Blog
Pregnancy and Oral Health: Healthy Gums Make a Healthy Baby
Pregnancy is a time of beautiful changes within the body. However, the changes that occur to grow a fetus impact parts of the body that may surprise you. As a dental office, we are particularly interested in how pregnancy affects oral health, which, if not addressed,...
Navigating Dental Insurance: The Importance of Choosing the Right Dentist Over an Insurance Plan
When it comes to dental care, one of the most common concerns is whether to stick with in-network providers to avoid higher out-of-pocket costs. However, it’s essential to understand that you shouldn’t be overly concerned about being out-of-network if it means...
Timing Dental Work Around Joint Replacement Surgery: How a Simple Cleaning Can Impact Your Surgical Results
Bend is home to some of the most active people in the world. Active communities typically have higher rates of total joint replacement surgeries, which is certainly true in our little corner of the world. Most people are surprised to learn that major surgeries like...
What to Expect When Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Removed
We all remember the dread of having our wisdom teeth removed when we were in our late teens or early twenties. It's a rite of passage that many of us have to go through. But what can we really expect when facing this common dental procedure? I recently spoke with...
What’s all the Fuss About Nightguards and Do They Really Work?
If you've ever experienced jaw pain or chronic headaches, or your dentist informed you that your teeth were being worn down because of grinding, you may have been advised to consider using a nightguard. But what is all the fuss about nightguards, and do they actually...
Hate the Dentist? Have Dental Anxiety? Get Connected to a Dentist Who Cares
If you were to rank the health care providers you had to see from the most enjoyable to the least enjoyable, visiting the dentist would likely be at the low end of the scale—hovering near the gynecologist. For many people, visiting the dentist isn’t a big deal. You...
Nine Dental Myths You Must Stop Believing
The lines between truth and reality often get blurred due to fallacies. This is most certainly true when it comes to our teeth. The challenge, though, is discerning what is real from what isn't because wrong information can be dangerous. This blog, which is crucial...
Eight Destructive Oral Habits that Can Ruin Your Teeth
We live, we learn, or at least, hopefully, we learn. That’s one of the reasons we are given baby teeth as children—to learn how to take care of them before the official ones kick in. But old habits can die hard, and some of us are guilty of oral habits that destroy...
The Advantages of Clear Aligner Braces for Adults
For many, the thought of wearing braces as an adult is a complete and utter no-way! Braces are a right of passage for kids, but most adults outgrow the patience and willingness to undergo uncomfortable tooth movement. Do you want to be a brace face in your 40s or 50s?...
Dentistry Isn’t a Sprint – Why a Speedy Dentist is Not Good for Your Health
You probably don’t think much about the purpose of a dental exam. Perhaps your experiences have consisted of an “adequate” cleaning by a dental hygienist and a quick peek in the mouth by the dentist to ensure you don’t have any cavities. A dental exam - at least if...
Having Surgery Soon? Seeing the Dentist First Can Save Your Life
When you think about needing surgery, you probably don’t consider how it will impact your teeth or how your oral health can impact your surgical outcomes, but your dentist does. Dental work can impact surgical outcomes in other parts of the body. This is because the...
The Connection Between Mental Health and Oral Health and How it Can Ruin Your Teeth
Life can be stressful. Today’s fast-paced and demanding world expects so much of us. And, sadly, life isn’t getting any easier. Stress levels have been on the rise in the United States, with about three-quarters of adults reporting experiencing at least one symptom of...
The Benefits of Cosmetic Dentistry and How it Can Improve Your Smile and Confidence
Smiles are good for the soul. When you smile, your brain releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers and mood elevators. This can help reduce stress and anxiety and even lower blood pressure. Smiling also boosts your immune system by increasing the production...
Your Gut Health Could be Ruining Your Teeth
Gut health is directly linked to overall health. People with a healthy gut tend to be sick less frequently than those with GI (gastrointestinal) issues. This is because most cells that make up the immune system are located in the gut. But gut health is also linked to...
Essential Updates from Your Bend, Oregon Dentist Plus, Why Time, Trust, and Transparency Should be Important to You
I am not sure about you, but time is lacking in many business relationships. This is especially true for healthcare relationships in Bend, Oregon. A 2018 study of 19,000 healthcare providers found that the time spent with a patient was between 13-24 minutes, with 25%...
Gaps are Meant for Pumpkins, Not Your Smile
It’s that pumpkin spice time of year when the leaves are aglow with majestic hues of red and yellow, and fireplaces are dusted off and turned back on to keep us snuggly as we sip our coffee and tea. And while you consider how to carve your pumpkin, consider the mouth...
Is Wisdom Teeth Removal Really Necessary?
We are creatures of evolution and are grateful for three significant evolutionary changes: opposable thumbs, losing body hair, and larger brains. An area that hasn’t entirely kept up with evolution is wisdom teeth, also known as third molars. Our ancestors had larger...
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. ...