Sometimes, dental problems occur outside office hours. Any dental problem that can't wait for the next business day is considered an emergency. If you experience a dental emergency, you may not know where to turn. Fortunately, our practice offers prompt care during and after office hours. About Emergency Dentistry Emergency dentists see patients whose problems […]
A dental crown is a restorative option for a tooth that is damaged or decayed beyond what a filling can repair. It is a protective tooth-shaped cap placed over a tooth to protect the existing enamel and root. Dental crowns are used for children’s teeth in many situations, both on primary and permanent (baby) […]
You may have heard the term “frenectomy” before but may not know much about it. You may have heard the term “tongue-tied” used to describe a baby with trouble nursing or a toddler with speech problems. A frenectomy is used to treat someone who is considered to be tongue-tied. But what exactly is the procedure, […]
Invisalign is a great option for straightening teeth. Using clear aligners that are virtually invisible, you can align your teeth and bite for improved dental health and a better-looking smile. As orthodontic treatments go, Invisalign has some distinct advantages over other treatments. But is it a good option for teens? If your teen needs […]
One of the most exciting benefits of porcelain veneers, aside from their ability to quickly and dramatically transform your smile, is their longevity. How long your veneers last depends on oral hygiene, lifestyle choices, and other variables. But generally speaking, you can expect a long lifespan from your veneers. What Are Veneers? Veneers are thin, […]
It’s no secret that we all want to look our best, but sometimes, our teeth can be a little too far from perfect. Cosmetic dental bonding is a simple, relatively affordable way to fix small aesthetic issues with your teeth. The procedure is commonly used to repair chips, cracks, and gaps and to reshape teeth. […]
Dental bridges are popular appliances that can replace one to four teeth. With excellent care, a dental bridge typically lasts five to seven years but may last up to 15 years. About Dental Bridges A dental bridge consists of anchor points (crowns or implants) that hold artificial teeth between them. Bridges fit in the gap […]
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes people to stop breathing for short periods during sleep. It’s more common in men than women and can affect people of any age. What causes sleep apnea? The main cause of sleep apnea is the relaxation of muscles in your upper airway. When you’re awake, muscles in […]
Dental bonding is used to correct minor cosmetic dental imperfections like gaps, cracks, chips, or fractures. The bonding is a BPA-free plastic applied directly to the tooth and is bonded by a special light to hold it in place. This material is also used to fill cavities as an aesthetic filling. Dental bonding is the […]
Did you know that tooth enamel is the hardest substance in your body? Even though the outer surface of your teeth is stronger than your bones, it’s still susceptible to chips and cracks. Biting down on hard food, teeth grinding, and brittleness of teeth all lead to a cracked tooth. A cracked tooth is when […]
CEREC crowns offer a faster, more convenient option for dental restoration. With CEREC technology, (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) your dentist can create a custom-fit crown right in the office, eliminating the need for multiple appointments and temporary crowns. But what exactly are CEREC crowns, and how do they work? In this article, we’ll […]
Cracked teeth is a common dental problem that causes discomfort, sensitivity, and even pain. But what happens when a tooth cracks? Can it heal naturally, or is dental treatment necessary? Many people are unaware of the truth about cracked teeth and often wonder if they can rely on their body’s natural healing processes to fix […]
The lips and tongue are designed to work in a very particular way. They help you get through normal daily tasks, such as eating and talking. But every now and then, the connective tissue that runs between each one can be a little too tight and it limits the range of motion. This can make […]
Flossing should be done every day for patients of all ages. Does your child floss their teeth on a daily basis? Flossing can be difficult to get in the habit of doing, especially for children, but it is extremely beneficial for dental and oral health. Dentists recommend flossing once a day to keep the teeth and […]
Dental emergencies can strike at any time. Some require more urgency than others, but the bottom line in all cases is to contact your team of dental professionals as soon as possible. Getting a Tooth Knocked Out Whether from sports play, a fall, or an automobile accident, getting a tooth knocked out requires urgent […]
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition in which a person’s breathing suddenly stops for a few moments while they sleep. The American Sleep Apnea Association estimates that 22 million Americans live with the condition. There are many types of sleep apnea, but the most common is obstructive sleep apnea. Because the symptoms of […]
