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How Everyday Habits Affect Your Teeth
TOOTH ENAMEL HAS the pretty cool reputation of being the hardest substance in the human body. So it may come as a surprise to know that while enamel is super tough, it can also break quite easily! The truth is that our teeth are not invincible, and a lot of everyday habits can put our oral health at risk. Watch Out For These Tooth-Damaging Habits Many of these habits seem harmless, but over time they can do a lot of damage to that beautiful smile of yours! Nail Biting We may refer to closely-matched sports games as “nail-biters,” but that doesn’t mean we…
Don’t Let Gingivitis Keep You From Smiling
YOU’RE SITTING IN THE DENTAL CHAIR, everything going as planned at your checkup, until your dentist tells you that you have gingivitis. If you haven’t heard of gingivitis before you’re probably thinking, “What is gingivitis? Is it serious? Is it treatable?” We’ve compiled all the information you need to know about gingivitis so you can keep your smile healthy! What Is Gingivitis? Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums characterized by gum irritation, redness, swelling and sometimes bleeding. Symptoms of gingivitis are fairly mild and can even be painless. Visiting your dentist regularly is important so gingivitis can be diagnosed, especially…
Brush Up On Some Toothbrush History
WITH ALL THE AMAZING technology we see today, it’s easy to overlook the small wonders of the world—like the toothbrush! This small, but remarkable invention is the staple of our oral hygiene and health. Join us on a journey through time as we explore the way the toothbrush has changed across the ages! Ancient Civilizations Used Sticks to Clean Their Teeth Today, we understand the importance oral hygiene plays in our overall health. But even over 5,000 years ago people recognized the need for some type of oral care. Babylonian and Egyptian civilizations around 3500-3000 B.C. made “toothbrushes” by fraying…
Saliva: The Unsung Hero of Oral Health
EVER THINK ABOUT HOW GREAT your saliva is? Probably not. We’d love to enlighten you! Saliva has an all-important role in your oral and digestive health. Saliva Has Many Important Functions Our bodies make two to four pints of saliva a day. That means that over a lifetime, a person will create enough saliva to fill two swimming pools! So, why is saliva important? Well, there’s more than one answer to that. Besides allowing us to give wet willies or make spit wads when we were kids, our saliva has many important functions. First, saliva aids in digestion. It begins…
Are Sports and Energy Drinks Damaging Your Teeth?
DRINKING ENERGY AND SPORTS DRINKS on a regular basis is becoming increasingly popular, especially among young people. But did you know that these drinks can be extremely damaging to your teeth? Sports and Energy Drinks Are Highly Acidic It’s important to remember the purposes of each of these drinks so as not to consume them more often than you should. Energy drinks may provide a pick-me-up during a long day at work, but drinking one or more energy drinks everyday can damage your teeth in the long run. Sports drinks were made to keep your body hydrated and energized during…
Your Child’s Baby Teeth are Important
“DO I NEED TO FIX my child’s baby tooth since it’s going to fall out anyway?” This is a question we get asked a lot as dental professionals. The answer is a resounding YES! Primary, or “baby,” teeth serve an important purpose in your child’s present and future oral health. Baby Teeth Have Three Main Functions Besides providing an aesthetic appeal to your child’s smile and boosting their self-esteem, primary teeth have three main functions: They aid in proper chewing, fostering good nutrition They promote proper speech development They reserve a space for permanent teeth to grow in If a primary…
Why Is Fluoride So Good For Our Teeth?
WE DENTISTS MAKE a pretty big deal about fluoride and how good it is for your teeth. Truly, fluoride is the best cavity fighter out there, helping our teeth stay healthy and strong! But how exactly does fluoride do such an awesome job at keeping our mouths cavity-free? Fluoride Prevents And Repairs Tooth Decay Bacteria that are in plaque produce acids that seep into tooth enamel and break it down. This process of breaking down enamel is what causes cavities over time.Where plaque breaks down the tooth, fluoride builds it up! Fluoride, a mineral that occurs naturally in many foods…
10 Fun Dental Facts You Probably Didn’t Know!
THE TRUTH IS, our teeth are amazing! Without them we wouldn’t be able to speak, eat, sing, or smile properly. We’d like to celebrate our teeth by sharing some interesting dental facts you may not have known! Here Are 10 Fun Dental Facts If you’ve been using floss daily, by the end of the year the total length will be the perimeter of a baseball diamond! Is your floss going to make it to home plate? Because birds lack teeth, many swallow stones or grits to aid in breaking up hard foods. On average, women smile 62 times a day…
Back To Basics: The DO’s And DON’Ts Of Toothbrushing
BRUSHING OUR TEETH is something we do everyday. And yet it’s easy to fall into a routine of bad habits if we’re not careful! Developing correct brushing techniques and sticking to them is crucial to the health and appearance of your smile. Toothbrushing DO’s Use the right technique. Tilt the brush at a 45-degree angle against the gum line and brush using small circles. This method is the most gentle and effective way to remove plaque! Brush for the correct amount of time. Proper brushing takes at least two minutes! To make sure you brush for the right amount of…
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
The Greek word “apnea” literally means “without breath.” Yet sleep apnea is very common. Left untreated, people with sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times a night and often for a minute or longer. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses the person in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality. When the tongue is causing restriction of the upper airway and preventing air from flowing, it is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This is a common disorder that can develop into more severe respiratory…