February may be the shortest month of the year, but it’s still a very important one - and it has nothing to do with candy hearts and roses! February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, a celebration of the importance of teaching kids the proper way to care for their teeth. Sponsored by the American Dental Association (ADA), Crest and Oral B, this year’s theme is, "Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth for a healthy smile." Here’s how to teach your children to do just that!

Hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is a condition caused by the overactivity of the parathyroid glands, the four small glands that surround the thyroid. Located in the neck, the parathyroid glands produce parathyroid hormone, or PTH, a hormone responsible for balancing the calcium and phosphorous in the body. When the body’s blood calcium levels fall, the parathyroid glands release PTH to help restore the depleted levels. Patients with hyperparathyroidism have exceedingly high levels of blood calcium, which can often cause problems like kidney stones, benign tumors known as adenoma, and even osteoporosis.

Caring for a new baby can be a wonderful but overwhelming experience - especially if your parenting relies more on wisdom than scientific fact. While our mothers and grandmothers may have thought they had all the answers when we were kids, new discoveries are made all the time, and what was thought to be safe 30 years ago may have now been proven dangerous. After all, many people alive today can remember riding around with a baby on their lap in the car!

In the United States, an estimated 27 million people have the metabolic disorder known as Type 2 diabetes, and another 86 million are considered pre-diabetic. Type 2 diabetes causes high blood sugar, insulin resistance and low insulin levels. If left untreated or improperly managed, it can also cause everything from glaucoma and cataracts to nerve damage, infections and even tooth and bone loss. Many people don’t realize they have diabetes until it’s too late, putting them at further risk for serious side effects and even death. But did you know that there are many oral-health warning signs that can act as a red flag for diabetes and pre-diabetes? Get to know these indicators – they may just save your life!

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 17 percent of American children are considered obese, a number that has more than tripled since the 1970s. In fact, not only are more children becoming overweight and obese, but, according to The Obesity Society, they are also becoming heavier than obese children in years past, a fact that puts them at a five-times-higher risk of being overweight or obese as adults. As a result, childhood obesity has now become the nation's most prevalent nutritional disorder among children and teens.

It’s that time of year again: The snow tires go back on the car, the snow boots come out of storage, and the snow shovel returns to its spot beside the door. But your home, car and clothing aren’t the only things that need winterizing this time of year. Believe it or not, your mouth needs extra protection in the winter, too!

With temperatures starting to drop and holiday invitations popping up on calendars, it’s safe to say the holiday season is upon us once again. But along with the bright lights and joyful reunions with family and friends, the holidays can also mean something else: stress. Before you let the shopping, travel planning, food preparation and need to be in 20 places at once weigh too heavily on your mind, take a moment to slow down and pay attention to your health - especially your oral health.

Many of us strive for whiter teeth. In fact, in the United States, we spend an estimated $1.4 billion a year on the pursuit of a brighter smile, with the average cost of in-office dental whitening ringing in at about $600 a pop. But how far would you go to get a whiter smile? For many Britons, that answer is pretty far. That’s because, according to a new study released by Sydney, Australia-based tooth whitening brand White Glo, nearly half of all Britons surveyed admitted to visiting illegal whitening treatment centers to achieve a brighter smile!

As a parent, you work hard to make sure your kids are well taken care of. From healthy food to regular doctor and dentist visits, you want to make sure their growth is on track and there are no medical problems lurking. But what happens when no matter how well you brush your child’s teeth, they never seem to look white - in fact, they seem to be stained or permanently discolored?Whether you suspect an enamel problem or your child has been diagnosed with enamel hypoplasia, here’s everything you need to know to help make the best of this rare dental condition.What Is Enamel Hypoplasia?Enamel hypoplasia is an enamel defect. The word hypoplasia literally means "underdeveloped." This condition occurs when tooth cells called ameloblasts fail to properly form, or become damaged. If the ameloblasts fail, the enamel fails too. As a result, the enamel may be thinner or weaker than it should be.Enamel hypoplasia often appears as pits or holes in the teeth, white spots, or brown and yellow staining of the teeth.So, what causes these ameloblasts to malfunction? Many things, including: Poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy or poor infant nutrition Infection during pregnancy or early childhood Genetic disorders Exposure to certain toxic chemicals Lack of oxygen before birth Infection after birthIf you or your child have been diagnosed with enamel hypoplasia, there are things you can do to protect your teeth and improve their appearance. For young children with an enamel hypoplasia diagnosis, dental sealants can help protect baby teeth until adult teeth have formed. If the child’s enamel hypoplasia is caused by an outside factor, there may be a chance that it will not appear in the adult teeth; however, children who have genetic enamel hypoplasia will frequently have the same condition in their adult teeth.If the enamel hypoplasia does appear in the child’s adult teeth, parents may choose to continue to treat with sealants until the child has developed all their permanent teeth. Following any orthodontic work that may be necessary, there are several options to improve the strength and appearance of the teeth.CrownsCrowns can be used to create a deluxe filling for teeth that are too small, misshapen or fragile due to missing enamel.SealantsIf the teeth are aesthetically normal, sealants may be continued into adulthood to help prevent the teeth from developing cavities. Without that added layer of enamel, teeth with enamel hypoplasia are much more vulnerable to cavities than normal teeth.BondingMuch like veneers, bonding can improve the look and color of the teeth. Often teeth with enamel defects can appear misshapen or uneven in addition to being discolored. Bonding covers each tooth with layers of resin composite that are permanently adhered to the tooth. Bonding may need to be replaced over time due to normal wear and tear, but it can dramatically improve tooth shape and color.Unfortunately, bonding can be expensive, but the good news is that some insurance plans will cover bonding for children born with enamel defects. Check your individual plan for more details. The other main difference between bonding and veneers is that bonding is said to stain more easily than veneers do, so be sure to keep up your excellent brushing and flossing habits once you’ve gotten your teeth bonded. This will ensure they always look their best!For more information about enamel hypoplasia, or for any other or concerns, please call Dr. George’s office at 724-934-3422.