If sleep apnea is interfering with your ability to get a good night’s rest, getting treatment is important. You might be surprised to learn that your dentist may play a key role in this process. Here’s a closer look at what causes sleep apnea and how specialized dental care may help. Causes of Obstructive […]
Sleep apnea is a serious condition, a sleep disorder that disrupts breathing during sleep, as often as hundreds of times in some cases – in a single night. Untreated, sleep apnea can cause a wide range of health issues, such as high blood pressure, stroke, headaches, and more. It can also cause impairment at work, […]
Watching your smile transform with Invisalign can be exciting. But how do you keep up with cleaning your Invisalign aligners? And if you need a retainer after treatment, what’s the best way to take care of it? Similar to cleaning your teeth, it just takes a simple routine and some easy steps to keep your […]
There was once a time when a brief smile could give you an idea of just how much dental work someone had done – thanks to the shiny silver in their mouth. We saw these metal fillings as a great solution to seal up a tooth with a cavity without ever giving a second thought. […]
Whether you are the one doing the snoring or the one trying to block out the loud nighttime disruption, snoring can prevent a good night’s sleep. It can also be a sign of an underlying health condition. A low, soft snore or a loud, bellowing snore – what causes it? And how can you […]
Dental implants have been used for decades and are a popular and highly successful solution for replacing missing teeth. If you’re considering dental implants, you may be wondering about their safety. Dental implants offer a permanent solution for those patients who don’t want to compromise the look of their smiles. However, you will have the […]
Breaking a tooth can be a scary experience. Your first thought may be to hop in the car and drive straight to your dentist’s office. Unfortunately this is not always an option. While anyone may find themselves in this situation regardless of their oral health, there are a few steps you can take to help […]
Thanks to sealants and routine care, cavities are not as prevalent as they used to be. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t possible. Taking the time to pay attention to the signs can help your child get to the dentist quickly. When kids are experiencing signs of a cavity, they may not be able to express their […]
No parent - or child - wants to hear that they have a cavity. Whether it was discovered during a routine cleaning or because of symptoms, the first question that dentists hear is: Do we really need to get the cavity filled or should we just wait until it falls out? As dentists, we understand […]
Procedures like getting new dental implants, having teeth extracted, periodontal surgery and the like can seem scary. After all, it’s oral surgery. Thankfully, these rather routine procedures most often go very smoothly. And, when it is all over, it is time to come home and begin healing. There is a good chance your oral […]
Having a bright white smile is something we all strive for. Though no matter how great our oral hygiene is, the white seems to dull over time due to many different factors. But all is not lost! Teeth whitening is a very viable option that more and more people are seeking. With the use […]
Kids play around a lot. They are always running, jumping, skipping, hopping - anything but sitting still. And this is probably why they are so likely to take a tumble and fall. Most times, though, these kids may shed a slight tear before they are up and running once again. Scratches, bruises, and bumps are […]
Have you heard of Invisalign? Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that straightens teeth like braces, but through a different method. It is quickly gaining popularity as more patients are choosing this treatment over traditional braces for a variety of reasons. If you don’t know much about it, one of your biggest questions is probably […]
There are many types of dentists who have specialized training in certain areas of oral health – and an endodontist is one of them. Derived from the Greek words, “endo,” meaning inside, and “odont,” meaning tooth, an endodontist is a dentist that specializes in treating issues that occur inside the tooth. Let’s just say […]
According to the American Dental Association, periodontal disease is a disease that affects the gums and supporting bone. It is an inflammatory disease and can cause generalized inflammation if not treated promptly. With mild to moderate cases of gum disease or related oral issues, your dentist may be able to handle treatment. But, when […]
IN THE MIDDLE AGES, the English didn’t understand much about cavities or gum disease, but they did put a huge emphasis on having fresh breath. Why? Because, not knowing how germs work, they believed it was the actual bad smell that carried disease. The Fresh Breath of Middle English Literary Characters Almost all dental care […]
Gum disease (periodontal disease) is one of the most common oral health problems that people experience. Your chances of developing gum disease only increase as you age. If you’ve had gum disease, you know how difficult it can be to cure. If you’ve never had gum disease, you should know how to prevent it so […]
