A diagnosis of tooth decay may be daunting, but if your dentist tells you that you have incipient caries, you can breathe a sigh of relief. For many years, the first sign of a cavity meant drilling and filling. Today, simple non-invasive treatments and strategies may be the best way to manage areas of early decay, preventing small problems from becoming bigger. What Is an Incipient Lesion? Repeated exposure to
You might be wondering what your dental arch is and how exactly it relates to your dental health. Is there a name for problems that occur with your dental arch? What branch of dentistry treats these problems? You’ve got questions, and we’ve got the answers. Keep reading for a crash course in some quick anatomy, what can go wrong, and how to prevent and treat it. Dental Arches What
We’re all familiar with saliva as a bodily function that helps us swallow and keep our mouths from feeling too dry. But there’s a lot of fascinating things saliva does that you probably haven’t even realized! Did you know that saliva helps us digest, taste, speak, and even protects our tooth enamel by breaking down acids from food? There are many kinds of salivary glands located in different areas of the mouth
When you have a dental procedure like getting a filling, your dental professional will likely numb that area of your mouth with a local anesthetic to ensure you have a comfortable, pain-free procedure. But when they numb that area, where is it going? If your procedure is on the lower part of your mouth, the anesthetic is going into a major nerve called the mandibular nerve. Find out how this
Your palate may love fine food and drinks. Or your palette may be the foundation for a beautiful piece of art. Those are possibilities. A reality, though, is that your hard palate, a different kind of palate, plays a significant role in your oral health. The hard palate is the roof of your mouth and it’s not only impressive but important too. Palate Anatomy Your hard palate is that bony
Every year, millions of Americans get their wisdom teeth removed. Luckily, most patients have a smooth recovery—but it’s normal to feel concerned about the recovery process. You may experience discomfort, swelling and temporary bleeding after their procedure. While this is normal, there is one surprising pantry staple that can stop persistent bleeding: tea bags. Here, we’ll discuss this at-home remedy and how it works, so you can ensure a more
Enamel, dentin, pulp, root, crown– remembering all these technical dental terms can be a dizzying task! What is an apical foramen? Where is it located on a tooth? We’re here to be your guide on your quest to inform yourself on this interesting anatomical feature, how it’s involved with root canal treatment, and what you need to know. Apical Foramen: What Is It? To best understand apical foramen, it’s a
Have you ever felt around your mouth and felt the thin band of tissue above your front teeth that connects to your upper lip? Or lifted your tongue, and saw another thin piece of tissue connected to the bottom of your mouth? That’s called a frenulum, or frenum, and it’s a normal part of your mouth. But sometimes, this tissue can be too taught and impair oral function, which might
Micrognathia is a condition where the lower jaw is undersized. It’s quite common in infants, and in many situations, it corrects itself. This condition isn’t preventable and may occur when a child has another syndrome. Understanding what causes an undersized jaw and how the condition affects an individual can help you accommodate any special needs and additional care they might need. Causes of Micrognathia Micrognathia is relatively common in infants.
As you might know, teething infants and toddlers are drooling moppets. The act of teething naturally stimulates their salivary glands to produce an excess of beneficial saliva. But after age three at the latest, children’s surplus drooling days should be over. So, if you or someone you love (age four or older) experiences excessive drooling, it can be the result of: Swallowing issues or poor mouth/tongue control that’s not related to extra
There is more to keeping your teeth healthy than simply brushing them every day. You’ve probably been told the importance of cleaning your teeth since you were old enough to hold a toothbrush. But what about tongue care, diet, and fluoride use? Brush up on your oral care with 7 essential habits for excellent dental health. 1. Taking Care of Your Toothbrush For healthy teeth, rinse your toothbrush well after
You know that childhood friend of yours who could turn their tongue into a lucky three-leaf clover tongue? Well, it turns out he or she is part of an elite group. What makes one a gifted tongue twister? Some once thought genes played a role in rolling one’s tongue but actually, language is what really makes a difference. Tongue Rolling and Your Genes There are different ways and shapes some
