How Missing Teeth Can Affect Your Health
According to the American Academy of Periodontology, an estimated three out of four Americans suffer from gum disease. In milder cases, the disease is called gingivitis. More severe cases are called periodontitis. Despite the prevalence of periodontal disease (and it is very common), only three percent of people who suffer from periodontal disease get treatment […]
Xerostomia: Big Word, Common Problem
Xerostomia might sound like a serious and rare condition, but it’s more common than you think. If you’ve been feeling like your mouth is constantly dry, you may already be having your first encounter with it. Xerostomia refers to when you have a dry mouth due to absent or reduced saliva flow. Now you might […]
Surprising Ways to Prevent Cavities
There are numerous ways to prevent cavities. Some, like brushing your teeth regularly and visiting our Fort Myers, Florida office, are more obvious than others. Beyond the standard methods of preventing cavities there are a number of different ways to keep your mouth healthy that you might also find surprising. 1. Reduce your consumption of […]
October is National Dental Hygiene Month: A simple oral health routine for your busy lifestyle
Adults are no strangers to feeling like there is never enough time in the day to get everything done. Your alarm clock rings and within minutes you ping pong around trying to spread peanut butter on sandwiches, answer your cell phone, remove the dog hair from your clothes, and make sure your child has completed […]
The Perks of Dairy
We all remember hearing this: “Finish your milk, it’s good for your bones!” If you have kids of your own now, you may catch yourself repeating many of the things you were told growing up. Though parents occasionally exaggerate to get their kids to do certain things (such as eat veggies or behave), they’re spot-on […]
Tooth Worms? The History of Cavities and Tooth Fillings
Scientists have discovered tooth decay in specimens that are more than 15,000 years old. The ancients once thought that cavities were caused by something called “tooth worms” … Eew! They didn’t exist, of course, but how else could humans explain the holes that cavities make in teeth? The appearance of cavities on a widespread basis […]
Dental Anxiety
If you suffer from dental anxiety, a visit to Hand Family Dentistry might seem like a daunting prospect. Perhaps you had a bad experience in the past, but whatever the reason, please know that at our Fort Myers, Florida office, there is nothing to be afraid of. We understand you may be anxious about receiving […]
September is National Gum Care Month!
Can you believe it’s already September? At Hand Family Dentistry, we know that gingivitis, the early stage of periodontal disease, can be difficult to recognize. Many people don’t recognize the warning signs, bleeding and swollen gums, as a precursor to gum disease. This month, a national campaign is under way to raise awareness about gum […]
Courting Disaster
When we think of sports and dental damage, we naturally think of hockey and football. But when it comes to the actual number of dental injuries suffered each year, vying for top seed is the game of basketball. How is this possible? After all, football and hockey are categorized as “collision sports”! But along with […]
Happy Labor Day!
Labor Day is upon us, and that means the non-official end to summer. Before the kids head back to school and temperatures start to cool down, this is your last chance to barbeque in the beautiful Fort Myers, Florida community, head to the lake, and wear your favorite pair of white pants. About Labor Day […]
