Latest From Our Blog
Where did our tooth enamel originate from? Scientists now believe tooth enamel, the hard white structure that makes up the outer surface of teeth, comes from the scales of ancient fish that lived more than 400 million years ago. Enamel is the hardest substance in the body. Dentin is the tooth structure underneath the enamel […]
Doctors in Miami, FL have used a tooth to restore sight to a blind woman. The procedure is officially called modified osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (MOOKP), and it’s the first time this procedure has ever been accomplished in the U.S. Dr. Yoh Sawatari extracted one of the patient’s teeth and prepared an implant of her own dental tissue […]
Coffee is certainly a controversial beverage. There seems to be evidence that coffee can lower risk of stroke, improve diabetes, and lower stress. A study by the Journal of Conservative Dentistry showed that people who drink coffee have a lower prevalence of cavities than those who do not. However, these coffee drinkers drank the coffee […]
Dental implants are currently the best option for replacing missing teeth. Dental implants integrate (fuse) with bone due to the titanium structure. Unlike complete dentures or a removable partial denture, dental implants allow for prosthetic teeth that are extremely stable even when chewing sticky and hard foods. When can patients get dental implants? In some situations, […]
From Yahoo! News– First off, why do teeth stain? The color of teeth darkens with age, from food and drinks such as coffee and tea, and from cavities. In-office and take-home teeth whitening are designed to work against stain caused by age and diet. The 2 types of whiteners are surface whiteners and bleaches. Surface whiteners […]
University of Florida College of Dentistry researchers are creating a sports mouth guard that could revolutionize sports. Sensors in the mouth guard can measure heart rate, saliva, and body temperature. The mouth guard also has gyroscopes to measure collisions. Data can be read on the athlete’s smart phone. The researchers hope to have a version […]
A recent CBS online article highlighted 8 tips for a healthy transition back to school. One of the tips was to get a dental check-up. “According to the CDC, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic conditions among children and results in a staggering number of missed school days. Good oral hygiene is […]
About 80% of American adults have some form of gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis). Let’s review the more serious disease, periodontitis. Periodontitis is a disease of the gums and bone around teeth. When plaque accumulates along the gum line, the gums get inflamed and red. This is called gingivitis. If the plaque does not get […]
Italian scientists have discovered that ancient humans were performing dentistry 14,000 years ago, 5,000 years earlier than originally thought. It is believed the early dentists used sharpened flint to remove cavities. Quite surprisingly, it was known even thousands of years ago the importance of treating an infected tooth! From The Telegraph
No! If you ever meet a dentist who says all wisdom teeth must be extracted, proceed cautiously! Let’s review situations in which third molars (wisdom teeth) should be extracted. First, some background information. The average age for completion of eruption of wisdom teeth is 20 years, but eruption can continue to age 25 years in […]
Bad breath (halitosis) is experienced by up to 20% of the population. While bad breath can be caused by a systemic condition, this post will focus on intraoral causes. The tongue, especially the back of the tongue, is the most common location for mouth related halitosis. Bacteria on the tongue produce compounds with a foul […]
HealthDay reported that research published in Dentistry shows that treating gum disease may help reduce symptoms of prostate inflammation. Prostatitis can make urination difficult and mimic symptoms of an enlarged prostate. The link between periodontitis and prostatitis is the increased level of systemic inflammation in periodontal disease. Men who received treatment for gum disease had improved […]
CNBC posted a press release describing how the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists believes the dental office is a logical place to be screened for diabetes. Patients tend to visit their dentist more often than their physician so getting screened for diabetes at the dental office is innovative and convenient. The main goal is prevention. There […]
Dr. Pearl’s son, Scott, is a third year dental student at UConn School of Dental Medicine. He recently spent a week in Honduras in remote villages providing dental care to Hondurans, many of whom have never seen a dentist before. The experience was fantastic and rewarding. Extractions, fillings, and stainless steel crowns were performed. We […]
The word “floss” comes from the french soie floche, meaning floss silk. The first recorded use of flossing dates to a New Orleans dentist named Levi Spear Parmley in 1851. He recommended running a wax silk thread between the teeth “to dislodge that irritating matter which no brush can remove and which is the real […]