June 2014 / MONTHLY ARCHIVES
Mission Trip – Honduras
Next Monday, Sarah Kelly, one of our beloved hygienists will be traveling to Honduras for a dental mission trip. She will be leaving the comfort and familiarity of home and family to serve in a foreign country. A country where many of the people live in poor conditions and do not have access to regular dental care. Even though she will leaving many comforts behind, she is thrilled to be heading out to serve others and serve God. Sarah, whose experience in the foreign mission stretches over the years, told us: "My heart is sold out to foreign missions! I was very blessed to grow up in a church that also had that burning desire! I have been on many trips and I am excited to be able to say that I am going back to Honduras for the second time! While in Honduras,...
Wisdom Teeth
Why do we have wisdom teeth? Although formally known as 'third molars', we know them as wisdom teeth. They are called that because they appear much later than the other teeth, at an age where people are presumably "wiser" than as a child, when the other teeth come in. It is thought that wisdom teeth used to help us in grinding down plant tissue when the skulls of human ancestors had larger jaws with more teeth. As human diets changed, smaller jaws gradually evolved, yet the third molars, or "wisdom teeth", still commonly develop in human mouths. The wisdom teeth are the last to come through, at the back of the jaw. They usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25 but can sometimes appear many years later. Today many people have a jaw that is too small for...
Tobacco and Oral Health
By now, we all know that smoking and tobacco use are bad for your overall health. It can cause just as much trouble for your mouth, gums and teeth as it does your other parts of your body. Short Term Effects Stained Teeth - Tobacco juices seep into the porous outer enamel of your teeth creating stains that are difficult to remove without extensive treatments Inflamed and bleeding gums - Tobacco use reduces blood flow to the gums which can cause the tissue to become distressed and more susceptible to the plaque forming bacterias in the mouth. Compromised gums are more likely to become inflamed and bleed especially when brushing and flossing. Gum disease - Unless measures are taken to counter inflamed and bleeding gums, conditions can worsen to the point of having...
Jaw Problems, Headaches and Dental Malocclusions
Do you have persistent mouth or jaw aches? What about headaches? If you are constantly suffering from pain in the neck, jaw or head it may be time to talk to your dentist. You could be suffering from a 'dental malocclusion' or misalignment of your teeth or jaw. Many people suffer from some kind of imperfect occlusion. Most of us unconsciously adjust the way we hold our mouths and the way we bite and chew. This may work in the short term but over time it will only exacerbate the problem as those muscles and bones will wear out become damaged. How can you tell if you are suffering from a malocclusion? Some symptoms might include flattened or worn teeth, broken teeth, fillings and crowns, loose teeth, sensitive teeth or toothache with no evidence of a cavity. Most...
