As a child, summer was an exciting time when school ended for the year and you were free to enjoy the long days and nights with friends and family. Even today, as adults, many of us have a care-free attitude during the summer and enjoy the weather and lack of a rigid schedule. Many adults work a shortened schedule during the week, work from home, and take vacation time to travel or spend home with family and friends. No matter what your plans are this summer, it is important to keep one routine the same — your oral hygiene routine, that is. While summer is a time of enjoyment, too much enjoyment can lead to oral health issues come fall and winter. Here are some helpful tips and reminders:

No matter how well you care for your teeth, sometimes the shade of your smile can be less than ideal. Discolored teeth can greatly affect the way we feel about ourselves. There is one popular cosmetic dentistry treatment that can quickly change the appearance of your smile — teeth whitening. With the start of the summer around the corner, there is no better time to whiten your smile, especially if you have an upcoming event such as a prom, wedding, graduation, or class reunion. Teeth whitening is a fast and easy treatment that can make big changes to your smile.

Have you been experiencing severe dental discomfort that has been lingering for days or weeks? Or were you recommended for dental treatment during your last visit to the dentist and you have postponed treatment for months or even years? If either of these sound like your situation, you may be in need of a root canal.

We would be kidding ourselves if we said we have never experienced bad breath. Everyone experiences bad breath at some point, usually after eating a meal full of garlic or drinking a large cup of coffee. For most people, all you need is a breath mint or a tooth brushing session and your breath is as good as new! Unfortunately, there are people who suffer from frequent bad breath, also known as halitosis. This can be a sign that you may be experiencing an issue with your oral or overall health.

Have you postponed or delayed a dental treatment that was recommended during your last hygiene examination? Routine hygiene examinations are a perfect opportunity for dentists to discuss areas of concern with patients. The advancements in technology allow dentists and their team to monitor and recommend treatment as soon as necessary. Patients today lead busy lives. Many have work, family obligations, activities with children, and more that can make appointments difficult to schedule. Delaying recommended treatment can lead to serious complications with oral and overall health.

After the past two years, we have become all too familiar with certain precautions that we can take to help our immune systems ward off any unwanted germs, for instance frequent hand washing, wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer when out and about, not touching your face, and so on. Unfortunately, no matter how hard we try to avoid an illness, our bodies are not indestructible, and sometimes we succumb and fall ill. If you have ever been extremely sick, you know it can be difficult to take care of yourself when all you want to do is stay in your warm, cozy bed. No matter how terrible you may feel, it is important to maintain your oral hygiene routine. Not caring for your teeth when you don’t feel your best can lead to serious complications in the future. We want to share some simple ways to take care of your teeth and oral health when you are under the weather:

Do you constantly hear from loved ones that you snore too loudly? Or do you often awake in the morning feeling unrested and grumpy? If you answered yes, or this sounds like a family member, sleep apnea may be a concern for you. Sleep apnea is a common yet very dangerous sleeping condition in which patients stop breathing during times of sleep. Typically, sleep apnea is caused by a restricted airway while sleeping. It can be caused by the placement of the tongue, the dental arch and position of the teeth, and even from being overweight.

There is a large percentage of adults who avoid visiting the dentist due to fear and phobia. In turn, this leads to complicated dental problems and the need for numerous treatments and repairs to restore oral health. To help combat this issue, many dental practices have used sedation dentistry as a way to relax patients to receive the treatment they need. The problem with this method is that patients are never overcoming their fears and the sedation is used more as a band-aid to cover the problem.

Have you or a loved one expressed an interest in attending dental school following an undergraduate program? There are individuals who have always had an interest in the field of dentistry and those who are interested in a career in the field of medicine, but unsure of which direction to pursue. Due to the recent explosion of dental technology and updates to treatments and procedures, there has been an influx of students interested in applying to dental school. Dr. Michael Krochak created a dental scholarship dedicated to students who are interested in pursuing the field of dentistry.

When discussing the importance of routine hygiene examinations and maintaining proper oral hygiene, some patients assume it is only for the sake of your teeth. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. While the care and health of your teeth is extremely important, there is another part of your mouth that is often overlooked — your gums. September is National Gum Care Month, so we thought this would be a great time to discuss the importance of caring for your teeth as well as your gums.