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Cities have been adjusting the fluoride levels in water since 1964. Since that time, fluoridation has dramatically improved the oral health of tens of millions of Americans. Community water fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay, but you may not be drinking as much fluoridated water as you may think. If bottled or home-purified water is your main source for drinking water, you may be missing out on this extremely safe and effective mineral that prevents tooth decay.

Of course, using toothpaste with the ADA Seal of Approval is a good source of fluoride, but optimal levels of absorption can only be achieved if you use it as directed: brushing twice a day for two to three minutes each time.

At our office, you can receive professionally applied topical fluoride during your next dental checkup. This is extremely important for people who are at high risk for tooth decay, including children, people with less than perfect oral hygiene, people undergoing orthodontic treatment, and people with weakened enamel due to lifestyle choices or genetic factors. If you have any questions regarding fluoride, please feel free to ask Dr. Bob Maley or your hygienist. We want you to have the healthiest smile possible.

Fluoride is a compound that contains fluorine, a natural element. Using small amounts of fluoride on a regular basis can help prevent tooth decay. Fluoride inhibits loss of minerals from tooth enamel and encourages remineralization (strengthening areas that are weakened and beginning to develop cavities).

Fluoride also affects bacteria that cause cavities, discouraging acid attacks that break down the tooth. Risk for decay is reduced even more when fluoride is combined with a healthy diet and good oral hygiene. Using fluoride for the prevention and control of decay has been proven over the past 70 years to be both safe and effective.

Fluoride can be found in any toothpaste with the ADA Seal of Approval, as well as in drinking water across the United States. To ensure you’re getting the appropriate amount of fluoride, having a professionally applied fluoride treatment during your next checkup is possible if you are concerned you are not getting adequate amounts at home.

Contact Dr. Bob Maley and his team if you have questions or find us on Facebook!

Every day we see patients--kids and adults--who for whatever reason experience intense anxiety over coming to the dentist, sometimes to the point they risk their health rather than seek the treatment they need.

Dr. Bob Maley specializes in helping these patients using a very simple process that works virtually every time.

"I slow things down, explain exactly what's going on and put the patient in charge, " he explains. "If you raise your hand, I stop. Some patients just need to take a breather before we proceed. Others just feel more confident knowing if it hurts, I'll stop and readjust. We have headphones with music, nitrous oxide (laughing gas), which helps you relax, whatever it takes to help you overcome this very real fear one step at a time."

"I don't believe most people need or want to be put unconscious to go to the dentist. By talking together and making a plan, we can change a patient's experience of dentistry, and that makes every visit a little easier. Each time we're together, we strengthen the relationship which increases trust. Building trust is the essential part of overcoming fear."

If you've been putting off going to the dentist, give us a call at 651-224-0001. We can schedule some time to talk about your concerns and make a plan of how to proceed. Your smile and health are too important to ignore.

Visiting Dr. Bob Maley regularly will not only help keep your teeth and mouth healthy, but will also help keep the rest of your body healthy. The fact is, every hour of every day in the U.S., someone dies of oral cancer, which is the sixth-most commonly diagnosed form of the disease. The five-year survival rate is only 50 percent, and oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved. Since April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Maley would like to take this opportunity to underscore the importance of visiting the dentist routinely to check on the health of teeth and gums and screen for health issues such as oral cancer.

As a dentist, Dr. Maley is specifically trained to diagnose, treat, and prevent oral health problems. Screening for oral cancer is a regular part of our routine oral exam. Please let us know if you have any questions about your oral health during your next appointment. Take care of your teeth!

Getting your taxes filed, your windows washed for summer sun, your car in for routine maintenance...these types of jobs can be a pain, but once you get them done, it feels soooo good! The same goes for getting your teeth cleaned.

