Root canals have a bad reputation they don’t deserve and we think Hollywood is to blame. Movies and television shows often portray root canal therapy as a painful and frightening procedure. The truth is that most root canal procedures are quite painless Read more
We’ve all heard that the pen is mightier than the sword. You might also say that the toothbrush is mightier than the drill! That’s because if you wield your toothbrush properly, it’s a very powerful weapon against tooth decay & gum disease. Read more
Among the many health fads and rumors going around the web, oil pulling is one that we dentists get asked about a lot. The question is, does oil pulling really prevent tooth decay? Read more
Among the many changes that women experience in their bodies when they become pregnant, changes to their oral health may be among the most surprising and perplexing. Read more
As the dental health professionals in charge of keeping your smile healthy, we want to do everything we can to keep potential health threats away from your teeth. We all know that sugar can cause major problems when it comes to oral health, particularly tooth decay. That being said, we know it’s unrealistic to tell you to stay away from sugar all together. Still, we want to give you the best opportunities to take good care of your teeth, so here are a few yummy low sugar dessert recipes you can use to satisfy your sweet tooth without overdoing it on sugar!
Source: Oatmeal With a Fork
These yummy brownies promise all the chocolaty goodness of a regular brownie without packing a big sugar punch. Rather that lots of granulated sugar, this recipe includes a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or brown rice syrup instead. Get the complete recipe from Lauren at Oatmeal With a Fork here.
Source: Better Homes And Gardens
These creamy & tangy key lime cheesecake bars are sure to be a refreshing treat despite the fact that they contain barely any sugar! If you’re a fan of raw diet options, you should also note that this is a no-bake recipe (but it does contain graham crackers, which are baked). Get the full recipe plus a great video showing the preparation process at Better Homes And Gardens here.
Source: Power Hungry
You’ll be stunned at how easy these sweet & chewy cookies are to make! Just like the title says, there are only two ingredients: old-fashioned oats & super ripe bananas. Plus, as recipe-writer Camilla suggests, you can punch up the flavor & the texture with additional ingredients such as peanuts & shredded coconut. Get the entire recipe from Power Hungry here.
Source: Low Carb Yum
This twist on a traditional pudding is sure to satisfy your spiced pumpkin pie cravings without the usual load of sugar that goes along with it. This recipe is also no-bake, dairy free & contains chia seeds which are often called a superfood. Get the full recipe at Low Carb Yum here.
Got another low-sugar or sugar-free dessert favorite? Share it with us & we’ll be sure to tell the rest of our family of dental patients about it!
As dental professionals we often feel like a broken record (or a scratched CD, depending on your generation) telling patients that they need to floss more. We don’t mean to be nags, we just want you to have the healthiest, happiest smile possible!
While brushing cleans the front & back surfaces of your teeth, flossing is the only way to properly clean the spaces between your teeth (what dental pros call the inter-proximal region). Even if you’re a teeth brushing superstar, you’re not cleaning your entire tooth if you don’t floss.
Here are just a few of the problems you will avoid by flossing daily:
The same micro-organism filled plaque that accumulates on the front & back of your teeth can accumulate between them. This bacteria-ridden buildup can cause cavities & tooth decay if it isn’t cleaned away by flossing.
The bacteria in plaque left between your teeth can also eventually lead to bad breath. So if you brush & use mouthwash & still find yourself with bad breath, not flossing may be the culprit.
Plaque that is left on your teeth can eventually harden into a substance called tartar, which can lead to gum disease. You can prevent the development of tartar by flossing, but once tartar has formed, only scaling & cleaning at the dentist can remove it.
Poor dental hygiene has been linked to both heart disease & aggravation of symptoms for those with diabetes. Remember that your mouth is an entry point for your entire body, so keeping your teeth healthy by brushing & flossing can prevent disease-causing pathogens from getting in.
If you feel you need a reminder of the best way to floss, your dentist or dental hygienist will always be happy to give you a demonstration at your next visit. You may also be more likely to floss if you find the right type of floss for your mouth. Try different types, such as unwaxed, waxed or tape floss, or floss on a pick tool, until you find what feels the most comfortable for you.
Over time, plaque (a thick, bacteria-filled film) and tartar (a hard calcium-based build-up) can build up on your teeth. While regular brushing & flossing at home can help prevent this buildup, it can’t necessarily remove it. That’s why going to your dentist for a professional cleaning is so important.
Even if you have impeccable home oral hygiene habits (you floss & brush for at least two minutes twice daily, or even after every meal), there is still work for your dental hygienist to do at your teeth cleaning appointment. The cleaning you get at the dentist is a more thorough cleaning that you can get at home, even if you’re a brushing & flossing superstar.
If left on your teeth, icky buildups of plaque & tartar create an ideal habitat for bacteria to thrive. Allowing bacteria to stay on your teeth & near your gums can lead to both tooth decay & gum disease, both of which can cause you to lose your teeth (not to mention the pain & expenses). Bacteria have a harder time sticking to smooth, clean teeth than rough or fuzzy-feeling teeth with plaque & tartar on them.
Plus, having a professional teeth cleaning at the dentist means that you have a head start on keeping your teeth clean. Rather than battling potentially years of buildup (if you haven’t been to the dentist in a while), getting your teeth cleaned regularly means your get a clean start every six months & it will be that much easier to get a smooth, shiny smile at home between dental visits.
Best of all, cleanings can save you money in the long run. Most insured patients don’t pay anything out of pocket for their cleanings, so it’s essentially free. Plus, if you catch problems early or have the opportunity to prevent them you could eliminate the need for more expensive restorative procedures or gum disease treatments in the future.
Our team has been caring for our community for a while now & we’ve noticed many patients come to us with the same questions over & over again. Always feel free to ask us questions when you have them! In the meantime, check out the FAQ & answers below to learn more about your oral health. Read more
Test your knowledge of dentistry & your dental health! Take the quiz & see the answer key at the bottom to see how well you did. Read more
When most of us think of the affect of food on our teeth, we probably think of the age-old wisdom that sugar causes tooth decay. And while sugar is a notorious culprit, there are many other ways that the foods you eat affect your teeth, & not all of it is bad news. Read more