Dr. Drews, Dr. Lake, Dr. Patel and the whole team of dental health care professionals at Drews Dental provide latest news, helpful tips, hot topics, and fun facts about oral health and dentistry.
Are Bleeding Gums Normal?
Are Bleeding Gums Normal? The short answer is no, bleeding gums are not generally normal. Are Bleeding Gums Common? Yes, they’re way more common than you think. Let’s face it, we all know flossing doesn’t always make the cut in our daily routines. But here’s the deal: your gums are
Why Implant Supported Dentures Could Be the Answer to Your Google Search Questions
It’s always kind of fun to start punching something into Google and see what’s suggested, even more so when you are legit scanning for research information on a subject that’s close to heart. As a dentist, I don’t tend to google dentistry questions, 80’s wrestling is more my style, but
Does Brushing Harder Clean Your Teeth Better?
Sometimes I see Lady Macbeth in my office. I’m sure you’re familiar with Shakespeare’s play, we all had to read it and maybe even perform it in high school, right? You know, the one that opens with the witches chanting about “toil and trouble”, finds Macbeth pondering, “Is this a
Top 5 Reasons People Avoid the Dentist
I have a secret ambition to host the gameshow ‘Family Feud,’ except I’d make all the questions dental related. I’ve done this before when we asked 2 dentists to name something you wish everyone would put on their New Year’s resolution list and then talked about the top 7 answers
It’s Time to Show Off Your Smile (again)
Thanks to modern science and the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, mask restrictions are easing off a bit, though it’s still important to keep up with mask mandates and recommendations (here’s Maine’s Face Covering FAQs). I’m a dentist, so I’m pretty comfortable with the idea of wearing protective gear. However, I’m
Why Do I Need A Root Canal If My Tooth Is Dead?
According to the grief and loss experts, there are several phases people navigate when they go through the bereavement process; Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. I can attest that a dental patient who’s been told that their tooth has “passed away” also experiences a combination of these when they’re
Dentistry: Why It’s An “Essential” Service
We know it’s been a long twelve months, and there is no denying that March 2020 marked the start of an unprecedented, unbelievably tough time that presented us all with some pretty rough hardships including unpredictable work hours and volatile incomes. Businesses and schools were shut down which meant many
Practicing Dentistry During A Pandemic
There is no question that how we practice dentistry has changed (as it should) to adapt to the times. Much like airline travel, the safety and health information can sound rather tedious and boring compared to the final destination, whether it happens to be bottomless umbrella drinks on the beach
Is Your Baby “Just Teething”
Hi, Tooth Fans! I hope you’re all doing okay and staying safe in this crazy time of quarantine! People are starting to go a little stir crazy. In fact, some of you may have never read our blog before, but since you’re stuck at home with nothing better to do, why
COVID-19: Why Your Friendly Neighborhood Dentist Is Temporarily Closed
Greetings, Tooth Fans! I always liked the TV show “The Walking Dead.” I think zombies are gross, and there’s no way I could survive in a world overrun by them, but I really enjoy scary cinema. I like the adrenaline rush and the imagination that goes into horror movies, and
Baby Dentistry – Part Two
When I was on maternity leave I was busy taking care of my baby. I wasn’t seeing patients at the office and I wasn’t taking calls on the weekends, but I was still a dentist. There are some things you just can’t shut off (sometimes no matter how hard you try).
Resolutions & Decisions
Happy New Year, Tooth Fans! My favorite part of the new year is how you can start everything over from scratch, symbolically at least. You get brand new calendars and make resolutions on how this year will be different from the one before. And while time is really an artificial construct
Baby Dentistry – Part One
Greetings Tooth Fans! It’s Dr. Lake here, writing to you from the joyous (sometimes frustrating) land of maternity leave. I’m fortunate enough to be able to take a good amount of time to bond with my little one. (Read: Dr. Drews is a saint for running a 2-doctor practice on his own
The Importance of Flossing & Flossing Alternatives
Happy National Flossing Day! What? You didn’t know there was a national flossing day? Well, evidently there is. It turns out it was first celebrated in 2000 and is always celebrated on black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. What better day to celebrate flossing than after a day of national
A Note About Opioids
Opioids are narcotic pain relievers that require a prescription from a medical professional. When taken as prescribed for short periods of time under the care of a medical professional, opioids can be a safe and effective pain management tool. Unfortunately, opioid abuse is a growing and dangerous problem in America.
Are You Smiling Enough?
A smile (and teeth) are often one of the first things we notice when we meet someone for the first time. After all, they are part of the most prominent facial features just staring us in the face. In fact, a famous scientist (Doctor of Biological Sciences) named Yarbus (Al’fred
X-Rayted Conversation
Hello Tooth Fans! A very pregnant Dr. Kristie Lake here. 9 months in fact. I’m due in September, but he’s welcome to come any time because I am seriously in need of regaining my inner personal space. You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to sleep with a foot lodged
Getting Surgical Clearance From Your Dentist
Hello Tooth Fans! You know, sometimes as dentists we take the information we know for granted and we forget that there are little “life of a dentist” tidbits that you may not be aware of. For example, did you know that sometimes patients come to us because they need dental
Read Before Vaping
Hello Tooth Fans! One of the questions we routinely ask at a new patient visit is whether or not a patient has a tobacco habit. This isn’t because we’re nosy or because we want to judge you in some way, but because there are very important health consequences, including dental
Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s
For years we have heard about bacteria gut flora (or gut microbiota) and the benefits of having the correct balance of gut flora to your overall health. If the population of bacteria becomes out of balance, the body is negatively impacted. You’ve seen the Activia probiotic yogurt commercials and Benefiber’s
