Why the increase in cavities in adults?
Once people reach adulthood, it is often thought that cavities are a thing of the past. You outgrow cavities, right? Yes and no. While it is true that a person’s oral hygiene habits may improve in adulthood (e.g. regular daily flossing habits, better brushing techniques), for many adults, their dietary habits are often worse without realizing it. It even seems to be an increasing trend that we see more adult tooth decay, or people who have never had a cavity growing up suddenly get a whole slew of them. Let’s talk about what may be behind this trend. To start with the...
Read MoreHappy Halloween!
Happy Halloween from Solage Dental! We hope everyone has a safe and happy time. As you can tell, I’m a big fan of “The Nightmare Before Christmas!” Cheers, Vivian Tang, D.D.S.
Read MoreI’m grinding my teeth?
“What? I don’t grind my teeth…?” This is an answer I often hear to a very common problem I see, especially nowadays. Let’s clarify things. Teeth grinding and/or clenching is a sub-concious activity, meaning people are usually doing it without realizing it, whether it’s during the day while awake or at night during sleep. I’ve had patients who do it while sleeping, or while driving or working during the day. It’s very much tied to our daily stress levels–when people are stressed (and most people are nowadays!), they are more likely to...
Read MoreIs whitening safe for my teeth?
We were very happy to participate in the Luxe Wedding Faire exhibition this past Sunday, August 7! Congrats to all the engaged couples, we were very pleased to meet and talk with many of you! In this post, I would like to address what I found myself repeating over and over again throughout the course of the day. If it’s on the minds of the brides-to-be, it’s on the minds of many other people. Let’s start with the basics. Staining can be classified in two ways–extrinsic (external) and intrinsic (internal). Stains occur naturally throughout the course of our...
Read MoreDrinks that dissolve teeth
I often get asked by patients, “Is drinking coffee/tea/soda/insert-your-choice-of-beverage bad for my teeth?” Our teeth may be one of the hardest substances in our bodies, but even they are vulnerable to certain things. Our teeth are primarily composed of minerals. When they come into contact with acids, there is potential for our tooth material to soften and dissolve. Acidity is measured on a pH scale–here’s your quick chemistry lesson of the day–the lower the pH, the more acidic a substance is. Saliva is at pH 6.5, which keeps our teeth healthy....
Read MorePlanning for a baby? Oral health matters!
An interesting article came across my eye this week, from Medical News Today. Having long established links between gum disease and heart disease, type 2 diabetes, respiratory and kidney disease, and problems in pregnancy such as miscarriage and premature birth, a new study demonstrates a clear link between gum disease and the time it takes a woman to conceive. Gum disease (periodontal disease) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the foundation of our teeth, namely, the gums and bone. It is caused by bacteria that adhere to the teeth, which leads to an overly aggressive immune...
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