Teens make choices that can have a lifetime of consequences. Oral piercings may “look cool” as a form of expression, but they have serious risks:

• Infection, pain and swelling: Your mouth is home to huge amounts of bacteria, and an ideal place for infection, which can become life threatening if not treated promptly. It’s also possible for a piercing to cause your tongue to swell, potentially blocking your airway.
• Damage to teeth and gums: We frequently see cracked teeth and fillings due to biting down on piercings, and gums can weaken as people play with their piercing. Tooth loss from piercings is a real concern.
• Nerve damage: After a piercing, most nerve damage ...

At Kalaheo Dental Group, we speak often about the link between oral health and overall health. This is especially relevant when talking about oral cancer. According to the American Dental Association, “Approximately 51,540 people will be diagnosed with cancers of the mouth, throat, tonsils, and tongue this year.” Here are the top 5 risk factors:

1. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease, is associated with around 9,000 cases of head and neck cancer (especially at the back of the tongue, in or around the tonsils) each year in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
2. Being a man, because men are twice as likely as women to get oral ...

Only a few more days to submit your art for the art contest!

Here are four tips to help keiki Malama their Mouth:

1. Make it Fun! To get kids brushing and flossing for the recommended two minutes, two times a day, use that smartphone at your fingertips. Choose a fun, two-minute tune and let kids rock out while they brush. Brush alongside them to model great technique.

2. Go to the Dentist! Dental problems can arise early, so the ADA recommends that children go to the dentist no later than their first birthday, and then at least twice a year. Make this fun too! It’s critical that kids get a good impression of the dentist when they’re young to encourage a lifetime of dental ...

In honor of National Children's Dental Health Month in February, Kalaheo Dental Group is hosting a keiki!

Art Contest

Theme: Tooth-Art

Teeth (molars, canines, incisors) come in all shapes and sizes. Show us your interpretation of tooth-art. Use the medium of your choice, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, or even poetry, to create your contest entry.

• Art: Use the medium of your choice including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, or poetry. All 2-dimensional (drawings, photography, etc.) art must be submitted on an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper.
• Eligible: Kaua'i keiki 12 years old and under
• Submit: Bring your tooth art to our office in Rainbow Plaza or submit it ...

We Love Our Community

Our staff recently provided oral health presentations to the West Kauai Rotary Club and Boys and Girls Club Waimea Clubhouse. We would love to visit your school or community group. Presentations are customized depending on the topic the audience would like to hear, length of time available, and number of attendees. We come to your location with entertaining, fun, and helpful tips to keep your audience’s oral health up to par – and we bring goodies!  If you are interested in a presentation, email us today.

Men are not always the greatest at staying up to date with their health checks and yet early detection and treatment for diseases and injuries are the best ways to stay healthy and live a long, happy life.

Join us in celebrating Men’s Health Week, June 11-17, a nationally observed week that leads up to Father’s Day. 

“The purpose of Men’s Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys,” according to www.menshealthmonth.org.

Dental health is part of overall health so men if you’re reading this and haven’t had a dental visit in the last 6 months,