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About Fluoride
Category:
Care Of Child's Teeth
For decades, fluoride has been held in high regard by the dental community as an important mineral that is absorbed into and strengthens tooth enamel, and thereby helping to prevent decay of tooth structures.
In nearly every U.S. community, public drinking supplies are supplemented with sodium fluoride
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About Mouth Guards
Category:
Care Of Child's Teeth
If your child participates in most any sport, a mouth guard could be a lifesaver in terms of preserving teeth and, ultimately, a child's countenance later in life.
Anyone who participates in a sport that carries a significant risk of injury should wear a mouth protector, according to the American Dental
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Abscessed Tooth
Category:
Dental Problems
Treatment of an abscessed tooth
An abscessed tooth is a pocket of pus, usually caused by some kind of infection and the spread of bacteria from the root of the tooth to the tissue just below or near the tooth.
In general, a tooth that has become abscessed is one whose underlying pulp (the tooth's
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Age and Oral Health
Category:
Oral Health Topics
Oral changes with age
Is tooth loss inevitable in your later years? How much should adults be concerned about cavities? Here you will find helpful answers to some frequently asked questions about oral health questions you may have as you get older.
National survey reveals baby boomers miss
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Air Abrasion
Category:
Pain Management
Many people associate the high-pitched whirring of a dental drill with pain. Just the sound alone can make many people wince.
A relatively new technique called air abrasion uses powerful particles of aluminum oxide to remove debris and decay. The most exciting thing for patients is that air abrasion
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Air Abrasion: The Drill Alternative
Category:
Treatments
Many children associate the high-pitched whirring of a dental drill with pain. Just the sound alone can make even adults wince.
Air abrasion is an especially good option for children who may be afraid of the needle, and the noise and vibration of a regular dental drill.
Air abrasion procedures are
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All About Braces
Category:
Orthodontics
Orthodontics, best known by its tools of the trade - braces - is a special discipline of dentistry concerned with aligning the teeth and jaws to improve your child's smile and oral health.
Braces today are smaller and less conspicuous - and a bit more sophisticated than the conventional gun-metal wire
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Anesthesia
Category:
Pain Management
Dentistry has advanced to the point in which pain is almost a thing of the past.
Powerful pain-killing medications known as anesthetics not only help a patient avoid discomfort during a procedure, but post-operatively as well.
Some patients, especially children, may require higher doses of anesthetic
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Bad Breath (halitosis)
Category:
Dental Problems
An estimated sixty-five percent of Americans have bad breath. Over forty-million Americans have "chronic halitosis," which is persistent bad breath. Ninety percent of all halitosis is of oral, not systemic, origin.
Americans spend more than $1 billion a year on over the counter halitosis products,
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Bitten Lip or Tongue
Category:
Emergencies
Clean the area gently with a cloth and apply cold compresses or ice to reduce swelling. If the bleeding doesn't stop, go to a hospital emergency room immediately.
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Bleaching
Category:
Treatment, Cosmetic Dentistry
Bleaching and non-bleaching products are the two basic kinds of whitening products available today.
Non-bleaching products normally use abrasives or chemicals and only remove surface stains on teeth.
Bleaching products work with a chemical called peroxide and can brighten your teeth several shades.
Another
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Bonding
Category:
Treatment, Cosmetic Dentistry
Bonding is a process in which an enamel-like material is applied to a tooth`s surface, sculpted to an ideal shape, hardened, and then polished for an ideal smile. This procedure usually can be accomplished in a single visit.
Bonding is often performed in order to fill in gaps or change the color of
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Bonding, Veneers, Contouring & Reshaping
Category:
Treatments
Cosmetic dentistry is an important part of overall dentistry. In some cases, people elect to have cosmetic dentistry performed on their children in order to improve their smile and overall appearance. In others, cosmetic dentistry is chosen in order to reverse or repair a defect that, while not harmful
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Braces (Orthodontia)
Category:
Treatment
Braces are applied to teeth for various reasons, including poorly aligned jaws, crooked, crowded and missing teeth, or a bad bite (also called malocclusion).
Various things can cause teeth to become crooked or jaws misaligned, including thumb-sucking or a traumatic injury. Some conditions are inherited.
Children
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Bridges
Category:
Treatment
Bridges are natural-looking dental appliances that can replace a section of missing teeth. Because they are custom-made, bridges are barely noticeable and can restore the natural contour of teeth as well as the proper bite relationship between upper and lower teeth.
There are several types of fixed
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Broken, Fractured, Displaced Tooth
Category:
Emergencies
If your child loses a tooth from an injury, try to remain calm. Call our office immediately and we will help you to determine if it is a permanent or primary tooth. If it is a permanent tooth, avoid touching the root in any way. If it is a permanent tooth, gently rinse the tooth under running water,
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Brushing
Category:
Care Of Child's Teeth
Brushing is the most effective method for removing harmful plaque from your child's teeth and gums. Getting the debris off their teeth and gums in a timely manner prevents bacteria in the food they eat from turning into harmful, cavity-causing acids.
