woman in a bathrobe holding a toothbrush worried about brushing her teeth

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

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woman aggressively brushing her teeth

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

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woman pointing downward with both hands

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

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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

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cartoon illustration of a dead tooth with a sad toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss mourning

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

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