While daily oral hygiene habits are essential to good oral health, professional dental cleanings at our office ensure your teeth are treated to a deeper level of cleaning. We recommend for most of our patients to have a checkup every six months. In addition to a thorough cleaning and polishing of your teeth, these regular visits help us detect and prevent the onset of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. During your visit, we’ll check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue. We’ll also check old fillings and restorations, as these can wear away over time from constant chewing, grinding, or clenching. And, of course, we’ll address any questions or issues that may have come up since your last visit.

If you are predisposed to oral diseases, you may need to visit our office more often than every six months. Factors at play in these diseases include age, pregnancy, tobacco use, medical conditions (such as diabetes, dry mouth, or HIV infection), along with how well you take care of your teeth on a daily basis.

Make sure your teeth get the professional attention they deserve – If you’re overdue for your next cleaning, call us today at 651-224-0001 today to schedule an appointment! Happy Spring!

Dr. Bob Maley and his team know one thing no patient likes hearing when visiting our office is “root canal.” But what, exactly, is a root canal, and when might you need one? A root canal is a treatment Dr. Maley uses to repair and save a tooth that is infected or badly decayed to the point where the nerve is involved. In the past, if a patient had a tooth with a diseased nerve, dentists in most cases would recommend an extraction. Today, however, with a procedure called root canal therapy, available at our office, you may save that tooth—and your beautiful smile—after all!

Here are some symptoms that indicate a decayed or infected tooth, courtesy of WebMD:
• Severe toothache pain upon chewing, biting or application of pressure
• One tooth consistently more sensitive to hot or cold than other teeth
• Pain that hurts without any stimulus, keeps you awake or wakes you up at night
• A tooth that feels loose
• Discoloration (a darkening) of the tooth
• Pain that persists weeks following a filling or replacement of a filling
• Chronic pain and/or pressure that may extend to the ear, eye or neck

If any of these symptoms apply to you, we recommend you schedule an appointment with Dr. Maley.

The best way to avoid a root canal is to practice good oral hygiene at home, and that includes brushing at least twice a day and flossing to reduce plaque and bacteria. For more tips on how to avoid root canal therapy or for general questions about your dental treatment, we invite you to ask Dr. Maley during your next visit at our convenient St. Paul office! We also invite you to ask us on Facebook!

Thanks for the question! Yes!

In fact, it's even more important that patients receiving orthodontic treatment visit our office regularly. When you're wearing braces, food may be caught in places that your toothbrush normally can't reach. This causes bacteria to build up and can lead to discoloration, cavities and even gum disease. Dr. Bob Maley even recommends that certain patients with braces come in an extra time each year to be sure we thoroughly clean around the bands and between the teeth. Our staff will work closely with your orthodontist to make sure that your teeth stay clean and healthy while you're undergoing orthodontic treatment.

If it has been more than six months since your last visit to our St. Paul office, please give us a call! We look forward to your next visit!

Hearing words like sticky, bacteria, acid, and decay makes most people cringe. Thinking about those things on your teeth…ew! Unfortunately, these are all characteristics of plaque and tartar: the enemies of healthy teeth.

Don’t panic—we have some tips on how to avoid plaque and tartar. But first, let’s back up a little. In order to figure out how to prevent them, we need to know exactly what they are, right?

The best way to understand plaque is to think of it as a thin, invisible film of sticky bacteria (and other unfriendly materials) that coats the surfaces of your teeth. When sugars and starches come in contact with plaque, an acid is created that can attack your teeth for up to 20 minutes after you finish eating. Repeated attacks can break down tooth enamel and lead to cavities, decay, and/or gum disease.

Tartar, on the other hand, is a deposit that forms when plaque hardens on your teeth. For most of us, tartar deposits begin to build up faster as we age. Unlike plaque, tartar bonds quite strongly to tooth enamel and can only be removed by a dental professional. Prolonged tartar buildup can cause a tooth’s enamel to break down, resulting in decay and/or cavities.

