Sep 24, 2019
If you’re wondering how to introduce the concept of the dentist and oral hygiene to your kids, a smile-centric storytime may be the perfect answer! The staff at Falmouth Dental Arts has you covered with this list of their five favorite books to help inspire children to healthy dental habits.
1. The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss is a storytime standby and with good reason! His jaunty rhymes and imaginative illustrations make every book an engaging adventure for audiences. The Tooth Book is no exception, as we tour the world, searching high and low, observing that EVERYONE has teeth! Readers learn how fun, different, and useful everyone’s teeth are–from walruses to acrobats. We also see different dental issues that we may encounter when we neglect our teeth. Dr. Seuss encourages his readers to take special care of their smile!
2. Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Brush!
Pull tabs and pop ups make this cardboard classic an extra-interactive read for kiddos. Simple rhymes and colorful illustrations of the familiar cast of Sesame Street characters will keep young audiences engaged as Elmo, Cookie Monster, and the Count show just how much fun brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist can be.
3. Clarabella’s Teeth by An Vrombaut
Beautiful, bold pastel illustrations introduce readers to Clarabella the Crocodile and her cast of alliterative animal friends. While the other animals race through their morning routine, Clarabella’s unique smile keeps her brushing her teeth forever! Although she misses out on the day’s activities, her friends surprise her with a custom toothbrush so that she can join in tomorrow’s fun.
4. ABC Dentist by Harriet Ziefert
The informative alphabet theme and fun, detailed pictures take readers through the ins and outs of the dental cleaning experience. Dental terms, techniques, and the anatomic structure of the mouth are explained from A-Z and parents may very well find themselves learning right alongside their kids!
5. Brush Your Teeth Please by Leslie McGuire
The well-mannered title isn’t the only thing to like about this straightforward story, perfect for very young children. Pop ups and pull tabs provide interactive instruction on different brushing techniques and the importance of flossing. Friendly animal smiles greet the reader on every page, while free-moving toothbrushes encourage kids to engage with the characters.
Your friends at Falmouth Dental Arts invite you to take one of these books for a spin, and add some extra smiles to storytime. You can post pictures of your kids reading these or their own favorite tooth-themed books by tagging our Facebook page @FalmouthDentalArts.
If you have any questions, or need to schedule your next appointment, please call our office 207.781.5900
Sep 18, 2019
Can we really clean a dirty mouth with chewing gum?
In between your regularly-scheduled cleanings and check-ups with Dr. Brunacini and Dr. Karagiorgos, what are some steps you can take to maintain and improve your oral health? We all know that brushing and flossing twice daily are essential. But even if you have a fun toothbrush and fancy-flavored toothpaste and floss, the old brush-and-floss routine can sometimes feel more like a chore than a treat.
Chewing gum—with its kaleidoscope of colors, yummy flavors, fun wrappers, and snappy names (and snappier bubbles), always feels like a treat. But does chewing gum help support other dental hygiene…or hurt it?
What does it mean to chew?
Let’s look at what happens when you pop a piece of gum into your mouth. What is the physiological response to the act of continual chewing? First and foremost, chewing stimulates salivary flow. In fact, chewing increases the average flow of saliva in your mouth by 10 times that of your non-chewing rate. All of this extra saliva needs to be swallowed, which means that as average saliva production increases, the average rate of swallowing increases as well.
Saliva acts as a natural barrier between different kinds of acid and your tooth enamel. Saliva that is stimulated by chewing contains higher concentrations of protein, calcium, and bicarbonate, which makes it a better barrier than unstimulated saliva. This “Super Saliva” is super helpful when you’re eating, because food and beverage all contain acids that start to break down our enamel over time. However, chewing gum stimulates the same saliva type and flow as chewing your favorite meal—meaning that you can activate the power of “Super Saliva” any time of day!
Repeated swallowing clears acid deposits from the esophagus, which some studies have shown to help reduce different kinds of acid reflux. This means that chewing clears acid from the top (getting it out of your mouth) and bottom (keeping it in your stomach)! Who knew?
Sugar vs. Sugar-free
Since our very first Halloween adventure, we’ve all memorized the scary equation that “SUGAR + TEETH = CAVITIES”. Sweet teeth need brushing, flossing…and sugar free gum! Here’s why.
Sugar, or sucrose, is food for the oral bacteria naturally residing in our mouths (for more information, read our August blog post!). When the bacteria metabolize the sucrose, they produce dental biofilms and acids which erode enamel and cause cavities. Even though chewing gum with sugar still increases Super Saliva flow, that benefit is undone by the production of biofilms and acids.
Sugarless gum is still sweetened, but by artificial sweeteners such as xylitol. These types of sweeteners are either metabolized very slowly, or not at all, by our oral bacteria, meaning no biofilms or additional acids. In fact, xylitol is a common ingredient in mouthwashes, toothpastes, and popular mints such as LifeSavers.
To Chew or Not to Chew?
Chomp away on your sugar-free gum! It is beneficial to your oral health to chew sugar-free gum after and in-between meals. Chewing gum significantly increases the flow of powerful, acid-clearing saliva. Additionally, artificial sweeteners cannot be metabolized by oral bacteria. This means that enamel-eroding and cavity-causing acids are minimized, and your beautiful smile is maximized!
