What better way to celebrate this October holiday than by trying to implement our four dental health tips into your daily routine. Dental Hygiene Month is meant to raise awareness of how important the health of your mouth is and to also encourage everyone to take better care of their teeth! With that, we give you four tips for better oral health:

Brush: We are aware that we sound a bit like a broken record here, but you should brush your teeth TWICE a day for TWO minutes each time. It is THAT important. =)
Floss: One time per day. Over 30% of your tooth structure exists between your teeth, so flossing ensures that ALL of your teeth and ALL of their surfaces gets clean.
Rinse: There are a lot of great mouth rinses out their that can provide a fluoride boost before bed. Remember though, even rinsing with water throughout the day or after a meal can help get rid of debris in your mouth! If you do use a mouth rinse, look for one without alcohol.
Chew: While too much chewing can put additional stress on your TMJ (temporomandibular joint), chewing a sugar free gum after a meal, can not only pull food debris out of the nooks and crannies of your teeth, but it increases saliva flow and helps to restore your mouth to a neutral pH level. Better yet, find a gum with xylitol, like this one, and give your teeth a protective boost!

All in all, try to set some good habits going now. That way, by the time the stress of the holidays come around, your dental habits will be in tip-top shape and ready to take on the changes in the routine that are sure to come up.

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

October is National Dental Hygiene Month!

Children's Dental Health Awareness Month!