Dr. J. Peter St. Clair

It is not uncommon to get a second opinion, or a second or third quote for things like car repairs and home improvements. When it comes to our health, it usually depends on the nature of the issue. More complex issues in medicine, such as a diagnosis of cancer, an...

Studies have shown a link between teeth grinding, clenching and headaches. There are also links to people who have sleep breathing disorders, and those who take serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRI). Some brand names of these drugs are Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil and...

If you have kids, and you take them to the dentist, I am sure you have heard about sealants. Many, if not most dentists recommend dental sealants. A dental sealant is a flowable resin, generally placed on permanent 6 and 12-year molars. It is placed in the grooves on...

This is a phrase we hear far too frequently when patients call to cancel or change their dental hygiene appointments. When the patient is told that there are no open hygiene appointments for 4-6 months, the response is often, “Oh, that’s okay, it’s just a cleaning.”...

If you have read these columns in the past, you have seen me write about periodontal (gum) health and its relationship to systemic health. There is a slew of scientific evidence that poor periodontal health is not good for you systemically. It has been linked to heart...

I attended a continuing education course a while back entitled “Hit Man or Healer?” The course was given by a well-known leader in the dental profession. The basic premise of the course was the notion that we have a lot more science, studies and data available today...

If you missed Part 1 of this series, you can find it at www.thetowncommon.com. I ended last week with a statement that I have used numerous times before – just because it doesn’t hurt doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem. We keep learning more and more about the link...

THE ORAL-SYSTEMIC LINK (1/3) The connection between oral health and systemic health is well-established and ever-evolving. One thing we know for certain; we are living longer, but with more chronic diseases and medication than ever before. The latest statistics are...

Our lives are a series of choices. If we feel we don’t have a choice in a particular situation, think again. We usually do have a choice because our actions are based on how we think. How we think is a choice. While not necessarily easy, we can choose to think...