We don’t hear a lot about vitamin D. It’s crucial for healthy teeth and bones because it helps you absorb calcium. And the easiest way to get your minimum daily requirement is—take a walk in the sun! Vitamin D is called the “sunshine vitamin” because natural sunlight converts a chemical in your skin into a [...]
Osteoporosis—porous bones—is a fragile, frightening reality for at least 15 million North Americans. What begins as a slow and initially painless decrease in bone mass eventually leaves bones weakened and susceptible to fracture. It turns strong backs into weak; healthy strides into shuffles. From a dental viewpoint, the disease is evident in loss of tooth [...]
Whether you call it dragon breath, morning breath, or halitosis, persistent bad breath is not only socially embarrassing, it can also be a sign of poor oral hygiene, periodontal disease, digestive problems, and even sinus trouble. And all the mouthwashes and breath fresheners in the world won’t solve the problem. A simple visit to our [...]
Not So Private Anymore If you recognize yourself or someone in your family in this piece, you share a problem with over 500,000 other people. Bulimia. Do you worry about how much you eat—all the time? Do you start a new diet almost every day? Do you perceive everyone else as thinner than you are? [...]
Say you've spent the time and effort to get your mouth and teeth in shape. You’re dentally hale and hearty. And you smoke. As if there isn't enough reason to give up smoking, your dental health suffers too. Dramatically. Aside from the tobacco stains on teeth (not to mention the bouquet), serious oral disease can develop. The evidence just [...]
For those of you who feel a mouth full of silver or gold fillings is cosmetically appealing, you need not read any further. However, if you’re like me, and prefer your fillings to look like natural teeth, then I have good news for you. Due to advances in dental technology, we can place tooth colored [...]
What is fluoride, and why is it good for my teeth? Fluoride is a compound of the element fluorine, which is found universally throughout nature in water, soil, air, and in most foods. Fluoride is absorbed easily into tooth enamel, especially in the growing teeth of children. Once teeth are developed, fluoride makes the entire [...]
There’s a lot we can learn from looking into your mouth during a routine oral exam. Not only is the oral cavity a mirror of your overall health—it’s a sort of early warning system that helps diagnose everything from malnutrition to diabetes to cancer. If you’re not getting enough Vitamin C or B complex in [...]
We could be first to know. Don’t let us be the last. Diabetes affects the blood chemistry and metabolism of its victims, threatening them with multiple serious disorders. But early detection can ward off the dangers, and we dentists are often the first to notice clues. Diabetics are more likely than others to develop tooth [...]
Soft drinks are bad for your teeth in more ways than one. There’s sugar, and then there’s acidity. The sugar provides necessary food for the bad bacteria in your mouth. If you’re drinking the national average of two cans of soft drinks a day, you’re giving aid and sustenance to the enemy. Bacteria eat what [...]
