When one thinks of oral surgery, they probably don’t consider that many very common dental procedures have a surgical element to them. For example, one can’t have an implant without extracting the damaged tooth and inserting a metal post into the jawbone. Wisdom teeth require surgery to remove them, as does any other tooth that requires…
Dental Care
What Age Should Kids Start Seeing a Dentist?
Do you know what the ideal age is to take your child to his or her first dental appointment? The answer may surprise you! According to the American Dental Association, you should schedule your child’s first dental appointment the moment the first tooth comes in. This most likely means your child will be about one year…
Pregnancy and Dental Care
Many women who are pregnant – and tired of visits to the OB/GYN, touring maternity wards, finding a pediatrician, etc. – opt to skip the dentist. They may simply not want “one more appointment,” or they may have misguided fear for their fetus. In actuality, the dentist’s appointment is one visit that pregnant women should…
Dental Care and Pregnancy
When you’re pregnant, you can expect every week to be filled with an appointment of some kind. Whether it’s with your obstetrician, dietician or even midwife, the focus remains on your best health and that of your baby. So, mother-to-be, when is your next dentist appointment? Believe it or not, when you’re pregnant, dental care…
The Diabetes — Dental Health Connection
A person with diabetes needs to pay particular attention to their dental health as side effects from the disease can cause problems for a person’s teeth. Here is what you need to know about the connection between diabetes and dental health and what you can do to keep your mouth healthy in spite of your…
Five Types of Bad Breath
Halitosis – more commonly known as bad breath – can be embarrassing. But what if passing on the onions or garlic doesn’t help? In fact, bad breath can be indicative of a serious medical condition, and not all breath smells the same. Here are five types of bad breath that may merit a visit to…
Tooth Enamel Loss and its Risks
The outermost layer of your teeth is the enamel, and it’s the hardest substance in your body. The enamel protects the dentin, where millions of tiny tubes lead directly to the innermost soft pulp of a tooth, where the blood vessels and nerves are located. The loss of enamel on a tooth is known as…
Foods That Actually Brighten Tooth Enamel
Many people are self-conscious about the whiteness of their teeth – after all, the whiter the brighter. Typically, a dentist tells a patient to avoid certain foods and beverages, like coffee, red wine, sweets, and acid-producing foods that can stain tooth enamel. But if that doesn’t happen, people often go out of their way to…
Are Dental Sealants a Thing of the Past?
Other than brushing your teeth and flossing every day, there used to be little recourse for preventing tooth decay. However, dental sealants became available in the mid-20th century and have provided an effective defense against cavities ever since. Sealants continue to be an excellent way to protect teeth from decay, especially in children. Let’s look…
How to Protect Tooth Enamel
The enamel on your teeth is a protective layer against decay. Enamel is the first line of defense against deterioration. Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the entire body – and though it’s stronger than bone, it’s still vulnerable to acids that are contained in the foods you eat, especially sugars and starches. Once…
