Let’s face it: There are very few people who enjoy wearing braces. It’s bad enough when you’re a pre-teen or a teen, but it can be really embarrassing as an adult. The important thing to remember when sporting a metal mouth is that it’s not only temporary, but the result will also be a beautiful, even smile. Still not sure you’re ready to let anyone see you in braces? Check out this list of celebrities who wore braces under the scrutiny of the Hollywood spotlight – and lived to tell the tale.

With Black Friday sales practically a national holiday and entire television shows dedicated to using coupons and getting good deals on everything from flea market finds to vintage vehicles, you could say saving money is a big deal. But in life there are just some things you should never scrimp on – even if that means you pay a little more up front. As the old adage goes, you get what you pay for – and in the case of these five purchases, you definitely want to pay for something good.

We all have someone like this in our life - that person who seems to have everything and need nothing. They may be a great person, but when it comes time to buy them a holiday gift, it can be a little frustrating. As the age-old question goes: What do you get for the person who has everything? How about the gift of good health - good oral health, that is! This holiday gifting season, check out these luxury oral health care products that even the person who has everything probably doesn’t have (yet).

We all have bad habits - whether you are a perpetual knuckle-cracker, a hair-twirler or a smoker, some habits are worse for you (and harder to stop) than others. But one habit in particular – nail-biting – could be a lot worse for you than you realize. Here’s why you should stop nail-biting right now for the health of your smile.

Porcelain veneers are thin sheets of porcelain that are custom shaped to fit onto the tooth for the purpose of changing its color, shape or size. Veneers can help hide chips, discoloration, cracks, breaks or uneven shape, transforming an imperfect smile into a masterpiece. Though durable, due to their material and the fact that veneers are not your natural teeth, you must treat them a bit differently than you would a natural tooth.

Flossing your teeth is kind of like taking out the trash: It’s time consuming, it’s not always pleasant, but you’ve got to do it if you want a clean, healthy mouth - or home, in the case of the trash. In fact, flossing is so important that it is responsible for removing about 40 percent of the plaque and bacteria that sits on our teeth causing gum disease and cavities. Thankfully, there are many products out there to make flossing your teeth easier and more comfortable. But not all flossing products are created equally. Here’s why one tried-and-true product may be causing you more harm than good.

Smiling. For some of us, it comes as naturally as breathing, and believe it or not, it has almost as many benefits, too! For example, studies have shown that being smiled at by a stranger can improve your mood - and make you want to smile back. Smiling has even been found to boost the immune system, and people who smile often live an average of seven years longer than people who don’t. With all that’s known about the benefits of a simple smile, it’s a wonder more of us aren’t grinning ear-to-ear all the time.

Full-mouth reconstruction: it’s a mouthful, all right. Not only is it a lot to say, but it can also be a long, multi-stage procedure. The good news is, the benefits certainly outweigh the time and expense you invest into it. That’s because in addition to improving your smile, full-mouth reconstruction can improve a lot of other areas too. If you think full-mouth reconstruction is purely cosmetic, think again. Here are some significant ways that full-mouth reconstruction can improve your life.

One common misconception patients have when they get a cavity filled is that their filling will last a lifetime. While it would be nice if that were true, the resin composite material used in most fillings lasts about 20 years, give or take a few. But sometimes fillings break down much sooner than anticipated, with some lasting as few as five years. So, what’s going on with those fillings? Are they made of inferior materials? Were they placed incorrectly? Or maybe there’s something else going on that could be causing them to wear out early. Here are some common reasons fillings break down sooner than expected.

If you’ve ever been told you have a "bad bite," chances are you can see for yourself that your teeth are out of alignment. From a strictly cosmetic standpoint, a bad bite doesn’t usually look so great, and most people who have bad bites have probably considered correcting them with braces or other orthodontics. But a bad bite can be far more serious than simply having crooked teeth. A bad bite can not only cause uneven wear on the teeth, but it can also cause damage to the teeth, jaw soreness, bruxism (or teeth grinding) and even temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ disorder).

Dental implants have long been considered the Cadillac of tooth replacements. Comprising a metal post that permanently secures to the jaw and a ceramic crown that secures to the top of the post, the result is a beautiful, durable, natural-looking tooth or teeth. In fact, most dental implants look so natural most people don’t even realize they’re not "real" teeth.

It’s that time of year again, when the days get longer, the grills get hotter and millions of parents across America experience the bittersweet emotions of watching their children graduate from high school and college. Graduation brings with it many new and exciting opportunities, like traveling abroad, choosing a major and entering the job market for the first time. What should be an exciting time in any young person’s life can often be marred with frustration and insecurity - especially if that young person is embarrassed or ashamed of their smile. That’s because in addition to causing its share of health issues, having a bad bite, broken or crooked teeth, or even noticeably missing teeth can harm people’s perception of you. It’s bad enough in social situations, but studies have shown that having a bad smile can also seriously hurt your career aspirations.

 As we age, it’s normal to experience many changes to our face and bodies that, let's be honest, aren’t too desirable. We slow down physically, our hair turns gray, and as our skin loses collagen, it becomes thinner and less elastic. Thankfully there are many options out there to help stave off the ravages of time for as long as possible. Staying physically fit can help keep us active long into our senior years, and a relaxing trip to the day spa can rejuvenate our spirits while it corrects our hair color. We can even eat a low-sugar diet, wear lotion with an SPF or get cosmetic treatments like Botox or fillers to help maintain a youthful glow. But sometimes these preventative measures just aren’t enough.

