Oral Hygiene at Home

If you’re wondering how often you should brush your teeth, Dr. Greenfield agrees with the American Dental Association that you should spend two minute sessions with your toothbrush at least twice a day. Make sure one of those times includes flossing to ensure the removal of harmful bacteria and food debris caught in between your teeth. Once plaque mineralizes and turns into tartar, you won’t be able to remove it safely on your own. Your dental hygienist will use a special tool to remove plaque and tartar buildup from the surface of your teeth and under your gumline. If you end up with severe gum disease from poor oral hygiene, a separation of connective tissue between your gums and teeth can occur. This is called periodontal pockets and leads to abscesses and tooth loss.

Dental Checkups

Be sure to keep up with dental checkups every six months. This gives Dr. Greenfield the opportunity for a thorough examination that will rule out infection or other developing dental issues. Gum disease has been linked to serious systemic health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and strokes. Preventing the inflammation of your oral tissues is easier than stopping gum disease once it starts. In fact, there is no current cure for gum disease. The best we can do is treat the infection so that it doesn’t progress and cause permanent tooth loss.

Visit your Lake Orion, MI Dentist

To learn more, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Greenfield, call Lake Orion Family Dentistry in Lake Orion, Michigan, at (248) 693-6213. We welcome patients from Lake Orion, Oxford, Rochester Hills, Clarkston, and the surrounding communities.

Bad breath (or halitosis) is something that ails everyone—especially in the morning time. However, other than inevitable bad breath, patients can learn to minimize their bouts of halitosis by taking a few simple measures throughout the day.

Here, Dr. Brad Greenfield, your Rochester Hills, MI dentist shares some tips to reduce bad breath at any time.

Learn to Eliminate Bad Breath During the Day

• Drink lots of water. A dry mouth is oftentimes the key culprit to bad breath. When your mouth is dry, this allows odor-causing oral bacteria to thrive. With an increased about of bacteria, you’re bound to have bad breath. To avoid this from happening, your Rochester Hills, MI dentist suggests drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
• Rinse regularly. Eliminating lingering food particles is also essential in maintaining fresh breath. For this reason, dentists recommend rinsing your mouth a few times during the day. While patients can do this with mouthwash, using water works, too. However, if you choose to use mouthwash, an alcohol-free variety is best since those don’t cause a dry mouth.
• Keep the salivary glands productive. With more saliva in your mouth, you’re less susceptible to developing halitosis, which is why maintaining your salivary glands active is important. Chewing gum or having a breath mint works wonders, just make sure to use the sugar-free types to ward off cavities. Additionally, patients can reap the same benefits from chewing mint or parsley leaves, which have been known for their breath freshening abilities.
• Clean your teeth correctly. Completing a teeth cleaning regimen each day—specifically after each meal—removes food particles and eliminates bad breath. Thus, your Rochester Hills, MI dentist recommends brushing, flossing, even rinsing shortly after eating for improved breath.

Fresh Breath Tips from Lake Orion Family Dentistry

If you would like more information on how to maintain fresh breath throughout the day, talk to Dr. Greenfield. He can share more tips and tricks to ensure your breath isn’t affected by halitosis. To schedule an appointment with your Rochester Hills, MI dentist, call (248) 693-6213. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and smile gallery. We happily serve patients in Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, Lake Orion, and neighboring communities.

For this reason, your Lake Orion, MI dentist shares some tips for patients who feel afraid of the dentist.

Ease Your Fears with These Tips

• Talk to the dentist. If have a general feeling of discomfort about visiting the dentist, consult with your Lake Orion, MI dentist first. Before you begin any treatments, express your fears with Dr. Greenfield to help him understand what you’re going through. At that time, he can suggest utilizing sedation therapy during your appointment. This is a type of relaxation method that dentists use to calm patients. Sedation allows you to feel comfortable, while remaining lucid to answer any questions the dentist may pose during your visit.
• Don’t schedule everything on the same day. The first visit should only include a cleaning alongside the examination and consultation. Here, the dentist simply polishes your teeth and checks for any dental issues. If you require any treatment, make another appointment to take care of it. This way you’re only in the dental practice for small spurts at a time.
• Bring a friend. Sometimes having a familiar face around makes visits to any doctor’s office a little easier. For patients who feel afraid of the dentist, Dr. Greenfield recommends bringing a friend or family member with you to the appointment. With them at your side, you may feel more at-ease and willing to complete the necessary treatment.
• Practice relaxation techniques. Try practicing some meditation before the appointment. This method of relaxation allows your body to release any tension to make the visit seem more comfortable. Additionally, you can continue to use this method during the appointment to ensure you remain calm.
• Take entertaining items. Distractions prove incredibly helpful for patients who dislike going to the dentist. It’s best to bring some music, a good book, or perhaps even a stress ball to take your mind off the appointment.

