Prevent The Flu By Starting With Your Toothbrush

Flu season is upon us again, we are constantly washing our hands to prevent the spread of germs. But it is JUST as important to pay attention to your toothbrush.

Here are some helpful tips that could help prevent you from catching that nasty flu:

• Replace your toothbrush about every 2-3 months. If you already have a cold replace the brush once you feel better.  
• Sterilize the toothbrush, this should be done about once a week. If someone in the household is sick you may want to do this twice a week. The best way to sterilize the toothbrush is by running it through the dishwasher when you do a load of dishes. If you don't have a dishwasher, place your toothbrush in a microwave-safe dish and fill it up with about 2-3 inches of water and bring to a boil for 3-4 minutes.
• Store your toothbrush away from others, use a toothbrush cover if possible and always store it upright. Also try to use your own toothpaste, because if the bristles touch the toothbrush of others you are spreading germs from one person to another.

Good dental habits are very important to a healthy body. Take care during this flu season!

Say Cheese...

Excuse me, do you have a moment to talk about cheese? I sure hope so because what I am about to tell you is interesting!

We all know that cheese is a great source of calcium and protein but did you know that cheese is actually good for your teeth?

Check out this article "Is cheese Good for Your Teeth?"  by Hygienist Rachel Nicholson-Moriarity as she will explain the dental benefits of eating cheese!

Colors & Themes Really Make A Difference In A Dental Office

Have you ever wondered why your dental office is decorated a certain way...or maybe why it isn't?  The fact is, color can make a waiting room or an operatory look inviting, or make you want to turn and run!  Imagine that you walked in to a dental office for the first time and the walls were say, a dark shade of ming orange and the chairs were red.  You might immediately turn around and head for the door and see that the accent wall is, eeek!  A deep shade of purple.  Now there is a dentist in serious need of a decorator!
So, would you immediately distrust that dentist?  He or she may be the best technical dentist in the state, but the fact is, color speaks volumes to a patient in a waiting room, and first impressions are everything. There is actually a psychology to color in the medical/dental world.
Green, in pale variations, is a relaxing color.  Seafoam is very popular and is also relaxing.  Blue denotes honesty and security and softer shades of pink and mauve are calming. In contrast, red in darker shades is an angry color...it can enhance an already bad mood, or make an anxious patient more anxious. The idea is that it should be inviting and you should have a sense of being in good hands immediately when you walk in.
Now, that is not to say that you should turn and run if the colors are wrong, but in case you ever wondered why you may feel a certain way or get a certain impression when you walk in to a dental facility, it could be the decor!

Keep smiling!

Cigarette Butts...

Did you know that there are approximately one billion smokers around the world? Crazy, right!

Let's think about how many cigarettes that equals. According to smoking statistics from around the world, about 6.5 trillion cigarettes are sold yearly and that breaks down to 18 billion cigarettes a day!

As we all know, second-hand smoke can cause major health issues but have you ever wondered if cigarette butts are dangerous? Me either, until I read an article called "No butts about it: Used cigarettes emit toxins, study finds" by Melissa Busch. Click here to read this interesting article!

Broken Bridgework - Get it Fixed ASAP!

I had a friend who recently went to the dentist with severe pain in the area of her bridge. This pain had been present for a couple years but only when she chewed, so she didn't think much of it. Eventually it got worse and worse until the pain was unbearable, she was sick, her face was swollen and she couldn't eat.

Well, it turns out that for 2 years the bridge was actually broken. There was decay in a tooth underneath her bridge allowing for trapped food to get in which lead to a major infection. This made her really sick.
After almost 3 hours in the dentist chair and some oral surgery, they finally got her taken care of and had a new bridge on its way for her.

Just because a crown, implant or bridge is not "real" per-say, doesn't mean that it can be ignored if something goes wrong with it. It should be treated and maintained just like a real tooth at all times.

If you have questions as to how to properly care for your bridge, be sure to consult with your dentist.

Keep Smiling!

Determine Your Overall Health Just By Looking At Your Tongue!

Have you ever took a good look at your tongue? Me either!

Even though the tongue is one of the strongest muscles in the body and allows us to swallow, it plays an important role in our health.

With that being said, it's time to go look in the mirror and open wide!

If you notice any of the following, see your dentist as soon as possible.

White Coating: This could mean you have oral thrush commonly know as a yeast infection. This is where the genus candida develops on the mucous membrane.


White Patches: A condition called Leukoplakia, which leaves thick white patches on the tongue. This is often seen in people who smoke and chew tobacco.


Black Hairy Tongue: Yes, this is a real thing! This condition is temporary and harmless, it just gives the tongue a dark, furry appearance. This is just a collection of dead cells that are stained by tobacco use, dark-colored drinks and foods. Treatment is easy, just a good brushing and tongue scraping does the trick!


Overly Red Tongue: The symptoms are common to Kawasaki disease. Kawasaki disease is the inflammation in the blood vessels causing swelling and redness. This could be due to low levels of Vitamin B12. This can be easily added to your daily routine!

Irregular Red Bumpy Patches: This can be a sign that you have a fever...Get out that thermometer and double-check!

Tender Tongue: This could be a sign of a food allergy or the dreaded canker sore is about to appear.




*All pictures were found on google*

Do You Grind Your Teeth? Know These Facts!

I suffer from bruxism.....I have for many years now, and I thought I'd do a little research and blog about it because it affects your body in so so many ways. First, you should know that it is an unconscious, involuntary thing. When you are unconsciously grinding your teeth (clenching while awake, clenching and grinding while you are asleep) you are putting up to ten times the force on your teeth and jaws than when you are chewing food! Many people don't even realize they're doing it, and consequently, suffer from unexplained problems such as jaw pain, muscle fatigue, headaches, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, TMJ and a variety of other conditions, aside from the fact that it can fracture, shorten and cause your teeth to loosen, erode and decay.

The long term effects of bruxism are distressing because it can actually change your physical appearance! It can cause bags under the eyes, enlargement of the muscles around the joints of the jaw and curling of the skin around the lips. There are devices (night orthotics) that dentists can make for you to wear when you're sleeping to prevent this damage from happening. If you suspect that you are having this problem, ask your dentist today about a diagnosis and a night orthotic device to help correct the problem before it does long term damage.

Keep Smiling!