As I stand over my sink and ponder the frayed bristles of my favorite toothbrush, I wonder if I should replace it. It’s a good question. We all brush our teeth on a daily basis. Like a good pair of jeans, it seems the more we use a toothbrush, the more comfortable it gets. As…
Family Dentistry
How to Whiten Your Teeth Safely
White teeth make anyone look younger, happier and more attractive. And it seems like there are more teeth whitening alternatives than ever before. Whitening Toothpaste The least expensive product you’ll find in Pearland is a whitening toothpaste. It helps remove surface stains while gently polishing and providing mild stain removal. Because it doesn’t contain bleach,…
Teeth: What Have They Done For You Lately?
Welcome to the Montz and Maher Dental Group blog! Today we are going to explore the secret life of our teeth. The shape of each tooth gives a clue to what it does. The incisors, or your front teeth, are sharp. Their job is to cut food and their curvature helps move food inside the…
Trouble Getting Numb For Dental Treatment?
Our bodies work differently. Some dental patients don’t react to local anesthetics by getting numb. This is understandably concerning when you need dental treatment. (And the word “concerning” may be a huge understatement!) It’s important to understand that bad experiences in the past don’t guarantee that you will never be able to become numb. At…
What is the Epworth Sleepiness Scale?
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a scale that can measure daytime sleepiness based off of your total score on a questionnaire. The questionnaire is made up of eight possible situations, each of which you give a score of 0-3 based on your likelihood to fall asleep in the particular situation, with zero being “no…
Lack of Sleep Slows Reaction Time
Life in Houston, like other places in Texas and around the country, is relentlessly fast-paced. In the course of the day, each of us makes thousands of quick decisions. Many of these are trivial: “Boxers or briefs?”, “White or wheat?”, “Paper or plastic?”, or “Call or text?”. However, some split-second judgments have significant consequences; “I…
Pacifier Do’s and Don’ts for New Parents
Categories: Family Dentistry, General Dentistry
Sometimes a pacifier is the only thing that can pacify and calm your infant. Are you a new parent worried that pacifier use might be harmful to your little one? You might be interested to know what the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says about them: “Pacifiers do not cause any medical or psychological problems.…
What Medical Conditions are Linked to Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Snoring can make for a bad night’s sleep, for you and your bed mate. But if it happens because you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), it may be the sign of a bigger problem. Sleep apnea is the involuntary cessation of breathing while you are asleep. There is increasing evidence that untreated obstructive sleep apnea…
Is Your Low-Carb Diet Giving You Dragon Breath?
Categories: Dental Health, Family Dentistry
Many individuals mistakenly believe that all bad breath is linked to substandard brushing. The truth is that there are myriad causes of halitosis. Your dentist can help you pinpoint the cause of your problem and discuss how to cure bad breath. Your diet considerably affects your breath. Because foods begin to be digested the second…
Are All Clear Aligners Alike?
If you are researching orthodontics, you have probably heard about clear aligners. They offer several advantages over traditional metal braces. The most popular benefit is the fact that they are nearly invisible. Millions of men and women have corrected their teeth with aligners in the past twenty years since they were introduced. We’re here to…
