April Is National Cancer Control Month!

checkupWhy are we discussing cancer on a dental newsletter? Because dental health affects your overall health, and your smile is your dentist’s business. Oral Cancer is a little discussed cancer that is on the rise, despite the overall decline in cancer rates. Why? Awareness. Many people simply don’t talk about oral cancer. Your dentist wants to change that.

Every year, almost 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer. Of these cases, 70% are discovered in the disease’s later stages. As many as one fourth of those diagnosed didn’t even participate in the risky behaviors commonly attributed to the disease, such a tobacco use or excessive alcohol consumption.

Continue reading April Is National Cancer Control Month!

Attention Athletes! Shocking News About Energy Drinks

man listening to dental newsWe all know soda is bad for our teeth. You may have even done one of those experiments in third grade where you place a baby tooth in Coke overnight and witness the horrifying consequences. Well researchers have done a similar experiment with popular fitness drinks and with startling results. According to a study published in the AGD’s journal General Dentistry, energy drinks can cause 3 to 11 times more enamel erosion than soft drinks.

Here’s what went down:
Scientists immersed cavity-free teeth in a variety of popular beverages and let them fester for 14 days, which equals about 13 years of normal beverage consumption. As you can imagine, all the beverages tested caused pretty significant damage to the tooth enamel, but certain players stepped up to the plate and really knocked it out of the park. In order of ferocity: Continue reading Attention Athletes! Shocking News About Energy Drinks

Smiles Needs Protecting When You’re Expecting

pregnancy healthGetting ready to welcome a new member into your family is an exciting time. Between much-needed rests (sustaining a growing baby saps a lot of your energy!), you focus on all sorts of preparations. You’ll decorate the nursery, attend check-up visits and sonogram appointments with your doctor, and some unfortunate soul will be tasked with the job of putting together the baby’s crib.

In the flurry of anticipation, don’t forget to take care of your teeth and gums. It’s likely more important now than ever to keep brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist for preventive maintenance like professional cleanings and checkups. Studies suggest a link between gum disease and instances of premature births, as well as other pregnancy complications, so you want to keep a very close watch on your dental health during this most formative stage of your child’s development.

Swollen, bleeding gums are a common complaint for pregnant women, and it stems from the higher progesterone levels in your body. The increase of this hormone means your gums are more prone to irritation from plaque, which can quickly cause gingivitis. Continue reading Smiles Needs Protecting When You’re Expecting

Healthy Body, Healthy Smile: What Good Nutrition Can Do for You

shutterstock_48963310Quick! Make a mental list of habits that have an impact on your dental health.

You thought about brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups, right? Those are all hugely beneficial in keeping your teeth healthy, it’s true. But did you know that your diet has a big influence on your dental health? To really address the overall issue, let’s dig a little.

Many people don’t realize that a balanced diet with good nutrition is a key element in keeping a smile attractive and healthy. The same vitamins and minerals that keep your body in great shape are equally beneficial to your teeth. A few powerhouse players include:

Safeguard Your Smile in Time for Summer Sports

cyclistFor many, summertime translates to an abundance of outdoor activities and sporting events. From baseball to soccer to cycling and many more, summer sports take advantage of the warm weather and allow us to exercise our winter-weary muscles. While you’re gearing up for your next sporting event, don’t forget to protect your most important summertime asset—your smile!

Here are a few pointers for optimal dental health while you’re on the playing field: Continue reading Safeguard Your Smile in Time for Summer Sports

Save Your Teeth by Coping with Stress

stressDo you ever feel like circumstances are spinning out of your control? You’re not the only one. If there’s one thing we all have in common fairly often, it’s that stressful situations can occupy our minds and sap our energy. Not only that, stress can actually compromise your health. If you are stressed, it’s more likely that you’ll grind your teeth during sleep. While this bit of information has been around for a while, a recent study shed light on new piece of the teeth-grinding puzzle.

The article published in journal Head and Face Medicine shows that some ways of coping with stress can be healthier for your teeth and jaw than others. Those people who deal with stress by attempting to ignore their problems or internalize them are at higher risk for teeth grinding, also called bruxism. The study found that heavy grinders often used what were termed “negative” coping methods, like ignoring the causes of stress instead of working through problems directly. Continue reading Save Your Teeth by Coping with Stress