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Learning about the Parts of a Tooth – Howard Family Dental
On average, most adults have 32 teeth. That includes the molars, premolars, canines, wisdom teeth, and incisors. Every part of your tooth plays a role in keeping your mouth healthy. Let’s dive into the different parts of a tooth to better understand how cavities form and why it’s so important to keep up with proper ...
Extraction or root canal: Which treatment should I choose? – Howard Family Dental
When a tooth becomes damaged or infected, whether due to trauma, gum disease or tooth decay, you may be presented with two treatment options: extract the tooth or undergo a root canal. While immediate cost often plays a big role in treatment decisions, other factors may be worth considering, including recovery time, quality of life, ...
Can medication affect your oral health? – Howard Family Dental
You’ve been prescribed a new medication by your doctor. . . could it potentially affect your oral health? It’s common for medications to cause side effects within the body — including the mouth. These side effects can lead to an increase in your chance of developing tooth decay, making it a priority to stay educated ...
What to Expect When Getting a Dental Filling – Howard Family Dental
When it comes to needing a filling, there’s no need to be uneasy! The procedure is fairly quick and done right in the dental office. In fact, most people will receive at least one filling in their lifetime. But it’s normal to wonder what the procedure will entail so you can be prepared. What is ...
How Laser Therapy Can Help Treat Cold Sores – Howard Family Dental
Cold sores — which may also be called oral herpes, fever blisters, or HSV-1 — infect more than half of the U.S. population by the time they reach their twenties. These small blisters can be found around the lips and last several days. While there isn’t a permanent cure for cold sores, there are treatments ...
How does dental insurance work? – Howard Family Dental
We often get questions about how dental insurance works. What is covered? How are claims processed? Why am I getting a bill? With many types of dental insurance plans available, the answers to these questions often depend on the specific coverage you have. What’s true for you won’t necessarily be true for a friend using ...
Support Your Gut by Caring for Your Smile – Howard Family Dental
The powerful role of the gut on physical and mental health is becoming better understood. Research connects the gut to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression as well as conditions like autoimmune disease and cancer. With approximately 60 – 70 million Americans suffering from some form of digestive disorder, conversations around how to best ...
How Diabetes Can Affect Your Oral Health – Howard Family Dental
November is American Diabetes Month. When it comes to the connection between oral health and overall health, we’ve touched on Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, women’s health and respiratory diseases. But did you also know diabetes can affect oral health too? According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 37 million Americans have either Type 1 or ...
Brush Up on Your Hygiene Lingo for Dental Hygiene Month – Howard Family Dental
During National Dental Hygiene Month every October, we salute our amazing hygienists while raising awareness about the importance of keeping our teeth and gums healthy. You may have heard a term or two during your hygiene visit and wondered what it meant. Gingivitis? Periodontitis? Pocket depth? What do these actually mean? We’ve covered a few ...
Exploring the Connection between Alzheimer’s and Oral Health – Howard Family Dental
September is World Alzheimer’s Month, which aims to raise awareness and challenge the stigma around dementia. As we’ve touched on in previous blogs, the impact of oral health on overall wellness is becoming better understood. Research now shows associations between oral health and systemic conditions like heart disease, diabetes — even Alzheimer’s. So, what does ...
Want to whiten your teeth? Here are some options. – Howard Family Dental
Many people feel they would benefit from a whiter smile. Teeth may lose their brightness for a variety of reasons, including certain foods and beverages, age, trauma, tobacco use, and certain medications. You can help keep your smile as white as possible by maintaining healthy brushing and flossing habits, avoiding tobacco use, and limiting foods ...
Did you know your oral health can affect your RA symptoms?
Around 1.3 million people in the United States have rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. This causes painful inflammation which can affect your joints — and in some people can even affect the skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels. Something you may not realize is ...
How Women’s Health Influences Oral Health
The impact of oral health on overall wellness is becoming better understood, with research showing associations between the health of one’s teeth and gums and systemic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and more. Oral health is also influenced by conditions that are specific to women, including their menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause. In ...
Taking a Look at the Effect of Oral Health on Respiratory Diseases – Howard Family Dental
Asthma Awareness Month is recognized every year in May. What many people may not realize is that respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD and even pneumonia can be affected by poor oral hygiene. That’s why it’s important to keep up with routine visits to your dentist to ensure that your smile is healthy. Lungs that ...
Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Oral Cancer – Howard Family Dental
Every April, we recognize Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. The Oral Cancer Foundation tells us that nearly 54,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer this year. While smoking and alcohol consumption have long been known as risk factors, oral cancer among young non-smokers has steadily increased due to HPV16 — ...
Am I experiencing a dental emergency? – Howard Family Dental
At Howard Family Dental, we provide emergency dental care for our patients when they need it. Oftentimes, patients aren’t sure what constitutes a dental emergency. It can be hard to know if a toothache means you need immediate attention, or can just schedule a normal appointment. It’s important to know the difference so that you ...
The Connection between a Healthy Smile and a Healthy Heart – Howard Family Dental
Every February we recognize American Heart Month to help raise awareness and education about cardiovascular disease. According to the World Health Organization, heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, taking nearly 18 million lives every year. Certainly, understanding the contributors to heart disease can go a long way toward helping us all live ...
Dental Benefits Are Back! - Howard Family Dental
Welcome to 2023! With the new year comes new beginnings, resolutions, and the best part – insurance resets! Dental insurance benefits typically reset at the beginning of the year, making room for you to get preventative care and any needed dental treatment either free or at a more accessible price. Oral health has been shown […]
What Those Gum Measurements Really Mean About Your Oral Health - Howard Family Dental
We know that dental visits can be stressful for a lot of patients. So when you’re leaning back and the hygienist starts poking your gums with a metal instrument while saying a series of numbers, you might be wondering what exactly is going on. Not to worry — what we’re doing is called periodontal charting, […]
Overcoming Dental Anxiety - Howard Family Dental
May is National Mental Health Month — a time to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families. Many people struggle with anxiety every day to the point where it can roll over into basic tasks such as going to the dentist. Having […]
Thank a Hygienist in October! - Howard Family Dental
With October comes changing leaves, chilly breezes . . . and National Dental Hygiene Month! It’s the time to recognize your hygienist for the work they do to keep our mouths, teeth and gums clean and healthy. It’s also a great opportunity to spread the word about the importance of maintaining your oral health. What’s […]
Should you consider getting dental implants? - Howard Family Dental
September is National Dental Implant Awareness Month! A time to spread awareness about the benefits of dental implants and how they can benefit a patient’s life. Dental implants are a great solution for missing teeth. They are suitable for patients of varying ages who have lost teeth due to injury, illness or gum disease. Dental […]
Playing fall sports? You might want to wear a mouthguard. - Howard Family Dental
With fall sports on our minds, it’s a good time to talk about the best ways to protect your mouth. If you or your kids are planning to play football, basketball, hockey, soccer, or any other sport this fall, one of the most important pieces of safety equipment to invest in is a mouthguard. Learn […]
Why Oral Health Is So Important for Your Overall Health - Howard Family Dental
While you might not think your oral health has any connection to your overall health, they often go hand in hand. Your mouth is full of bacteria, both good and bad, which can sometimes spiral into certain diseases or infections. What conditions are linked to oral health? As Mayo Clinic explains, there are many conditions […]
I have a toothache, what does it mean? - Howard Family Dental
Having a toothache is no fun, especially when you’re not sure what’s causing it. The pain can begin to affect your quality of life and even limit your ability to eat, depending on how severe it is. It’s important to see your dentist and find the root of the problem — pun intended! — so […]
Why should we care about gum disease? - Howard Family Dental
February has been designated Gum Disease Awareness Month! Initially launched by the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry, its purpose is to raise awareness about gum disease and encourage healthy dental habits to prevent it. What is gum disease? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gum disease, also referred to as periodontitis, […]
Exploring the Association between Oral Health and IBD - Howard Family Dental
December 1 marks the beginning of Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week. As the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation explains, approximately 3 million Americans live with either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, which fall under a group of conditions known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the two conditions are not the same. Crohn’s disease can affect […]
Welcome Back, Dental Benefits! - Howard Family Dental
Another year is upon us! Did you know that goals related to a healthy lifestyle — such as eating better and exercising more — consistently rank among the top new year resolutions? Considering the connection between oral health and overall wellness, taking care of your smile fits right into the mix. And while some resolutions […]
Keeping Your Smile Healthy for Dental Hygiene Month - Howard Family Dental
Every year in October we celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month! This is the time of the year when we recognize the work dental hygienists do, and help raise awareness on the importance of good oral health. As your partner in oral health, your dental hygienist helps to keep your teeth clean and educate on and […]