We often field questions in the office that are related to new products, ideas or techniques that seem to be backed by hype only. We've recently had many patients asking about the benefits of brushing with charcoal. Activated charcoal is not new. It's been approved by the FDA for many years to adsorb toxins, like in cases of poisoning or overdose. It is also thought to attract free radicals and rid them from the body. So there may be some benefits of using charcoal, but can it be used to whiten teeth? I'm not so sure...
This is a question that we receive quite often. Many people ask us if we would recommend that they switch from their normal, manual brush to something electric. The next words that come out of their mouth are almost always "which one"?
There are a few things that we dentists hear more often than others. Here are a few of them… but we have a solution for each of them, so worry no more!
One of my great professors at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine, Fred Ferguson, used to tell us that there are four key requirements for causing a cavity. As you'll see from a previous CrossKeys Dental blog post, there are many factors to cavity production, but when looked at on the most basic level you might be surprised by how easy it is to understand the process...
Some of you have heard your dentists at CrossKeys Dental tell you that you should be brushing your tongue when you brush your teeth, but why is that? Isn't the TOOTH brush made to clean TEETH? What could possibly be sticking to my tongue, cheeks and gums that will cause trouble? The answer, unfortunately, is "you don't even want to know!" Here are 3 reasons to spend a few extra seconds on the soft tissues inside your mouth...
Where do we find them? Where do they come from and how can they be prevented?
Your dentist calls them dental caries and we spend our careers trying to stop them from spreading. Think about it: have you ever been to a visit with the dentist without them and the hygienist reviewing proper oral hygiene. It's the sound of a constant drumbeat - brush twice a day for 2 minutes... make sure you floss daily… do you use a fluoride rinse?… and on and on and on. I often joke with my patients that we must be the only professionals that are trying to put ourselves out of business!
Let's face it, most of us have had at least one cavity, even those that heed our warning and follow a good home-care regimen, but following your dentist's recommendations will vastly reduce your risk and keep us from having to pick up our drill.
Here are 5 facts about cavities that you may not have known: ...
Back’n’forth, back’n’forth – scrubba’ scrubba’ scrubba! Get those teeth clean! Yes, get ‘em clean … but, if your child’s method of brushing more resembles a lumberjack sawing trees in half than it does a gentle massage, they might be in for a lifetime of sensitive teeth, bonding treatments and receding gums. With this in mind, we thought we’d offer our top five tips for avoiding enamel loss when brushing...
