Uncategorized

Do you ever find yourself gnawing at your nails? Nail-biting is a very common and difficult to break habit which usually has its beginnings in childhood. It can leave your fingers and nail beds red and swollen. But if you think that your nails are the only ones getting roughed up by nail-biting you’d be mistaken – so are your teeth!

According to a study by the Academy of General Dentistry, those who bite their nails, clench their teeth, or chew on pencils are at much higher risk to develop bruxism (unintentional grinding of the teeth). Bruxism can lead to tooth sensitivity, tooth loss, receding gums, headaches, and general facial pain.

Those are some nasty sounding side effects from chewing on your nails. Most nail-biting is a sign of stress or anxiety and its something you should deal with.

So what steps can you take if you have a nail-biting habit?

There are several things you can do to ease up on nail-biting:

• Trim your nails shorter and/or get regular manicures – Trimming your nails shorter is an effective remedy. In so doing, they’ll be less tempting and more difficult to bite on. If you also get regular manicures, you’ll be less likely to ruin the investment you’ve made in your hands and fingernails!
• Find a different kind of stress reduction – Try meditation, deep breathing, practicing yoga, or doing something that will keep your hands occupied like squeezing a stress ball.
• Wear a bitter-tasting nail polish – When your nails taste awful, you won’t bite them! Clear or colored, it doesn’t matter. This is also a helpful technique for helping children get over the habit.
• Figure out what triggers your nail-biting – Sometimes it’s triggered by stress or anxiety and other times it can be a physical stressor, like having hang nails. Knowing what situations cause you to bit your nails will help you to avoid them and break the habit.
• Wear gloves or bandages on your fingers – If you’ve tried the steps above and they aren’t working, this technique can prove effective since your fingernails won’t be accessible to bit.

If you’re still having trouble with nail-biting after trying these self-helps steps, it’s best to consult your doctor, dermatologist, or Dr. Jennifer Wells. For some, it may also be a sign of a deeper psychological or emotional problem.

Whatever the cause, nail-biting is a habit you need to break for your physical and emotional well-being. If you have any questions about the effects it can have on your oral health, please don’t hesitate to ask Dr. Jennifer Wells during your next visit at First Impressions Family Dentistry.

Cigarette smoke contains more than 6,000 chemicals. At least 200 of those chemicals are known to be harmful to your health. When smoke is inhaled, moist oral tissues are saturated with excessive amounts of carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and host of other known carcinogens. Most oral cancers originate in abnormal squamous cell activity, which are cells found on the lips, inside the mouth, and in the throat.

How Oral Cancer Begins

Cells exposed to consistently high levels of cigarette smoke may eventually suffer abnormal mutations within their DNA. Since dexoyribonucleic acid (DNA) is responsible for providing cells with instructions about growth, reproduction, and death, these instructions become distorted, which causes the cells to reproduce uncontrollably.

Essentially, that is what cancer is: rapid, unchecked growth of genetically mutated cells that encourages the development of malignant tumors. Unfortunately, the chemicals in cigarette smoke are strongly associated with oral cancer.

Signs of Oral Cancer

Early-stage oral cancer is often asymptomatic, which means symptoms appear only after the cancer intensifies and spreads. Possible signs of oral cancer include:

• Ulcers inside the mouth or on the lips that do not heal
• White or dark red patches inside the mouth
• Lumps inside or around the mouth (a lump could appear on your neck)
• Bleeding, numbness, and soreness in the mouth
• Chronic halitosis
• Loose teeth in the absence of tooth decay

Diagnosis and Treatment of Oral Cancer

Squamous cell oral cancer is most common type diagnosed in smokers. Dr. Jennifer Wells and our staff can discoverer this during the oral cancer screening. Depending on the stage of the oral cancer, treatment may begin with a biopsy or an exfoliative cytology procedure that involves collecting cells from the oral cavity using a scraper.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, oral cancer patients may need surgery, radiation therapy, a combination of surgery and radiation therapy, or chemotherapy to eradicate oral cancer.

Smoking, Cancer and Tooth Decay

Not only is smoking the number-one cause of cancer but it is also detrimental to the overall health of your teeth and gums. Yellow teeth, bad breath, dry mouth, and expedited tooth decay are all caused by smoking, not to mention the damage smoke does to the heart, lungs and kidneys.

In other words, don’t smoke!

When it comes to extractions, we often get asked “do I need to see an oral surgeon?” A tooth extraction is nothing to take lightly. It’s important to let Dr. Jennifer Wells evaluate the situation to determine whether if the extraction needs to be referred out to an Oral Surgeon.

Both dentists and oral surgeons can preform extractions. How does Dr. Wells know if she has to refer out? The answer depends on what type of procedure you need, your current medical conditions, and how involved the extraction will be.

Getting Started: Dentist or Oral Surgeon? 

If you are having any type of complications with your teeth, your first step should be to contact your dentist. Here at First Impressions Family Dentistry you can contact us at 704.933.2115 to get emergency appointments worked in.

The dentist will then evaluate the situation to determine whether an extraction is needed. This consultation typically involves x-rays and an examination of the affected tooth or teeth.

From there, the dentist will make a recommendation about whether he or she can perform the extraction. If the tooth can be removed in office, often the extraction can be done the same time as your consultation. If the dentist determines that an oral surgeon is necessary, most dental offices have oral surgeons they  routinely work with. This makes for an easy referral.

Reasons for Referral to an Oral Surgeon

There are a few good reasons why seeing an oral surgeon may be necessary for a successful extraction:

Impacted Teeth: If your teeth are impacted, either under the gum tissue or under the bone the extraction may be more complicated. This procedure will likely involve general anesthesia and cutting into the mouth to remove teeth. Sounds like surgery, right? This makes sense to go see an oral surgeon.

Facial Structure: The positioning of your teeth in your mouth may make it difficult for a dentist to perform the extraction without causing discomfort.  Large sinuses or  limited jaw mobility may necessitate an extraction by an oral surgeon.

Cracked or Fractured Teeth: Teeth that are already cracked or fractured are more likely to break during the extraction. This will require a more extensive surgical procedure, similar to what’s needed for an impacted tooth.

Dental Anxiety: Regardless of the physical situation with your tooth, some patients prefer to be asleep for an extraction if they suffer from dental anxiety or fear of going to the dentist. In this case, an oral surgeon is needed to administer general anesthesia.

Extraction Complications: As much as any dentist strives perfection, things can go wrong during some extractions. If the tooth has complex roots or fractures during the procedure, an oral surgeon may be needed to complete the process. In this case, you would be referred to a surgeon as quickly as possible to minimize discomfort and the risk for further complications.

First Impressions Family Dentistry Extraction Services

First Impressions Family Dentistry is lucky enough to work with some amazing oral surgeons. Regardless of  your needs are, we can make sure you are always seeing the best! We offer emergency services and also welcome new patients.

If you have a tooth that’s been bugging you for a while, let us help you determine if an extraction is needed and if it needs to be referred.