Dental guides
Dental care guides
Short, sourced answers to the questions people ask before and after treatment. Each guide links to the cost page for the same treatment.
Baby teeth and tooth loss guide
When children lose baby teeth and in what order, how to care for a loose tooth, when to see a dentist, and what natal teeth are.
Bad breath: causes, symptoms and what to do
A sourced guide to bad breath: why it happens, whether morning breath is normal, how to remove it.
Bone graft and sinus lift: what to expect and aftercare
What a dental bone graft and sinus lift are, what graft material is made of, how long healing takes, when you can eat and drink.
Braces rubber bands (elastics) guide
A sourced guide to braces elastics: what they are for, when you start wearing them, how to put them on and change them, overbite and underbite use.
Braces guides
Sourced guides for people with braces: what to eat, what to avoid, how long treatment lasts and when to call your orthodontist.
Cavities guide
A plain-language guide to cavities: how decay starts, what early and advanced cavities look like, whether they can reverse, treatment and prevention.
Cracked or chipped tooth: causes, symptoms and what to do
A sourced guide to cracked and chipped teeth: whether a chip is an emergency, whether it smooths out.
Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing): what to expect, aftercare and FAQs
A sourced guide to deep cleaning: whether it is necessary, how long it takes, what happens.
Dental bonding: what to expect, aftercare and FAQs
A plain-English guide to dental bonding: what it is, how it works, what to expect at the appointment, how long it lasts, aftercare and when to see your dentist.
Dental bridges: what to expect, aftercare and FAQs
What a dental bridge is, the types, what it looks like, how long it lasts, whether it is permanent, how to clean under it.
Dental crown guide
A sourced guide to dental crowns: why you may need one, the procedure, temporary crowns, sensitivity, what to do if a crown falls off and how long crowns last.
Dental filling guides
Plain-language guide to dental fillings: filling types, what happens at the appointment, when you can eat, and when to call your dentist.
Dental implants guide: what to expect, aftercare and problems
A sourced guide to dental implants: what they look like, how painful they are, how to clean them, why they fail and when a loose implant needs a dentist.
Dental numbing, sedation and anesthesia guide
What local anesthetic, laughing gas, oral and IV sedation and general anesthesia mean at the dentist, whether you can eat or drink first.
Dental sealants: what to expect and FAQs
What dental sealants are made of, who gets them, how they are put on, whether they hurt, whether you can eat after, how long they last and if they are worth it.
Dentures guide
A sourced guide to dentures: full, partial, immediate and implant-retained types, how they stay in, why new dentures feel uncomfortable.
Dry mouth: causes, symptoms and what to do
A sourced guide to dry mouth: what causes it, whether coffee, blood pressure, colds or toothpaste matter.
Dry socket guide
What dry socket is, how common it is, how long it lasts, whether it goes away on its own, how it is treated and how to lower your risk after an extraction.
Endodontist guide
A sourced guide to endodontists: what they treat, how they are trained, when a dentist refers you, and how they differ from general dentists and oral surgeons.
Flossing guide
A sourced guide to flossing: how often to clean between your teeth, technique, floss versus interdental brushes and water flossers, and what bleeding gums mean.
Fluoride guide
A sourced guide to fluoride: what it does, how safe it is, how much toothpaste to use, water fluoridation, filters.
Gum boil: causes, symptoms and what to do
What a gum boil or pimple on the gum usually is, what causes it, why it needs a dentist, what treatment involves, and which signs mean urgent medical care.
Gum disease guide
A sourced guide to gum disease: stages, symptoms, causes, whether it is reversible, contagious or hereditary, how it is treated and how serious it can be.
Gum pain and itchy gums: causes, symptoms and what to do
A sourced guide to gum pain and itchy gums: common causes, what a gum infection feels like, how cut gums heal and when to see a dentist.
Invisalign and clear aligners guide
A sourced guide to Invisalign and clear aligners: what they are made of, how they move teeth, who they suit, how they compare with braces and what to expect.
