Do you wake up with headaches or a sore jaw? You may be grinding your teeth! This medical condition known as “bruxism” is caused by several factors including every day life stresses and often occurs during sleep. A common issue among adults, teeth grinding can also effect children. Typically they will out grow this habit once all permanent teeth have erupted. Many people are unaware that they are grinding their teeth because it occurs during their sleep. Teeth grinding is not limited to sleeping hours. Some people grind their teeth unconsciously throughout the day! This is usually caused by anxiety, stress, anger, or frustration. In some cases, chronic teeth grinding can result in a fracturing, loosening, or loss of teeth.

Solutions:

• Do not chew on pencils or pens or anything that is not food. Avoid chewing gum as it allows your jaw muscles to get more used to clenching and makes you more likely to grind your teeth.
• Relax your jaw muscles at night by holding a warm washcloth against your cheek in front of your earlobe.
• See Dr. Wells for an exam to determine if you are grinding your teeth. Dr. Wells may suggest a night guard

At First Impressions Dentistry, we are here to help you achieve the best smile of your life! Feel free to call our office if you have any questions!

704-933-2115

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Is your smile as white and bright as you like? Teeth whitening is a great way to achieve the beautiful white smile you’ve always dreamed of! Every day foods and drinks can alter the color of our teeth leaving us dissatisfied with our smile. We have a few at home whitening tips as well as in-office treatment offers. A healthy smile is our #1 goal and we’re here to help!

Tips for keeping your teeth naturally white daily!

• Avoid dark colored drinks such as coffee, tea, dark soda, or red wine
• Maintain a healthy diet
• Brush and floss after drinking and eating
• Incorporate a whitening toothpaste
• No smoking

For more long-term options, check out our ‘Whitening Menu’. We offer different packages to best suit your needs! In-office treatments are a great option for long term, professional results. If you need recommendations or have any questions, feel free to call our office. We want you to love your smile!

We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Baby Wells! Two weeks from now Dr. Jennifer and her husband Zach plan to welcome their little baby girl and we could not be more excited! Her name has been a well kept secret and Dr. Jennifer will reveal her name after she is born. In the meantime, we do know her initials! W is for Wells but can you help us guess the rest?

We have some of the best patients around and we appreciate your care and support during Dr. Jennifer’s pregnancy. Many of you have inquired about her maternity leave and we want to assure you that our patient care is a top priority. Dr. Jennifer will begin her maternity leave on December 11^th and will return on January 29^th. While Dr. Jennifer is at home with her newborn baby, she has selected two great Dentists to care for our patients until she returns. We thank you for your continued support during this new and exciting transition!