My wife showed me an article the other day. It’s called "Your dentist may be ripping you off. Here’s how to avoid that.” I read it, and had a ton of opinions about the site, the author, and the quality of the journalism(?) that went beyond the topic. But I took a breath, and focused on the content so I could give my readers and patients actual facts about the issues presented. There are a few statements in the article that actually have merit. You likely don’t need all your fillings ripped out. You should be careful of bait-and-switch offers… [ Read More ]

What your dentist used to say to you about getting cavities was misleading. What your mother used to say to you about staying away from the cookie jar was true. I’ll fill you in on what I mean. Long ago, the theory of how patients contracted tooth decay went something like this: You had bacteria swimming around your teeth and gums. You ate some candy, and it fueled the growth of bacteria. The bacteria used this fuel to create acids that corroded your teeth. And that corrosion was, in fact, a cavity—a hole in your tooth from the bacteria and… [ Read More ]

A recent local news report on King5.com’s Healthlink, illustrates how serious the problem of dental decay is in children. It also shows a simple strategy for parents to reduce the risk of tooth decay in their kids: “Tooth decay is largely preventable, but it remains one of the most common diseases of childhood — five times as common as asthma, and seven times as common as hay fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC says 42% of children ages 2 to 11 have had cavities in baby teeth; 21% of those ages 6 to 11 have… [ Read More ]