Dr. Oz - September 2010

Home > Dr. Oz's Advice > Dr Oz: Oral Signs of Stress in Your Mouth: Cranberry Floss

Dr Oz: Oral Signs of Stress in Your Mouth: Cranberry Floss

By Dr Oz Fans on September 24, 2010

 Doctor Oz did a segment on Three Signs of Stress in Your Mouth, plus he gave some solutions to relieve tension and to check how healthy your gums are. 

Dr Oz’s 3 Biggest Oral Signs of Stress

1.  Teeth Grinding: Mouth Guard & “Hook & Pull” Exercise

Dr Oz said that people who grind their teeth tend to have a lot more stress hormone in their body.  Teeth grinding can cause flattening of your teeth, in addition to headaches, earaches and pain.  Loved ones might tell you that they hear a grinding noise coming from your mouth at night.  You can get a mouth guard at the drugstore for $20.  I actually grind my teeth, but I had my dentist make my mouth guard and it was covered by my dental insurance, so you might want to check with your dentist if you think you might be grinding your teeth.  Dr Oz said that the big muscle or Masseter Muscle that brings your jaw up or down as well as the Buccinator Muscle, which you can feel when you whistle, can all become sore if you grind your teeth.  Dr Oz said that you can do a “Hook and Pull” exercise when your put one index finger in either side of your mouth and pull your mouth out horizontally.  Then from that position you can massage the muscle, which can be very helpful for getting rid of stress.

2.  Canker Sores: Hydrogen Peroxide & Milk of Magnesia

Dr Oz said that canker sores are stress related and often happen when your immune system is suppressed.  You can tell its a canker sore rather than a herpes sore, because canker sores are only found inside of your mouth and are a small white ulcer that are raised and usually red around the edges.  Dr Oz said that a home remedy for canker sores is to swish around a solution of 50% water and 50% hydrogen peroxide inside of your mouth.  Also, you can dab Milk of Magnesia on your canker sore 3-4 times a day.

3.  Gingivitis: Cranberry Floss

Dr Oz said that Gingivitis or Gum Disease is more common among people who are stressed out because 50% of people do not floss or brush regularly when they are stressed out, which causes your gums to recede and pull away from your teeth.  You can chew on a Disclosing Tablet and swish water around in your mouth, which you then spit out.  You can then see where you have plaque on your teeth because the stain dyes the plaque depositions on your teeth and gums.  You should floss and brush your teeth every day, but Dr Oz also recommends drinking unsweetened cranberry juice to ward off plaque.  Or Dr Oz said that you can even buy cranberry floss!