Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! The entire office of Thomas Family Dentistry sends out it's warmest wishes to all of our patients, friends, family, and to everyone.
Everyone at Thomas Family Dentistry knows that maintaining a healthy diet over the holiday season can prove a difficult task. After all, who can resist the tasty treats of Christmas? With grandma and everybody else offering you candy, chocolates or Christmas pudding, it's hard to say "I'll pass" each time! Unfortunately, every time you indulge in a Christmas treat, the bacteria in your mouth feast on the sugar as well. The sugar turns into acid, which can dissolve the enamel on your teeth!
At Thomas Family Dentistry, we know that your smile is important. And we know that you want to keep it sparkling and looking its very best. Recently, we came across an article that suggests at least 20 things that can ruin your perfect smile.
Good Morning Broken Arrow!
With the Holiday Season in full swing, many people feel a rise in the level of stress. Excess stress may give you a headache, stomach ache, or just a feeling of being "on edge." But did you know that too much stress could also be doing a number on your teeth, gums, and overall health.
Our entire team at Thomas Family Dentistry would like to wish you and your family a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! We wanted to say how thankful we are to have you in our dental family. We realize that our practice thrives because of great patients like you. We feel blessed because we not only help to keep you and your smile healthy, but we also have the pleasure of knowing you and your loved ones! For many, Thanksgiving marks the official start of the holiday season. The holidays are filled with great memories of family, food and fun! If you have any stories or pictures to share with us, we encourage you to post them on our Facebook page!
At Thomas Family Dentistry, our team knows that the way that you care for your teeth at home doesn't just affect your oral health--it can impact your overall health as well. In recent years, researchers have found clear links between the mouth and other parts of the body, and the evidence is especially important for people with diabetes.
Everybody knows that smoking causes lung cancer, but did you also know that smokers and tobacco users are susceptible to a variety of oral health problems at a faster rate than non-smokers?
Our entire staff at Thomas Family Dentistry would like to give those patients with flex spend, health savings, or insurance benefits a friendly end of the year reminder that it's time to schedule your dental visit so that you may optimize your benefits.
It's almost that time of year when candy abounds at every corner! Whether you are going door-to-door trick or treating, attending a party dressed in a clever, silly or scary costume, or attending a church Harvest Festival, our team at Thomas Family Dentistry want you to keep in mind the following tips from our friends at the American Dental Association to help reduce tooth-decay!
At Thomas Family Dentistry, we know that no one enjoys that "dirty" feeling that comes from having plaque on their teeth. Here are five ways that you can avoid that dreaded enemy of our teeth!
Did you know that October is National Dental Hygiene Month? For our staff at Thomas Family Dentistry, that means one thing: Reminding you that your teeth are an important part of your body, and that keeping them clean helps to keep your mouth and your body healthy. By taking care of your teeth, eating a balanced diet and visiting our convenient Broken Arrow office on a regular basis, you can have healthy teeth and an attractive smile throughout your entire life.
Dr. Thomas and our team realize that this is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness about the importance of oral hygiene. National Orthodontic Health Month also aims to recognize the dedicated work of orthodontists and other dental professionals in Oklahoma! 
Everyone loves FUN FACTS and dental tips. Dr. Thomas and our team at Thomas Family Dentistry came across these dental fun facts and thought that you might enjoy!
The end of Summer and then subsequently the beginning of Fall are just around the corner. Soon the temperatures will cool down, the leaves will start to change, and we're sure that you'll be thinking about Thanksgiving plans.
Our team at Thomas Family Dentistry knows that as more families turn to bottled water and away from the traditional tap, they may be missing out on one important ingredient that most brands of bottled water fail to include: fluoride!
At Thomas Family Dentistry, we know that most folks enjoy a hot-brewed coffee or tea in the morning, followed by a cola (or an iced coffee or tea) in the afternoon. But what many people don't know is that both coffee and tea are especially tough on your teeth. Tannic acid, the substance that make the dark color, etches into the pits and grooves of tooth enamel. This is how coffee and tea can stain your "pearly whites" brown.
Are you ready for some FOOTBALL! With the start of football season, this great seasonal sport often brings a rise in athletic activities, and with them, a rise in tooth and mouth related injuries. We at Thomas Family Dentistry have a few tips for you this season to keep your smile bright.
It is important to our entire team that we provide the highest quality of dental care in an informative and friendly environment. That includes helping our patients and their parents get the most out of their appointments, and making sure that they know how to practice good oral hygiene. Today, we would like to discuss two very important topics: Prevention and Timeliness of Treatment.
Over the past few months, our team at Thomas Family Dentistry has noticed that many patients are limiting their expenses to only necessary procedures, while opting out of elective procedures. As the U.S. economy has been slow to recover, we also understand that many folks are losing their dental insurance, or are adjusting to downgraded plans. Patients are being mindful of every dollar.
Did you know that the unpleasant sound of hearing someone grinding their teeth has been on the rise according to a recent study published in the Journal of Head & Face Medicine? The report suggests that people- adults and kids- faced with stress tend to cope by grinding their teeth while asleep. In addition, the Chicago Dental Society suggests that since the recession began in 2007, teeth grinding, or also known as bruxism, has been on the rise. Nearly 75% of dentists found that their patients reported increased stress over the past year, largely due to the economic recession.
