Category: Holland Dentist

Cancer treatment can cause some unwanted side effects in your body. It can also cause some dangerous problems in your mouth. Many of oral health side effects that occur as a result of chemotherapy can cause treatment to be delayed or even stopped. And when dealing with a serious disease like cancer, a proactive and regular treatment schedule is important, so decreasing the likelihood of these side effects is crucial to successful treatment. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with cancer and will be starting treatment soon, it’s important that you see your dentist in Hollandabout a month before treatment begins.

Chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells. But they also harm normal cells in the body and mouth. When chemotherapy treatment negatively affects the cells in the mouth, side effects can include dry mouth; pain; difficulty eating, talking, or swallowing; and burning or swelling of tongue. Chance of infection also increases, which can be very dangerous when undergoing cancer treatment.

A checkup at my Holland dental office prior to cancer treatment can help prevent these painful mouth problems and keep your treatment on schedule. Often, many of the oral health side effects that occur from cancer treatment happen to unhealthy mouths. And while not all side effects can be avoided, visiting your Holland dentist prior to treatment ensures that your mouth is better protected from the dangerous side effects.

An appointment with us is crucial to getting your mouth in its most healthy state and ready for cancer treatment. When you arrive, we’ll check for any oral health problems, perform an in-depth exam, and thoroughly clean your teeth. We’ll also talk to you about the best way you can help make sure your smile stays healthy throughout your treatment.

An early dental appointment to make sure your mouth is healthy is one of the first steps to a successful treatment. If know someone who has been diagnosed with cancer, please give my dental office in Holland a call as soon as you can. We’d love to be a part of your health care team.

 

We all know that when you are either planning a pregnancy or experiencing one, that visiting your doctor is extremely important. What you may not know is that it is just as important to talk with your dentist in Holland.

In 2009, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry developed oral health guidelines for pregnant women to help them understand the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth during pregnancy and after delivery. The need for these guidelines was made apparent when a concrete connection was made between gum disease and preterm births.

Oral health complications that can result in preterm birth are even more common than you might think. In fact, pregnancy gingivitis, which tends to develop in almost half of all pregnancies, is the main culprit. However, it doesn’t always have to lead to scary results. If regular visits to my dental office in Holland are maintained, and treatment is received when needed, pregnancy gingivitis can be kept under control and generally ends shortly after the mother gives birth. However, if dental care isn’t a priority during pregnancy, the gingivitis can also progress into a more serious dental concern.

If pregnancy gingivitis progresses into periodontitis – an advanced form of gum disease – preterm labor is possible. In fact, mothers with periodontal disease are seven times more likely to go into preterm labor and are at greater risk for potentially dangerous situations with their baby. Preterm births are a scary and dangerous pregnancy complication that can lead to additional health concerns for the baby including, but not limited to, a low birth weight.

And don’t forget, if you are experiencing morning sickness, the additional acid that your teeth come in contact with can be damaging. Don’t forget to rinse your mouth after vomiting, brush more frequently, and talk to us about keeping your teeth safe.

If you’re thinking of getting pregnant, are already pregnant, or are just overdue for a dental checkup (periodontitis can happen to non-pregnant people too!), give my Holland dental office a call today. We’ll make sure your appointment is thorough, relaxed, and comfortable. We’re always dedicated to your, and your baby’s, overall health. Give us a call today!

You know that it’s important to brush at least twice a day. You know I always recommend that you floss at least once a day. And you know the importance of keeping up with your regularly scheduled visits at my dental office in Holland. But there are some everyday things that you may be doing that could cause damage to your smile, and you don’t even know it!

Your Toothbrush

Yes, your toothbrush can be causing some undesired results if you don’t brush correctly or use the right type. If you brush hard or use vigorous, horizontal strokes, you can actually wear away your enamel. Using a brush with hard bristles can also cause damage. At my Holland dental office we traditionally recommend using soft bristles and brushing in small circles, instead.

Whitening

Teeth whitening is a safe way to get a brighter, whiter smile. The problem arises when the whitening is done too often. Excessive whitening can lead to irritation, sensitivity, and even a smile that’s too white. Yes, it’s possible to have a too white smile! If you’re interested in professional whitening, the best place to start is right here at my dental office in Holland.

Using Teeth as Tools

We’ve all been there; we’ve all done it. That pesky bag of chips that won’t open. The stubborn packing tape that refuses to rip. Instead of reaching for the scissors for safe and easy opening, we pull the troublesome item to our mouths and use our teeth as convenient tools. Using your teeth as tools can lead to broken teeth, damaged restorations, and injuries to the soft tissues in your mouth.

Playing Without a Mouth Guard

If you play a contact sport – professionally, in high school, on an adult league, anytime, anywhere – you need to have a mouth guard. We prefer you use a custom-made mouthguard from your dentist in Hollandas they are designed and created specifically for you and protect your smile better than “boil-and-bite” guards found at the store, and are more comfortable.

Chewing Ice Cubes

Ice cubes are hard. Hard enough to chip away the enamel on your teeth or even lead to a broken tooth if chewed. Also, using your teeth to crunch those floating chunks of ice in your lemonade could compromise restorations.

