Meadowbrook Dental Care Blog

If you wanted to have straight teeth back in the day, you were subject to a mouth full of metal, plus a retainer for the rest of your life. Thankfully, times have since changed! You can now have straight teeth in less time, without the fear of tearing up your lips, cheek, or tongue. 

Wearing the right sports equipment can enhance performance and protects you from injury. Athletes at all levels must use the appropriate gear for their sport if they want to reduce their chances of getting hurt. While the need for helmets and padding is obvious, many athletes ignore the protection that a mouth guard can provide until they suffer the pain and inconvenience of an oral injury.

No matter how often you brush your teeth or floss, the time may come when you need a root canal. This occurs when the cushion-like pulp inside a tooth becomes infected or injured in some way and may cause you distress.

Wisdom teeth get their name from the time of life they tend to appear: well after your “baby” teeth and as you’re entering adulthood, typically between ages 17 and 25. While not everyone has the large molars, many who do benefit from their removal. If they’re impacted or growing at odd angles, you have cavities or gum disease, or you don’t have room in your mouth for wisdom teeth, this likely includes you.

Even if you brush and floss daily and see your dentist twice a year, you may still end up with sensitive teeth. You know you have sensitive teeth when you feel sharp pain or discomfort when you eat or drink something cold or hot.

Your ideal smile is likely a row of white, immaculate teeth. You’re not alone, as teeth whitening solutions are one of the most requested dental services nationwide. Food, drink, and daily living can add up to stains on your teeth, which also tend to yellow with age. Lighter dental enamel thins, allowing darker-colored dentin below the surface to dull down your teeth’s appearance.

The changing of the year is a time of renewal for many people, fresh starts and putting their best foot forward. If your smile has held you back, perhaps it’s time to consider a dental upgrade.

Do you have trouble envisioning dentures that are permanently fixed in place? The two seem contradictory, don’t they? But thanks to advances in dentistry, they’re not. You now have the option of permanent dentures, or implant-supported fixed dentures.

Regular dental exams are your first line of defense when it comes to preserving the health of your teeth. This type of preventive care serves you well, and instead of viewing it as a road to our dental chair, think of it as an exit from unnecessary visits brought on by untreated, and highly preventable, oral problems.

Your gums play a vital role in keeping your smile healthy. Periodontal (gum) disease can wreck that role. If left too long, it can eventually result in tooth loss and open the door to severe, even life-threatening infections.