Advance Dental: Blog

People have been asserting that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” since the 19th century. While it may not necessarily be true that those who eat apples never have to see a doctor, apples certainly have great health benefits for our bodies! Did you know they can even be good for our teeth? Let’s take a look at what the research says …  It’s widely thought that chewing a crisp, fresh apple can help brush away plaque on our teeth. We’re not too sure on this one, as some studies show a higher plaque content on teeth after eating an apple. At the same time, there is evidence to suggest some polyphenols in apples can lower the ability of cavity-causing bacteria to adhere to teeth. Further, some studies have shown that the antioxidants in apples can help prevent periodontal disease.  Apples even contain a (very) small amount of fluoride. This is worth noting, as fluoride is so important in helping prevent cavities.  Lastly, the act of chewing an a...

Advance Dental's 5th Annual Food Drive Begins on Monday October 29th!   Can you believe the Holiday Season is just around the corner? We would like to take this time to give thanks for what we have and consider what we can share with our community. For the past four years, our office has partnered with the Food Bank of Northern Indiana. If you’ve participated in previous years, you know that we've had  FOUR  wonderful years of donations, both food and monetary, from our patients and staff. We challenge  ALL  our patients to participate this year and help us feed our community members who are in need. Here is what we've been able to donate together and what our goal for this year is: ·  2014: 146 pounds of food donated ·  2015: 233 pounds of food donated ·  2016: 409 pounds of food donated (including monetary donations) ·...

Progression of Gum Disease One of the biggest advancements in dentistry in recent years is our improved understanding of gum disease. Gum recession was once considered to be a normal part of the aging process. But dentists now regard it as treatable and have identified a number of diseases with which it shares high rates of comorbidity. While exciting investigations into causative relationships between gum disease treatments and other diseases are ongoing, it is important for patients to be up-to-date on what is already known about prevention. Low-Level Gum Inflammation Gingivitis is the early form of gum disease. It is so common that when many people notice symptoms, such as seeing blood when they spit their toothpaste, they do not realize there is anything wrong. Inflamed gums will look swollen and discolored, but gingivitis is usually not evident until it has already progressed relatively far. It may also cause bad breath. There are many things that could cause gingivitis...