Love your teeth? Of course you do! So why not pay tribute to them this Halloween with a fun, tooth-inspired Halloween costume? Why should witches and ghosts have all the fun?

For most parents, fall means back to school, and for some, it means back to school sports. But while all that exercise may be great for your children’s muscles, it can often be bad news for their teeth. In fact, it is estimated that children lose about 3 million teeth a year to sports accidents! While many school districts and leagues have begun requiring mouthguards for all players, many still do not, and even if you buy one for your child, if it doesn’t fit right or feel comfortable, chances are your kid's not going to wear it. So, how can you choose the right mouth guard without breaking the bank - or your teeth?

They’re one of the most coveted signs of beauty today: thick, luscious lips. But getting them isn’t always as easy or affordable as it seems. It used to be if you weren’t born with them, you were out of luck, but a variety of products designed to make your lips look bigger and fuller have popped up in recent years. One trend, lip injections, uses fillers such as collagen or hyaluronic acid to semi-permanently plump up the lips. Unfortunately, these injections can be painful and costly. Lip-enhancing glosses and pencils are painless and far less expensive, but only last as long as the products remain on your lips. Until recently, these were the only options, but a new product has now hit the market – suction-cup lip plumpers.

Have you ever been brushing your teeth or eating a certain food and suddenly thought of a dental question, only to forget it by the time your next checkup rolled around? Don’t despair! We've got the answers to a few common oral care questions we hear at our dental practice.  Why does spinach make my teeth feel gritty?Believe it or not, the reason your teeth feel dirty or gritty after eating spinach is because of its high calcium content. That’s right, the very thing that helps make spinach so good for us can often drive would-be fans away. When those elevated levels of calcium combine with another ingredient in spinach, oxalic acid, the two form crystals that cause both the slight bitterness in the leaves and that weird (but totally harmless) gritty feeling on your teeth.

According to Stopbullying.gov, an initiative by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, between one in three and one in four American children have experienced some sort of bullying, and over 70 percent have witnessed it among their peers. Bullying can often cause children to become quiet and withdrawn, isolating themselves from their parents and peers. So, how do you know as parents if your child is being bullied – especially if they won’t tell you? According to a new study in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, you might want to ask their dentist.  The study, conducted by the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerias in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, revealed that teenagers who experienced verbally abusive bullying at school were four times more likely to experience bruxism, or teeth grinding, than those who were not bullied. According to the study, bullied students were found to grind their teeth at a rate of about 65 percent, compared to about 17 percent for students who are not bullied.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes both the loss of bone and the inability to grow new bone tissue. The condition is most common in women over the age of 60, but it can strike men or women at any age. Researchers at the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) estimate that approximately 54 million Americans have osteoporosis, and that number is only going up. In fact, the NOF believes that by the year 2025, osteoporosis will cause an estimated 3 million fractures a year.   Now, a study from the University at Buffalo has found that in addition to helping to increase bone density and decrease bone breakage, treating osteoporosis has another surprising benefit: preventing periodontitis. In fact, researchers found that patients undergoing estrogen therapy for osteoporosis had a 44 percent lower chance of developing periodontitis than women who did not treat their osteoporosis.

Body piercings are not exactly a new trend. In fact, the oldest mummified body found to date, a 5,300-year-old dubbed Ötzi the Iceman, was found impeccably preserved in a glacier, still wearing earrings! Oral piercings, on the other hand, are generally thought to be a much more recent trend, surging in popularity among young people in the early 2000s, but they too have a deep-seated history. Tongue piercings, for example, were used by the ancient Mayan and Aztec cultures to honor the gods, while lip piercings have been used for centuries in African tribes, and have also been seen in art from Pre-Columbian South American cultures.

Picture this. It’s Saturday night, and you’re sitting down on the couch, chips in hand, watching the latest sci-fi thriller, when suddenly the crunch of your potato chip sounds more like a crack. Just like that, the crown on your tooth has broken in half in your mouth and ruined your relaxing evening. What do you do now? Even dentists with Saturday hours are closed this late, and nobody is open on Sunday. It will be at least a day before you can even call to make an appointment. Before you panic or try a risky DIY repair procedure, follow these steps to protect your teeth, and maybe even save your crown!

If you’re one of the 28% of Americans who hide their smile because they don’t like their teeth, you may want to consider getting a cosmetic dental device called porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers, or simply ‘veneers’ are thin pieces of porcelain that are permanently adhered to the front surfaces of your teeth, to improve everything from color to the shape of the tooth. Veneers can even correct some minor crookedness of the teeth, eliminating the need for lengthy and painful procedures like dental implants or braces.