5 Ways to Maximize Your Dental Benefits Plan

With terms like PPO, HMO, in-network, and out-of-network to describe dental benefits, it’s no surprise that many don’t understand how to make the most of their plan. This means you may be overlooking benefits that are critical to maintaining your oral health.

(more…)

Read more

A Bite Out Of History: Chewing Gum

Need help whitening your teeth? Want to quit smoking? Trying to lose weight? There’s a chewing gum for all of that and more. New types of chewing gum are introduced all the time, but did you ever wonder how it managed to gain such a grip on consumers? Believe it or not, people have had a love affair with gum for thousands of years. From humble beginnings to hundreds of varieties, here’s a look at how chewing gum rose to become the powerhouse product it is today.

(more…)

Read more

5 Tips to Manage Your Child’s Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety is prevalent among young children and, in many cases, can stem from an adult’s own dental fears (whether you recognize them or not). If left unmanaged, going to the dentist can become an unpleasant ordeal for children. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

(more…)

Read more

Taking Blood Thinners? Here’s What It Means for Your Oral Health

Thinking about holding off on dental work because you’re on blood thinners? As tempting as it may be to cancel a trip to the dentist for fear of complications, ultimately, you may end up compromising your oral health. Anti-coagulant medication will most certainly impact your dentist’s approach to your care, but many procedures can still be conducted safely and successfully. If you’re taking blood thinners due to a current or previous health condition, here’s what you need to know.

(more…)

Read more

7 Dental Hacks to Protect Your Child’s Smile

Take notes, tired parents! If you’ve all but emptied your bag of tricks to get your little one to brush and floss regularly, there are still a few more cards you can put up your sleeve to help keep smiles cavity-free.

(more…)

Read more

Parent’s Cheat Sheet: 5 Steps to Solving the Sweets Problem

Birthday celebrations, holidays, and countless school or extracurricular activities in between children’s social calendars can seem like endless fun, until you realize they can also translate into a non-stop, cavity-inducing sugar high. This doesn’t necessarily mean, however, that your child is destined for a long list of dental problems. Use this dental cheat sheet when a special occasion arises to keep his or her smile cavity-free.

(more…)

Read more

How to Recognize and Prevent Gum Disease

Gum disease affects approximately half of all Americans. While that’s a startling statistic, what’s more notable is that most cases are preventable. The good news is that preventative care is simple and, by taking care of your smile daily, you can ensure you don’t become part of the statistic above.

(more…)

Read more

The Dirt on “Dragon Breath” And How to Slay It for Good

There’s a reason people commonly refer to halitosis as “dragon breath”: it’s a beast of an oral health problem that can put off anyone within close range! Mints and mouthwashes can mask the issue, but in order to truly defeat it, you’ll need to treat the underlying cause.

(more…)

Read more

Dental 911: How to Handle Common Teeth Crises

Dental nightmares can come true, as much as you hope it doesn’t happen to you! If you’re lucky, a quick call to the dentist can get you seen immediately, but what happens if disaster strikes when the office is closed, you’re traveling, or some other less than ideal scenario? Find out how you can help manage the situation until you get the professional care you need.

(more…)

Read more

Dentist or Detective? Major Health Clues Your Mouth Provides

Chew on this for a minute: just by glancing inside your mouth, your dentist can tell you a number of things that may be news to you and your doctor! Surprising as it may sound, your oral health can speak volumes about the rest of your body, and something as simple as a routine dental checkup can benefit your health and wallet big time. From harmful habits to life-threatening diseases, find out what clues your mouth can provide about your well-being.

(more…)

Read more