Jul 20, 2016
When sweet summertime strikes, what’s better than a cool, refreshing ice cream cone beneath the hot and humid sun? Neighborhood ice cream shops are open and bustling with business. While you’re likely craving a delicious sundae, consider your oral health. Classic ice cream is full of sugars and loaded with fat. While this is fine in moderation, these sugars are not part of a healthy cavity-prevention plan. Luckily, there are icy alternatives to ice cream that are equally as delicious, with an added bonus of being safe for your teeth and gums. Plus, these recipes are great for anyone who is sensitive to lactose and gluten ingredients. These frozen treats include:
Banana “Ice Cream”
Banana ice cream is one of the easiest homemade recipes you could make. The only ingredients are a few ripe bananas. Yes, that’s all!
- Recipe:
- Peel and cut up two or three bananas.
- Freeze the bananas for one or two hours.
- Place the frozen bananas into a blender and blend until creamy.
- Scoop the blended frozen bananas into a bowl and serve.
Tip: Add healthy toppings, such as peanut butter, fruit, or dark chocolate.
Sorbet
What is so fantastic and healthy about sorbet? It’s made with fresh fruit and juice concentrate. Choosing a sorbet recipe with high-water content is even better! Some examples include pear or apple sorbets, as these fruits contain a lot of water. Water is not only healthy for your diet, but also vital for proper oral care.
Tip: Sorbets contain sugars from the fresh fruit and juice, so remember to brush!
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt is an excellent alternative to rich and sugary ice cream. Much like sorbet, frozen yogurt uses fruit and juice, but what’s added is the yogurt component. Yogurt can transform an icy smoothie into a thicker, creamier consistency. Try this strawberry frozen yogurt recipe at home to satisfy your treat cravings this summer. Your teeth will thank you!
- Ingredients
- A 16 oz. pack of strawberries
- ½ cup sugar-free sweetener
- ½ cup plain yogurt (nonfat is ideal)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Directions
- Combine the strawberries with the sweetener in a food processor.
- Pulse until the ingredients are chopped up.
- Add the yogurt and lemon juice into the mix.
- Process the mixture until the consistency is smooth.
- Scoop and serve.
Greek Frozen Yogurt
As stated, frozen yogurt is a fantastic summer treat, but what’s even better is Greek frozen yogurt. Greek yogurt is loaded with healthy probiotics and protein, which some studies indicate may boost dental health in children. Additionally, Greek frozen yogurt is thick and creamy, which makes it a close substitute to authentic ice cream.
Desserts with Benefits has a very easy homemade Vanilla Bean Greek Frozen Yogurt recipe worth testing out. The recipe uses whole ingredients without any refined sugars, corn syrup, or heavy cream. It’s a great choice for your oral health and diet!
Beat the heat with these guilt-free refreshing treats this summer. For any questions or concerns about ideal food choices for your oral health, please contact our office. Here at Falmouth Dental Arts, we want you to make sure your teeth are happy and healthy! Call us at (207) 781-5900 for more information.
Jun 13, 2016
Though we can’t complain about this past winter we had, there’s no doubt we are all excited for summer and all it has to offer. One of our favorite traditions is being able to eat outdoors with friends and family. Historically, the summer barbeque offers fare that is less than dental friendly. Fear not – we have tips to keep your teeth healthy while you enjoy fun in the sun.
Cheese
Eating cheese as an appetizer can help protect your teeth against the strong acids found in other foods. Cheese is also loaded with calcium, which is always good for teeth and bones.
The Veggie Plate – your friend
Though it is often overlooked, the classic circular veggie plate can be your best friend at a barbeque. We all know vegetables are good for us, and the more you fill up on them, the less you’ll be eating the bad stuff. Despite what some of our young children might say, biting into a fresh red pepper is both delicious and refreshing.
Condiments
We don’t typically think of condiments as being sweet, but trust us, there is a lot of sugar in there, especially in many name-brand products. Focus on flavoring your hamburger with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and pickles rather than slopping on the ketchup and barbeque sauce.
Avoid starches
Though they can certainly be addictive, chips and other starchy snacks do a great job of getting stuck in our molars. For those long days at the beach with no toothbrush, avoiding starchy foods could save you from a cavity or two down the road.
Bring on the meat! And by meat we mean fish!
Charcoal-grilled fish is not only one of the most delicious foods there is, it is also far healthier for your teeth than red meat. Besides being less likely to get stuck in between your teeth, fish oils have anti-inflammatory properties that help fight against bacteria. Choose a Gulf of Maine Research Institute responsibly harvested fish and you’ll be helping to keep Casco Bay healthy as well – bonus!
