I can’t possibly be the only person that grew up hearing that it was “healthy” for gums to bleed while using a tooth brush, encouraging me to brush harder and floss with more vigor.  Bleeding gums are, in fact, not normal.  The bleeding is actually caused by a lack of daily care and attention to oral health.  Inflamed gums (which lead to bleeding) can be a response to plaque build- up, gum disease or the start of gingivitis.  That being said, do not panic if the gums bleed a bit while flossing.  If we are honest with ourselves, most [...]

Most of us can’t escape a circus, carnival, or Fair without purchasing a bag of delicious, gooey cotton candy. What if I told you that this highly sugary treat was first invented by a dentist? You heard me.  A DENTIST. The machine spun, sticky goodness was first invented in 1897 by William Morrison, a dentist, and his confectioner friend, John C. Wharton.  Cotton candy then made its first debut at the 1904 World’s Fair.  Before it was coined cotton candy, the addictive treat was called “Fairy Floss” and it’s first performance resulted in selling 68,655 boxes at 25 cents [...]

Your mom always said it, and you always ignored it: “Did you floss?” What you heard was: “Are you sliding a weirdly smooth and tiny piece of string between your teeth while it cuts off the circulation in your fingers?” What you didn’t hear was: “Are you eliminating the risk of major oral and overall health problems when you get older?” You probably wouldn’t have cared either way, but isn’t the second question interesting? When you breathe, eat, laugh, smile, chew gum, and sing, you open up your body to the outside world. And it’s up to your mouth [...]