Dentists have been saying for years that it helps to see children as early as possible — ideally, around the time they reach one year old. Just recently, an evidence-based study was released that backs this up: It shows that starting dental visits prior to age one actually reduces the cost of oral health care, and helps ensure that kids have pleasant dental experiences in the future. Why do young children need to go to […]
Your toothbrush serves the invaluable purpose of minimizing bacterial buildup (plaque) that can irritate gums and lead to periodontal disease, infection of the bone and tissues supporting your teeth. Brushing also helps dislodge food particles that certain oral bacteria would otherwise feed on, producing acids in the process that can eat through protective tooth enamel and the vulnerable dentin below. Given its importance to your oral health, you can maximize your toothbrush’s effectiveness by using […]
One of the most common parental concerns is the habit of many children, even late into childhood, to suck their thumbs or fingers. Many parents have asked us, “Could this affect their teeth?” The answer, unfortunately, is yes — thumb sucking can contribute to a malocclusion (bad bite) that could eventually require orthodontic treatment. Before making any assumptions, however, we need to understand the bigger picture. To begin with, infants have a different swallowing mechanism […]
For some kids, having a cavity or two is just part of growing up. Not for Giuliana Rancic. When she was a child, the TV personality didn’t have a single cavity — and she still doesn’t. But for her husband Bill, co-star of the Style Network reality show Giuliana and Bill, it was a different story. A cavity-prone kid, he was never certain what a visit to the dentist might hold in store. “I can […]
If Kristi Yamaguchi’s kids inherit her figure skating ability, they might just be headed for the Olympics — after all, their mom won the gold medal for figure skating in the 1992 games. When it comes to teeth, however, she wouldn’t mind if they inherited her spouse’s instead. “My husband [fellow Olympian turned pro hockey player Bret Hedican] never had braces,” she recently told an interviewer. “I’m hoping they get his teeth.” When you look […]
Cleaning dentures is an important part of wearing them. However, did you know that recent research has revealed a link between denture hygiene and overall health? The evidence shows that oral bacteria have been implicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary (lung) disease, bacterial endocarditis (“endo” – inside; “card” – heart), generalized infections of the respiratory tract and other systemic diseases. While it is never our intent to frighten you, we feel it is important that we […]
The “Hollywood Smile” — dazzlingly white — is associated in our society with youth, health and vitality. Achieving that smile through either professional or home whitening applications has become very popular. Teeth become discolored or dull for a number of reasons. It can be something intrinsic with the teeth — changes in enamel or dental structure during development, inherited disorders, heavy exposure to fluoride or tetracycline, or changes in mineral structure or wear due to […]
Today’s cosmetic dentist can bring amazing transformations to their patient’s smiles. That’s because we now have a versatile array of materials and processes that precisely replicate the appearance of natural teeth. Two of the most useful are porcelain veneers and crowns. Although different in structure and function, veneers and crowns both utilize a material known as dental porcelain, a ceramic material that can be shaped to resemble an individual patient’s natural tooth shape, with the […]
Billions of bacteria live in each of our mouths, sharing a common environment with teeth and soft tissues. Most of the time, they coexist in symbiotic balance. But sometimes that balance becomes disrupted, leading to a destructive condition known as periodontal disease. From the Latin peri (“around”) and the Greek odont (“tooth”), periodontal refers to the tissues that are around the teeth. When they become diseased, it’s a serious matter; and not just because of […]
Orthodontic treatment (commonly known as braces) can be a lengthy process to re-align your teeth to a more functional and aesthetic position. Once the orthodontic devices are removed, however, the treatment isn’t finished. Wearing a retainer is the final step to ensuring that the re-alignment doesn’t eventually fail. It’s designed to do just what its name implies — to “retain” the teeth’s new position and prevent a relapse to the old. This can happen because […]