DO YOU KNOW what the parts of the human tooth are? We’d like to give you a quick tooth anatomy lesson, because the more patients know about their teeth, the better they will understand the importance of good dental health habits like brushing, flossing, and avoiding sugary treats. We’ll start in the crown and work […]
AROUND 1 IN 5 children with a snoring habit get it from sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that causes repeated brief interruptions to breathing during sleep. This disorder, as well as being potentially life-threatening, can have serious consequences for oral health. What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA for short) happens when the […]
Are you wondering if it’s time to take your child to the dentist for the first time? Many new parents are unsure when to start professional dental care for their child. Taking care of your child’s teeth from the very beginning is important for proper development and dental health for their lifetime, so it’s important […]
DO YOU REMEMBER what it felt like when your adult molars were coming in? Sore, puffy gums and a lot of tenderness when chewing? Well that’s what teething is like for toddlers too, except it’s the first time in their lives anything like this has happened, and it can be very upsetting for them — […]
THROUGHOUT HISTORY, different cultures have come up with some pretty unusual solutions for dental health problems. Let’s take a look at a few of the weirdest ones. 1. Mice for Pain Management? These days, when we hear the word “painkiller,” we generally think of little pills. Ancient Egyptians were more likely to think of mice. […]
In the past, braces have been the go-to method for straightening teeth. Thanks to recent breakthroughs in dentistry, however, more and more people are now choosing Invisalign. This safe and convenient alternative has a variety of benefits that can help patients who may have forgone braces in the past finally obtain that perfect smile. […]
WHAT’S SO BAD about chewing ice? It can actually do a lot of permanent damage to teeth, and yet many people have a habit of chewing ice that can be difficult to quit. Let’s look closer at ice chewing and its effects on dental health. Compulsive Ice Eating, or Pagophagia The scientific name for compulsive […]
While your dental health is always important, you might not know what issues require immediate attention and which can wait. Recognizing a dental emergency as it happens not only enables you to receive the care you need as quickly as possible, but also informs you on steps you can take to minimize risks to your […]
Are you in need of teeth whitening treatment? Maybe you’ve noticed lately when you smile in the mirror or look at pictures of yourself that your teeth are starting to yellow. Gradual discoloration of teeth is perfectly normal, but it can still make you feel self-conscious. Professional teeth whitening treatment can give your dramatically whiter […]
Cosmetic dentistry can greatly improve the appearance of your teeth and smile. Some cosmetic procedures serve a dental health purpose as well, but the primary purpose is typically to improve the aesthetics of the teeth. Cosmetic procedures are not usually covered by dental insurance because they are deemed unnecessary or elective, so the cost […]
WE ALL KNOW how important daily brushing and flossing are to a growing child’s smile. We know about scheduling regular dental appointments, and hopefully we know that cutting back on sugar and keeping it to mealtimes instead of snacks throughout the day is also important. But what about the vitamins and minerals that help build […]
In a perfect world, people would be able to get dental implants because they’re the best choice for overall oral health, but for many patients, the decision comes down to one factor: cost. We understand your concerns and that’s why our team at Dental Partners of Vero Beach is committed to making dental implants affordable […]
Invisalign clear aligners is an orthodontic treatment that can straighten teeth and correct bite alignment. It can do a lot of the same things braces can do, but in a different way. Invisalign consists of clear plastic aligners that are worn over the teeth to gently shift them into the desired positions. Many patients […]
BEING A KID involves lots of scraped knees and bumps and bruises from running around and discovering the world. Parents want their kids to enjoy everything childhood has to offer, but preferably while avoiding some of its downsides, such as preventable tooth injuries. What can we do to keep our kids’ teeth safe? Here are […]
Regular dental appointments are crucial to your oral health. Preventative dental care includes teeth cleanings, oral examinations, and X-Rays. Brushing and flossing your teeth at home is also important, but alone it is not enough to ensure your mouth is healthy. If you want to keep your teeth in place for the rest of your […]
WHAT DOES A CAREER in dentistry look like? Being a dentist is an incredibly rewarding career, and beyond helping our patients maintain lifelong healthy smiles, we hope our team inspires at least a few budding dentists out there! Private Practice Dentists Aren’t the Whole Story The dental career everyone is most familiar with is the […]
