Use Them or Lose Them! What if someone gave you free money to spend on improving your smile? With one string attached: use it all by New Years', or lose it. Well, for those fortunate enough to have insurance, be sure to take advantage of your plan's benefits before they expire at the end of the year. Most dental insurance policies have a dollar limit to the amount of treatment provided over the calendar year. Benefit money not used by December 31 is NOT [...]
Sifting Fact From Belief Dental researchers call it The Fluoride Story—the most dramatic turn-around of a population’s dental health in history. So far. The Fluoride Story began as one of many smaller, ongoing stories. And we have research to thank. In university laboratories in the US and Canada, in dental products labs, in national science centers—the research goes on. It seems far from an everyday visit to the dentist. There is an air of mystery to the research process itself. What motivates the people [...]
No, we're not talking about being attacked by a junkyard dog. That's perilous enough. The bite in question here is your own bite—the way your lower teeth and your upper teeth come together. A bad bite can be responsible for several woes you might not necessarily connect, like headaches, unsightly teeth and TMJ disorder. Let's take TMJ first. That's short for temporomandibular joint—the hinge that connects your jaw to your skull. It's stressed every day, just like your knee joint. When you eat, your [...]
Women of all ages are prone to changing levels of progesterone in the body. And progesterone—especially when you are pregnant or taking oral contraceptives—causes some bacteria to grow in awesome numbers. Unfortunately, the bacteria associated with gum disease are among them. Are you taking progesterone medication? Tell us if these ring a bell: Provera, Amen, Cycrin, Norlutate, Norinyl, Otho-Novum, Ovral, Triphasil—among many others. In the face of such drugs, an existing periodontal problem may worsen, or the disease can develop suddenly in apparently healthy [...]
Are stained, chipped, or crooked teeth cramping your smile? Years Ago, the only solution for unattractive teeth was disguising them with crowns. Today, we've got better options in porcelain veneers, cosmetic bonding, and teeth whitening. Take porcelain veneers for example, thanks to recent improvements in dental materials and technology, these "instant orthodontics" are easy, painless, and affordable. And you won't believe how great they look! No clunky, chunky shoeboxes, today's veneers are ultra-thin and very light. They're bonded just to the front of each [...]
Keep Us Informed of Any Changes! If it's been a little while since your last appointment, then don't forget to update your health history. Your dental care is part of your total health-care package. Have you: experienced any new allergies or sensitivities? quit smoking (or started)? begun taking new medications, even over-the-counter drugs? had any accidents or injuries? been diagnosed with any illness or other medical condition? experienced dry mouth? had a baby? Your answers help to determine how we treat your mouth. In [...]
Know the Guidelines If in the past your doctor has prescribed antibiotics before you had dental work, don't assume that your future holds more such meds. The guidelines may have changed since your last appointment… so check with your family doctor or cardiologist to learn if premedication is necessary for you. For years the American Heart Association (AHA) recommended an antibiotic regime before dentistry for certain heart patients. But recently the AHA rewrote its guidelines, and the American Dental Association adopted them, agreeing that [...]
The diet of today is the result of a 50-year increase in consumption of the rapidly absorbed sugars—specifically, soft drinks, commercial juices, candy, and easily digested sugar foods such as cakes, cookies, etc. This change has generally gone unnoticed by consumers, until very recently it has been unquestionably assumed that this is "the way this age is." However, now it has become increasingly apparent that we suffer from more and more glucose (sugar) metabolism diseases and dental caries because of poor diet. These high-energy [...]
It's such a common habit, yet most of the time we never know we're doing it. Not cracking your knuckles or biting fingernails, but intense clenching and grinding of your teeth—known in dental terminology as bruxism. The reason this phenomenon goes unnoticed so often is that "grinders" usually perform when they're sleeping. Most research agrees that nighttime clenching is just a way of releasing tension. From what we see in the office, there's more than a few tense people out there. The most common [...]
Cheat The Tooth Fairy We sure can try, but your help is needed, and the most important word is TIME. When a permanent tooth is knocked out, the less time it is out of the mouth the better. In fact, the best results are obtained when the tooth is replaced within 30 minutes! A parent or friend can place the tooth back into the socket or place it in a wet issue and bring the patient, and the tooth to the dentist at once. [...]
