Everyone braces themselves at the dentist when they hear those five dreaded words: “You need a root canal.” Society has built root canals up to be a big and terrifying procedure, but the truth is it is incredibly common and simple. Millions of people have this small procedure done each year and come out of it with healthier, stronger teeth. But people are often afraid of things they do not know. So what exactly is a root canal? Let’s break it down together to learn the basics and see why we don’t have to be afraid.
(more…)Shannon Arndt DMD
Concord's Friendliest Dentist
Did you know? There’s more than one kind of dental filling you can have in your mouth to repair a cavity. You probably know about the shiny metal fillings, but do you know about the others? Take a look and test your dental filling knowledge!
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So your dentist is recommending a partial denture to compensate for a “gap” in your mouth, but what is it? Turns out, partial dentures are pretty common and have tons of benefits. They require some maintenance but are generally easy to get used to and do a great job keeping your mouth healthy. Partial dentures are exactly what they sound like, a removable denture that fits to only part of your mouth, usually to fill a gap(s) in between your teeth.
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No, not that kind of crown. While it would be nice to be royally crowned, usually when your dentist tells you that you need a crown, it’s not because you’re becoming royalty (though we won’t stop you from thinking that!). A crown is often used in conjunction with other dental procedures. In this post, we go into depth about what a crown is and why you may need one.
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We are taught at a young age the importance of brushing our teeth, but how do we know we are brushing correctly? Here are some techniques and steps to follow to make sure you make the best out of your teeth brushing experience.
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When it comes to your dental health, a small change like a new toothbrush can really help keep your dental hygiene effective. If replacing a toothbrush costs less than $2, why not keep up with replacing your toothbrushes when necessary? Often, many of us push this to the wayside and continue brushing with worn, blown out toothbrushes. How often should you replace your toothbrush?
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Everyone knows that tooth decay is bad. Tooth decay can cause bad breath, teeth that are painful or falling apart, unsightly colors and marks on teeth, and may even cause other problems like gingivitis, or worse. But what exactly is tooth decay, and what causes tooth decay to occur?
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The thrill of trick or treating is one we can empathize with. We remember being children and wanting to collect as much candy as we possibly could (or would fit in our bags). Realistically, however, after mom and dad have “candy taxed” their children’s collection, most children can’t or won’t be able to eat all of the candy they collected. Many other candies are disliked by children and end up in the trash. Is there a better place that this candy can go to? We go over some great places you can donate your excess candy.
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If you’re dealing with tooth decay or a broken tooth, your dentist might recommend a dental crown, which can help prevent further damage. When you’ve decided on a tooth crown, there are several options when it comes to what type of crown you will get. It’s important to understand these options, so you can understand your dentist’s recommendation.
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Your willingness to smile is directly related to your self-confidence. If you have less-than-white teeth, you might be less inclined to smile because you’re embarrassed. Having white teeth tends to make us feel more self-assured and be more positive when it comes to our appearance. There’s a lot you can do to avoid staining your teeth in the first place, and one of the big things is being aware of what kind of food and drink can stain your teeth. Let’s talk about some common teeth-staining food and drink. You may be surprised about some of them!
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