Category: Other

Cancer – the uncontrolled growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Unfortunately, the frequency of oral cancer is on the rise – 100 new cases per day in the United States are being reported – one person every hour of every day will die from it. Risk factors include use of tobacco and alcohol and most recently determined, some strains of HPV (human papilloma virus), but within the last 5 years cases are increasing in males and females under age 50 with no risk factors. The fatality rate for oral cancer is one of the highest due to 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 →

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 →

Toothpaste has always been thee product to help keep your teeth clean, but it actually has many uses that don’t involve your mouth! (Non-gel toothpaste is recommended for alternative uses). A trip to the jewelry store is not always easy or convenient just to have your ring cleaned. So, when in need, take an old toothbrush and a dab of toothpaste, scrub your jewelry, rinse under water, and then look at it shine! Do you have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews? Provide daycare or babysit a lot? It seems inevitable that one of your kids wil get a hold of a crayon and Read More →

Do you skip your dental visits because of anxiety, painful visits, or you’re just uncomfortable coming to see us?  We have some solutions for you! Many of our patients are sensitive to the noise made by our dental instruments. We provide television and headphones to keep your ears occupied by your favorite show instead! Many of our patients also bring an iPod or other device to listen to music or bring back one of our magazines to read. As hard as we try, our dental chairs will never be as comfortable as your bed or couch at home, but we do our best Read More →

The holidays are quickly on their way and if you are anything like me I can easily find myself in a bind when it comes to having holiday guests. In addition to keeping your pearly whites clean for those holiday photo smiles, did you know that floss can be handy for other holiday preparations? Have a holiday sign and no way to hang it? Use floss on the back to hang on a nail! Can’t find your ornament hangers? Tie floss on your ornaments to hang them on the tree! Do you like to have a string of popcorn garland Read More →

For many patients, the highlight of their dental cleaning appointment is taking home their brand new toothbrush. Before you throw away the old one, consider the many alternative uses for this handy gadget. Before re-using, you should first clean the brush by soaking in bleach for 3 minutes then rinsing thoroughly and air drying. Now you’re ready to start cleaning lots of things around the house and garage. Easily remove crayon marks from walls when used with a small amount of non-gel toothpaste. Get the grime from around faucets and other fixtures using white vinegar. The toothbrush can reach the Read More →

It’s that time of year again – back to school! We know choosing your children’s lunches can be hard so we asked our assistant, Ann, what she does! As a parent of three school aged children that love bringing their own lunch to school, it can be difficult to know what items to pack that are health for both their teeth and their bodies. There are of course many foods to avoid, including:  Sugary foods and drinks such as candy, pop and juice.  Sticky or chewy foods such as raisins, granola bars, caramel, honey, and bananas. Carbohydrates and starches such as cake, cookies, pretzels, chips, saltine Read More →