Last week I discussed teenager sleep patterns and issues. This week we start a conversation about sleep for the majority of those reading this column. My body has become accustomed to a certain amount of quality sleep. I have always had difficulty sleeping past a...
Dr. J. Peter St. Clair
Brighter Smiles: Teen Sleep
When we were all young children, most of us got plenty of sleep, and for that matter, we didn’t think much of it. Our parents told us it was time for bed and we went to bed. We slept until the morning at which time we were woken by our parent’s gentle touch. As we...
Brighter Smiles: XYLITOL + DOGS = BAD
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is commonly used as a sweetener in many products, such as chewing gum, toothpaste and nasal spray. Xylitol kills bacteria by disrupting their ability to metabolize glucose, which is a necessary process for their...
Brighter Smiles: What Goes into a Denture?
There aren’t too many people who really want a denture, but for many people, this is a viable way to replace loss of teeth. Regardless if it is replacing one or all the teeth, it is something removable; that is, the patient takes it in and out of their mouth. As with...
Brighter Smiles: A Waste of Time ?
In an online report I recently read in a journal that was forwarded to me by a patient, they listed 9 “healthy” habits that they claim are a waste of time. Three of them had to do with oral health. Let’s take a look. The first on the waste of time list was to see your...
Brighter Smiles: Breathing is Important – Part 2
Last week I introduced Part 1 of “Breathing is Important”. For this week’s column to make the most sense, I would encourage you to read that column first. It can be found at www.thetowncommon.com. In case you don’t have a chance to read it, here is a brief recap: I...
Brighter Smiles: Breathing is Important – Part 1
About ten years ago I took a weekend course at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine entitled “Sleep Dentistry”. This was not a course in putting patients to sleep for their dental work. This particular course was an introduction to treating people who had been...
Brighter Smiles: Are you at Risk?
Last week I introduced you to a patient who has been struggling with dental decay (cavities), gum recession, and dental erosion (the chemical breakdown of tooth structure). I discussed how these dental problems are complex multifactorial diseases of epidemic levels...
Brighter Smiles: Health Requires Accountability
Health Requires Accountability Dental hygienists love it when they make suggestions to patients about home care and their dreams are answered when the patient returns 6 months later with noticeable improvement. It might be as simple as adding a good electric...
Brighter Smiles: Health Requires Accountability
Dental hygienists love it when they make suggestions to patients about home care and their dreams are answered when the patient returns 6 months later with noticeable improvement. It might be as simple as adding a good electric toothbrush or waterpik to the patient’s...
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