Nothing But the Tooth: An Insider's Guide to Dental Health

by Teresa Yang DDS

Overview

Readers will enjoy Teresa Yang's "practical approach to smile care" (Booklist) that will make "will make readers’ next trip to the dentist a little less intimidating" (Publishers Weekly).

Provides practical information and advice on topics related to dental and overall health.

Have you ever visited a new dentist and been told you need a “smile makeover,” with the implication that if your teeth were whiter and straighter, you would be more successful and happier? Or maybe you’ve never had a cavity – and now, suddenly, you have a half dozen that require immediate attention. Perhaps you’ve been told you need a root canal or a crown or implant. What are all these things? Which procedure is best for your situation?

Did you leave those offices thinking, “It’s not really bothering me. Do I need to get all this work done?”

Nothing But the Tooth is a ready guide to dental health that answers all your questions and the ones you didn’t even know to ask. It begins with the most important question: how to choose a competent and ethical dentist – and ends with a discussion about technological advances in the dental field. Topics such as the cost of dental treatment, pediatric and geriatric dental needs, and the link between sleep apnea and your mouth are covered. Most importantly, it guides readers to a better understanding of the link between dental and overall health.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538173657
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	08/23/2023
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	780,036
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.52(h) x 0.97(d)

About the Author

Teresa Yang, DDS, has practiced dentistry for more than 30 years. She has also taught clinical dentistry and practice management at the UCLA School of Dentistry, where she currently serves on the Board of Counselors. As a member of the Forbes Health Advisory Board, she provides expertise on dental articles. Dr. Yang is a past trustee at the California Dental Association (CDA) and served on its Foundation board. She is the 2021 recipient of the Carl Lundgren award from the Western Los Angeles Dental Society.

Her articles have appeared in the CDA Journal and DrBicuspid.com, where she is a contributing writer. She currently serves as editor of WestViews, a publication of the Western Los Angeles Dental Society. She lives in Los Angeles. Read her blog at www.teresayangdds.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

How Do I Find – and Keep - A Good Dentist?

Chapter 2

Why is Dentistry So Expensive?

Chapter 3

Will My Teeth Fall Out If I Don’t Get Them Cleaned Twice A Year?

Chapter 4

Didn’t I JUST Have X-rays Taken?

Chapter 5

Confusion in the Dental Aisle – Help!

Chapter 6

I Want That Perfect Smile on Instagram – But Are Those Fake Teeth?

Chapter 7

It’s Not Bothering Me – Why Should I Get It Fixed?

Chapter 8

OK, I Need A Crown – Now What?

Chapter 9

What? Root Canal, Gum Surgery ?!@#$%!

Chapter 10

What You Need to Know About Implants

Chapter 11

Kids and Seniors, Two Ends of the Spectrum

Chapter 12

Specialist Referrals – Why Can’t You Just Do It, Doc?

Chapter 13

Orthodontic Secrets

Chapter 14

Much More Than Drill and Fill

Chapter 15

Advances and Changes in Dentistry

Chapter 16

The Crazy Confusing World of Dental Insurance

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Index

Editorial Reviews

07/03/2023

Dentist Yang debuts with a pragmatic overview of how patients can navigate the dental care system. To find a good dentist, Yang recommends asking friends for referrals or contacting a local branch of the American Dental Association. She suggests that dental work is expensive primarily because dentists have to recoup student loan debt and the cost of new equipment, but she notes that patients can receive less costly care by seeing a dentist-in-training. Yang walks through common procedures, explaining that root canals are performed by drilling a small opening in the tooth, cleaning the canals that run the length of the tooth, and filling the cavity with a material called gutta percha. Elsewhere, she covers how to get “that perfect smile on Instagram” by bleaching or getting veneers and how often to visit the dentist—once per year is enough for most, though people who are pregnant or have diabetes may want to go more frequently. The guidance is practical, and patients will appreciate the insight into what it’s like on the other end of the drill (“treating your cell phone as a body part” and “chronic lateness” number among dentists’ pet peeves). This will make readers’ next trip to the dentist a little less intimidating. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

