Northwest Family Dental Blog

Lately, you’ve been thinking about ways you can improve and protect your oral health. As such, for your 2026 New Year’s resolution, you’ve decided to start flossing every day. Of course, picking up a new habit is often easier said than done. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take that can go a long way toward helping you turn flossing into an everyday habit before the year is over.

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Dental insurance can be a valuable resource that helps you achieve and maintain excellent oral health. However, you may not have immediate access to all your benefits after you enroll in a policy. Your insurance provider might enforce waiting periods for certain services. What are dental insurance waiting periods, and what should you know about them? This blog post shares important information.

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Thanksgiving is approaching, which means you are likely preparing to enjoy some of your favorite annual foods. Before you dig in, you should spend a few moments learning more about these side dishes you’ve been craving all year. Whether it’s your grandma’s homemade cranberry sauce, your famous sweet potato casserole, or your dad’s mouth-watering pecan pie, learn which ones can wreak the most havoc on your oral health and what you might want to choose instead.

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October isn’t just about pumpkins and fall festivities—it’s also National Dental Hygiene Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of good oral health. Your smile does more than brighten a room; it reflects your overall well-being. Consistent care at home, combined with regular visits to your dentist, can help prevent cavities, gum disease, and other dental issues before they start.

Whether you’re recommitting to better habits or looking for ways to keep your smile healthy year-round, this month offers the perfect opportunity to focus on your oral hygiene routine.

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Have you been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)? This condition can make it seem nearly impossible to achieve sufficient rest each night. When your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, your natural sleep cycle becomes disrupted. As a result, you may wake up feeling exhausted day after day, and your overall health may begin to decline. You might wonder what steps you can take to lessen the impact of OSA on your daily life. While professional treatment remains essential, you can also explore lifestyle adjustments that may help reduce symptoms. For example, you might try sleeping in a recliner! This blog post explores how doing so might increase sleep quality.

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No one wants to welcome their baby into the world with an incomplete smile. No matter if it’s just one tooth or an entire row, smiling at your little one shouldn’t cause you to feel self-conscious or ashamed. Dental implants remain one of the most popular forms of tooth replacement, but can you have them put into place while pregnant? Read on to learn what steps you should take to safeguard your baby and your oral health during this time.

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While preventing tooth loss is one of the primary goals of dentistry, extraction is sometimes the best way to preserve the health of the rest of the smile. Modern tooth removal procedures are rendered completely painless by anesthetics and sedation treatments, but patients can still expect discomfort during the healing process. Dry socket is a miserably painful condition that can happen if the extraction wound is disturbed, but it can be avoided with the proper precautions. Here’s how to keep your recovery smooth.

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In recent years, there’s been a resurgence of concerns about the safety of root canal treatments, with some alarming claims linking them to cancer. The idea that a common dental procedure might have such serious consequences understandably worries many people. But is there any truth to the claim that root canals cause cancer? Let’s explore where this myth originated and what the science actually says.

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Dental bridges are a common restorative solution used to replace one or more missing teeth. They “bridge” the gap between healthy teeth, restoring function and appearance. While dental bridges are not permanent, they are designed to be a long-term solution with proper care. Understanding the lifespan of dental bridges, including the factors that affect their longevity and how to maintain them, is key to getting the most value from this dental investment.

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Let’s say you’re at a routine checkup when your dentist lets you know that a root canal may need to be performed on one of your teeth. A root canal! Don’t you have to be in agony for that to be done? In short, no. Root canals do much more than just fix toothaches. There can still be issues going on that are not causing pain. So, if there’s no pain, how can you know that you need treatment? Here, you’ll learn more about the tell-tale red flags that could indicate you’re in need of a root canal.

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