Third molars (also known as wisdom teeth) are the four teeth located furthest back in the mouth, and are the last to develop, usually beginning around age 16. Keep in mind the age for wisdom teeth development can vary greatly; some people don’t develop wisdom teeth at all, and some develop more than four! Whether your teeth are currently causing an issue or not, your dentist may recommend you get them extracted. Wisdom teeth can be monitored by your dentist using a panorex x-ray. This x-ray identifies presence, alignment and orientation of the wisdom teeth. There are several reasons a Read More →

Have you ever had an unsolicited numbness or burning sensation in your mouth? If so, it may be Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS). Burning mouth is the sensation of burning in the tongue and often the palate; however, it may also occur anywhere in the mouth. The sensation is commonly described as the discomfort felt when the tongue is burned with hot coffee. Additionally, it may be described as a tender, tingling, hot, scalding, or numb sensation. Most individuals with BMS find the burning sensation gets worse throughout the day. The mouth may feel fine in the morning only to develop Read More →

We understand that coming to the dentist causes a certain amount of anxiety for many of our patients, young and old alike. It may be the fear of the unknown, a difficult personal experience, or stories of a ‘bad experience’ from a friend or family member. It is our goal at Family Dentist Tree to ensure all of our patient’s feel comfortable during their appointments. We would like to offer some tips that may be helpful in preparing your child for a positive first visit to the dentist. Our dentists recommend your child’s first check-up and cleaning around age three, Read More →

Teaching your child to take care of their teeth is just one way you can show them how to take responsibility for their body.  This can be a challenge because toddlers are motivated mainly by fun and pleasure, not by health and necessity.  If you want to end your child’s resistance to brushing, your best bet is to make this chore a fun ritual for them.  They will eventually catch on that brushing their teeth is a regular and necessary part of taking care of their whole body—and they’ll enjoy doing it.  Here are some tricks you can use to Read More →

There are a number of common habits that can cause harm to your teeth that you may not know about. For example, drinking certain beverages, chewing on things like ice or popcorn kernels, smoking, and lip or tongue piercings. Casual everyday things, such as, not wearing a mouth guard, hard bristled brushes and using your teeth to open things can damage your teeth in many ways. Ask about a custom mouth guard at your next visit! Mouth guards are recommended for anyone participating in contact sports. They protect your teeth from cracks and fractures. Tongue or lip piercings can chip and crack Read More →

One of our hygienists wanted to share a couple of her favorite summer recipes! Lemon Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan Makes: 6 Servings Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes Ingredients: 2 bunches of Asparagus, ends snapped off 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed and peeled Zest (in long strips) and juice of 1 lemon 3/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Pinch of red pepper flakes 1/4 oz. shaved Parmesan Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a roast pan, toss the asparagus with the oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, black pepper Read More →

Cancer – the uncontrolled growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Unfortunately, the frequency of oral cancer is on the rise – 100 new cases per day in the United States are being reported – one person every hour of every day will die from it. Risk factors include use of tobacco and alcohol and most recently determined, some strains of HPV (human papilloma virus), but within the last 5 years cases are increasing in males and females under age 50 with no risk factors. The fatality rate for oral cancer is one of the highest due to Read More →

Summer is here and we know the hot weather will keep you thirsty, but before you head to the cooler, you may want to rethink what ice cold drink you are reaching for! Did you know?? The sugar from the drinks you choose mixes with the bacteria in your mouth to form acid. Sugar free drinks often have acid added to them in the form of phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid, and many others. The acid from these drinks attacks your teeth for up to 20 minutes for each sip you take, weakening your tooth enamel in the process! Read More →

A missing tooth can be troubling, to say the least. So, we asked one of our assistants to give us a quick summary of some of the options available to replace your missing tooth! Full or partial dentures are one option to replace missing teeth. This option is typically best for anyone missing several or all of their teeth. A partial denture is removable. Teeth are inserted on the partial denture where your teeth are missing. Clasps are placed on the partial denture that hook around your natural teeth to hold it in place. A full denture is also removable Read More →