Dentists are seeing the prevalence of cracked teeth. What’s wrong?

“What about your dental practice?” My friend frowned, asking her face for obvious concerns.

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I have often seen this recently. Since the beginning of the pandemic, city-wide closures and social distance measures have taken hold, and some friends and family have estimated that I must be on the brink of closure. But I let her know that I was busier than ever.

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“Really?” she asked. “Why is that possible?”

“There have been more tooth fractures in the last 6 weeks than in the last 6 years,” I explained.

Unfortunately, it’s not an exaggeration.

In accordance with American Dental Association guidelines and state orders, I closed midtown Manhattan midtown practice for all but dental emergencies in mid-March. Immediately, I noticed a rise in the phone. Jaw pain, tooth sensitivity, cheek pain, migraine. Most of these patients were effectively treated with telemedicine.

However, when he returned to the clinic in early June, fractures began to occur. At least once a day, every day I was in the office. On average, I see 3-4 people. Bad days have 6 or more fractures.

What’s wrong?

One obvious answer is stress. From Nightmare caused by Covid “Doom surfingFromCoronaphobia“It’s no secret that pandemic-related anxiety affects our collective mental health.” The stress leads to clenching and polishing, which can damage the teeth.

But more specifically, the surge seen in tooth trauma can be the result of two additional factors.

First, an unprecedented number of Americans are suddenly working from home. In many cases, wherever you can put a make-up workstation together, you’re sitting on a sofa, sitting on a bar stool, and tucked into the corner of a kitchen counter. The resulting nasty position is Round your shoulders forward, Bend the spine into something similar to a C-shape.

If you’re wondering why dentists are ergonomic, the simple truth is that the nerves of the neck and shoulder muscles connect to the temporomandibular joint, which connects the temporomandibular joint to the skull. Poor posture during the day leads to night grinding problems.

Second, most of us don’t get the restorative sleep we need. Since the onset of the pandemic, I’ve listened to the patient after he explained about his sudden restlessness and insomnia. These are features of the overactive or predominant sympathetic nervous system that trigger the body’s “fight or flight” response. Imagine a gladiator preparing for a battle. Due to the stress of the coronavirus, the body remains awake in preparation for the fight, rather than resting and recharging. All that tension goes straight to the teeth.

So what can we do?

You will be surprised that many do not know they are clenched and crushed. Even patients who come to the clinic for pain and irritability are often incredible to point out. “Ohno. I don’t brush my teeth very often,” I often say, look They do it.

Awareness is the key. Are your teeth touching now? Did you read this article? If so, it’s a sure sign that you’re doing some damage—unless you’re actively eating and chewing food, your teeth shouldn’t actually be touched at all during the day. Hmm. Instead, when the lips are closed, the jaws are relaxed and there is a small gap between the teeth. Be careful, and if you find yourself doing what you do, don’t crush yourself.

If you have a night guard or retainer, a device that keeps your teeth in place and prevents bruxism, try inserting them during the day. These appliances provide a physical barrier to absorb and disperse pressure. I often talk to patients, but I prefer breaking the nightguard rather than breaking your teeth. Your dentist can customize the night guard to ensure a proper fit.

And since many of us continue to work at home for several months, it is essential to have a suitable workstation. Ideally, your shoulders should be above your hips and your ears above your shoulders when sitting. The computer screen should be at eye level. If you do not have an adjustable chair or desk, stand your monitor or laptop on top of a box or pile of books.

Also, in the new home office, it’s not uncommon to get out of bed, find a sofa, and sit for nine hours a day. Whenever possible, confuse it with some standing positions and try to incorporate more movement. No matter how small your house or apartment is, you have the opportunity to take more steps by taking a rest break or by phone.

At the end of the job, I recommend to the patient-unlike the very professional and medical terminology here-“to wiggle like a fish”. With your arms straight above your head, lie down on the floor of your back and gently sway your arms, shoulders, hips, and legs. The goal is to stretch and stretch the spine and release and relieve some of that tension and pressure.

If you have a bath, consider soaking the Epsom Salt Soak for 20 minutes at night. Focus on breathing through your nose and relaxing (I think it’s easier than that) rather than thinking about work, scrolling through emails, or pondering your child’s new semester schedule.

Next, calm for 5 minutes just before going to bed. Close your eyes, inhale your tongue into the roof of your mouth, breathe through your nose, then through your nose. While this is clearly a low-tech solution, deep breathing is one of the most effective ways to stimulate the vagus nerve, which controls the body’s parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system that responds to match-ups or escape reactions triggers the body’s “rest and digestion” mechanisms, reducing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and allowing a more restful and restful sleep. The more relaxed you are, the more likely you are to wake up with less tension in your jaw. That means less polishing at night.

Teeth are fragile and can cause small cracks in the teeth when chewed or used daily. They can only take so much trauma before they finally break. Consider a wall with small spider crevices. When weathered, it can grow to a hole with holes. We add these by grinding, which can propagate these minute cracks into larger cracks and ultimately cause catastrophic failure that requires root canals, crowns, or other major dental care. I want to prevent the stress.

Book with your dentist if you haven’t already. Maintain a 6-month screening and cleaning schedule.

And if you do nothing else, get the night watchman.

Tammy Chen is a prosthodontist, Central Park Dental Beauty Midtown Manhattan.