Start cleaning your baby's teeth at birth, using
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Brushing
Category:
Tooth Care
Brushing is the most effective method for removing harmful plaque from your teeth and gums. Getting the debris off your teeth and gums in a timely manner prevents bacteria in the food you eat from turning into harmful, cavity causing acids.
Most dentists agree that brushing three times a day is the
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Bulimia Nervosa
Category:
Common Conditions
Fourteen out of 100,000 people suffer from bulimia nervosa, which primarily affects adolescent and young adult females. It is an eating and psychiatric compulsive disorder that can lead to serious problems with your child's teeth if left untreated. One-third of those who suffer from bulimia nervosa have
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Bulimia Nervosa
Category:
Dental Problems
People with eating disorders can suffer from oral health problems as well. This is because many of the behaviors associated with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa—such as binge eating, self-induced vomiting, and use of diuretics or laxatives—cause changes in the mouth.
For example, repeated
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Canker Sores/Cold Sores
Category:
Common Conditions
Canker sores (also called recurrent aphthous ulcers, or RAU) and cold sores are not the same thing. Canker sores occur inside the mouth, and cold sores usually occur outside the mouth, usually on or near the lips.
A canker sore is a small ulcer with a white or gray base and red border. There can be
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Canker/Cold Sores
Category:
Dental Problems
People sometimes confuse canker sores and cold sores, but they are completely unrelated. Both can be painful, but knowing the differences can help you keep them in check.
A canker sore is typically one that occurs on the delicate tissues inside your mouth. It is usually light-colored at its base and
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Cavities and Tooth Decay
Category:
Common Conditions
Tooth decay is another name for the disease known as "caries," or cavities. A cavity is the result of your tooth enamel, dentin, or cementum being destroyed over long-term exposure to harmful bacteria.
Many cavities are preventable Tooth decay is promoted by your teeth being frequently exposed to foods
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Cavities and Tooth Decay
Category:
Dental Problems
What Is Tooth Decay?
Tooth decay is caused by a variety of things; in medical terms, cavities are called caries, which are caused by long-term destructive forces acting on tooth structures such as enamel and the tooth's inner dentin material.
These destructive forces include frequent exposure to
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Chipped, Cracked, and Worn Teeth
Category:
Treatment, Cosmetic Dentistry
Special thin laminates, called veneers, can often be used to correct discolored, worn down, cracked and chipped teeth. Veneers can also be used to close unsightly gaps between teeth. Stronger types of veneers made of porcelain, also called composite veneers, typically last longer because they are bonded
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Choosing a Toothbrush
Category:
Product Reviews
Never before has there been such a dizzying array of toothbrushes on the market. Consumers are inundated with new designs, materials, attachments, and colors. Whatever toothbrush design you choose, the most important thing is that you use the toothbrush at least 2-3 times a day. Moreover, how long you
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Common Conditions
Category:
Orthodontics
Here's a look at some of the conditions your child may have that may be alleviated or reversed by orthodontic treatment. Crowded teeth - Teeth may be aligned poorly because the dental arch is small and/or the teeth are large. The bone and gums over the roots of extremely crowded teeth may become thin
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Crowns
Category:
Treatment
Crowns are synthetic caps, usually made of a material like porcelain, placed on the top of a tooth.
Crowns are typically used to restore a tooth's function and appearance following a restorative procedure such as a root canal. When decay in a tooth has become so advanced that large portions of the
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Dental Emergencies
Category:
Patient Information
A knocked out tooth or bitten tongue can cause panic in any parent, but quick thinking and staying calm are the best ways to approach such common dental emergencies and prevent additional unnecessary damage and costly dental restoration. This includes taking measures such as application of cold compresses
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Denture Care
Category:
Tooth Care
Dentures today are made from very advanced materials designed to give you a natural appearance.
However, keep in mind that just like your teeth, dentures should be cared for with the same diligence. This means daily brushing and regular visits to your dentist.
Regular visits to your dentist are
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Dentures
Category:
Treatment
A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and adjacent tissues. It is made of acrylic resin, sometimes in combination with various metals.
Types of dentures
Complete dentures replace all the teeth, while a partial denture fills in the spaces created by missing teeth and prevents
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Diabetes
Category:
Dental Problems
People living with diabetes are vulnerable to a host of systemic problems in their entire body. Unfortunately, the mouth and teeth are not immune from such problems, and many diabetics with oral problems go undiagnosed until conditions become advanced.
