While brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing them at least once is accepted as common basic oral hygiene practice, is it also necessary to direct your toothbrush to your tongue? After all, it’s right there, and you’re in the neighborhood! At the very least, it will help freshen your breath even…
Invisalign® revolutionized orthodontic treatment with its introduction in 1999. Many orthodontic patients were freed from the inconvenience and discomfort of traditional bracket-and-wire braces — not to mention their unaesthetic appearance. For adults wanting to improve the alignment of their teeth, wearing braces seemed especially awkward, as they were associated with teenagers. And in today’s social…
“We cater to cowards” is a common tagline that some dental practices use in their advertising to reassure those who have dental anxiety that their dentist treats such patients with compassion and understanding. However easily recognized that tagline may be, our NK Family Dental team knows that “coward” isn’t a good word. There is nothing…
We all experienced tooth loss when we were children. It’s easy to remember the initial shock and feeling of that first wiggly tooth, the days of waiting for it to fall out, and the excitement of receiving money from the Tooth Fairy. While losing teeth in childhood wasn’t scary, the same isn’t true when it…
If you are among the more than 37 million Americans living with diabetes, you already know the risk for medical complications in such areas as your heart, kidneys, eyes and skin. But did you also know that diabetes can affect your oral health? According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes and oral health complications are…
Parents have a great deal of responsibility in teaching their children the values and behaviors they’ll need to become responsible adults themselves. Although it may not immediately come to mind, instilling good oral hygiene habits in your child is a process that’s essential to establishing good oral health for a lifetime! Knowing the right time…
It’s not uncommon to avoid situations that cause you feelings of stress and anxiety. When faced with two options, we choose the one that seems safer or easier. However, a fear of the dentist can have a lasting negative effect on your oral health and overall health if you don’t schedule appointments for regular check-ups…
A clean taste in your mouth, fresh breath and an extra defense against the bacteria that cause plaque buildup and gum disease are among the main benefits that mouthwash delivers. But is it really a necessary part of your daily oral hygiene routine, or do you just believe it is thanks to successful marketing by…
In 1945, Grand Rapids, MI, became the first community in the world to add fluoride to the municipal water supply in order to help prevent tooth decay. When subsequent studies showed a significantly lower rate of cavities in schoolchildren, water fluoridation spread to other towns and cities — including Chicago. The Centers for Disease Control…
Does the toothpaste aisle in your supermarket seem daunting to you? Not only are numerous brands available, but toothpaste (known in the dental profession as dentifrices) is formulated to serve a wide variety of needs. Some promote their whitening ability, others are intended to prevent tartar build-up, and so on. But which type is right…