HOW MUCH DO you remember from learning about the pH scale in science class? Don’t worry; if you forgot all of it, we’ll give you a little refresher, because acids and bases are pretty important when it comes to the health of our teeth and gums. A Crash Course in the pH Scale The pH […]
LOOKING FOR SOME trivia to impress people once we can safely have parties again? We humbly present a few of our favorite weird mouth facts for your consideration. We Need Spit to Taste Our Food Most of the ten thousand taste buds in our mouths are located on our tongues, but none of them would […]
A GREAT WAY to make the prospect of losing that first baby tooth less scary is to help kids see it as a rite of passage: losing baby teeth is a major part of being a big kid, just like learning to ride a bike and tie their own shoelaces. It’s a big, exciting step, […]
WE CAN ALL REMEMBER what it was like to put a baby tooth under the pillow and find a shiny quarter there in the morning. The Tooth Fairy is a prominent figure in the magic of childhood, and it’s fun to look at how cultures have approached lost baby teeth differently throughout history. The Superstitions […]
IT’S WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, which makes it a great time to celebrate a pretty awesome lady: Lucy Hobbs Taylor, DDS, the first woman to earn a dental degree in North America. Who Was Lucy Hobbs Taylor? Born in 1833, Lucy developed a passion for medicine in her 20s while working as a teacher. She was […]
GETTING A CANKER sore can mean days of distracting discomfort. Canker sores are small, shallow sores that develop on the inside of our lips or cheeks, and they can make it difficult to eat and even talk. Where do these awful ulcers come from and what can we do about them? 5 Common Canker Sore […]
WHAT IS SPIT FOR? It’s a pretty important question in the realm of oral health. People tend to think of saliva in a negative context if they think about it at all, but without spit, we would have a hard time chewing, swallowing, or even tasting our food. We also wouldn’t be able to speak […]
AN EXPECTANT MOTHER goes through many changes during pregnancy beyond the baby bump and some funny cravings. Unfortunately, some of the changes to oral health are not especially pleasant. Pregnancy Gingivitis and Hormones No matter how exciting and hectic pregnancy can be, never let it get in the way of daily brushing and flossing, because […]
WHEN WE THINK of the damage that eating disorders can do, we probably first think of the psychological toll and life-threatening malnutrition. However, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia can also be very hard on the oral health of those who struggle with them. Healthy teeth and gums require a variety of vitamins, minerals, […]
MEN AND WOMEN have a lot in common, but they face significantly different challenges when it comes to keeping their teeth and gums healthy. Women are more prone to certain oral health conditions than men, but men have their own disadvantages to overcome, and we’re here to offer them a few tips. Brush and Floss […]
DID YOU KNOW that it is possible to be tongue-tied in a medical sense? That’s right, it’s not just an expression. Lip ties and tongue ties are what we call it when the thin pieces of tissue that connect the upper lip to the gums and the tongue to the floor of the mouth are […]
SLEEP APNEA AFFECTS over 18 million adults in the United States alone, as well as one of every five children who habitually snore. Dental professionals are often the first ones to notice the signs of this disorder, because it can be very harmful to oral health. How Does Sleep Apnea Work? Sleep apnea can work […]
NOTHING RUINS A COZY mug of hot cocoa faster than the jolt of pain from sensitive teeth. As many as one in eight people in the U.S. deal with tooth sensitivity, including kids! What causes it and what can we do to protect our teeth? Understanding Dental Anatomy In a healthy tooth, there is the […]
HEALTH CONCERNS CAN BE a lot different for women than for men, and that even includes dental health! Women face a different set of challenges than men do in caring for their teeth and gums, as well as having different advantages. Which Oral Health Conditions Are More Common for Women? Did you know that 90% […]
Choosing a family dentist is a big decision. You need a dental office that can provide comprehensive care for the whole family in one convenient location. But beyond that, what do you look for in a family dentist? There are certain qualities and characteristics that set some dental practices apart. Here’s what to look […]
IN ORDER TO EARN the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance, a tube of toothpaste must contain fluoride as its active ingredient. We also add trace amounts of fluoride to our drinking water across the country to help keep our teeth healthy and strong. So what’s so special about fluoride? The Wild Origin Story of […]
WHAT DOES A TOOTHBRUSH have to do with cold and flu season? More than you’d think! It’s never fun to battle a cold or a bout of flu, but that’s no reason to slack off on taking care of our teeth and gums. Feel Better Through Dental Hygiene It can feel like a lot of […]
