Dental Tips

What is Your Mouth Trying to Tell You?

What is your teeth trying to tell you graphic

You may not realize it, but your mouth is probably trying to tell you something pretty serious after you turn thirty. Past the age of thirty you have a fifty percent chance of suffering from some form of gum disease. If you are experiencing chronic bad breath, bleeding gums while brushing, bleeding or sore gums while flossing, discolored gums, or gums that are moving away from your teeth than your mouth is telling you that you have gum disease. Don’t wait too long to address gum disease. If you see the signs than you should visit your dentist for treatment. … Continue reading

Tea for Your Teeth

Tea for teeth graphic

Many drink options can contribute to issues with dental health. Whether it’s the acid in fruit juices or the acid and sugar in soft drinks, it’s hard finding drinks that don’t harm teeth or, in fact help them. Tea is one of the best drinks for your teeth, research has found. This is especially true with green tea where antioxidants called catechins improve oral health. A study done in Japan found that almost all participants who drank at least one cup of tea a day showed improvement in gum health and reduced gum bleeding. Keep in mind though that while … Continue reading

Is Chewing Gum Good For Your Oral Health?

Chewing gum graphic

Here’s something to chew on: gum has some surprising health benefits. Bacteria be gone: In a 2015 study, researchers at Holland’s University of Groningen observed that after chewing sugar-free gum for 10 minutes, up to 100 million bacteria were removed from participants’ mouths. That’s 1/10 of the bacteria that lives in our mouths! But before you clear out your local supermarket of all the gum in their checkout aisle, be aware: after 10 minutes of gum chewing, no additional bacteria was found to be removed, just redistributed around the mouth. Spit is it: Chewing gum can also be helpful in preventing tooth … Continue reading

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Smile

New smile graphic

Alright, you’ve signed up for a gym membership, you’ve stocked your fridge with kale (link to blog about nutrition here) and you’re all ready for the New Year. But have you thought about your smile? Here are some easy ways you can resolve to improve your smile this year! 1. Keep Those Pearly Whites Bright Teeth whitening is an easy and safe procedure your dentist can do either in-office or provide you with an in-home kit. Years of food and drink damage can cause unsightly stains, which is perfectly normal but not something you have to live with! Avoid bleaching … Continue reading

If You Dread the Dentist, Ask About These Treatments

If you dread the dentist graphic

Many people cringe at the thought of sliding into the dentist’s chair. For some people, even the idea of opening their mouth wide to the bright lights of the exam room is enough to make their hearts beat faster and for their words to catch in their throat. So, if you like so many others dread going to the dentist, then you will want to read this. There are multiple things that your dentist can do to make your experience less frightening, and with nearly 1 in 25 people being dental-phobic, dentists are more than willing to lend a helping … Continue reading

TMD: What is it, and how do you fix it?

TMD graphic

Have you ever experienced jaw pain? Maybe when you wake up in the morning you have tenderness in your face and problems opening your mouth, or maybe you have been hearing a clicking or popping sound when you chew. If you have experienced any of these symptoms you may have TMD otherwise known as temporomandibular disorder. The temporomandibular joint is the hinge that connects the jaw to the bones in the skull. This joint makes it possible for the jaw to move up and down, side to side, and also allows for chewing, talking, and yawning to take place. While … Continue reading

How to Deal With a Dental Emergency

Dental emergency graphic

Ouch! Our teeth have an easy way of becoming a problem if not cared for properly. And if we don’t seek help to treat simple problems, they can turn quite dangerous. Here are a couple of issues that can arise and simple explanations on what to do immediately if they occur! If you are experiencing a bleeding tongue cause from biting it, simply apply a cold compress. This will help reduce any swelling. But if you have painful swelling, you may have an infected area (abscess) that can cause serious issues and needs immediate dental attention.As for teeth, if you … Continue reading

“You’re Never Too Old for Cavities!”

Cavities and aging graphic

If you think that cavities are solely associated with children, think again! You may have made it through your younger years cavity-free, but it doesn’t mean that you are 100% safe from those painful decay formations. Cavities are not found in children alone: they can occur at any age. According to Judith Jones, a general dentistry professor at Boston University, “it is as much of a problem in seniors as it is in kids.” This is in part due to the rise in dental health education and technological advances over the past half a century, which have resulted in more … Continue reading

What Jaw Pain Could Mean

Jaw pain graphic

Having jaw pain is never fun. In fact, if you are experiencing jaw pain than you could be experiencing issues eating, drinking, and talking. There are many different explanations for jaw pain. Here are some possible causes of jaw pain: TMJ or TMDSinus problemsToothacheInfectionsTooth grindingPeriodontal disease A dentist cannot address all of these problems, but can set a treatment plan for some of them. For issues such as tooth grinding your dentist may recommend a mouth guard or a night guard to put an end to your grinding. This takes pressure off the teeth and jaw. For other issues your … Continue reading

How Family Dynamics Effect Oral Health in Children

Family oral health graphic

The connection between physical and mental health is one of the most confusing and difficult to research connections in medicine today. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence that suggests poor mental health can lead to poor physical health, but little specific evidence. However, a 2011 study conducted by the New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) seeks to back this connection with hard data. The study was designed to assess the link between dental health and family dynamics in children. They were testing to see if there was an actual physiological effect of poor parenting on oral health. In a … Continue reading


Paxton Dental Care now offers Epic X Laser Teeth Whitening Treatment