Our standards
- Every number has a source. If we can't trace a figure to a reliable source, it doesn't go on the site.
- We prefer the strongest evidence available. In order: clinical practice guidelines and position statements from professional bodies; systematic reviews; individual peer-reviewed studies; official patient information from health services.
- We show disagreement. When respected sources give different numbers, such as how long to wait before using a straw after an extraction, we show the range and name the sources. We don't pick one and hide the rest.
- We write for people, not search engines. Plain words, short sentences, the answer first.
- No sponsored content. No company pays to appear in a tool or to change a result. Ads from our ad network appear in separate spaces on the page; advertisers don't choose or change anything a tool says.
How we use AI tools
We use software tools, including AI writing assistants, to help draft text and code and to check pages for errors. They never decide what's true. Each number is checked against the cited source, and each calculator is tested against published values before a page goes live.
Testing
Calculators separate their logic from the page so it can be tested automatically. Tests check published values, boundaries (like the day a tooth's window opens), date edge cases and the safety rules (for example, that every red-flag answer leads to "call 911").
Updates
Each tool shows a Last reviewed date. We recheck time-sensitive pages on a schedule: fluoride guidance every 6 months, Tooth Fairy rates each February when the new poll is published, and every page at least once a year. Found an error? See our corrections policy.