Joshua Grooms DDS

When to expect a visit from the Tooth Fairy It is a milestone that will make most parents cry, as they realize their little one is growing up much faster than they want.  A child losing their first tooth is a fun and exciting experience for most little ones but the truth is most parents are caught by surprise when that first tooth gets loose.  Let me cover some basics that may help parents be prepared for whats to come.   First, when will it happen.  While every kid is different, we can give you an average age range of when those baby teeth will come out.  Below is a eruption charts are provided by the American Dental Association and cover both baby teeth eruption and shedding as well as permanent teeth eruption time averages.  Baby Teeth Chart Permanent Teeth Chart   As you can see there are 20 baby teeth that must be lost to make room for 32 permanent teeth (including wisdom teeth).  All of the adult molars will come in behin...

Tooth Sensitivity Being summer time you may want to enjoy an ice cream or sno cone, and while these things are not great for your teeth, I realize that most people want to enjoy a treat every now and then.  Some of you however, suffer from cold sensitivity and can’t truly enjoy these summer indulgences. Let's discuss some possibilities and options that may help relieve these symptoms so you can actually relax and enjoy a cold treat. Cold sensitivity is one of the most common complaints of my patients, even those without any major problems.  First and foremost you should visit a dentist to make sure there is no underlying nerve problems, cavities, or pathology that needs to be addressed.  If you get the all clear from your dentist but still experience cold sensitivity you may want to try some over-the-counter products. There are several sensitive toothpastes that are very effective at relieving what we call “root sensitivity”.  I will explain what that mean...

Teeth Whitening Ask most people what they want to change about their teeth and one of the most common answers is definitely the color.  Everyone wants whiter teeth but most people don’t know much about what options exist. Lets first get into what is the difference when you buy an over the counter product vs. a in-office treatment system.  First and foremost the active ingredients are almost always the same. If you look at the over the counter box the active ingredient is most likely either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. These over the counter products contain a lower percentage (usually between 6% and 10%) of this active ingredient than what you can get with an professional strength whitening system (usually between 22%-40%)  What this means is that in-office whitening systems are faster but maybe not more effective. The biggest advantage is you don’t have to leave the gel on as long or for as many days to get the desired results. However, the higher c...

Teeth Cleanings Dental cleanings are typically a patients favorite appointment in a dental office. Beyond just making your teeth shine and feel squeaky clean, a prophylaxis (the technical term) is used to promote a healthy dentition and gum health.   Most people don't realize what happens when they miss a cleaning or two.  First an foremost tartar builds up!!!  Dental plaques are soft and easily removed at home with proper brushing and flossing techniques.  However, tartar is calcified and adheres to the teeth so well that no amount of brushing or flossing will do the job.  This is where your dentist or dental hygienist come into play.  There are specialized dental instruments that can remove these deposits.  This is not just important for helping removed stains caused by dental tartar, but also to remove the colonies of bacteria living on these hard deposits.  If these continue to grow, over time it can lead to gum disease such as...

Remote Area Medical (RAM Clinic) Last month I had the opportunity to provide free dental services through a traveling clinic here in Gray, TN.  I had volunteered with this organization before and was very impressed.  My experience is that RAM is one of the most organized and well ram clinics I have seen.  From the moment I arrived, they are very welcoming and appreciative to have volunteers.  They have a complete system from triaging patients, making great patient records, organizing the dispensing of dental materials/instruments, and sterilization.  RAM has become a well oiled machine and it makes volunteering for them easy and rewarding. As much as I can brag about what a great clinic Remote Area Medical runs, its not what brings out all the volunteers....it's the patients.  People come from hours away, camp over night, wait in long lines all because they are in need.  We all know that there is a need for patients in our community but ...

Dr. Grooms treats a wide variety of dental issues at his practice.  One of which, includes taking care of those patients who have been without teeth for many years and have dentures sometimes older than he is.  As dentures are worn throughout the years they stain, wear and sometimes break.  As the teeth wear down, the bite will collapse causing an aging smile, sunken in face, and sometimes even pain in the jaw joints.  If you believe any of these apply to your situation, you should consider replacing your old worn denture.  Below is a picture of a denture, Dr. Joshua Grooms did this week.  The old denture was 30+ years old and the patient was more than ready for a new set.

Dr. Joshua Grooms would like to take some time this week to discuss toothbrushes.  His patients are always asking "Which toothbrush do you recommend?".  Every dentist may have a different opinion on exactly which brush you should be using.  Dr. Grooms, more importantly than telling you a certain name brand to go buy, wants to let you know what things to look for when picking out your next brush. 1.  SOFT BRISTLES - soft or even extra-soft bristles are so important.  Some patients go for the medium or even hard bristles thinking it will help remove the plaque and grime from their teeth better.  The truth is that plaque is relatively easy to remove with a soft bristle brush if the proper technique and time is taken to do so.  Hard bristles increase the risk of gum recession or even wearing down the enamel over time (toothbrush abrasion). Toothbrush Abrasion 2.  DON'T BRUSH TOO AGGRESSIVELY - if you are a "scrubber" or have signs of br...