Dental Health

At Whalen Dentistry, we know that Cornelius parents work hard to prioritize their child’s health and happiness—you can count on us to do the same! The smiles of your children are a contagious expression of delight, and our role as their oral healthcare provider is to protect those precious pearly whites. That’s why we fill… (Read More)

Unusual shapes and growths can be alarming anywhere in the body. If you’ve noticed hard bumps growing in your mouth, you might have oral tori. What are Oral Tori? Tori (or a single torus) are bumps in the mouth made of bone tissue covered by gum tissue. They grow slowly and some people have them… (Read More)

If we told you that your mouth is the site of a constant battle between teeth and bacteria, would you believe us? Alright, maybe it’s not that dramatic, but the fact that Cornelius teeth are always at risk of developing dental caries is no exaggeration. In case you’ve never heard about caries, Dr. Whalen is… (Read More)

If you are a parent, you probably know how difficult it is to get Cornelius children to brush and floss regularly. On top of that, young children often lack the necessary motor skills to properly care for their teeth. At Whalen Dentistry, we want your whole family to have excellent dental health, so here’s some… (Read More)

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction is a really long name… so let’s call it TMJ.  That sounds more familiar—you’ve probably heard it before. Maybe some lingering pain in your chewing muscles and bones even have you wondering if you have it. TMJ dysfunction is sometimes called TMD, TMJD, or TMJ Syndrome, especially if there seem to be a… (Read More)

Can you imagine a 2-liter bottle of your favorite soda? Now imagine that same bottle filled with spit. That’s approximately how much saliva the average adult produces in their mouth every day! It may be gross, but it’s definitely important. Saliva is a normal body fluid that’s crucial for oral health and overall wellness. If… (Read More)

You’ve been hearing it for years – “make sure to visit Dr. Whalen twice a year for your regular cleanings.” Just in case you’ve ever wondered why regular dental cleanings are so important, we at Whalen Dentistry would like to take this opportunity to let Cornelius residents in on some information you don’t often hear…. (Read More)

One of the most common and destructive myths about oral hygiene is that it’s normal for gums to bleed. Dr. Whalen would like everyone in Cornelius to know that this is not the case! Imagine if we weren’t talking about gums-should any part of your body start to bleed whenever you touch it? The truth… (Read More)

We all have those nervous habits we turn to when we feel awkward, stressed, or just plain bored. If your choice vice is biting your nails, you need to know that it can cause a lot of distress on your oral health and overall health. Cornelius dentist Dr. Ryan Whalen shares why nail biting is… (Read More)

When it comes to your oral health, we hope you never have any pains or problems. Good preventive care will help you always feel your best! But even with the best habits, dental problems do happen. In that case, oral pathology is the science and medicine that helps diagnose and treat whatever is making you… (Read More)