THE AMERICAN CANCER Society estimates that there will be over 54,000 new oral cancer cases just in 2024. In recent decades, the survival rate of these cancers has risen considerably, and early detection is a huge part of that. That’s why we’re using Oral Cancer Awareness month to educate our patients about oral cancer’s symptoms and risk factors.
Built-In Risk Factors
There are unavoidable risk factors: men are twice as prone to oral cancer as women and it affects people over the age of 45 much more. Preventative care and early detection are especially important for people in these categories.
Risk Factors We Can Avoid
Other risk factors can be controlled. By far the biggest is any kind of tobacco use. As much as 85% of oral cancer is linked to tobacco. Frequent and heavy alcohol consumption is another risk factor that can be avoided, as is too much sun exposure (which can lead to lip cancer), HPV, and not prioritizing oral hygiene habits.
Signs of Oral Cancer
Symptoms of oral cancer include persistent lip or mouth sores that don’t heal, odd lumps on the lip, mouth, throat, or neck, strange thickness in the cheek, numbness in the tongue or mouth, red or white patches inside the mouth, difficulty chewing or swallowing, a sensation like something is stuck in the throat, and even chronic bad breath. The dentist will often spot the signs before anyone else!
Your Dentist Plays a Crucial Role
Oral cancer is frequently detected in its early stages during routine dental checkups. Beyond looking for cavities and gum issues, dentists play a key role in screening for oral cancer, highlighting another important reason to keep up with your dental appointments. Regular visits to the dentist are not only beneficial for maintaining oral health but also serve as a preventive measure for your general well-being.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
WE DENTAL HEALTH professionals tend to be big fans of the Tooth Fairy. We can remember leaving a baby tooth under the pillow and looking forward to finding a nice reward the next morning. Other parts of the world have their own fascinating traditions with baby teeth too.
How About a Tooth Mouse?
Many European and Latin-American countries have a Tooth Mouse instead of a Tooth Fairy. She’s called La Petite Souris (“the little mouse”) in France, and “Raton Perez” in Spanish-speaking countries, and the Tooth Mouse swaps teeth under pillows for little gifts or money.
Toss Teeth for Luck
In China and Japan, kids toss their lower baby teeth upwards and their upper baby teeth downwards (or bury them) as a symbol of their hope that their adult teeth will grow in strong and in the right position.
Medieval Superstition
Medieval Europeans used to bury or burn baby teeth so that witches couldn’t use them against the person and so they wouldn’t impact their afterlife. Our Tooth Fairy tradition originated from much later European folklore, with the version we recognize developing in the early 1900s with the help of Disney’s popular fairy characters.
What Are Your Baby Teeth Traditions?
One important thing all these traditions does is help kids feel more excited about the sometimes-scary process of losing baby teeth. Does your family do something different with baby teeth? We’d love to hear more of our patients’ traditions. And no matter what your traditions are, make sure you’re taking great care of baby and adult teeth alike!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
WOMEN FACED AN uphill battle establishing themselves in many career fields, dentistry included. That’s why, for Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating three pioneers for women in dentistry.
Lucy Hobbs Taylor
Lucy Hobbs Taylor, born 1833, was the world’s first female dental school graduate. Many dental schools refused to admit her, but the Ohio College of Dental Surgery finally let her in. She married a Civil War veteran who was also a dentist and they opened a practice together in Lawrence, Kansas.
Emeline Roberts Jones
Emeline Roberts Jones, born 1836, came from the apprenticeship tradition of dentistry, which was still common well into the 1800s. After facing a lot of opposition, she was trained by her brother-in-law and established a practice in Connecticut. She was famous for her compassionate care and gentle touch.
Ida Gray Rollins Nelson
Ida Gray, born 1867, was the first African-American woman to become a licensed dentist. She became an orphan in her early teens and went to live with her aunt in Cincinnati. She found the time between school and seamstress work to train under Jonathan Taft, a dentist advocating for women dentists. Gray graduated from the University of Michigan Dental School in 1890 and established a practice in Chicago.
The Enduring Impact of Dental Trailblazers
The indelible contributions of Ida Gray, Lucy Hobbs Taylor, and Emeline Roberts Jones have left an enduring mark on the dental profession. Today, women play a vital role in dentistry, enriching the field with fresh perspectives and innovative approaches that enhance patient care. The legacy of these women serves as a beacon of inspiration, empowering women in dentistry and beyond to reach new heights.
We hope these three will continue inspiring new generations!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
ON THE LONG list of things parents need to teach their kids in childhood is proper flossing, but plenty of adults don’t know the best techniques themselves! We’re here to help. Daily flossing should be a priority for anyone with two teeth that touch each other because brushing alone cannot remove the plaque and food debris in those spaces. The longer it remains and builds up, the more it contributes to gum disease, cavities, and worse.
Helping Your Child Floss
Parents should floss their child’s teeth for them until they have the dexterity to do it themselves. Make it part of the daily routine. Explain that flossing matters for keeping their smile healthy, and flossing is something big kids do like tying their shoes. Floss picks can also make the process easier instead of using string floss.
