Do You Grind Your Teeth?

Do you wake up in the morning with pain and tightness in in your jaw? Have you ever awakened yourself in the middle of the night with a loud clenching or grinding sound?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to come into our Tempe, Arizona dental office to see Dr. Michael G. Smith.

Bruxism is a habit of grinding or clenching the teeth. Clenching means you tightly hold your top and bottom teeth together. Grinding occurs when you slide your teeth back and forth over each other.

Here are some symptoms you may be experiencing if you are grinding or having jaw problems at night.

-headache

-soar jaw

-frequent toothaches

-facial pain

-worn or fractured tooth enamel

-loose teeth

-earache

-insomnia

How are some jaw problems are treated.

Dr..Smith may suggest a night-gaurd to wear while you sleep. Night-gaurds are helpful for bruxism caused by sleep, disorders, crooked or missing teeth or stress.

Pain from clenching and grinding can be relieved by paying attention to the symptoms, frequent visits to Dr. Smith's Tempe Dental office and good communication with Dr. Smith.

Oral Cancer Screening

Are you at risk for oral cancer? Virtually everyone is. Oral Cancer is one of the most curable diseases when caught early.

Increased risks:

~Patients age 18-39 without lifestyle risk factors

High Risk:

~ Patients age 40 and older without life style risk factors

~Tabacco Users (any age, any type)

Highest Risk:

~Patients age 40 and older with lifestyle risk factors (tabacco use/ alcohol consumption)

~Patients with history of oral cancer

In an effort to detect oral cancer early, Dr. Smith can perform an annual Vizilite Plus exam, in combination with a conventional visual exam. Vizilite Plus uses technology that has been proven successful in identifying precancerous and cancerous abnormalities.

Call us today to ask about Vizilite Plus. 480-839-0330 or make an appointment at www.tempefamilydentistry.com

Baking Soda?

Baking soda has been used to clean and whiten teeth and fight bad breath. Several dental products on the market use it as their main ingredient. but is it really good for your teeth?

Some say baking soda is too abrasive, and that it can erode the enamel on teeth if used for too long. But with so many products on the market containing it, someone must think baking soda is good for your teeth. But does the research support this theory?

Research has shown that baking soda is the least abrasive polishing agent when compared to the other common ones used in commercial toothpastes. It also is extremely soluble in water, making it gentle on enamel dentin and soft tissue. Baking soda has been proven to buffer the acid produced orally to help maintain the mouths neutral environment, after brushing

How Harmful is Cola?

Coca-Cola is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. It's delicious and refreshing. It's also been known to clean motor engines, remove gum from hair, and even preserve naval subs! A soft drink that rivals liquid cleaners should make you think twice about the effects of your daily soda intake!
Coke is undoubtedly acidic. But it is not acidic enough to dissolve a tooth in just a few hours. Other drinks such as cranberry juice, Sunny Delight and Gatorade are even more acidic that Coke. Given weeks during which a tooth is exposed to Coke, the results may differ. The enamel will eventually break down and the tooth will decay, which could ultimately lead to its destruction.
Putting a tooth in Coke overnight will mainly create a stain. Leaving a tooth in Coke for a few months can do some serious damage. So the next time you crave caffeine, remember that Coca-Cola can rust a steel nail in four days. Opt for something a bit more enamel-friendly!

Is a dog's mouth cleaner than a human's mouth?

Is kissing your dog really better than kissing a human? According to the show "MythBusters, " it is. On the show a dog licked a petri dish and a human licked another. When compared the human's dish grew much more bacteria than the dog's. This must mean that the dog's mouth is cleaner, right? Not necessarily!
According to Colin Harvey, a professor of surgery and dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary medicine, the two cannot be compared. The bacteria in a dog's mouth is species specific and often would not be able to survive in a human mouth!
The biggest argument for this myth is that human's bite is more infectious than a dog's bit. But the likelihood of an infection depends on the location of the bite, the kind of bacteria present, and the depth of the bite .Not who gave it!
So for all you animal lovers out there....go ahead and kiss your dog!!! Just ask yourselves: Where has that mouth been?

Care Credit

At Tempe Family Dentistry, we want our patients to feel as comfortable as possible when receiving any kind of treatment. One way we accomplish this, is through Care Credit. Care Credit is a NO INTEREST payment plan that allows our patients to get the treatment needed to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile!
Care Credit is a healthcare credit card specifically designed to pay for procedures not covered by insurance.
With Care Credit you can:
~Pay for co-payments, deductibles, and treatment not covered by insurance.
~Start treatment immediately at out Tempe, Arizona dental office and pay over time with LOW minimum monthly payments.
~Have no annual fees
~Reserve existing credit cards for household or unplanned expenses.
~Apply online at http://www.carecredit.com/ or call (800)-365-8295.
Please call our office Tempe office TODAY if you have any questions about our fees, or about Care Credit. (480) 839-0330

Happy October

Here at Tempe Family Dentistry we are getting in the fall mood! One of our amazing dental assistants decorated this pumpkin for us to display here in our Tempe, Arizona office.

Although Halloween is spooky, our office is not scary at all! Call us to schedule an appointment today! (480)-839-0330