— articles —

Dental health, explained.

Practical information from Dr. Andy Engel and the Living Dental Health team. 28 years of experience, written down.

July 21, 2026

Dental Anxiety & Sedation Options: A Calmer Way Through

If the thought of going to the dentist makes your chest tighten, you are not difficult, not unusual, and not the only one. Dr. Andy Engel on where dental fear comes from, why a calm and unhurried approach helps most, and how mild oral Halcion sedation fits in when it's needed — at Living Dental Health in Bend, Oregon.

August 1, 2025

Understanding Your First Dental Appointment at Living Dental Health

New to Living Dental Health? Here's what to expect at your first visit — the comprehensive exam with Dr. Andy, why your cleaning is scheduled separately, and what comes next.

July 1, 2025

Unmasking the Damage of Clenching and Grinding Teeth (and How to Fight Back!)

Clenching and grinding can quietly wreck your teeth and jaw. Dr. Andy Engel explains the damage they cause, why we do it, and how a custom night guard fights back.

June 1, 2025

Not All Dental Cleanings Are the Same. Understanding the Difference Between Prophy and Perio Cleanings

Not all dental cleanings are the same. Learn the difference between a routine prophy and perio maintenance (deep cleaning), what those pocket numbers mean, and how insurance covers each.

May 1, 2025

Tobacco, Vaping, and Other Tobaccoless Products are an Oral Health Recipe for Disaster

Smoking, chewing tobacco, nicotine pouches, and vaping all take a serious toll on your mouth — from gum disease and stained teeth to oral cancer. Here's what each one does, and how to fight back.

April 1, 2025

Are People with Diabetes Doomed to Have Dental Problems?

Diabetes doesn't doom your smile — but unmanaged blood sugar raises the risk of gum disease, cavities, dry mouth, and thrush. Here's how to protect both, from Living Dental Health in Bend.

March 2, 2025

Dental Implants vs. Dental Bridges: Filling the Gap in Your Smile

Weighing how to replace a missing tooth? Living Dental Health compares dental implants and bridges — cost, bone health, impact on nearby teeth, and how long each lasts.

February 1, 2025

Three Crucial Questions to Ask When Choosing the Best Dentist in Bend, OR

Choosing a dentist? Ask three questions first — about communication, insurance and billing, and their experience with your specific concerns. Here's why each one matters, in Bend.

January 2, 2025

Pregnancy and Oral Health: Healthy Gums Make a Healthy Baby

Pregnancy hormones make gums more prone to inflammation, and gum disease is linked to preterm birth. Here's how expecting moms protect their gums — and their baby — in Bend, Oregon.

December 7, 2024

Navigating Dental Insurance: The Importance of Choosing the Right Dentist Over an Insurance Plan

Should you pick a dentist by their insurance network? Not necessarily. Learn how out-of-network coverage, annual maximums, and timing work — so you choose the right dentist, not just the plan.

November 1, 2024

Timing Dental Work Around Joint Replacement Surgery: How a Simple Cleaning Can Impact Your Surgical Results

Hip and knee replacements come with specific rules for dental care — when to schedule cleanings, how long to wait afterward, and when antibiotics are needed. Here's how to time it right.

October 1, 2024

What to Expect When Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

Wondering what wisdom teeth removal is actually like? Dr. Andy Engel walks through the ideal age, how rare complications really are, how conscious sedation works, and how to recover comfortably and avoid dry socket — for patients in Bend, Oregon.

September 1, 2024

What’s all the Fuss About Nightguards and Do They Really Work?

Do nightguards really work? Dr. Andy Engel explains how a custom night guard protects your teeth and jaw from grinding — and why it beats a drugstore version.

August 1, 2024

Hate the Dentist? Have Dental Anxiety? Get Connected to a Dentist Who Cares

Dental anxiety is common, and avoiding care only makes it worse. See how a small, dentist-owned practice and a no-pressure meet-and-greet help you feel heard.

July 1, 2024

Nine Dental Myths You Must Stop Believing

Should you brush right after eating? Skip flossing if your gums bleed? Are whiter teeth healthier? Dr. Andy Engel debunks nine common dental myths, in Bend, Oregon.

June 1, 2024

Eight Destructive Oral Habits that Can Ruin Your Teeth

Nail-biting, ice-chewing, using teeth as tools, grinding, hard brushing — eight everyday habits that quietly wreck your teeth, and how to break them, from Living Dental Health in Bend.

May 3, 2024

The Advantages of Clear Aligner Braces for Adults

Straightening your teeth as an adult no longer means metal braces. Dr. Andy Engel explains how clear aligners offer a comfortable, nearly invisible, removable alternative.

April 1, 2024

Dentistry Isn’t a Sprint – Why a Speedy Dentist is Not Good for Your Health

A five-minute dental exam isn't enough. See what a thorough exam really involves — medical history, TMJ and bite, oral cancer screening, wear patterns — and why root-cause care matters.