The Proper Technique Makes a Difference
Good flossing technique starts with pulling out about a foot and a half of floss and wrapping it loosely around the middle fingers, with an inch or two left in the middle to slip between the teeth. Don’t just snap the floss down onto the gums, curve it around each tooth in a C-shape and gently work down. Then rotate the floss along so that it’s always clean floss being used for each new gap. Dirty floss won’t clean teeth!
The Dentist Can Help!
Incorporating proper flossing techniques into your child’s daily routine is essential for their long-term oral health. If you’re unsure about the correct flossing method or want a demonstration, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We’re dedicated to ensuring your child learns to floss effectively and confidently. Let us guide you through the process and make flossing a seamless part of their oral care regimen.
Together, we can train a new generation of effective flossers!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
EATING DISORDERS can cause many kinds of damage to the body, including the teeth. Oral hygiene habits and regular dental visits are crucial, but in order to maintain good oral health, we also need a variety of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals every day.
Anorexia Versus Oral Health
An eating disorder like anorexia nervosa can lead to osteoporosis, which increases the risk of tooth loss. It also causes dry mouth, increasing the risk of gum disease. It also makes it harder to avoid bad breath, because saliva washes away food particles.
Bulimia and Acid Erosion
Bulimia can be even more harmful to oral health, because in addition to starving the oral tissues of needed nutrients, frequent purging exposes the teeth to stomach acid, leading to enamel erosion, tooth discoloration, decay, and eventually tooth loss.
You Have Allies in Your Fight for Your Health
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses. The road to a healthier relationship with food and weight can be long and difficult. Sympathetic family members, friends, and licensed mental health professionals are key allies on that journey, and dental health professionals can help safeguard oral health along the way.
One of Those Allies Is the Dentist
The impact an eating disorder can have on the teeth and gums is severe enough that dentists may be some of the first to know that something is wrong. Recognizing the signs of an eating disorder and seeking timely intervention are crucial steps in protecting oral health and promoting overall wellness. Your dentist wants to help.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
BEING TONGUE-TIED isn’t just an expression; for many people, it’s an actual medical condition, and a similar one is being lip-tied. We all have thin, stretchy pieces of tissue that connect our tongues to the floor of our mouths and our lips to our gums. Sometimes those pieces of tissue are unusually thick or tight, which restricts the movement of the lip or tongue.
Effects of Tongue Tie and Lip Tie
Someone with a tongue tie might not be able to touch the roof of their mouth with their tongue, making it hard to chew, swallow, or pronounce words effectively. Someone with a lip tie might have a big gap between their two front teeth and be at higher risk of gum recession. Babies with a lip or tongue tie often struggle to latch effectively to breastfeed.
The Solution: Frenectomies
The treatment for a lip or tongue tie is a frenectomy, a quick and simple procedure with a short recovery period. It is usually performed by a periodontist or oral surgeon. After the area is numbed, a small incision (sometimes made with a laser) releases the tissue, which stops all of the symptoms. Super easy!
The Dentist Can Help!
If you believe you or your child have a lip or tongue tie, schedule a dental appointment so that we can verify it and make a plan for how to correct it. Don’t let it continue to get in the way!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
1 IN EVERY 8 Americans (including kids) has sensitive teeth. To understand why, we’ll need to take a look at dental anatomy.
Erosion and the Layers of a Tooth
Every tooth has nerves at the center. When the tooth is healthy, the nerve is protected by the outer layers. If the tooth enamel erodes enough, it can expose the porous dentin layer and subject the nerves to much more input than they’re supposed to get. That tends to make temperature changes or even a sudden burst of sour or sweet flavor very uncomfortable or even painful.
Other Causes of Tooth Sensitivity
Erosion is the main cause of tooth sensitivity but not the only one. Exposed roots can be very sensitive because roots rely on gum tissue to protect them, not enamel. Gum recession (which is most often caused by brushing too hard) can leave roots exposed and vulnerable. Damage to a tooth, whether through an accident or cavities, also leads to sensitivity.
Ways to Minimize Sensitivity
There are several things to do for sensitive teeth. First, throw out the hard-bristled toothbrush and get a soft-bristled one. It doesn’t take much pressure to clean away plaque when we brush, but too much can scrape away enamel and gum tissue. Switching to a toothpaste formulated for sensitive teeth should also help, and cut back on sugar intake and very acidic foods and drinks.
The Dentist Can Help!
If you’re experiencing tooth sensitivity, make sure to bring it up with the dentist. We can determine the cause of the problem and recommend or prescribe a toothpaste that could help or schedule any necessary treatment. Every bite of food or swallow of drink you enjoy shouldn’t come at the price of a nasty jolt!
We look forward to helping find your tooth sensitivity solution!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
WE HEAR A LOT of the same questions from patients and parents of patients, so let’s wrap up the year by answering three of them.
#1: My tooth doesn’t hurt, so why do I need a filling?