So… in order to avoid cavities we have to avoid tartar, and in order to avoid tartar we have to avoid plaque. Here are some recommendations from Dr. Bob Maley on the best ways to fight plaque and tartar buildup.
• Floss once a day.
• Brush your teeth at least twice a day with toothpaste that contains fluoride and fights plaque.
• Use a quality toothbrush and remember to replace it every three months, or as soon as the bristles have worn down.
• Add a mouthwash to your routine to provide longer protection even after you’re done brushing.
• Eat well-balanced meals. Raw fruits and veggies like apples and carrots even help remove plaque.
• Brush after snacks.
• Visit Dr. Maley regularly for oral exams and cleanings so that any tartar buildup you might have can be removed.

Take care of your teeth and fight cavities! Your bank account and smile will thank you. And since avoiding plaque altogether is impossible, don’t forget to schedule your regular dental appointments with us so we can help brighten your smile and keep your teeth healthy for life!

Don’t forget to join us on Facebook so you can keep up with everything going on in our practice, and so we can get to know you better. We look forward to connecting with you there.

When your child needs urgent dental treatment, Dr. Bob Maley and our team stand ready to help. Here are some helpful answers to some recent patient questions.

Q: What should I do if my child’s baby tooth is knocked out?

A: Contact Dr. Maley as soon as possible.

Q: What should I do if my child’s permanent tooth is knocked out?

A: Find the tooth and rinse it gently in milk or saliva. (Do not scrub it or clean it with soap — use just water!) If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or a wash cloth. If you can’t put the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container with milk, saliva, or water. Get to our office immediately--within 30 minutes is ideal. The faster you act, the better your chances of saving the tooth.

Q: What if a tooth is chipped or fractured?

A: Contact Dr. Maley immediately. Quick action can save the tooth, prevent infection and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment. Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. If you can find the broken tooth fragment, bring it with you when you visit.

Q: What about a severe blow to the head or jaw fracture?

A: Go immediately to the emergency room of your local hospital. A blow to the head can be life threatening.

Q: What if my child has a toothache?

A: Call us and visit Dr. Maley promptly. To comfort your child, rinse the mouth with water. Apply a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth. Do not put heat or aspirin on the sore area.

Q: Can dental injuries be prevented?

A: Of course! First, reduce oral injury in sports by wearing mouth guards. Custom mouth guards provide the best protection. Second, always use a car seat for young children. Require seat belts for everyone else in the car. Third, child-proof your home to prevent falls. Fourth, protect your child from unnecessary toothaches with regular dental visits.

Contact our St. Paul dental office to schedule an appointment. We love what we do and enjoy watching our patients grow and smile as they visit our office!

Even if you brush and floss daily, it is still important to see Dr. Bob Maley every 6 months, or as recommended.

Why?

• We can detect and treat tooth and gum problems that you may have never felt or noticed.
• Even thorough daily oral care may not be enough to prevent cavities and oral decay.
• Frequent visits can allow us to treat a problem early to prevent future complications.
• We miss your smiling face!

If you are overdue for an appointment with us, please give us a call today!

- Dr. Bob Maley & Team

With winter sports under way for a lot of our patients, Dr. Bob Maley thought it would be a good time to remind our young athletes to take care of their smiles while participating in sports this winter.

More than half of the seven million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by youth between ages 5 and 24. Sixty-seven percent of parents say their child does not wear a mouth guard;, yet, 70 percent say their biggest fear when their child plays is that they will get hurt. Despite the risks, many kids are still not wearing mouth guards and facial protection during games and practices.

Many people think a mouth guard is effective just to protect your teeth. But research has shown mouth guards can also reduce lower jaw impact that causes concussions and other dental injuries. Check out this video to see just how far some parents will go to protect their children's teeth from sports injuries.

We hope this helps you remember to always wear a mouth guard and other forms of protective gear when participating in fall sports! You handle the bubble wrap, we'll set you up with a mouth guard! We encourage you to give us a call if you have any questions or ask us on Facebook!