Oral cancer — maybe it’s not something you think about very often, but regular screenings for the disease are absolutely vital for public health. Incidences of mouth cancer are increasing, and not just in older patients. More and more young, otherwise healthy people are undergoing oral cancer treatment every year.

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There’s a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to root canal therapy — the most common of which being that it’s a really painful procedure.

The truth is, these days, root canals really don’t hurt. Don’t believe us? We get to why (and the actual truth) below. This week’s blog post separates fact from fiction regarding root canals!

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Problematic wisdom teeth can affect everyone — even people who have never had a cavity before in their lives may need to have them extracted. The wisdom teeth are the third molars that often erupt in the teenage/early adult years. Not everyone has problems with their wisdom teeth, though. Why is that? It has to do with the size of your mouth and the position of the teeth. Keep reading to find out more about why.  

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If you have a seriously infected or damaged tooth, your options for getting out of pain and back to good oral health may be root canal therapy vs. tooth extraction. Which option is best? 9 times out of 10, the answer is definitely the former. Keep reading to find out why it’s wise to choose root canal therapy, also known as endodontic therapy, whenever possible.

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Chronic jaw pain is uncomfortable at best and debilitating at worst. Your TMJ (temporomandibular joint) may ache due to misaligned teeth, facial trauma, or for many other reasons. Fortunately, relief is possible. Before or alongside professional treatment, the experts recommend certain jaw exercises to strengthen and relax the muscle. We have listed the top 5 exercises below — keep reading to find out how you can get relief from a clicking, popping, aching jaw.

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As more and more dentists are adding dental implant placement to their list of services, it is increasingly important to take the time to research and make sure you are choosing an expert that’s best suited for the job. Your Houston oral surgeons would like to share the results of a recent study that show the public and patients agree that oral and maxillofacial surgeons are the most qualified for dental implant placement.

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Maybe you brush and floss just like you’re supposed to, but you could be doing significant harm to your teeth without even realizing it if you’re guilty of one or more of these 7 habits. Find out what they are — and how to start breaking them!

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If you have chronic headaches that pound right behind your ear, that could be your body trying to tell you there’s something off with your TMJ. The temporomandibular joint is the network of ligaments, muscles, and bones that help your jaw to open, close, and move from side to side. If something goes awry with the way it lines up, you’ll probably feel it in the form of chronic jaw, head, neck, or ear pain. Fortunately, TMJ treatment provides relief for many people.

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Are you planning for an upcoming root canal therapy? One of the best things you can do right now is to stock your fridge, freezer, and pantry with plenty of soft (but delicious) foods and snacks. You may not have much of an appetite right at first, but in the days following your root canal you will want to stick to foods that won’t stick to your teeth. To help, we’ve put together a menu just for you! You can still eat well while you recover from a root canal — you just need to do a little prep work first.

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It’s probably not something you think about very often, but more people than ever are getting oral cancer. Awareness surrounding the disease remains critically low, and your Houston oral surgeon, Dr. Steve Koo is working on improving outcomes following oral cancer diagnoses by emphasizing the need for regular screenings. Did you know you can give yourself an oral cancer exam at home? It’s easy — read on to learn how.

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