Category: Preventive Care

You hear awful stories about more tantrums, extra saliva, and a general fussiness while your baby is teething! Unfortunately, we are not able to help you out with the things that seem to come along with teething, but we can help you know when to expect it. Primary teeth, more often referred to as baby teeth, are already developing by the time your baby is born. All teeth will generally erupt before three years of age, beginning with the bottom front teeth (central incisors) between 6 and 10 months old. The upper front teeth are next, coming in at 8-12 Read More →

Have you ever been told you need a “deep cleaning” at your dental visit? Do you feel you get a different or more expensive cleaning than others in your family? Our staff at Family Dentist Tree is here to help you understand why different types of cleanings are recommended for our many patients. To begin, the type of cleaning recommended is most commonly based on the stages of periodontal disease. As bacteria eventually forms plaque in your mouth, it’s by products begin to break down the tissues that hold your teeth in place. This forms “pockets” that allow plaque to Read More →

You’ve heard the reasons why to get a night guard, but how often do we talk about how to properly care for your night guard to keep it working for you for a long time? Here are some tips: Always store your night guard in the case provided for you by your dental office. If you lose your case, contact your dentist office to get a new one.  Keep your night guard away from pets. All too often a pet is the reason for needing a new night guard! Clean your night guard with a toothbrush and warm water after Read More →

We know that it is important for professional athletes to wear a mouth guard during sports, but how often do you recognize the need for your child to wear one during their school sports? We asked our hygienist, Valerie, a mother of two boys in hockey to help us understand what options are out there. Mouth guards help to protect not only your teeth but your jaw, cheeks, tongue and lips. Although they are not always required, the American Dental Association recommends wearing a mouth guard for the following sports: Acrobatics Basketball Boxing Field Hockey Football Gymnastics Handball Ice Hockey Read More →

With a growing son of her own, our hygienist, Christina, knows that teething happens. It’s inevitable, and it’s not always fun. The day your little infant’s rubber gums finally pop that new tooth through is exciting! That first day is also stressful, knowing approximately nineteen other pearly whites will soon follow suit. Teething typically begins around 6 months old, although some infants don’t get their first tooth until closer to 12-14 months. A complete set of 20 teeth should be in your child’s mouth around the age of 2.5-3 years old. Many parents complain of the sleepless nights and the increased Read More →

Could you be damaging your teeth without knowing it?  We all have habits that may be wrecking our teeth on a daily basis.  Here are a few of the most common ones: Chewing on ice Ice chewers beware.  I’ve seen this habit ruin even the most perfect teeth in our dental office.  Chewing on hard, frozen ice can chip and even crack you teeth resulting in worn down and broken front teeth and fractured back teeth.  Generally the only treatment to fix a broken or fractured tooth is with a crown.  If a fracture from ice chewing is too deep Read More →

Maintaining a regular brushing routine can be difficult no matter what age we are. The recommended two times a day for two minutes can be easily overlooked in our busy lives. Our hygienist, Erin, is here to tell you how you can be sure you are achieving your daily goals and that you’re having fun doing it with new technology!   For teens and adults there are multiple phone apps to aid in daily brushing. Brush DJ is a free app that is available for all types of devices and plays your favorite songs right from your phone or tablet Read More →

It’s that time of year again – back to school! We know choosing your children’s lunches can be hard so we asked our assistant, Ann, what she does! As a parent of three school aged children that love bringing their own lunch to school, it can be difficult to know what items to pack that are health for both their teeth and their bodies. There are of course many foods to avoid, including:  Sugary foods and drinks such as candy, pop and juice.  Sticky or chewy foods such as raisins, granola bars, caramel, honey, and bananas. Carbohydrates and starches such as cake, cookies, pretzels, chips, saltine Read More →

We all know which foods we to avoid that can be harmful to your teeth, but do you know what foods are healthy for your teeth and why? Samantha, a licensed and certified dental assistant, and administrative assistant at Family Dentist Tree is here to help you out! First up on the list is milk. Yep! Your mom was right! Milk is a great source of calcium which is a key ingredient in strengthening tooth enamel. Cheese is another great source of calcium. It can also aid in neutralizing the acid levels in your mouth and promoting saliva flow, a natural defense against cavities, gum disease, Read More →

Are you one of the estimated 90 million people that snore?  Does snoring keep you or your partner awake at night?  Did you know that a dentist can help? During sleep, soft tissues and muscles in the mouth and throat relax, moving the lower jaw further back. The result is a smaller airway and reduced air flow as you breath at your normal rate. Your soft palate and uvula along with other soft tissues vibrate in the smaller airway and cause an increased “sound” associated with our breathing. A snore guard is an appliance which aides in bringing the lower jaw forward Read More →