And what exactly does 'impacted' mean? Any tooth has the potential to become impacted—that is, emerge in some oddball direction that crowds other teeth. But the most famous culprits are third molars, the last-to-emerge wisdom teeth. Not many mouths can accommodate these teeth. They often wind up pressing against their neighbors, ultimately pressuring the rest [...]
Inflammation That Could Be Deadly Illness or injury to your body should trigger your immune system to heat up at that location and essentially smoke out the enemy. If your immune system is healthy, when the mission is accomplished, the inflammation subsides and healing begins. But sometimes an immune system doesn't know when to stop. [...]
Lurks in Every Pantry Your sugar bowl sits on the table, and you lift its lid only to sweeten your morning coffee. You deserve a medal for exemplary nutritional behavior! Are you sure? Most folks eat more of it than they realize—150 pounds per year average. That’s 6 ounces—3/4 of a cup—every day. Two-thirds of [...]
Because we’re concerned about more than your teeth… If you’re a woman taking oral contraceptives, it’s understandable that you might not wish to mention this prior to a dental procedure. But it’s truly important that we know, and here’s why: Your dental procedure may include an antibiotic prescription to fight bacterial infection. It’s known that [...]
It might be a big Italian meal—meatballs, lasagna, red wine— or a serious encounter with stuffed jalapenos. Whatever your preference, if you suffer heartburn, you’re going to pay for it. Every month, 40% of the population suffer heartburn. An unlucky 10% reach for the antacids or acid blockers daily. Heartburn is a symptom of gastroesophageal [...]
A mouth at age 50 enters a whole new world marked by a set of problems you never dreamed of when your mouth was filled with bubble gum and the latest slang. Celebrate Great Taste! Expect taste buds to fade gradually with age. But the senses of taste and smell can disappear quickly in diabetics—or [...]
What's the most common thing nearly half of American toddlers do when they're tired, relaxing, sleeping or being scolded? They suck their thumbs! Thumb-sucking is the earliest and most common habit among children. It's nothing for parents to worry about—unless the habit persists. Only after age four does thumb-sucking threaten to damage children's teeth Some [...]
Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world, and strikes over 43,000 people each year in America. Over the past 30 years, survival rates have only increased from 45 percent to 54 percent, with survival rates lower among African Americans and people under 40. In a recent poll, the National Institute of [...]
An aching tooth’s a warning. Often it's a cavity, but not always. Other Toothache Causes... After a filling, a tooth can sometimes be a bit sensitive. It’s a normal reaction that should soon correct it-self. In the morning, an aching tooth could be the result of grinding or tooth-clenching overnight. Not a cavity, but a [...]
You stand to speak to a crowd of thousands–and your mouth is desert-dry. That’s normal. But under less stressful circumstances, a dry mouth is not normal. In fact, it’s cause for concern. Saliva has a critical role in the health of your mouth and your body. It flushes out the plaque that causes tooth decay [...]
