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Exercise and How it Affects Your Dental Health

Exercise has numerous positive impacts on your health. It helps with stress relief, muscle strength, combating health conditions, and loads more. What many patients do not know is how exercising can affect their dental health. During intense exercise people will often be breathing through their mouths. Mouth breathing can dry out the mouth and reduce the flow of saliva. A dry mouth is an environment where bacteria will increase and grow. People that suffer from dry mouth are very much at risk for cavities and so heavy exercise can put them at higher risk for tooth decay. Another issue that those … Read more

Piercings and Tattoos In Your Mouth – What Are The Risks?

Patients will often ask about piercings and tattoos in the mouth and how it could affect their teeth. In addition to affecting your teeth, there are a lot of potential issues that could pop up from oral piercings and tattoos that affect your overall health, not only in the mouth. As body piercing and tattoos become more popular, it is important to understand the risks associated with them as well as to know what these risks are. Below I will detail six potential problems of piercings and tattoos in the oral cavity that you should be aware of: Harm to … Read more

Should I try Oil-Pulling? What Is It?

Oil-pulling has become increasingly popular as homeopathic remedies are becoming more prevalent. While this trend is growing, it is certainly not a new exercise. The practice of oil-pulling dates back over three thousand years ago to India with the practice of Ayurveda medicine. “Ayurveda” brings together the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (knowledge or science). Practiced in India, Ayurvedic medicine is one of the oldest known systems of medicine in the world. The typical way one performs oil-pulling is by swishing around one tablespoon of coconut oil in their mouth for twenty minutes and then spitting it out. Other common oils that can … Read more

Why Your Teeth May Be Sensitive to Hot or Cold

Tired of avoiding foods and beverages you like simply because of the temperature?  Read on to learn about 6 of the reasons your teeth may be sensitive to hot or cold, which is the first step to remedy! Cavities If there are cavities growing inside of your teeth it can cause them to be sensitive. Often the temperature sensitivity is an indication that the bacteria have reached the nerve inside of the tooth which could mean that the tooth requires a root canal. Gum Infection There is bacteria in everyone’s mouths that can lead to a gum infection in the mouth. This … Read more

Is Chocolate Bad for You and Your Teeth?

Patients will often ask Dr. Meier and Dr. Cirka, “Is chocolate bad for my teeth?” This question pops up even more often around the holiday seasons. Patients are many times surprised by the positive effects that chocolate will have on our health in general and the fact that it actually is a much better option for a sweet than sticky candies or sugary drinks. There are a lot of positives effects of chocolate on your health overall, especially when considering how eating chocolate releases endorphins. Endorphins are hormones specifically designed to help us feel good. Endorphins are released in times … Read more

9 Tips For Choosing the Best Toothpaste

 Have you even been in the dental aisle at the drug store and completely overwhelmed by all of the different choices of toothpaste there are? It can be tricky knowing which toothpaste is the best for your health when there are so many options! This article will help you navigate the dental aisle more easily in order to make the best decision possible. Here are 9 tips for picking the best toothpaste for you: Check the Ingredients for Fluoride  Fluoride is a major tool in fighting cavities. It protects the enamel layer that works to make teeth strong and less … Read more

10 Ways to Prevent Tooth Sensitivity

 There are many different causes for tooth sensitivity. Teeth are considered sensitive when you have something hot, cold, sour or sweet and it causes sensitivity, discomfort or even pain, ranging from a quick zing to a lasting throbbing feeling. Unfortunately this is quite a common problem that people suffer from. We’ve listed the different causes below to help you prevent tooth sensitivity in the future or help you narrow down the reason for sensitivity you may be experiencing today.   1. Over using mouthwash. When used properly, mouthwash is a great tool for helping to keep the oral cavity healthy. … Read more