| Managing Stress to Reduce Bruxism |
Bruxism is more common in people who are incredibly stressed out. They clench their teeth together, leaving the teeth and surrounding tissues to pay the price. If you have been struggling with jaw clenching, teeth grinding, or a lot of stress lately, then it may be a good time to think about strategies to cope with stress. Here are a few tips to help you keep your stress levels down.
Schedule What Parts of Your Life You Can
If you create a schedule for the parts of your life that do not often change, you will have more structure and feel like less things are coming up unexpectedly. This lets you plan better, manage time better, and reduce your overall stress. Put what days you know you need to go to the bank or store on the schedule, and plan your trips in the way that makes the most sense for giving yourself a sense of structure.
Evaluate Major Stressors in Your Life
Certain aspects of our lives may cause more stress than others, such as work, health, relationships, or finances. The amount of stress something causes may not always be constant, but if you are noticing a certain part of your life causing more stress lately, it may be time to evaluate that aspect and find ways to manage or avoid that stress.
Protect Your Teeth if You Can't Keep Your Stress Down Yet
One of the more common struggles people face is stress that is out of their hands. If you are currently experiencing this kind of stress, the best strategy is to protect your teeth. If you grind your teeth frequently, contact our office today, and we can discuss fitting you for a mouth guard to protect your teeth from the stress of clenching. This way your teeth stay safe even if life is still stressful.
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| Win $100 to a Spa! Enter Our FB Contest |
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We hope all of you will enter our Facebook Contest later this month for your chance to win a $100 spa gift certificate! The contest is to post a photo of your most CREATIVE smile to our Facebook page: facebook.com/layerdental. It can be of you, your pet, your children, etc. The photo with the most likes at the end of the contest wins!
Check our facebook page for updates about the contest and the exact dates it will run through. Good luck to you all and we look forward to seeing your beautiful-hilarious-goofy-fun smiles! |
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| Did You Know?
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It's Mother's Day this Sunday but May 14th is also, according to a surprising source, the U.S. Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the United States, Root Canal Appreciation Day. I hope all of you will celebrate it!
Dr. Chris Kammer launched this observance in May 2005 when he conducted a root canal on home plate at the Duck Pond in Warner Park, Wisconsin, home of the Madison Mallards. But Dr. Kammer's no quack. Root canals save an estimated 42 million teeth every year. But the fun doesn't stop there. Root canals also save lives! Before they were invented, people would die from abscessed teeth. That's why 3 or 4 generations ago our ancestors had all of their teeth pulled when they had an abscessed tooth. Now, thanks to root canals, we are able to save teeth as well as lives.
Even though the procedure has become more advanced and far less painful in recent years, daily care and attention to your teeth will decrease your chances of ever needing one.
We hope you have a great Mother's Day and Root Canal Appreciation Day!
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| Dangers of Chewing on Ice |
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Ice is one of the more common non-food items people tend to chew on, with some people even having preferences about the type of ice. Chewing on ice is dangerous because it can cause damage to your teeth and the surrounding tissues. If you have a habit of chewing on ice, be sure to discuss this with us at your next appointment and take steps to stop immediately. Each time you chew on ice, your chances of suffering from an injury go up. You could get a broken or cracked tooth, have a sliver of ice go into your gums, or cut the inside of your cheek. While chewing on ice may be satisfying in the short-term, you are risking long-term damage to your smile.
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