Lake Orion Family Dentistry Offers Exceptional General Dentistry

If you’re afraid of the dentist and would like more tips to make your visits comfortable, talk to Dr. Greenfield. He can suggest methods that allow him to complete your treatment without making the trip seem worrisome. To schedule an appointment with our Lake Orion, MI dental practice, call (248) 693-6213. Also, visit our website for services, smile gallery, and patient forms. We happily serve patients in Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, Rochester Hills, and neighboring communities.

At Lake Orion Family Dentistry, we strive to offer the latest in safe and holistic dental care. Your Lake Orion dentist, Dr. Brad Greenfield, offers dental restorations that look natural, restoring your smile to optimal health and beauty. In today’s blog, Dr. Greenfield uses a fun and informative quiz to discuss the benefits of our unique approach to family dental care.

Lake Orion Family Dentistry Quiz

1. True or False: Dr. Greenfield offers holistic dentistry.

2. True or False: CEREC technology allows Dr. Greenfield to create and place a crown in a single day.

3. True or False: Your Lake Orion MI dentist offers tooth-colored fillings.

4. True or False: Porcelain veneers address a number of dental imperfections.

Answer Key

1. True. With holistic dentistry, Dr. Greenfield uses biocompatible dental materials to repair your smile. Metal fillings and crowns often contain trace amounts of mercury. With holistic care, Dr. Greenfield uses metal-free dental restorations to address damage and tooth decay, protecting your smile form infection and tooth loss.

2. True. After preparing the tooth and taking digital photos, Dr. Greenfield will create a 3D image of your tooth. This will be uploaded into the CEREC machine, where a crown will be created based on Dr. Greenfield’s specifications. The crowns will be made from dental ceramic, which looks and functions like natural teeth. In just one appointment, your tooth be will be completely restored.

3. True. Instead of using metal, our fillings are made from composite resin. This material is metal-free and can be shaded to blend seamlessly with your surrounding teeth.

4. True. Veneers are thin shells of dental porcelain placed onto the front teeth. Veneers correct the appearance of misalignment, cover permanent teeth stains, and repair cracked or chipped teeth.

Schedule an Appointment with Your Lake Orion MI Dentist

Interested in improving the health and appearance of your smile? Then visit your Lake Orion MI dentist today. Dr. Greenfield offers the latest in holistic dental care. To schedule an appointment with your Lake Orion, MI implant dentist, call (248) 693-6213. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and smile gallery. We happily serve patients in Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, Lake Orion, and neighboring communities.

Choosing dental implants as your tooth replacement method is great decision. As the most secure tooth replacement option, getting an implant ensures years of confident smiles. However, before the procedure is conducted, both you and the doctor must have a clear understanding of the process.

Dr. Brad Greenfield, your Lake Orion, MI implant dentist shares the preparatory process before the dental implant procedure takes place.

What to Expect Before the Implantation Procedure

• Comprehensive exam. Once you decide to go through with dental implants, the dentist examines your mouth to ensure you qualify for the procedure. Unfortunately, for patients with low jaw bone mass, dental implants cannot serve as tooth replacement method. Since the implant becomes anchored within the jaw bone, sufficient bone mass is required for the implant procedure to have positive results. If this applies to you, though, your Lake Orion, MI implant dentist can find an alternative tooth replacement.
• Treatment plan. After you’ve been cleared for the procedure, the doctor devises a treatment plan that’s catered to your specific needs. This includes: the number of implants being placed and the details of your jaw bone structure. During this time you may need to visit a couple of specialists.
• Types of anesthesia. Before the surgery, the dentist determines which kind of oral sedation you will utilize. Generally, local anesthesia works just fine. Yet, some patients have allergies to certain types of anesthesia. For those cases, the dentist finds an equivalent anesthesia that’s safe for your use.
• Medications. If you take any kind of medication that isn’t solely the occasional over-the-counter medicine for mild aches and pains, make sure the dentist knows. The medicine you’re currently on may not mix well with anesthesia or any of the recovery medications the doctor prescribes.

Lake Orion Family Dentistry Provides Tooth Replacement Options

Before the dental implant procedure, Dr. Greenfield completes a number of preparations to ensure the surgery is a success. To schedule an appointment with your Lake Orion, MI implant dentist, call (248) 693-6213. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and smile gallery. We happily serve patients in Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, Lake Orion, and neighboring communities.

Do you have osteoporosis? If you’ve answered yes, then this article can benefit you greatly. In this blog post, Dr. Brad Greenfield, your

What’s Osteoporosis?

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis is a bone disease in which patients have lost bone mass, can’t produce sufficient bone regrowth, or both. This results in frequent bone fractures and ails more women than men; however, the marginal difference is not by much.