WHAT CAUSES TOOTHACHES? There are a few different causes, and we want our patients to be familiar with them as well as what they can do about them if a toothache strikes at a time when it’s not so easy to make a quick visit to the dentist. Toothache Causes: The Usual Suspects Tooth decay […]
WHY WOULD DENTAL health professionals want to weigh in on oral piercings? There aren’t many fashion choices that impact oral health, but this one does. The unfortunate reality is that lip and tongue piercings pose serious hazards to the teeth and oral tissues. Anyone considering getting one should be aware of the risks. The Biggest […]
THE FIRST NEGATIVE health effect we usually think of in connection to smoking is lung cancer, but it actually harms every system in the body, and oral health is no exception. Smoking (or any kind of tobacco consumption, including chewing tobacco and vaping) is a serious risk factor for a lot of oral health problems. […]
IT’S THAT TIME of the year when we take stock of what we’re thankful for. Even in a turbulent year, there’s plenty that goes on that list, from our families and friends to new skills we’ve developed, and we hope that hard-working dental professionals are included for a lot of people! Healthy Smiles Come Easier […]
DENTAL PHOBIA AND anxiety are pretty common, affecting more than one in every ten Americans. That means that close to 40 million people avoid getting crucial preventative dental care, which in turn means that small, easy-to-fix dental problems can become big, painful, expensive ones before they’ll see a dentist. We hope we can help all […]
THERE ARE SEVERAL reasons gum tissue might end up bleeding, and not just because of gum disease. We know it can be alarming to experience bleeding gums, so we want to help our patients understand the different causes and how we can treat it (when treatment is necessary). Plaque Buildup Leads to Bleeding Gums Plaque […]
ORAL HEALTH AND DIABETES are closely intertwined. It becomes much harder to maintain good oral health without carefully controlling the diabetes, and diabetes becomes harder to control when oral health isn’t a priority. Gum disease is just one oral health problem that is harder to avoid with diabetes. Blood Sugar and Oral Health We hear […]
WE’RE THE EXPERTS on human teeth, but there are lots of other interesting teeth out there. You probably already know that venomous snakes have hollow fangs to inject venom when they bite, elephants have massive tusks, and sharks are constantly growing new teeth. Just for fun, let’s take a look at some of the other […]
CAN YOU BELIEVE HALLOWEEN is coming up so soon? It’s always a fun time of year, with the spooky movies, the fun decorations, the costumes, and the tasty treats. We’re not here to drop toothbrushes in anyone’s candy buckets, but we do want to offer some tips on how our patients can make Halloween as […]
SUGAR IS THE GREATEST nemesis of the dental profession and anyone who wants to maintain a healthy smile. Why? Because the harmful bacteria in our mouths love to eat it, then excrete acid onto our teeth as a waste product. That leads to enamel erosion, tooth decay, and gum disease. This is why we encourage […]
PEOPLE USED TO THINK that gum recession was an inevitability of getting older, but that’s not necessarily true. What is gum recession? It’s when the edge of the gum tissue recedes from around the crown of the tooth, exposing more and more of the root. We often think of it as age-related because it’s typically […]
GENERALLY SPEAKING, INFLUENCERS are not a great source of health advice. One person’s experience with a technique or product is not going to be universal, and real understanding of the way the human body works comes from years of study and training, not a quick google search. With that in mind, there are a few […]
CENTURIES AGO, PEOPLE didn’t have many options for how to keep their teeth clean. Some cultures used chewing sticks and early toothbrushes had bristles made of horse hair. These days, we have a wide range of options for what tools to use for cleaning our teeth. How are you to find the one that’s best […]
A LITTLE BIT OF PREP work makes a huge difference when an emergency happens, including a dental emergency such as an oral injury. What exactly can we do to prepare for something like an unexpected injury? It depends on the specific situation. Broken Tooth If an injury results in a broken, chipped, or cracked tooth, […]
WE ALL KNOW that medications can have side effects. If you tried, you could probably hear the voice in pharmaceutical commercials rattling off some of the most common ones in your head. We bring it up because those side effects often include oral health problems. Medicine and the Chemistry of the Mouth Some of the […]
AN ESTIMATED 23 MILLION Americans have none of their teeth left, and another 12 million are missing all the teeth of one arch. As dental health professionals, we do our part to help those numbers go down, but that’s still quite a few people who need replacement teeth. There’s a long and fascinating history that […]