March 1, 2024

Having Surgery Soon? Seeing the Dentist First Can Save Your Life

Oral health can affect your surgical outcomes. Seeing the dentist before an operation lowers the risk of infection and complications — here's why timing and communication matter.

February 1, 2024

The Connection Between Mental Health and Oral Health and How it Can Ruin Your Teeth

Stress often shows up in your mouth as bruxism — clenching and grinding that wears down teeth and triggers headaches. Here's the mind-mouth link, and how Dr. Andy Engel treats the cause.

January 11, 2024

The Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry and How it Can Improve Your Smile and Confidence

Smiling releases endorphins that ease stress and can give your immune system a boost — but the biggest benefit of cosmetic dentistry is confidence. How whitening, veneers, bonding, and smile design improve not just your smile, but your oral health and how others see you, with Dr. Andy Engel in Bend, Oregon.

December 1, 2023

Your Gut Health Could be Ruining Your Teeth

Acid reflux and GI problems can quietly erode your back teeth — often with no heartburn to warn you. Here's the gut-to-mouth connection, and how Dr. Andy Engel helps you stop the damage.

October 1, 2023

Gaps are Meant for Pumpkins, Not Your Smile

Gaps between teeth are more than a cosmetic quirk — they can affect your bite, gums, and chewing. Dr. Andy Engel explains the risks and how a smile makeover closes them.

September 1, 2023

Is Wisdom Teeth Removal Really Necessary?

Wisdom teeth do not always need to be removed, but for many people they cause crowding, infection risk, cavities, or impaction. Dr. Andy Engel explains when wisdom teeth removal is recommended, why timing matters, and what patients in Bend can expect.

August 1, 2023

Dental Implants – Because Having Teeth is in Style

I remember going into my grandparent’s bathroom as a child and seeing their dentures soaking at night. Dentures were the norm until advancements in dentistry proved there was a longer-lasting and functional treatment available for missing teeth – dental implants. What is a Dental Implant? The majority of dental implants are made of medical-grade titanium.

July 3, 2023

Understanding Radiation Exposure in Dental X-rays

Nervous about radiation from dental X-rays? The dose is remarkably low — far less than everyday background radiation — and digital X-rays cut it further. Here's what to know, in Bend.

June 2, 2023

Choosing A New Dentist Doesn’t Have to Be a Chore – Learn What to Look For

New to Bend? Here's what to look for in a dentist — chairside manner, experience, office vibe, wait times, and the whole-health connection — so choosing the right one isn't a chore.

May 1, 2023

Should You Remove Your Silver Fillings? This Dentist Says Yes, But for a Different Reason Than You’d Expect

Technology is wonderful. But the thing about technology is that it continues to evolve. Forms of toothbrushes have been around for over 3000 years, but it wasn’t until 1938 that the toothbrush that we are familiar with came into existence. I can tell you that brushing with frayed twigs in ancient Babylon was probably pretty

March 21, 2023

Always Be Learning – A Plea for Continuing Education in Dentistry

When you’ve been a dentist for 25 years, things change. That’s why staying on top of innovations in your field is essential. Most medical professions require Continuing Education or CE, and dentistry is no different, for the most part. When choosing a dentist in Bend, OR, it is crucial to consider their priority of continually

March 13, 2023

Celebrating 25 Years as a Dentist in Bend, OR

Living Dental Health: Customized Care with a Gentle Touch Many options exist when you need a new dentist in Bend, OR. And while it is good to have choices, sometimes too many can make the decision more difficult. We also don’t need to sugarcoat the reality that for the average person, visiting the dentist isn’t

February 7, 2023

The Connection Between Oral Health and Whole Health

Your mouth is a gateway to your whole body. See how gum disease is linked to heart disease, diabetes, and pregnancy complications — and the simple habits that protect both.

January 17, 2023

A Missing Tooth and a Bone Graft Goes Hand in Hand – Understanding the Importance of Bone Grafts to Long-Term Oral Health

After a tooth is lost, a bone graft preserves the site for a future implant and protects the neighboring teeth. Dr. Andy Engel explains why it matters — and does it in-house.

December 1, 2022

Three Tips for Saving Money on Your Health and Dental Expenses

It is the most wonderful time of the year. It is the time of year for enjoying egg nog and candy canes and snuggling up by the fire. It is also time to make healthcare plans for the year ahead. Insurance is downright expensive, and the final quarter of the year is your last opportunity

November 1, 2022

Why Your Chronic Headache May Be TMD and How Your Dentist Can Help

Dentists are known for making beautiful smiles, but did you know that they can sometimes help make your headache disappear? Many chronic headaches have a dental or jaw origin — from clenching, grinding, and a misaligned bite that strains the jaw joint. Here is how Dr. Andy Engel finds and treats the cause.

