Dental Tips & Articles
Dental Health Blog
Brush Up On Some Toothbrush Oral Hygiene History
Quick Summary Toothbrushes have evolved from frayed sticks used around 3500-3000 B.C. to pig-hair brushes in 13th-century China, modern nylon bristles introduced in 1938, and electric versions that arrived in the U.S. in 1960. Consumer surveys rank the toothbrush as...
Pets? We love ours, how about you?
Quick summary McOmie Family Dentistry staff members share photos and stories of their pets, including dogs, cats, horses, sugar gliders, and even a pony, to help you get to know the team better and feel more comfortable during visits. The team includes Scarlet, the...
Calcium Isn’t Just Good for Bones It Benefits Healthy Teeth!
Quick Summary Calcium and vitamin D are essential for preventing gum disease, tooth decay, and weakened teeth by supporting your mouth's natural defenses. If you follow a vegan, vegetarian, or lactose-free diet, you can get calcium from sesame seeds, dark leafy greens...
How Breastfeeding Affects Your Child’s Oral Health
Quick Summary Breastfeeding stimulates jaw muscle tone and may reduce orthodontic issues, with exclusively breastfed babies for six months being 72 percent less likely to have crooked teeth compared to non-breastfed babies. Purely breastfed infants have a reduced risk...
Extra Dental Floss? Try These Useful Tricks!
Quick Summary Dental floss has eight practical uses beyond cleaning teeth, including slicing cakes cleanly with flavorless floss stretched taut, binding meat during cooking as a substitute for kitchen twine, and starting campfires with waxed floss wrapped around...
Saliva: The Unsung Hero of Oral Health
Quick Summary Saliva protects your teeth by delivering antimicrobial agents, remineralizing enamel with calcium and phosphate, neutralizing acids from bacteria, and washing away food debris that causes decay. Your body produces 2 to 4 pints of saliva daily, which...
Why are baby teeth important enough to fill?
Quick summary Baby teeth need fillings because they help your child chew properly, support speech development, and hold space for permanent teeth. Untreated decay can cause surrounding teeth to shift into gaps, leading to crowding and orthodontic issues, and...
How Stress Can Affect Your Oral Health?
Quick Summary Stress can directly harm your oral health by causing teeth grinding and jaw clenching (bruxism), worsening temporomandibular joint disorder with symptoms like jaw pain and headaches, and weakening your immune system to increase your risk of cavities,...
Are Sports and Energy Drinks Damaging Your Teeth?
Quick Summary Sports and energy drinks are highly acidic and contain sugar, creating a dual threat that weakens your tooth enamel and feeds cavity-causing bacteria, making your teeth more susceptible to cavities, discoloration, and sensitivity. With 30 to 50 percent...
Don’t forget to clean your tongue 90% of bad breath comes from your tongue
Quick summary Almost 50 percent of the bacteria in your mouth lives on your tongue, and 90 percent of bad breath originates from a dirty tongue. Daily tongue cleaning using a scraper, tongue brush, or toothbrush removes the mucus-based layer of debris and prevents...
Can A Mother Pass On Tooth Decay To Her Child?
Q. Is it possible for a mother to pass bacteria to her infant that can cause cavities? If so, what can be done to avoid it?
How Do I Ensure My Infant Will Have Healthy Teeth?
Q. I am a new mother. Can you tell me what steps I need to take to ensure that my daughter will have healthy teeth?