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Of Mice, Teeth, and Fairies

The magical day has arrived… Happy Halloween to those who are dressing up and celebrating today! I’m taking a break from putting the finishing touches on my costume to give some thought to the Tooth Fairy. Why? Because that’s what I’m going to be for Halloween! For many people, teeth are a milestone. When are the baby teeth coming in? When are the baby teeth falling out, to be replaced by adult teeth? The change from infant to child to adolescent can be measured in our teeth. In the days when superstition was strong, teeth falling out could be bad … Continue reading →

Wisdom Teeth Extraction: Avoiding Complications

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The most common treatment for problems with wisdom teeth is extraction. The procedure is usually relatively quick and easy: the gum over each tooth is opened, the tooth is removed, and the gum is closed again (sometimes with stitches). When I had my wisdom teeth removed, I had dissolving stitches — so I didn’t have to go back the dentist to have them taken out. For many people, the recovery time from a wisdom tooth extraction is just a few days. Your dentist or oral surgeon may have you take painkillers. You’ll need to rest for a few days — … Continue reading →

Wisdom Teeth: The Basics

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I was lucky — when I had to have my wisdom teeth taken out, I had a very easy time of it. Others (like Families.com’s own Heather Long) didn’t have an easy time at all. Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars in the mouth — a pair on the top and a pair on the bottom. They earned the name “wisdom teeth” because they usually show up when a person is (supposedly) old enough to have earned some wisdom. If your wisdom teeth are healthy and there’s enough room in your mouth for an extra set of molars, … Continue reading →

Dentist Anxiety

There’s been a lot of talk in my life about dentists lately… namely because a coworker at the cats-only boarding facility where I have a part time job just had a heck of a time having one of her wisdom teeth removed. My coworker’s rough time made me think of the rough time Heather had with her wisdom teeth: Dental Horror Story: The Wisdom in Teeth The Horror of Dental Insurance and Teeth Dental Horror Story: Going Back to School Dental Horror Story: The Happily Ever After Part I was lucky that I had a very easy time of it … Continue reading →

All About Your Choppers

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What’s your Tooth IQ? Let’s see if you know the basics. Every tooth has three parts: the crown, the neck, and the root. The crown is the visible part of the tooth — what you see above the gum line. This is where the enamel is; enamel protects your crown. The neck is the part of the tooth between the crown and the root. The root is the part of the tooth that goes through the gums and down into the jawbone. A child has twenty baby teeth, also known as temporary teeth, primary teeth, or deciduous teeth. Four first … Continue reading →