If you’re still unsure of which chewing gum is best, just look for the American Dental Association seal of approval. Only dentist-approved sugar-free gums are eligible for the ADA’s seal, so you can choose them with confidence. Just remember that although chewing sugar-free gum is a great way to improve your daily dental hygiene routine, it’s never a substitute for twice-daily brushing and flossing.
Bring a pack of sugar-free, ADA gum to share with Dr. Brunacini and Dr. Karagiorgos at your next dental exam and cleaning! If you have any questions, or need to schedule your next appointment, please call our office at 207.781.5900.
(Post your best and biggest sugar-free chewing gum bubble pictures on our Facebook page!)
*images courtesy of confectionarynews.com
Apr 24, 2018
Recently we’ve been hearing more questions about activated charcoal and its potential to whiten teeth. It’s an intriguing phenomenon in the whitening category and we wanted to share our findings and our verdict on whether it actually helps or harms oral health.
To begin, activated charcoal capsules & toothpaste are part of a larger movement toward natural healthcare. We support natural healthcare, and even recommend certain applications when in patients’ best interests, but our blanket philosophy that we’d like to share is to look at all trends – all-natural or not! – with a discerning eye.
Of course, our eye is drawn to the dental side of things! Here are a few things to keep in mind before jumping on the charcoal bandwagon.
- It can be messy – Using an activated charcoal capsule instead of the toothpaste could be off-putting to sticklers for cleanliness because the method is messier, requiring you to break a capsule full of the powder open and put it on your toothbrush or straight into your mouth. If you choose charcoal toothpaste, you will find the process more like what you experience now.
- It’s different from normal toothpaste – Charcoal toothpaste is probably not what you’re used to: in most cases it is black or grey in appearance and may have a gritty texture.
- It could be abrasive – The ADA is concerned that activated charcoal is abrasive to tooth enamel, which is not good because when enamel is gone it is gone. In addition to that, once your enamel wears down dentin may appear below, and dentin has more of a yellow-white color, which would really put a dampener on whitening!
- Less fluoride – Generally charcoal toothpastes tend to be formulated with less fluoride content than other toothpastes on the market, and a complete switch to charcoal toothpaste could impact your oral health situation.
With these things in mind, the most important point is that there is no scientific evidence that charcoal toothpaste whitens teeth. Could it? Perhaps, but findings have not been conclusive. Then the question is whether the payoff is worth it. FDA Hygienist Kelly summarizes our thoughts on charcoal well: “We recommend use of charcoal toothpaste for adults only and it is not recommended for daily use due to its abrasiveness.” While charcoal does have a naturally purifying quality, that alone doesn’t mean that we should use it daily, especially when it could roughen tooth surfaces and potentially offer more opportunity for bacteria to grow and cavities to form.
If you catch yourself weighing the options, remember there are many whitening methods on the market that are proven to work! We recommend our professional whitening service because the results are immediate and it’s done professionally, so you can be assured of the best result possible. Just give us a call at 207.781.5900 and we’ll be happy to arrange an appointment.
Apr 19, 2018
You’ve heard the rumors, you’ve even heard some of the tales… well it’s back again in 2018! That’s right everyone, Dancing with the Dentists Season 3 is May 11th!
Now in its third year, Dancing with the Dentists brings dentists from the Maine community together with a night of dancing, excitement, and fun! Falmouth Dental Arts has a strong tie to this event as it was conceptualized and developed by Falmouth Dental Arts’ own founding dentist, Dr. Glen Knock.
But that’s not the only reason to attend: the evening was developed first and foremost for a good cause and will benefit two local nonprofit organizations: The Root Cellar and Dental Lifeline. Both organizations assist those unable to afford dental treatment by providing donated dental services. All profits from the event will go directly to those two organizations – Dancing with the Dentists Season 2 raised over $40,000, making a huge positive impact on their operations.
The Italian Heritage Center in Portland will serve as the competitive stomping grounds for the event, with the competition kicking off at 5:30 pm on Friday, May 11, 2018. The dental dancers and their professional counterparts will show their best moves to the crowd and a panel of local celebrity judges. Shannon Moss of Code Gratitude and former news reporter/anchor will host the evening.
Our own doctors Dr. Knock and Dr. Brunacini both danced in previous seasons, in fact… Dr. Brunacini won Season 1 of Dancing with the Dentists! “It was such a great experience,” Dr. Brunacini commented. “I actually enjoyed the dancing and performing aspect of it, and couldn’t believe that I won! The opportunity to raise money and awareness for the organizations while learning a new skill was a lot of fun.”
While we can’t guarantee it just yet, Dr. Karagiorgos has hinted at his own participation in the near future. “I am sad that the timing didn’t work out this time but I really look forward to strutting my stuff at the next Dancing with the Dentists event,” he said. “What a great way to be involved and serve our community! With Glen’s rich history of dance and Brian winning the inaugural competition, the stakes are high and the pressure is on. When it’s my turn to compete in the future I look forward to representing FDA and performing in a way that would make our staff and our patients proud.” We can’t wait!
