The Laser Dental Group

Need help whitening your teeth? Want to quit smoking? Trying to lose weight? There's a chewing gum for all of that and more. New types of chewing gum are introduced all the time, but did you ever wonder how it managed to gain such a grip on consumers? Believe it or not, people have had a love affair with gum for thousands of years. From humble beginnings to hundreds of varietis, here's a look at how chewing gum rose to become the powerhouse product it is today.  How it Originated Long before William Wrigley Jr. made a name for chewing gum, ancient civilizations were tapping into trees and other sources of resin and chewing on soft rubbery substances both for enjoyment and medicinal purposes.  Evidence indicates prehistoric Europeans would chew on birch bark tar quite possibly to help relieve toothaches, while Aztecs and Mayans would turn to gum from the chicle tree to appease their thirst or hunger. In North America, Native Americans favored spruce tree resin and it b...

Take notes, tired parents! If you've all but emptied your bag of tricks to get your little one to brush and floss regularly, there are still a few more cards you can put up your sleeve to help keep smiles cavity-free. Give these sneaky (yet proven) dental hacks a try to preserve your child's oral health: 1. Have teeth coated with dental sealant. Typically used to prevent tooth decay in permanent teeth, it is now being used more and more by pediatric dentists to protect precious baby teeth as well. In as little as a few minutes, a thin, durable barrier can be applied to the pitted surfaces of your child's teeth to keep harmful bacteria from doing lasting damage. Since sealant is invisible to the unpracticed eye, your child won't even notice it's there. 2. Do another round of brushing when your child is asleep. It can take time for your child to adopt good dental habits, but it doesn't take long for plaque to do a number on teeth and gums. On days you ...