Archway Dental Blog

Jaw pain can make everyday activities feel frustrating. Eating a meal, talking with friends, yawning, or even waking up in the morning can become uncomfortable when you are dealing with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).

While professional treatment can help address the underlying causes of TMD, making a few changes to your daily habits may help reduce irritation and prevent additional strain on your jaw. If you are experiencing ongoing jaw discomfort, knowing what to avoid can be an important part of protecting your oral health.

Feeling embarrassed is a natural human emotion that may be impossible to avoid. From stepping over your own feed to stumbling over your words, there might be some things you don’t want to think back on. However, you shouldn’t feel this way about going to the dentist. Granted, it may be easier said than done, so here are three reasons you don’t have anything to worry about during your next visit.

When you visit your dentist for a routine checkup or a restorative treatment, they may take your blood pressure at the beginning of the appointment. On the surface, this might seem odd. Why would your dentist care about this information? But the truth of the matter is that measuring this vital sign can be an important step for your dental care. Below are 4 reasons why your dentist checks your blood pressure.

Gum disease is one of the most common oral health problems, yet many people don’t realize they have it until symptoms become difficult to ignore. Bleeding gums, bad breath, tenderness, and gum recession may seem minor at first, but they can point to a serious infection affecting the tissues that support your teeth.

The good news is that gum disease can often be treated successfully, especially when caught early. In some cases, your dentist may even be able to reverse the condition entirely. However, waiting too long to seek treatment can allow permanent damage to develop.

When you imagine how your gums and lungs relate, you might consider bad breath first. Halitosis is a well-known symptom of a gum infection. That said, the connection goes further than a smelly mouth; there’s a strong link between gum disease and lung disease. Having the former problem puts you at much greater risk of the latter one. If you want to learn more, read over this helpful summary from your local McKinney dentist.