Cavities aren’t always painful. They form when tooth enamel is eroded away until a hole forms. As the hole gets deeper, it can reach the dentin and even the pulp chamber at the center of the tooth, but in the early stages, they usually don’t hurt. While the best option is preventing a cavity from forming at all, it’s much better to treat a cavity before it hurts than allow it to reach that point. By then, a filling alone might not be enough!
#2: How important is it to keep baby teeth healthy?
Just because baby teeth are temporary, that doesn’t mean they don’t serve an important purpose. Kids need them to speak clearly, chew effectively, and master the lifelong brushing and flossing habits that will protect their adult teeth. They also hold the places for those adult teeth.
#3: Should I be worried about the effect of pacifiers and thumbsucking on my child’s teeth?
Pacifier use and thumbsucking can indeed contribute to significant problems, but not when the child is very young. Babies and toddlers often find these habits very comforting, and they usually grow out of them on their own. If they’re showing no signs of stopping by age three, parents should consider strategies for discouraging the habit, like clipping the pacifier. We can help find the right solution.
Did We Miss Your Top Question?
When our patients are educated about their teeth and gums, they are more empowered to stay in control of their dental health, so if you have any questions we didn’t cover, make sure to ask them at your next appointment!
There’s nothing better than seeing our patients’ smiles!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
WE’VE BEEN HEARING for decades how dangerous smoking is to many aspects of our health. As dental professionals, our focus is particularly on the dangers to oral health, including unsightly stains on teeth at the less serious end of the spectrum, to a massively increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease, to life-threatening oral cancer. More recently, vaping and e-cigarettes have emerged as an alternative, but are they any better?
The Data Is Starting to Come In, and It Isn’t Good
Because these particular nicotine delivery mechanisms are so new, there isn’t as much data about their effects, but the evidence far shows a link between e-cigarettes and poor oral health. No matter how nicotine is consumed, it restricts blood flow to the gums, contributing to gum disease. An iScience study showed that far more e-cigarette users have gum disease than people who don’t.
People Who Vape Are Getting Periodontal Disease Younger
It’s difficult to know the long-term dangers of something so new, but researchers are seeing periodontal disease (typically an adult disease) in younger patients who vape, as well as an increase in cavities.
The term “vape” is also misleading. This isn’t water vapor that contains nicotine, it works more like aerosol — essentially nicotine hairspray, for the mouth. That doesn’t sound as appetizing, does it?
We Encourage Our Patients to Prioritize Oral Health
There are plenty of activities that are fun to do, look cool, and don’t endanger your oral and overall health in any way. We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment, and make sure you’re prioritizing the health of your teeth and gums in the meantime!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
WE’VE ALL HEARD of the active ingredient in toothpaste: fluoride. It supplies tooth enamel with important minerals to keep it strong and it protects against tooth decay. It’s the one ingredient toothpaste must contain to earn the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance. But what else is in toothpaste?
Other Active Ingredients
1. Mild abrasive ingredients help scrub the surfaces of our teeth clean as we brush (and it doesn’t take more than a soft-bristled toothbrush and gentle brushing to get the job done).
2. Foaming detergents help the toothpaste reach every tooth. (Fun fact: the foam is why actors rarely use toothpaste when they brush their teeth onscreen. It’s too messy for TV!)
Inactive Ingredients
1. Humectants keep toothpaste from drying out, so that it can come out of the tube in a smooth piece.
2. Flavoring and sweeteners make toothpaste taste good, but they can’t include actual sugar and still get the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Toothpaste for adults is usually a strong, minty flavor, but that can be overpowering for kids, which is why theirs often tastes like fruit or candy.
Toothpaste for Kids
All of the top recommended toothpastes for kids contain fluoride, and it’s safe when used in the correct amounts. That means a smear no bigger than a grain of rice for toddlers and a glob the size of a pea for kids aged 3-6. Parents should also supervise their kids and encourage them to spit instead of swallow.
We Can Help You Find the Right Toothpaste
With so many toothpaste options to choose from, what’s the best toothpaste for your child? The next time we see you, we’d be happy to make a recommendation. We look forward to your child’s next dental checkup at our practice!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
In my 57 years of life, Dr. Simon is the best dentist I’ve ever seen. We are a military family and have moved several (more than I care to count) times. With each move comes the same challenges relating to finding new doctors, dentists, etc. A good dentist is particularly hard to find, as they are f… Read more
Colleen Moore
Service is great, staff is knowledgeable and courteous. Highly recommended.
Roy Johnson Sr.
I recently went to visit Dr.Simon and was informed that I needed quite a bit of dental work, this came as a shock to me and I was of course very nervous. Dr.Simon and his staff were very kind and accommodating through the entire process. The work that he did was excellent, he takes pride in what he … Read more
Dr. Simon is very sincere and thorough. He takes the time necessary to explain the procedures, expected outcomes and future care. His compassionate approach with a healing hand to all orthotic procedures make him a well-trusted dental professional and an exemplary human-being.
I’ve been a patient of Dr. Simon for many years and he’s the best! I’m faithful about having a check-up every six months because Dr. Simon is always on time and very considerate. I like the Brandermill location and his staff is professional, friendly and courteous.
