Keep Your Family's Teeth Health During Winter Break!

It's almost time for winter break!

For the majority of us, this is the busiest time of the year whether its holiday shopping or traveling, it probably feels like you are always on the go. Right?

Well here are a few tips on how to keep your family teeth healthy during all the hustle and bustle:

• Grab water - It's easy to just grab a sugary drink at a restaurant or at a store while traveling but drinking water helps prevent plaque-causing bacteria. 
•  Eat dental friendly snacks - Yes, its the holiday season so that means cookies, cakes, and candies but eating crispy fruits and veggies act as a natural toothbrush and help keep teeth clean. 
• Chew gum - Sugar-free that is. Chewing gum helps saliva flow which washes away any food particles left behind.
•  Maintain your routine - Just because our daily habits might be off balance for a week or so, doesn't mean you can skip brushing and flossing your teeth.

The Benefits of Bonding Your Teeth

Dental bonding, also known as a composite filling, is a conservative and very effective way to enhance your smile with an easy treatment that requires little, if any, advanced preparation and usually no enamel reduction. Dental bonding uses a composite resin filling that reduces or eliminates natural flaws in your teeth.
There are two types of bonding:

• Minor Corrections - For correcting small fillings and fillings in front teeth, bonding is a good solution that can generally be completed in one dental visit. Color matching to your natural tooth provides a nice result and the bonding adds strength to a weakened tooth.
• Major Corrections -For greater durability and strength, such as needed by a large filling, tooth colored fillings can be created at the dental lab. These are also known as a dental inlay or onlay. They are much more expensive than a composite filling. First, a mold is made of your teeth and you’ll receive a temporary filling. The dental laboratory creates a very durable, custom-fitted filling made of porcelain, which is bonded to your tooth on your second visit.

Many dentists today no longer do the traditional amalgam (silver) fillings, and bonding of the teeth is done earlier in children to protect their adult teeth from decay down the road.  

Could Antibiotics Worsen Oral Infections?

Usually, when you have an infected tooth, your dentist gives you antibiotics before any procedure right?

Well, new research from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio has found that antibiotics kill the "good" bacteria which helps keep the infection and inflammation at bay and can do more harm than good.

 Pushpa Panduyan stated "Of course, antibiotics are still needed for life threating infections. No question about that. Our bodies have many natural defenses that we shouldn't meddle with," she said. However, needless overuse of antibiotics is not helpful."

"Also, we know there is a definite link between oral health and overall health," she added.

 For the research and results click here!

Green Tea for Your Oral Health

Isn't it great when you find out that a product you use regularly and have come to love has added health benefits?  It's a commonly known fact that green tea has many health benefits for the human body.  It's a natural antioxidant and it's great for your digestive system. But I just recently found out that it provides many oral health benefits as well! 

Green Tea Facts:

•  It Reduces Periodontal Inflammation

•   It Kills Oral Cancer Cells

•  It Inhibits the Formation of Dental Plaque

•  It Repels Odor-Causing Bacteria

Studies have shown that just one cup of brewed green tea per day can reduce or slow down the process of gum recession, inhibit bacterial growth and can stop the recurrence of bleeding gums. Sounds promising and the added benefit is that green tea is refreshing and tastes great!  Now, remember not to drink the canned or bottled kind or sweetened tea as these have added ingredients and sugar.  The great benefits I've just outlined come from fresh brewed green tea.  

Enjoy, and Keep Smiling! 

Say NO To Cavities This Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we get to sit down with family and friends while we enjoy a wonderful meal and share with everyone on what we are thankful for!

One major thing to be thankful for is a healthy mouth, and I have a few tips on how to stay cavity free today.

• Reduce sugar intake
• Watch out for the starchy foods
• Floss after dinner and dessert
• Drink plenty of water

Remember its also essential to see your dentist on a regular basis for professional cleanings!

Ice Chewing - A Dangerous Habit!!

Chewing ice is a common, thoughtless habit that most of us are guilty of. We all know it's bad for you to chew ice, but if you're anything like me, you've found yourself chomping on a cube or two every now and then. Seems harmless, but according to the following facts, an ice chewing habit can mean trouble in more ways than one:

-Chewing ice is a sign of iron deficiency anemia and other nutritional deficiencies.

-Chewing ice is also a sign of Pica- a medical condition where people have strong urges and cravings to chew on non-nutritional substances such as rocks, pottery, dirt and ice.

-Chewing ice is also a guaranteed seat at the dentist office. It causes tiny fractures and chips which could lead to an abscess and cause you to need a root canal. Cosmetic dentistry to fix chipped or broken teeth can be pricey and is often not covered by insurance companies.

-Constant chewing can also damage existing fillings and crowns as they are not as structurally sound as a natural tooth. This could lead to a lot of pain and an expensive dental bill.

It's a difficult habit to break not to mention how annoying it is to hear someone else do it. But to this day I avoid drinks with ice because I still can't help myself!  Anyone else have an ice-chewing addiction like me? :D

Keep Smiling! 

Tooth Loss Can Lead To Malnutrition

Rutger University Students conducted a study which was recently published in the Journal of Aging Research and Clinical Practice showed that out of 107 senior citizens that were treated at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine Clinic between 2015 -2016, 25 percent of those patients suffered from malnutrition or were at risk for malnutrition. 

Those patients who suffered from malnutrition have an average of 10 to 19 teeth. If you're unable to eat because of the lack of teeth, your body is not getting the nutrients it needs to function which can lead to more severe health issues such as:

• Cancer
• Liver Disease
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Mental health issues
• Depression
• Schizophrenia
• Ability to digest food or absorb nutrients
• Crohn's disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Dementia
• Anorexia

 To prevent any of the following health issues due to malnutrition, talk to your dentist about getting dentures or implants.

Informations found here!