When you find out you’re pregnant, there are so many emotions that rush over you at once. And then, in their place, comes the list of “to dos” that must happen in the quickly-ticking-away nine months. From vitamins to morning sickness to building cribs and finding car seats, your oral care is probably not on the forefront on your mind!  Juggling prenatal appointments and trying to save up leave for the baby can, frankly, provide a pretty seemingly-good excuse to push your visit to the dentist off for another six months or a year. Also, the internet is full of opinions on whether dental exam ..read more

We’re sure you hear all the time that the body is miraculous. Did you know, for example, that the liver can regenerate? It can regenerate so effectively, in fact, that it can be split in half and transplanted into two different recipients!   Another fascinating process in the body is the natural remineralization of the teeth. Tooth remineralization is a reparative process, which occurs naturally inside the mouth. This process repairs the lost enamel (the outermost part of the tooth) and helps prevent cavities.   While the mouth takes care of remineralization on its own, many products ..read more

Staying on top of your oral hygiene during and after your pregnancy is critical. Good oral health reduces the risk of infection and keeps your smile healthy and bright. The same goes for your newborn child, which is why it’s never too early to start taking care of your little one’s mouth and gums, even if they don’t have any teeth yet.  According to a 2013 study in the Dental Research Journal, over 58 percent of new parents don’t know how to clean their infant’s teeth properly. If you happen to fall on the wrong side of this statistic, then you need to brush up on the importance of oral h ..read more

As we head into the new year, a lot of us take time to think about the things we’re thankful for. For many of us, this list generally includes bullet points like family, friends, health, and a warm place to live. However, if you really want to start thinking “outside the box” for things you’re thankful for, have you ever considered how grateful you should be for your mouth and teeth?  Yes! You can read that again—and no, we aren’t kidding. Our mouth is a fascinating component of our body and one that interacts with most other systems. For starters, without teeth, think about how lousy your ..read more

Nearly 60% of the population chooses to set a New Year’s resolution. And the discussions surrounding the actual setting of these resolutions are so familiar to us that you probably don’t put too much thought into the history behind the tradition.  Ringing in the new year with celebrations has been part of humanity’s shared experience since the dawn of time, but New Year’s resolutions are a little newer, first documented around 2,000 years ago. The Babylonians were the first resolution setters, beginning every new year with the practice of paying back debts and returning borrowed goods. Th ..read more

Bacteria. The first thing that probably comes to mind when you hear that word is illness. You might think of bacteria as the germs that grow on toilets or in water fountains, like so many that are highlighted in petri dishes to remind you to always wash your hands.  Meet the Bacteria That Live In Your MouthScientists have estimated that there are five million trillion trillion bacteria on earth. Yes, you read that right. That’s a five with 30 zeroes after it! And if that seems shocking, consider how many strains of it are in the human body! The human body contains trillions of microorganism ..read more

If you are looking for a unique holiday gift to give a close friend or family member, you could consider the gift of tooth whitening.   The nice thing about this cosmetic procedure is that just about everyone would like whiter teeth!  Tooth Whitening FAQsThanks to technological advancements, there are also at-home kits that can easily rival what used to be done only at the dentist’s office. In addition, if you are looking to brighten your own smile, Dr. Marchbanks is offering free teeth whitening treatments this month for five new patients. Not bad! All you have to do is book a teeth cle ..read more

We’re a couple weeks past Thanksgiving and moving quickly towards December holidays, all the way up to New Year’s Eve.  A show of hands, please—how many of you were brave enough to step on the scale after indulging on round one of rich treats and sweets?   Even if you didn’t measure the “after party” with a number, you probably feel a little bloated. Maybe that your pants seem to fit a little snugger.   You’ve Started Holiday Eating—After December, How Do You Stop?Around the holidays, food carries deep meaning and even resurrects memories of childhood or hometown favorite dishes. Some ..read more

Right now, smack in the middle of holiday season, the last thing you want to do is waste money. We know you work hard save where you can, getting the best deal on food, presents and more. Right?  However, what if we told you that by not visiting your dentist you might be wasting up to $600 a year?  “How,” you ask?  FAQ for Common Dental Benefits PlansIf you don’t use your dental benefits before the end of the year, you effectively throw all those monthly premiums you paid right out the window. However, if you’re like many of the patients at Dr. Marchbanks’ office, you might have thoug ..read more

Thanksgiving comes in second only to Christmas when it comes to favorite holidays in the U.S.A. In fact, almost a fifth of the country ranks it as their favorite. Compare that to New Year’s Eve, which gets only 2% of the vote as a “favorite” holiday. Even if you aren’t part of the group who loves Thanksgiving most of all, you probably enjoy the holiday as a time to see family, eat delicious food, and take a day (or more) off work.  Do you know the best and worst foods for dental health at Thanksgiving?There’s certainly no shortage of “elastic waistband” jokes surrounding the holiday, so it ..read more