Archive for October, 2010
Should Dentists Buy Back Halloween Candy from Kids?
Over the past week, I’ve heard of a few dental offices around the United States that are offering to buy back Halloween candy from kids. The going rate is $1 per pound. The dentists then take this candy and ship it overseas to American soldiers that are sacrificing for our country. Here’s an article that [...]
Why Teeth Hurt
There are several easy answers to the question, “Why do teeth hurt?” For example, teeth hurt because you don’t take care of them. But, that’s not what I want to talk about in this article. I want to talk about why it is that teeth hurt so much. They’re so small, yet if you’ve ever [...]
What Happens In Your Mouth Every Time You Eat or Drink
Did you know that you are the life of the party? Every time you eat fermentable carbohydrates, millions of bacteria in your mouth shout for joy as they snack on the food that you are eating. There’s just one small problem: after they’re done eating, they need to use the restroom. Since there’s no toilet [...]
Why Is The Water Fluoridation Debate So One-Sided?
I read an opinion piece about water fluoridation this past Wednesday written by Katherine Kelly. Katherine was one of the people who sponsored Measure A on Crescent City, California’s ballot, which would put a stop to water fluoridation in Crescent City. In her editorial she brings up two scientific sources, one from the American Dental [...]
348 Medications that Cause Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)
Did you know that many prescription and over-the-counter medications we take every day can cause dry mouth? As I mentioned in my previous article about the causes of dry mouth, the main types of drugs that can cause dry mouth are anti-depressants, sedatives, beta-blockers, high blood pressure medication, antihistamines, and cold/flu medications. Many medications have [...]
Don’t Let Your Teeth Get Hurt This Cold & Flu Season
Three weeks ago I got a cold. I was just getting over it when we went up to Maine, and right when we got back I got sick again. I’m finally getting better, but my oral hygiene has been less than stellar over the past few weeks! Now that the days are getting colder and [...]
Power Chains: Why Some Colored Braces are Connected
If you take a look at the young woman to the left, you’ll notice that she has blue colored rubber bands that attach the orthodontic wire to her braces. You may also notice that it is one long, continuous band. This is known as a power chain. Most braces currently used require a rubber band, [...]
When Should Your Baby’s First Tooth Come In?
Many parents wait with anticipation to finally see their baby’s first tooth poking through the gums. A baby getting his or her very first tooth can be an exciting and sometimes tiring experience for both baby and parents. When does the average baby get their first tooth? When Does a Baby’s First Tooth Erupt? The [...]
Adult Permanent Teeth Coming In Behind Baby Teeth: Shark Teeth
Many parents become alarmed when they look in their child’s mouth and see the permanent teeth growing behind the baby teeth. What went wrong? Aren’t the permanent teeth supposed to grow under the baby teeth and push them out? Rest assured, permanent teeth coming in behind baby teeth is not an emergency! Ordinarily, as the [...]
Six Main Causes of Xerostomia or Dry Mouth
Dry mouth, or xerostomia to medical professionals, occurs in 25% of older adults and has even been reported to occur in 10% of adults in their 30′s. Dry mouth is a condition that can have a negative impact on your oral health. It also impacts your ability to eat food and speak, and has been [...]
OA Links: Maine Dental Association and Glamour Magazine
My wife and I traveled up to Maine this past weekend to attend the Maine Dental Association’s annual conference. Since Maine doesn’t have very many dentists, they are trying to attract dental students to go and practice there after they have graduated. It was really pretty (see the end of this post for some pictures), [...]
Colored Braces: What Colors of Braces Can You Get?
Not too long ago, I spent a week of my dental school career in the orthodontics department, helping the future orthodontists to straighten people’s teeth. A lot of the teenagers’ favorite part of their appointment was at the very end when they got to choose what color their braces would be for the few weeks [...]
Six Common Places Where You Might Get a Cavity
Imagine you are in the dental office and the dentist is showing you on a screen where in your mouth you are most likely to get cavities, much like in the picture to the left. Wouldn’t that advice be invaluable? It would probably help you know where to concentrate when you brush. Although you’re not [...]
Is the Blue Dental Curing Light Harmful?
Recently, Christopher, a thirteen-year-old reader from Michigan wanted to know if the blue light that dentists use to cure fillings and sealants can hurt your teeth when used for a long period of time. He told me that when he was at the dentist’s office getting sealants placed on his back teeth, they shined a [...]
Hi, I'm Tom. I'm currently a 4th year dental student in the USA. I started this blog to help people take better care of their teeth. You can 
Entries(RSS)