Have you ever had that feeling where your mouth feels dried out? If you you have, you are not alone! This is something called “dry mouth” or clinically called Xerostomia. This condition is also can happen occasionally or persist daily. Xerostomia is actually pretty common because as many as 400 medications list it as a side effect. You can check this list, to see if your medication is one of them. Xerostomia can have consequences that are undesirable on our teeth. A lack of saliva disrupts the pH balance in the oral cavity, making the environment more acidic. The bacteria … Read More

  When most people think of October they think of Halloween but not us! We think about our amazing hygiene team! October is National Dental Hygiene Month and a great month for us to remind all of our patients and community members of how important good oral health is. This also gives us an opportunity to applaud our hygiene team on the great care they provide to our island community. At our office we have two fantastic hygienists who work with our patients to have the best dental experience possible, while also giving them the knowledge to take the best … Read More

As summer comes to an end the swimsuits and water toys go back in storage, and the backpacks and school supplies come out. The alarm rings early in preparation for the first day of school and the start of another year of sports. All the sports that are offered increase the need to stay hydrated. The question is, are your kids getting the hydration they need or are you being deceived?  Many sports drinks are targeted toward kids. Most of these contain high levels of sugar, making them the preference of kids over water. The intake of these beverages can … Read More

Summer is almost over on our beautiful island. The teachers have been posted, the streets are calming and our slow-moving island life returns. This summer some of our staff explored other beautiful locales that we will discuss and also, we want to share with you our favorite summer recipes! We are all very family oriented here at Dental Care of Vashon. Much like winter, many of our staff here has gone to visit family this summer season. This summer our hygienist Wanda went with her husband and two beautiful daughters to Glacier National Park to camp and adventure with her … Read More

  Over the past few months we have introduced a new screening test. The test is a salivary test for Oral HPV. There may be some questions you have and even some reservations. Perhaps you want to know “ why is my dentist collecting this information?” or maybe you’re thinking “ this is none of your business if i have HPV”. We are here to help answer those questions you have and ease any of your concerns. Since this is a new screening protocol we have decided to put together some information, see below. We have all heard about HPV … Read More

When discussing fluoride there tends to be some controversy over the subject, that is why we want to talk about this month.  Numerous studies show that when used as directed or when added to community water in the correct amounts, fluoride significantly reduces the incidence of cavities. A common misconception regarding  fluoride (which is perpetuated by insurance companies) is that only our child patients will benefit from fluoride use. Everyone has their own risk factors when it comes to getting cavities regardless of age. Our hygiene team is trained to spot and evaluate your personal risk for acquiring cavities. These … Read More

Springtime is in the air! We love spring here at Dental Care of Vashon all the flowers in bloom, birds chirping and the sun has made an appearance. When thinking of spring many think of new beginnings. The newest beginning we can think of here is pregnancy! We want to talk to our patients and inform them, on all there is to know about being a pregnant dental patient. There are a few misconceptions out there to clear up and we’ll discuss how and why good home care is especially important during pregnancy. One of the biggest misconceptions involved with … Read More

The start of the new year here at Dental Care of Vashon has been very exciting. We have a new staff member that we would like to introduce! When you come into the office the face you will be greeted by is Molly! Molly is originally from Orting Valley, she moved to Vashon in 2010. Since Molly has moved to the island she has enjoyed spending time outside and has hopes of starting a garden in the future. She has a furry feline that is truly the “light of her life”. His name is Bullet and seems to like the … Read More

  April is Oral Cancer Awareness month, so it only seems right that we talk about  the risks that tobacco users face of developing oral cancer. Risks come from not only cigarettes but chewing tobacco as well. Using these products highly increases an individual’s chance of developing oral or throat cancer. Studies have shown that smokers are 3 times more likely to develop mouth cancer and 7 times more likely to develop throat cancer than non-smokers. Each year, The Oral Cancer Foundation approximates 48,250 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed and that 9,575 people die each year due to … Read More

In recent years “vaping” or “E-Cigarettes” have become a trend. 6 million people in the U.S. have tried or used this form of smoking. Everywhere you look you can find shops to buy this product, you can even find it in our local gas station. Many people tend use “Vaping” or “E-cigarettes” to quit or decrease use of traditional cigarettes. They have been popular with teenagers and college age kids. Some of the traits that make them so desirable to this age group are the many flavors to choose from. The flavors are nice and the ability to smoke and … Read More