Do You Know? TMJ Pain Causing Dizziness, Ear Fullness and Crackling Sound and Temple Headache !!!!

Do you experience jaw pain? Or do you clinch and grind your teeth?

If so, then you're not alone. It's estimated that over 20% of the general population at one time or another have symptoms relating to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

Your jaw or the TMJ is the most frequently used joint in the body. It's also one of the most complex joints. Much like the knee joint, a small disc of cartilage cushions and separates the TMJ so the jaw may move easily. Each time you talk, chew or swallow you move the TMJ.

The jaw has three functional motions: opening / closing, side-to-side and protrusion / retraction. When the mouth is opened, the TMJ first rotates around a horizontal axis. And as you open your mouth wider, the motion is then combined with gliding of the jaw forward and downward. When you close your mouth the motion is reversed.

A common jaw problem is TMJ dysfunction syndrome. TMJ dysfunction syndrome typically occurs in women between the ages of 20 and 40 years. Early signs and symptoms include jaw clicking, tenderness to the muscles in front of the ear and back of the teeth and dull aching pain in the joint. These symptoms are often followed by spasms of the jaw muscles characterized by pain on movement of the jaw during chew and talking. Gradually, the pain becomes worse and is accompanied by decrease mobility.

Chronic and untreated TMJ dysfunction syndrome can displace the cartilage that causes pressure and stretching of the associated soft tissues and sensory nerves. The displaced cartilage can get trap in certain position when you open your mouth causing your jaw to lock up.

When you clinch and grind your teeth, you increase the wear of the cartilage lining of the joint. You'll also increase the stress and strain of the associated jaw muscles including the pterygoid, masseter, temporalis and digastric muscles. These muscles are often tight, sore and pain sensitive to touch.

Typical symptoms of TMJ dysfunction syndrome include ear pain, sore jaw muscles, temple headache, jaw pop or clicking, difficulty opening mouth and neck aches. However, people who clinch their teeth a lot may also experience dizziness, disequilibrium and feeling of pressure or fullness in their ears and hear crackling sounds.

Regular clinching of the jaw may also affect the tensor tympani and tensor veli palatini muscles. The tensor tympani muscle controls the movement of the ear drum. When it spasms you'll hear rumbling and crackling sounds. You'll often feel that your ear drum is trembling and vibrating like when you're jumping on a trampoline. The tensor veli palatini muscle controls the diameter of the auditory tube. And when it spasms, you'll often feel pressure or fullness in your ears.

There are a few things you can do to relief TMJ pain. Avoid chewing gums and eat softer food until the pain subsides. Wearing a mouth guard when you sleep may reduce the stress and strain associated with teeth clinching and grinding. And stretching your mouth may relief your TMJ pain.

Sit in a relax and comfortable position. Now place your tongue in contact with the hard palate as far back as possible while keeping your jaw in a retracted position. Maintaining your tongue and jaw in this position, slowly and rhythmically open your mouth in a limited range ten times. When you finished with this warm up exercise, open your mouth as wide as possible within the pain-free limit and hold this open mouth position for about five seconds. Now relax and close your mouth for five seconds. Repeat this exercise two to three times a day.

If you continue to experience TMJ pain and associated problems despite D-I-Y remedies, consider consulting with a chiropractor specializes with TMJ disorders.

Dr. Danny Tong is a Port Moody chiropractor with extended knowledge of TMJ disorders. His soft tissue treatment has helped people with TMJ dysfunction syndrome and other problems associating with TMJ disorders including cervicogenic disequilibrium, dizziness and positional vertigo. To contact Dr. Danny Tong: [http://www.chirogolf.net]http://www.chirogolf.net

Information about Bleeding Gums!!!!!

Gums are pinky and spongy structures, essential to hold and protect teeth. They adhere to the teeth very closely for sealing to prevent entry or spreading of the infection inside, to the root of the teeth or jaw bone. Due to ageing or disease, gums get weakened and recessed, paving way for falling of the teeth, so in all this process of receding, the teeth seem to be elongated, sensitive and feel shaky with bleeding. Bleeding from the gums is mainly due to injury, infection or inflammation of gums. Such infected or inflamed gums are medically called gingivitis. It can be seen as red line of blood in the gum line. If bleeding persists, then it should be taken seriously if it is an indication for illnesses like leukemia, bleeding disorders, etc. One should be aware of haemophiliacs who usually bleed to death so bleeding gums are serious condition.

Some people think that the harder you scrub, the more plaque you remove," says Diane Schoen, dental hygienist, clinical assistant professor and coordinator of the Preventive Dentistry Program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark. But brushing your teeth isn't like scrubbing a floor. Plaque is sticky like jelly, not sticky like glue, she says. "It adheres to teeth softly, so you don't need to scrub hard--it just needs to be mechanically broken up." Schoen recommends a soft-bristled toothbrush, held at a 45 degree angle to the gum line.

Bleeding from the mouth could be caused by anything from gum disease to a coagulation problem. My first suggestion would be that your husband see a periodontist (a dentist who specializes in the treatment of gum diseases) to check on the condition of his gums. Bleeding from the gums is usually due to inflammation related to the accumulation of plaque at the gum line, a condition known as gingivitis. Plaque hardens into tartar and can lead to periodontitis, an advanced form of gum disease, which causes even worse bleeding. Periodontal disease constitutes a major stress on the immune system

, using up resources that would be better suited for fighting more serious infections, scavenging waste products or defending the body against cancer.

