What Is Feeding Therapy?

Does your child exhibit extreme pickiness with food, often throwing tantrums or outright refusing to eat at mealtimes? Do they struggle with swallowing, frequently choke on food, or frequently contract pneumonia? Have mealtimes become a contentious issue in your household? If these scenarios resonate with you, consider exploring feeding therapy guided by a specialist at…

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What is Myofunctional Therapy?

If you have a speech impediment, problems chewing or swallowing, or disordered breathing during sleep, you may benefit from myofunctional therapy, an exercise program that targets muscles in your mouth, tongue, and face to improve these issues. This can be an effective alternative for sleep apnea, as it trains the tongue and muscles to stay…

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Root Canals Explained

If you have a cracked tooth or deep tooth decay, you may get a root canal to treat the issue. During this treatment, a dentist removes the infected pulp or center of the tooth, cleans and disinfects the inside, and fills it to seal the area and prevent future infection. These dental procedures can be…

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What Are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

With 10 to 30% of Americans suffering from sleep apnea, you may know someone with this sleep disorder, or you may even experience symptoms and not recognize them, leaving the issue untreated. Sleep apnea is a condition that stops your breathing while you sleep, causing disruptive sleep cycles that could leave you fatigued and unable…

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Man struggling with sleep apnea-related sleep deprivation.

Is Untreated Sleep Apnea Dangerous?

Sleep apnea occurs when you stop breathing for short periods of time in your sleep. This can result from tissue blocking your airway or your brain not controlling your breathing. Regardless of which type of sleep apnea you have, if you leave the condition untreated, it could lead to serious health problems that could be…

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How Do Dentists Treat Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a serious disorder that occurs when the upper airway is completely or partially blocked during sleep, or the brain fails to send signals to breathe while sleeping. This condition is quite common and affects 5-10% of people worldwide. If left untreated, those with sleep apnea could stop breathing several times during the…

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6 Tips for Recovering From a Sinus Lift

When getting sinus lift surgery, recovery is just as important as the preparation and procedure itself. It’s essential to follow your surgeon’s instructions and take every measure to ensure the area heals properly and successfully. At Rockland Dental Specialists in New York, we will support you every step of the way, including post-surgery, so you…

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How to Spot Periodontal Disease

If you experience symptoms like swelling gums or loose teeth, you may want to ask your dentist about periodontal disease. This gum infection damages the gums and, if left untreated, could harm the teeth and jawbone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that almost half of all adults over 30 have some form…

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Early Signs of Oral Cancer

The oral cavity is one of the most essential parts of the human body, but poor hygiene and neglecting oral care may contribute to declining oral health. Various factors, such as genetics, lifestyle choices, and trauma can also affect the overall health of the mouth, teeth, and gums. More than 49,000 people are diagnosed with oral…

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When Are Dental Implants Necessary?

If you have missing, cracked, or infected teeth, several options are available to fix these problems and the additional issues they may cause. One of the solutions offered is dental implants. These artificial tooth roots are placed in the jawbone to permanently replace the entire tooth structure. Leaving missing or damaged teeth untreated can have…

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The Tooth Fairy Story to Tell Your Children

When young children feel their first loose teeth, they probably begin thinking about the tooth fairy.  Whether they have heard it from their older siblings, neighbors or classmates, most five-year-olds are quite familiar with the tooth fairy.  Their eyes will light up at the idea of a mysterious fairy who “buys” their lost teeth from them while…

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Tips to Stop Grinding Your Teeth

Let us start this blog by being perfectly honest: some people cannot stop grinding their teeth.  The habit may take place during sleep when you cannot control what is happening.  Many people are even unaware that they are grinding their teeth. Teeth grinding can do serious damage to the teeth, gums, and jaw joints.  For that reason, you…

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Does Sugar Cause Cavities?

Most people grow up hearing this from their parents and teachers, doctors and school nurses.  But you may also know people who seem to eat a ton of sugar, yet their teeth remain healthy.  So does sugar actually cause cavities? The cavity-making process involves several factors, and sugar is one of them.   What Causes Cavities? Technically, cavities are a…

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Can Wine Stain Your Teeth?

If you are a wine drinker, especially a red wine drinker, you are probably well aware of the situation in which your teeth begin to take on a dark red or purple tinge.  Because you also probably notice that the tinge goes away after brushing, you may have brushed it off as no big deal (pun…

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When to Consider Pulling a Tooth

In general, dentists want people to keep their natural teeth as long as possible.  We provide education, preventive measures, and treatments to maintain healthy teeth in the mouth.  Yet, we still extract teeth every single day.   There are some cases in which pulling a tooth is better than keeping it.  At Rockland Dental Specialists, we believe our role…

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Potential Complications with Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening Kits

Everyone wants a bright, white beautiful smile.  This universal desire has supported a now multi-billion dollar teeth whitening industry.  There are countless brands and methods available both through your dentist and over-the-counter.  It can be difficult to know which methods are best for you.  This blog will guide you through some important information about over-the-counter teeth whitening products. How…

