When we think of vitamins, we may not think about how they affect our oral health. We know they're good for general well-being, so we should remember that they are also important for the teeth, tongue and gums. So here is some advice for our...
A recent issue of Smithsonian magazine has an interesting article about how humans taste food and where the classic tongue taste map came from. A taste map, with designated parts of our tongue sensing different flavors, has often been a part of various textbooks we may...
“Do I have something in my teeth?” That's a common question after eating spinach, berries, broccoli, anything with poppy seeds, and similar items. Food often gets stuck between our teeth. Gaps catch bits of food, the process of chewing or the movements of our tongue...
Once you get a cavity filled, does it last the rest of your life? Our Sacramento dental restoration professionals wish that was the case. Unfortunately, on average, dental fillings last about ten years. The simple facts are, just because you have a filling or other...
Tooth enamel is one of the toughest organic substances on earth, protecting the crowns of teeth from damage. Nevertheless, even enamel wears away over a lifetime, but hopefully not due to your toothpaste! You may realize that most toothpastes contain abrasive material (usually a certain...
A recent article in the Washington Post called “The Painful Truth About Teeth” discussed the crisis poorer people experience when they lack affordable dental care. While the article focused on the working poor along the East Coast, there are many similarities that Northern Californians would recognize....
In a prior article we discussed Dirt tooth powder, an alternative to conventional toothpaste. Two other powders that are increasing in popularity recently are baking soda and charcoal. Do these actually have any benefits for oral hygiene? And what do our Sacramento dentists think should...
Many people grind, clench or “grit” their teeth when they are under stress. For most, this is a usually unconscious way to deal with anxiety. Many people don’t recognize the behavior, because they do it in their sleep. Just as with snoring, denial of teeth...
The appearance of the tongue says a lot about our overall health. So stick out your tongue and look in the mirror. What does your tongue look like? What a Tongue Should Look Like A healthy tongue is pink and covered with small papillae, or nodules. Tongues...
Your teeth are amazing and the enamel that coats them is really strong! How strong is tooth enamel? To answer that question, we first need to answer what makes up tooth enamel?The Components of Tooth Enamel Tooth enamel is made up of a mineral form of calcium...