Here at Laurel Dental, we know that not everyone enjoys coming to the dentist. Beyond general anxiety, we’ve come to understand that there is an often a deeper trauma involved that requires us to respond with genuine care. This is often from one, or several, bad experiences that occurred in a patient’s past. We absolutely understand how these experiences can make dentistry in its entirety an overwhelming experience. We strive to be available to support anyone who is ready to cope with their anxiety. If you “hate going to the dentist” or suffer from dental anxiety, we do not … Read More

Psoriasis is a more well known autoimmune disease affecting 8 million Americans and more than 125 million individuals across the world. Psoriasis is the result of skin cells reproducing too quickly as a result of the immune response. The body is not able to shed these cells as they produce, which is why the resulting symptom is areas of red, thickened and scaly patches of skin.  It has been found that psoriasis is a genetic autoimmune disorder but is worsened by illness, stress, alcohol and other potential factors. You may start to see lesions in the mouth if the overproducing … Read More

With summer almost here, many people start thinking about whitening their teeth. Although there are certain considerations to be made, almost anyone can whiten their teeth. This month we’ll discuss the safety of tooth whitening as well as the options we provide to patients. The discoloration of teeth over time can result from exposure to substances such as tobacco, coffee, and tea. This staining occurs in the interprismatic region internally on the enamel, which causes the tooth to appear darker or more yellow overall. Tooth whitening or tooth bleaching procedures attempt to lighten a tooth’s color in either of two … Read More

  It’s the summer, and your calendar is packed with everything but a consistent routine. It’s easy to fall out of healthy habits like eating right and finding time to work out, especially when you have plans to hang out at the lake or at a backyard barbecue. But it’s also easy to keep up those healthy habits without interrupting your fun! It’s hard to fit in a work out when you have destinations to hit and friends or family to join! A work out tip from one of our assistants, Amy, is to get others involved. “Challenge those your … Read More

This month we’re kicking off a new blog series here at Laurel Dental! Every other month through 2019 we will be highlighting a different autoimmune disease and the impacts it has on oral health, and vice versa. Autoimmune diseases are wide ranging diseases that affect many systems of the body. Their commonality though, is that the body begins attacking its own cells wreaking havoc and causing painful and sometimes debilitating symptoms. Over 23.5 million people in the United States alone suffer from at least one autoimmune disease. These diseases are seen more often in women than in men, and it … Read More

Teeth require extraction usually for one of two reasons. Either due to extensive decay or due to bone loss resulting from periodontal disease. Considering nearly half of our adult population struggles with periodontal disease, it is unsurprising that nearly 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth. Combine this with the fact that about 40 million have no natural teeth at all and that is a significant amount of tooth loss. It used to be that if you were missing teeth your only option for replacement was a full or partial denture or a bridge. That is no longer … Read More

Spring is here and so is BBQ season! We have gathered a few favorite recipes from the office and wanted to share. Please give us feedback if you try any!   RASPBERRY COCONUT ICE CREAM (This recipe taken from Vanessa at Vegan Family Recipes) Ingredients 1 ½ c. frozen raspberries 1 c full fat coconut cream from 1 can of coconut milk (see note) 4 tsp Maple Syrup (Optional) Up to 1/3 of a cup coconut water from the can of coconut milk Instructions       Place frozen raspberries, coconut cream, and maple syrup (if desired) in a high powered blender or food … Read More

  We can hardly go one day without hearing about the rising rates of drug addiction in our country. Or worse hearing the heartbreaking story of a loved one struggling with addiction. Drug addiction has crippling effects on families, communities and individuals. As dental professionals we are trained to look for the oral signs of drug abuse. It is a difficult but necessary conversation to have. We have our patients best interest and overall health always top of mind. If you know someone who is struggling with addiction, please share the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National … Read More

At Laurel Dental Clinic we are advocates for treating your oral health in conjunction with your overall health. A lot of us treat our mouths as a separate entity from the rest of our body and ignore the fact that what goes on here has a large correlation to many other health issues. This month we’re focusing on the link to heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US. It’s estimated that 1 in every 4 deaths is due to heart disease. Periodontal disease affects nearly 50% of individuals with … Read More

It’s that time again! The day where we get to pull out a new calendar has come. It becomes a clear time to evaluate where we are at from last year and where we would like to be by the next. A pretty common goal is that of our physical well being. These typically include, exercising more, losing weight, healthy eating habits and taking a more active approach to health. It’s quite inspiring that so many people have health at the top of their mind, but statistics tell us less than 10% of New Year Resolutions are ever met. We’re … Read More