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What is Bruxism?
Are You a Clencher or a Grinder? Bruxism, the clenching or grinding of the teeth, is a problem that many people have without even knowing it. If you sleep alone, or with a person who sleeps through anything, you could be causing great damage to your teeth and jaw by...
Is Flossing for Children?
Brushing and flossing, flossing and brushing — it is so important for good dental health, that our Placerville dentists and hygienists usually say them together. At what age, however, should parents start flossing their children's teeth? Is it ever too young to start...
Bleeding Gums, What Can Be Done?
Should You Ignore Bleeding Gums? Your mouth can talk, but your gums can’t. Or can they? What are your gums trying to say if they bleed when you floss or brush them? Are they pleading with you to stop brushing or flossing? No, just the opposite is true! Bleeding gums...
When Good Breath Goes Bad
You've probably seen or performed the polite test for bad breath. Cupping your hand in front of your face, you blow air from deep in the back of your throat. The bounce back of expelled molecules tells the story. Was it pasta sauce loaded with garlic, a salad full of...
The Long and Too Short of Brushing Your Teeth
How Long Should I Brush My Teeth? If you are in the habit of brushing your teeth at least twice a day, you are doing your mouth and body a huge favor. If you floss at least once a day too, reach around and give yourself a big pat on the back while smiling wide....
Why Sour Candy Hurts Your Teeth
Citric acid, the flavoring which produces the sour taste in these items, is the most erosive dietary acid." -- Prof. John Ruby, University of Alabama Sour candies are more popular than ever before. A short list of the best-selling types of sour sweets includes: Sweet...
Relaxing at the Dentist
If you think about a relaxing place, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps a sandy beach or a forest trail? A day at the spa. Sitting by the pool with your favorite beverage. But visiting the dentist and relaxation? The majority of our Placerville dental...
Does Neem Mouthwash Really Work?
Our article on the toothbrush tree, Salvadora persica, was very popular with our Placerville readers, so this week features a discussion of the neem tree, Azadirachta indica. Neem is native to India and has been used there to treat bacterial disorders, including those...
On Binkies and Bacteria
A recent Swedish study concluded that parents who “clean” their baby’s pacifier by sucking on it reduce the risk of allergies in their babies. Yet, numerous dental studies have concluded that cleaning a baby’s pacifier with parental saliva introduces cavity-causing...
Don’t Be Too Picky!
You’ve just had a great meal with friends and family in your favorite Gold Country restaurant. The food was delicious, the atmosphere lovely and all went perfectly. Except for one thing – a hunk of food the size of a nugget is firmly wedged between your back molars....
Meet the Toothbrush Tree
Salvadora persica — the World's Toothbrush Tree It’s a tree. It’s a toothbrush. It’s a toothbrush tree! Do you ever see pictures from certain developing nations and wonder how everyone has bright, white and healthy smiles? They can’t possibly be picking up the latest...
Questions for Our Dentists
Should You Use Triclosan in Your Dental Products? Answer: “I don't recommend triclosan.” What is Triclosan? Triclosan is a very common antibiotic. The Food and Drug Administration says this about triclosan on it's website: Triclosan is an ingredient added to many...
Gum that Strengthens the Teeth
Product Encourages Enamel Remineralization Oral bacteria are always present in your mouth. Some are worse for your teeth than others, but all of them, left unchecked, create tooth decay by releasing acids onto your tooth enamel. These acids break down the enamel by...
Do Ultraviolet Toothbrush Sanitizers Work?
Bacteria! Microorganisms! Danger, disease, sickness abound! Manufacturers use phrases like this to convince you that going “antibacterial” is the best thing for you and your family. Part of this march to a 100% sanitary environment is the encouragement to buy a UV...
Extraoral Photography: Pictures in Dentistry
For some office visits, you may wonder why our Placerville dentist pulls out a camera. Are we creating a post for our Twitter feed? Is the Placerville Dental Group now on Instagram or Snapchat? Will I end up on Facebook? The simple answer to all of these questions is...