Halloween: The Dental Connection!

Halloween is here, from Trick or Treating, Trunk or Treating, to Church Fall Harvest Festivals, all seem to involve a constant increased flow of candy, which can put you and especially your children's teeth at risk for cavities!  To keep everyone's teeth cavity free during this season of abundant candy, check out these tips for those Halloween treats that your household may be collecting this holiday.

• SORT THROUGH THE CANDY.  Remove any candy that you or your kids really don't like. Keep only your favorites.  Avoid sour gummy candies.  Not only are these types sugary and sticky, but the sour flavoring is very acidic, a deadly dental combo.

• VANISHING ACT.  Many kids love to keep their Halloween candy and goodies in their bedroom.  Grazing on candy all day and before bedtime is a cavity waiting to happen. Keeping the "prized stash" out of sight can help limit the amount everyone eats.

• SPREAD IT OUT.  Take Halloween candy and put it in smaller bags giving it to kids over time. This can help make it easier to limit the amount of candy everyone has at any one time.

• NO HALLOWEEN CANDY IN SCHOOL LUNCH BOXES.  Kids usually get enough sugar at school with fruit juices and sports drinks.  Considering that the next brushing cycle will not occur until bedtime, sugar will be sitting on teeth for at least eight hours! This can be scarier than Halloween!

Hopefully, these tips can help those of our valued patients that celebrate the Halloween season, keep everyone's teeth healthier during the busiest candy holiday of the year!  If you have any questions, or are in need of an appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,

DRT

Stone Face: The Dental Connection

We're bombarded today by food choices and differing opinions about those choices. Trans-fats? Gluten? Vegan? What can we truly learn from our ancestors?

Ancient People May Have Had Healthier Teeth

Does that seem strange?  Ancient people didn't have modern dental care or fluoride toothpastes, but they did have a different diet.  Researchers studied DNA from preserved tartar of ancient humans and concluded that these ancient mouths may have been healthier than ours today.  The "basic" foods that people ate allowed for more diverse bacteria to develop with none monopolizing the others.

The Industrial Revolution Introduced Processed Sugar And Many Flour-Based Foods

Our ancestors' lifestyles eventually changed from nomadic to agricultural.  Farming drastically changed their diets and may have started the decline in oral health.  But big changes came during the Industrial Revolution when processed sugar and flour became commonly consumed.  This change allowed for new cavity-causing bacteria to begin dominating modern mouths.

Be Smart, Eat Healthy, & Understand These Relationships

Eating is such a big part of life-physically, emotionally, and socially. In the end, of course, how we eat is an individual choice.  We just want you to be healthy, and your oral health is a huge component of your overall health.  So remember that consistently eating foods made from processed flour and lots of sugar can absolutely lead to a less healthy and more disease-prone mouth.

No need to adopt all of our ancestor's habits-like eating tons of meat, or drawing on cave walls.  But consider the things they were doing RIGHT, like eating more natural foods.

If you have any questions or are in need of an appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,
DRT

October: National Dental Hygiene Month!

October is here again and time to celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month!  The American Dental Hygiene Association and the Wrigley Company have once again partnered together for the fifth consecutive year to help raise public awareness about good oral health.  This year's campaign once again focuses on Brush, Floss, Rinse, Chew! 

• BRUSH: Always brush two minutes, two times a day, every day
• FLOSS: Ensure Flossing is a Daily Habit
• RINSE: Use mouthwash to improve oral health
• CHEW: Chewing sugar-free gum after eating can help fight tooth decay

More evidence continues to surface related to the important connection between good oral hygiene and the elevated risk for heart disease and stroke.  Simply remembering to brush two minutes twice daily, to effectively floss daily and to maintain your regular dental cleanings, can significantly reduce the oral bacteria that has been associated with your heart health!

If you have any questions or are in need of an appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,
DRT

October: The Dental Connection!

Hard to believe that it's October! Before long, the year will be over yet again. As the year starts to enter the last quarter of 2014, just a friendly reminder to all of our patients with flex spending, health savings, or insurance benefits that it's time to schedule your dental visits so that you can optimize your benefits.

Space is limited and schedules can get really busy around the approaching Holidays!  So don't wait, call our office at 918-455-0123 to set your dental appointment today!

God Bless,
DRT

Snack Foods: The Dental Connection!

Your eating habits and food choices can lead to tooth decay! Although a steady diet of sugary foods and drinks, including sports drinks, can damage teeth, even snacking on healthy foods throughout the day or "grazing" can also lead to an increased risk for cavities!

Consider these choices to reduce your risk for decay:

• Only have sugary foods and drinks with meals.
• Limit sugary drinks and snacks between meals.
• Chew ADA Approved sugarless gum.
• Drink water.
• Brush your teeth for two minutes twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste.
• Commit to regular dental visits.

Although almost all foods have some type of sugar, eating a balanced diet can help to keep you from feeling tired, getting sick, being overweight, and developing other health related problems, like tooth decay.  If you have any questions concerning nutrition and tooth decay, or are in need of an appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,

DRT

Cardiovascular Health: The Dental Connection!

Studies continue to show a strong correlation between gum disease and heart disease, underscoring the importance of good oral health care.  Cardiovascular disease remains American's leading killer according to the American Heart Association.  And an estimated 80 percent of American adults currently have some form of gum disease, also know as periodontal disease.

People with gum disease are believed to have an elevated risk of heart attack and stroke.  Since most patients are not regularly visiting a heart specialist, regular dental visits to our office can help detect early warning signs of gum disease, which again, has been linked to heart disease.  Early detection and prevention is the key!

KNOW YOU NUMBERS!

• Blood Pressure: Less than 120/80
• Cholesterol:  Less than 200
• BMI:  Less than 25
• Periodontal Numbers: 1-4MM

There are many benefits to visiting our office on a regular basis in addition to maintaining your dental health.  If you have any questions or are in need of a dental appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,

DRT

Stress: The Dental Connection!

Stress symptoms--which can include high blood pressure, severe headaches, and insomnia--may be affecting your health, even though you might not realize it.  You may think illness is the culprit when in fact stress may actually be the reason.  While not all stress is bad, most people overlook the toll that stress can cause on your mouth. How? Take a look:

• Teeth Grinding
• It's not uncommon for people dealing with stress to develop teeth grinding, also known as bruxism. People who grind their teeth at night may do so unconsciously, but the condition requires treatment to prevent the development of headaches, TMJ, and tooth damage.
•  Mouth Sores
• Research suggests that stress and depression harm your immune system, making it easier for infections to develop and stick around.  That can mean canker sores or a cold sore outbreak.
• Bad Habits
• Stress can lead to bad oral health habits such as smoking, drinking, and neglecting your daily brushing and flossing routine.  If you've been feeling under pressure lately, try to keep up your oral health routine--it will serve you well when your stress levels return to normal.

Although there's not always an easy way to reduce your stress levels, eating healthy, exercising regularly, spending time with your friends and family, and most importantly, prayer, are all good places to start.  If you have any questions or are in need of a dental appointment, call our office at 918-455-0123!

God Bless,

DRT