Dr. Kami Hoss

Image source:  cnn.com For today's blog, Dr. Kami Hoss shares seven well-known and not-so-well-known tips on how to maintain good oral health. If using a toothpick, make sure it isn't hard. Hard toothpicks can cause the gums to recede due to excessive friction or damage to the enamel of teeth or root surface. Toothpicks should also not be used on dental implants or braces as they can cause damage. Use a straw when drinking acidic drinks. Drinking acidic beverages, such as fruit juice and soda, through a straw helps minimize contact with the teeth and keeps acid from wearing away tooth enamel. Floss every day. Flossing removes plaque buildup between teeth that a toothbrush can't reach. Flossing every day helps prevent gum disease and tooth decay. Brush your tongue as well. With a soft-bristled toothbrush, brush the top of the tongue in an up-and-down motion, being careful not to brush too hard. This removes bacteria and helps freshen breat...

A dental crown is a cap that’s shaped like a tooth, placed over a tooth to cover it. Dental crowns can be made of ceramic, porcelain, resin, and stainless steel. Dentists would recommend patients to undergo a dental crown procedure for several reasons, one of which the tooth is too weak that it needs to be held together. However, some patients would ask dentists to have a crown placed over a discolored tooth for aesthetic reasons.  Image source: cvitaminclinic.co.uk When cemented in place, the crowns wholly encase the entire visible part of a tooth lying at and above the gum line. Placing a dental crown will preserve a damaged tooth while protecting the dental structure of a person’s jaw. A weakened tooth that’s not encased by a crown will break up little by little until the dentist is prompted to completely remove it.  Dental crowns help in limiting problems that can spill into other healthy teeth. Like a spreading flu in a person’s body, a diseased too...