Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), also known as TMJ Disorder happens when the small triangular joints that open and close your jaw get out of sync. There are a variety of reasons why this could happen, including:

Grinding or Clenching Your Teeth – Ongoing grinding or clenching of your teeth puts a lot of pressure and strain on your joints, which is why this behavior is one of the most common causes of TMJ Disorder.

Misaligned Bite – When your upper and lower teeth do not line up properly, any jaw movement can cause wear and tear on the cartilage disks that cushion the TMJ or could cause the joint itself to become dislocated.

Worn or Torn Cartilage – Sometimes the cartilage disks that cushion the joint can become worn down which results in grinding of the jawbone.

Dislocated Temporomandibular Joint – When the joint becomes dislocated, it can impede the movement of the jaw resulting in strain and/or pain in that area.

Arthritis – With arthritis, inflammation and swelling can occur in the muscles, ligaments and tissues around the TMJ causing discomfort and pain.

Trauma to the Temporomandibular Joint – A blow to the jaw can occur in an auto accident, airbags deploying, a slip or fall where the face hits against something, or other various reasons, and when trauma occurs to that area of the face, the joint can become misaligned creating pain.

The symptoms of the disorder will vary for each individual afflicted with TMJ depending on the reason behind the dysfunction. For some, this disorder will produce little discomfort while for others it will cause significant pain. But any imbalance to the temporomandibular joint strains the related muscles and irritates the affected nerves causing a variety of unpleasant and painful symptoms including one or several of the following:

-Radiating pain in the face, neck and shoulders

-Headaches…from moderate to migraine

-Stiffness of the jaw muscle

-Pain in the jaw joint

-Painful clicking, grating or even popping in the jaw area when the mouth is opened or closed

-Ringing in the ears or ear aches

-Limited movement or locking of the jaw

-Tingling in the extremities

-A change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together

-Pain in the teeth or cheek areas

When TMJ Disorder is the cause of your pain and discomfort, there are a variety of approaches that can be taken to correct the problem. Which approached to take is based upon a personal evaluation of your situation. The first step is a thorough dental examination of your mouth and bite. Your dentist may then suggest one or several of the following approaches:

-Applying ice and/or heat packs

-Doing gentle jaw relaxing and stretching exercises to strengthen your jaw muscles and help increase jaw movement

-Learning techniques for relaxing and reducing stress

-Using over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines

-Using a stabilization sprint or bit guard

-Correcting your bite or teeth alignment with dental restorations or orthodontics

For many people, TMJ is a painful and serious condition, but the pain caused by TMJ can be minimized or alleviated with your dentist’s guidance and instructions.

Every year the use of antidepressants, antipsychotics and many other medications go up exponentially in an attempt to adjust or control one’s emotional state and behavior. As this trend continues NIMH and APA continue to support CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as it continues to prove itself more ineffective than effective. Every year there are new stats on the number one cause of death. If you look closely at these stats the number one cause of death in the United States is one’s own behavior. The billions spent each year to support CBT are in part convincing people that it is working all the way to their grave.

The January 2009 New England Journal of Medicine noted that antipsychotic drugs doubled the risk of sudden cardiac death, while another study disclosed in March 2009 by Whang, et. al. found that antidepressant drugs also increase the rate of sudden cardiac death. If CBT or psychoanalysis worked why would there be a need to risk one’s life with a medication.

Children were the leading growth demographic for the pharmaceutical industry in 2009, with the increase of prescription drug use among youngsters nearly four times higher than in the overall population, according to a report by Medco Health Solutions Inc. Out of all the disturbing reports about our decline in behavioral health this one is the most disturbing.

Show Me the Data

CBT claims it is effective for depression with hundreds of studies yet finding one is almost impossible. When one is found it is usually in a structure that includes complex convoluted math formulas that even those who specialize in CBT cannot explain. By its own definition CBT is an experimental, observational, subjective modality. In contrast the only evidence-based program process in behavioral health and the only proven process for depression known as Subconscious Restructuring® have its studies readily available on its website with straight forward numbers generated by the client, not the counselor, therapist or psychiatrist.

From 1996 to 2005 the use of antidepressants doubled and the use of psychotherapy went down. More than 164 million prescriptions were written in 2008 for antidepressants, totaling $9.6 billion in U.S. sales, according to IMS Health. Even if one’s worst subject is math it is not difficult to calculate whether CBT and psychoanalysis is working.

CBT and psychoanalysis are single handedly driving profit up every year for the pharmaceutical companies by causing the illusion that it is effective for issues like depression. This illusion is maintained with billions of dollars spent each year by our government and the pharmaceutical companies.

If someone convinces you to use a medication that may increase suicidal thoughts or increase your chance of sudden cardiac arrest because they do not understand the processes of the subconscious, this can be referred to as a disease. It is time to start questioning CBT and every other behavioral health modality that claims to be effective regardless of how much the government or pharmaceutical companies spend to support it.

The medical term for bad breath is halitosis, and is used to describe the unpleasant noticeable odor which is exhaled while breathing. Bad breath has a significant impact personally and even socially. Besides being annoying for the person who faces it, it is very embarrassing also.

In more than 80% of the cases Bad breath originates in the mouth of the victim itself. Mind it bad breath never originates from the stomach. There are anaerobic oral bacteria in our mouth which breakdown the food debris in the mouth and emit smell which is similar to rotten eggs and very unpleasant. These bacteria can only survive in oxygen free environment hence they live in areas which are difficult to reach like grooves in the tongue, pockets around the teeth and particularly on the back of the tongue. Bad breath is intense at night because mouth is not exposed to oxygen and remains inactive during night.

In some cases bad breath may be caused due to some other problems like respiratory tract infection, sinuses problem, postnasal drip, dieting, liver or kidney ailment, gum disease and external agents like cigarette smoking, garlic, onions, tobacco, coffee etc. These are the uncommon causes and more than 90% of the problems are caused due to bacteria and their work on the left over food particles in the mouth.

Many individuals think that bad breath problem is very difficult to cure and requires physician’s advice and drugs and so refrain from it. Getting a physicians advice is no doubt an ideal solution, but the problem can also be easily corrected if individuals takes some corrective, precautionary steps from their side and try removing the root cause.

As bad breath is caused because of the byproducts when bacteria digest proteins and food particles, minimizing the food supply available to the bacteria will aid a lot. It’s very important to thoroughly clean the mouth after eating food and especially if the food is rich in protein and spices. This is because even if we finish our meals, small minute particles get trapped between our teeth and posterior parts of tongue and provide meals to the bacteria. Individuals having vegetarian diet comprising of fruits and vegetables have less chances of bad breath than individuals who regularly consume non vegetarian items like meat and chicken.

Some of the oral bacteria that are responsible for bad breath and create waste products live in the dental plaque which accumulates on and around individual’s teeth, including below and on the gum line. Proper brushing clubbed with efficient flossing technique can remove the plaque and also food debris that is left in the mouth after consuming of food. And in case it’s not possible to brush your teeth after meal as you are out, make it a point to wash your mouth thoroughly with water and if you can gargle, it will be the best.

Bad breath is a problem shared by millions of people, and at the same time millions of people have also over taken it with proper measures. So please take the appropriate actions and don’t let bad breath dominate.