Infections and other problems such as receding
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Dry Mouth
Category:
Dental Problems
Saliva is one of your body's natural defenses against plaque because it acts to rinse your mouth of cavity-causing bacteria and other harmful materials. Dry mouth (also called Xerostomia) is a fairly common condition that is caused by diminished saliva production. People with medical conditions, such
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Emergency Care
Category:
Tooth Care
A knocked out tooth or bitten tongue can cause panic in any parent, but quick thinking and staying calm are the best ways to approach such common dental emergencies and prevent additional unnecessary damage and costly dental restoration. This includes taking measures such as application of cold compresses
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Excessive or Uneven Gums
Category:
Treatment, Cosmetic Dentistry
Many people inherit the problem of excessive or uneven gums. An aesthetic surgical procedure called a gum lift can be used to correct this problem.
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Extractions
Category:
Treatments
In most cases, a tooth may need to be pulled when other less radical procedures, such as amalgams or restoration, make it impossible or imprudent to save your child's original tooth.
Advanced anesthetic techniques today greatly minimize discomfort associated with a tooth extraction.
First, the area
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Extractions
Category:
Treatment
General Procedure
When restoration procedures such as root canal therapy, crowns, or fillings are not enough to save a tooth, it may need to be pulled, or extracted.
Tooth extraction procedures today are far less painful than ever before, thanks to powerful anesthetics and sedatives. In many cases,
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Fillings
Category:
Oral Health Topics
Frequently asked questions: dental fillings
Are dental amalgams safe? Is it possible to have an allergic reaction to amalgam? Is it true that dental amalgams have been banned in other countries? Is there a filling material that matches tooth color? If my tooth doesn't hurt and my filling is still in
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Fillings
Category:
Treatments
There are three basic kinds of fillings used to restore teeth after decay is removed: amalgams, composites and stainless steel crowns.
Amalgams
Most dental amalgams are silver in color and are made from a mixture of mercury and an alloy of silver, tin, and copper. Mercury makes up about 45-50 percent
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Flap Surgery
Category:
Treatment
Your bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck. When you have periodontal disease, this supporting tissue and bone is destroyed, forming "pockets" around the teeth. Over time, these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space for bacteria to thrive and wreak havoc.
As
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Flossing
Category:
Care Of Child's Teeth
Flossing is a method for removing bacteria and other debris that cannot be reached by a toothbrush. It generally entails a very thin piece of synthetic cord inserted and moved up and down between the sides of two adjoining teeth.
Floss removes plaque and debris that stick to teeth and gums. It also increases
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Flossing
Category:
Tooth Care
What is flossing?
Flossing is a method for removing bacteria and other debris that cannot be reached by a toothbrush. It generally entails a very thin piece of synthetic cord you insert and move up and down between the sides of two adjoining teeth.
Why is flossing important?
Many dentists believe
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Fluoride
Category:
Oral Health Topics
For decades, fluoride has been held in high regard by the dental community as an important mineral that strengthens tooth enamel, which thereby helps to prevent decay of tooth structures.
Water fluoridation is endorsed by nearly every major health and safety-related organization in the world. Communities
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Fluoride Facts
Category:
Tooth Care
For decades, fluoride has been held in high regard by the dental community as an important mineral that is absorbed into and strengthens tooth enamel, thereby helping to prevent decay of tooth structures.
In nearly every U.S. community, public drinking supplies are supplemented with sodium fluoride
Read more
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Fluorosis
Category:
Dental Problems
Fluorosis is a condition in which your body has been exposed to too much fluoride. In normal doses (typically found in a safe drinking water system and an ADA-approved toothpaste), fluoride is a healthy compound that promotes strong teeth, which has the ability to fight cavities and other problems.
But
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Gingivitis/Gum Disease
Category:
Common Conditions
Periodontal disease is a condition in which the structures that support the teeth, including the gums and bone surrounding each tooth, become infected and begin to break down. Periodontal disease (also known as "periodontitis") can be influenced by the body's response to infection caused by the bacteria
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Grafts
Category:
Treatment, Cosmetic Dentistry
Soft tissue grafts are sometimes performed to treat gum disease, or correct other abnormalities.
The procedure involves taking gum tissue from the palate or another donor source to cover an exposed root in order to even the gum line and reduce sensitivity.
Periodontal procedures are available to
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Guidance Eruption
Category:
Treatments
Guidance eruption is a method used to create enough room for crowded lower permanent incisors. Crowding can often be seen with the eruption of the permanent teeth of the lower jaw at 6 to 7 years old. The permanent incisors will usually compensate for this crowding by erupting behind the primary teeth.
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Gum Disease (Gingivitis)
Category:
Dental Problems
Gingivitis is the medical term for early gum disease, or periodontal disease. In general, gum disease can be caused by long-term exposure to plaque, the sticky but colorless film on teeth that forms after eating or sleeping.
Gum disease originates in the gums, where infections form from harmful bacteria
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Impacted Teeth/Wisdom Teeth
Category:
Common Conditions
Your child's third set of molars are no different than any other tooth, save for the fact that they are the last to erupt, or grow, into the mouth. Because they typically do so at around the age of 18 to 20, when adolescents are close to turning into adults, these teeth are commonly referred to as "wisdom
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