The Arndt Dental team, Concord’s Friendliest Dentist, is looking forward to Thanksgiving and we hope you are, too. Whether it’s the meal, gathering with loved ones, catching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, or binge-watching holiday movies, Turkey Day has a lot to recommend it! 

Excitement aside, we also hope that you’ll be thankful for our little primer on the Thanksgiving treats that could compromise your healthy smile. Knowing which ones to watch for in advance goes a long way to keeping your smile bright this holiday season. 

Though it can come as a surprise to some parents, one of the first major changes in your child’s dental development is the arrival of their six-year molars. These are the first set of permanent molars and typically appear around age six, hence the name. 

Unlike baby teeth, six-year molars come in behind the baby teeth without pushing any of them out and remain part of your child’s permanent set.

Just when you thought teething was over, right?! 

You might not be familiar with the term bruxism, but if you’re like the estimated 30% of people who grind their teeth in some way, you likely know how painful this habit can be. While it often occurs during sleep, many people may not even be aware they’re doing it. That in and of itself is scary, when you consider that people who grind their teeth can actually exert up to 250 pounds of force. Not surprisingly, if left unchecked, bruxism can lead to serious dental issues, such as worn-down teeth, jaw pain, headaches, and even temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. 

Let’s take a look at the causes of tooth grinding for both adults and children in order to introduce you to some strategies and solutions that can help!

As the school year kicks off, many parents are focused on ensuring their children have everything they need to succeed—new notebooks, sharpened pencils, backpack, water bottle — to name just a few on the seemingly endless school supply list.

But what about their lunchbox? Or, more specifically, the contents of said lunchbox.

While we’re always proud of our distinction as Concord’s friendliest dentist, we recognize that dental anxiety is a real thing. 

If you find yourself dreading or delaying your next dental appointment, even if it’s just a routine cleaning, this blog post is for you!

Spoiler alert: this is a fairly gross blog post. Nevertheless, it’s an important topic, which is why we feel compelled to ensure you know the signs of gum disease so that you can do something about it.

‘Tis the season to be jolly, which often means indulging in too much sugar. That’s why we’re offering some suggestions on stuffing those stockings with gifts that our team actually endorses. In fact, we even consulted our friend The Tooth Fairy to get her take on the best tooth-friendly treats to tuck into your stockings.

In the quest to have shiny, stain-free teeth, some companies hype products that can do more harm than good. 

That’s why we’re dedicating our latest blog post to those whitening treatments you should skip for the sake of your overall oral health. Sometimes, it’s not just the products but the inappropriate application or use of whitening agents that you need to avoid. 

We’ll cover these and offer some tips to help whiten your teeth safely and effectively. Spoiler alert: professional tooth whitening is always your best bet. 

Tooth brushing is an important lifelong habit, and good dental care starts young! Check out some of our tips to make sure your child builds healthy dental habits. 

In our last blog post, we discussed how sleep disorders can affect dental health. Some sleep issues are related to habits like tooth grinding or snoring. But there are lots of other habits or conditions that can affect oral health. Learn more about some things that you might not realize can affect the health of your teeth.

In our last blog post, we discussed how dental health can affect your overall health. But did you know that there are lots of sleeping conditions and sleeping habits that can affect your teeth, too? Read on to learn more about four things that can affect your dental health.