Claims have been circulating that flossing is pointless. Here’s the truth You may have noticed a recent wave of headlines suggesting that flossing is overrated. The news stems from an Associated Press article entitled: “Medical benefits of dental floss unproven.” The article suggests that many of the studies that back flossing are too small, too [...]
Thanksgiving is a holiday infamous for rows of food choices, many of which are not especially healthy. Fortunately, you can have a delicious feast that is also good for you with these healthy Thanksgiving tips. Here are some dishes you can serve that include foods recommended for healthy teeth by the University of Rochester Medical [...]
As each October creeps up on Cindy Flanagan, DDS, MAGD, spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry(AGD), her mind always wanders to the amount of sweets both children and adults will be consuming during the last few months of the year. "Too many sweets can cause a spooky mouth," says Dr. Flanagan. "People have the [...]
Halloween is around the corner, which for most children means bags of free candy and a chance to build a stockpile of sweets for the winter. No surprise, Halloween can also present parents with a variety of health and safety challenges. Here are 10 ways you can help your children stay MouthHealthy during Halloween and [...]
Keeping your teeth strong, your gums healthy, and your smile bright is not just a day job; your mouth needs protection at night too. Donna L. Zak, D.D.S., of Zak & Frankel Dental Associates in New York City, explains: "Nighttime oral hygiene is important because while we're sleeping, we're not swallowing, so the bacteria in [...]
The last teeth to develop can cause havoc for the rest of your healthy mouth. Yet there's growing controversy about whether we really need to have them taken out. Just as you enter adulthood, your wisdom teeth make their presence known in the far reaches of your mouth. Wisdom teeth — officially the third molars [...]
Many medical professionals consider obesity to be a chronic disease. It is well understood that obesity is on the rise in the United States, and that younger and younger members of our community are becoming obese due to poor nutrition and eating habits. Research has demonstrated that obesity will increase the risk for hypertension, type [...]
August 22nd is National Tooth Fairy Day, and while plenty of Americans surely celebrate the day by employing the fairy (or fairies) and her generous cash giving, the rest of the world has their own tooth-centric traditions in place to honor anyone or anything responsible for whisking their teeth away. Think that placing your tooth [...]
Likely users of chewing tobacco are teenage boys who play baseball. But no matter who is using it, chewing tobacco and other forms of smokeless tobacco can harm oral health. According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), children, especially boys, may begin using chewing tobacco as early as grammar school. Approximately four percent of [...]
Sucking is a natural reflex for babies. They start to develop and practice it even before they are born. Sucking is a normal part of development that is comforting to children well into their first years of life. In fact, sucking often brings comfort even after a child no longer needs to get nourishment from [...]
