At Wager Evans Dental, we have a dedication to excellence when it comes to providing our patients with comprehensive dental care. That’s why Reno dentists Dr. William Wager and Dr. Brian Evans offer one of Dentistry Today’s Top 100 Products: Perio Protect.
What is Perio Protect?
For the past six years, Perio Protect has been a leading product that offers patients a gentle, yet effective way to fight the bacteria that cause gum disease. Targeting biofilms, communities of bacteria that colonize in pockets between the teeth and gum tissue (periodontal pockets), the overall goal of Perio Protect is to manage gum disease treatment in a minimally invasive manner. Continue reading “Treating Gum Disease Effectively and Conservatively”→
Valentine’s Day is exactly a week away and to celebrate, Reno family dentists Dr. William Wager and Dr. Brian Evans want to talk to you about the health benefits of one of the most popular Valentine’s Day treats: chocolate. While it’s important to remember that sugar is detrimental to your teeth, we want to tell you why it’s okay to reach for a piece of chocolate during a moment of weakness.
The Bodily Health Benefits of Chocolate
Chocolate is good for your heart because it can actually help lower blood pressure when consumed occasionally. This is because chocolate improves blood flow, therefore helping to prevent the formation of blood clots and the hardening of the arteries.
Because chocolate improves your blood flow, it’s good for your brain, specifically improving cognitive function and having a positive effect on your mood. This is thanks to phenylethylamine (PEA), which is found in chocolate and is the same chemical your brain creates when you feel like you’re falling in love. Continue reading “Chocolate is Good for You, Let Your Reno Dentists Tell You How”→
Our team at Wager Evans Dental wants to help you establish healthy dental habits with your children. Dr. William Wager likes to pay special attention to his younger patients and keep them on the right track for a lifetime of healthy smiles! Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about childhood dental health.
A pilot study conducted in November 2011 looked at how excess weight affects the body’s natural ability to fight gum disease. Researchers compared two groups of obese people with periodontal disease to assess and compare their body’s ability to fight back using natural, non-surgical methods of periodontal treatment. One group shed significant amounts of weight during the treatment and the other group maintained their initial weight. The group that lost weight fought periodontal disease with natural, non-surgical methods much better than the group that maintained their weight. Drs. Wager and Evans and our team are equipped to identify any gum disease during regular cleanings and checkups. Continue reading “Gum Disease Beyond Your Mouth”→
Holidays are cause for celebration, spending time with friends and family, and decadent feasts. Many people have concerns regarding the traditional dishes served during the holidays. Here, we’ve addressed some common questions about a few favorites.
Q: What are the nutritional benefits of pumpkin?
A: Pumpkins are low in calories and fat, and loaded with healthy antioxidants and vitamin-A (or beta-carotene), vitamin-C, and vitamin-E. Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of dietary fiber, protein, and good fats that benefit heart health. These tasty seeds are also great source of iron, niacin, selenium, and zinc. Continue reading “Holiday Nutrition for Reno Smiles”→
Tooth enamel is one of the four major tissues that make up teeth. Enamel is the hard outer surface that protects the underlying layers. It is also the hardest and most mineralized substance in your body.
Ninety-six percent of tooth enamel is composed of minerals, while the remaining percentage consists of water and organic material. The main mineral in enamel is hydroxylapatite which is also known as crystalline calcium phosphate.
The Role of Tooth Enamel
The main role of tooth enamel is to protect the soft layer of dentin. Enamel also serves as a hard surface for chewing, grinding, and crushing food.
Enamel is semi-translucent and porous. Eating dark foods and drinking dark beverages, such as red wines, coffee, or soda, can cause the enamel to discolor and stain. Smoking, age, and certain medications also cause tooth stains. A beautiful smile is a white smile, so if your teeth are stained, consider professional, safe teeth whitening prescribed by Dr. Wager and Dr. Evans.
Enamel Erosion
Even though enamel is the hardest substance in your body, it is susceptible to damage. The food you eat contains sugars and starches, and when these components mix with saliva, they form acid. The acid extracts minerals from tooth enamel, weakening it. Then bacteria invade and cause decay, or cavities. Acidic foods, like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and carbonated beverages, also erode tooth enamel. Your tooth enamel doesn’t remain soft forever. Saliva will remineralize and re-harden the enamel within 30 minutes to an hour after you stop eating and drinking. Continue reading “Getting To Know Your Tooth Enamel”→
Halloween is all about spooks and scares, candy and crazy costumes, and ghosts and giggles. It can be a fun, festive, fright night for the whole family, but your dentist may not feel the same way. Halloween has earned its spot on your dentist’s worst nightmare list.
