Common Dental Problems

In Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario

A surprising number of people suffer needlessly with common dental problems that a skilled dentist is very capable of alleviating. At Willow Dental, located in Mississauga, Ontario, we strive to bring our patients the best dental care available. This includes aiding our patients in finding relief from dental problems that cause other medical issues to arise.

Headaches and Migraines

It isn't a widely known fact, but one of the most common causes for headaches or similar symptoms to that of a migraine is dental problems. If the patient's upper and lower jaw do not meet properly, it can result in muscle tension that leads to chronic headaches.

Another dental cause for headaches is clenching or grinding of the teeth, known as bruxism. The strain on the jaw from heavy chewing or grinding causes stress on certain bones and muscles in the jaw, which in turn causes headaches.

One way to reduce clenching and grinding of the teeth is to wear a plastic mouth piece at night or when your jaws are resting. It may also help to increase your intake of calcium and magnesium.

Neuromuscular Problems and Posture

Another common dental problem, which is neuromuscular in nature but also causes very painful headaches is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD). TMD occurs when one or more of the muscles, ligaments, bones or discs in your jaw joints are not working properly.

This causes your jaw to be misaligned and often brings about headaches that are mistaken for migraines. TMD untreated often causes cycles of pain, facial muscle spasms and joint imbalances that affect the jaws and skull. Some typical side effects of TMD may include:

• Headaches
• Facial pain
• Back, neck and shoulder pain
• Vertigo
• Tinnitus
• Sensitive and sore teeth
• Jaw pain and locking
• Clicking and popping of the jaw joints
• Problems with the body's posture
• Pain in joints and muscles
• Pain behind the eyes
• Swelling of one side of the face

Gums

If you are having problems like bleeding, swollen and sore gums, there is a good chance you are suffering from gingivitis, or the early stages of periodontal disease. Your gums are the anchor for all of your teeth and care for them is vital to maintaining a healthy mouth. Gingivitis can be reversed. Periodontal disease on the other hand, can be a sign that you are about to start losing your teeth.

Plaque, basically a mix of food and saliva that is loaded with bacteria and has been left to sit on your teeth, begins to irritate and infect your gums. This is caused by improper brushing and lack of flossing. Or, you may suffer from being genetically predisposed to having bad teeth and gums. The best defense here is still regular brushing and flossing.

These are only a few of the common dental problems that people suffer from. At Willow Dental of Mississauga, Ontario, we do our best to help patients who suffer from these and many other types of dental issues. Through treatments and educating our patients, we do our best to help our patients overcome the dental problems that cause pain and suffering and can ruin a bright and beautiful smile. Please contact us today to learn more.