Motherhood is both wonderful and challenging. Most women agree that the only way to truly understand what being a mom is like is to become one. Once you have had children, they become your main focus, the purpose behind everything you do…and don’t do. It’s not uncommon for women to neglect themselves after having a baby. From missing the daily shower to going an extra month or two without a haircut, it’s natural for mothers to reroute all of their resources to their child or children, whether that be time, money, or energy. But could that self-neglect be having a negative affect that extends beyond Mom? Healthy Mom Equals Healthy Child According to a study published in the Journal of Dental Research (Jan. 19, 2011)1, moms’ oral health predicts their children’s oral health. This 27-year-long study found that if mothers had poor oral-hygiene practices while their children were young, the…

Imagine you are eating a big, juicy steak cooked to perfection. You cut out a chunk of steak place it in your mouth. The first bite is delicious, and the second bite is even better. But then, in your fervor for chewing, you forget where the steak ends and where your cheek begins. Before you know it, you’ve bit down on your cheek and your meal is disrupted by pain. The next day, you wake up and realize you have a canker sore, right where you bit down on last night. A canker sore is a small ulcer inside the mouth, and it may appear white with gray or red edges. They can appear on the inside of your lips, cheeks and on your tongue. They can be caused by stress, trauma (like biting on the inside of your cheek or braces irritating your mouth), allergy, and other factors, like…

It’s a beautiful summer day outside. You are walking through a park when, out of nowhere, a levitating bowl full of giant pinwheel lollipops appears in front of you. You reach for a particularly colorful one and take a huge chomp out of it. Suddenly, clouds fill the sky and shards of the lollipop fall from your mouth. You look down only to realize it’s your teeth that have all fallen to the ground instead! Sound like a familiar nightmare? Bad dreams about tooth loss are not uncommon, and neither is the fear of losing your teeth as you age. While it can happen, tooth loss isn’t inevitable. There are certain avoidable conditions that lead to it, and if tooth loss does occur, there are some amazing solutions — like dental implants — that can restore your natural-looking smile to its original state. Are You at Risk for Tooth Loss?…

Five Signs You Might Have Sleep Apnea… and One Thing You Can Do About It At one point in time, maybe even only a few years ago, sleep apnea was not well-known among the public. Now, thankfully, public awareness of sleep apnea is much higher. After all, it is a dangerous condition, and because it is a disease that affects sleep, many people who have sleep apnea aren’t even aware of it. If you suffer from sleep apnea, you will temporarily stop breathing during the night—up to hundreds of times! The health implications are quite serious, as sleep apnea is linked to many cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, and heart arrhythmias. So if you have sleep apnea, it’s important to get treatment. So what are some signs or risk factors for sleep apnea? You’re overweight. Body weight is linked to obstructive sleep apnea, which is caused…

When your family maintains excellent oral health, they also get to enjoy the perks of improved overall heath and quality of life. Some of the benefits of having healthy teeth and gums include: Decreased Risk of Heart Attack: Studies show that people who follow good oral hygiene practices and maintain their oral health have a significantly reduced chance of heart disease and heart attacks. Increased Self-Esteem: Regular visits to Vancouver dentist Dr. David Hanson will keep your smile white and your breath fresh, helping you feel and look your best. During a routine cleaning, Dr. Hanson removes stains that have occurred from eating and drinking foods that cause discoloration. And the occurrence of halitosis is much lower for those that maintain great oral health. Better Performance in School and on the Job: Gum disease and cavities cause both adults and children discomfort and even illness. Studies show that 51 million…

When it comes to your oral health, you’ve probably received a lot of information about what not to eat and drink in order to maintain a healthy, bright white smile. Sugary treats, sticky sweets, and foods that are hard and crunchy can all cause decay or chip and break your pearly whites. Well, we’ve got good news for you! There are still plenty of foods that will please your palate while helping you build stronger, healthier teeth. So instead of focusing on the can’ts and shouldn’ts, take a moment to find out what you can and should be feasting on…in an effort to keep your teeth healthy, of course. Wine and Cheese: Break out the wine and cheese, because this is news worth celebrating! New studies have found that the calcium in dairy products lowers the pH levels in your mouth, helping to fight plaque, prevent cavities, and protect enamel….

For many smokers, e-cigarettes seem like the best answer to avoiding the nasty side effects of smoking traditional cigarettes, including the odor and the staining of teeth, skin, and clothing. Though e-cigarettes still contain the highly addictive chemical nicotine, tobacco and other harmful elements are eliminated from the electronic smoking process, or what some refer to as “vaping.” The growing popularity of e-cigarettes and vaping, especially among young people, has caused a rise in concern over the lack of knowledge around the effects it has on health. While clinical studies are currently underway, in 2014 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement saying “e-cigarettes have not been fully studied, so consumers currently don’t know the potential risks of e-cigarettes when used as intended, how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are being inhaled during use, or whether there are any benefits associated with using these products.”…

We all know it’s good to brush your teeth at least twice a day. It’s even better to brush after eating, but unfortunately most of us don’t have the time for that. Cavities form as a result of tooth decay. Tooth decay is caused by the acidity in foods. Acidity levels, also known as pH levels vary by the type of food and drink. Take a look at the pH Level chart to see if what you are eating and drinking is increasing your risk for cavities. If it’s been over six months since you have seen Dr. David L. Hanson, make sure to book your appointment with Creekside Dental in Vancouver, WA to ensure that your teeth stay healthy. Your hygienist at Creekside Dental can also provide you with other ways to prevent tooth decay.

The effectiveness of whitening toothpastes on your teeth will depend on why they don’t look white in the first place. Whitening toothpastes chemically or mechanically help to remove stain on the tooth surface. There is no evidence they can whiten teeth from internal discoloration. The only whitening agents in toothpastes are abrasives that help rub off stains from coffee, tea, or red wine for example. If you believe your teeth are not as white as they should be, Creekside Dental can advise you on what whitening method would work best for you. Because most toothpastes contain mild abrasives, they may not be strong enough to remove heavy external stains that need to be scaled and polishes off professionally at our office.

When you think about visiting the dentist, you most likely think about keeping your teeth white and straight, and having an attractive smile. What you may not realize is that maintaining good oral health has value beyond the obvious aesthetic rewards of a beautiful smile. Dedication to maintaining good at-home oral hygiene practices and making regular visits to the dentist protect your overall health and can help you avoid serious health complications and disease. Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body Recent research has linked gum disease to health problems that affect women and men of all ages. Gum disease is a bacterial infection, and as a result, it can enter the bloodstream and cause other health issues: Heart disease: Gum disease increases the risk of heart disease and doubles the risk of having a fatal heart attack. Heart disease is the number-one killer of women in America. Stroke: Studies have linked gum…