Blog

Biofilm is quite literally a “film” or layer of biological matter that forms on teeth, in sink pipes, on river rocks, and more. Biofilm is made of many different things. Think of it as concrete, which contains cement as well as a slew of other materials. It’s likely you’ve been aware of biofilm on your… (Read More)

The smallest smiles in your family are as vulnerable to oral health issues as you are—likely even more so! Your oral hygiene regimen may already be thorough enough to keep your teeth free from cavities and your gums safe from gingivitis, but young ones typically need help brushing and flossing for years before their skills… (Read More)

If you had to undergo orthodontic treatment as a child or teen, hearing it recommended for your little one might make you wince—we understand! However, we’d like to assure you that just like general dentistry and treatments today, orthodontic care has improved in hopscotch-style leaps and bounds!  Thanks to advances in technology and early intervention,… (Read More)

According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, teeth were the #1 feature that increased a child’s chances of being bullied. A person’s smile and teeth are often the first things people notice, and kids are no exception. Whalen Dentistry would like to share some ideas that can… (Read More)

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Open mouth, insert foot” to describe a moment in which someone’s said something they wish they hadn’t, but have you heard of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease?  Despite it being a relatively common virus, it’s one that makes a lot of parents furrow their brow in confusion. Maybe the awareness… (Read More)

Do you know the status of your occlusion? That’s the technical term used to describe the way your maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) teeth align. If you happen to have a bite that doesn’t connect quite right—or at all—it’s referred to as a malocclusion.  You might ask yourself, “Well, I can eat and speak without… (Read More)

Bad breath stinks, doesn’t it? Pardon the silly pun, but we think some icebreakers (get it, like the mint?) can make it easier to jump into what might be less than comfortable subjects. How do we know it isn’t a comfortable subject? Well, the fear of bad breath is so common, there’s even a name… (Read More)

At Whalen Dentistry, education is paramount in our mission to help our Cornelius friends and neighbors improve and maintain their oral health. For this reason, we try to avoid using dental jargon when we’re speaking with our valued patient family.  However, there are terms that can’t be broken down as easily; in those cases, we’ll… (Read More)

Although you may think of general health and dental health as two completely unrelated categories, they are much more connected than the average person suspects. Just as the information you share with your general practitioner assists them in keeping you healthy, your Cornelius dentist, Dr. Ryan Whalen at Whalen Dentistry, depends on your input for… (Read More)

All children are unique individuals with personal preferences, but sometimes special needs kids have a higher level of anxiety in new situations like visiting the dentist. Dentists like Dr. Ryan Whalen realize treating special needs kids requires patience and understanding, and while most dentists who treat children are capable of accommodating a variety of special… (Read More)