Jun 20, 2013
Do your sensitive teeth dread the frozen treats of summer? You are not alone. A recent survey of US dental offices found that one in eight people has over-sensitive teeth.
You may feel pain when you brush and floss or when you eat and drink cold items.
Sensitivity usually comes from receding gums or when the enamel of your teeth is worn away. Brushing too hard, teeth grinding, acidic foods and age could also cause this sensitivity.
The good news is that you can take steps to prevent or lessen the pain:
- Use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth that contains potassium and brush with a soft bristled toothbrush
- Stay away from highly acidic foods
- Your dentist might offer a special fluoride to help strengthen enamel
- A gum graft can help reduce a sensitive area by adding tissue where there is recession
- Bondings or crowns may be needed to cover exposed roots
- For more serious cases, a root canal may be in order to repair damage
Of course, general good dental hygiene on a daily basis and regular cleanings can also go a long way!
If you have any questions or concerns about sensitive teeth, we are happy to talk to you about the prevention and treatment options that would work best for you.
Now that you know how to lessen the pain of sensitive teeth, here’s a quick recipe for a yummy frozen smoothie…
Mixed Berry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Directions
In a blender combine yogurt, pomegranate juice, berries, banana, honey and lime juice. Cover and blend until nearly smooth.
Nutrition facts
Servings Per Recipe 2, cal. (kcal) 203, Fat, total (g) 2, chol. (mg) 7, sat. fat (g) 1, carb. (g) 39, fiber (g) 3, sugar (g) 24, pro. (g) 10, vit. A (RE) 5, vit. C (mg) 13, sodium (mg) 44, calcium (mg) 11, iron (mg) 6, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Recipe source: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/mixed-berry-smoothie/
Other sources:
http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/s/sensitive-teeth.aspx
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/tooth-sensitivity
http://news.health.com/2013/03/01/1-in-8-adults-may-have-sensitive-teeth/
Jun 4, 2013
Are you one of the countless people suffering from seasonal allergies this time of year? Specifically pollen? Have you experienced itchiness, soreness or hives in your mouth as well? Then you may be surprised to discover that you may have Oral Allergy Syndrome.
For many people with pollen allergies, eating certain fruits and veggies may cause your mouth to show some of the symptoms mentioned above. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, up to one-third of people with pollen allergies may also have Oral Allergy Syndrome.
Don’t worry, though! Most cases are mild. However, on rare occasions, there are serious cases of anaphylaxis (a serious allergic reaction), so be conscientious of early warning signs if they appear.
It works like this. In hay fever, the immune system treats pollen like a foreign invader. The unpleasant allergy symptoms – itchy eyes, sore and scratchy throat, sneezing, coughing, runny or stuffy nose etc. – are the bodies reaction to rid the system of the intruder. Now, many fruits and veggies have proteins in them that are very similar to those found in pollen. In fact, they are so similar in some cases, that the body can mistake the proteins in your fruits and veggies, for that found in pollen! This is Oral Allergy Syndrome.
Here are some foods to watch out for if you are allergic to any of the following types of pollen:
- Ragweed Allergy: “Ragweed, in theory, cross-reacts with bananas and melons, so people with ragweed allergies may react to honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelons, or tomatoes,” says Warren V. Filley, MD, from the Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic in Oklahoma City. Zucchini, sunflower seeds, dandelions, chamomile tea, and echinacea also go on that list.
- Birch Pollen Allergy: People with birch pollen allergies may react to kiwi, apples, pears, peaches, plums, coriander, fennel, parsley, celery, cherries, carrots, hazelnuts, and almonds.
- Grass Allergy: People with grass allergy may react to peaches, celery, tomatoes, melons, and oranges, according to the AAAAI.
- Latex Rubber Allergy: Like pollen allergies, people allergic to latex rubber may react to bananas, avocados, kiwi, chestnut, and papaya.
Most people reported to have Oral Allergy Syndrome are in their 20’s and 30’s. If you think you could be one of those people who has Oral Allergy Syndrome, then see a board-certified allergist. Most cases are mild, but some are serious, so get checked out! Also, if you know you are allergic to pollen, be proactive and avoid trigger foods. If the foods are a favorite of yours, here are some other tips.
- Cook it. Cooking often breaks down or alters the trigger proteins so that the immune system doesn’t target them.
- Peel it. Peeling fruits such as apples may help, because most trigger proteins are in the peel.
- Can it. Canning also breaks down those proteins.
Feb 14, 2013
You probably know that Valentine’s Day is today, February 14th – but here are some interesting Valentine’s Day trivia facts you may not be aware of!!
- Every year over 1 billion Valentine’s cards are sent – second only to Christmas.
- The people who receive the most Valentine’s cards are teachers. They deserve it!
- Most flowers sold in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day are imported from South America.
- Richard Cadbury sold the first Valentine’s Day box of chocolates in 1868.
- This year over $1 billion will be spent on Valentine’s chocolates.
- It is believed that St. Valentine was put to death on February 14th. His last letter to his love (the jailer’s daughter) was signed, “From Your Valentine.”
- NECCO has been making heart-shaped candies with sweet sayings since 1902!
- Alexander Graham Bell applied for his telephone patent on Valentine’s Day in 1876. Many years later on February 14th penicillin was introduced!
- Men spend approximately twice as much as women for Valentine’s Day!
Okay – now that you are an expert on Valentine’s Day – is your mouth ready? Here are some things you can do to make sure!!
- Avoid foods that can cause bad breath such as garlic, onions and curry. While these foods are believed to be healthy, they can cause a kissing disaster unless your mate participates too!
- Use lip balm frequently. The cold winter months can make your lips feel like alligator skin!