Mouthwash guide
A sourced guide to mouthwash: cosmetic versus therapeutic rinses, how to use it with brushing, fluoride rinses, chlorhexidine.
Night guards and mouth guards guide
What night guards and mouth guards do, the types, how a guard should fit, whether they help TMJ pain, how to clean them and when to replace them.
Overbite, underbite and crooked teeth
What overbites, underbites and crooked teeth are, whether they are normal, what causes them, and how orthodontists treat them.
Palate expanders: how they work, care and FAQs
What a palate expander is, how it widens the upper jaw, how the key is turned, whether it hurts, how to eat and clean it, how long it stays in.
Pediatric dentists: questions answered
What a pediatric dentist is, why families choose one, when a child should first go, what happens at the visit.
Periodontist: questions answered
A sourced guide to periodontists: what they specialize in, when to see one, what a periodontal cleaning is, and what the sources say about cost and insurance.
Receding gums guide
A sourced guide to receding gums: what they are, what causes them, whether gums can regenerate.
Retainers guide
A sourced guide to retainers: what they look like, whether they move teeth, whether you wear them for life, how to clean them and when to replace them.
Root canal guide
A sourced guide to root canal treatment: what it is, whether it hurts, anesthesia, who performs it, whether you need a crown.
Seeing the dentist: questions answered
A sourced guide to seeing the dentist: what dentists can do, whether dentists are doctors, when a baby should first go, how often to visit and what to expect.
Sleep apnea and dental devices: causes, symptoms and what to do
A sourced guide to sleep apnea and dental devices: symptoms including morning headaches, who gets it.
Swollen and bleeding gums guide
A sourced guide to swollen and bleeding gums: why gums bleed when you floss, what swelling means, what dentists do and when to see a dentist.
Tartar and plaque: causes, symptoms and what to do
A sourced guide to tartar and plaque: how they form, whether they cause bad breath, why tartar needs a professional cleaning and how to prevent build-up.
Teeth cleaning guide
A sourced guide to professional teeth cleaning: how often to go, what happens during a cleaning.
Teeth grinding (bruxism): causes, symptoms and what to do
A plain-English guide to teeth grinding: what causes it, symptoms and damage, whether it goes away, how mouth guards and other treatment help.
Teeth whitening guide
A sourced guide to teeth whitening: strips, trays, in-office bleaching, how long results last, sensitivity, and whether coconut oil or turmeric work.
Teething: causes, symptoms and what to do
A sourced guide to teething: what symptoms are real, whether it causes a runny nose, rash or eating less, how long molars take and how to soothe safely.
TMJ and jaw pain guide
A sourced guide to TMJ disorders: symptoms, causes, how they are diagnosed, treatment from self-care to surgery, and whether TMJ goes away on its own.
Tooth enamel: causes, symptoms and what to do
A plain-English guide to tooth enamel: what it is, how it wears down, whether it can grow back or be remineralized, symptoms, treatment and how to protect it.
Tooth extraction and wisdom teeth aftercare
A day-by-day aftercare guide for tooth extraction and wisdom teeth removal: bleeding, swelling, eating, drinking, dry socket and when to call.
Tooth extraction guide
A sourced guide to tooth extraction: why teeth are pulled, how a dentist removes a tooth, who does extractions.
Tooth infection guide
What a tooth infection or abscess is, its symptoms, why it does not heal on its own, how it is treated, and the emergency signs that need an emergency room.
Toothache guide
What causes a toothache, what helps in the short term, how sinus pain differs from dental pain, and which symptoms mean you need urgent care.
Toothpaste and brushing guide
A sourced guide to toothpaste and brushing: what toothpaste contains, how it works, what the ADA Seal means, how much to use for children.
Veneers: what to expect, aftercare and FAQs
A plain-English guide to dental veneers: why people get them, how they are fitted, what happens to the tooth underneath, whether they damage teeth.
White, black or pale gums
What white, black or pale areas on your gums can mean, from harmless causes to conditions that need checking.
Wisdom teeth guide
What wisdom teeth are, when they come in, what impacted means, symptoms to watch for, when removal is advised, and what recovery involves.