grinding – Hello Doctor

Certain habits and lifestyle choices wreak havoc on your teeth. Here’s how you can put these habits to rest.

1. Fizzy and sports drinks

Fizzy drinks are packed with sugar that leaves a coat of acid on the enamel of your teeth.
What to do instead: Stay hydrated with fresh water; add fresh or frozen fruit for a bit of flavour.

2. Eating sticky and sugary treats

Sugary, chewy and gummy sweets stick around and between your teeth. These attract bacteria which contributes to tooth decay.
What to do instead: Try crunchy fruit and veggies, like apples or carrots. While you chew, your mouth produces more saliva, which helps to rinse away sticky residue.

3. Using your teeth as a tool

This may be a convenient way to crack open certain things but using your teeth as a tool can cause them to chip or crack.
What to do instead: Use your hands, a bottle opener or scissors instead.

4. Smoking, vaping or chewing tobacco

Cigarettes and tobacco products can stain your teeth, cause gum and periodontal disease, tooth decay and tooth loss
What to do instead: Talk to your doctor about finding ways to help you quit.

5. Chewing on ice, pens and pencils

Mindlessly nibbling at a pen when you’re concentrating or chomping on ice after your cold drink can crack or chip your teeth, irritate the soft tissue inside teeth and cause regular toothaches.
What to do instead: Chew sugar-free chewing gum instead.

6. Grinding teeth

Stress and sleeping habits can cause teeth grinding, which wear teeth down over time.
What to do instead: Wear a mouth guard at night to protect your teeth and reduce mouth pain.

7. Brushing too hard

Firm bristles and brushing aggressively can damage teeth and irritate gums.
What to do instead: Choose a brush with soft bristles and replace it every 3 months. This lowers the risk fo creating an environment for nasty bacteria to grow on your brush bristles.

8. Playing sports without a mouthguard

A hit to the mouth can cause chipped or loose teeth when you play contact sport without a mouthguard.
What to do instead: Get a mouth guard at your local pharmacy or talk to your dentist about a custom-made one.

9. Nail-Biting

Regularly biting your nails can cause your teeth to move out of place, potentially cause teeth to break or tooth enamel to splinter.
What to do instead: Carry a nail clipper for convenience.

10. Eating too much fruit

Some diets promote eating large amounts of fruit, but it might be doing damage to your pearly whites. Acid causes tooth enamel to wear down and exposes your teeth and gums to sensitivity.
What to do instead: Eat fruit in moderation and learn which fruits contain more sugar and acid. Also, be sure to visit the dentist twice a year.

References:

Waking up with a pounding headache is not a great way to start the day. Headaches are very common. In fact, research shows that tension headaches and migraines are the second and third most prevalent disorders in the world.

But just because they’re common doesn’t mean headaches can’t be incredibly debilitating.

Headaches and sleep disorders

According to the American Migraine Foundation, nearly half of all migraines happen between 4am and 9am. In many cases, these throbbing headaches (often accompanied by nausea and visual disturbances) are caused by sleep disorders.

Doctors know, for example, that there’s a strong relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea, snoring and morning headaches. In fact, it’s estimated that at least 50% of people who wake up with headaches might have sleep apnoea.

This sleep disorder causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start while you sleep. As a result, less oxygen makes its way to your brain, making the blood vessels widen.

“This may present as a migraine, tension-type or other headache,” says the Migraine Foundation. “The key features are the timing of the headache and tendency to come on during, or shortly following sleep. To wake up in the morning often with a headache suggests the need to assess sleep as a cause.”

Apart from sleep apnoea, other possible reasons for morning headaches include:

Insomnia, a sleep disorder, which involves difficulty falling or staying asleep, waking up early and/or not feeling refreshed when you wake up.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), like chronic bronchitis or emphysema. If you have COPD, your headaches may be the result of a build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood from breathing difficulties while you sleep.
Psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety, which may interfere with your sleep.
Teeth grinding (bruxism). Your jaw muscles tighten when you grind your teeth at night, causing pain in the jaw. This pain can travel to the skull, bringing on a headache when you wake up.
Many medications including antidepressants, corticosteroids and pain killers can interfere with your sleep patterns, leading to a headache or migraine.

Banish morning headaches

Stick to the same sleep and wake times.
Limit electronic devices in the bedroom.
Make sure your bed and pillows are comfortable.
Your bedroom should be quiet, dark and not too cold or too warm.
Exercise most days of the week.
Try to relax close to bedtime (e.g. take a bath and read).
Eat your supper early in the evening.
Limit daytime naps.
Don’t drink caffeinated drinks after 4 pm.
Drink less alcohol.
Quit smoking.

Other important steps include managing day-to-day life stresses as best as you can, using your medication exactly as prescribed, and maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight is one of the main risk factors for obstructive sleep apnoea.

Beat the pain

If the headaches persist, see your doctor to get a proper diagnosis. The treatment will ultimately depend on the underlying cause. In the meantime, over-the-counter remedies, like paracetamol or Ibuprofen should offer relief. Remember to drink enough fluids throughout the day and to eat regular, balanced meals.

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10 bad habits that can damage your teeth