Blog

Xerostomia is the technical term for dry mouth, the condition that results from absent or reduced saliva flow. It is not a disease on its own, but it may be a side effect of medication or radiation treatments.  Xerostomia affects about 20% of the elderly population—not because of their age, but due to the increased… (Read More)

Assistance animals prescribed for many different conditions and situations have become a frequent topic of discussion in recent years. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, many businesses must allow service animals to accompany disabled individuals into any public area of a facility. For example, a hospital would allow the presence of a service animal in… (Read More)

A healthy, beautiful smile is important for your overall health and life satisfaction. If your teeth are too close to each other, too far apart, too crooked, or if they fit together uncomfortably when your mouth is closed, it’s likely you have malocclusion.  From the root words “mal” for bad, and “occlusion” for closed, malocclusion… (Read More)

Mail-order braces are a controversial dental topic, and Dr. Ryan Whalen of Whalen Dentistry weighs in today. Direct-to-consumer orthodontics companies make many appealing promises—no dental visits, aligners delivered to your door, and lower costs. But are the risks worth it?  Not according to this consumer alert from the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). As of… (Read More)

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)