As we look for our nicest, but comfiest, pants in preparation for the biggest meal of the year, we are also looking at the effects all of our Thanksgiving favorites will have on the teeth.  None of this is intended to scare you into not enjoying the holiday.  We just want you to brush and floss before you pass out[…]

Yes. . . . Oh, were you expecting more than that?  Okay.  We’ll elaborate. What Types of Sedation are Available in Dentistry? Dentists typically offer two to three methods of sedation for patients who are anxious about treatment.  The options may differ depending on the dentist’s training and level of comfort with sedation.  The most common and lightest form of[…]

Well, 2020 has been one for the books.  For many of us, it has been the most unusual year in our lifetimes.  Changes in the way we communicate, the way we work, the way we learn, and the way we gather have taken a front seat, while some other, less noisy but no less important, things have taken a back[…]

Gum recession is a problem.  It affects the cosmetic appearance of your smile, it can make the teeth super sensitive, and it might indicate progressive gum disease.  There are actually several different causes of receding gums.  You may have one or multiple causes of your gum recession.  Understanding the cause is essential to getting the right preventive treatment. This article[…]

Millions of Americans are missing one or more teeth.  Missing even a single tooth affects your ability to chew, and obviously, missing a front tooth creates a cosmetic problem.  At Designer Smiles, we are experts at tooth replacement, and we offer multiple options to meet a variety of needs. While the exact tooth replacement can vary relatively widely, we can[…]

The short answer to this question is yes.  But, as always, we have a much longer, more detailed explanation for you.  If you are the parent of young children with this habit, here is what you need to know. Non-Nutritive Sucking Behaviors Thumb sucking joins pacifier use in a broader category of habits called “non-nutritive sucking behaviors” or NNSB.  Infants[…]

Even if you didn’t watch the Grammy’s on Sunday night, you probably heard the hubbub about Nick Jonas singing with food in his teeth.  Several close-up shots during the Jonas Brothers’ performance showed a nice piece of some leafy green stuck in between two of his upper teeth. Nick played it off well, tweeting “At least you know I eat[…]

They could be! Chronic headaches are often an indication of a bite problem.  Some people refer to this as “TMJ”, which is actually a misnomer.  TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, and most headaches are not directly related to the joint itself.  It has much more to do with your facial muscles. How are Headaches Related to the Teeth and Jaws?[…]

At this time of year, people take lots of photos.  Thanks to the many filters available in the various sharing apps, you can virtually whiten your teeth.  But what about the way your teeth appear in real life?  If your teeth look yellow, one of these things might be the culprit. External Stains Teeth are naturally a slightly off-white color. […]

In the past, most people believed that a toothache was just a toothache, with little effect on the rest of the body.  A quick search of the news, though, will show you that this is a dangerous myth.  Tooth infections can kill you.  It only happens rarely, but it does happen.  Here’s what you need to know to ensure that[…]