“Every recorded human culture has some kind of tradition surrounding the disposal of a child’s lost baby teeth.” Worldwide, these practices

Braces are an excellent choice for many people because, in addition to a beautifully aligned smile, they provide a wide array of health benefits. What happens, though, when the braces come off and there are white spots on your teeth? Can you fix them? Better yet, can white spots be prevented? The answer is yes. White spots can be prevented and can be completely cleared for most people. It does take a bit of effort on your part, though. Here’s why. What are these white spots?

It is common knowledge that soft drinks can damage your teeth, but did you know that there is another popular drink that can cause just as much harm? Most sports drinks can damage your teeth as quickly as soft drinks and many people are unaware of this. Any drink that is highly acidic (even fruit juices) can weaken and erode tooth enamel leading to cavities far more quickly than you would imagine. Read on to find out why, and to learn about ways to drink acidic beverages with

You may think that it is only necessary to see an orthodontist while you have braces, but there are many other situations that would lead to an orthodontic appointment. Early screenings, developmental checks, and follow up visits after orthodontic treatment are a few examples of important visits. In this article, we will discuss the most common reasons our orthodontic team sees a patient who isn’t wearing braces. Early Screening It’s important for children to have an orthodon

The past few months have required all of us to get more creative with activities, especially those of us with children in the home. As we begin to learn about mouth anatomy, health, and hygiene this week, the same level of ingenuity is needed to introduce all ages to this study. We’ve got games, crafts, a scavenger hunt, free downloadable books you can listen to/read along with, interactive online games, videos, jokes, trivia, experiments, and more. Bring your friends and com

What happens when your child is missing a tooth? Sometimes you know when a child has lost a tooth because it got knocked out or had to be removed by the dentist, but what if a tooth just never grows in? What causes that and is there any way to prevent missing teeth? Luckily, there are many different treatment options available if this situation occurs. What are congenitally missing teeth? A tooth that never grows in is called a congenitally missing tooth (CMT). Congenitally m

The teen years can be a wonderful time but even the happiest teenager can be filled with anxiety and fears. For many, their teeth can become a source of worry. Crooked teeth, braces, bad breath, wisdom teeth, and yellow teeth can all cause a teen to feel self-conscious. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to keep your mouth and teeth in optimal condition. Bad Breath Any bacteria and food particles that sit in your mouth can cause bad breath, tooth deca

It’s finally summer, every kid’s favorite season! Sleeping in, playing at the park, grilling out and having picnics, running through the sprinkler, lounging in a pool… what could be better than summer? But now that it’s nearly half over, chances are your kiddos have started to occasionally utter those dreaded words, “I’m bored.” The novelty of summer has worn off, and there are still several weeks to go. So, what’s the solution? We’ve gone deep into the corners of the interne

Did you know that people have been drilling decayed teeth for thousands of years? Archeologists have found proof that people were treating cavities long before the wheel was invented. Some of the tools and methods were creative and efficient, others must have been incredibly painful. Read on to learn about some interesting, memorable treatments. How Ancient Civilizations Treated Tooth Decay We have known for a long time that ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans drilled and c

You may have heard of impacted wisdom teeth since they are fairly common. Did you know that other teeth can become impacted? Usually, you will not know if your child has an impacted tooth until their dentist sees it in an x-ray. Sometimes impacted teeth do not need treatment, but oftentimes they will require orthodontic intervention since they can damage nearby teeth and cause a child’s developing bite to become misaligned, and even negatively impact facial structure. The typ

A range of issues can cause occasional bleeding gums in children. These include brushing or flossing the teeth too hard, poorly fitted dental devices, vitamin deficiencies, and more. Once you’ve tried a few simple solutions, most patients can expect things to return to normal relatively quickly. (1) Simple solutions for bleeding gums in children Depending upon exactly what caused the bleeding, some solutions could include: Check the bristles on your child’s toothbrush. They s

It may seem like the most interesting thing about teeth is waiting for the tooth fairy to arrive, but there are actually quite a few curious facts about them. If you type the word “tooth” in the Guinness World Records website, nearly 300 tooth-related entries appear! From the longest teeth to most teeth in a mouth (37), and the largest collection of human teeth to the person who could hang from their teeth for over 7 minutes, teeth are the source of all kinds of strange and f

Some kids may complain of a toothache, others a bad taste in their mouth, or a bump on their gums. Any of these symptoms could indicate that your child has an abscessed tooth. An abscessed tooth is considered a dental emergency, but the good news is that it can be treated completely and can also be prevented. What is an abscessed tooth? An abscessed tooth occurs when the dental pulp, or nerve, within the tooth and its surrounding tissue gets infected. This is common when a de

Orthodontic treatments improve the teeth of 4 million people a year. Chances are that you may be trying to decide if braces are right for you or your family. While it’s always best to be aware of the pros and cons of any matter, some areas seem to end up with more than their fair share of false claims and myths attached to them. One of these subjects is orthodontics, onto which the myths have attached far and wide. Some myths are hilarious, but others can be frightening – whi

It is common knowledge that flossing is just as important as brushing your teeth, but there are so many options on the market, how can you know what is best? We are going to explain the different types of flossing products and help you understand which options work, which can be harmful, and what Dr. Culp recommends. Types of Flossing Tools Floss vs. Floss Picks Researchers have found that floss and floss picks seem to have similar results if you use good flossing technique.

If you can remember braces in the 1980s, you might recall visions of large, bulky, metal braces. For those of us lucky enough to wear braces in the 80s, you had to have a large single band placed on each tooth. And are you ready for this? The braces were placed with a “thumper”. The process to adhere the braces to teeth was not only long but quite uncomfortable. In addition, having braces was perceived as something only wealthy people could afford. It’s a bonus then, that ove

We recently discussed the fact that added sugar is hidden in many different kinds of foods, including kids’ snack foods and “healthy” foods. Eating too much sugar is bad for your teeth, your immune system, your blood sugar levels, and your weight, just to name a few. However, it is nearly impossible to eliminate all sources of added sugar and who even wants to live a life that doesn’t allow for any sweets? Interestingly, there are a few techniques when eating sweets that are

Many orthodontic conditions can be caused by something called tongue thrusting. This problem is far more common than you would imagine since all babies are born pushing their tongue forward when they swallow. As a child grows, they need to learn the correct position for their tongue. If they learn too late, it impacts a child in many more ways than orthodontic development. So, what exactly is it and why does it have such an impact on the way the mouth forms? Perhaps more impo

We all know that too much sugar causes cavities and gingivitis. Unfortunately, even if you don’t allow your child to eat treats, they can still consume a ton of sugar from foods you would never think of as sweet foods. Pretzels, potato chips, goldfish crackers, yogurt, apple sauce, and cereal bars can be full of sugar. Even if your child never consumes sweets, the hidden sugars in “healthy” foods may easily put them over the recommended daily limit. Just as eating too many sw

An overbite is completely normal and many people with beautiful smiles have a small overbite. However, when your upper teeth protrude over your bottom teeth more than normal, the overbite may create problems. How can you know when an overbite needs to be treated, and can it be prevented or treated at home? It is normal for your top teeth to overlap your bottom teeth a little bit. When the top teeth significantly overlap or protrude over the bottom teeth, the overbite becomes