Robert C. Sikes, DDS Blog

Trends aren’t limited to this fall’s shoes and your newest smartphone — your dentist in Mount Pleasant has seen a number of dental fads come and go, too. These trends can vary in both safety and effectiveness — like whitestrips for bleaching teeth (pretty safe, but not so effective) and tooth jewelry (not so safe). Keep reading to learn about which of the trends are OK and which you should ditch ASAP.

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It’s common knowledge that if you don’t take care of your teeth, you’re going to get cavities. But did you know that what goes on in your mouth can affect your overall health as well? In fact, poor oral hygiene habits can play a role in several serious diseases. If you need a little more motivation to brush and floss regularly — and visit your dentist in Cookville twice a year — consider the connection between your oral health and the other systems in your body.

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Your Aunt’s text message knocked you off balance, although it really shouldn’t have. As long as you can remember, she’s smoked and drank avidly. It’s no surprise that her lifestyle lead her down the road to developing oral cancer. Still, receiving the message that she’d been recently diagnosed was disheartening. Luckily, your Aunt’s dentist was able to recognize the signs of the disease by performing an oral cancer screening during her regular dental appointment.

Dr. Robert C. Sikes can help patients just like this one every time they decide to visit our dental practice. During each dental appointment, your Cookville dentist will perform an oral cancer screening.  Our office understands that awareness is the first step to prevention, so we put together this post to help patients recognize the real threat oral cancer poses and what to look out for.

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You lean in to whisper a secret to your friend and see their face frown up. Uh-oh! Your breath isn’t it’s freshest. We’ve all been there! It’s embarrassing and can a negative effect on your quality of life if you seem to have chronic bad breath. Not only can it be embarrassing, but it can also be a warning sign of more serious health issues. Your dentist in Cookville believes that if you understand the causes of bad breath and how to fight it, you can quickly get your mouth back to feeling as good as new! Here are a few causes of bad breath and some tips to help eliminate this pesky problem.

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Believe it or not, pain is a good thing. This is your body’s way of communicating with you that, “HEY! Something is wrong!” Pain is never something that you want to deal with, but it does call for action quickly—especially tooth pain. Generally, tooth pain can range from minor sensitivity to severe jolts of pain. It really depends on the cause of your tooth pain and how deep it is affecting your tooth. The more your tooth’s pulp (where the nerve endings are supposed to be buried safely) is exposed to the pain-inducer, the more you will experience that unpleasant sensation. Your dentist in Cookville wants you to be aware of the several types of tooth pain you may encounter and what to do if you happen to experience them.

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If you’ve lost one or multiple teeth, you’ve probably thought the chances of restoring your smile’s beauty and functionality is slim to none. That’s not true! You don’t have to struggle with difficulties eating or speaking—or continue being embarrassed each time you smile. We can help create restorations that blend seamlessly into your smile and can be attached for years to come: dental crowns in Mount Pleasant. The office of Robert C. Sikes is here to restore purpose in your smile and bring your confidence to the next level by combining quality restorations and dental implants.

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Decision-making isn’t easy in a world full of options — and there’s certainly no shortage of dentists in our community. But people who stick with a single dental team to care for their teeth and gums are more likely to keep up with the routine care that keeps them smiling for life. So when it’s time to make a decision, how can you know you’re choosing the best dentist in Cookville? We’ve got some pointers.

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If you’re like many people, whenever you think that you need to go to the dentist, you simply type ”dentist near me” into a search engine and hope for the best. You see links to thousands of practices, and even click on a few, but none of them actually compel you to make an appointment. They either don’t have everything you need or are too far away. You want a practice in your area that offers comprehensive care; you only want to have to go to one place. Fortunately for you, your answer is only a 10 minute drive away. Dr. Robert Sikes, your dentist near Cookville, can offer you the type of care and experience that is more than worth the short trip. (more…)

As you’re sitting in the coffee shop enjoying a midday break, you notice you have a slight toothache. Funny, you haven’t noticed this before, why is it hurting now? Could it be because you have a cavity? How would you even know, what are the signs to look for? Cavities can be very hard to spot initially, so in order to make your life a little easier, here are the top 7 signs that you might have one, courtesy of your Cookville dentist, Dr. Robert Sikes. (more…)