Category: Patient Education

How Often Do You Think About Your Toothbrush?

How old is your toothbrush? Have you replaced it recently? What kind of toothbrush do you buy?  Believe it or not, your toothbrush is important to your health, and not just your dental health, but your overall health. But, you probably don’t give it much thought.  For instance, are your bristles worn? Is your toothbrush… Read more »

Are There Oral Health Differences Between Men And Women?

You all know that men and women are different. You figured that out at an early age. Not only do men and women look, act, and communicate differently, they show their emotions differently, and they even take care of themselves differently. In today’s blog, your Livonia, MI dentist, Dr. James Stewart explains oral health differences between… Read more »

Your Tongue Is An Interesting Muscle

Some people brush their tongues. Some people pierce their tongues. Some people don’t pay any attention to their tongues. Does your tongue affect your oral health? Find out by taking your Livonia, MI dentist, Dr. James Stewart’s true or false quiz below.

Can Hydrogen Peroxide Be Used For Oral Care?

Hydrogen peroxide is a staple in everyone’s bathroom cupboard. You probably remember your parents cleaning your cuts and scraped knees with hydrogen peroxide when you were a kid. You probably thought it was cool the way it foamed up when it came into contact with your cut.  But what exactly is hydrogen peroxide and can… Read more »

Is Xylitol A Chemical?

Xylitol is a100 percent natural sugar substitute derived from fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, berries, and lettuce. Your body also produces xylitol from other food sources. An average adult with a normal metabolism can produce up to 15 grams of xylitol a day. Xylitol is not a chemical like aspartame, Splenda® or sucralose, and although it may… Read more »

Electric Toothbrush or Manual: Which Should You Use?

Did you know the electric toothbrush was invented in Switzerland in 1939?  It wasn’t introduced to the U.S. until the1960s.  Some of you reading this were probably born in that decade. Today, electric toothbrushes have risen in popularity. They are affordable and easy to use. Children tend to enjoy brushing with electric toothbrushes over manual… Read more »

Misaligned Bite

Does your child have a misaligned bite? The technical name for a misaligned bite or “bad bite” is malocclusion.  Malocclusion can be caused by genetics, mouth breathing, or bad oral habits such as thumb sucking. Most people, children and adults, have some level of malocclusion, but nothing that usually warrants treatment. Research indicates that 90… Read more »

Understanding Tooth Anatomy

When you visit your dentist, do you feel like you’re in the dark? You don’t need to know what’s going on. You open your mouth, say “Ah,” and your dentist takes it from there. He or she knows what they are doing and we trust our dentist. It may be helpful, however, to be familiar… Read more »

What to Expect With Your Dental Health When You’re Expecting

Swollen ankles. Nausea that strikes randomly. And wildly-fluctuating hormone changes that could make a saint swear. Ahh, the glow of pregnancy. Your body is changing and growing so rapidly, it is easy to overlook your teeth during the nine (let’s be honest, it’s more like ten) months of growing your little peanut. Here are some… Read more »

Discussing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

The US National Library of Medicine mentions in an article that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common problem affecting 24% of middle-aged males and 9% of middle-aged females. Among these adults, snoring is a common trait. The prevalence of snoring could indicate the presence of obstructive sleep apnea, and a trained professional like Dr…. Read more »