Routine dental check-ups are a cornerstone of good oral health, helping you maintain a radiant smile and detect potential issues before they become major concerns. But exactly how often should you visit the dentist? While the common recommendation is twice a year, the truth is that dental needs vary from person to person.

We all know how important it is to get a good night’s sleep. Sleep helps us recharge physically and mentally, making us ready to face a new day. But did you know that sleep quality directly impacts your oral health? At Post Falls Family Dental, we emphasize practicing good oral health habits and visiting the dentist regularly to maintain your smile. In this blog post, we explore the intricate relationship between sleep and oral health, providing tips to improve both and offering insight into dental services that can help you achieve a healthy smile.

Dental insurance remains a luxury that not all Americans can access in today's healthcare landscape. However, the absence of dental insurance should not deter anyone from seeking necessary dental care. Post Falls Family Dental believes in making dental health accessible to all, regardless of insurance status. This blog post aims to guide those without dental insurance through their options for dental care and address common concerns about costs and payment methods.

Visiting the dentist regularly is a cornerstone of maintaining oral health and overall well-being. At Post Falls Family Dental, nestled in the heart of our community in Post Falls, ID, we prioritize your oral health through comprehensive care and education. Our commitment to early detection, prevention, and patient comfort makes every dental visit an opportunity to enhance your health and smile. In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through what to expect during dental visits, emphasizing the critical role of routine appointments in oral care.

At Post Falls Family Dental, nestled in the heart of Post Falls, ID, we are dedicated to providing our community with comprehensive dental care. One of the most common yet preventable conditions we treat is periodontitis, a serious gum disease that affects many adults. This blog post aims to shed light on periodontitis, its symptoms, causes, and the effective treatments we offer.

Welcome to the latest blog post from Post Falls Family Dental, where we dive into the transformative world of cosmetic dentistry. As your trusted dental care provider in Post Falls, ID, we're here to guide you through how cosmetic dentistry can enhance your smile's appearance and boost your confidence and oral health.

There is a new sleep disorder affecting patients all over the country. It’s called Orthosomnia. Over the past few years, I have seen countless patients, friends, and family members obsess over their sleep because of wearable devices like Apple Watches, Oura rings, Fitbits, and Whoops. You might think this increased awareness would be good, but I have seen mostly the negatives. The pursuit of healthy sleep has made sleep stressful. While wearables have brought awareness that sleep is essential to whole-body wellness, they have also obtained an unhealthy obsession that can ruin sleep. “Will I sleep well tonight? Will I get enough REM? Will I get enough deep sleep?”

Whenever I fire up the Solea laser, I feel like Princess Lea if she were blonde and a dentist. My enemy? Tooth decay. My solution? A high-tech laser that slices through decay and enamel without needing anesthetic.

Myofunctional therapy is an exercise-based therapy program. It is like physical therapy, only for the muscles of the mouth, tongue, and face. The exercises are designed specifically to train proper breathing, speaking, chewing and swallowing.

Sleep apnea is a serious disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It can cause a person to stop breathing during sleep, leading to fragmented sleep, daytime fatigue, and a host of other health problems. For many people, the most effective treatment for sleep apnea is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which helps to keep the airway open during sleep.

As a hygienist, I focus on mouths and teeth and now throats and airways. With children, I notice crowded or crooked teeth, high vaulted palates, strong tongue thrusting, chapped lips, mouth breathing, enlarged tonsils, speech issues, and some behavioral challenges. I will point out visual signs of concern and ask some routine questions about behavior and habits, etc. Then I ask if they notice if their child snores, sleeps with mouth open, or is restless at night. Most parents can’t answer those questions. I ask if they have watched their child sleep and the most common answer includes, “I really have never watched my child sleep, should I?”

Nonnutritive sucking habits such as pacifiers and thumb sucking can have a detrimental effect on growth and development, causing open bites, cross bites, and altered occlusion, which can lead to eating challenges, nutritional deficiencies, narrow airways, and sleep-disordered breathing.

Planning nursery themes, picking out names, going to doctors appointments – the list is endless and finding time for the dentist is usually at the end of the list; however, it is one of the most important things you can do for you and your unborn child.

It’s every parent’s desire to provide their children with the ability to live their happiest and healthiest life possible. Now you can. Post Falls Family Dental is proud to announce that we are now a Healthy Start provider and are specially trained to help improve your child’s health.

It’s a scary truth that heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. Every 43 seconds, someone in the U.S. suffers a heart attack and every 4 minutes a life is taken by a stroke. Can you think of a friend or loved one whose life was forever altered by one of these devastating events? What if I told you that these conditions have been proven to be 100% preventable, even if you have a family history of heart disease, and that Post Falls Family Dental has the tools to help lower your risk?

As dentists, we try not to “smile shame” people. We never analyze, study, and embarrass patients or friends alike. But most people aren’t aware of the possibilities and solutions for a smile they’ve always wanted!

A question we get a lot is “Why, as a Dental office, are you doing Botox?” There are several good reasons for this. One is that it has many valuable benefits in the dental world. Dentists and Hygienists are highly educated in head and neck anatomy and physiology.

Fingernails are one of the aspects of the human body that differentiates us from other mammals. Humans are primates, so they possess nails rather than sharp claws. This not only allows us to be grade-A back scratchers, but it is also much more convenient for completing everyday tasks that would be impossible if we were armed with thick claws.

Halloween is right around the corner and little goblins will be trick-or-treating to collect as much candy as they can, but it’s not just the kids enjoying the treats.  According to the Delta Dental Children’s Oral Health survey, nearly 80% of parents admit they eat their children’s candy! The sugar in those treats can scare you by playing unwanted tricks on your teeth if you’re not careful. 

Fall is in the air! And what that means is back to school, Sunday football and sports! Lots and lots of sports. If your child is in any contact sport it is very important and sometimes required to have protection for their mouth. This could certainly cut down on the frantic Saturday afternoon phone calls.