Dental Health: Seeing a Dentist after Years of Neglect

If you have a child with a zest for life that never stops running, getting them to slow down enough for a dental appointment might feel like a challenge. If your kid just has more energy than others, or is diagnosed with some form of hyperactivity, you might need to put a little strategic thinking into your child's dental visit. Here are four things that you can do to prepare your hyper child for the dentist.

An orofacial cleft is a congenital malformation that affects 1/1000 live births. It is characterized by an incomplete formation of structures separating the oral and nasal cavities. Other sources stated one in 700 babies each year are affected, and is ranked 4th in the most common birth defect in the United States. Children of Latino, Native American, or Asian descents have the occurrence more often. Data also indicates twice as many girls have the problem (cleft palates), as compared to boys.

Dental abscesses, intrusive pockets of pus that develop deep within and under teeth, are both extremely painful and extremely dangerous if you don't go to the dentist immediately. In fact, the waves of pain are so intense that you need to be careful when you're driving so that you don't swerve on the road in response to a particularly intense sensation from a nerve. To cope with the pain from a dental abscess while you're driving to your dentist, use these three tips.

If you have thin enamel on your teeth then they are more susceptible to damage and cavities. This is due to the fact that enamel is the protective outer covering of your teeth and not having enough of it makes your teeth more fragile. Also, the enamel is what helps give the appearance of white teeth. People with too little enamel will have discolored teeth with the darker inner color of their teeth showing throw the enamel.

Many times, if your breath smells a bit off, brushing your teeth more often or more thoroughly will take care of the problem. However, if you've been brushing diligently and your breath is still smelly, it's time to consider the possibility that your bad breath is being caused by something more sinister than dirty teeth. Here's a look at three other possible causes of bad breath. Dry Mouth Saliva helps wash all of the nasty, odor-emitting bacteria out of your mouth.

If you're having your wisdom teeth removed soon, you're certainly not alone. According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, about ninety-percent of all people have a wisdom tooth that's impacted. Thinking about your upcoming wisdom teeth extraction can be stressful and intimidating, but you can make the recovery process much smoother by thoroughly preparing yourself for your oral surgery and recovery ahead of time. Preparing for Your Surgical Appointment

Patients often visit the general dentist office with a diagnosis or treatment already in mind thanks to online research. But while there is a lot of valuable information online, there are an equal number of myths about dental health. Gum health seems to be one of the most misunderstood areas of oral hygiene and treatment or diagnosis myths can prevent you from getting the treatment you actually need. Here are two common gum health myths-- and the truth behind the stories.

You just found out that you're going to need braces. Now, you have questions that you want answered. Your parents are probably prepared for the technical questions dealing with procedures and costs. But, you might have questions of a more personal nature. Here are a few answers that you might have been wondering about. Will They Hurt? The braces are going to move your teeth back into their proper positions. Your dentist will attach wires and brackets to your teeth, which will be tightened and adjusted each time you go in for a visit.