- Drink water often throughout the day. This washes food particles out of your mouth and prevents dehydration, a leading cause of foul breath.
- If you are a fan of gum or mints, try those which contain Xylitol. Unlike sugar, it’s not harmful to your teeth, and actually fights off bad bacteria.
- Mouthwash can be good, but if your mouthwash contains alcohol (as many do) be careful! It can dry out the tissues of your mouth causing damage and a characteristic bad smell.
If you are due for a dental cleaning, want to find out about tooth whitening, or have any dental questions, give us a call at 1-207-781-5900 and we’ll get you in the schedule! After all, you want your Cupid kisses to be as pleasant as possible, and at Falmouth Dental Arts, we do too!!
Jan 23, 2013
Whether you have whitened your teeth at home or in the dentist’s office, you need to consider the foods you eat after a teeth-whitening procedure. After all, you want to keep that beautiful white smile for as long as possible.
There are actually some foods that many dentists recommend in order to avoid teeth staining. For example, certain fruits and vegetables, like apples, celery and carrot sticks, can actually cleanse your teeth as you eat. These food help produce more saliva that, in turn, helps counteract acids in the mouth. Dairy products, particularly hard cheeses, help fight cavities because of their lactic acid.
To avoid staining your newly whitened teeth, try to stay away from blackberries, soy sauce and red wine. These foods can stain teeth fairly quickly.
Paying attention to what you eat can truly help you maintain a brighter smile.
Dec 13, 2012
‘Tis the season for holiday gatherings and close encounters with friends and family. Before you stand under the mistletoe this Christmas, we want you to think about how kissing affects your oral health. There’s a great article from WorlDental.org that explores this subject.
The article notes that while kissing has some benefits, including the act of cleaning out your saliva, it also helps transmit a small number of disease-causing bacteria. For example, colds and mononucleosis can be spread by kissing. So can cold sores and chickenpox. And did you know that periodontal disease can be transmitted through saliva?
Of course, practicing good oral hygiene will lessen these risks. And you don’t have to let these potential dangers ruin your kissing opportunities. The article suggests you try to:
- Avoid kissing when you or the other person is sick.
- Avoid kissing anyone on the lips when you, or they, have an active cold sore, warts or ulcers around the lips or in the mouth.
- Cough and sneeze into a hanky if you have a cold.
- See your doctor about immunizations. Vaccines are available to prevent some infectious diseases, such as chickenpox, hepatitis B and group C meningococcal infection.
Read the full article
Dec 13, 2012
At Falmouth Dental Arts we love New Year’s Resolutions. After all, the new year is a great time to start fresh with some good habits.
But the problem with New Year’s Resolutions is that they are usually broken way before Groundhog Day. Why? We simply make them too darn difficult. So 2013 may not be the year you lose 220 pounds, visit the gym six times per week, eat kale shakes for breakfast every morning, write the Great American Novel and train a world class Portuguese Water Dog. But it very well may be the year you start some healthy habits that last the rest of your longer, healthier life!
Here are a few suggestions:
1) Walk, Don’t Run! If you’re the type that can train for a local 10K race, that’s great. But if it’s not your thing, you can still benefit from more walking. Here’s a simple way to make it happen. Whenever you are faced with a situation to use an elevator or escalator, make it your personal rule that if it is one flight up or two flights down, you’ll take the steps. It’s easy!
2) Don’t cruise the lot! Instead of spending your time looking for a “great” parking space, park a little far away intentionally. You’ll not only get in a few extra steps (which will amount to a few miles soon!) – your car will get less dinged up!
3) Know Your Numbers! Make sure that you get an annual physical which includes a blood test. Knowing your cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and other vital statistics, and then taking the proper measures recommended by your physician will automatically put you in the top half of healthy Americans!
4) Test Yourself! It has been proven that knowing how to do a breast or testicular self-exam can save your life. (If you’re not sure which one to do, your problem is a bit more complicated.) Ask your health practitioner how to do it, or even check out a video on You Tube!
5) Drop The Diet! No – not the healthy eating pattern – the diet soda!! It contains all kinds of chemicals and many people theorize it actually makes you hungrier. There is simply nothing good about diet soda. Switch to water, unsweetened tea with lemon, or even black coffee in moderation.
6) Speaking Of Soda….. One of the simplest things anyone can do to become immediately healthier is to go cold turkey on sodas and sports drinks. They are loaded with sugar and are simply unnecessary. If all you do to change your diet is to drop these two things, pounds can actually melt off quickly and never come back!
7) Think positively! It may sound trite, but if you believe good things are going to happen, they probably will. Seeing the worst in every situation simply stresses you out and causes you to react negatively. Those who think happy usually are!
8) Do what scares you! Pick one thing that you have been afraid to do, and commit to it. Put it on your calendar. Tell your friends or family members that you are going to do it. Then do it!! It could be a polar bear plunge, skydiving, a trip to Europe, quitting your job, reuniting with an old friend you had a fight with – it doesn’t matter! Pick one thing, put it on your calendar, and do it! Then do another……
9) Appreciate What You Have and Don’t Envy Others. Enough said! Pull this one off successfully and your entire life will change!
10) FLOSS!! The benefits of healthy gums are numerous, including fresher breath, a lifetime of teeth, reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, and many more. It’s simple to do and takes just one minute per day, yet practically no one does it! If you’re not sure how to floss properly, we would love to show you! Even if you feel you are not coordinated enough, we can show you some inexpensive gadgets that will help. Make 2013 the year of the floss!!
So there you have it – ten simple healthy New Year’s tips that anyone can do!! Feel free to add you own. And since dental health and a beautiful smile are also on your list, don’t forget that we are here for you! If you have any questions or need to make an appointment, simply give us a call at 7-207-781-5900. Happy New Year!!
