Some try to avoid the artificial sweeteners and calories in soda and switch to sparkling water to benefit their health. Soda and sparkling water have something in common which is carbonation. Carbonation causes mild acid erosion that can weaken tooth enamel potentially contributing to tooth decay. To benefit your overall health we recommend “plain” water.
READ MOREDid you know that medications are the number one cause of dry mouth and can impact your oral health? Dry mouth can lead to many ongoing problems such as bad breath, increased cavities, increased plaque, gum disease, cracked lips and even difficulty swallowing. There are many different options to help with these conditions. To start, it is always recommended to drink plenty of water throughout the day to help stimulate saliva flow. There is an oral mouth rinse, gel, gum and spray called Biotene that has a protein-enzyme system to help with saliva […]
READ MOREUp until recently, dentistry was performed the same way it had been for the 40 years. In the 90’s computers took all our insurance claims digital. Ten years later we were taking digital radiographs (x-ray). The next big digital advancement was optical scanning of teeth to make crowns and onlays. Today dentist have the additional capability to use 3D imaging to scan the dental arches and evaluate hard and soft tissue before the placement of dental implants. The most current technology allows the dentist to put all the pieces together, […]
READ MOREDo not ignore it. In most cases a simple adjustment can be made to completely resolve the problem. Some times when a patient is anesthetized (numb) their bite changes. When the dentist checks the occlusion (bite), everything looks ok but it really isn’t. Once the anesthesia wears off and the patient has a meal, the discomfort begins because of interference between the teeth. I see this occur from time to time and the fix is simple and painless. Occasionally a patient may wait to “tough it out”. This may lead […]
READ MOREYour tooth’s enamel is made up of more than 95% mineral, specifically a calcium and it is the hardest tissue in the body. Although our enamel can thin with age without our control, there are many factors that contribute to it weakening that we CAN control. The following are ways our teeth enamel can be weakened and how to reverse it to protect our teeth. If you’re not effectively removing all the plaque twice daily by brushing and flossing plaque will accumulate and has the potential to demineralize (weaken) the […]
READ MORECheck out this 2D slice of a 3 D scan. As you can see, I am planing an implant for a patient when I notice the root of the molar on the adjacent tooth. It is literally HOOKED around the nerve! This is vital info for me to have if I ever contemplate the removal of the molar.
READ MOREThese days stress is part of many of our lives. Whether it’s a stressful job, health issues or running around with our kids stress is part of our day. A lot of times we relieve our stress by clenching or grinding on our teeth. Many of us don’t realize we do this because we take out our frustration in our sleep. However our teeth pay the price. We see patients with cracked and broken teeth or fillings from the pressure they exert on their teeth from grinding. This in turn […]
READ MOREI had a patient present to our office last March with pain due to an infection in his tooth. The treatment necessary to treat the tooth was a root canal. The patient was referred to the specialist for treatment and was then advised to return to our office for the permanent restoration. The patient did not return for a year due to financial limitations. When the patient finally returned to our office for tx the tooth had decayed to the point it was not restorable and needed extraction. Point of […]
READ MOREWhen I hear this from a “new” patient, (someone who just got insurance again and came back in), I get concerned. It may seem like a good move to skip dental visits when you are not covered by insurance but that is a real BAD idea. When you get your teeth cleaned a lot more happens that removing plaque and calculus. Dental radiographs are reviewed, and a comprehensive exam is completed. This allows the dentist to find new cavities or make plans to repair exiting dental restorations. If you skip […]
READ MOREI am so excited to have this avenue to reach my patients. Look for what’s new in the dental industry in our blog. Read fun facts supplied by my staff and I. I look forward to sharing our 20 years of dental experience with you!
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