Ready, Set… Vacation
Have fun on vacation, and come home healthy and happy. The family has been waiting all year for this. You've been packed for days, the cat is boarded, and the newspaper is on hold. Amid the anticipation, take a moment [...]
Can Kissing Cause Cavities?
Sorry to say, it can. In fact, anything involving contact with saliva—a kiss, parents tasting their babies’ food, sharing of tableware and toothbrushes—can transmit decay-causing bacteria. Soon after birth, infants start to get those bacteria that inhabit the mouth and [...]
Manual or Mechanical?
Back and forth goes the argument—what toothbrush is best? Gadgeteers can spend $150 for an electric brush designed to rotate and oscillate, with angled neck, sure-grip handle, dual speed control, and even a timer. Researchers say that rotation-oscillation electric brushes [...]
Bulimia, the “Private Problem”
Not So Private Anymore If you recognize yourself or someone in your family in this piece, you share a problem with over 500,000 other people. Bulimia. Do you worry about how much you eat—all the time? Do you start a [...]
Smoking and Still Smiling?
Say you've spent the time and effort to get your mouth and teeth in shape. You’re dentally hale and hearty. And you smoke. As if there isn't enough reason to give up smoking, your dental health suffers too. Dramatically. Aside from the tobacco stains [...]
Diabetes and Your Mouth
We could be first to know. Don’t let us be the last. Diabetes affects the blood chemistry and metabolism of its victims, threatening them with multiple serious disorders. But early detection can ward off the dangers, and we dentists are [...]
Soft Drinks Pack a Hard Punch
Soft drinks are bad for your teeth in more ways than one. There’s sugar, and then there’s acidity. The sugar provides necessary food for the bad bacteria in your mouth. If you’re drinking the national average of two cans of [...]
Heart Patients and Dental Care
Do I need to take an antibiotic before my dental appointment? Patients who have had rheumatic fever, heart murmur, heart valve replacement or orthopedic joint replacement are at risk for a condition called infectious endocarditis. The American Dental Association recommends [...]
Is Snoring an Issue at Your House?
Do the walls of your house vibrate at night? Does your dog or cat sleep with his paws over his ears? If so, you may find some benefit in this article. In some men or women, snoring can be reduced [...]
Quitting Chewing Tobacco
Chewing tobacco affects your dental health as well as the rest of your body. If you use smokeless tobacco and have thought about quitting, we can help. How do you kick the habit? We can help you kick your chewing [...]