As we think of those who have fought for our cause this Memorial Day weekend, I thought you might be interested to learn that dentistry has a patron saint. Few are aware of this fact today, but in fact, St. Apollonia is the Patron Saint of Dentistry and the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the feast…
Year: 2014
Safe dental restoration materials – What’s in Your Mouth?
Most people assume that whatever a dentist places in their mouth, i.e. crowns, filling materials, dentures, etc. are safe. But how do you know? Many of the products we use in daily life come from abroad and many dentists, in an effort to cut costs, are sending dental work offshore. Today it is estimated that…
Mouth Guards Part 2 – It’s Not Just About Dental Injuries!
Recently I wrote a blog on mouth guards as they relate to preventing dental injuries in young athletes, and cheerleaders in particular. But there is another and possibly more compelling reason to make sure that any athlete is wearing a properly fitted mouth guard. A study on the role of mouth guards in reducing the…
Oral cancer – Why 3 is 3 Too Many
Three. That’s the number of patients I have known in my career that I have helped to diagnose with oral cancer. Doesn’t seem like a lot but believe me, you wouldn’t want to be one of them! Consider the facts: The five-year survival rate for oral cancer is only 50% and that hasn’t changed in…
Do Dental Services Come With a Warranty?
You may be surprised…most of ours do. Occasionally people ask me half-jokingly if I offer a warranty on the dental work we perform. Obviously they weren’t aware that I actually do offer a limited warranty on all dental services we provide. After all…why wouldn’t I? You deserve it and I’m proud of the work my…
Preventing Bad Breath - Dr. Stone's top ten ways
There are many causes of bad breath (halitosis) and many people may be unaware they have it. It’s just one of those things that folks are often reluctant to talk about. Causes include poor oral hygiene, gum disease, sinus and respiratory tract infections, acid reflux and more. But by far, the most common cause is…
Eating for dental health – Yes, you are what you eat.
When we last considered diet in my post on “Eating on the Wlid Side,” I promised some tips on eating for better dental health. Most of what I have to say is old news, like avoiding sticky and sugary snacks like caramels and the like. But it is important to understand why this matters. The…
Oral health and eating on the wild side
Recently I read a book by Jo Robinson entitled “Eating on the Wild Side”. Basically it’s a well-researched exploration of the evolution of most of the fruits and vegetables we consume. It’s a fascinating read if you have an interest in food. It describes how through decades of cross-breeding and tampering with our food to…
Olive Oil as a Gargling Agent?
The first time I heard of “oil pulling “ was a few years ago when a periodontist friend of mine suggested it for a patient of ours who was not responding to traditional therapy. I decided to write this blog about it in part because another patient asked me about it this morning. Apparently this…
Dental Savings Plan - Save on Your Dental Visits with an In-House Plan
I remember practicing in an office in Southampton in the 70’s before there was dental insurance on the East Coast. No one really knew if it was going to be a good thing or not. (Dental insurance had been available for about 10 years in California before heading east.) Well, now here we are almost…
