As a hygienist, I am asked daily what a patient can do about sensitive teeth. First, we need to understand the basics of what may cause tooth sensitivity. Recession is the most common cause I find here at the office. Recession can be described as an area near the gum line of a tooth where the gums have “pulled away” or receded from the tooth. This process exposes the root of the tooth, causing several nerve endings to be exposed. If you look closely, you can sometimes see a yellow or dark gray color where the root is exposed. As a Read More →

There can be A LOT of questions when it comes to a child’s teeth. Are they coming in right? Are they too crowded? Why did my child’s tooth turn gray? These can be difficult to understand without an exam with a dentist, but we asked our hygienist, Erin, to give us an idea of some of the more common issues with children’s teeth. Here is what she had to say:   Trauma/Tooth Discoloration: If a trauma has occurred, such as a fall or being hit in the mouth with an object, and the child’s front teeth have been hit, the damaged Read More →

If you have bad breath, you are not alone! Many of our patients deal with this, so we asked our hygienists to provide some tips to help you keep your breath feeling fresh! Be sure to brush thoroughly for two minutes, twice per day. Be sure you brushing thoroughly around your back teeth (molars) where plaque and bacteria that can cause bad breath can more easily hide. Floss thoroughly once daily to get that pesky plaque and bacteria that hides between your teeth! Rinse with Listerine or Crest Pro-Health mouthwash. Both are proven to kill bacteria in the mouth. Brush Read More →

Have you ever awoken with a toothache and feared it was a cavity? You may not have even known that a cavity had been forming on your tooth because not all cavities are visible to the naked eye, and do not always show signs and symptoms right away. We asked our Licensed Dental Assistant, Jamie, to help us understand signs, symptoms, and prevention. The most common signs to look for are: Pain when biting down Pain when eating or drinking something sweet Pain while eating or drinking something hot or cold Holes or pits on the biting surface of your tooth Read More →

We asked our hygienist, Valerie about her experience with Invisalign. Here is what she had to say: “Invisalign is a clear aligner system that straightens your teeth. I just finished up with my Invisalign trays last week! I did Invisalign mostly to correct my bite and I’m so happy that I decided to do this. As an adult I felt that Invisalign was a great option. I knew that I would be compliant with the recommended wear of 22 hours/day. This also allowed me to easily keep up my good home care with flossing and brushing. At the end of treatment Read More →

We welcomed Dr. Kristen Templeton to our office in September 2016 and thought you would like to get to know her a little better! Our Business Manager, Marie, has kindly put this together! Where were you born and raised? I was born and raised in Edina, MN. My family is Canadian. They moved to Minnesota for my Dad’s residency and never left! I loved growing up in the cities, so moving to Rochester has been a little bit of an adjustment for me, although I am growing to love the smaller city atmosphere. Do you have any siblings? I have Read More →

The holidays are here and family and friends seem to be around every corner! We want to take a moment to reflect on some of the things that we are thankful for here at Family Dentist Tree! We are thankful for the clothes we have that seem fit a little bit snug, because it means we have food on our tables and plenty to eat. We are thankful for the messes we clean up after a party, because it means we have friends and family. We are thankful that our lawns need mowing and our windows need fixing, because it means we all have a home. Read More →

Do you ever wake up with a stiff, sore jaw and/or headache? Do you feel like your teeth are sensitive to cold drinks? If you have any of these symptoms, you could be clenching or grinding your teeth! Most people aren’t aware of this habit, as it is generally done during sleep. Grinding your teeth can be very damaging. It contributes to breaking and chipping, can reduce sleep quality, and in severe cases it can damage the nerves in your teeth, resulting in a need for a root canal. This condition is also called Bruxism. Studies indicate that people who clench or grind their teeth can Read More →

Wisdom teeth (or third molars) get their nickname by the age in which the teeth normally erupt (usually around 17-25 years old). This time in a young adult’s life is sometimes referred to as the “age of wisdom,” which is debatable for some people. Myth: Everybody is born with wisdom teeth. Fact: 35% of the population is born without wisdom teeth. Myth: You can tell if you have wisdom teeth. Fact: Not being able to see your wisdom teeth does not mean they’re not there. That’s because wisdom teeth can be enclosed within the soft tissue or the jawbone. Therefore, an x-ray Read More →