Have we got your interests piqued? If so, make sure to buy your tickets online today. If you have more questions about the event, please ask us anything during your next appointment! We are happy to help support the greater Maine dental community by sharing this event with others and supporting a great cause.
Mar 22, 2018
As with any industry, technology in the dental field advances quickly. These advancements provide numerous benefits for both doctors and patients. One piece of technology that has changed over the years is the x-ray. Invented in 1895, x-rays are used to see the internal structure of an object, or in our case, the inside of your teeth, gums, and jaw. For years, we used the traditional analog x-ray machines. However, we recently made the switch to digital x-ray machines.
Digital x-rays offer many benefits and fewer concerns. The biggest differences between this new technology and the old include:
- Less Radiation: We understand your concerns when it comes to x-rays… They get a bad reputation for their radiation levels and health concerns. While radiation is inevitable due to the technology used in x-rays, digital x-rays have far lower levels compared to the traditional analog x-rays. On average, it’s 70% lower! “The main advantage digital x-rays have over analog x-rays is their reduced radiation exposure to the patient and dentist while still providing amazing detail of the teeth and bone for accurate diagnoses,” Dr. Brunacini shared. “Although we take all the necessary precautions for protection, lower radiation levels are safer for everyone.”
- Comfort: Remember those bitewings you had to bite down on to take an x-ray of your back teeth? We know—it was painful! Digital x-rays just require the use of a sensor placed inside your mouth that is moved after each image is taken.
- Environmentally Friendly: With the use of the sensor, digital x-rays remove the need for multiple pieces of film that just end up in the trash. Additionally, it alleviates the need for chemicals to develop the images, meaning less impact on the environment.
- Ease of Use: Traditional x-rays required lengthy processing time, careful interpretation, and specific storage. Using a digital x-ray, images are stored directly onto a local drive and can be accessed immediately following the capture of the picture.
- Quality: The digital x-ray saves time and helps us make a more accurate diagnosis. As Dr. Brunacini states, “Digital x-rays allow us to examine them on a computer screen, which means they can be viewed on a large screen and with varying contrast for easier visibility.” Since the images are digital, we can resize them without losing the important details that used to get lost with an analog x-ray. For patients, these images are much easier to view and understand.
We recommend having x-rays taken once a year at your hygiene appointment. Comparing your teeth from year to year can help us catch any issues before they get too serious. When were your last x-rays taken? Give us a ring at (207) 781-5900 to check in and discuss adding digital x-rays to your next appointment.
Mar 19, 2018
We can tell a lot just by taking a look around your mouth while you are sitting in our chair. But sometimes, we need to take a closer look at your teeth to get to the root of a problem you may be experiencing. X-rays are most commonly used to help us to find issues that can’t be seen with a visual exam. While these images do provide valuable information, they don’t show everything that’s going on in your mouth. Plus, they aren’t always the easiest images to help explain what might be causing an issue. That’s why you might see Dr. Brunacini or Dr. Karagiorgos using an intraoral camera.
What is an Intraoral Camera?
An intraoral cameral is a tiny digital camera that takes pictures of hard-to-reach areas in your mouth. Our intraoral cameras look similar to a pen and are equipped with a tiny lens on the end. During an examination, the camera is moved throughout the inside of the mouth, allowing us to see detailed images of the surfaces of your teeth, gum conditions, and other tiny details about tissues, cavities, etc. The camera also captures clear video and images of corroded or tarnished fillings, hairline fractures, bleeding gums, plaque, and other problems. To our patients’ delight, the camera is painless and can be used while you are sitting comfortably in the dental chair.
How do Intraoral Cameras work?
The first intraoral cameras were introduced back in the late 1980s and required a lot of bulky technology. Images were saved to a floppy disc and videos were saved to film and had to be viewed in a VHS player. Over the years, the design changed drastically allowing for improved function with significantly smaller equipment. Today’s intraoral cameras are connected directly to a computer and the images it can immediately be viewed by both the dentist and the patient in real time. These images can then be examined in-depth for a better diagnosis and stored for future reference.
Why do we use Intraoral Cameras?
Intraoral cameras offer numerous benefits to the patient. Dr. Karagiorgos explains it like this: “Showing our patients photographs of what we are looking at in their mouths is a great way to communicate ideas about conditions or possible treatments. Photography becomes a great tool in our toolbox to engage patients so that they feel more included in the decision-making process. It lets the patient see with their own eyes and helps make what might sound complicated much easier to understand.”
With the video and images captured by the camera, we are able to give you a better look at a particular diagnosis and to help you understand a treatment plan more completely. Instead of just explaining to you what might be happening in your mouth, we are able to show you exactly what is going on. In many cases, an issue might not present with tangible symptoms. For example, you might not have any pain in a back molar, but the intraoral camera might discover a fractured tooth. The cameras are also useful in the tooth restoration process, allowing you to see the before and after pictures of your treatment.
No matter the issue, the intraoral camera helps you make treatment decisions with confidence. Want to learn more? Let us show you what the camera looks like at your next visit! Call us at (207) 781-5900 to schedule your appointment today.
