Currently, research and clinical experience indicate elective extractions of wisdom teeth for the majority of young adults. However, visiting your dentist for a wisdom teeth evaluation is the wisest decision you can make. For those looking for a trivia question, there are usually 32 teeth present in the human mouth. The last of these teeth…
Once shocked by his patients' hatred of dentists, George Williams, DDS, now better understands "anti-dentites," or people with fears about dental care. If you have dentophobia, read Dr. Williams' suggestions for overcoming it. There was a time in my life when I would have guessed the number-one answer to the Family Feud question – Which health-care…
I know most people don't look forward to their dental appointments. Yet, there are many things you can do to make your visit to the dentist as pleasant as possible. Try these seven steps. They'll make you and your dentist happy. Airport security lines amaze me. Two words: SENSORY OVERLOAD. As you are being corralled…
Too often during a new patient exam I hear, “Just pull them and give me some dentures.” While dentures can be an indispensable aid in completing daily tasks, such as speaking, eating and re-gaining confidence in public, they have extensive limitations and require realistic expectations. At Mercy Dental Services, I have the distinct pleasure of…
Untreated cavities lead to two rounds of pain: initial pain and recurring pain. However, if you can put up with it long enough, the pain goes away because the nerve eventually dies. You might then believe your body has fixed the problem, but months or years after the initial pain, another pain strikes with a vengeance….
This year, as you’re putting the presents under the tree, take a moment to consider these 12 important tips on kids’ oral health. A lifetime of health smiles is always a perfect gift for a child! #1 – See a Dentist by Age 1 An Age 1 Dental Visit is recommended by the American Academy…
With the holidays drawing near, I recently saw a clip from the old movie, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. Hermey the Elf, a personal childhood hero of mine, decides that he will give up making toys to pursue a career in dentistry. Hermey’s boss was less than pleased and cringed at his announcement. What Makes…
One of my favorite Dr. Seuss books growing up was Hop on Pop. However, my dad hated the book with a passion — probably because I liked to act out the pictures. “We like to hop on top of Pop. STOP! You must not hop on Pop.” Twenty years later, I find myself using these rhymes…