TOOTH ENAMEL RANKS between steel and titanium on the Mohs Hardness Scale. That makes it harder than any other substance in the human body, and it also makes it harder than iron! However, it’s still fairly brittle and very vulnerable to acid erosion, and there are plenty of daily habits we might have that can […]
PEOPLE MIGHT NEED to find a new dentist for all sorts of reasons. Maybe they moved to a new city. Maybe their old dentist retired. Maybe they’re new parents and need to find a dentist for their child. Whatever the reason is, we recommend not waiting until an urgent dental health emergency pops up before […]
AN IMPORTANT PART of keeping your teeth and gums healthy is your toothbrush. That might seem so obvious that it’s not worth saying, but you’d be surprised how many basic mistakes people make when it comes to their toothbrushes. We want to make sure our patients will get the most out of their best teeth-cleaning […]
FEW THINGS ARE WORSE at a first date or a job interview than the sudden awareness that bad breath might have ruined your first impression. No matter what else goes right, if the date or potential employer has a nose full of funky smells, it probably isn’t going to end well. So how can we […]
IF YOU’RE AN AVID swimmer, maybe you’ve noticed that your teeth feel a little more sensitive after you get out of the pool. It’ll take more than one swim to do it, but this is a real thing called “swimmer’s calculus,” and it’s just one way swimming can affect our teeth. What Is Swimmer’s Calculus? […]
WE ALL WANT white, straight, beautiful teeth so that we can dazzle everyone with our smiles. Unfortunately, sometimes stains can get in the way of this goal, and they come in several different types. Let’s take a look at a few of the main types of tooth stains and how they happen. Fluorosis Sometimes white […]
WE OFTEN HEAR that it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown. We’re not sure where that came from, but it isn’t actually true. At least ten muscles are involved in smiling, but it might require as few as six to form a frown. We propose changing the saying to “smiling burns more calories […]
ONE OF THE MAIN things people overlook about a daily oral hygiene routine is cleaning their tongues. That’s right, it doesn’t stop with brushing twice a day for two minutes with a soft-bristled brush and flossing daily. The rough surface of the tongue makes it the perfect place for all kinds of bacteria to hide […]
MODERN DENTISTRY IS incredible. Tooth decay, accidents, and injuries that once would have left someone with a gap in their smile that they could never fill can now be treated so that everything looks and works about as good as new. In many cases, those teeth can even be saved through root canal therapy. When […]
HUMAN TEETH ARE awesome. We wouldn’t have dedicated our professional lives to working with them if we didn’t think so. There are so many things they can do, from chewing food to providing support for the structure of our faces to facilitating clear speech to being part of our beautiful smiles. Unfortunately, a lot of […]
WHILE A COMPLETE SET of baby teeth only includes 20 teeth, adults usually end up with between 28 and 32 teeth. Why the range? Well, not everyone gets all four wisdom teeth. Plenty of people don’t get any at all! Many of us who do get wisdom teeth need them removed because we don’t have […]
HOW MUCH DO you know about what’s on the inside of your teeth? Let’s take a quick look! We feel that the more our patients know about the structure and anatomy of teeth, the better they will understand how to take good care of them and how important that is. Let’s start at the roots […]
WHEN LIFE GETS stressful or frustrating, a pretty common physical response is teeth-grinding. Unfortunately, it can do a lot of damage if it becomes a habit, and it can even happen while we’re asleep. Chronic teeth grinding is called bruxism. The Causes of Bruxism Teeth grinding during the day is sometimes the result of stress, […]
THE AMOUNT OF work it takes to keep a smile healthy and strong can vary from person to person. For some people, simply sticking to a good daily regimen of brushing and flossing and visiting the dentist a couple times a year is enough to keep the cavities away. For others, particularly those with a […]
DO OUR PETS need dental care? The answer is yes. But wait, wild animals don’t get dental care and they seem to have good teeth, right? Actually, wild animal dental health isn’t quite what it seems. While their diets consist of less tooth decay-causing sugar and carbs, they also don’t usually survive serious dental problems. […]
YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD before that it’s bad to chew ice, but do you know why that is? Let’s take a closer look at the damage ice can do to teeth and why many people want to chew ice in the first place. Pagophagia: Compulsive Ice Eating Ice eating actually has a scientific name: pagophagia. It […]
WE ALL KNOW how important regular dental visits and good daily brushing and flossing routines are to keeping our mouths healthy, but they aren’t the only factors. It might seem strange, but maintaining a healthy weight and staying active also have an effect on the health of our teeth and gums. The Link Between Weight […]
