Dental Team of Sumter, wishing you a safe and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend!

Memorial Day weekend, a time to remember and honor the men and women lost while serving for our country. Memorial Day is also the unofficial start of summer, and for many folks in Sumter, getting out of town for three days after being cooped up in the classroom or the office spells sweet, sweet relief.

What about you? What are you up to this Memorial Day weekend? Whether you are headed to a barbecue, a camping trip, or just hitting the great American open roads, we’d like to hear all about it!

Our entire team at the Dental Team of Sumter wishes you a happy, safe and relaxing Memorial Day weekend!

Ask Dr. Vincent: If you weren’t a Dentist, what would you be?

Sumter SC dentist, Dr. Thaddeus Vincent, loves keeping his patients' teeth healthy and sparkling! But we thought we’d ask him what profession he believes he would have if it wasn’t for dentistry. Here’s what he said:

“If I were not a dentist, I would probably be an architect. In the past 6 years or so, I have really enjoyed seeing the way buildings and homes are designed and the purpose behind those designs. Just as teeth have different shapes designed for different reasons, structures do to and this was lost on me until recently. I had never met with an accomplished architect until recently and when my wife and I left the meeting, we felt as if we had been meeting with an artist. I had not looked at architecture as much of an art until this point. They are definitely artist and their mediums are the structures they design.”

Has it been 6 months or more since your last appointment with the Dental Team of Sumter? If so, give us a call and we’d be happy to schedule a visit for you.

What’s on your reading list?

With the school year close to winding down for a lot of our patients at the Dental Team of Sumter, we wanted to remind all our patients about the importance of reading. Sure it’s easy to keep putting off reading this time of year, but reading is a vital step in brain development and literacy. And if you needed any more reason to read, May marks “Get Caught Reading Month.”

Today, we thought we’d ask: What's on YOUR reading list? What are some of your all-time favorites? Out of ideas for great reads? Ask us for suggestions, and Drs. Vincent, Lee and our team would be happy to provide a few. You may also ask a local librarian for some ideas on what to read next!

Happy reading! Be sure to share with us your book picks or your all-time favorite novels or literature on our Facebook page!

What, exactly, are wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth are a type of molar that is found in the very back of your mouth and are the last molars to develop. There are four wisdom teeth: upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. These teeth usually appear in late teens or early twenties but may become impacted (fail to erupt) due to lack of room in the jaw or angle of entry. The removal of wisdom teeth has become so commonplace that it is almost a rite of passage for young adults.

Drs. Vincent and Lee will tell you that when a tooth is impacted, it may need to be removed. If it is not removed, you may develop gum tehhhhhhhnderness, swelling, or even severe pain. Impacted wisdom teeth that are partially or fully erupted tend to be quite difficult to clean and are susceptible to tooth decay, recurring infections, and yes, even gum disease.

Our friends at WebMD have developed a helpful explanation about wisdom teeth and how they impact your health. Also, feel free to give us a the Dental Team of Sumter a call with any questions you have or ask us on Facebook!