Dental Inventions That Never Took Off - The Fingertip Toothbrush

If you've ever been without a tooth brush for an evening or morning and had to resort to scrubbing your teeth with toothpaste on your finger in order to get any feeling of refreshment, this next dead-in-the-water invention may catch your attention. The fingertip toothbrush was invented in the late '90s as the market for new and exciting toothbrushes was exploding. The invention utilized a brush-like tip that would be worn on the finger, which would then act as the handle of the toothbrush. The dental invention was devised with people with sensitive teeth in mind, but never quite took off. In addition to people not wanting to stick their fingers in their mouths, the device was found to be cumbersome and messy. 

Don't want to stick your fingers in your mouth? Let us do it instead! Tulsa dentist Dr. Larry James, D.D.S. is thrilled be the dentist Tulsa residents have trusted for years in order to take care of all their dental needs. From basic cleanings to different dental procedures, Dr. Larry James is excited to be your go-to Tulsa dentist for all your dental needs.

A Car That Art Fans Can Sink Their Teeth Into: The ChewBaru

Most people have heard of a Subaru, but have you ever heard of a Chewbaru? One group of dental enthusiasts decided to transform a humdrum Subaru sedan into a work of art. Using everything from actual tubes of toothpaste to real extracted teeth, the Chewbaru has been featured in many art shows and car shows alike! 


Not much of a car drive for Tulsa, OK patients, Tulsa dentist Dr. Larry James, D.D.S. is pleased to be a dentist Tulsa patients look to for quality dental work. 

Kids Get Their Fill of Dr. Drill-N-Fill

While many kids fear going the dentist, one toy on the market may help ease fears by putting youngsters on the other side of the tray. With Play-Doh's Dr. Drill-N-Fill, kids are invited to craft teeth out of Play-Doh, drill decayed tooth matter (don't worry, it's still just Play-Doh), and fill teeth with amalgam-colored Play-Doh fillings. Kids can even craft braces to apply to the teeth. While this seems strange to some adults, evidently this is actually a hit amongst kids. As many kids dream of becoming professional athletes, police, and firemen, one question remains; will this toy inspire an upcoming generation of dentists? Who knows! 

For the family dentist Tulsa residents know and trust, Dr. Larry James, D.D.S. is thrilled at the prospect of being the Tulsa dentist your family goes to for general dentistry, restorative dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry.

Are You Flossing Correctly?

If you've ever been to the dentist, there is a good chance that you've been given a lecture on not flossing enough. Though most people tend to zone out or even nod off during this lecture, some of these same individuals are destined to return to have cavities filled that could have been easily prevented with a regular flossing regimen. Even when people do floss, some do not floss properly in order to see real benefits. So, though you could have picked this up while in the dentist's chair had you not been tuning out the flossing lecture, do you know if you're flossing properly? 


When to floss. 
Though some may look at you funny for flossing before you brush, this is actually the most recommended method of flossing. Individuals with any concern for their dental health are encouraged to add flossing to their nightly dental ritual just before brushing. By brushing before you floss, you help free up particles of food, plaque, and other debris caught between teeth in order for your tooth brush to give such material the one-two punch out of your mouth. After brushing, some form of mouth rinse is recommended in order to rid the mouth of the particles you just flossed and brushed out from behind nooks and crannies in the mouth. 

What to floss to use. 
While dentists will say "any floss is better than no floss", the best floss or flossing device is the floss that you'll actually want to use. At times, pulling out the floss, properly wrapping it around your fingers, and pushing your fingers into the hard-to-reach areas of your mouth can seem like far too much work; especially if there are no particles evident upon looking in the mirror. In order to remedy this, there are many disposable floss picks on the market that take the hassle out of finger-wrapping and keep your digits out of your mouth. Though these picks can cost just a little bit more than the average box of floss, they're still much cheaper than taking time off work, school, or away from other activities to have a cavity drilled and filled with a filling that will someday have to be replaced. 