WHAT WE EAT and drink obviously plays a big role in our overall health, but in a way, it affects our oral health twice. Food and drink affect teeth and gums directly while we’re consuming them, and then again indirectly after they’ve been digested. Food and Drink’s Direct Effects on Teeth and Gums A lot […]
MOST OF US learn a little about the pH scale in our science classes as teenagers, but what does that have to do with oral health? A lot, actually, which is why we’re going to take this opportunity to give our patients a quick refresher on the basics of pH. What Is pH and What […]
MOST OF US PROBABLY remember what it was like to lose our first tooth as a kid. Wiggling it with your tongue, accidentally biting down on it the wrong way, getting all kinds of advice from friends, older siblings, and parents, and being a little worried about what it would actually feel like when it […]
THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY estimates that over 53,000 people will get oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer in 2020. The death rate of these types of cancer has been decreasing over the last three decades, and we want to help continue that trend by educating our patients on the symptoms and risk factors. Learn the Risk […]
MENTAL WELL-BEING or lack thereof can often have an impact on physical health. Among those impacts are the ways that oral health can be affected by stress, and we want to make sure our patients are aware of the connection so they have more tools to fight back. Grinding Your Teeth? Stress May Be Behind […]
JUST ABOUT ANYONE who’s been to the dentist has had dental X-rays taken, but how much do you know about the role they play in dental care? Let’s take a quick look at the different types of dental X-rays and what we use them for. Seeing Inside Your Teeth: The Value of X-Rays One of […]
HOW MUCH DO you know about your mouth? Prepare to know a lot more, because we’re about to share a bunch of strange and fascinating mouth trivia. Let’s get started! #1: Our sense of taste needs saliva to work! We have approximately 10,000 taste buds in our mouths, most of which are on our tongues, […]
WHEN WE THINK of being healthy, how much are we thinking about oral health? Just because we go to our dentists for oral health concerns and physicians for overall health concerns, it doesn’t mean there’s no connection between the two. The Mouth Is the Bridge Between Body and World If the eyes are the window […]
CANKER SORES CAN be a real pain in the mouth! They might not be very dangerous, but they can make it pretty hard to have a good day. These angry little ulcers can form inside our lips and cheeks without warning and can take a few days to heal. Luckily, there’s a lot we can […]
WHAT WE DRINK can have a big impact on our oral health, sometimes in ways that seem counterintuitive. We want to take a look at some of the best and worst drinks for our teeth. Sugary Drinks Versus Oral Health It probably doesn’t surprise many people to hear that soda is pretty terrible for our […]
OUR BODIES NEED a wide array of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in order to function effectively, all the way to the cellular level. Eating enough food and the right types of food is crucial to stay healthy, and this is a big part of what makes eating disorders such a dangerous problem. Not only is […]
IN JUST THE UNITED STATES, sleep apnea affects over 18 million adults and up to 20 percent of children who habitually snore. Sleep apnea is a disorder involving brief, repeated interruptions to normal breathing during sleep. In addition to being potentially life-threatening, this disorder can be very harmful to oral health. The Different Types of […]
IF YOU CAN’T REALLY enjoy ice cream because every bite sends a nasty jolt through your teeth, then you know what it’s like to deal with tooth sensitivity. You aren’t alone in that; at least one in eight people in the U.S. has sensitive teeth, including kids. So why does this happen to so many […]
WHEN YOU THINK of the differences between men and women, oral health concerns probably don’t appear high on the list. In reality, men and women face very different challenges with maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Women have a few advantages that men don’t while struggling with being more at risk for certain issues. Oral Health […]
COMING DOWN WITH the flu is never any fun, but it’s still no time to let up on your oral hygiene routine. The same applies if you get a cold. With flu and cold season starting up, we thought this was a good time to share some tips for maintaining good oral health through one […]
TOOTHACHES CAN HAPPEN for a number of reasons. It’s important to know what to do about them, because they don’t always happen when the dentist’s office is open. Do you have a plan for how to deal with an after-hours toothache? Major Causes of Toothaches Tooth decay is the main culprit behind a painful tooth, […]
FROM CLOTHING TO HAIRSTYLE to cosmetics to accessories, our personal style is how we portray who we are, and this can include piercings. However, where clothing and hairstyles are very rarely health risks (we hope), the same isn’t true of piercings. Oral piercings, specifically, pose several risks to healthy teeth and gums. Risks of Tongue […]
