Tag: Dental Care

Y is for Yellow

Yellow is a beautiful, vibrant color. Think of the sun or sunflowers. Daffodils in the Spring.

What you don’t want to associate yellow with is your teeth. Yellowing can develop with age as your enamel wears down, but also can result in certain foods or drinks. Red wine, coffee and black tea can cause stains as well as colas or sports drinks. Sugars and simple carbohydrates can cause bacteria and discolor teeth.

The use of tobacco can also cause discoloration.

If you think your teeth are more yellow than you want there are some things you can do.

  • Cut back on your coffee, tea or wine drinking as well as your smoking.
  • Drink with a straw. This keeps liquids away from your teeth.
  • Improve your dental hygiene by brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash every day.
  • Have your teeth cleaned every 6 months by your dental hygienist.

By doing these steps you can help reduce the stains you have now. Call our office, Brogdon Dental PC, to set up your cleaning and discuss ways to help keep your teeth looking as good as possible.

Take your vitamins…

How many times did you hear your mother say, “Did you take your vitamins?”  I know as a kid my Mom would say this to me every morning before school as she would dole out our Flintstone vitamins. But seriously, vitamins do play a major role in our health, but did you know that certain vitamins can help with your dental health?  Doctors have found that Calcium and Vitamin D not only help your bones but can help strengthen your teeth as well.

According to WebMD… “If you’re supplementing your diet with calcium and vitamin D to prevent bone loss, you may be more likely to hang onto your pearly whites, according to a report from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research in Toronto.”

To explore the role of supplementation on tooth retention, the researchers followed more than 140 older adults for five years. Participants took either a placebo or 500 mg of calcium plus 700 units of vitamin D daily for three years. Both during and after the trial, their teeth were examined periodically.

For those who took supplements, the likelihood of losing one or more teeth was 40% less, even two years later. Tooth loss was also linked to the number of cavities, frequency of flossing, and use of thiazide diuretics, a type of medication that helps lower blood pressure.

Adding vitamins like calcium and vitamin D to your morning regime can not only help you feel better and have stronger bones, but can help save your teeth.

Be sure not to overdo though. The recommended upper limits are 2,500 mg a day for calcium and 1,000 units a day for vitamin D. Any more than that could be toxic. Be sure to check with your doctor if you take more than the recommended amount.

And don’t forget to brush and floss daily as well. Your Mom would be proud!

 

Dehydration and Oral Health

Although summer may be coming to a close, temperatures continue to soar in to the upper 90’s. The end of summer has many students heading back to school.  With the beginning of the new school year brings the start of high school athletics. Many kids will participate in practices, especially football, in the late afternoon heat after classes. The need to maintain adequate hydration is essential, especially considering the many problems it can cause. Failure to drink enough fluids before physical activity can result in serious issues.

One of the first warning signs of dehydration is dry mouth.  You may find that you have trouble swallowing, and others may notice that you have bad breath, which is one of the problems associated with a dry mouth.  If your mouth is not producing enough saliva it can become an breeding ground for bacteria. This bacteria causes infections that may lead to cavities and gingivitis.

We need sufficient saliva in our mouths to wash away food debris and reduce plaque, which is why severe tooth decay and gum disease can occur if dry mouth is left untreated. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, 30 percent of all tooth decay in older adults is caused by dry mouth. (www.toothwisdom.org)

Besides drinking plenty of water and brushing and flossing daily; chewing sugar free gum or sucking on sugar free mints can help fight dry mouth since they stimulates saliva production. Products that contain xylitol (a sugar substitute) can actually help prevent cavities.

As the temperatures still continue to rise, keep a check on your hydration. If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Experts recommend at least a gallon (eight 8-ounce glasses) of water per day. Dehydration effects every part of your body including your oral health. Keep drinking water.

Time…

“In the nick of Time… All in good Time…Only a matter of Time…Time will tell…Time Flies…” We’ve all heard these catch phases concerning time.  In the busy world we live in, it just seems that we have so little of it and our days fly by in a rush.  We look around us and wondered where the time went.

We at Brogdon Dental realize how important your time is to you. Because of that, we have added forms on our website for all our new patients to download, print and fill out before their scheduled appointment.

