It is not without purpose that dentists repeatedly herald the fact that your mouth tells us a great deal. Yes, it will communicate — and without words — whether you have been brushing or flossing. But it will also tell us a story of your overall health.
For centuries, even the physician began his examination of the patient with a look at the head, ears, eyes, nose and throat. He would ask you to “Say aah.”
Ever wonder why?
The specific reason is that the sound you make elev
ates the soft palate and allows for a clearer view of the back of the throat, but it also tests the function of the vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves. Doctors have an abbreviation they use to describe this evaluation: HEENT (head, ears, eyes, nose, throat). More recently, health professionals have been pushing for a modification to that standard evaluation, changing it to “HEENOT” instead (head, ears, eyes, nose, oral cavity, and throat).
Thus, health professionals can work together in the best interest of their patients. By performing a thorough oral exam, the dentist will often spot systemic problems and refer their patient to a physician for further evaluation. The family doctor can, in turn, evaluate oral health and alert the patient to the fact that it is time to see a dentist in order to get better.
Anyone following our blog or newsletter for any length of time has already been acquainted with the fact that what goes on in our mouths can affect the health of the rest of our bodies. Studies continue to show the links between oral and general health. By way of review – periodontal disease has been linked to complications with diabetes and pre-term labor in pregnancy. There is also a strong connection between poor oral health and rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, strokes, and Alzheimer’s.
The fact that we perform an oral (and oral cancer) examination during your bi-annual checkups and “cleaning visits” does not excuse you from seeing your doctor for general health problems, and vice-versa. We are professionals in oral health and regular maintenance in our office helps you to stay healthy. So you want to be certain that each time your family doctor ask you to “say aah,” they then say “good job – everything looks great!”
There can be many contributory elements in the development of temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ). These can range from a misaligned bite, stress from clenching or grinding, to trauma — such as might result from an automobile accident, a blow to the head, or a fall. To this degree, spinal mis-alignments can also cause jaw-joint symptoms. TMJ pain may even be the result of bacterial infections. Each cause requires the appropriate solution. The following article written by a Minneapolis-based chiropractor highlights those aspects of the disorder that may benefit from chiropractic care.
By Dr. Passig
Back and neck pains are not the only the concern of chiropractors. There are other disorders that they deal with and one of these is temporomandibular joint disorder.
Temporomandibular joint disorder is characterized by distress or pain in the jaw muscles and joints. Some experience it briefly while a few experience interminable symptoms.
Following are the signs of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
Soreness that extends to the face, neck and shoulders.
Limited jaw movements.
Grating sounds when opening and closing the mouth.
Dizziness, headaches, ear pain and hearing difficulties and eating and drinking difficulties.
TMJ disorder is categorized as follows:
Tenderness of the jaw, neck and shoulder muscles known as myofascial tenderness.
Dislocated jaw or disc.
Weakening joint condition like rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
The reasons or origins of TMJ
Physical stress. TMJ is more prominent among women than men because of their fondness for high-heeled shoes. Long hours of sitting also lead to the development of TMJ. Both of these situations affect one’s posture.
Emotional stress. Most people who are undergoing emotional stress have the tendency to clench their teeth.
TMJ can also result from injuries such as receiving a blow on the jaw, one-sided chewing and gum chewing.
To evaluate the existence of temporomandibular disorder, the chiropractor puts his 3 fingers inside the patient’s mouth and asks him to bit on his fingers. The patient is also requested to open and close his mouth and to chew continuously. By doing this, the chiropractor will be able to assess the dimensions of the patient’s joints as well as the steadiness of his jaw muscles. An MRI of the jaw will be requested if no difficulty was seen in the aforementioned procedure.
Managing TMF via Chiropractic
Patient will be taught the proper way of using cold and hot compress.
He will also be taught how to massage the jaw joints and to do specific exercises.
Patient will likewise be advised to refrain from doing hard jaw movements like grinding on meat or chomping an apple.
If the patient did not respond to the aforementioned management, he will be asked to see a dentist or orthodontist to undergo dental surgery or intervention. This is because the temporomandibular joint disorder may be caused by a poor set of teeth.
Take time to visit a chiropractor should you feel any hardening on your jaw muscles that are brief or constantly occurring. Remember, it is always better to treat a forthcoming disease in its early stage than letting it get worst.
Dr. Richard Walicki is a dentist practicing general and cosmetic dentistry. While we hope you find the information contained herein interesting and useful, this blog is for informational purposes and is not intended to diagnose any oral disease. Dental conditions should be evaluated by your dental health professional or a qualified specialist.
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