Normally, bone marrow has a honeycomb structure, with numerous holes and spaces. With osteoporosis those spaces appear much larger, which weakens the overall bone structure. An estimated nine million Americans suffer with osteoporosis with the hips, spine, and wrists being the most fragile areas.

How Osteoporosis Relates to Oral Health

As with most bodily ailments, osteoporosis has an effect on your oral structure. The jaw bone alongside the gum line is what keeps tooth roots in place. Since osteoporosis is a bone-weakening disease, your jaw bone also becomes weakened. With loss of bone mass and the inability to replenish it, the jaw starts to atrophy, which makes patients more susceptible tooth loss.

Furthermore, once the structure of the jaw bone has been compromised and patients endure tooth loss, finding tooth replacement options becomes increasingly difficult. Any type of implant-supported option is no longer available, and dentures slowly turns into the only option.

To prevent these issues, your Rochester Hills, MI dentist recommends asking your regular physician for routine bone density checks once you’re reached the age of 50. Should you become diagnosed with osteoporosis, take care begin treatment immediately. Also, visit our practice with frequency to ensure your oral health doesn’t become affected.

Visit Lake Orion Family Dentistry for Preventative Dental Care

For more information on the effects of osteoporosis on your oral health, contact Dr. Greenfield. He can explain how bodily ailments can affect your smile and vice versa. To schedule an appointment with your Rochester Hills, MI dentist, call (248) 693-6213. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and smile gallery. We happily serve patients in Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, Lake Orion, and neighboring communities.

The use of anesthesia and products with anesthetic properties changed the field of medicine—especially dental work. Before the anesthesia was introduced, dentists (who also served as barbers) completed dental procedures that caused unbearable pain. Thus, oftentimes teeth were simply extracted. Yet, when anesthesia became a staple, procedures were completed comfortably and patients could relax in the dental chair.

While an anesthetic product works well to relieve temporary dental pain for adults and kids, sometimes unwanted side effects and conditions can develop. One of the most commonly known anesthetics to cause issues is benzocaine. In some patients benzocaine can cause a very rare disorder called, methemoglobinemia (or MetHb). To explain the effects of this condition, Dr. Brad Greenfield, your Oxford, MI dentist shares this blog post.

How Does Benzocaine Cause MetHb?

Benzocaine is a common local anesthetic seen in over-the-counter oral pain relievers. Products like, Orajel, Baby Orajel, and Anbesol each use benzocaine as their main pain reliever substance. As aforementioned, the use of benzocaine can sometimes cause rare condition called, MetHb.
This condition affects children more severely than adults, however, anyone is susceptible to it. MetHb significantly reduces the amount of oxygen that the blood stream carries. MetHb tends to cause damage to body and brain tissues. Without proper treatment, though, this disorder has the potential to become fatal.

For this reason, it’s not advised to use benzocaine-based products on children under the age of two, unless directly supervised by a doctor. Additionally, your Oxford, MI dentist urges you to contact the office immediately if the presence of this condition arises.

Signs that You Have MetHb

Watch for these symptoms. If you notice any of these surface after using a benzocaine-based local anesthetic, call Dr. Greenfield.

• Pale, grayed, or blue skin, lips or cuticles.
• Confusion
• Headache, fatigue, and lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath and an increased heart rate

Go to Lake Orion Family Dentistry for MetHb Treatment

If you display signs of MetHb, take care to contact Dr. Greenfield immediately. MetHb is a serious ailment that requires treatment as soon as symptoms arise. To schedule an appointment with your Oxford, MI dentist, call (248) 693-6213. Also, visit our website for services, smile gallery, and patient forms. We happily serve patients in Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, Rochester Hills, and neighboring communities.

As what’s considered one of the largest obstacle courses around, Wipeout has become one of the most popular game shows to both watch and compete in. Luckily our very own patient, Allie Hock, will appear on the show on Thursday, September 5

The entire premise of the show is to complete a series of four differing obstacle courses—the winner receives the Wipeout Champion title and a $50,000 prize. Each obstacle course consists of different goals that the contestants must attain in order to advance to the next round. The show starts with 24 eager contestants with only three persons appearing in the final round. It’s a test of endurance, strength, and overall athleticism, and we have complete confidence in Allie!

Remember to Protect that Smile, Allie!

While we love and encourage fun and games, regardless of your age, it’s always important to consider the health of your smile—especially in a competition like this one. When it comes to rigorous activities, your Lake Orion, MI dentist recommends using dental mouthguards. These mouth pieces come in three varieties: stock mouth, boil-and-bite, and custom-made. Though we highly recommend using the custom-made ones, any mouth protection is better than none. We sure hope Allie remember hers!

