Let’s be honest. If you are like most people, you’ve probably put off going to the dentist at one time or another. Some of us have even avoided seeing a dentist for years at a time. Research shows one in three Americans avoids going to the dentist regularly. As the time spent away from ABQ […]

Avid gum chewers rejoice! Your love for the sticky, stretchy stuff can be beneficial for your oral health—depending on its ingredients. If you’re chewing gum with artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol, sucralose, aspartame, or mannitol, it’s true you’re avoiding traditional sugar, but your teeth aren’t as likely to thank you as they might be if […]

As brand-new humans, it seems logical that babies and children would have gleaming white teeth to go along with their bright eyes and soft skin. Baby teeth—also called primary teeth—generally do appear whiter than adult permanent teeth because they are more calcified. However,  it is not uncommon for a child’s teeth to appear less than […]

The World Health Organization defines health as “A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Sadly, in our fast-paced culture, many of us settle for less-than-healthy or even truly sick conditions every day. We allow ourselves to be tired, achy, stressed and in pain more […]

Albuquerque has been thinking about how much things have changed in the world of dentistry since today’s grandparents were growing kids themselves. Grandparents today are often very involved in the daily lives of their grandchildren—they may live close by, provide financial assistance, or assume childcare responsibilities for working parents. Since oral hygiene and dietary habits […]

Holidays like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter bring extra candy and homemade goodies along with them. Sadly, the bacteria in your child’s mouth are always ready to start producing the acid that contributes to cavities—but candy still can be enjoyed in moderation! Albuquerque dentist, Dr. Shamaine Giron at ABQ Dentistry and Wellness has the skinny on […]

Benzocaine has been an over-the-counter local dental anesthetic for people of all ages for many years. It is available in most drugstores, often under product names such as Anbesol®, Orajel™ , Hurricaine®, and Baby Orajel™.  Recently, the use of benzocaine has been linked to a rare but serious condition called methemoglobinemia, a disorder that reduces […]

You had braces when you were younger and never experienced any jaw pain or other TMJ symptoms prior. Then, after you completed your orthodontic treatment, you developed a pain in your jaw, maybe accompanied by popping, locking, clenching and grinding. Maybe you developed these symptoms shortly after having your braces removed, maybe it was a […]

Cracked tooth syndrome (CTS), also known as cracked cusp syndrome or split tooth syndrome, is a painful condition that results from a crack in one of your teeth. CTS can mean anything from a tiny hairline split in the crown to a fracture that goes all the way to the root.  If you have a […]

When to Straighten Your Teeth There are a lot of reasons to straighten your teeth, and there are a lot of ways to do it. But you may not know that there are many unique times in your life when it might be best to straighten your teeth. In general, dentists begin considering the potential […]