According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 90% of all pathologies have symptoms that show in the oral cavity. Whether it’s gum inflammation, dry mouth, or bone loss, your dentist has a privileged view of your overall health via the “window” of your mouth. Today, we’re taking a look at two diseases… Read more »
Month: January 2014
Diet or Hygiene: Which is More Important for Oral Health?
When it comes to a vibrantly healthy smile, which is more important: diet or hygiene habits? Can a healthy diet make up for skipping the floss? Can good brushing practices make up for a sugar-laden diet? Today, we’re taking a closer look at how diet and dental care affect oral health and whether one is… Read more »
How Do We Love Crowns? Let Us Count the Ways.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, our thoughts turn to romance. But while the search for love can often lead to disappointment and heartbreak, finding the dental restoration of your dreams is as easy as talking to your dentist about ceramic crowns. Seem like a stretch? In today’s blog, we’re discussing how dental crowns are like (and,… Read more »
Three Restorations that Toe the Cosmetic Line
For most of human history, esthetics took a backseat to functionality when it came to dental restorations. From the earliest beeswax fillings to the gold and platinum metal crowns still used today, dental restorations looked like, well, dental restorations. Today’s patients prefer a more natural esthetic and the industry has responded by developing different types… Read more »
Gum Disease Step-By-Step
We get it. When compared to life-threatening illnesses, gum disease just doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. Perhaps it’s the fact that gum disease doesn’t have any painful or gruesome symptoms until it reaches a later stage. Maybe it’s that we don’t rank our gums high on the list of “very important body… Read more »
Three Groups of People Who Benefit from Sedation Dentistry
Have you ever wondered who goes in for sedation dentistry? This practice, sometimes inaccurately referred to as sleep dentistry, has helped dentists manage their patients’ discomfort during a procedure since nitrous oxide was first introduced in the mid-1800s. Since that time, the field has expanded to include oral conscious (pill) sedation and intravenous (IV) sedation… Read more »
Look, Feel, Checkup: Identifying the Signs of Oral Cancer
Ideally, we should all perform an oral cancer self-check every few months. Like breast and testicular self-checks, and oral cancer self-check consists of a careful visual and manual (touch-based) scan of your head, neck, and the inside of your mouth. Your chances of surviving oral cancer in the long term depend on early detection, and… Read more »
Frequently Asked Questions about Oral Biopsies
Your dentist has located a patch of cells, a lesion, or a small bump that needs to be analyzed so an accurate diagnosis can be made and treatment plan developed. To achieve these goals, you will need an oral biopsy, a procedure during which your dentist or oral surgeon removes a small section of the… Read more »
Understanding Your Oral Cancer Treatment Options
Although oral cancer is not one of the more common or well-known types of cancer, it has a relatively low survival rate because it is often not treated until it has already reached a late stage. In fact, the five year survival rate only averages about 57% nationwide. Identifying the signs of oral cancer while… Read more »
Exploring Oral Pathology: A Closer Look at Three Diseases of the Mouth
When we think about dentists, and what dentists do, we tend to focus solely on their role as care providers for the teeth and gums. However, general dentists are the first line in identifying and, in the case of dentist with specialized training in oral surgery, treating serious oral health issues. Today, we’re discussing just… Read more »
