Headaches? Can’t Sleep? Have your TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) checked!

The average person swallows 2,000 times per day, causing the upper and lower teeth to come together and push against the skull. People who have a poorly aligned bite or missing teeth can have related health problems, such as frequent headaches or sleep disorders, because their jaw muscles must work harder to bring the teeth together, straining the surrounding jaw muscles.

This strain, known as orofacial pain, is defined as any pain in or around the face. Some people may experience pain in the ears, eyes, sinuses, cheeks or side of the head, while other experience clicking when moving the jaw.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is one of the many causes of Orofacial pain. Other causes may include stress, nerve disorders or muscle spasms, tumors in the jaw bone area, oral cancer or referred pain from cardiac disease.

It is highly advised that you inform us at the first sign of discomfort.

Here are some of the symptoms of Orofacial pain.

• Pain behind the eyes
• Sore jaw muscles
• Teeth grinding
• Clicking or popping of joints
• Head/scalp painful to the touch
• Earaches or ringing
• Neck, shoulder or back pain
• Dizziness

Orofacial pain may be difficult to diagnose if its origin is not localized in one area. We try to diagnose the pain source by conducting tests to rule out a cracked tooth, the need for root canal, gum disease, teeth clenching or grinding. These factors can cause discomfort in the facial region but can be easily addressed.

 Here is your TMD checklist: Please advise us if you have any of these symptoms.

• An earache without an infection
• Jaw pain or soreness that is more prevalent in the morning or late afternoon
• Jaw pain when you chew, bite or yawn
• Clicking associated with pain when opening and closing your mouth
• Difficulty opening and closing your mouth
• Locked or stiff jaw when you talk, yawn or eat
• Sensitive teeth when no dental problems can be found

 Diagnosis and treatment for TMD depends on the cause and we will address that in the next article.

My notes about the hiking trails in the Zion National Park, Utah:

My friends, my husband and I were dreaming to be on one of the most beautiful hiking trails in US: the Zion Narrows. Finally that day came last weekend! We had our permits and gears reserved, vacations planned and airline tickets purchased.

Well, we found out a few days before our departure that we weren’t lucky enough, there was a thunderstorm and flashflood warnings in the forecasts. The park will not issue permits to do this hike if the river is running faster than 120 cfs, or if there is any rain within a 100-mile radius of the park. The water was running at 180 cfs during the weekend of our plan.

We decided to follow our plan B and explore rest of the hiking trails at Zion.

We met many tourists at the Park having a great time hiking Zion’s paved and manicured trails to experience many of its wonders up close and personal. In a very short time, we came to appreciate Zion. I quickly realized that I would never get tired of looking at the multi-colored sandstone spirals, columns, arches, and towering cliffs.

There are many flat and easy trails in the Zion NP. There are strenuous uphill climbs and dangerous trails that require special preparation and equipment. Hikes can be 10 minutes, all day, or a backpacking trip. You have to take stock of your physical and mental fitness level in choosing a trail. If you can’t handle a thousand foot drop on both sides of the trail, with a trail only three feet wide, pulling yourself up the incline with a chain railing, avoid Angel’s Landing Trail. On a side note, Dharmesh, my husband was the only one finished the Angels’ Landing Trail during our trip, partly because of the stormy day with high wind and rain made the trail very dangerous to hike on the last part and rest of us decided not to take the risk.

We also came across the breathtaking views while at the Observation Point trail. Observation Point is at the elevation 6,508 feet, which overlooks much of the Zion Canyon. The 4 mile trail to the summit climbs 2,150 feet making it a fairly strenuous hike. Passing through the magnificent walls of echo canyons was my favorite part of the trail.

Here is the perfect description I found on one of the websites while doing the research about the park prior to my visit.

“The diverse trek through Zion’s premier canyon is one of the most touted and breathtaking adventures in America. Extraordinary beauty and unique character describe this amazing gorge. Hanging gardens burst from dramatically colored perpendicular walls while trickling water threads its way through moss covered boulders. Gentle slopes give way to sheer walls funneling streams of water into fluted slides and twisting channels cutting deeper and deeper as the journey continues its path southward. Along the sandy perches of the banks, towering ponderosa send their roots downward, hungry for nutrients and water. The entire trip is wondrous. The Zion Narrows deserves its reputation as one of the best, if not the best, hike in the National Park System.”

And so I returned back from Zion promising myself that I will be going there again for sure, especially for the Zion narrows.

My life changing career decision

The decision of joining UCLA last summer turned out to be one of the best career decisions I made after my dental school at NYU. I joined dental school at UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) for comprehensive training in advanced Aesthetic Dentistry. I was fortunate to be trained by the world class educators and found great mentors who got me motivated to join the AACD (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry).

I am now pursuing AACD’s credentialing process for Cosmetic Dentistry designated as “Accreditation”.

As techniques and materials have improved, the Accreditation examination has continued to set a standard for excellence in cosmetic dentistry. Accreditation represents the acknowledgment of a dentist’s excellence in cosmetic dentistry.

Accreditation and the examination process are administered by the American Board of Cosmetic Dentistry and consist of written, clinical and oral examinations. Clinical examination consists of successful completion of required number of cosmetic cases of different case types over the period of five years.
Achieving accredited status from the AACD requires dedication to continuing education, careful adherence to the protocols, and a resolve to produce exceptional dentistry.

This is the beginning of my journey but I am thoroughly enjoying the ride striving for excellence in my work to benefit my patients. It is a hard work and rigorous examination process but I am sure I will achieve the accreditation status soon!

Please visit AACD’s website to learn about the academy.

http://www.aacd.com