We’ve Got You Covered

Even with the use of dental mouthguards, accidents can still happen. Should you ever endure a dental injury during rigorous activity or otherwise, we’ve got you covered at Lake Orion Family Dentistry. With some mishaps, like knocked out teeth, Dr. Greenfield can try to replace the tooth. However, if that’s not an option, we offer a number of tooth replacements to restore your smile back to beautiful. With choices, such as: dental implants, porcelain veneers, and dental crowns and bridges, no one will ever know you suffered any oral trauma.

Tune-In September 5^th at 8 PM on ABC to Watch Allie Play!

We love nothing more than watch our patients succeed and our entire staff wishes Allie Hock the best luck on Wipeout! Make sure to watch her play this coming Thursday, September 5^th on ABC. We also wish to remind our patients that regardless of which sports or games you play, protecting your smile comes first. With dental mouthguards, you can ensure your oral health stays in tact long after the fun is over. To learn more mouthguard protection or to schedule an appointment with our Lake Orion, MI dental practice, call us at (248) 693-6213. Also, visit our website for services, smile gallery, and patient forms. We happily welcome new and existing patients from Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, Rochester Hills, and neighboring communities.

For patients who notoriously bite their nails, this article is made for you, since nail biting can affect your teeth. To learn more about the effects of nail biting on your smile, your

The Effects of Nail Biting on Your Smile

• Excessive wear and tear. Just like any other body part, your teeth need rest from time-to-time. Most teeth receive said resting period between meals and snacks; yet, for nail biters, your teeth work nonstop throughout the day. This can cause your smile to appear worn from overuse. Plus, with the added strain of chewing, teeth—especially the incisors—can become misaligned.
• Hurt jaw bone or joint. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) stems from an overworked jaw joint and surrounding tissues. Nail biters become more susceptible to developing the dysfunction from the persistent chewing motion. Additionally, nail biters place themselves at risk for the development of a bruxism (or teeth grinding) habit.
• Germy hands. According to your Rochester Hills, MI dentist, your hands contain the most germs on your body—regardless of how often you wash your hands. By constantly placing your fingers in your mouth, you’re placing more bacteria in your body, which can lead to illnesses and disease.
• Cheaper dental care. The Academy of General Dentistry conducted research about the price of dental work for nail biters versus non-nail biters. Over a lifetime, they found that those who were nail biters paid more money (roughly $4,000) to maintain their smiles beautiful.

Find an End for Your Nail Biting Habit at Lake Orion Family Dentistry

Even seemingly insignificant habits can wreak havoc upon your smile. If you’re a severe nail biter and it’s starting to wear your teeth, talk to Dr. Greenfield. He can explain why the habit isn’t healthy for teeth and can offer methods to end it. At Lake Orion Family Dentistry, we pride ourselves in providing the most effective and convenient dentistry. To schedule an appointment with your Rochester Hills dentist, call (248) 693-6213. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and smile gallery. We happily serve patients in Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, Lake Orion, and neighboring communities.

For patients who have been seeking a dental office that offers

Holistic Dentistry is a Recent Method of Treatment

Between the 19^th and 20^th Century, Dr. Weston A. Price noticed the effects of sugar upon both teeth and the human body. He discovered that sugar not only leads to tooth decay, it can also negatively affect your bodily systems. This is when the first connection between the body and dental work was made.

Later in 1978, a group of dentists in search for a better method of dentistry congregated to discuss how dental work could become more beneficial for the patient. The dentists considered every aspect of dentistry and concluded that, generally speaking, dental work proved most effective when patients had oral ailments. In other words, a dentist usually only cared about resolving the specified problem before moving onto the next patient. As way to change that style of treatment, the Holistic Dental Association (HDA) was formed.

How Does Holistic Dentistry Differ from Traditional Dentistry?

Traditional dentistry is about the removal of oral infections, diseases, and illnesses. With preventative dentistry, the dentist is simply anticipating the possibility of oral ailments. On the other hand, holistic dentistry focuses on the body as a whole. If oral illnesses don’t arise, then the body won’t have to endure treatments. In holistic practices, the dentists only uses treatment methods that will heal your mouth as it benefits your body. Your Lake Orion, MI dentist uses these same principles in his own dental office.

By offering his patients metal-free, biocompatible materials and procedures, Dr. Greenfield is choosing to make dental work safer, yet still effective.

Cleaner, Safer Dentistry is Available at Lake Orion Family Dentistry

If your interested in learning more about holistic dentistry, visit Dr. Greenfield. He can explain why he chooses to practice holistic dentistry and the many benefits of this types of dentistry. To schedule an appointment with our Lake Orion, MI dental practice, call (248) 693-6213. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and smile gallery. We happily serve patients in Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, Rochester Hills, and neighboring communities.