From Stress to Over Stress

     Stress causes society 60 billion dollars a year according to Dr. Steve Burns research in his  book "How to Survive Unbearable Stress."  People become less effective at work and take time away from work to see medical providers or call in sick. There is   the cost of medical care to treat it such as medications doctor and dental visits.  Stress is the inability to cope with change.  To your body any change causes stress.

What are some of the signs of stress?

1 Tightening of your neck, shoulder or muscles in your face or jaw.
2. Irritability.   Do lose your patience with people?
3. Clenching or grinding your teeth together. 
4. Increase in your pulse or heart rate.
5. Raising your voice or becoming angry.
6. Difficulty sleeping.
  
     I see the signs of stress in the dental office.  Patients present with worn teeth, broke teeth, and loose teeth from grinding or clenching.   Ten percent of Americans will grind or clench their teeth. Grinding and clenching can cause teeth to be sensitive, ear aches , head aches, neck aches and painful masseter and temporalis muscles in their head. and even difficulty opening your mouth. If this sounds like you, ask your dentist about an Occlusal Splint or Night Guard that you can wear to save your teeth and reduce your symptoms.  Well designed splints will deprogram your masseter (chewing) muscles and protect your teeth and dental work.

    I outline some of the best ways to deal with stress on my website. On my website    www.santeefamilydentist.com if you should click on the heading "Stress Busters."  Although we all will endure stress in life, being able to recognize the signs and then move into using tools to deal with stress is important to learn.

   In his book "Future Shock"  Alvin Toffler predicted over 40 years ago the the pace of society was accelerating and more and more people with have trouble keeping up with the accelerating pace of society.  Stress can lead to over stress and if you or you know someone  that has  a combination of  these symptoms listed below, it is time to see your physician for help.

Over Stress

1. Difficulty Sleeping
2. You have a lack of energy and are tired a lot.
3. Aches and pains in your chest, shoulders, back and neck.
4. Anxiety
5. You have lost interest in life and the people and events around you.
6. Depression
7.You let your appearance and self hygiene go.

Six tips for Fresher Breath

      If you are worried about your breath when meeting other people are five tips  to having a fresher breath:

1. Brush your tongue with a tooth brush or  use a tongue scraper.
2. Brush your teeth each time you eat.   You can carry a pocket toothbrush in your purse or pants pocket.  Breath sprays and breath mints can make a tempory improvement but do not treat the cause.
3. Floss your teeth to remove all the food remnants and rinse with water. 
4. Have your teeth cleaned at dentists office every 3 to 6 months.
5. Avoid foods like garlic, spicy foods and alcohol before your meeting.
6. Talk to your health provider about giving up smoking.

The main cause of bad breath or halitosis is gum disease from poor oral hygiene and food particles in between the teeth and on the tongue.  If these steps are not helping, consult your dentist for more help such as an appropriate  mouth rinse or gum treatments.

www.santeefamilydentist.com