Stone Dentals commitment to serving South Mississippi rests in three generations of dentists. After mentoring with his father and general dentist Dr. La Troy Cooley in Lucedale, Dr. Ray Cooley moved to Wiggins, MS in 1971 and founded Stone Dental. He raised two daughters in Wiggins, Dr. Catherine Cooley Faulk of Jackson, and Dr. Rebecca Cooley Courtney who joined her father at the practice in 2004.
The entire team at Stone Dental believes patients deserve care and respect in a relaxed and welcoming environment. From our front office staff to our dental assistants and hygienists, achieving your best smile is our utmost concern!
Dr. Ray Cooley is a second-generation dentist, originally from Lucedale, Mississippi. After graduating from Lucedale High School, he attended Perkinston Junior College and the University of Southern Mississippi. In 1969, Dr. Cooley received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. As a student at Emory, he met and married his wife, Ann. Dr. Cooley returned to Lucedale where he practiced general dentistry with his father and mentor, Dr. LaTroy Cooley. In 1971, Dr. Cooley moved to Wiggins and founded Stone Dental, and is in his 50th year of making smiles brighter and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Dr. Cooley is an active member of the Mississippi Dental Association, American Dental Association, and First Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir. Dr. Cooley is a former member of Wiggins Rotary Club, and proudly served our country as a Captain in the MS National Guard.
Dr. Rebecca Courtney is a third-generation dentist and a native of Wiggins, graduating from Stone High School in 1994. After graduation she attended MGCCC Perkinston Campus and received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1998. Dr. Courtneys dental education began later that year at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry. She received her Doctor of Dental Medicine in 2002. After graduation, she remained on staff at UMMC and completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency, as well as a fellowship in Hospital Dentistry. In 2004, Dr. Courtney returned home to Wiggins to practice General Dentistry with her father, Dr. Ray Cooley. Rebecca is an active member of the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, the Mississippi Association of Women Dentists, and she currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Dental Association.
Its no secret that families consume too much sugar, nearly 3lbs of added sugar for each Americanevery week. And it makes sense that nearly of quarter of that sugar comes from sugary beverages like soda. Thats why the recent popularity of fizzy, zero-calorie beverages is encouragingespecially to dentists like Drs. Courtney & Cooley. Brands like La Croix, Spindrift and Bubly have started to replace popular sodas as the drinks of choice for adults, teens and even children. But is carbonated water good for your teeth?
Your tooths enamel is the hardest substance in your body. However, its not impenetrable and needs to be protected, which is one of the primary duties of saliva. Your saliva contains a tooth-healthy mix of calcium and phosphate and is normally at a pH of around 7 This provides just the right balance to keep enamel strong.
Sparkling water is made by adding carbon dioxide. This creates carbonic acid with a pH that typically ranges from 3-4. Carbonic acid is what gives these drinks their bite and creates a pleasant taste on the tongue. Unfortunately, when your mouth pH drops below 5.5, calcium and phosphate begin to go the opposite direction to regain balance outof tooth enamel and back into saliva. This is demineralization.
When tooth strengthening minerals begin to exit your enamel, small pores are created and enamel begins to dissolve. While these pores can still be plugged with more calcium or even fluoride (thats how toothpaste protects your teeth), a constant bathing of carbonic acid means that your mouth cant keep up. Simply put, too many fizzy drinks weaken your teeth.
While replacing sweetened beverages with plain sparkling water is certainly better for your teeth and overall health, its not without its drawbacks. Its best to stick with still water whenever possible and save the fizz for a special treat.