Live your dream of a good night's sleep Good sleepers have a routine that doesn't change, even on weekends: lights out at the same time, alarm buzzing at the same time. They don't use caffeine late in the day or rely on alcohol or sleeping pills at bedtime. They exercise daily, and start relaxing two hours before bedtime. About half of all people over 65 report that they used to experience a well night's rest, but now they do not. It could be lack of [...]
Against Acidity If you eat a lot of citrus fruits, drink carbonated soft drinks, suffer the eating disorder of bulimia, or experience the decline of saliva that often accompanies advancing age, you may be at risk of tooth erosion. What can cause your teeth to erode so badly you wind up having to see a dentist: Nightly tooth grinding? Too many soft drinks? Aggressive brushing? Dry mouth? The scraping of a hygienist's probe at a routine tooth cleaning? Well, you can rule out the [...]
Fear is a learned response, and what can be learned can also be unlearned. We still have a lot to learn about fear, but certain things we do know. Dental fear, for example, is often the result of vicarious learning. Take you, for instance. Even though you've never had a tooth removed, you've maybe heard some pretty scary stuff about extractions, and the result is that the whole idea makes you nervous. That's vicarious learning. Vicarious wrong learning, too, since having a tooth out [...]
Tips on teeth you may not know! Think Calcium! You've heard it before: calcium does a body good. You probably didn't know that much of that good goes straight to the mouth. It’s essential for tooth and bone development. A calcium-deficient diet means less jawbone mass—which can lead to painful fractures and permanent tooth loss. Dairy products, tofu, and green, leafy vegetables are great sources of calcium. Tastes great! Less fillings! Guess what? Kids who chew gum have fewer cavities. It’s true! Studies show that [...]
You can overdo anything. Even brushing your teeth. Take a stiff-bristled brush. Scrub back and forth compulsively for five minutes, as though you were trying to get tar off the sidewalk. It’s possible you’ll end up with “toothbrush abrasion.” According to the ADA (American Dental Association), the condition is associated with factors beyond brushing: a mouth used to lots of acidic foods, citrus fruit drinks, carbonated beverages. We recommend gentle brushing, plus a toothbrush with soft, polished bristles.
Are you avoiding the dentist because you’re afraid of the scolding you’re going to get for neglecting your teeth? Unfortunately, too many people feel this way. At our office, we don’t play guilt games. We’re more concerned with treating your needs, regardless of how long it’s been since you’ve seen a dentist. We understand how fear and embarrassment can create a cycle of procrastination. You might just be amazed at how quick, simple and, yes, pain-free 21st Century dentistry has become! We have all [...]
And what exactly does 'impacted' mean? Any tooth has the potential to become impacted—that is, emerge in some oddball direction that crowds other teeth. But the most famous culprits are third molars, the last-to-emerge wisdom teeth. Not many mouths can accommodate these teeth. They often wind up pressing against their neighbors, ultimately pressuring the rest of the teeth to disrupt their alignment. That’s not a wise thing to let happen. Wisdom teeth get our attention when they cause pain and swelling. Routine X-rays, beginning around age [...]
Lurks in Every Pantry Your sugar bowl sits on the table, and you lift its lid only to sweeten your morning coffee. You deserve a medal for exemplary nutritional behavior! Are you sure? Most folks eat more of it than they realize—150 pounds per year average. That’s 6 ounces—3/4 of a cup—every day. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, many of them children. Doctors predict that an epidemic of diabetes will follow the obesity epidemic. Lose that sugar bowl and you still consume it in cakes, [...]
If you have dental insurance, then be sure to get the most out of your coverage by using it before the year's end. Especially when your deductible has already been met for the calendar year, go for all the dentistry you can squeeze out of your policy before benefits expire. With a little planning—we'll help—we can complete your present treatment plan long before you're facing a new deductible. Another common situation is if your insurance plan has a maximum allowable benefit for the calendar [...]
Because we’re concerned about more than your teeth… If you’re a woman taking oral contraceptives, it’s understandable that you might not wish to mention this prior to a dental procedure. But it’s truly important that we know, and here’s why: Your dental procedure may include an antibiotic prescription to fight bacterial infection. It’s known that some broad-spectrum antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness of a birth control pill, increasing the chance of pregnancy. Antibiotics are wonderful weapons against infection, but they have their limitations. A [...]