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How to Treat and Prevent Receding Gums

Receding gums can be a minor annoyance leading to sensitive teeth.  They can also be a serious loss of the supportive foundation of the teeth, leading to complete tooth loss.  Understanding the various causes of receding gums can help you seek the necessary dental care to prevent and treat them. What Causes Receding Gums? Receding gums are…

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Why You Should Brush Your Tongue

For many, brushing their tongues is not part of the daily oral hygiene routine.  If you do not consistently brush your tongue as an important part of cleaning your mouth, this blog is for you.  If you do, this will reinforce your motivation to do so.  We will explain several important reasons that you should not neglect this…

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Different Types of Dental Implants

Dental implants are diverse in their ability to replace missing teeth.  A dental implant is an anchor placed into the jawbone that provides support for dental purposes.  The vast majority of them are used to replace missing teeth, which is what the bulk of this article covers.  Orthodontists also use implants as anchorage for moving teeth. Implants to…

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How to Cope with Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety or fear affects millions of Americans and prevents many from seeking the oral healthcare they desperately need.  Sometimes this fear is the result of a bad experience in the past.  Sometimes, it relates to “horror stories” from others.  Regardless of the cause, we understand that dental anxiety is a legitimate problem for many.  Because we want every…

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Adult fluoride treatment

Five Ways to Maintain Gum Health

There are several reasons that now, more than ever, gum health is extremely important.  One is the connection between gum health and your overall health.  During the current pandemic, each and every one of us needs to be healthy and support our immune systems so that we can successfully fight the COVID virus, if necessary. The second…

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What Is Causing My Jaw Pain?

Jaw pain can be confusing and disruptive, affecting your ability to eat, speak, and laugh.  Because there are so many different problems that can cause jaw pain, it can be tough to diagnose.   This article will cover some of the most common causes of jaw pain, not including dental infections.  The reason we are excluding dental infections is that…

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How to Treat Sensitive Teeth

Sensitive teeth are more than just a nuisance.  They can change the way you eat and drink, causing you to avoid some of your favorite things.  But you do not have to live with sensitivity.  Here are some of the ways you can fight sensitive teeth. Try Over-the-Counter Products Many products available over-the-counter claim to help fight tooth…

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Four Causes of Dental Implant Failure

Dental implants are the best way to replace missing teeth.  They create the most natural appearance and provide the best chewing function.  Implants also have a very high success rate, higher than most other dental treatments.  But they are not invincible.  This article will highlight some of the most common causes of dental implant failure. What is Dental Implant…

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Using a Laser to Treat Periodontal Disease

At Rockland Dental Specialists, we remain committed to providing every patient with the highest standard of care.  Advances in dental technology make treatment of various dental problems more effective and more comfortable.  The dental laser is one of these advances, which is why we consistently incorporate it into our treatment for gum disease. What is Periodontal Disease?…

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Dispelling Myths about Root Canals

Root canals have a reputation for being an awful dental procedure that you should avoid at all costs.  There is so much misinformation surrounding root canals, whether it is in a shared post on Facebook, an independent film, or stories passed down through generations about terrible experiences.  In this article, we will explain the truth about root…

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Six Signs You Might Need a Root Canal

“Root canal” is a term most are familiar with but few understand.  A root canal is actually an anatomical space inside each tooth.  The dental procedure that most people envision when they hear “root canal” is actually a root canal treatment.  When the soft tissue living inside the tooth (nerves and blood vessels called the dental pulp) becomes infected…

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Can You Reverse Periodontitis?

What a great question!  Unfortunately, it is not one with a simple answer.  In order to answer it appropriately, we’ll break the question up into some important aspects.  First, can you reverse periodontitis?  Next, before you try to reverse periodontitis, can you stop periodontitis?  And finally, is it possible to reverse periodontitis, repairing the damage it caused?  We will answer each of these in turn so that…

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What are the Stages of Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease affects millions of Americans, leading to bad breath, unstable teeth, and missing teeth.  Also called gum disease and periodontitis, periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease caused by bacterial toxins in dental plaque and tartar.  Like many other diseases, it progresses through various stages, and it is easiest to treat when you catch it early.   Gingivitis…

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Common Signs of Gum Disease

Millions of Americans suffer from gum disease, and many do not even know it.  The signs of gum disease can be subtle and often go unnoticed by the patient.  It is important to understand the signs of gum disease so that you can catch it as early as possible.  As with every dental problem, the sooner you detect…

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Why You Should Take Bleeding Gums Seriously

Millions of Americans experience bleeding gums.  For some the problem is temporary, and for others it is persistent.  It is a dangerous misconception to assume that bleeding gums are no big deal.  If you commonly see bleeding gums when you brush and floss, It is important that you address this with your dentist.   What Causes Bleeding Gums? Healthy…

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