Baldassano and Associates Family Dentistry

02/03/2026

Healthy smiles start early! Schedule your child’s first dental visit by age 1 or within 6 months of their first tooth to set them up for lifelong oral health 🦷

02/01/2026

Most people think brushing is enough.
It isn’t.

A toothbrush only cleans the front, back, and chewing surfaces of your teeth.
But 40% of each tooth surface sits between teeth, where bristles cannot reach.

That hidden space is where: • Cavities usually start
• Gum disease begins
• Chronic inflammation develops
• Bad breath bacteria thrive

Flossing isn’t an “extra step.”
It’s the only way to remove plaque and bacteria from between teeth, where the highest disease risk exists.

Even with perfect brushing, skipping flossing leaves nearly half your mouth uncleaned.

That’s why dentists don’t say brush or floss.
They say brush and floss — every day.

Save this.
Share it with someone who thinks brushing alone is enough. 🦷

01/31/2026

Long-term pacifier use can affect a child’s dental development.

Pacifiers satisfy a baby’s natural sucking reflex, helping them feel calm, secure, and comforted beyond feeding. When used appropriately, they can be a helpful tool in early infancy.

Research shows that offering a pacifier during naps and bedtime is linked to a reduced risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Sucking also helps soothe babies during painful moments like vaccinations and can make it easier for some infants to fall asleep. During travel, especially flights, pacifiers can help relieve ear pressure.

However, timing and duration matter. For breastfed babies, it’s best to wait until breastfeeding is well established, usually around 3–4 weeks, to avoid ni**le confusion. Frequent pacifier use after 6 months may increase the risk of ear infections.

Long-term use can affect dental development. Continued pacifier use after age 2 may lead to “pacifier teeth,” including protruding front teeth, open bites, narrowed palates, and even speech difficulties. The longer and more forceful the sucking habit, the higher the risk.

Many mild dental changes can correct themselves if pacifier use stops before age 3. After age 4, the risk of permanent bite problems increases and may require orthodontic treatment.

Experts recommend beginning to wean between 6 and 12 months and stopping pacifier use by age 2 to 3 for healthy oral development.

01/29/2026

🙏🙏🙏

Celebrate the life of John Posen and join others in sharing memories, stories, and condolences.

01/27/2026

Don’t wait until it’s too late!

As a dental clinician, I want to talk to you about periodontitis — the most dangerous and underestimated complication of gum disease.

Periodontitis is not “just bleeding gums.”
It is a chronic destructive infection that silently attacks the tissues and bone supporting the teeth — and once established, it is irreversible.

It begins quietly.
Plaque bacteria accumulate along the gumline.
The immune system responds.
Inflammation persists.

Over time, the gums detach from the teeth, forming deep periodontal pockets.
These pockets become reservoirs of aggressive bacteria, toxins, and inflammatory mediators.

As the disease progresses, alveolar bone is permanently destroyed.
Teeth lose their foundation.
Mobility appears.
Tooth loss becomes inevitable.

But the damage does not stop in the mouth.

When periodontal bacteria and inflammatory molecules enter the bloodstream, they trigger a systemic inflammatory burden linked to:

• Cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis

• Poor glycemic control in diabetes

• Increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes

• Worsening of respiratory and inflammatory conditions

Periodontitis is now recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease with whole-body consequences.

Clinically, periodontitis presents with:

• Persistent gum bleeding (spontaneous or on brushing)

• Swollen, red, or receding gums

• Bad breath that does not improve with hygiene

• Pus discharge from gums

• Tooth mobility and spacing

• Gradual, often painless tooth loss

Unlike cavities, periodontitis rarely causes early pain.
That silence is what makes it so dangerous.

Management is not cosmetic — it is medical.

Treatment requires professional periodontal therapy, long-term maintenance, and strict control of risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, and poor oral hygiene.
In advanced cases, surgical intervention is necessary.

The most important message:

Periodontitis is largely preventable when detected early — but devastating when ignored.

Essential Reminder:
This content is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical or dental consultation.
If you experience gum bleeding, bad breath, or tooth mobility, seek evaluation from a qualified dental professional promptly.

01/27/2026

Wow!

A child’s jaw actually contains two sets of teeth at the same time — long before the first baby tooth falls out.

Under every baby tooth, the adult tooth is already forming inside the jawbone, carefully positioned and growing for the future. This is why baby teeth are not “temporary” or unimportant — they have a real biological purpose.

Baby teeth help to:
• Guide normal jaw and facial growth
• Keep the right space for adult teeth
• Support clear speech development
• Help adult teeth come in correctly

When baby teeth are lost too early because of cavities or injury, it can lead to:
• Crooked or crowded adult teeth
• Delayed or abnormal tooth eruption
• Problems with jaw growth
• A higher chance of needing braces later

This image shows an important truth in children’s oral health:
Taking care of baby teeth protects the adult smile before it even appears.

01/27/2026

This is advanced dental caries seen from the inside.

The dark, destroyed area at the top is deep decay that has penetrated through the enamel and dentin. Beneath it lies the pulp — the living core of the tooth, rich in nerves and blood vessels — shown here inflamed and compromised.

At this depth, tooth decay is no longer a simple cavity. It becomes infection, inflammation, and structural failure.

Once bacteria reach the pulp:
• Pain may be absent, mild, or delayed
• Infection can spread beyond the tooth
• The risk of abscess formation increases
• Treatment becomes significantly more complex

At this stage, a simple filling is no longer enough.
Management typically requires root canal therapy or extraction — both far more invasive, costly, and time-sensitive than early care.

Dental caries is preventable and detectable in its early stages. But when it progresses silently to this depth, treatment is no longer simple — it is damage control.

01/22/2026

Many people think gum disease only affects the mouth — but its impact can extend throughout the body.

Periodontal (gum) disease is more than bleeding gums or loose teeth.
It is a chronic inflammatory infection that allows oral bacteria and inflammatory mediators to enter the bloodstream, influencing multiple organ systems.

Scientific research has linked untreated periodontal disease with:

🔹 Cardiovascular disease – increased risk due to chronic inflammation

🔹Diabetes – a bidirectional relationship affecting blood sugar control

🔹Respiratory diseases – aspiration of harmful oral bacteria

🔹Rheumatic conditions – inflammation-related joint involvement

🔹Neurodegenerative disorders – including associations with Alzheimer’s disease

The mouth is not separate from the body.
It is a gateway to systemic health.
Maintaining healthy gums through professional dental care, daily oral hygiene, and early periodontal treatment is not cosmetic dentistry — it is preventive medicine.

01/20/2026

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