Patient Care

What is Gum Disease? The short answer: gum disease is a common gum infection that can become very problematic, but you can prevent it! The long answer: all the tissues in your body have a self-defense mechanism called “inflammation.” When bacteria build up in your mouth, your gum tissue will inflame to try and kill it…. (Read More)

The pulp is found in the center of each tooth and consists of tissue, nerves, and blood vessels, which work together to provide oxygen and nutrients that keep them healthy and strong. If one or more teeth suffer a traumatic injury or decay, the pulp can become inflamed or infected. When this happens in a… (Read More)

How do you feel when you see that little plastic floss container in your medicine cabinet? Eagerness to achieve that clean feeling in your mouth? Or regret over a habit you have trouble keeping? Did you get excited about recent headlines saying flossing isn’t necessary? We’re sorry to break the news, but as your oral… (Read More)

Bad breath stinks, doesn’t it? Pardon the silly pun, but we think some icebreakers (get it, like the mint?) can make it easier to jump into what might be less than comfortable subjects. How do we know it isn’t a comfortable subject? Well, the fear of bad breath is so common, there’s even a name… (Read More)

Some foods will help you grow healthy teeth and keep them forever. Some foods will prevent you from growing healthy teeth, or harm the ones you already have. You can grow and maintain strong, healthy teeth by eating a diet that your mouth (and your body) will truly love. But do you know what foods… (Read More)

At Family Dentistry of Bellevue, we want our dental family to feel safe and comfortable in our practice, and for each experience in our care to be positive. We also want our patients and their families to be informed, which sometimes means discussing heavy topics—today’s heavy topic is eating disorders. Wondering why a dentist would broach… (Read More)

Remember that guy with the lip ring you had a crush on in high school? I wonder how his teeth are doing now. Don’t get us wrong—at Family Dentistry of Bellevue, we’re all about the freedom of self-expression, and if body modifications like tattoos and piercings are your thing, we support you. However, as your… (Read More)

Diastema is the medical name for a space or gap between two teeth. While the most commonly gapped teeth are the two at upper front and center, a gap can occur between any two teeth. There are many potential causes for gapped teeth, including: Teeth that are too small for the jawbone Teeth that are… (Read More)

A child’s happy, healthy smile is a source of pride and joy for parents—and dentists, too! For this reason, you’ll likely spend a good deal of time helping them develop superb oral hygiene routines to ensure they keep their teeth for life.  When you’re just getting started, you may have a lot of questions. We… (Read More)

For a long time, we’ve been told to brush our teeth right after we eat, but conventional wisdom might be changing on that. Thanks to your mouth’s powerful and natural ability to clean itself, rinsing with water might actually be the best way to freshen your breath and prevent cavities after you eat.  In addition… (Read More)