Dry mouth syndrome is caused by either the normal aging process or, most commonly, by medications like antidepressants or antihistamines. Hopefully, a change in prescriptions will alleviate both the dry mouth and the burning sensations, but all too often both conditions are difficult to pindown to any one factor and can be persistent.

Ensuring that gums are well brushed along with the teeth at least twice a day and between meals where possible is one of the best preventative treatments. Other ways to stop bleeding gum problems and bleeding gums blisters is to avoid alcohol and also to avoid aspirin which will affect the ability of the blood to clot.

One of the diseases caused by plaque that can result in bleeding gums is gingivitis. Gingivitis attacks the gums as well as the periodontal ligaments and the tooth sockets. The gums will bleed, become swollen and painful. Left untreated, it can lead to the more serious form of gum disease: periodontitis. Periodontitis is a long term infection that many sufferers may have for some years before realizing it themselves and it is estimated that one-third of the population suffers from this disease. Periodontitis is also known as “gum disease” and if left to run its course, will result in the loss of teeth.

When you need Root Canal Treatment??

Root Canal Treatment: It is the removal of infected pulp tissue from the root canal, and filling up the empty root canal with a bio-compatible material known as Gutta purcha, then filling up the prepared cavity with suitable restorative material.

When is Root canal treatment done?

* Root canal treatment is preferred when the infection has reached the vital tissue i.e the pulp and has infected the pulp tissue, it is also recommended when the tooth has lost its vitality (died)

* It is done when the patient wants to preserve the natural tooth structure without it being extracted.

* When there is a fracture to the tooth where the pulp tissue is damaged due to the trauma caused to it.

* If the pulp infection reaches the bone, and root canal treatment is not done there will be an abscess formation which may lead to extraction of the tooth and treating the affected bone.

What is the alternative for Root canal treatment?

* Extraction is the only alternative to root canal treatment.

What happens when the root canal is infected?

* Sensitivity in the tooth.

* A swelling with pus in the area around the tooth.

* A swelling that may spread to other area of the face.

* Bone loss around the tip of the root.

* Abscess formation around the root tip.

* If neglected for long a Sinus or a drain hole is formed starting from the root draining its contents to the outside.

What are the Signs and symptoms of an infected tooth?

* If a root canal is infected then there will be no pain in the beginning but as the infection progresses there will be pain and if left untreated then it may lead to an abscess formation in which case it has to be extracted, so RCT should be done before the abscess formation takes place.

* A tooth that hurts significantly when pressure is put on it, by biting on something or sometimes even on touch.

* Sensitivity to different modalities like heat, cold, pressure etc..

* Discoloration of the tooth with or without pain.

* Discoloration of the tooth after trauma to the tooth, which indicates that the tooth is becoming non vital.

Procedure of Root Canal Treatment:

 The procedure of root canal treatment begins with the diagnosis of the infected tooth. The diagnosis is done with the help of the above mentioned symptoms and the main and the final diagnosis is done after taking a radiograph of the suspected tooth. The infected region can be detected by slight discoloration in the region from the normal and the presence of infection in the apex of the root. After diagnosis is done the cavity is prepared on the tooth surface to accesses the root canals. The root canals can be seen from the occlussal surface after preparation of the cavity, so that the infected pulp tissues can be removed.
 After this Endodontic files are used to remove the pulp tissue from the root canals. The endodontic files are available in different sizes. These files are used based in the width of the canal as it is different in different teeth and in different individuals. These files are then inserted into the root canals from the occlusal surface to clean the infected root canals by removing the pulp tissue. These files are flexible to ease the procedure as the root canals are not always straight they are seen with many curvatures at the tip.
 Above given is the infected tooth which has to be operated on by the root canal treatment. Seen in it is the caries infiltration in the Enamel and Dentin which is extending into the pulp, and seen in the root apex is the formation of an abscess. After removal of the pulp tissue from the root canals, the empty root canals are then cleaned with disinfectant irrigating solutions to make sure that no infected tissue remains in the canal which is capable of causing the infection again.
 Then after successfully rinsing the canals, gutta-percha points are placed into the empty root canals to replace the pulp tissue which was removed. These gutta-percha points are available in different sizes so as to completely fill in the root canal which was emptied, the gutta percha points are adapted with the use of pressure into the canals with the help of a plugger or a dental instrument with a tip to put pressure on the gutta-percha points. The gutta-percha points are placed into the canal by applying cement onto them so that they are well adapted to the walls of the root canal.
 After the canal is filled with the gutta-percha points an X-ray is taken to see weather the points are in place and weather there is any gaps. The gutta-percha point must fit well enough so that you know, with the utmost predictability, what the final result will look like even before you complete the procedure. If the preceding instrumentation has been done well the point will be very easy to fit and the result will be predictably excellent. After confirming that the gutta-percha points are well placed then comes the turn of the restoration to be done to replace the tooth structure removed during the cavity preparation. Mainly a tooth coloured restoration is preffered by the patients for the aesthetics to be maintained. The success of the Root canal treatment is confirmed by taking a radiograph after the complete restoration is done.