It's a common sight to see: a group of young soccer players come off the field after a game and a parent is waiting on the side lines with a snack and some bright blue and red sports drinks in a cooler. But what if the sports drinks are actually doing more harm than good? Although sports drinks do include carbohydrates to provide a quick fix of ene...

​ About 20 percent of patients simply dread visiting the dentist, according to WebMD . As sad as this makes us (because we love helping our patients so much!), we understand. For many of these people, their fears stem from one or more of these difficult and very real feelings and experiences that may include: Fear of getting hurt Worries and anxiet...

The body experiences many changes as we age. These changes aren't just seen on our skin or felt inside our body - they are also experienced in the mouth. Sometimes these changes are visible and sometimes they are not, such as when nerves begin to become smaller and the teeth become more sensitive to cavities and other dental problems. The need for ...

​ Those who love wine hardly need an excuse to enjoy a glass (responsibly of course) from time to time. But what if it could actually help us avoid things like a sore throat and even dental decay? Well, according to this study, it can! Inspired by a study done in the 1980s that examined the antibacterial properties of beverages including soda, wate...

​ According to a survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, a lot of Americans would like to improve their smile. While teeth whitening is obviously a step in the right direction, having a beautiful and sparkling smile transcends just whitening alone. Here are five of the most important things you can start doing today to get on your way...

​ If you've been following our blog, we recently discussed how sleeping positions can affect sleep apnea . While sleep apnea is just one of the many conditions we are capable of handling here at Dr. Norman's office, we feel we should shed some light on how to sleep with temporomandibular joint disorder as well, considering how painful the condition...

​ It's easy to pass off symptoms of sleep apnea, such as snoring, as just harmless and maybe a little annoying. But what's really happening is far more serious than just snoring. The word apnea means "without breath" in Greek. So, the snoring is just a symptom of a much more serious sleep disorder. The choking and gasping noises people may make whe...

​ Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep. Despite being a very big deal, sleep apnea is often passed off as just "harmless snoring," and many times it remains undetected, undiagnosed and untreated, which is extremely dangerous. Sleep disorders affect males and females, adults and children. Leavin...

​ Have you ever wondered why they call the temporomandibular joint the "small joint that can cause big pain"? It's because of just how much can go wrong when anything affects this complicated joint. The temporomandibular joints, or TMJs, sit on both sides of the jaw, acting as a hinge between the skull and the jawbone. You can feel them by placing ...

​ What kind of sleeper are you? Do you toss and turn or stay in one spot all night long? Do you sleep on your side, stomach or back? You may not think any of these things really matter, but as it turns out, this may be something you really have to consider if you think you could possibly be dealing with sleep apnea. So how does your sleeping positi...

​ About 52 percent of the global population suffers from about 291 different oral diseases. According to the FDI World Dental Federation, dental caries, or cavities, account for about 44 percent of these cases, making it the most prevalent oral health problem in the world. Some other conditions that affect many people include gum disease, bad breat...

​ Only a few other things come close to the embarrassment and anxiety that comes with bad breath. Did you know bad breath is actually a medical condition? It's known as halitosis in the medical and dental community, and it can be caused by poor dental habits, dental cavities and tooth decay, among other things. These seven tips can help you achieve...

​ If you feel like you have to deal with crooked teeth, a crowded smile or, worse still, a poorly aligned bite just because you're an adult and "too old" for braces, know that you don't have to settle. It doesn't matter whether you're 7 or 70. With Invisalign clear braces, you can easily get the treatment you need to straighten your teeth and smile...

​ Over time, the continuous positive airway pressure machine, known more commonly as CPAP, has emerged as one of the most effective treatments for both moderate and severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. While it has been proven to be pretty effective in combating sleep apnea, it's not always an appealing treatment option for many people....

​ What if there's actually something you can do at home to reduce the pain of your temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJD, considerably? Truth is you'll need to seek medical care from a professional to find lasting relief to the pain that comes with TMJ disorders. That's why we recommend you visit Dr. Norman and the Dream Smile team for effectiv...

​ Losing all your teeth can be downright awful and embarrassing. While this is not exactly common, trauma, accidents, infections and aging can cause it to happen. If you have to experience this discomfort in Everett, Washington, or the surrounding areas, you can count on Dr. Norman and the Dream Smile team for full-mouth dental implants, among othe...

​ When you get braces, you can expect some adjustments to your diet. It can be a challenge knowing which foods are braces-friendly - and which ones are not. One of the top questions people ask when they get braces is whether they can eat their favorite foods with braces. Today, let's talk about whether sandwiches are a good food choice when you hav...

​ It might not seem like it, but returning to perfect oral health after a case of periodontal disease is possible. However, it will involve sessions of plaque removal or even surgical procedures. These may be needed to help you treat deep infection and restore your gums' health and appearance. There is, however, a need to maintain excellent oral hy...

​ A periodontist is a specialist whose major area of expertise is in treating gum disease and other conditions. While the type or stage of gum disease you're dealing with would usually determine whether you would need periodontal treatment, there are several reasons why a periodontist would be a better option than a regular dentist for cases of adv...

​ Research shows that as many as 80 percent of Americans ages 18 to 49 years old prefer whiter and brighter teeth. The American public spent about $1.4 billion on over-the-counter whitening products in 2016 alone, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. If you're considering teeth whitening or simply wondering what the procedure en...