Back to School Mouth Guards: The American Dental Association claims that there are 200,000 injuries a year that can be prevented if a mouth guard was worn. Wearing mouth guards prevents trauma to teeth and can reduce impact playing certain sports. This sports include: Acrobatics Basketball Boxing Field hockey Football Gymnastics Handball Ice hockey Lacrosse Martial arts Racquetball Roller hockey Rugby Shot putting Skateboarding Skiing Skydiving Soccer Squash Surfing Volleyball Water polo Weightlifting Wrestling  And, according to the American Association of Orthodontists, 84% of children playing  in organized sports don't wear protection. Most parents don't enforce the mouth guard because children find them bulky, uncomfortable, and difficult to talk with them in. While, I do understand the hesitation of wearing sports guards, the trauma that can occur during these sports to teeth can be extensive. In my office, we make custom fit sports guards fo...

Colgate Update: What's In Your Mouth? To understand what happens when your teeth decay, it's helpful to know what's in your mouth naturally. Here are a few of the elements: Saliva: Your mouth and teeth are constantly bathed in saliva. Although we never give much thought to our spit, this simple fluid is remarkable for what it does to help protect our oral health. Saliva keeps teeth and other oral tissues moist and lubricated, washes away some of the food particles left behind after we eat, keeps acid levels in the mouth low, and protects against some viruses and bacteria. Plaque: Plaque appears as a soft, gooey substance that sticks to the teeth a bit like jam sticks to a spoon. It is, in fact, colonies of bacteria, protozoa, mycoplasmas, yeasts and viruses clumping together in a gel-like organic material. Also in the mix are bacteria byproducts, white blood cells, food debris and body tissue. Plaque grows when bacteria attach to the to...

Here's a little history on implants that most people don't know:  Implants are not a new procedure. In fact, did you know that dental implants have been traced all the way back to 600AD? Mayan woman have been found with tooth like pieces hammered into their jaw. OUCH! It makes modern dentistry look like a piece of cake. It wasn't until the 1950's that a group of dentists formed the AAID ( American Academy of Implant Dentistry ) to share their knowledge of implants. This group continuously holds meetings, conferences and publishes journals about newest technology and the lastest improvements in their respective field. This group includes over 4,000 members consisting of many different specialists in dentistry as well as general dentists such as myself.   Roughly 70 percent of people age 35 to 44 are at least missing one tooth. And, 25% over the age of 74 have lost all of the teeth. This is why my staff and I promote the importance of oral health.  Implants can pro...

1) 3 Warning Signs of Impacted Wisdom Teeth Symptom #1: Patient is experiencing throbbing pain in the back of the mouth. Usually, when wisdom teeth become impacted, it causes a great deal of pain, particularly as the condition worsens. Patients may notice the pain radiating from the back of the mouth, particularly focused on the area around the wisdom teeth and other molars. This pain will get worse as the surrounding teeth begin to become affected. Symptom #2: Gums become swollen and red in color. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause serious gum issues. The gums may become swollen and tender to the touch. They may start to bleed when pressure is applied, making flossing and brushing both painful and difficult. If you notice your gums becoming swollen and tender, it may very well be impacted wisdom teeth but can also be other forms of gum disease, so it is important that you see your dentist immediately.  Symptom #3: Swelling near or around the jaw Impacted wisdom t...

At Oak Grove Dental, we believe it's important to treat our patients with the highest quality of care. We also feel that it is our duty to inform our patients about oral health and EMPOWER them to live healthier lives! Here are some interesting fun dental facts about your teeth that we thought would be fun to share! The enamel on the top surface of your tooth is the hardest part of your entire body. Teeth start to form even before your are born. Humans have four different types of teeth: Incisors, Canine, Pre-Molars, and Molars. They are used to cut, grind and tear our food. Humans have only two sets of teeth in their entire lifetime. No two people have the same set of teeth. Your teeth are as unique as your fingerprint. Your mouth produces over 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime. (That's enough to fill 2 swimming pools, LOL!) An average person spends 38.5 days of their life brushing their teeth over their entire lifetime. There are many diseases that are l...

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