Have you ever experienced dry mouth (xerostomia)? Or do you experience it on a regular basis? Well if you do suffer from dry mouth, you are certainly not alone. As many as 400 medications list xerostomia as a side effect. You can check this list, to see if your medication is one of them. Xerostomia can have unwanted consequences on our teeth. The lack of saliva disrupts the pH balance in the oral cavity, often making it more acidic. Cavity causing bacteria thrive in this environment so your risk for decay greatly increases. That is why your hygienist or … Read More

Every October our hygienists celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month. They are always striving to better serve their patients and October is a time to help us raise awareness about the importance of good oral health. It is also a time to celebrate the important work they do on a daily basis. We are so fortunate to have 6 wonderful hygienists that put our patients at ease and encourage them to work toward a healthier smile. National Dental Hygiene month is the perfect time to discuss the basics of periodontal disease. Read on to learn more about the disease your hygienist … Read More

The unstructured carefree days of summer are winding down and just like that another school year is upon us! This means kids will soon be waking up early and sports will be starting again. With sports comes the need to stay hydrated, but there are many drinks out there that can be deceiving. Many sports drinks are targeted toward kids. Most also have high levels of sugar, which is why kids usually prefer them over plain water. The constant intake of these sugary and acidic beverages though, can have unwanted ill effects on our teeth. Dental erosion is a loss … Read More

As many of you probably know, a little over a year ago we started offering Invisalign clear aligner therapy in our office. We are so happy to offer this service to our patients. Besides the aesthetic factor, the benefits of Invisalign are many. To help us provide this service we are implementing the Itero scanner. This scanner allows us to take a 3D image of your teeth, so no impressions are needed to create your aligners. We also use this image to create a simulation model of how your teeth will look after they are aligned. Watch the video at … Read More

  A couple of months ago we began implementing a new salivary test for oral human papillomavirus infection (HPV). Now you might be wondering: “Why is my dentist concerned if I have HPV?” Or you might be thinking: “It’s none of your business if I have HPV.” These are valid concerns, as this is a new screening protocol that is likely to stir up many questions. To help allay any fears or concerns around our new screening, we’ve put together some information below, that further explains our role as dental professionals. We’ve all heard that contracting HPV can increase a … Read More

  Earlier this month, several of our staff members participated in the 9th annual Run for Rett Syndrome 5k Run/Walk. The run begins at Tumwater Historical Park and follows a beautiful path winding around Capitol Lake. This event supports the Northwest Rett Syndrome Foundation, a local organization which assists families of children with Rett Syndrome. Cramer and Bond Dentistry is a proud sponsor of this event, which is orchestrated by the hard work of Lauren Cramer. She works tirelessly every year to make this event a success. As many of you may know, Lauren and Dr. Adam Cramer’s oldest daughter … Read More

Fluoride is a controversial topic in the dental field, which is why we’ve chosen to discuss it this month. Numerous studies show that when used as directed or when added to community water in the correct amounts, fluoride significantly reduces the incidence of cavities. A frequent misconception surrounding fluoride (which is perpetuated by insurance companies) is that only children will benefit from fluoride. Each individual regardless of age, has unique risk factors for developing cavities. Our dental hygienists are trained to identify your risk for developing cavities, and evaluate this at each hygiene appointment. By determining this, we are able … Read More

As many of you know a few of our staff members recently took part in a service trip to Guatemala. They had an amazing impact there and were able to serve 140 patients! Dr. Cramer and Stefani were kind enough to share a bit about their experience below! Dr. Cramer: “Being able to serve the people of Guatemala with dental care was a tremendous blessing for me.  We traveled to the rural mountain villages and were able to serve mostly women and children who were in severe pain and discomfort, but the real highlight of the trip was connecting with each … Read More

  As many of you know, here at Cramer and Bond Dentistry 6 of our staff members were pregnant over the last year. They all delivered healthy, happy babies and moms are doing well; ask about them at your next visit, we love talking about our little ones! This seems like the perfect time to address oral care during pregnancy. There are a few misconceptions out there to clear up and we’ll discuss how and why good home care is especially important during pregnancy. One of the biggest misconceptions involved with dental care during pregnancy is that restorative treatment and … Read More

  April is Oral Cancer Awareness month, so it only seems fitting that we discuss the increased risk tobacco users face of developing oral cancer. Both cigarettes and chewing tobacco greatly increase an individual’s chance of developing oral or throat cancer. Studies have shown that smokers are 3 times more likely to develop mouth cancer and 7 times more likely to develop throat cancer than non-smokers. Each year, The Oral Cancer Foundation approximates 48,250 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed and that 9,575 people die each year due to these forms of cancer. Tobacco use combined with excess consumption … Read More