Sometimes it seems that appearances count for everything—especially in Hollywood. But just recently, Lonnie Chaviz, the 10-year-old actor who plays young Randall on the hit TV show This Is Us, delivered a powerful message about accepting differences in body image. And the whole issue was triggered by negative social media comments about his smile. Lonnie has […]
When it comes to our children’s safety, there isn’t much nowadays that isn’t under scrutiny. Whether food, clothing, toys and more, we ask the same question: can it be harmful to children? That also includes tried and true healthcare practices. One in particular, the routine x-ray, has been an integral part of dental care for […]
Moving teeth to better positions through orthodontics not only improves dental function and health, it can vastly improve your appearance. But to achieve a result that continues to be attractive as you age requires thorough planning and forethought. That’s because your body continues to change all during life. While the most accelerated growth happens in […]
Modern dental care wouldn’t be the same without x-rays. Since dentists began capturing x-ray images a century ago to detect beginning tooth decay, billions of teeth have been preserved. “Catching it early” is the key to staying ahead of this aggressive bacterial infection. Once it breaks through the protective defenses of tooth enamel, it can […]
What’s an actor’s most important feature? According to Vivica A. Fox, whose most recent big-screen role was in Independence Day: Resurgence, it’s what you see right up front. “On screen, your smile and your eyes are the most inviting things that bring the audience in” she said. “Especially if you play the hot chick.” But like […]
While tooth decay is a potential problem at any age, the risk increases as you grow older. Not only are senior adults more susceptible, decay is often more difficult to treat. That’s because cavities can occur at or below the gum line, often due to gum recession. If that’s the case, we won’t be able […]
We’ve known for decades that fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and lowers the risk for decay. And while adding it to toothpaste and drinking water are the more common ways for getting it into the body, an increasingly popular way—especially for children—is to apply fluoride directly to the teeth. But is topical fluoride really worth the […]
What’s your favorite winter sport? For some, it’s all about swooshing down a snowy trail on skis, a board, or a sled. For others, the main attraction is skating at an ice rink or a frozen pond. If you’re more of an indoors athlete, you may enjoy a fast-moving game of basketball or a round of […]
Fans of the legendary rock band Steely Dan received some sad news a few months ago: Co-founder Walter Becker died unexpectedly at the age of 67. The cause of his death was an aggressive form of esophageal cancer. This disease, which is related to oral cancer, may not get as much attention as some others. […]
The braces are finally off! But to keep your new, straighter smile you’ll need to wear a retainer for some time. That’s because the same structural mechanism used to move your teeth could undo what we’ve just accomplished. That mechanism resides in an elastic tissue called the periodontal ligament that lies between the teeth and the bone […]