Avoid the Dental Grinch!

Thanksgiving and Black Friday have just about past, but the holidays are only just getting started. We love holidays at Hamlin Dental Group, probably more than your typical dentists' office. That's why we think it's just terrible when something gets in the way of holiday fun.

Sadly, your teeth and gums are one of those things that can seriously hamper your seasonal good times if you don't pay them proper attention with good oral hygiene and regular dental visits. Obviously, the often extremely nasty pain of a sudden toothache is a pretty obvious threat to any fun at all while you're experiencing it. A less obvious holiday buzzkill, however, are periodontal problems. Aside from the long-term health issues associated with gum disease (including increased risks of heart problems), halitosis -- the polite medical term for bad breath -- is frequently an issue. The holidays are definitely less fun if everyone runs away the minute they see you approaching the mistletoe!

Of course, the solution to all of these problems is take advantage of the very best family dentistry you can find, and that's obviously what we're all about here at Hamlin Dental Group. Give us a call and we'll do our best to make sure that your holidays are as jolly as they're supposed to be.

More Than Just Teeth and Gums

While many people assume that a dentist’s only job is to make sure your gums are healthy and your teeth are cavity free, there are many other aspects of a regular bi-annual dental check-up that are essential to your oral hygiene.

Your dentist is an expert at identifying and fixing all the common problems that may occur with your teeth and gums, but they can also serve as a comprehensive oral doctor. When performing an examination, a highly-professional dentist will examine your jaw, salivary glands, and your head and neck muscles in an effort to diagnose any potential problems or illnesses. These are things that being even the most diligent brusher will not prevent. We make sure that your bi-annual family dentistry checkups are a very important part of your overall preventative health regiment.

Your oral health is more than just teeth and gums, and the Hamlin Dental Group is proud to offer you and your family the whole package at either our Northridge, Van Nuys, or North Hollywood locations.

Stay Away From Back Alley Dentistry!

Though it may seem overly obvious to say so: letting cheapness be your most important deciding factor for finding dental treatment just isn’t the best way to go. As headlines continue to be dominated by terrible tales of patients who experienced discomfort or misfortune at the hands of shady, unqualified dentists, our experts here at the Hamlin Dental Group can’t help but feel advocate for the better solution: only trust the certified experienced professionals! 

In this story coming out of New York City, up to 4,000 patients were burned by an iffy practice that up and disappeared overnight. Thousands were lift without access to their dental records or an ability to get a refund for money paid upfront for services. While State investigation and the Attorney General have begun the process of helping patients seek compensation, it’s still placed a huge burden and hassle on working class families. 

You should avoid these circumstances at all costs. Do you research, and only trust proven specialists like the ones here at Hamlin for all of your family dentistry needs. Our dedicated team provides a range of services from oral hygiene, to cosmetic dentistry to meet your every demand. Contact us today for the well trusted choice in you community!

Dental Myths

We stumbled over an article -- actually delivering some rather old news -- discussing how the legend that our nation's first president, George Washington, was just that, a legend. Seems he actually had more high class dentures made of ivory and other highly non-wooden products.

At Hamlin Dental Group, we're definitely committed to fostering truthfulness when it comes to all kinds of dental matters, though we admit that separating fact from fiction isn't always easy. Certain things are definitely true: sugary foods really can be very bad for your teeth; twice yearly dental visits really really are essential. Other things are definitely untrue: Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson is very definitely not the Tooth Fairy, for example. He just played the character in a movie. The real Tooth Fairy looks nothing like him!

The truth of other beliefs is less clear. You don't have to be a patriotic North Hollywood dentist to have heard that British teeth are, shall we say, not all that you would expect from one of the world's great nations. On the one hand, we've all seen the jokes aimed at everyone from the UK's royal family to extremely fictional superspy Austin Powers about poor English dental hygiene. However, some argue that it's simply that British celebrities are less concerned with dental uniformity and therefore don't always take advantage of the outstanding cosmetic dentistry that is standard among American celebs. We'll call that one a wash.

Fortunately for our pateints, being straightforward with patients about facts relating to a patient's dental health is a cornerstone of Hamlin's approach to family dentistry with a friendly and personal touch. We're here to give you the facts and let the myths take care of themselves!