Keep brushing!

Oral hygiene can be a real problem when you have a limited or wired mouth opening. But here is another reason to keep your teeth clean: your heart!

Researchers in Scotland found that people who brushed twice a day had less heart disease then those who brushed less.

Clean teeth helps prevent gum disease, which causes increased inflammation throughout the body that is hard on your heart.

So keep those puppies clean! Brush, scrape, swish your way to a stronger heart.

Toothbrushing, inflammation, and risk of cardiovascular disease: results from Scottish Health Survey -- de Oliveira et al. 340: c2451 -- BMJ

Clinical measurement of normal maximum mouth opening in children | CRANIO: The Journal of Craniomandibular Practice | Find Articles at BNET

What is the average opening of the mouth and jaw? In an adult? A man? A woman? A child?

Most studies show that the maximum jaw range of motion (ROM) or maximum mouth opening (MMO) is related to body size and height. So men can usually open wider than women, taller people more than shorter people. In studies, MMO for adults has generally been around 50 mm, with a range from 32mm to 77mm. Men can open to about 50-60, and women to 45-55mm.

In a study done in 2008, linked below, a team tried to determine how to assess oral opening function of children. This is difficult because they have such varied body sizes and growth rates. In their study they suggest using the 3 finger test to simply and quickly determine the maximum opening. In this test, patients use their index, middle and ring finger of their non-dominant hand as a general gauge for a range of their opening, but they also note "it is not highly reliable"

Want more info? Click through to the full study:

Clinical measurement of normal maximum mouth opening in children | CRANIO: The Journal of Craniomandibular Practice | Find Articles at BNET

Secret Agents on ADVANCE for Physical Therapy & Rehab Medicine

Secret Agents on ADVANCE for Physical Therapy & Rehab Medicine

Here is a good article on the using hot and cold therapies to help people reduce pain and swelling, and to improve range-of-motion. It has some great footnoted points on dealing with acute and soft-tissue injuries.

On ice/cold therapies it concludes: "ice in any capacity is helpful for pain relief."

It also discusses various heat modalities, and notes the new TERT therapy. "Basically, the use of TERT involves heating tissue for 20 minutes with a sustained stretch, then exercising for 20 minutes, and finally icing for 20 minutes in the "new" range."  See the article for more information.  


For more info on some hot/cold therapies for the jaw and face, visit us here. 

Welcome and Hello

Welcome to the blog for CranioMandibular Rehab, Inc. and Craniorehab.com. To start off on a good note:

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