Whether you’re guilty of any of these habits or not, keeping your smile healthy and beautiful requires a mix of a healthy at-home routine, knowing what can cause damage to your teeth and avoiding these culprits, and maintaining visits with your Holland dentist. If you’re due for your checkup, or if you happen to have a dental emergency caused by these dental dangers, give my dental office a call. We’re here to keep you smiling!

 

Your wedding is a time to celebrate love. A lot of planning has gone into creating the perfect day. From the dress and the hair to the flowers and the photos, your wedding has demanded a lot of attention. You’re ready, the date is set, the cake is ordered… how’s your smile?

While there are many tricks in the book to get your smile looking whiter than it actually is (wear dark lipstick!), these tricks are only masking the problem. The truth is, getting your ideal wedding smile isn’t difficult, and no dark lipstick is needed!

An important first step to getting your ideal smile is stopping by my dental office in Holland. We’ll discuss your desires and look into a variety of smile-perfecting options that can transform your smile from dull and dingy to wedding white. In fact, scheduling an appointment with your dentist in Holland should always be the first step you take before doing anything to your smile, including simply whitening it.

Although often cheaper, over-the-counter whitening treatments can cause damage, and they may not even give you the results you want. It’s common for the solution in these products to irritate your gums and even cause tooth pain or sensitivity if the ingredients are too strong. Also, there are times when the solution isn’t strong enough to give you the results you want.

By first visiting your Holland dentist, you can rely on us to determine which treatment is best for your smile and the results you want. Whether we use a professional tooth whitening system, veneers, or tooth bonding, we’re sure to get you the wedding-day whites that you want. Call our office to schedule your appointment today!

April is Oral Cancer Awareness month and I’d like to make sure all of the patients at my Holland dental office recognize how serious oral cancer is, know the risk factors associated with oral cancer, and understand the steps you can take to help with early detection.

The American Dental Association estimates that 42,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. Of the 42,000, only a few more than half are expected to survive longer than five years after diagnosis. While oral cancer is not particularly difficult to treat, the fatality rate is so high because the cancer is often caught too late. This is why a proactive approach to early detection is so important.

A self-exam performed every month at home can help catch oral cancer early, and can contribute to successful treatment. Once a month, grab a mirror and a bright light and check out your mouth for some of the common symptoms of oral cancer. Some things you should look for are red or white patches of tissue, a sore that doesn’t heal on its own, abnormal lumps or thickening of tissues, and difficulty swallowing.

In addition to your once a month self-exam, it’s very important that you keep your regularly scheduled appointments with your Holland dentist. While it’s common for oral cancer to not seem to have any symptoms early on, our team is trained to see and catch any suspicious areas. Again, an early diagnosis means that we can start treatment before the cancer gets too widespread and greatly improves your chances of survival.

As with almost any disease, there are a variety of risk factors that can increase your susceptibility to oral cancer. Tobacco use, in addition to heavy drinking, are the most common factors that contribute to oral cancer. Furthermore, the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV) can also put someone at increase risk for oral cancer.

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms we’ve discussed, if you’re at increased risk for oral cancer, or you are in need of a checkup, call my Holland dental office as soon as possible. I can’t stress enough the importance of early detection and early treatment. Don’t put your life in danger. Schedule an appointment today.

At the Holland dental office of Huisman Family Dentistry, we always like to educate our patients on their oral health, so we talk a lot about periodontal disease, cavities, and the proper at-home care for a healthy mouth. Today we’re going to share some little known fun facts.

• The average person produces around 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime. How much is that exactly? Well, it’s enough to fill 2 swimming pools! And it’s a good thing that we tend to produce so much. Saliva can help neutralize acid and fight tooth decay.

• Any guess as to what the hardest substance is in the body? It’s your tooth enamel! But that doesn’t mean you should use your pearly whites to open pesky packaging — doing that can lead to chipped or broken teeth in Holland.

• On average, most people spend only about 48 seconds brushing their teeth everyday. You really should be doing it for much longer. Take our word for it. In fact, the Academy of General Dentistry recommends that you spend at least 2 minutes every time you brush.

• Say cheese! This common pizza topping is good for your grin since the calcium and phosphorus reduces the pH level in plaque and re-mineralizes toth enamel. And speaking of pizza: You know when you burn your mouth with hot food? It’s actually called pizza palate!

Huisman Family Dentistry’s Holland dental office is here to help you understand your dental health and to educate you on the best at-home routine for a bright and healthy smile. But we’re also here to make dentistry interesting and fun. If you’re overdue for a checkup, call your Holland dentist today!

We all have the common knowledge that cavities are bad for our teeth. However, even though we know that cavities should be avoided, there are some widely accepted beliefs about cavities that are actually myths. At the Holland dental office of Huisman Family Dentistry, we want to alleviate some of the confusion that goes along with trying to separate cavity myths from reality.

