Blog

Has your hygienist told you that you need scaling and root planing? You may have a lot of questions. Check out this great article by Colgate explaining what scaling and root planing is and why it is necessary.You can also call our office for more information.

If your dental hygienist cleans your teeth every six months or so, you know that a routine professional cleaning involves scaling teeth and the gumline to remove plaque and tartar, and polishing to remove stains and smooth the tooth's surface. This is done to keep your teeth and gums healthy. If you have symptoms of ...

Recently our entire team made a trip down to Scottsdale, AZ to visit the Spear Education Center and attend their 3-day workshop on providing great experiences for our patients. We learned a lot and had a great time in the process. We traveled in two groups, the first half of us traveling in May and then the second half of our group in July. The second group was there during a nice heat wave where the daytime temperatures reached 115 degrees!

At Spear we attended lectures along with doctors and dental teams from across the country, and also worked as a team in group break-out sessions. We 

The end of the year is fast approaching! Have you made the most of your dental benefits?  Dental insurance is often a "use it or lose it" benefit- If you have any benefits remaining, there’s still time to use them before you lose them at the end of the year.

From cleanings to cavity fillings, or even getting started on more complicated dental work, you can maximize the dental care you are still eligible to receive based ...

It’s National Gum Care Month! Is your smile supported by strong, healthy gums? With gum disease now linked to larger health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and dementia, keeping your gums in excellent condition is critical for your overall well-being.  

For gums that glow, make sure these key practices are part of your dental routine:

• Always brush along the ...

To keep your smile at its best, steer clear of these dental hazards:

• Opening packages with your teeth, which can lead to chipped or broken teeth
• Chewing on pens, pencils, fingernails or ice, which can cause your teeth to crack
• Playing sports without a mouth guard, leaving your teeth exposed to potential injuries
• Mouth and/or lip piercings, that can cause tooth damage as well as harbor bacteria
• Medicinal cough drops and lozenges that are just as sugar-laden as candy

What if you and some friends were playing an informal game of basketball and one of your friends was struck down by a hard jab to the mouth? Could you help?

What if you were the one to fall face down, only to find you were bleeding and had lost a tooth?

Would anyone with you know basic first aid?

It is important to be prepared in case such an accident takes place. The nation’s top dental associations including the Academy for Sports Dentistry (ASD), American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), and the American Dental Association (ADA), offer the following ...

Did you know an estimated 50,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer every year in the United States, and there is a death from oral cancer once every hour? 

(Source: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons).

Know Your Risk Factors:

• Tobacco Use
  • ​Smoking cigarettes, pipes, cigars, or using snuff, chew, or smokeless tobacco
• ​Alcohol Use​ (especially when you use tobacco at same time)
• Exposure to Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
• Physical Trauma
• Infectious Diseases
• Poor Oral Hygiene
• Poor Nutrition

What You Can Do:

1. Check out this infographic from American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
2. Perform monthly self-exams at home. 
   • After removing any dentures, look and feel inside your lips, in front of your gums, tongue, and on the roof of your mouth. Feel for lumps ...