Sure, everybody knows dental floss when they see it (we hope), and if you’re in a periodontal program, you may be using miles of it. But do you recognize this gizmo? It’s for “interdental” hygiene, especially useful for people with substantial spaces between their teeth at the gum line. Some studies show that interdental brushing, […]
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Tongue Tales
Traditionally, doctors and dentists have depended on the tongue to help them diagnose various diseases. And tongues do have a lot to say. For example, scarlet fever is accompanied by a spotted “strawberry” tongue. Burning tongue, a very painful condition, affects primarily post-menopausal women and can reflect systemic problems. Hairy leukoplakia is a common AIDS-related […]
Prevention is Your Best Protection
If you’re like the rest of us, now that belt-tightening is the “new normal,” you may already be eating more meals at home, dropping subscriptions, vacationing closer to home. You may also be tempted to cut back on your dental care. But think it over. If a problem has surfaced with your oral health, nipping […]
When it Comes to Toothpaste
Choosing the right toothpaste for yourself—or your family—goes beyond the coupon you may have in hand, or bright displays in the marketplace. For your health, you have to think like a dentist. At different times in our lives, dental strategies change, toothpaste requirements change. And product name isn’t half as important as the basic components […]
When Prescriptions and Dentistry Don’t Mix
Some prescribed drugs and dental surgery may not be a good mix. You might not think that what your MD prescribes—and what your dentist does for your mouth’s well-being—are closely related. But both are significant. If you are contemplating upcoming dentistry like a tooth extraction or an implant, it may be helpful to review which […]
Dead Toothbrushes
A really dead toothbrush—one badly worn and frayed, not necessarily just old—is like having no toothbrush at all. In fact, you’re probably doing more harm than good if your brush has seen better days. All dead toothbrushes should be given a decent burial. If you have doubts about the life left in your toothbrush, bring […]
The War on Germs: Are We Winning? Should we be?
Homicide: bad word. It means killing another human being. Germicide? For many, good word. It promises to kill what are hated and feared most in this super-sanitary era: germs. Germ is sort of a catchall that refers to any microorganism we can’t actually see. That’s sort of like referring to every non-human living thing as […]
OUCH! Pizza Burns
Do you enjoy eating fresh, hot pizza? If so, you may have experienced a common mouth injury—”pizza burn.” Dentists use this term for a minor burn of the gums and the roof of the mouth (palate). The most frequent cause is biting into hot food such as pizza. The telltale sign of a pizza burn […]
Tongue Brushing
An Old Habit Seems New Here’s an idea that may be new to you. Did you ever think of brushing your tongue? Actually, tongue-brushing is an ancient practice. Our ancestors considered it part of their daily hygiene. Yet many people today aren’t aware that their tongue needs brushing as much as their teeth do. In […]
What to Know About Gum Disease
It afflicts as many as nine in 10 adults at some point in their lives, as well as teenagers and children as young as five or six years of age. Yet, many suffer from it without even suspecting anything is wrong. “It” is periodontal, or gum, disease—in the minds of most dentists, Public Enemy Number […]