Few people actually understand how closely the health of the teeth and gums are tied to other aspects of the body. Gum infections can result in pain, tooth loss, and infections can spread to other parts of the body; some of which, when infected, can be potentially life-threatening. Flossing properly takes 2 minutes at the most and has the ability to greatly improve one's dental health. Flossing becomes much less of a burden when it becomes a habit and will usually become an activity that you look forward to doing in order to restore "that clean feeling" to your mouth before bedtime. 

For more information on how to floss properly, Coast Dental answers many dental floss questions the average floss user (or non-user). For a reliable family dentist Tulsa, OK dental patients know and trust, look no further and Tulsa dentist Dr. Larry James, D.D.S., for all your dental needs. 

Tunes in the Chair: Music Therapy for Dental Procedures

Scientists have long been studying the effects of music on the human psyche and how it can serve a therapeutic function, but it hasn't been till recently that researchers have turned their attention to dental-specific music therapy. With advances in noise-canceling headphones and music designed to induce a light and positive feeling, music therapy buffs have been able to tailor music to the desired results with reasonable success. Though the music varies from person to person, music therapy researchers and dentists recommend that dental patients try and find out what music most soothes them for the best desired results for their next dental appointment. Other factors, such as understanding the positive results of the dental procedure as well as getting to know the dentist who is going to be performing said procedure, are other ways patients can further relax when placed into a dental situation that would usually be filled with anxiety. For more information, check out this write up from iDentalHub.com for further tips on how to calm dental fear. For a more-than-capable Tulsa dentist, visit the official website of the dentist Tulsa patients have trusted for years at Dr. Larry James, D.D.S. 

Einstein Makes an Impression

Rumored to have been one of the most intelligent people who had ever lived, there have been many studies done on the inner-workings of Albert Einstein's brain. Still, within all of these endeavors of neural research of the Father of Relativity, not much study has done on the genius' teeth. From the blog of Stephan Pohlmann come one of the first looks at the professor's famous teeth. In Haddasah Hospital and University rests a copy of the famous minds' dental impressions along with a letter. To read the letter and get another look at some of the most famous dental impressions, check out Pohlmann's blog of the dental universe. 



For more information quality family dentistry in the Tulsa area, log on to the official website of Dr. Larry James, D.D.S.

Running Out AFTER a Tooth Extraction?

It's too bad that dental offices don't trade for teeth for services or else this next report might have wound up a tad less painful! 



According to the online newspaper Neagle.com, Pike County, Pennsylvania resident Jay Meyerhoff was taken to court for robbing a local dentist. What exactly did he steal from the dentist at Horizon Dental? A tooth extraction. According to the dentist's office, Mr. Meyerhoff entered the offices just like any other patient. He sat down and filled out the paperwork; giving the office staff no reason to believe anything was amiss. On his paperwork, however, Meyerhoff put down his name as James R. Irving, and the procedure of having a wisdom tooth extracted started off without a hitch after Meyerhoff told the staff that he would be paying for procedure with a check. Following the procedure, Meyerhoff reportedly told the office staff that he had left his checkbook in his car, headed out the door, and never came back. Investigators tracked down Meyerhoff shortly after based on evidence he had left with another dentists' office - his photograph. Meyerhoff is currently serving a year in state prison for Theft of Services after having run out on his $322.00 wisdom tooth extraction bill. 


Was a free ride in the chair worth a year in prison? You tell us! For quality dental services for the whole family, trust the experts at Dr. Larry James, D.D.S. to bring bright smiles all over Tulsa, OK and beyond. 

Top Ten Reasons Why People Dislike the Dentist

When it comes to going to dentists, people aren't typically skipping through the door of their local dental experts; even when they're in pain! Though the modern dental experience is virtually pain free, this doesn't keep people from having anxiety about even the most routine trip to the dentist. From the idea of pain to the feeling of being ridiculed for one's lack of flossing, all of these variables combine to make to people favor a trip to the DMV above the going to the dentist. Though there is absolutely no way of shaking these predetermined notions for some people, it is important dentist-dodgers to know how far modern dentistry has come just within the past 10 years of lessening patient discomfort and providing a much more pleasant dental experience. For a list of the ten things people hate about going to the dentists and why they are not a reason to avoid going to the dentist, check out this blog from HateDentists.com. For the most comfortable dental experience in the Tulsa area, seek the services of Tulsa dentist Dr. Larry James. 