One of the most commonly accept myths about cavities in is that sugar is the #1 cause. While there is a bit of truth to it, the sugar itself doesn’t cause the decay. It’s actually the acid that’s created when carbohydrates like sugar are eaten. When you eat carbohydrates, the bacteria in your mouth are triggered to make acid. It’s this acid that makes eating sugar and other carbohydrates so dangerous for your smile — it eats into your teeth creating cavities.

A second myth that we’d like to debunk is that cavities in baby teeth are nothing to worry about. In reality, if cavities in baby teeth are left untreated, they can develop into abscesses and can cause a lot of pain. Additionally, not only will it be painful, the infection can also actually spread to other areas of the body.

An alarming myth for our Holland dental office is the one that states you’ll know when you have a cavity. In reality, mild tooth decay doesn’t have any symptoms. It’s when the decay becomes more advanced and begins to cause nerve damage that you can feel pain. This is one reason keeping up with exams in our Holland dental office is so important. If we can catch a cavity before it causes pain, we can not only keep you pain free, we can also help you avoid more in-depth procedures like a crown or even a root canal.

If you’re overdue for a check up, call Huisman Family Dentistry  today. We’ll perform a comprehensive exam, work with you to treat any cavities that may be developing, and get your smile healthy and pain free.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, all of us at the Holland dental office of Huisman Family Dentistry want to talk a little bit about whether kissing is good or bad for your smile and how it can affect your oral health.  Even though taking a lesson in kissing from your dentist in Holland may seem odd, we are the experts at keeping your mouth healthy.

We all know that we can catch colds from a kiss. But did you know that the act of kissing can also potentially lead to dangerous dental concerns? The same way that a cold virus can transfer from one person the other, other types of bacteria, and even some dental diseases, can be caught through kissing. Many of the most common oral problems that can be caught through kissing include cold sores, Mononucleosis (or Mono, the kissing disease), and gum disease.

Now that we’ve made kissing a bit scary, let’s talk about some of the benefits to kissing. Believe it or not, kissing serves as more than just a way to show someone that you love them. In fact, kissing increases saliva flow, which is a good thing for your teeth and mouth. Increased saliva helps to remove plaque and wash it away. Kissing can also improve your mood and strengthen your relationship, which is always good for your overall health.

So before you launch into some serious smooching with your loved one this Valentine’s Day season, make sure both of your mouths are healthy. The best way to ensure a kissable mouth? Maintain routine professional cleanings and checkups with your dentist in Holland. These important visits help keep bacteria at bay and are great at aiding against gum disease. Need to schedule a cleaning or checkup? Call Huisman Family Dentistry today!

Every year on February 9th, we celebrate National Toothache Day. A holiday devoted to toothaches? We think it’s a bit odd too. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to commemorate it! At Huisman Family Dentistry’s Holland dental office, we want this year’s National Toothache Day to bring out the best in your smile and help you avoid toothaches in the first place.

Toothaches are painful and unpleasant. Simply put, they’re really just no fun. However, they can be avoided with good oral hygiene and a proactive dental health approach. At Huisman Family Dentistry, we always encourage our patients to brush properly twice a day, floss at least once a day, and of course, to come visit us regularly for professional cleanings and checkups.

Maintaining a good at home care routine and a regular oral hygiene schedule with your dentist in Holland not only can help prevent toothaches, it can help protect your teeth for life. Often times, toothaches are your mouth’s way of telling you, “Hey! Something’s not right in here!” and that makes it really important for you to call Huisman Family Dentistry immediately.

If you happen to be suffering from a toothache in Holland, we encourage you to take action and call us as soon as possible. We’ll perform an in depth examination to determine the cause of your pain and work with you to get you toothache-free and feeling better.

When we’re stressed, we may experience a headache, a stomachache, or the sense of irritability. But too much stress can cause a multitude of problems in our bodies and in our mouths. At Huisman Family Dental in Holland, we want to help our patients understand how daily stressors might be affecting their oral health.

While we’re all pretty familiar with the health dangers stress can cause put on the body, the effects of stress on the mouth are often not discussed. However, stress and anxiety can cause several serious problems in your mouth including:

• Canker sores
• Teeth grinding
• Periodontal disease

Canker Sores

Stress can increase the risk of getting canker sores, and while they aren’t really dangerous, they can be painful. Canker sores often look like small ulcers with a white or gray base and a red border, and can be found inside the mouth and even in multiples.

Tooth Grinding

Additionally, stress can cause us to clench and grind our teeth, also known as bruxism. The act of grinding your teeth, often subconsciously, can lead to tooth damage and can even result in TMJ (jaw joint) problems.

Periodontal Disease

Research has shown that stress directly affects your immune system. This is especially concerning for your Holland dentist. When your immune system is compromised, your chance of periodontal disease increases. Additionally, some medication used to battle stress and anxiety can lead to dry mouth. Dry mouth can cause tooth decay and can also increase your risk of gum disease.

Stress and anxiety happens to all of us. What’s important is that you realize how to cope and relieve stress and that you understand how stress can affect your body. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms we’ve discussed, we encourage you to give Huisman Family Dentistry a call today. Together, we’ll talk about your concerns and discuss the best way to get you healthy.