Ask the Dentist: Can bruxism be cured?

Bruxism refers to excessive teeth grinding or jaw clenching, and can take place while one is awake or sleeping. The evidence for complete treatment of bruxism is relatively low, hence most of the treatment methods available are aimed at decreasing the level of bruxism and reducing the damage done to one’s teeth and jaw joints.

Occlusal splints

Occlusal splints such as mouthguards are the most common and effective treatment involved in preventing damage to your teeth. Mouthguard helps to absorb the force during grinding so that your teeth’s enamel does not get worn down. It is commonly worn at night, nonetheless, it can also be worn in the day if one grinds while awake. 

Behaviour modifications

You may be recommended to go on a soft diet and cut food into smaller pieces so as to reduce the amount of chewing, allowing your jaw muscles to rest. You may also be taught to constantly check that you breathe through your nose, close your lips while keeping your teeth apart. This will help relax the muscles involved in teeth grinding. If stress is the cause of bruxism, relaxation exercises like diaphragmatic breathing can be done.

Medications

Muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory and/or anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed for a short period of time to ensure that you can rest better at night.

You are advised to share your concerns with your dental specialist / dentist so that he/she can share the treatment options suitable for you. 

Steam Teaching at CIS: Learn Wh It Is So Great For Kids

STEAM teaching is the new buzzword in education. Many schools are choosing to adopt this interdisciplinary teaching approach to help their students develop important skills like problem solving and critical thinking to be successful in the 21st century workforce.

STEAM teaching varies from school to school. At CIS, STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Arts and Mathematics. It plays an integrated across the school from pre-kindergarten to secondary school. 

Solving real problems

We engage students in hands-on, minds-on STEAM activities where they are encouraged to make connections between the five STEAM disciplines and solve real-life, authentic problems. This not only helps our students to think critically and solve problems from multiple perspectives, it also keeps them motivated and excited to learn more.

Stimulating makerspaces

From Grade 1 onwards, our students are exposed to STEAM experiences in our stimulating makerspace rooms. These are part lab, part shop, part conference room, designed to foster a culture of teamwork, collaboration and design thinking. Students build and work on projects together using equipment that is both traditional (such as woodworking machinery and sewing machines) and cutting edge (such as makerbot 3D printers, GCC laser engravers and cutting machines).

STEAM in action

Lots of exciting and innovative projects are constantly happening across CIS. At the moment, grade 1 students are learning about forces and motion by designing and building their own movable toy, while grade 6 students are creating models using 3D computer software to study the math and science behind natural phenomena on earth. 

Want to learn more?

Sign up for CIS’ free virtual STEAM workshops to enjoy some fun hands-on STEAM activities for the whole family. There are four activities to choose from: create a drawbot, build a molecule mode, code a robot or design a cardboard sculpture. Which STEAM activity will you choose? 

Ask the Dentist: Water Flosser vs. String Floss

 

Q: Is a water flosser better than a string floss?

A: Flossing daily is an important part of our oral care routine and I am glad you are trying to decide which to use to clean in between the teeth.

Water flossers, are also referred to as dental water jets or oral irrigators. They use a pressurized pulsating stream of water to clean away food particles and plaque in between the teeth and gum line.

Compared to a string floss, water flossers are easy to use. The water gets into hard to reach areas and cleans between tightly spaced teeth. However, the rinsing action of a water flosser is not strong enough to remove plaque completely as plaque is a sticky biofilm on our teeth. It is recommended that you still use a string floss to scrape and loosen plaque first and then use a water flosser to rinse these residues out.

The string floss is a good, traditional method of removing plaque in between the teeth. You are able to control the floss to clean each tooth manually so that it is thoroughly cleaned. The main issue most people have is that they are unsure on how to floss properly. If that is you, visit your Periodontist/dentist so that he/she can guide you on how to floss.

When done in a right manner, string floss is an economical and efficient way to clean in between the teeth. However, you may prefer water flossers in addition to string floss if you wear braces, have non-removable bridgework, crowns or dental implant crowns. Share your concerns with your Periodontist/dentist and he/she will help to determine the best option for you.

Dr Daylene Leong is Dental Specialist in Periodontics with Specialist Dental Group® She received her training in the specialty area of Periodontology from the University of Michigan, USA. Dr Leong is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. She has a special interest in periodontal regeneration, gingival aesthetic and plastic surgery and dental implants. www.specialistdentalgroup.com | (65) 6733 7883

The Power of the Pen: CIS student donates profits from her first published book to children’s charity

 

Shriya Asha Sharma may only be 10 years old, but she has big dreams — and an even bigger heart. In January 2021, she realised her dream of becoming a published author, with the release of her first book “Unicorn Adventures: The Dark Forest”. She has also pledged to donate book sale profits to the Singapore Children’s Society. We sat down with Shriya to find out more about how she harnessed her creativity to make a difference to society.

Tell us about your book.

This book is about friendship, skills and adventure. The story is set in the magical land of Unitopia and follows the adventure of three unicorn friends: Miso, Milky and Mocha. The three friends each have a special skill and, using their combined skills and smarts, they try to overcome the various challenges in the cursed dark forest.

Why did you decide to take such a big step?

I love reading and have always been fascinated by authors like JK Rowling and Shannon Messenger. I talked to my father about a story idea I had, and he encouraged me to write down my thoughts. When I started writing, I didn’t think we could get the book published. As I kept working, the story took shape and became a proper book. So, what seemed like a big step was actually just a series of small steps.

What inspired you to pledge your book sale profits to a charity that supports education for underprivileged children?

As I embarked on this writing journey, I became aware that many children around the world don’t know how to read because they don’t have access to education. The COVID-19 pandemic and school closures have sadly worsened the situation.

How long did you take to write and illustrate it?

The writing process took about nine months. Once I’d finished, the next step was publishing. My father did a lot of research to find a publisher and professional illustrator. I then worked closely with the editor and illustrator to create the final version of the book. This was a challenging but interesting process as I had to share the description of the characters with Rebecca, our illustrator, to really bring them to life.

To purchase Shriya’s book click here. For more information on CIS and our primary school literacy programme click here.