What Happens to Your Tooth After It’s Extracted
Have you ever wondered what happens to your tooth after it is extracted by your dentist? Surprisingly, it's not so cut-and-dry.
When a tooth is...
Can You Keep Your Extracted Teeth?
When I was in dental school, it was "against the rules" to give patients back their extracted teeth. I never really questioned this rule...
Why This Dentist Gives Out Halloween Candy
While watching baseball's American League Championship Series last week, I saw a commercial for Verizon that shows a family out trick-or-treating.
Upon looking at his...
60 Photos of Teenagers with Braces
Many teenagers wonder what they'll look like with braces, and what colors of rubber bands will look best with their hair color and facial...
Fluoride Supplement Dosage Chart
In the 1940's, water fluoridation officially started in the United States. While it is believed that water fluoridation does reduce tooth decay, there are...
Can a Sinus Infection Be Caused by a Tooth?
A couple of years ago, I wrote a post discussing sinus infections, prompted by my wife's experience. She had severe tooth pain caused by...
Why Dental Anesthetic Has Epinephrine (Adrenaline) In It
When you get a dental injection, your body wonders why on earth you're allowing a sharp metal object to penetrate your gums! It quickly...
Can Dental Anesthetic Really Make Your Heart Beat Faster?
Back when I was in dental school, the instructors told us to always pull back on the anesthetic syringe before injecting. By doing this,...
Colored Fillings
"Your child has a cavity."
Not many parents want to hear those words, especially if their child has dental anxiety.
Last summer, I saw a three...
How Your Dentist Knows You’re Not Flossing
A recent survey by the American Dental Association found that just under half of all Americans floss their teeth daily.
What about the other half?
My...
Eruption Cyst: Photos of a Purple Bump on the Gums
A little over a year ago, I wrote an article discussing eruption cysts. Those are the bluish-purple bumps that can form on the gums...
Five Reasons to Go to the Dentist This Year
It's been estimated that half of all Americans don't go to the dentist regularly. If you find yourself in that half, how about making...
Craze Lines: Hairline Cracks In Your Front Teeth
Catherine recently left a comment asking about the discolored lines that she has running vertically in her front teeth. She was curious about what...
Dental Suction: Why Dentists Use a Suction
A reader named Jeanny recently emailed me the following questions:
Why is it necessary to suction after local anesthetic?
Why is it necessary to suction when doing a filling?
...
Ten Interesting Facts About the Dentist’s Drill
1 - There are two main types of dental drills: the high-speed and the slow-speed. The high-speed drill rotates around 250,000 RPM. That means...
