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UNDERSTANDING THE DANGERS OF TOBACCO USE

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products is harmful to your mouth, including your teeth and gums, and can be deadly. How does smoking impact my oral health? Each year, about 443,000 people die prematurely due to smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke, and 8.6 million people live with a serious illness caused by smoking. Smoking can impact your overall oral health in Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDER

Located on each side of your face, the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) connect your lower jaw to your skull. These joints and their accompanying muscles allow you to open and close your mouth and move your lower jaw from side to side. You can feel these joints by placing your fingers in front of your ears and opening your mouth. What is temporomandibular disorder? Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) occurs when the TMJ is damaged or deteriorates or Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TEENAGERS’ ORAL HEALTH

Teenagers typically are busy with school, extracurricular activities and social commitments. But while maintaining an active lifestyle, it’s important that they remember to make wise, nutritious choices to keep their mouth and teeth healthy. Which foods and beverages should I avoid? Avoid sugary foods and beverages such as candy, desserts, fruit and vegetable juices. Sugar fuels the bacteria that produce acid and cause tooth decay, the most common chronic disease among children. Carbohydrates such as Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago

UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNS OF SLEEP APNEA

Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening sleep disorder that affects approximately 22 million Americans. It owes its name to the Greek word apnea (meaning “want of breath”) and refers to episodes in which a person stops breathing for short periods of time during sleep. With each episode, the sleeper’s brain briefly wakes up in order to resume breathing, resulting in extremely fragmented and poor-quality sleep. If you or your dentist suspects you suffer from Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago

UNDERSTANDING SEDATION IN DENTISTRY

Dentists use sedation to help relax their patients and reduce fear and pain during dental procedures. Sedatives can be administered before or during dental procedures, either orally or through inhalation or injection. Some sedatives may require preprocedural dietary restrictions and postprocedural observation. What levels of sedation are used in dentistry? The level of required sedation varies depending on the intensity of the procedure, the patient’s health and the level of anxiety felt by the patient. Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT ROOT CANAL THERAPY

Inside your teeth is a soft material calledpulp that contains blood vessels, nervesand connective tissue. If this pulp becomesinfected, it can cause severe tooth pain. Insome cases, that infection might require rootcanal therapy. What is a root canal? Nerves enter at the tip of the tooth’s roots and run through the center of the tooth in small, thin root canals, which join up in the pulp chamber. Each tooth has at least one root canal, Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago

PREVENT PLAQUE BUILDUP WITH GOOD ORAL HYGIENE

Plaque is a sticky layer of bacteriacontaining film that accumulates on teeth, especially in places where toothbrushes can’t reach. Plaque is essentially the waste product left behind when these bacteria in our mouths consume the sugars in our daily diet. Once formed, plaque functions as a colony for the bacteria, allowing them to consume more. Many of the foods we eat cause the bacteria to produce acids, which break down tooth enamel and can cause Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PERIODONTAL DISEASE

It’s important to brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day, as well as floss between them at least once a day. Practicing these positive oral health habits can prevent the buildup of plaque between your teeth, which can cause periodontal disease, or gum disease. An estimated 65 million Americans have periodontitis, the advanced form of gum disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gum disease can loosen your teeth and Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago

DEVELOPING GOOD ORAL HYGIENE HABITS AT HOME

In addition to visiting your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings at least twice a year, it’s important to maintain good oral health care at home. Brushing and flossing your teeth properly, as well as using mouth rinse, minimize your risk of tooth decay and gum disease. How often should I brush my teeth, and for how long? In order to effectively remove cavity-causing bacteria, you should brush your teeth for two minutes twice a Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ORAL CANCER

Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer, accounting for nearly 5 percent of all cases. Close to 53,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year. It is expected to cause more than 9,750 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day, according to The Oral Cancer Foundation. Oral cancer is particularly dangerous because it can go unnoticed in its preliminary stages. In many cases, however, Read more…

By Nicole Kohner, ago