Although this has been one of the Hottest Summers of recent memories, it has been a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories. Whether you headed to a barbecue, a camping trip, hit America's open roads or just had fun in the backyard, our team at Thomas Family Dentistry would love to hear all about your favorite summertime activities.
A debt of gratitude goes to all of our military personnel that are presently serving or have ever served our country. The Medal of Honor that is now the Purple Heart began as the "Badge of Military Merit." First awarded by General George Washington, the badge was a figure of a heart in purple cloth.
Dr. Thomas was raised in Arkansas and moved to Oklahoma to obtain his dental degree at Oral Roberts University. After graduating in 1986, he received a commission as a Lieutenant in the USPHS and worked with the Indian Health Service for 3 years. Upon his promotion to Lieutenant Commander, he was reassigned to the United States Coast Guard and stationed in Cape May, New Jersey. During his two year assignment, LCDR Thomas was on active duty during the first Gulf War to liberate Kuwait from the invasion that Sadaam Hussein had led. Under Federal Law, the USGC falls under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy during wartime activities. One of Dr. Thomas' most important duty assignments at the USCG New Jersey recruitment facility was to ready troops for deployment to the gulf during this time. 
When should you change your toothbrush? The average American only changes their brushes twice a year. The American Dental Association recommends that you change your toothbrush at least four times a year, which is approximately every 3 months and any time you are sick. If the bristles of your toothbrush start flaring before three to four months, then you are using too much pressure to brush your teeth! People with gum problems, other oral diseases, or weakened immune systems should change their toothbrush more often.
Dr. Thomas and the entire staff want to congratulate Kathy on her 13th year with our dental family at Thomas Family Dentistry. Kathy has been greeting our patients since July 1998! Besides spending her free time with her family and Boston Terriers, she loves connecting with our patients on a personal level and considers each patient as a friend. We appreciate Kathy's desire to greet each of our patients at Thomas Family Dentistry and strive to make our patients truly feel like family!
Summer is here, and with the incredible heat we've had this summer, many people jump into the pool to cool off! Our team at Thomas Family Dentistry found some helpful pool safety tips that we'd like to share with you, courtesy of our friends at the American Association of Pediatricians!
According to the American Dental Association, a person's smile outranked eyes, hair and body as the most important physical feature, which is why it's important for our team at Thomas Family Dentistry to support National Smile Month this June.
This summer, as you and your family head out to the ball game--whether it's a Major League park or the local tee ball game, it's important to remember to make smart, healthy choices when it comes to snacks. Here are some tips you can use to avoid greasy, ballpark foods:
If you know Dr. Thomas, then you know that his goal is to offer our patients the experience and expertise that they can trust. We at Thomas Family Dentistry are a dynamic team of caring individuals dedicated to unsurpassed excellence in the dental profession.
When Dr. Thomas is not in the office helping our patients perfect their smile, he enjoys attending conferences, meetings and seminars. This past weekend, Dr. Thomas attended an educational event in Branson, Missouri covering the latest dental information concerning your dental health. The educational forum was presented by Dr. Jim Drummond and Dr. Doug Damm, two of our nation's premier oral pathologists and faculty members at the University of Kentucky Dental School. The discussion topics that were presented covered the most current information on a broad range of areas from oral cancer to the dental implications related to the popular osteoporosis prevention drug, Boniva.
Did you know that the month of May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month? In 1983, President Ronald Reagan encouraged Americans to incorporate more physical activity into our lives. The reminder is even more significant today as people are more distracted by television, social networking, video games and working more hours. Living an active lifestyle can improve physical and mental health, productivity and overall well-being. The best part? It does not have to take a lot of time or effort.
Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is far more common than you might think. Each year, new studies continue to make the link between gum disease and the effects that it can have on the heart. Our staff at Thomas Family Dentistry have been helping spread the word! One of the simplest steps to achieving healthier gums can be your diet. We recently found an article outlining several options for healthier gums. Included among the suggestions were:
At Thomas Family Dentistry, we embrace technology, whether it's through innovative dental treatments that we offer, our high-tech web site or our Facebook Fan Page! As you can probably tell, we love connecting with our patients online, whether by getting the word out about our dental office specials and trivia contests on facebook, updated topics of interest on our Blog, or highlighting dental videos on our YouTube channel. We are grateful that so many of our patients consistently check out the social networking sites of Thomas Family Dentistry! We enjoy seeing all of your comments and developing new relationships with each one of our valued patients!
Bruxism, also called clenching or grinding, starts early in life while the permanent teeth are still in the process of developing. 15% of all children grind or clench their teeth. As the stresses of life mount, it seems that many people deal with those stresses while they are sleeping. 90% of individuals that clench and grind while asleep have no conscience remembrance of the habit. It is not uncommon for a grinder (men and women, equally) to experience 2 millimeters of enamel loss by their mid-twenties. What's more concerning, nighttime grinding can occur as often as 40 minutes for every hour of sleep, producing up to 250 pounds of force per square inch. That is enough pressure to crack a walnut!