Visit our website at www.brogdondentalpc.com and scroll down until you see our list of patient forms. We have created these in a PDF format for your convenience.

We look forward to your visit and hope you will have the “time of your life”!

 

May is National Smile Month

May 16th begins National Smile Month, a national campaign to promote good oral health in children and adults. Here are some key points from nationalsmilemonth.org to maintain a health smile:

  • Brush your teeth last thing at night and on at least one other occasion with a fluoride toothpaste.
  • Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks.
  • Visit your dentist regularly.
  • Change your toothbrush every two to three months or sooner if it becomes worn.
  • Clean in between your teeth at least once a day using floss.
  • If you are nervous about visiting the dentist, make sure they are aware of why so they can improve your treatment.

A great smile can improve your self-confidence, create a positive mind set and can change not only your mouth, but your body too.

BeauBrogdon

We at Brogdon Dental want you to get your smile on. Call us today to make an appointment.

 

 

Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Since April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, we want to remind everyone that now is the time to visit your Dentist for your regular exam. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, Approximately 48,250 people in the U.S. will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer this year. 132 new people in the US EVERY DAY will be newly diagnosed with an oral cancer, and that one person EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY, 24/7/365 will die from it.

Oral Cancer Month

An oral cancer screening is an essential part of every dental exam, and should be done at least annually according to the Oral Cancer Foundation.

Oral Cancer exams are:

1. Painless
2. Inexpensive
3. Non-invasive
4. Quick
5. Necessary 

When identifying potential warning signs of oral cancer, dentists are often the first ones that will notice any problems.  Generally oral screenings are perform during your routine six month dental check-up. Remember, Oral Cancer one of the fastest growing types of cancer.

Call us today at Brogdon Dental to schedule your exam with Dr. Brogdon. Don’t be one of the 48,000+ who didn’t take it seriously. Your life could depend on it.

The Heart of the Matter

Since February is National Heart Month, we wanted to review the relationship between heart disease and gum disease.  Heart disease is the leading cause of death in North America and gum disease affects 46 percent of the population.  Gum disease, also known as Gingivitis or Periodontitis, is caused by bacteria that grows on the teeth under the gums. Studies show that patients with gum disease are at a higher risk for heart disease.

According to Science Daily, A University of Florida study shows that the same bacteria that cause gum disease also promotes heart disease — a discovery that could change the way heart disease is diagnosed and treated.

Understanding the importance of treating gum disease in patients with heart disease will lead to future studies and recommendations for careful attention to oral health in order to protect patients against heart disease

Brushing teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day is recommended. Teeth should be professionally cleaned every six months.

At Brogdon Dental, we want to protect your smile as well as your heart.  Make your appointment today for your teeth cleaning. Your heart and your family will thank you.

Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss and a Fork 5

February is the month for love and what better way to express your love than with Chocolate.  But isn’t chocolate bad for your teeth? Surprisingly no! In fact chocolate can be good for your teeth as the following studies show.

dark chocolate

5. Chocolate

Candy is a dentist’s nemesis, but unique properties in cocoa and its husk actually maintain healthy teeth, according to several new studies.

Cocoa extracts work as well as fluoride to strengthen teeth and protect them from decay, Japanese researchers at Osaka University discovered. But not just any chocolate will do. 

Tulane University researchers compared different types of European chocolate and found that dark chocolate, made from 70% cocoa, had the most protective effect, because it contains the most polyphenols (health-boosting compounds) to protect teeth. 

And it doesn’t take much. Study participants ate a small 15 gram (g) piece of dark chocolate (approximately 76 calories). 

The 2007 study’s lead researcher Arman Sadeghpour, Ph.D., has patented, and is producing a new peppermint-cocoa toothpaste called Theodent, which he says is an effective natural alternative to fluoride toothpaste.

The Tulane study could prove beneficial especially since the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services concluded in 2011 that Americans might be getting too much fluoride from drinking water and food sources. Too much fluoride can lead to fluorosis, resulting in a permanent staining of teeth and brittle bones. (lifescripts.com)

Wow, chocolate toothpaste. That could be a new Valentine’s gift!

Need your teeth whitened as well?  Give us a call to set up your appointment. Brogdon Dental 423-870-5698.