As of the writing of this column, on Wednesday March 25, 2020, the state and much of the country is shut down. Since information is changing so rapidly, and this print is a week old, I am going to concentrate this week on things that will occur regardless of how long it takes for things to return to normal.

Dental offices will NOT be open for routine care for many more weeks at the rate we are going. Dental problems will continue to arise. It is important that you understand what general dentists are considering emergencies vs. non-emergencies.

In addition, all dental problems, including any questions you have, should be directed to your general dentist.… (Read More)

https://www.ada.org/~/media/CPS/Files/COVID/ADA_DentalEmerg_Patient_Flyer.pdf?utm_source=adaorg&utm_medium=covid-resources-lp&utm_content=cv-pm-emerg-def-patients&utm_campaign=covid-19

On April 30, 2009 I submitted a column to The Town Common entitled, “The Swine Flu and You”. Here is the first paragraph from that column:

Who knows where this pandemic will be today as you read this. At the time of writing I had just heard the first confirmed case in Massachusetts.

I don’t know about you, but apparently the Swine Flu wasn’t that big a deal, because I don’t really remember it. THIS ONE you are going to remember.

At the time of this writing on Tuesday March 16, 2020, my dental practice is scheduled to be closed for non-urgent patient care from yesterday until at least April 6th. As I said 10+… (Read More)

When referring to a healthy smile, many people think about a gleaming set of pearly whites. However, great oral health takes more than clean teeth! Your gums play an essential role in keeping your mouth healthy and your teeth in place. In fact, unhealthy gums could increase your risk of rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. Thankfully, you can easily improve your gum health with these dentist-approved snacks!

Xylitol is a sugar substitute that possesses 40 percent fewer calories than sugar and has been shown to decrease the amount of cavities that people get. It can be found in specifically formulated things like gum and mints, but can also be in chips, Jell-O, peanut butter and foods. It is important to know that xylitol, even in small quantities, is toxic to dogs.

The dental benefits of xylitol have been known since the 1970’s. Xylitol is not metabolized by the decay-causing bacteria Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), making it nonacidogenic and thus noncariogenic (not decay causing). Studies have also indicated xylitol decreases the levels of S. mutans in both plaque and saliva. As a result,… (Read More)