“Feel the burn” may be a common saying for exercise, but it shouldn’t describe your mouthwash. A burning sensation from a mouth rinse does not indicate improved oral health; in fact, it can signal irritation and potential harm. Q Why does Listerine burn? – Sholom C. A Many commercial mouthwashes, including Listerine, contain essential oil … Read more

As a periodontist who enjoys telling a story, I want to explain how mitochondria influence periodontal disease. Imagine a science-fiction scenario: bacteria invade a host and eventually become part of a complex, functioning organism — us. That is not fiction. It describes how mitochondria came to live inside our cells and why they matter for … Read more

Whitening your teeth seems simple: buy strips, apply gel, or use a trendy LED kit and expect brighter teeth. But many people approach whitening the wrong way and damage their enamel without realizing it. I learned this the hard way years ago—not on myself, but on my eldest daughter. The Whitening Mistake I’ll Never ForgetWhen … Read more

About 10 million wisdom teeth are extracted from roughly 5 million patients every year in the United States. Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, typically erupt in the late teens but can appear as early as 12 or as late as the mid-20s. They earned their name because they usually come in at a more … Read more

After Halloween I see a noticeable increase in dental patients, but not primarily because of cavities. Cavities don’t appear overnight. What I’m seeing are adults with cracked molars from biting down on hard candy — parents who claim they are protecting their kids by taking the candy away, only to damage their own teeth in … Read more

From simple bleeding gums to painful gum recession, gum disease is a dental problem that should be addressed promptly. Below we explain the stages of gum disease, the symptoms to watch for, how your dentist diagnoses it, and practical steps you can take at home to protect your oral health. If home care isn’t enough, … Read more

Have you noticed hard, bony lumps on the floor of your mouth beneath the tongue? These could be mandibular tori. Although harmless in most cases, they can be uncomfortable, interfere with dental appliances, or make oral hygiene more difficult. Whether present from birth or developing later in life, understanding what mandibular tori are and how … Read more

As a parent, you want your child to be healthy—including their teeth. Building a strong foundation of oral care early on is the best way to prevent tooth decay and preserve a bright smile. I raised three cavity-free daughters and, while some assume my dental background gave me an edge, the truth is simpler: once … Read more

Mouthguards are often the last thing on our minds when going for a run, heading to the gym, or hopping on a bike. Yet anyone who has lost a tooth knows how different life can be with an artificial replacement. Take Peter, for example: he lost a tooth in a bike accident at age ten … Read more

Most people picture sleep apnea as an overweight man in his 60s. That stereotype kept my family and me from recognizing the problem for years. I went through my 30s, 40s, and 50s fit, lean, and eating well, yet I had undiagnosed sleep-disordered breathing. I didn’t wake up exhausted, but I was more irritable than … Read more