This guide to dental health combines information about fluoride and insurance (or lack thereof) with such fascinating historical nuggets as the ancient use of horsehair to floss and how, more than 4,000 years ago, Egyptians used twigs to make toothbrushes and whitened their teeth with a paste of pumice stone and white wine vinegar. Yang, a dentist for more than three decades, makes a compelling case for the importance of teeth and the medical professionals who take care of them. She gives plenty of tips, including to brush twice a day for two minutes, and look for the American Dental Association seal of approval on toothpastes. For the record, her favorite product is floss, which has been manufactured commercially since 1882. Yang shares buyer-beware advice about heading abroad for cheaper dental work, etiquette advice about dental appointments, parental advice about not sending kids to school with sugary Fruit Roll-Ups, and general guidance about choosing brushes with soft bristles to avoid injuring gums. “Dentistry is about so much more than drill and fill,” she writes. Indeed.

Booklist

Throughout my years of working with Dr. Teresa Yang, I have not only found her to be a wealth of knowledge on the subject of dentistry, but also someone who is very passionate about making sure people understand exactly how dental care impacts them and why oral health is so important. I know this book will make a difference for so many patients.

Kevin Henry

The book blends a doctor’s memoir, medical knowledge and other common guiding practices. I recommend this book to all before you go to a dentist.

Saby Reviews

Dr. Yang channels her outstanding professional knowledge to help make the world of oral health care accessible for all audiences.

Paul H. Krebsbach

If you're looking for an informative and practical guide to dental health, look no further than Nothing But the Tooth: An Insider's Guide to Dental Health by Dr. Teresa Yang. This comprehensive guide to the dental profession can help anyone navigate the ins and outs of dentistry, such as how to find a good dentist, when to see a specialist, and why brand name implants matter.

As a respected leader in the dental professional, Dr. Yang shares her wealth of knowledge in a way that is accessible to the general public. Dr. Yang's expertise and ability to balance technical information with easy-to-read advice make this book an invaluable resource for anyone.

Whether you're looking to improve your oral hygiene or seeking to learn more about dental health, Nothing But the Tooth is a must-read. Dr. Yang will guide you towards making informed decisions about your dental and overall health. This book is a valuable resource that readers will refer to time and time again.

Theresa Pablos

By starting the book from a humanistic standpoint, rather than a more clinical angle – Dr. Yang is able to immediately humanize a professional often dreaded by the average consumer. She’s able to make one appreciate something that for most can feel everyday, reminding them of the intricate, dynamic, and critical choices one is responsible for when it comes to their oral healthcare. In addition to this, she’s able to show like any effective communicator how said profession is something interesting and has much to offer, not just for the consumer, but ideologically. Dr. Yang also highlights the shifts in the dental field, including more females and minorities entering dental medicine.

The Hollywood Digest

In Nothing But the Tooth: An Insider's Guide to Dental Health, Dr. Teresa Yang does what no dentist has ever done - answers the most frequently asked patient questions in simple, easy to understand, and extremely helpful language. Now patients don't need a dental degree to get the best answers to things like 'Why do I need a crown?,' 'Do I really need x-rays again?,' 'Why is dental care so expensive?,' and many many more. This book should be required reading for any dental patient or dental patient-to-be, and it would be a great asset to the reception area of any dental practice.

Richard H. Madow

Dr. Yang understands the importance of oral health and its connection to overall health. She provides practical and useful information that every dental patient needs for optimum health.

Kami Hoss

If you want to fully understand dentistry and how to choose the right dentist, it's all here in this easy-to-read guide.

Fred Joyal

Dentists and physicians are natural partners in the delivery of healthcare. Dr. Yang explains clearly how dentists are sometimes the first to diagnose disease and direct the patient accordingly. Nothing But the Tooth is about so much more than teeth.

Rick Lehman

12/01/2023

With more than 30 years of private-practice dental experience, Yang takes a practical approach to smile care in this book sharing general knowledge of dental health topics. Early chapters address insurance, pricing, finding the right dentist, and brushing and flossing at home. Additional chapters give step-by-step expectations for procedures (like root-canal treatment and implant placement) and discuss dental innovations of the future. Chapters conclude with an FAQ section; an index adds ease of use. VERDICT Finding a trusted dentist and preventing and addressing tooth and gum disease add greatly to quality of life, so this is a useful resource for every library.

Library Journal