Oral Health

Why is fluoride important? Fluoride helps to keep the teeth looking bright and shiny by fighting off plaque and bacteria that dissolve tooth enamel (outer shiny tooth surface) and cause tooth decay. Fluoride can also improve slight tooth decay. It’s powerful ammunition in the battle against tooth decay. Is the fluoride contained in water enough to help prevent tooth decay and tooth enamel loss? Fluorinated water is provided in the tap water of many communities. Your dentist will know about […]

Oral health is particularly important for people that are diabetic.  As you know from your elementary school days, sugar adversely affects the health of teeth. Now we are beginning to understand that there is an irrefutable link between diabetes and oral health for the almost 24 million diabetics in America. Oral health studies have shown that diabetes increases the likelihood of contracting gum disease (link to story). If you contract gum disease, your teeth may pull away from the gums, […]

Oral health can be achieved if we were to balance the amount of energy we expend on getting ready for the day with a focus on a perfect oral health day.  Knowing that your lifestyle has an impact on your oral health, you can be one step closer to understanding how to achieve a healthy mouth. Oral health days can be prefect with the right formula. General dentistry is the first place to start, but there’s more…. Dental Care in […]

Do you wake up with a sore jaw or headache? Have you noticed that your teeth have changed shape? Do you feel that there’s more space between your teeth?  Do you feel that your teeth are loose? Do you have TMD or TMJ? Do you suffer from unexplained hearing loss? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may suffer from teeth grinding, also known as bruxism. Teeth grinding can be particularly problematic because the condition may […]

Fighting off bio films is the latest number one health priority among many dentists today. First, let’s clear this up- what are biofilms? Biofilms are an unhealthy layer of bacteria pathogens, fungi and poisonous microbes that form in the gums and mouth. Research has mounted to prove that biofilms can enter the body, cause inflammation and contribute to several diseases. Biofilm Pathways When biofilms are found in the mouth, they can localize in pockets between gum tissue and teeth which […]

Do you remember in elementary school being taught proper brushing techniques for keeping our teeth white, clean, and cavity-free? You may have gotten a free toothbrush and a pack of toothpaste. Surprisingly, while dental flossing was invented by a New Orleans dentist back in 1815, it has only been in the last 10-20 years that flossing has been promoted as a necessity for oral hygiene. Even so, the Journal of the American Dental Association reports that while nearly every American […]

Bad breath affects approximately 90 million people, according to WebMD. There may be refuge in knowing that you are among many who have suffered from bad breath. Yet, this is no conciliation when contending with odorous breath. The conversation, the kiss, sleeping with your partner at night and waking up together in the morning may be inhibited by bad breath. Certainly, there are bad breath gums, refreshing sprays and toothpastes that may mask bad breath. However, it’s important to get […]

Dental plaque is the colorless, filmy buildup of invisible germs found around and on our teeth. If it sounds like a horror story, it actually can be! Plaque can cause problems far beyond our mouths. Technically, Streptococcus mutans (what we commonly know as strep, as in a strep throat) and bacteria are the microorganisms that find a welcome, wet place to grow on our teeth. These microorganisms cause havoc without proper oral hygiene. The “extracellular matrix” is also a part […]

Fear of dentistry affects up to 75% of people in the United States, according to Wikipedia. Fear of dentistry may be because of the anticipation of injections to come. The fear may relate to the images of dental technology, the odors in the office, or the sounds of the technology being used in the office. The root cause of fear may be associated with a prior experience in a dental office. To make matters worse, dental fear may build when […]

Oral hygiene goody bags offer incentive for oral health. Dentists provide these goody bags after semi-annual visits for oral hygiene. Filled with a new toothbrush, dental floss and oral hygiene tools specific to our needs, this bag of treats sends friendly reminders about our oral health. But it’s up to us to manage our oral health care for the year. Let’s look at the items for you to add to your dental shopping list… • Toothbrushes only last for one […]