This Halloween, the American Dental Association and the team at Wager Evans Dental want to remind you to take care of your teeth and yourself (and your kiddos) while you celebrate.
Sweets and Treats
Candy is one of the best parts of Halloween, but it’s also the number one reason why your dentist may not be celebrating with you. Sugar is the archenemy of your teeth, and too much of it can cause cavities and tooth decay, which is the most widespread childhood disease. To protect your teeth on this spooky holiday (and every other day of the year), consider the following:
Eat sweets with meals rather than as snacks. Saliva production increases during a meal, which helps to rinse food particles from the mouth and neutralize plaque acid.
Avoid sticky candies for a few reasons. First, they adhere to your teeth, keeping them in your mouth for longer. The longer your teeth are exposed to sugar, the more time the bacteria has to create acid that weakens tooth enamel, encouraging the growth of cavities. Secondly, sticky candies, such as caramels, taffy, and gummies, have the potential to damage dental work, including fillings, dental crowns, and bridges.
Everyone knows that you need to brush, floss, and go to the dentist regularly to maintain a healthy smile. Avoiding staining foods and drinks and limiting your sugar intake also contribute to a healthy and attractive smile.
What you may not know, however, is that how you use your teeth greatly impacts the health and appearance of your smile.
Do you crunch on ice? Cool it!
Anytime you crunch on a hard, solid object (whether it is food or something else), you run the risk of cracking, chipping, or otherwise damaging a tooth or several teeth, your tooth enamel, or existing dental work. Ice cubes, due partially to their cold temperature, increase this risk.
Also, because of its temperature, ice can potentially shock a nerve in your tooth, causing the need for root canal therapy.
Your Teeth Are Not Tools
Do you use your teeth to rip tags off of clothing, open wrappers, open bottles, and hold things when your hands are full? If so, you’re putting yourself at risk for severe dental damage and infection. Our teeth are meant to bite, chew, help us speak properly, and help us smile- that’s it. They’re not pliers, scissors, or spare hands.
They’re also not nail clippers. Biting your nails is one on the worst things you can do for your teeth. The pressure from pulling your fingers away from your teeth can cause misalignment, cracking, chipping, and damage to existing dental work. Also, your sharp nails (which are covered in bacteria, by the way) can scratch and cut your gums, causing an open sore in your mouth for bacteria to infect. Continue reading “Your Teeth Are Not Tools”→
Is using mouthwash part of your everyday dental hygiene routine? For some people, swishing with mouthwash goes hand in hand with brushing and flossing. For others, mouthwash is only used occasionally, before a special occasion, or not at all.
Dental professionals tend to view mouthwash as an added positive habit to help maintain oral health and hygiene for the following reasons:
A mouthwash with fluoride can help reduce your risk of cavities and periodontal disease.
Mouthwash can make your mouth feel fresh and your breath smell better. When asked, most people attribute this advantage as their reason for using mouthwash in the first place.
Because it can reduce the strength and amount of dental plaque and bacteria in your mouth, the use of mouthwash helps to promote overall oral health.
Overall, mouthwash helps to ensure the health of your smile, but it is crucial to know that mouthwash alone is not enough to keep your teeth, gums, and tongue healthy. Dr. William Wager and Dr. Brian Evans suggest using a mouthwash or oral rinse as the final step in the dental hygiene process. After fully cleaning your mouth (that means brushing and flossing), swish with a mouthwash or oral rinse, spit it out, and go to bed or leave the house for the day.
There are many types of mouthwash available, and certain kinds are available for patients with special needs. At your next dental checkup and cleaning, talk to a member of the Wager Evans Dental team about which mouthwash or oral rinse is right for you. To reserve an appointment, call our Reno, Nevada dental office at (775) 800-4845.
Michael Douglas recently battled oral cancer, but thankfully, he seems to have recovered quite well. Until hearing about his situation, many Americans hadn’t thought much about oral cancer. You might find these statistics quite startling:
Oral cancer claims more than 8,000 Americans, that’s one person every hour of every day, each year.
This year, approximately 37,000 Americans will receive a diagnosis of oral or pharyngeal cancer. Half will live more than 5 years.
Risk factors include smoking and drinking alcohol, but anyone can develop the condition.
The dentist screens for oral cancer at checkups and could be your first line of defense against oral cancer.
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