Category: Featured

Experiencing some amount of fear or anxiety about visiting the dentist is common, but some people are so intimidated that they actually avoid going to the dentist altogether. In fact, according to the Dental Fears Research Clinic at the University of Washington, between 5% and 8% of all Americans fall into this category, and about 20% only visit the dentist when it’s absolutely necessary. Those are unfortunate statistics, because the only way to ensure good oral health is by visiting

Balance is important in virtually every aspect of life. The same holds for our bodies, where it’s vital to maintain a balanced mixture of the microbes necessary to help protect us from germs, produce essential vitamins, and break down the food we consume into energy. The mouth is also home to a host of microbes, all of which work in balance to keep our teeth and gums healthy and disease-free. One method of encouraging the growth of good microorganisms inside

The first thing that all parents need to know with regard to their child’s first dental visit is exactly when that should take place. The answer may surprise you. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents take their children in for their first dental visit by the age of 1. That’s because that is the age when children first begin to develop the risk of tooth decay. During that first visit, your dentist can explain the most effective way

If you visit your dentist regularly, there’s a good chance you’ll find out you have a cavity during examination or x-rays. Frequent, professional dental care means you probably won’t experience any symptoms common to cavities before they are caught and treated. If, however, you don’t visit the dentist as regularly as you should for checkup, cleaning, and x-rays, cavities could worsen to the point that you begin experiencing several unfortunate symptoms. Here are a few warning signs you should be

There’s no denying the power of a beautiful, perfect smile. It’s often cited as the most attractive attribute when meeting someone for the first time, and it can help you to feel confident and comfortable in social situations. Naturally, you also want to maintain good oral health for functional reasons. So when a tooth is damaged by decay, trauma, or other causes, you probably want to see your dentist to fix the problem as soon as possible. Depending on the

There’s no denying the benefit of traditional orthodontic braces to correct severe issues like misaligned teeth or jaws. That said, even teens interested in obtaining a straight smile aren’t terribly enthusiastic about the prospect of wearing metal braces for two years. As an adult that has had braces before, you’re probably even less interested in returning to this method of dental alignment. Unfortunately, our teeth are not generally inclined to stay in their straight positions after braces are removed. This

The dawn of a new calendar year often spurs a time of reflection, whereby you assess your actions and outcomes from the previous year in order to reprioritize and create a plan to move forward. For many, this means setting New Year’s resolutions, including common goals like weight loss and debt reduction, just for example. However, you don’t want to neglect other areas where you could stand to see some improvement, and if you’ve avoided the topic of oral health,

If you’ve never had gum boils before, there’s a good chance you’ve never even heard of them. Even if you experience the swelling, pain, redness, and other symptoms associated with these mouth sores, you might not know what they are. Gum boils are bumps or swollen areas of the gum where abscesses have formed. They are often the result of food, plaque, or bacteria beneath gum tissue that have grown into an infection, irritating the gums and creating pus that

Temporomandibular Joint (or TMJ) disorders affect millions of people. The condition is characterized by symptoms like jaw pain, stiffness, or tenderness, pain in one or both joints, facial or ear aches, a clicking or locking jaw, and difficulty or pain when chewing. As you can imagine, this could have an extreme impact on your life, impairing your ability to eat, drink, and communicate. What causes TMJ Disorder? What can you do to prevent precursors from turning into TMJ disorders? Here’s

When you receive a filling or crown meant to protect your tooth after treatment for a cavity or a root canal, you naturally expect the fixture to be permanent. If all goes well, your fillings and crowns could last indefinitely. However, we can be pretty hard on our dental work. Some adults suffer from bruxism, or unconsciously clenching and grinding teeth. Some participate in sports that could result in trauma to the mouth and teeth. Or maybe you make the