Follow these tips this summer and your mouth will thank you, but if you couldn’t resist those ribs and corn on the cob and are starting to feel the repercussions, give us a call to make an appointment.
Jun 13, 2016
Milk. The delicious beverage that makes our lattes foamy, our ice cream creamy, and our milk shakes, well, milky. Milk is everywhere! In fact, milk is so pervasive to us humans we probably forget how unique our relationship with milk is. For example, our species is the only one in existence whose adults consume milk. All other mammalian species only drink milk as babies.
Anthropologists have been pondering this mystery for years and have theorized where our milk-drinking obsession began. Until now, there has been little direct evidence to test these theories besides studying genes in different populations. Researchers think they have found direct evidence that can trace our milk-consuming history back to its roots. They discovered milk proteins in samples of dental plaque from ancient human teeth. That’s right, they discovered 5,000-year-old plaque build-up from early man drinking too much milk and not brushing and flossing enough!
The markers indicating the presence of milk in the ancient plaque were not found in all the specimens studied. As expected, adult human remains tested from areas where dairy animals were not utilized, such as West Africa, had no traces of milk in their dental plaque. Ancient Europeans, who we know have been raising dairy animals for millennia, did test positive. As more specimens are tested and more results come in, a road map will begin to form that will show the journey our milk-drinking genes took around the world.
As we continue to enjoy this subtly sweet beverage, remember that milk lactose is a sugar and can lead to cavities just like other sweets. Always brush after consuming any food, including milk. If it’s been a while since your last checkup, make an appointment to have us remove your ancient plaque!
To read the full article visit Science Daily.
dental plaque
May 17, 2016
Holistic dentistry is the practice of considering dental health in the context of a patient’s whole health. For years, it has been a major focus of ours at Falmouth Dental Arts, and we continue to expand our education of best practices and new advances in holistic dentistry. We utilize holistic dentistry because it emphasizes your long-term health and well-being, and allows us to consider the implications of new techniques and tools in dentistry.
Holistic Dentistry looks at the entire medical history of a person, past and present, when making decisions about a patient’s health – in this case, oral health. Therefore, holistic-focused dentists implement healthier versions of common procedures to increase the patient’s overall health and well-being. Some examples include:
- Digital X-Rays, which decrease radiation exposure by 90%.
- Teeth cleanings that involve using natural products and essential oils, factors that prevent bacterial growth and increase a patient’s immune response.
- Using biocompatible materials that reduce the chances of a patient having an adverse reaction. No mercury/silver fillings are placed here. In fact, we have a “mercury safe” removal technique that we use.
- Using ozone therapy for cleanings, restorations, natural root canals, and many other procedures.
If you’re interested in learning more about holistic dentistry, detailed information can be found on our site here. Be sure to ask us about our holistic approach during your next visit!
May 17, 2016
Hormones, the tiny chemical messengers that tell our bodies what, how, and when to do something, can have a huge impact on women’s oral health, especially during periods of change. Puberty, pregnancy, and menopause all come with mild to massive hormonal changes in the body. These changes have been discovered to be linked to specific oral maladies. During these life stages, it is important for women to know what signs to look for that indicate oral illness.
Puberty
During puberty, a woman’s body begins producing larger quantities of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. It is theorized that these hormones cause the microenvironment of your mouth to change into one more accommodating for the harmful bacteria that lead to gingivitis. These bacteria take up residence in the pubescent mouth in huge numbers. Signs of gingivitis to watch out for include bleeding or inflamed gums.
Pregnancy
In addition to gingivitis, pregnant women have another complication to deal with. The saliva of a pregnant woman can change in two ways. Frequently, pregnant women’s saliva loses its anti-microbial efficacy due to a change in the chemical cocktail within the saliva, leading to a build up of harmful bacteria. Dry mouth is another common problem in which saliva production is reduced. Saliva helps fight cavities, so a persistent dry mouth could lead to unwanted problems. Sipping water frequently helps.
Menopause
Women going through menopause are more susceptible to gingivitis, dry mouth, and several other oral health issues. One frequent condition, called Burning Mouth Syndrome, has symptoms of burning sensations that are felt in different parts of the mouth. Osteoporosis during menopause could lead to bone loss in teeth and the jaw bone. Signs of oral osteoporosis are loose teeth and dentures that do not fit properly.
If you or other women close to you are going through any of these life changes and are experiencing oral discomfort, please call or have them call us right away to schedule an appointment.
women’s oral health
