ON THE LONG list of things parents need to teach their kids in childhood is proper flossing, but plenty of adults don’t know the best techniques themselves! We’re here to help. Daily flossing should be a priority for anyone with two teeth that touch each other because brushing alone cannot remove the plaque and food debris in those spaces. The longer it remains and builds up, the more it contributes to gum disease, cavities, and worse. Helping Your Child Floss Parents should floss their child’s teeth for them until they have the dexterity to do it themselves. Make it part of the daily routine ..read more

EATING DISORDERS can cause many kinds of damage to the body, including the teeth. Oral hygiene habits and regular dental visits are crucial, but in order to maintain good oral health, we also need a variety of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals every day. Anorexia Versus Oral Health An eating disorder like anorexia nervosa can lead to osteoporosis, which increases the risk of tooth loss. It also causes dry mouth, increasing the risk of gum disease. It also makes it harder to avoid bad breath, because saliva washes away food particles. Bulimia and Acid Erosion Bulimia can be even more harmful ..read more

BEING TONGUE-TIED isn’t just an expression; for many people, it’s an actual medical condition, and a similar one is being lip-tied. We all have thin, stretchy pieces of tissue that connect our tongues to the floor of our mouths and our lips to our gums. Sometimes those pieces of tissue are unusually thick or tight, which restricts the movement of the lip or tongue. Effects of Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Someone with a tongue tie might not be able to touch the roof of their mouth with their tongue, making it hard to chew, swallow, or pronounce words effectively. Someone with a lip tie might have a ..read more

1 IN EVERY 8 Americans (including kids) has sensitive teeth. To understand why, we’ll need to take a look at dental anatomy. Erosion and the Layers of a Tooth Every tooth has nerves at the center. When the tooth is healthy, the nerve is protected by the outer layers. If the tooth enamel erodes enough, it can expose the porous dentin layer and subject the nerves to much more input than they’re supposed to get. That tends to make temperature changes or even a sudden burst of sour or sweet flavor very uncomfortable or even painful. Other Causes of Tooth Sensitivity Erosion is the main cause of t ..read more

WE HEAR A LOT of the same questions from patients and parents of patients, so let’s wrap up the year by answering three of them. #1: My tooth doesn’t hurt, so why do I need a filling? Cavities aren’t always painful. They form when tooth enamel is eroded away until a hole forms. As the hole gets deeper, it can reach the dentin and even the pulp chamber at the center of the tooth, but in the early stages, they usually don’t hurt. While the best option is preventing a cavity from forming at all, it’s much better to treat a cavity before it hurts than allow it to reach that point. By then, a fill ..read more

WE’VE BEEN HEARING for decades how dangerous smoking is to many aspects of our health. As dental professionals, our focus is particularly on the dangers to oral health, including unsightly stains on teeth at the less serious end of the spectrum, to a massively increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease, to life-threatening oral cancer. More recently, vaping and e-cigarettes have emerged as an alternative, but are they any better? The Data Is Starting to Come In, and It Isn’t Good Because these particular nicotine delivery mechanisms are so new, there isn’t as much data about their effects ..read more

OUR JAWS GET a pretty constant workout between all the talking, chewing, and yawning we do, but those simple activities become more complicated for those with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD or TMJ). There’s a small, fibrous disk that serves as a cushion between the ball and socket of the joint. If it shifts out of place or erodes, that leads to jaw trouble. TMJ Disorder Symptoms and Remedies Typical symptoms of a TMJ problem include tenderness or pain in the jaw, difficulty chewing, pain around the face or in the ear, and even locking of the jaw joint. There are a few things to try for ..read more

2 OUT OF EVERY 5 KIDS have at least one cavity by the time they finish elementary school, and the main reason is sugar. Bacteria Love Sugar As Much As We Do Harmful bacteria living on the surfaces of our teeth love eating the leftover sugar after we enjoy a sweet treat or drink. Then they excrete acid onto our teeth as a waste product, increasing our risk of tooth decay. So what can parents do for their kids’ teeth? A big improvement parents can make is to swap out sugary snacks for options like cheese or sliced fruits and veggies, which are also much healthier overall. This time of year, it ..read more

UNLESS THE DENTIST is an active TikTok user, it’s not a good idea to get dental health advice from social media. We’ve noticed a lot of dangerous DIY ideas popping up so let’s take a minute to nip them in the bud. 1. “Healthy Soda” No soda is truly healthy for teeth, as the bubbles in soda come from acid and teeth are highly vulnerable to acid erosion. Sparkling water and balsamic vinegar (the combo in the trend) do not make a healthier soda alternative because that’s just two acids mixed together! 2. “Veneers Check” Some TikTok users are filing their own teeth down to pegs prior to crown re ..read more

40% OF KIDS WILL have at least one cavity by the time they start school, usually due to poor oral hygiene and eating and drinking lots of sugary things. It’s critical to teach kids good oral health habits early on and to help them brush their teeth until they are able to do it themselves, but it can still be tricky for them to clean out the crevices in their molars. That’s where sealants come in. How Do Sealants Work? Dental sealants are a layer of clear plastic that we brush onto the chewing surfaces of teeth to keep cavity-causing plaque and bacteria out. Sealants reduce childhood tooth dec ..read more