Oak Ridge Dental Blog

If you’re bothered by stains or discolored spots on your teeth, you are likely considering teeth whitening as a solution. It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that not all whitening treatments are exactly the same. Some patients may require multiple sessions in order to get the smile that they want. Before you take your first step toward a brighter grin, it’s worth learning about the teeth whitening process and how many sessions you can typically expect.

You’ve been struggling with a painful TMJ disorder that has significantly decreased your quality of life. Naturally, you want to find relief as soon as possible, which is why you’ve been researching your treatment options. Recently, you stumbled across an unexpected potential solution: using essential oils to relieve TMJ pain. Is this an approach worth pursuing in your case? Here’s what your dentist wants you to know.

When you hear the term “TMJ disorder”, what comes to mind? Many people think of the more obvious symptoms, such as chronic jaw pain. However, some consequences of the condition aren’t quite as well known. For example, in particularly serious cases, TMJ disorder can affect the way you talk! Here’s a closer look at how TMJ disorder and speech impairments can potentially be linked.

Gum chewing is a very common habit. In fact, it has been shown that the average American chews around 300 pieces of gum annually. But what if you currently have a TMJ disorder? Could continuing to chew gum end up causing further problems for your jaw? Your dentist is here to give you a closer look at TMJ disorder and explain why chewing gum may end up exacerbating the issue.

You normally shouldn’t have any trouble opening and closing your jaw. But under certain circumstances, your jaw might become very stiff and could even lock in place. Needless to say, this can be a very painful and frightening condition – but what exactly causes it to happen in the first place? Your emergency dentist is here to explain what can lead to jaw locking and give you tips for dealing with this alarming problem.

When you have dental implants placed, you’ll naturally want to do whatever you can to make sure that your mouth heals as quickly as possible without any complications. There are several variables that can impact your chances for a successful dental implant treatment; one particularly vital example is your vitamin D levels. Here’s a quick look at why vitamin D can make all the difference for dental implant treatments – as well as what you can do to obtain more of this important nutrient.

Even though dental implants have enough chewing power to handle virtually any food, that’s only after your mouth has fully healed from the placement surgery. Until then, you will need to be mindful of your diet; there are certain foods that you’ll need to stay away from for a while. To help make sure everything goes smoothly during your recovery process, here’s a brief look at what you shouldn’t eat after receiving dental implants.

Nowadays, when you ask your dentist what the best option for replacing your missing teeth is, they’re likely to say that it’s dental implants. But of course, this treatment didn’t become the gold standard for re-completing smiles overnight. Dental implants had to evolve quite a bit to reach the point they’re at now. Below, you can learn more about the history of dental implants and how they’ve changed over time.

Sleep apnea can prevent you from getting quality slumber, which can cause you to feel excessively sleepy during the day. Unfortunately, that’s not even the worst of it; the disorder can also negatively impact your health in a number of ways – such as affecting your biological age. If you read on, you can learn more about the link between sleep apnea and accelerated aging.

Drooling in your sleep may seem like an embarrassing problem, but it’s actually quite common. In fact, it’s often considered normal. However, if you’re drooling excessively in bed, it could be a sign of a larger health issue – such as obstructive sleep apnea. Here’s why sleep drooling may actually be a sign of sleep-disordered breathing.