Dental Thought Innovation

Though there have been many breakthroughs in dental innovation, the least of these breakthroughs have been in the technology available to dentists, hygienists, and patients. For the most part, the biggest dental breakthroughs have been in a shift of focus from the dental practices of our parents' and grandparents' generation to the practices of today. Many dentists of yesteryear were primarily focused on fixing problems as they would occur and a lot of them didn't even have dental hygienists on staff! As a new generation of kids grow up to become dental hygienists and dentists, the focus has been shifted from how to fix damage that occurs  in the wake of gum disease and tooth decay to how to prevent damage that occurs from gum disease and tooth decay. Where dental hygienists were simply the dentist's assistants, hygienists of today play the crucial role of identifying where patients are lacking in their dental health and showing them what they can do to prevent gum disease and tooth decay. They have a unique responsibility that they previously didn't receive as much acclaim for. According to the amount of people who are keeping their teeth further into their lives with fewer problems, one can rightfully say they're doing a great job! 


For a very clever write-up on the roles of dental hygienists and dentists both in the past and present, read this article from Dr. Joe Bulger of Toronto, Canada. In order to discover how you can better your oral hygiene habits or fix past dental damage, visit the official website of Tulsa, OK's own Dr. Larry James, D.D.S. today!

Is Chewing Ice Bad For Your Teeth?

In America, having ice in one's drink is a luxury we're all accustomed to. With this, many have a habit munching on the ice left over from a drink as soon as we're finished with the drink. Though typically not painful, is chewing ice back for teeth? According to the site General Medicine, chewing of ice is, in fact, potentially damaging to the enamel, roots, and existing fillings, caps, or crowns in the mouth. While one crunch does not seem to cause much damage, habitual crunching on ice puts additional wear on teeth from chewing on a substance harder than teeth were meant to chew on. Though little damage occurs from having ice in one's mouth because it is usually melted by saliva, chewing on ice can lead to much more serious problems down the road. For more information proper dental health, to get your teeth cleaned, or additional work done in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere, check in with the Tulsa dental professionals at Dr. Larry James DDS and schedule your appointment today!

New Dental Procedure "Fills" a Need

Tired of having to have those fillings replaced ? Thanks to a recent dental breakthrough, getting one of these new fillings might not only be your last, but might actually help rebuild the tooth structure that was damaged by the cavity-causing plaque in the first place. Scientists have developed a new material for filling cavities that not only kills bacteria associated with cavities, but helps to re-mineralize the tooth where it has been damaged. With the infusion of the antibacterial material into the silver nanoparticles, this helps to thwart off bacteria and is attached to the tooth tissue using an adhesive. The new filling material is still currently undergoing testing before wide use, but if all goes well, these new fillings should last far longer than the regular filling material. For more on this achievement, check out this Daily Mail article. For more information on having your own teeth checked in the Tulsa area, visit the official website of Dr. Larry James, D.S.S. and book an appointment today! 

Dental Sealants

Though regular brushing is still the most successful means of removing particles of food and plaque accumulation that can result in tooth decay, it can still be quite difficult to remove such debris from the tight crevices in the chewing areas of some rear teeth. One recommended way of helping prevent any damage that can be caused by this accumulation is by having sealants put on the teeth. Sealants are a form of plastic that is applied to these areas and then hardened with a curing light. When a layer of sealant is applied, it is largely invisible and does not effect the bite of the individual. The application and curing of sealants is a very quick and easy procedure that can be done in the course of a regular appointment and does not require any form of anesthesia because it is completely non-invasive. For more information, read through this article from WebMD that can answer any questions you might have. To make an appointment to have your teeth cleaned, inspected, and possibly have sealants applied, log on to the website of Dr. Larry James D.D.S. and enjoy continued dental health.