Posts Categorized: Oral Health

Plaque vs Tartar: What is the Difference?

Plaque vs Tartar

Plaque vs tartar. You probably know both dental terms. You may even understand that they are both bad for your teeth and oral health. The terms are related but not interchangeable. What’s the Difference Between Plaque vs Tartar? Before your next visit to the dentist, it wouldn’t hurt to brush up on some dental terms…. Read more »

Translucent teeth | Loss of enamel

translucent teeth in smile

Are you wearing the enamel off of your front teeth? As teeth get thin from enamel loss, they become translucent. Translucent teeth appear thin around the edges and are white grey in color. Once the outer enamel layers begin to thin, the teeth are more susceptible to injury. There are various explanations for why the teeth… Read more »

Best Smile | Tips to improve your dental appearance

Best smile

Tip #1: Maintaining Your Best Smile Is Easier Than Treating It For better or worse, we are judged on the appearance of our teeth. When it comes to retaining your best smile, Mother Nature often works against us. The protective layer of enamel that coats our teeth thins with age. This natural process allows the… Read more »

The Importance of Flossing

Flossing and Why You Really Need to Do It

Ask dental patients about brushing, and most everyone will tell you it’s an essential aspect of oral healthcare. Unfortunately, many individuals don’t place the same importance on flossing. One study conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that 68 percent of American adults floss at least once every week, while Delta Dental reports that… Read more »

Strong Enamel – The Secret of Healthy Teeth

There is no secret, one time trick to keep your teeth healthy for life. A healthy mouth requires a lifetime commitment of routine care to protect your teeth and gums. What many people don’t realize, however, is that teeth also have their own protection. A protective layer that keeps the vulnerable inner tooth from being… Read more »

Foul breath | My husband has it

Causes of Foul Breath

Everyone deals with foul breath problems at some point in their lives. Morning breath is quite common. Unfortunately, many people experience chronic foul breath that doesn’t go away easily. Thankfully, dealing with foul mouth odors is typically easy with help from your dentist. To help you understand why you shouldn’t hesitate to seek treatment, we… Read more »

Bad Breath and Dental Bridges

bad breath and dental bridges

Cleaning dental bridges can be cumbersome. The spaces between the pontics (or false teeth) and the gum line tend to be areas where bacteria and particles of food can gather. Because of such, a specialized flossing technique for removal is required. If those spaces are not cleaned properly, patients can experience severe bad breath or… Read more »

Bleeding Gums – It Is More Serious than You Might Think

bleeding gums

Some dental health issues are only obvious once you know you have them. Until then, the symptoms may not seem serious, especially if they don’t include pain in and around a tooth. For instance, if you notice a small amount of blood mixed in with your saliva when you brush and floss your teeth, you… Read more »

What are the symptoms of gingivitis?

Symptoms of gingivitis

Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease Do you know the symptoms of early gum problems, known as gingivitis, or even what it is? Many people know that overly sensitive or deeply stained teeth can be warning signs of dental cavities. Yet people rarely know the early indicators of gingivitis, which is the earliest… Read more »

Diet and dental health – Eating habits affect your teeth

Diet and dental health

Many people don’t understand the connection between diet and dental health. Watching what you eat and drink is an important part of maintaining your health. But it can be difficult to properly choose a diet, especially with so many factors to consider. For many people, the main connection between diet and oral health is that… Read more »

What is involved in a dental checkup?

dental checkup

When is the last time you had a dental checkup? Did you know that the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends visiting your dentist twice a year for regular dental checks? However, patients currently struggling with gum disease or prone to developing cavities may require more frequent dental visits. Why are dental checkups important? Your mouth… Read more »

Oral hygiene affects overall health

Link between oral health and overall health

Early symptoms of many illnesses show up in the mouth. Good oral hygiene and paying attention to your lips, gums, cheeks, and tongue are part of keeping your whole body healthy. You should know what your mouth looks and feels like when it’s healthy. Knowing the symptoms of gingivitis before it becomes a big problem. Did you… Read more »

Aging Teeth | Erosion, Stains, Wear

Aging of Teeth

Did you know that there is an aging process of teeth? Ever wondered how old you would seem based solely on your smile? More specifically, do you ever wonder if your dentist would be able to accurately determine your age based on the health, or problems, of your smile? Dental issues, from staining to decay,… Read more »

Dog dental care

dog dental care

Does your best friend walk on four legs and answer to the name of Fido, or Fred? In other words, is your dog the light of your life and your very best pal? Many pet parents go to great lengths to help keep their pups, really their furry family members, healthy. From buying organic dog… Read more »

Canker sores | What are they and what can I do about them?

