Dental Health

Oral hygiene is the foundation of good dental health. Brushing and flossing regularly is the best way to keep your smile healthy and clean. Consider this your personal cleaning tutorial on the art of dental hygiene, instructed by Dr. Ryan Whalen and the skillful hygienists at Whalen Dentistry. Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss & Mouthwash Before we… (Read More)

We all know someone who asks for extra ice just so they can chew on it. And we’ve probably all heard that chewing ice is not healthy for your teeth. So what’s the truth? Is it best to put a stop to ice chewing? Absolutely, and for more reasons than most people are aware of…. (Read More)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Most kids lose their baby teeth—also called primary teeth—in a distinct sequence at set intervals.  Children’s baby teeth come out naturally starting around age six, becoming progressively looser as they fall out (sometimes with a little extra wiggling because the Tooth Fairy is expected to visit).  Sometimes baby tooth loss doesn’t happen in the usual… (Read More)

Baby teeth, also called deciduous, primary, milk, or lacteal teeth, have many different purposes. Dr. Ryan Whalen at Whalen Dentistry is asked the purpose of baby teeth often. So what’s the answer? Tiny Teeth for Tiny Mouths Child-sized mouths are not large enough to accommodate a full set of adult teeth, so the primary teeth… (Read More)

You may think of our team at Whalen Dentistry as part of your child’s defensive line keeping them safe from gum disease and tooth decay, but we’re also myth busters! You’ve probably heard one of the most common misconceptions we have to challenge: dentistry isn’t important until after children lose their baby teeth.  The truth… (Read More)