Night guards protect teeth by creating a durable physical barrier between the upper and lower dental arches that absorbs and redistributes the force of grinding and clenching across the entire bite surface. Without that barrier, teeth grinding (bruxism) generates up to 250 pounds of force per square inch, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, enough to [...]

TMJ jaw pain is caused by disc displacement inside the temporomandibular joint, teeth grinding (bruxism), stress-related muscle tension in the jaw, arthritis affecting the joint surfaces, and direct trauma or injury to the jaw. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) reports that temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) affect approximately 11 to 12 million adults [...]

Teeth grinding affects your jaw by placing extreme force on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), overworking the muscles that control jaw movement, and gradually wearing down the protective structures that keep the joint functioning properly. The force generated during teeth grinding can reach up to 250 pounds per square inch, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, compared [...]

The early signs of gum disease include bleeding gums when you brush or floss, red or swollen gum tissue along the gumline, persistent bad breath that does not go away with brushing, and gum recession that makes your teeth look longer than they used to. These symptoms often show up without any pain, which is [...]

Gum disease is caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that forms on teeth every day. When plaque is not removed through brushing and flossing, it hardens into tartar and triggers inflammation in the gum tissue. The CDC reports that 47.2% of American adults aged 30 and over have some form of periodontal [...]

Signs you may need a root canal include persistent tooth pain that does not go away, lingering sensitivity to hot or cold, swelling or tenderness in the gums near a specific tooth, and a tooth that has turned dark. These symptoms point to damage or infection inside the tooth's pulp, which is the soft tissue [...]