Orthodontics and Periodontal Disease

Does having periodontal disease mean I can’t or shouldn’t have braces to straighten my teeth? Periodontal disease, when active, results in bone loss around teeth. Orthodontics involves moving teeth through bone to relocate them in better places for both appearance and function. The process of moving teeth activates bone cells to remove bone in front […]

Rest Versus Laziness

What’s the difference between rest and laziness? And what does this have to do with my teeth and gums? Let me answer the last question first. There is an indirect association between laziness and flossing. It doesn’t take a lot of work to perform daily but the time just seems to slip away and we forget. To […]

Our Two Jobs in Oral Health

When it comes to oral health we, as patients, have two jobs. The first job is effective plaque control on a daily basis. Note: I also lump in everything else we do that keeps our mouths and bodies healthy into this. So why don’t I call it something like, “Daily health measures?” Because I don’t want anyone […]

Activating Facebook to Talk with Patients and Friends

What keeps people well? I know we go to physicians, dentists and other healthcare providers when we are sick, but is this all there is? Certainly a walk through the supermarket checkout line mixed in with all the celebrity news magazines are articles on how to be healthier and the rest, yet as a country, […]

Questions about Water Fluoridation

Both sides of water fluoridation are passionate. One side believes it to be one of the ten most important public health advances of the 20th century. http://1.usa.gov/xM8jsl This group includes organized dentistry, politicians, and public officials. On the other side are a few concerned scientists who somehow have the courage or the protection from political […]

How Can Patients Promote Dental Health?

In this age of social media, people have the opportunity of helping others live better lives. On the other hand, much “promotion” is simply a form of nagging. How can we encourage our families and friends in ways that are most effective? What You Might Do 1. Lead by example. Tell your friends when you […]

To Fill or Not to Fill?

Here is an interesting article that recently came out in the health section of the New York Times. When a patient remains in the same dental practice for many years, it makes it possible for his or her dentist to take a more conservative approach to the management early decay. http://nyti.ms/vqwiZQ

Should You Change Dentists When Your Insurance Changes?

If you have a dentist you like and your employer’s dental insurance policy changes I recommend you do the following: Most Important: Avoid any insurance, no matter how cheap it is, that forces you to see only dentists on its list. That’s right. If the insurance essentially forces you to see a specific dentist or […]