EVEN THOUGH WE know, logically, that going to the dentist is a safe, normal, and important part of staying healthy, many of us don’t find it particularly fun to lie flat on our backs while someone pokes around our teeth and gums. For some people, the very thought of visiting the dentist fills them with […]
ONE OF THE MOST common complications of diabetes is gum disease, and that isn’t the only way diabetes is hard on teeth and gums. Diabetes and oral health have a close relationship. If the diabetes isn’t carefully controlled, it will be much harder to maintain good oral health, and vice versa. What Does Blood Sugar […]
WE’VE ALL HEARD over and over how smoking can adversely impact health, with the most infamous example being lung cancer. But smoking doesn’t only harm the lungs; it damages every single system in the body, and it also damages oral health. Smoking Increases the Risk of Oral Cancer Like we said before, lung cancer tends […]
WHAT COMES TO MIND when you hear the word “sugar”? Probably your favorite type of candy or dessert, maybe your favorite soda. You probably didn’t picture barbecue sauce, granola bars, flavored yogurt, or fruit juice, but all of these and plenty more foods you wouldn’t suspect are loaded with sugar. That isn’t great news for […]
TEETH ARE OUR PASSION, and while we spend most of our time focusing on human teeth, sometimes it’s fun to take a look at the truly amazing teeth of the animal kingdom. So today we’re going to hold the olympics of animal teeth, to see which critters win the gold for biggest, strongest, hardest, and […]
HALLOWEEN IS A TON OF fun every year, and it’s right around the corner! We love the costumes, the decorations, and the local events, but we’re a little wary of all that candy. Sugar isn’t just tasty to us; the harmful bacteria in our mouths love it. If you want to make Halloween a little […]
HALLOWEEN IS A TON OF fun every year, and it’s right around the corner! We love the costumes, the decorations, and the local events, but we’re a little wary of all that candy. Sugar isn’t just tasty to us; the harmful bacteria in our mouths love it. If you want to make Halloween a little […]
THE EXPRESSION “getting long in the tooth” refers to gum recession, but this oral health problem isn’t necessarily connected to age. Gum recession is when the edge of the gingival tissue moves away from the crown of the tooth, exposing the root. The reason we tend to think of it as an age-related problem is […]
IF GIVEN THE CHANCE to change something about their smiles, most people would choose to have whiter teeth, and quite a few are willing to try just about anything for it, including something as counterintuitive as scrubbing them with toothpaste made of charcoal. The History of Charcoal as a Remedy The activated charcoal-based dental and […]
THE TOOTHBRUSH HAS CHANGED a lot over the last century, and we consider ourselves very lucky that we don’t have to use animal hair as bristles. However, there are now so many different toothbrush options to choose from that it can be a little intimidating trying to find the perfect one. Bristle Firmness Conventional wisdom […]
EMERGENCIES ARE SO MUCH easier to deal with if we’ve prepared for them in advance, and that includes dental emergencies. You might be wondering what you can do to prepare for something like an unexpected tooth injury or dental health issue. It’s true that a dental emergency isn’t quite the same as a food shortage […]
EVERY MEDICATION COMES with a list of potential side effects. Sometimes those side effects include a negative impact on oral health. The Chemistry Of Medicine And The Mouth Certain medications and vitamins can be pretty hard on our teeth, even for the short time they’re in our mouths. As adults, we swallow most of our […]
BY THE TIME THEY reach kindergarten, 40 percent of children develop cavities. The main culprits are sugary snacks and poor oral hygiene. As parents, it’s very important to do everything we can to protect our children’s teeth from decay, and that becomes even more important when the adult teeth start coming in. One great tool […]
OUR TOOTH ENAMEL holds the distinction of being the hardest substance in our bodies — even harder than bone! But don’t take that to mean our teeth are invincible. As hard as enamel is, it’s also somewhat brittle, so we should be careful to avoid daily habits that attack that weak point. Two of the […]
THERE ARE A NUMBER of reasons why someone might need a new dentist. Maybe their insurance changed, they’re moving to a new area, or they simply haven’t looked for a dentist yet. Whatever the reason, if you don’t already have a dentist, it’s a good idea to choose one now so that you and your […]
MAINTAINING GOOD DENTAL health isn’t just about the quantity of your brushing — it’s also about the quality. There are several mistakes many of us make when brushing our teeth, whether because we’re using the wrong tools or because we’re using the right tools the wrong way. 1. Keeping A Toothbrush Too Long How long […]
ROUTINE PROFESSIONAL DENTAL cleanings by your dental hygienist include scaling, or the careful removal of plaque and tartar from around the gumline. Tartar in particular can only be removed at a professional cleaning, as brushing and flossing alone can’t do the trick. However, if you have symptoms of gum disease, your teeth may need an […]