Sedation Safety Week. Admittedly, it probably doesn’t sound that exciting. After all, it’s a week about being sedated. Theoretically, it probably shouldn’t be exciting - but it should be informative, and that’s exactly what the 10th annual Sedation Safety Week was.

 Becoming a new parent is one of the happiest and scariest things you may ever do. There’s so much to learn, and so much to marvel at - sometimes it's overwhelming. Diverse cultures have different ways of raising babies and place different values on milestones. But what all babies and all cultures have in common are the very basics in health care. An important part of any new baby’s health care that many new parents get wrong is their baby’s oral health. After all, if baby has no teeth, is there really anything to be concerned about? In a word, yes. Whether you’re a new parent, new grandparent or just curious about infant oral health care, check out these tips to ensure a life of healthy teeth for your baby.Gums Need Brushing, Too!A common misconception among new parents is that just because baby doesn’t have any teeth, he or she doesn’t need his or her mouth cleaned. This isn’t true for several reasons. Cleaning a baby’s mouth should be relatively easy. There are several ways to do it. There are products sold specifically to clean infant mouths, such as pre-moistened dental wipes that either fit over the finger or can be folded to a shape that is convenient for the parent. These wipes can be used to swab your baby's gums, tongue and cheeks after each feeding, especially after the last feeding of the night.Another method you can try is simply rubbing baby’s gums with a fluoride-free toothpaste. It is important to not use fluoridated oral health products on your child until he or she is old enough to spit the product out. Fluoride is not dangerous, but we certainly don’t want your child swallowing it, either.Finger or cloth brushing has dual benefits. Not only does it clean the mouth, but it also gets your child used to the feeling of having his or her teeth brushed, which will be very helpful when it comes time to brush actual teeth - and to visit the dentist!Even Babies Need to Visit the Dentist!Don’t think that just because your baby has only one or two teeth he or she doesn’t need to see the dentist. You should start bringing your baby to the dentist by his or her first birthday, regardless if teeth have erupted. This will get your baby comfortable with the dentist and dental exam and give you some peace of mind that all your child’s teeth are developing properly. If Dr. George spots any trouble areas, they can also be corrected before they become a big problem later.Don’t Share Cups and Spoons!You may already do this without even thinking about it. You make baby some oatmeal and taste a bit to make sure it's not too hot. Then you put more on the spoon and feed it to the baby. No big deal, right? Wrong!Believe it or not, the bad bacteria in our mouths - the bacteria responsible for everything from cavities to gum disease - can be transmitted by sharing a cup or spoon. So, when you, as an adult, put that spoon into your mouth and then into your baby’s mouth, you are transmitting a whole bunch of bacteria your baby may never have been exposed to otherwise, setting him or her up for a lifetime of cavities.If you must test your baby’s food, get a clean spoon, and don’t double dip. Same goes for cups. If your baby or toddler wants to try a little of your drink, get him or her their own cup - and never, ever share toothbrushes!Is Breast(feeding) Really Best?You’ve probably heard the debate "breast is best" versus "fed is best." The truth is, it’s a very personal decision that should be between you, your baby and possibly your partner and pediatrician. We all have different reasons for how we choose to feed our babies. The most important thing to remember is that feeding your baby is the ultimate goal. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for your choices.When it comes to brushing baby’s teeth, it doesn’t matter which method you use to feed your child. Both require you to brush and care for baby’s teeth and gums. A recent study shows children who breastfeed beyond 24 months have a higher risk of developing cavities, but there are too many variables missing from the study to know for sure how much of a role the breast milk itself plays in the formation of cavities. Plenty of babies breastfeed beyond 24 months and have no cavities. It’s really all about how you care for your baby’s teeth when he or she is not eating.If you have any further questions or concerns about infant oral health care, please give Dr. George a call at 724-934-3422.

Here in Pennsylvania, our football team may be No. 1 (Go Eagles!), but, according to WalletHub, our oral health is seriously lacking. That’s because out of a study of all 50 states, the Keystone State ranked a dismal 29. That’s the bottom half of the nation’s oral health, and it means that 28 states are doing a better job with their oral health than we are. That’s nothing to smile about.

 Whether you’re expecting, thinking about growing your family or just planning for the future, there are many things you can do before your baby arrives to prepare him or her for a lifetime of good oral health. Follow these steps to help build the best oral health foundation possible for your baby.

For nearly a decade, Michael Sheridan of Ashbourne, County Meath, Ireland, suffered in silence, hiding his smile and his teeth from friends, family and the world. That’s because Sheridan was hiding a painful secret: badly decaying teeth. Twenty-seven of them, to be exact - and that’s exactly how many Sheridan’s dentist, Dr. David Murnaghan, ended up pulling from Sheridan’s mouth.

With a flu season that’s being called one of the worst in recent history, preventing the flu has become a major focus for many Americans. From flu shots to over-the-counter medicines claiming to prevent the illness, there's no shortage of options, but that doesn’t mean they’ll work, or that they’ll work on their own. But did you know there are things you can do right from home to help safeguard yourself from the flu (and other illnesses)? Here are some tips to help you stay healthy without even trying.

With the average dental implant costing upwards of $4,500, it makes sense that you’d want to protect your investment. But between implant failure and the rare instance of implant fracture, it can be difficult to do so. That’s why it helps to know exactly what risks are involved in keeping your dental implants safe from damage.