A Bite Out Of History: Chewing Gum
Need help whitening your teeth? Want to quit smoking? Trying to lose weight? There’s a chewing gum for all of that and more. New types of chewing gum are introduced all the time, but did you ever wonder how it managed to gain such a grip on consumers? Believe it or not, people have had a love affair with gum for thousands of years. ...
Continue Reading →Xylitol: The Sweetener You and Your Dentist Will Love
Consider this a major score for your sweet tooth: dentists are taking back that hard and fast rule that gum and candy rot your teeth! A sweetener called Xylitol makes it possible to enjoy such treats guilt-free, while actually fighting cavities along the way.
For those who have long kept the candy aisle off limits or ...
Continue Reading →Understanding Pediatric Fluoride Treatment
It’s undeniable that fluoride has played a major role in the decline of dental cavities in the United States. However, what isn’t so clear to many parents is whether or not fluoride treatments are safe and/or beneficial for children.
After all, children receive fluoride on a regular basis from many different types of foods and even water. Through these sources alone, minerals lost due to plaque, bacteria, and sugars ...
Continue Reading →Toothache Trouble? How to Make the Wait Less Painful
It can happen to anyone: the sudden onset of a throbbing toothache at the most inconvenient of times. Perhaps it arrives in the middle of the night, or worse, at the start of your weekend–when a whole lot of time and agony seem to stand between you and the next available dentist appointment.
You’ll live, of ...
Continue Reading →To Floss or Not to Floss? That is the Question
Every six months, you visit your dentist for a regular checkup, hear about the importance of flossing, and promise you’ll start doing it daily. Naturally, you intend to follow through, but for many, this promise falls to the wayside.
While some still ponder the idea of whether they should be flossing or not, the real question should be “how much should I floss ...
Continue Reading →The Wise Patient’s Cheat Sheet on Wisdom Teeth Removal
There’s no way around it: the time has come for your wisdom teeth to be extracted. According to the horror stories out there, you are in for nothing but non-stop agony, but you don’t have to share the same fate!
Being proactive and fully prepared for what happens during and after surgery can minimize the pain and help ensure a smooth recovery. Make the ...
Continue Reading →You’re not imagining it. That sudden twinge of pain in one or more of your teeth can, in fact, be caused by something as simple as a blast of wind, a bite of something fresh from the oven, or (what was supposed to be) a cool, refreshing treat.
You may have sensitive teeth, and if so, the problem could be here to stay. ...
Continue Reading →Teeth Grinding: Causes and Preventative Care Steps You Can Take
Whether you’re stressed or just anxious, teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, comes in many shapes and forms. And while the occasional grinding doesn’t hurt and is quite common, constant grinding can wear down your health in more ways than one.
The worst part of the condition is that it can be difficult to know ...
Continue Reading →
Mind Your Meds: 6 Ways Medicine Can Sabotage Your Smile
Be honest: do you take the time to read through the lengthy medical pamphlets attached to your medications? If you thought the warning label on the back of the bottle had everything covered, think again! Often, there simply isn’t enough space to spell out every side effect on the container, and you could be overlooking important warnings to the detriment of your dental health. Should any of these oral symptoms suddenly ...
Continue Reading →
Mystery Solved: The Story on Canker Sores
Canker sores are quite literally a sensitive issue, but someone has to talk about it! What are canker sores (or “stomatitis”), why do they appear, and what can be done about them? Anyone who’s ever had mouth sores can attest to the fact that they are just as embarrassing as they are painful, but simply suffering through them does you no good. Get the facts on this common problem to take control of the ...
Continue Reading →