check with a doctor anyway, to be safe.

Tooth grinding does not always lead to harm. If you do it infrequently, then it may have no effect. But if you do it often, it can become serious, causing extensive damage to the jaw that may require surgery. It can also, in its most severe instances, cause hearing loss. So if you begin to experience frequent headaches and notice a wearing of the teeth, go see your dentist. This condition may grind away out of mind, but if allowed to continue unabated, it won’t be out of sight for too long.

The chalky, sometimes squeaking, sound of tooth grinding can alert your partner to your problem, even while you remain asleep and unaware. Other tell-tale signs include tooth wear, headaches, sensitive teeth, and fatigue and pain in the muscles of the face. Tooth grinding, called bruxism, is a condition with a variety of causes. Stress, calcium deficiency, pinworms, and an abnormal bite are all causes of tooth grinding. If your bruxing is caused by stress, it can be easily cured by relaxation techniques and cutting down on things like coffee and soda. However, if it is caused by any of the latter, it is best to consult a dentist for treatment. Since multiple factors can contribute to bruxism, you should see your dentist at the first realization of tooth grinding—neglecting it can lead to more serious problems, such as hearing loss.

It isn’t just your problem, either. Children of tooth grinders are more likely to grind their teeth