February is National Children’s Dental Health month. While children are growing and developing certain patterns are established that later cannot be changed.

Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily are the most effective ways to reduce the risk of getting cavities and gum disease. However, molars and premolars (bicuspids) often have narrow, deep grooves on the biting surfaces that toothbrush bristles are too wide to reach

It’s time to review your annual dental benefits before they are lost. Most employer sponsored health insurance plans are on a calendar year. This means that the current year plan expires the last day of each year, renews in January and any unused benefits for the current year will be lost. If you have dental benefits coverage in your employer sponsored health insurance plan you may have unused dental benefits available to you and your family.

Teeth whitening is one of the most common cosmetic procedures requested by patients in the dental office. To achieve the desired outcome (how white) most economically and effectively, it is important to determine why the teeth are dark to begin with.

Why gums bleed is a common question that patients ask their dentist and dental hygienist. It is a fitting question because it correctly assumes that bleeding gums are not healthy. Bleeding is a sign that the body is trying to fight off an infection and has responded by creating an inflammatory response. Sometimes bleeding gums are not obvious to the patient but detected by the dentist or hygienist.

Comprehensive dental care is an approach that addresses the immediate and long-term treatment needs and includes prevention and early detection. The aim of this approach is to establish a healthy oral environment and then maintain health. When a patient presents to the dentist with multiple problem areas or a history of multiple problems this person requires a comprehensive approach rather than a limited-focus area approach (tooth by tooth dentistry). The comprehensive approach requires evaluation, diagnosis, and a treatment plan.

Tracy Nguyen DDS interviews Robert Gallegos DDS on the often undiagnosed Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome(UARS).

A favorite bedtime story and the soothing voice of a parent can put a child to sleep and start a process of health and well-being that can be accomplished only through good sleep. There is overwhelming evidence that shows how important good sleep is for children’s mental and physical health, growth and development.

Cigarette smoking in the United States continues to decrease, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). While this may be good news, cigarette smoking continues to be the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States.

To maintain great oral health throughout life, parents need to start the process of good oral habits for their children even before teeth erupt. A simple cotton gauze or cloth gently wiped over the gums will clean these areas but more importantly condition the child to be accepting of assistance and learn good oral health.

Preventive dentistry’s aim is to avoid opportunities for disease that cause tooth decay and other oral health problems. Disease opportunities happen when the immune system and/or the balance of bacteria in our bodies change allowing for disease to start. The two main types of dental disease are decay (cavities) and periodontal disease (gum disease). The way to avoid dental disease is through patient education, proper nutrition, excellent homecare and regular dental visits.

You may have read some of my articles on sleep apnea, snoring, breathing, airway issues and nutrition. These issues are interrelated. Keep in mind that our most basic and most important nutrient is air. We can live with other depleted nutrients but not without air. It is the most essential nutrient. In an abbreviated way let me explain how various healthcare providers can work together to address interrelated healthcare from an airway perspective.

More than 50 years ago there were no set standards for dental visits. In general, people had poor oral health. To improve dental health and establish prevention of dental disease, dental and health organizations developed some guidelines. Among those guidelines was the recommendation that people visit their dentist every six months for a check-up and thorough cleaning (hygiene). There was no research to support this guideline. In the last couple of decades studies conducted on frequency of dental visits and health care concluded visits should be customized to the patient.

Most women have difficulty breathing during the second and third trimesters as their baby grows. Due to physiological changes during pregnancy, breathing for moms is not as easy as it was before pregnancy. Weight gain during pregnancy (average 25-30 pounds) and the position of the baby can make breathing a struggle especially when sleeping.

We have all heard that eating right is one of the keys to good overall health. A poor diet is a lifestyle and often results in cavities, gum disease, type II diabetes, obesity and heart disease, to mention just a few. The ultimate consequences of lifestyle diseases are poor health, chronic illness, early death, and escalating health care costs.

The scientific evidence on breathing disorders in children is very clear; breathing disorders can lead to chronic medical problems that lower the quality and quantity of life. What does that mean? Breathing disorders adversely affect the quality of life in many ways including our children’s ability to participate in sports, stay focused in school, resist colds, socialize, and physically and neurologically grow and development (G&D).

Most people visit their dental hygienist more frequently than they see their regular physician. This gives the dental office the opportunity to weigh in on each patient’s health by reviewing their recent medial health, medications, hospitalizations, discuss blood pressure and heart rate and how they are feeling that day.

Every year when Halloween comes around I have this inner conflict: candy versus the dentist. What do I do? Do I give out toothbrushes and tooth paste and risk my house getting papered? Do I turn off my lights and go out for dinner? Or, do I embrace a bit of Americana?

What is Airway Focused Dentistry? Isn’t dentistry about the teeth and gums? Why would my dentist get involved in my airway?

Why is this important? If you have damaged teeth or cosmetic issues and would like attractive, strong teeth then read on. Dentistry has had some major advancements in a very short period of time especially in the materials we use to restore teeth.

Sleep is often overlooked and frequently underrated as one of the most important factors in good health. Adults 18-60 years old should get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night. At age 60 and older, sleep hours can decrease slightly. Younger than 18 years old the hours of sleep need to be 10 and greater, depending on age.

Today everyone should believe that they can keep most or all of their teeth for their entire life. There are many factors that can affect your oral health and some become more common and pronounced as we age.

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about children’s dental health.