Lemon Juice – The Good, The Bad, & The Sour

In a great tale of opposites, lemon juice can be both acidic and basic, or alkaline. Read on to find out why people are talking about this, and what it means for your oral and overall health.

What Is pH & Why Does It Matter?

Drinking lemon juice (usually diluted in a glass of water or added to a cup of tea) is a beloved health tonic among fans of natural medicine. Potential benefits include lower cholesterol, lower inflammation in the body, and increased metabolism and energy. Lemon also contains high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C that boost your immune system. Read more ›

Posted in Dental Health

Can Poor Oral Health Cause Diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic and complicated disease that affects how your body processes sugar—its main source of energy. Diabetes symptoms mostly affect your heart, eyes, nerves, and kidneys, but it can affect your whole body, including your mouth.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), more than 29 million Americans have diabetes, and almost 2 million new cases are diagnosed each year. Managing your blood sugar is very important if you have diabetes and will help keep symptoms at bay. Taking good care of your oral wellness is actually one key to managing blood sugar. Read more ›

Posted in Dental Health

Dentistry in the Digital Age

Technology has changed nearly every aspect of human life and modern society. New tools, programs, and education can greatly improve your healthcare, too! Let’s say you need any kind of standard dental restoration for a cracked or missing tooth. From x-rays and impressions to surgery and installation, your whole treatment could be digital. We’re so used to digital tools these days, you may not even notice how much technology a dentist can utilize to best serve your oral health needs. Below are some of the ways your oral care may be digitized. Read more ›

Posted in Dental Health, Dental Technology

Don’t Eat That: A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Mouth

Some foods will help you grow healthy teeth and keep them forever. Some foods will prevent you from growing healthy teeth, or harm the ones you already have. You can grow and maintain strong, healthy teeth by eating a diet that your mouth (and your body) will truly love. But do you know what foods to avoid for a healthy mouth? Advanced Dental would like to share that information with you today!

Diet is Everything

The word “diet” has earned a bad reputation over the years as a verb that means eating less to lose weight, but diet is also a noun and a powerful way you can give yourself the best life possible. Your diet is simply the food you eat, and most of us are trying our best to eat wholesome food with just a few sweet treats here and there. Read more ›

Posted in Dental Health

Am I Too Old for Braces?

How old is too old for braces? It’s an interesting question—and the answer may surprise you! Advanced Dental in Lebanon would like to share some information with readers today regarding patient age as it relates to orthodontic treatment.

Spoiler Alert!

Patient age alone is not a deal breaker when it comes to successful orthodontic treatment outcomes, so what’s the determining factor? Simply put— the health of gums and bone. For example, if a patient has uncontrolled periodontal (gum) disease, the moving of teeth within the bone caused by orthodontic appliances can aggravate gum disease symptoms. Other medical conditions or medications can also interfere with orthodontic treatment. Some of these include:

  • Severe heart valve disease
  • Bleeding disorders
  • Severe and uncontrolled diabetes
  • Leukemia

Read more ›

Posted in Dental Health, Dental Services, Dental Technology

Dental Bridges 101

A hole in your smile is never a positive thing. It negatively affects physical appearance, eating, speaking, and your overall sense of confidence and well-being. Let Advanced Dental bridge the gap between where you are with your smile and where you want to be!

A missing tooth or teeth can also cause jaw pain and bite misalignment. Without a full set of teeth, your other teeth tend to move into the empty space, causing unnatural alignment in your bite and jaw—which can be very uncomfortable and can lead to bigger headaches and TMJ/TMD problems.

Dr. Cox and Dr. Smith share how each tooth plays an important role in your health and everyday life, and how dental bridges can restore your smile and the function of your teeth. Read more ›

Posted in Dental Health, Dental Services, Dental Technology

The Story of Caries Prevention

If we told you that your mouth is the site of a constant battle between teeth and bacteria, would you believe us? Alright, maybe it’s not that dramatic, but the fact that Lebanon teeth are always at risk of developing dental caries is no exaggeration. In case you’ve never heard about caries, Dr. Cox and Dr. Smith are going to take this opportunity to shed some light on what it is, how to stop it, and what Advanced Dental can do to help.

Dental Caries, Tooth Decay & Cavities

What do dental caries and tooth decay have in common? A lot – actually, they are the exact same thing. When bacteria interact with carbohydrates as they are broken down in the mouth, they ferment and produce lactic acid, which eats away at the structures of the teeth.

Considered the most prevalent chronic disease among adults and children, this condition is called dental caries, or tooth decay. Without proper care and regular dental appointments, the acid from bacteria will eat away the surface layer of the tooth, creating a hole, or cavity. In other words, dental caries (tooth decay) is the cause of cavities. Read more ›

Posted in Dental Health

Dental Insurance Trends

Above any other medical need, people are more likely to skip seeing the dentist because they can’t afford it.

Many people choose not to buy dental insurance because it’s an added cost without a lot of perceived value. For some reason, people simply feel more comfortable taking this risk because they don’t fully understand the consequences of oral health problems. But it’s a risk indeed. You can develop a facial or oral injury just as easily as any other injury and oral infections and diseases are just as common—if not more common—as any other.

Beyond the critical events of oral injury or infection, preventative dental care (aka your regular cleanings and check-ups) is crucial for catching problems before they become dangerous. Seeing the dentist regularly can help you address a surprising number of overall health and wellness issues.

Still, dentists understand that medical costs are rising, the world of insurance is often a mystery, and sometimes you’re just at a loss. Lebanon dentists, Dr. Cox and Dr. Smith, explain more below about the current trends in dental insurance and what it means for you. Read more ›

Posted in Dental Health, Dental Services

5 Natural Ways to Sleep Better

We think fondly of it, we all want it – why is it so hard to find? We’re talking about sleep, of course. A poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that 60% of adults report having trouble sleeping almost every night, with 63% saying their sleep needs are not being met.

Like water, a healthy diet, and breathing, sleep is essential to support every part of your health. Sleep is when our bodies rest, repair, and run a lot of self-maintenance. Studies show that not getting enough sleep can harm your memory, your heart health, your immune system, and make you gain excess weight.

Sometimes sleep loss is a real medical issue that needs to be treated by a doctor (your Lebanon dentists can help with sleep apnea). But if you’re just dealing with the common troubles of settling down and enjoying your sleep, we’ve got sleep tips that are all natural and easy to incorporate into your life…starting tonight!

Read more ›

Posted in Dental Health Tagged with:

Crack Down on Cracked Tooth Syndrome

Cracked tooth syndrome (CTS), also known as cracked cusp syndrome or split tooth syndrome, is a painful condition that results from a crack in one of your teeth. CTS can mean anything from a tiny hairline split in the crown to a fracture that goes all the way to the root.

If you have a nasty toothache and remember biting down on something hard, it’s time to contact Dr. Jerry Cox and Dr. Jesse Smith. Don’t worry though, because the dental professionals at Advanced Dental are committed to giving you the best oral care that Lebanon has available. To find out more about cracked tooth syndrome, read on. Read more ›

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