Family Dentistry

In this post from Eric Hull DDS Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park MI, we review the complexity and importance of your saliva. Saliva makes some people a little squeamish, but it’s important stuff: a finely balanced body fluid that not only maintains dental health but also helps with the digestion of your food.

So, without further ado, here are the main components of saliva.

• Water: No surprise here! Your saliva is composed of water, for the most part.
• Enzymes: Enzymes are vital biological catalysts that speed chemical reactions. The enzymes in saliva begin the process of digestion.
• Immunoproteins: These are powerful cells that fight invaders, such as bacteria. The immunoproteins in saliva inhibit the overgrowth of microbes in the mouth. This is essential for avoiding gingivitis and keeping the appropriate pH balance in the mouth.
• Minerals: Saliva minerals aid in maintaining the protective enamel surface of the teeth.

Most people produce enough saliva, but there is a condition called dry mouth, which is a lack of saliva. Dry mouth can be dangerous to your dental health, so be sure to talk to us about it if you experience it.

At Eric Hull DDS Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park MI, we offer our patients a full range of general and cosmetic dentistry. Patients from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI also come to us for dental implants. Contact us today!

Contact Eric Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

Tooth decay is one of the most common health problems there is. Are you doing everything you can to prevent it? In this post from Eric Hull DDS Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park MI, we have some practical ideas that can help.

• Avoid Refined Sugar: This one is probably obvious, but avoiding sugar should be your number one strategy to prevent cavities. Sugar and starch forms plaque, that sticky film that can coat the teeth. The acids in plaque start the process that forms cavities.
• Consider Xylitol: Xylitol is a type of sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in some plants. It is not the same kind of alcohol that makes people drunk, so it’s okay for anyone who is avoiding that type of alcohol. It is popular as a sweetener and can actually be good for dental health.
• Maintain Your Brushing Habits: Daily brushing and flossing is still your best bet for preventing cavities. It cleans off the plaque that leads to cavities, and also helps to prevent gum disease.

Along with brushing, regular checkups at Eric Hull DDS Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park MI help you maintain good dental health. People from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI come to our practice for general and family dentistry. Contact us today!

Contact Eric Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

If you are a teenager or the parent of a teenager, this Eric Hull DDS Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park MI post is for you. We’ll discuss dental issues of special concern to adolescents. Dental risks for teens include both developmental and lifestyle-related factors.

At our practice, we see decay and gum disease far too often in teens. Possible causes and complicating factors include insufficient dental hygiene, unhealthy diet, malocclusion (misaligned bite), smoking, hormonal changes, tooth grinding, mouth breathing, eating disorders, and side effects of medications.

As children become more independent, some get lax about brushing and flossing. Additionally, some teen’s diets become worse when they have more freedom to choose what to eat. Few parents let their four year-old drink an energy drink, but they are consumed frequently by adolescents.

Malocclusion can make proper brushing and flossing challenging, leaving even vigilant brushers with decay from food particles that are almost impossible to remove. Malocclusion can also trigger TMD (Temporomandibular disorder). If you suspect that your teen’s bite is not aligned properly, or if your teen hears a clicking sound in the jaw joint, it’s time for an exam!

In spite of numerous public service campaigns aimed at preventing teen smoking, many youths take up the dangerous habit even before they graduate from high school. Smoking wrecks teeth as surely as it wrecks lungs.

Puberty also has a significant impact on dental health. It causes all sorts of changes in the body, and the mouth is no exception. Increased hormone levels can cause the body to react to a very small amount of plaque, triggering inflammation of gum tissue and increased risk of the more advanced form of gum disease known as periodontitis. Your dentist can guide you if more frequent professional cleanings are needed to preserve gum health.

There’s also the threat of injury; many young athletes fail to protect their teeth. If your adolescent participates in a contact sport, communicate with us about custom athletic mouthguards.

One dental concern that can impact a lot of young people is wisdom teeth. It’s best to start monitoring your teen’s wisdom teeth early so they can be treated before they result in problems with the jaw or surrounding teeth. And you certainly don’t want to send your high-school grad to an out-of-state college without addressing their third molars. If problems appear, your youth won’t be near their regular dentist, will probably miss class, and will either need to come home or use an out-of-network dentist or oral surgeon.

This article is by no means exhaustive on the vital subject of adolescent oral health.  If you are looking for a family dentist, contact Eric Hull DDS Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park MI today. We have been providing trusted dental care to families in Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI for years. For more specifics about teen dental health or family dentistry, contact us today!

Contact Eric Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

At Eric Hull DDS in Comstock Park we are a primary care dental provider, a role that we take very seriously. When you come in for your regular checkup we will give you a thorough examination and cleaning to ensure you have good dental health.

There are nearly 150,000 dentists practicing in North America (someone really does keep track), and most of them are general or family dentists. That means you can turn to us for a wide range of services, including matters related to overall health. The link between your dental health and general health is well-established.

Other available services include:

• Prevention. An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. With daily brushing and flossing at home and regular checkups with us, you can prevent tooth decay. Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime!
• Restoration. Even with good care, things can go wrong. If we find a problem we can treat it. The most common is filling a cavity, but we can repair a chipped tooth and treat gum disease, too.
• Cosmetic dentistry. Has your smile lost its luster? We can transform your smile with a range of cosmetic procedures, from teeth whitening to porcelain veneers.

At Eric Hull DDS in Comstock Park we provide complete family dentistry. People from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI also come to our office for Invisalign clear braces, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, and much more. Call to schedule an appointment today!

Contact Eric Hull DDS:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321

Tooth enamel is one of the strongest substances in the body, but it is neither indestructible nor renewable. It’s important to brush and floss daily, and have regular checkups at Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park.

We recommend using a toothbrush with soft bristles. Use it after every meal to gently clean away food particles. It is best to brush right after eating. The sooner you remove food debris from your teeth, the better.

Flossing regularly is also essential to keep gums healthy. Whether the food is on tooth surfaces or hidden in between, it is not doing your enamel any good.

As for checkups, an average of about two per year is best. In some cases we’ll want to see a patient more often.

At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Comstock Park we want each patient to enjoy excellent dental health. People from Ada, Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI come to our practice for general and cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign clear braces, and much more. Please call our office to schedule an appointment today!

Contact Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

616-784-2377

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan
49321