Smile with Confidence: A Comprehensive Guide to Dental Health and Care

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Braces, cosmetic dental procedures, Cosmetic dentistry March 17, 2017 0Comments

Alternatives to Braces

Braces can be the bane of one’s existence – not only for the teens who wear them, but the parents as well.  For kids, braces come during those awkward teenage years – a time fraught with angst over acne or other physical changes, and slapping on something that makes the teeth look the grille of a 1955 Rambler, sure doesn’t help matters much.  For parents, it is a pain as well … if their workplace sponsors a dental plan, orthodontia regimens may be included, partially or in total, but, if not – the price of braces can take a big bite out of the household budget, not to mention taking time off from work to transport kids to the orthodontist for regular appointments.

Be Proactive

You are probably not the first parent to wonder about alternatives to moving teeth into proper alignment.

Braces, cosmetic dental procedures, Cosmetic dentistry March 17, 2017 0Comments 0Likes
baby teeth, Cosmetic dentistry, Teeth and aging March 13, 2017 0Comments

How Do Teeth Age?

Teeth are not quite as unique as snowflakes, however, they do vary in size, shape and location in the jaw.  These differences in the teeth are what give our face shape and form and how we chew, speak or smile.  Did you know that we are born with 20 baby teeth (a/k/a “primary teeth”) that will begin to “erupt” or break through at about 6 months, and, by age 12, all 32 of our permanent teeth have usually erupted?

A Child’s Smile

There are many gap-toothed photos of you in your parents’ family albums.  Face it, all of a sudden your “cuteness quotient” goes down substantially when you begin losing those baby teeth.  The first teeth to go are the lower center teeth (a/k/a the lower center incisors) at approximately 6 to 7 years old.  Next are the top center pair.   It’s scary looking when you resemble a Halloween pumpkin, but, at least the Tooth Fairy helps make this time bearable.  Happily, a baby tooth typically doesn’t loosen until the permanent tooth below pushes it up to take its place.

When Do Teeth Start to Age?

baby teeth, Cosmetic dentistry, Teeth and aging March 13, 2017 0Comments 0Likes
Natural Remedies March 10, 2017 0Comments

Benefits of Eating More Dairy Products

The older you get, the more you realize that the meals you had growing up were maybe not so bad after all.

While Mom may not have had the resources about nutrition that are available to you today, especially via the internet, she really did know her stuff when you think about it.  So, where did Mom learn about the types of foods that make up the food pyramid – perhaps in her home economics class?  If you look back on meals when you were a youngster versus the suggested food groups to include in your daily diet, you might just concede that Mom was a smarter cookie than you ever gave her credit for.

For example, she filled your tummy with nutritious food, based on the five recommended food groups, a chart which really has not varied much through the years, and which guidelines are currently found at www.choosemyplate.gov and are listed below:

  • Vegetables (including legumes/beans);
  • Fruits (all fruits and juices);
  • Grains (mostly wholegrain and/or high-fiber cereal and bread);
  • Protein (lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts/seeds and legumes/beans); and
  • Dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat).

Indeed you are what you eat, and a diet consisting of these foods will give you the nutrition needed to stay healthy from youth to old age.

Natural Remedies March 10, 2017 0Comments 0Likes
bad breath, dental questions, Halitosis, oral health March 8, 2017 0Comments

Best Diet to Prevent Bad Breath

It’s hard to resist raw chopped onions on a Coney dog or a big burger with a thin slice of raw onion, but you’d better hope you don’t have to socialize too much after downing these tasty treats.

Battling Bad Breath

As a general rule, bad breath is related to what we drink or eat.  As to beverages, alcohol is sure to give you bad breath, coffee does as well.  Different cultures have spicy foods, and people who consume these foods on a regular basis, will experience odors, not only emanating from their mouth, but also from their pores.

Listerine, a leading mouthwash manufacturer, says there are five top foods that will give you bad breath – of course, we are familiar with onions and garlic being the biggest culprits, and even canned tuna is no surprise, but horseradish and dairy foods also make your mouth feel a little funky.

Dairy products as a source for bad breath may surprise you, but, while dairy products may be good for your teeth and bones, they make your mouth feel unclean.  This is because naturally occurring bacteria from your tongue feeds on the amino acids in dairy products (milk, cottage cheese, yogurt and cheeses), resulting in a foul odor.

bad breath, dental questions, Halitosis, oral health March 8, 2017 0Comments 0Likes
dental health, dental questions, Enamel protection, Teeth Whitening, Tooth Erosion March 6, 2017 0Comments

What Does Wine Do to Teeth?

Red wine and concord grape juice have been long known to do two things:

#1 – make an indelible stain on clothes or carpeting; and

#2 – prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol that leads to the formation of plaque in artery walls.

As to #2, if you were looking for an excuse to have that morning glass of grape juice or a  nightly glass of red wine perhaps you have one now.  After all, if a mere beverage can help lower the risk of developing blood clots that lead to heart attacks, you might as well go for it, right?  One important thing to remember is that having stained teeth does not mean that your teeth are unhealthy, and if you have stained teeth there are solutions such as a visit to a top dentist and an in office tooth whitening procedure.

dental health, dental questions, Enamel protection, Teeth Whitening, Tooth Erosion March 6, 2017 0Comments 0Likes
Dental care for smokers, gum disease, Halitosis, Oral Cancer, oral health, Teeth March 3, 2017 0Comments

What Does Smoking Do to Teeth?

A cigarette loosely tangling from your mouth, or cinched between your teeth, is a menacing look to be sure.  But, just in case you were wondering, smoking is also a menace to your teeth, besides your general health.

We all know smoking is bad for your health, and, we did not have to read the warning label on the side of the pack to know this fact.  There are public service announcements galore which point to the fact that smoking causes cancer.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, and, about 70 of them are known to cause cancer.  The number one risk of smoking cigarettes is lung cancer, but, smoking is known to affect your entire body.  Did you know it can also affect your oral health as well?

Dental care for smokers, gum disease, Halitosis, Oral Cancer, oral health, Teeth March 3, 2017 0Comments 0Likes
dental questions, perfect smile, Teeth March 1, 2017 0Comments

Health Benefits of Smiling

“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do” ~Mother Teresa

Those are wise words indeed, spoken by the late Mother Teresa.  These days, world events have us weary and worried.  Many times we shuffle out of the door, breaking a smile to those to whom we feel obligated to smile at, but, admittedly our smile is not always heartfelt.  We are wise to cast our cares aside when we venture out, so that we let others see the good in our soul, and not the sorrows or angst that we might carry with us.  Even those who suffer from depression will benefit from a smile – a shared smile that they give away or one that they receive.

Just Grin

The idea of presenting a happy face to the world is good for your psyche.  In fact, smiling is the best present we can give to ourselves.  It is free and people will be more enamored with you from benefiting from your positive influence on them.

dental questions, perfect smile, Teeth March 1, 2017 0Comments 0Likes