Posts by Erin Ball

Cavities, also known as tooth decay, may cause serious pain and dental damage when they are left untreated. When cavities are not addressed, your dental treatment may become more costly, and your pain may also intensify. So, what exactly are cavities and how do you know if you have them? The most common sign of…

Have you ever bit down on something and felt sharp, immediate tooth pain? That is a major sign that you need to see your dentist. Any negative symptoms involving pain, swelling, bleeding, redness, and concerning signs should warrant a trip to the dentist. Furthermore, if any areas or symptoms of concern are not addressed in…

During times of crisis, it can be hard to know what to do or how to navigate through everyday life. Pandemic crises, in particular, may cause uncertainty and wariness in people especially if they do not have adequate information. During the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it is important to follow your state’s guidelines before going…

During the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many New York State dental offices are open for dental emergencies. Yet, many people are left to wonder what constitutes a dental emergency. The American Dental Association (ADA) describes a dental emergency as an “urgent need for dental treatment in order to relieve severe pain and/or risk of infection…

Contrary to popular belief, root canal procedures are not nearly as scary or as painful as depicted in popular culture. In fact, they’re a very common dental procedure and can be done in as little as one hour (for some teeth). Often times, root canals are needed when tooth decay progresses into the root of…

Dentists often get asked questions about whether an electric toothbrush is better than a manual toothbrush, especially because the research online regarding this topic is often mixed and/or unclear. The official position of the American Dental Association (ADA) is that both electric toothbrushes and manual toothbrushes work equally well, depending on the patient’s brushing technique…

Often times, women of childbearing age as well as pregnant women are unaware of how pregnancy affects not only oral health, but the child’s oral health after they are born. In fact, children whose mothers have untreated tooth decay (cavities) are three times more likely to suffer from painful tooth decay. Those same children that…

Scaling and root planing (SRP) is a deep gum cleaning treatment that is usually recommended to patients with gum disease (periodontitis) in order to preserve the underlying bone and the teeth themselves. People that suffer from gum disease tend to have excessive tartar (hardened plaque that sits on the teeth and gums), which means that…

Antibiotics are generally used to treat bacterial infections in the body, and sometimes they are used as “prophylaxis.” In other words, antibiotics may be used to pre-empt any infections that may occur following any situation that your physician deems as a risk for your health. Yet, there are a variety of situations where antibiotics are…

It’s no secret that sugar is a major cause for tooth decay, which is why chewing sugar-free gum is such a great way to improve your oral health while allowing you to enjoy your favorite treat! Sugar-free gum has a multitude of dental benefits, and some studies have even shown that chewing it may help…