Dr Gatti's Blog a Lawrence Dentist Reflections

A cancer sore (aphthous stomatitis) is an open sore in the mouth. They are typically white and surrounded by a bright red area. These lesions are benign (not cancer) and occur on the moveable tissue inside the mouth or on the tongue. They do not appear on the outside of the lips. The exact cause of canker sores is unknown. Stress or tissue injury will often cause these sores to appear.

For those individuals who get these lesions frequently, we have found that one of the main causes is the presence of sodium lauryl sulfate in toothpaste. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a detergent added to toothpaste to produce foaming and to break down oils. In doing this it also causes drying of the oral tissues. Some people are more sensitive to sodium lauryl sulfate than others and suffer from weekly to daily problems with canker sores.

If you frequently get canker sores, one of the simplest remedies is to switch to toothpaste without this foaming agent. Depending on your specific need we can help guide you as to which toothpaste might work best for your individual situation.

Here is a list of some of the most popular toothpastes without sodium lauryl sulfate:

• Sensodyne PRONAMEL
• Tooth and Gums Paste (an herbal paste available at the Studio)
• Biotene
• Rembrant for Canker Sore Sufferers
• Tom’s of Maine SLS Free
• Squigle Enamel Saver Toothpaste
• Prevident for Dry Mouth (available by prescription or at the Studio)

Every day I see at least one client who is suffering from occlusal disease and chooses to ignore treatment because their insurance won’t cover any of the cost. It is estimated that 40 to 60% of adult Americans clench or grind their teeth at night. Night time grinding is referred to as Nocturnal Bruxism and left untreated it can lead to excessive tooth structure wear, jaw joint pain and deterioration, gum tissue recession, loose teeth, chipping and breaking of natural teeth, leading to the need for porcelain crowns and veneers. Basically it can causes premature breakdown of the entire system.

What many people don’t realize is that it is possible to generate 4 to 5 times the amount of biting force while sleeping as compared to while you are awake. The solution is a night time splint. There are several types that can be utilized. I typically advise one of two types of hard acrylic splints, depending on what all we are trying to accomplish. The bottom line is that I see people spend thousands of dollars restoring the damage done from bruxism, yet refuse to wear a splint to prevent the problems from recurring. Often times it is the only way to predictably prevent destruction of the esthetics and the dentition.