Treat canker sores at home

Does pain from canker sores in your mouth keep you from smiling? Even if you have worked hard to maintain a healthy and beautiful smile through regular dental care and professional teeth whitening, the discomfort can take away your desire to show off your pearly whites. Many children and adults struggle with canker sores. While… Read more »

Stomatitis

Do you have stomatitis? Would you know if you did? Although it may sound like it refers to your stomach, stomat is actually Greek for “mouth.” Stomatitis is a catch-all term for a sore or inflamed mouth. It can occur anywhere in your mouth including on your lips, tongue, inner cheeks, your hard or soft palate, and your… Read more »

Bisphosphanates and jawbone infections | Is Your Jaw Safe

Bisphosphonate treatment for osteoporosis is becoming popular. Unfortunately, having jawbone infections while taking bisphosphanates is dangerous. This medicine doesn’t cause infections. The medicine makes it difficult to fight an infection that has already started. One side affect of using this medicine is decreased capillary flow in your bones. A decreased blood flow reduces a person’s… Read more »

Pancreatic Cancer and Gum Disease Linked

If you’ve been keeping up on the developments with periodontal disease and other health problems, then you probably won’t be surprised to find that periodontal disease may also be linked to pancreatic cancer.  So far periodontal disease has been linked to a host of other chronic illnesses including heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure,… Read more »

Endocarditis from Dental Treatment

Before 2008 it was required of certain patients to take antibiotics before dental treatment. It was thought that dental treatment would cause endocarditits. This was to help protect them from a rare but very serious infection of the heart lining called Infective Endocarditis. Before invasive treatments that might leak harmful bacteria which can travel to… Read more »

Childhood Cavities

As soon as you thought you knew everything there is to know about childhood cavities there’s more. Childhood cavities or caries is a chronic and infectious disease in young children and mostly seen in minority and poor populations. Caries is tooth decay, and ironically is common and widespread among children in the U.S. despite the… Read more »

Gums Bleed When Brushed | Why?

gums bleed when brushed

If you only floss occasionally then it is usually normal that your gums bleed when brushed. Hopefully at least they then consider flossing more. When there is bleeding with brushing, most people brush their teeth less vigorously. This is actually usually the wrong thing to do. It may be that you actually don’t know how… Read more »

Best Toothpastes that most dentists recommend

What is the best toothpaste? A search on the internet is likely to turn up around 200 results for different types of toothpastes you can easily purchase. With so many types, brands and flavors to chose from, how can you know which is best toothpaste for your oral health? In years past, consumers could simply… Read more »

Heart Disease and Oral Health

It has been theorized since the 1920’s that heart disease and oral health are linked. Recent research has indicated links not only between heart disease and oral health, but between oral health and diabetes, hypertension, lung infections, and dementia. Although the links are not perfectly clear, research continues to try to narrow down specifics as… Read more »

Allergy medications affect dental health

Allergy medications affect dental health

Allergy medications will affect dental health. Aeroallergens exist indoors and outdoors, and spring is ripe with pollen and allergy inducing fungi. Airborne spores and other fungi may originate in fields, forests, agricultural crops, flowers, or grass. Because they are light, sticky, and plentiful, they are easily transferred into homes, offices, and cars. Impossible to get… Read more »

Oral bacteria | Culprits that Cause Dental Diseases

Oral bacteria

Have you ever stopped to consider what the greatest threat to your smile is? It might be traumatic impact from a fall. If you smoke or chew tobacco, then it might be the chemicals your mouth is exposed to through the habit. In most cases, however, the greatest threat to your dental health is something… Read more »

Hidden Sugar in Foods You Eat

Why are we getting cavities? Spring is a minefield of sweets and candy. With Valentine’s Day, Easter, cotton candy at the carnivals, and that long awaited day when snow cone stands reopen for business, you may find yourself overindulging in springtime treats. Sugar is often cited as the worst offender for your dental health and… Read more »

Dental Cavities: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention

dental cavities

Dental cavities are common. Even individuals who practice impeccable oral hygiene can still develop tooth decay. Left untreated, this condition can lead to discomfort and other serious long term problems. Fortunately, there are several treatments available to address the issue, including fillings, crowns, and other custom invisible dental restorations. In this article, we will discuss… Read more »

How to brush your teeth properly

How to brush your teeth

How to Brush Your Teeth Brushing your teeth will go a long way toward good oral hygiene and disease prevention. Specifically, we brush to prevent cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. The ADA recommends that you brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to maintain good oral health. Most of us learn how to brush… Read more »

What is plaque and how to get rid of it

what is plaque

What is plaque? Plaque is a sticky, yellow substance that naturally and constantly is forming on teeth. Plaque is made up of a complex microbial community with over ten billion bacteria per milligram. And each milligram contains approximately 400 different types of bacteria that produce acids. The bacterial products and acids combine with saliva to… Read more »

Oral Cancer Exam at the Dentist

oral cancer exam at the dentist

An oral cancer exam at the dentist can help detect precancerous or cancerous lesions at an early stage. The earlier oral cancer is identified, the earlier it can be properly treated. Cancer kills over two million people annually. Of these two million people, approximately 7,900 people will die from oral cancer. The death rate is… Read more »