Health

What is your definition of oral health? Is there even a standard definition of oral health? One thing is clear; the definition of oral health is not solely the absence of pain. Pain is also not necessarily an indication of poor oral health. It wasn’t until the year...

I have had a few patients ask recently about the order of oral hygiene activities. Does it matter if you brush or floss first, and should this be done before or after breakfast? Based on available research, it seems opinion matters as much as scientific facts. A...

Last week I talked about a sometimes not so silent epidemic – sleep apnea. This week’s epidemic is much quieter but shares the general idea of decreasing the quality of life. With more than 24 million diabetics and 57 million pre-diabetics in the United States, there...

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...

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...

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...

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...