Fall into Good Oral Health!

Some people like to think that their teeth will be exactly like their parents teeth were. You might think, "If mom had a lot of decay, so will I". While genetics can play a role in how your teeth are, your daily habits and routine can make a huge difference in your oral health, regardless of your parents.

So, why not make this fall the time to ‘fall’ into good oral health by developing some good habits and using the best products. For starters, you do need to floss once a day and brush for 2 minutes, two times a day, every day. This is imperative for your teeth to stay healthy! You also might want to consider investing in an electric toothbrush. These tools are extremely helpful in making sure you brush for the correct time and they do a great job at removing debris from your teeth and helping them to keep their pearly white color.

When it comes to color, many people would like to have whiter teeth. At home, try a whitening toothpaste to use when you brush twice a day. In addition, drink liquids that might stain your teeth (coffee, tea, red wine are a few examples) in moderation, and always try to drink water immediately after. 

If you really want to make an impact on your tooth color though, the best thing to do is to professionally whiten your teeth. Seeing a dentist for custom whitening trays will ensure that the whitening solution stays on your teeth, where it belongs, and not on your gums or tongue. Your dentist will also have high quality, professional whitening solution, which will give you the best results. 

While you are at the dentist to ask about your whitening, make sure you schedule your preventative exam and cleaning. These twice-a-year dental visits are extremely important. For one, they allow your dentist and hygienist to make sure you are doing the best job you can at home. They can recommend a product, if needed, and teach you the best way to care for your teeth. In addition, these (usually) bi-annual visits allow your dentist to catch any issues or decay earlier rather than later. The earlier tooth decay is caught, the easier it is to treat it and the less tooth structure it will affect.

So, if you know you are due for your dental visit, we encourage you to schedule it now. Make this fall the season you take charge of your dental health and develop some good dental habits!

And, remember, pumpkin spice lattes are delicious, but they are acidic, sugary and have staining potential … so, everything in moderation!

Why do we visit the dentist twice a year?

This week on The Rahny Taylor Morning Show, Erin and the group spoke about why it's so important to visit the dentist regularly. There are a couple key takeaways here:

1. How often you should see your dentist is something that you should decide with your dental health professional. While the average is once every 6 months, some people would greatly benefit from going more frequently. 
2. Visiting your dentist regularly allows your dental health professional to assess how your home dental care is going. Checking on the health of your gums is extremely important and being able to catch any decay early will benefit you in more ways than one.
3. Even the best brusher could get decay between their teeth. Flossing regularly is a good way to try to prevent this type of decay but going to see your dentist regularly will allow them to check and see how everything is looking. X-rays can be very helpful in catching decay between the teeth early.

So remember, visit your dentist regularly and discuss with them how often you should be going to properly care for your teeth!

Children's Dental Health Awareness Month!

Every year, in February, we celebrate National Children's Dental Health Awareness Month. We believe it is SO important to educate our patients, families, parents and young children about how they can and why they should care for their teeth. 

We like to celebrate by going to local classrooms and talking directly with the children within our community about why it's so important to take care of their teeth. This year, we are visiting 17 local classrooms and talking to over 350 children! That's a LOT of teeth!

So, why is it so important to take care of your child's teeth?

• You only get one set of adult teeth ... and they have to last the rest of your life!
• Decay can cause pain and eventual tooth loss, if not treated.
• We use our teeth to eat, talk and smile ... EVERY day.

How can you take care of your child's teeth?

• See a dentist and hygienist for a professional cleaning every 6 months
• Brush your teeth 2 times a day, for 2 minutes each time
• Floss once a day
• Eat healthy foods and drinks
• Eat sugary, acidic or sticky foods in moderation
• Replace your toothbrush every 3 - 6 months
• Regularly check to see if your child is doing a good job brushing and even assist them in brushing once a day (generally until they are 8 - 10 years old, but can vary)
• Have your dentist or hygienist place sealants on your child's teeth 
• Use a fluoride rinse at home

All of these things are actions we can take on a frequent, if not daily, basis to ensure that we are properly caring for our teeth. Our teeth are so important to our well-being and they will only last as long as we take care of them. 

Be sure to schedule your child for their preventative dental visit and make sure your child is brushing 2 minutes, 2 times a day and flossing once a day!

For more information on sealants or questions about your child's care, feel free to ask any of our staff or your dentist.

For more information on Children's National Dental Health Month and for downloadable activities, visit these sites: 

• http://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month
• http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Public%20Programs/Files/NCDHM/2017NCDHM-activities-calendar.pdf?la=en
• http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Public%20Programs/Files/2017NCDHM-stoplightmilk%20edit.pdf?la=en