October 1, 2022

How the Heck Did Dentists Become So Scary?

Why do so many people fear the dentist? A look at where that fear comes from — and how finding a dentist who takes the time to know you changes the whole experience.

September 1, 2022

Ten Most Frequently Asked Dental Questions

Our teeth are pretty spectacular. They’ve been a part of our lives for decades. They help us talk and eat and kiss. But despite our familiarity with our chompers, we consistently get some great questions. Here are the top ten questions we receive. Is an electric toothbrush really better? If you’re a patient of Dr.

August 12, 2022

Is Transparency in Dentistry Possible? We Think So.

Is transparency in dentistry possible? At Living Dental Health it's the goal — honest communication, respect for your time, and no surprise bills. Here's what that looks like, in Bend.

August 1, 2022

You Only Have One Set of Teeth – Keep Them for Life

You get one set of adult teeth — here's how to keep them for life. Why small problems snowball, why gum health matters, and the daily habits that protect your smile, in Bend, Oregon.

July 1, 2022

Not All Dentists Are Terrifying

Dental anxiety and phobia are more common than most people realize. Learn where the fear comes from and how a gentle, communicative approach helps you overcome it.

June 1, 2022

Don’t Shortchange Your Health – Slow Down When You Eat.

Don’t Shortchange Your Health – Slow Down When You Eat. You’ve heard the saying, “You are what you eat,” but did you know that the food you eat and even the speed with which you eat your food has been found to have significant life-saving benefits. The French and Italians had it right all along.

April 2, 2022

Dentistry is More Than Your Teeth

Dentistry is about more than teeth — the jawbone that supports them, and how conditions like cancer treatment affect your mouth. See why the whole picture matters, from Dr. Andy Engel in Bend.

March 3, 2022

Common Myths Surrounding Food and Oral Health

Does sugar really cause cavities? Is lemon water good for your teeth? Does oil pulling work? Dr. Andy Engel sorts five common food-and-teeth myths from facts, in Bend, Oregon.

January 1, 2022

Starting the New Year with a Confident Smile

A smile is the universal sign of happiness — it makes us appear more approachable and likable and can even help us land a job or get promoted. Beyond the social perks, smiling has real health benefits. And if you’re not happy with how your smile looks, a cosmetic smile makeover with Dr. Andy Engel can help.

November 1, 2021

Tips for Having the Most Kissable Mouth This Valentine’s Day and Beyond

Tips for Having the Most Kissable Mouth This Valentine’s Day and Beyond February is affectionately (or not depending on your current relationship status) known as the month of love. It is also heart health month (go figure). So we wanted to provide some tips you could benefit from because who doesn’t love a good kiss?

October 20, 2021

Dental Gifts You Never Knew You’d Love to Have

Dental Gifts You Never Knew You’d Love to Have Yes! We have almost made it through another year. And as we pat ourselves on the back for a pandemic year survived (kind of), we gulp in earnest and realize that the start of December also means we are in the throes of the gift-giving season.

August 25, 2021

Back to the Basics: Dental Tips from Your Dentist

Dr. Andy Engel shares his top dental tips — the right toothbrush, why to floss before you brush, how your drinks affect your mouth's pH, and more — to keep your teeth healthy in Bend.

August 17, 2021

Some Wise Advice on Wisdom Teeth Removal

Most people need their wisdom teeth removed because smaller modern jaws leave little room for them to come in properly. Dr. Andy Engel explains why removal is usually necessary, the best age to have it done, and how he approaches each extraction — with sedation, 3D imaging, and careful timing — in Bend, Oregon.

July 26, 2021

The Icky Truth About Gum Disease and Why You Should Care

Bleeding gums are a red flag, not a normal thing. Learn what causes gum disease, why flossing and cleanings matter, and the health risks of ignoring it — from Living Dental Health in Bend.

May 26, 2021

How Going Out-of-Network for Dental Care May Save Your Teeth and Wallet

In-network isn't always better. Learn how out-of-network dental care works, why cheaper plans can mean lower-quality treatment, and how to protect your teeth and your wallet, in Bend.

April 21, 2021

Two Solutions for Achieving Your Perfect Smile

The definition of a great smile will vary depending on who you ask. And while as dentists, we’d like to think we are the ‘great smile’ experts, we tend to find beauty in all kinds of smiles. However, over one-third of Americans are unhappy with something about their smile and want to have it fixed.

March 31, 2021

Meet Your New Dentist

Meet Dr. Andy Engel — from a Boise kid who took apart his toys to a Bend dentist who takes the time to know you. His story, his training, and his approach to care.

March 31, 2021

Why Not All Dentists Are Created Equal

Not all dentists are alike — training, technology, and philosophy vary widely. Here's what sets Dr. Andy Engel and Living Dental Health apart, and how to choose the right dentist in Bend.