J. Peter St. Clair, DMD, PC

Orofacial pain includes a number of clinical problems involving the chewing (masticatory) muscles or temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Problems can include TMJ discomfort, muscle spasms in the head, neck or jaw, migraines, cluster or frequent headaches, pain with the teeth, face or jaw, anxiety and depression.

You swallow approximately 2,000 times per day, which causes the upper and lower teeth to come together and push against the skull. People who have an unstable bite, missing teeth, or poorly aligned teeth can have trouble because the muscles work harder to bring the teeth together, causing strain. People with seemingly good teeth/bite are also susceptible. Pain can also be caused by clenching or grinding teeth, trauma to the… (Read More)

You make sure to fill your diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, brush your teeth twice a day, and even use mouthwash pretty often. But when it comes to flossing your teeth—you like to drag your feet. If there’s any oral hygiene habit that you should stay consistent with, it’s flossing your teeth!

Rather than skipping this crucial step in your dental care routine any longer, take a few moments to review this week’s blog post from your local dentist. It could just save you time, money, and your smile in the long run!

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Alcohol consumption causes approximately 20,000 cancer deaths in the U.S. annually, especially oral cavity cancer in men and breast cancer in women, according to a study in the American Journal of Public Health. It is the first comprehensive analysis of alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the U.S. in more than 30 years, the study authors noted.

Notably, even moderate drinkers who consume 1.5 drinks daily or fewer accounted for 30% of alcohol-caused cancer deaths, according to researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine and the School of Public Health.

Cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus were common causes of alcohol-related cancer deaths among men, resulting in a total of about 6,000 annual deaths, they… (Read More)

No matter what you do for a living, the most important key to success is to be principled. Those who follow indisputable and grounded principles are much more likely to achieve successful outcomes and realize satisfaction from a job well done.

However, change is inevitable. And, change is not always easy. Let me use dentistry as an example, since this is what I know best.

Technology and techniques in dentistry change. Some dentists jump on the bandwagon right away with every new gadget. Sometimes it’s hard to resist because there are so many cool things available. There are others who are late adopters. Dental technology and techniques may change, but principles don’t.

Principles are based… (Read More)

Here is a summary of some facts I found from different surveys done over the last decade.

Are you happy with your smile?

• 50% consider the smile the first facial feature they notice
• 80% are not happy with their smile

• Smile enhanced procedures outnumber eyelid surgeries 5 to 1

Americans do not spend enough time on oral home care or professional care.

• 32% of Americans cite bad breath as the least attractive trait of their co-workers
• 38.5 total days an average American spends brushing teeth over lifetime (compared to (1) year of your life spent on hold)
• 73% of Americans would rather go grocery shopping than floss

Interesting stuff:

• It is recommended that a toothbrush… (Read More)

Mouthguards are nothing new, but there are still far too many sports related injuries. Although most youth sport organizations have cracked down on making kids wear mouth protection, there are still injuries occurring. Taking the appropriate protective measures while on the court, field, rink, or ring can save mouths from serious injury and costly dental repairs.

Any sport that presents the chance of contact or collision with another person, object, or surface can potentially cause injury to teeth, jaws, and oral soft tissue. These sports include, but are not limited to, football, basketball, soccer, hockey, boxing, and lacrosse. Individuals who participate in sports, such as biking, inline skating, or skateboarding are also at risk for… (Read More)

Most people will admit that nice looking teeth make a person more attractive than not so nice looking teeth. Apparently, there are other benefits as well. In a study conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) they found:

• Virtually all Americans (99.7%) believe a smile is an important social asset.
• 96% of adults believe an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to members of the opposite sex.
• 74% of adults feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success.

The survey then went a little deeper. Photographs of individuals with different levels of attractiveness in their smiles were shown to 528 adults who represented a statistically valid cross section… (Read More)

If you have read these columns in the past you have heard me talk about periodontal (gum) health and its relationship to systemic health. There is a slew of scientific evidence that poor periodontal health is not good for you systemically. It has been linked to heart disease, stroke, low birth weight babies, diabetes and more.

Gum tissue health is an easy thing for patients to be lax about or even ignore. Why? The main reason is that gum problems do not hurt unless they are so severe that tooth loss is inevitable. It is the chronic inflammation in the gum tissue, regardless of whether it hurts or not, that has the potential to affect… (Read More)

I attended a continuing education seminar this past week entitled, “Making it Easy for Patients to Say Yes”. The name of the seminar is a bit deceiving. You would think that it was about how to “sell” people into dental treatment. It was quite the opposite.

I am a firm believer in educating patients about their own dental health with the help of things like photography, which I discussed last week.  I also think it is important to spend as much time as necessary to bring the patient’s dental I.Q. to a level that allows them to make more educated decisions about the degree of dental health they wish to achieve. Some people require more… (Read More)

I remember one time seeing a commercial for a cholesterol medication in which the person playing the doctor says, “I wish my patients could see what I see.” I think there are two ways to look at that statement.

The commercial showed an image of animated artery walls clogging with particles of plaque clinging to one another making the opening of the artery smaller and smaller. This is a visual that is easy to understand.

The second, and more subtle way to take this statement, is the doctor wishing that patients could see what happens to people over time with and without compliance to taking medication or changing their diet. If patients could only understand… (Read More)