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!!
Nov 8, 2012
According to researchers, only 10 percent of the population brushes their teeth correctly. Let’s improve the score in Maine! Below are Falmouth Dental Arts’ top tips for brushing properly.
Top Brushing Tips:
- Use a smaller, rather than a larger toothbrush. Electric is best! The more comfortable the brush feels to you, the more likely you are to use it twice a day.
- A soft-bristled brush (and a gentle hand) is best, as it will safe your sensitive gum tissue from being brushed away.
- Spend about two minutes brushing. Take your time and thoroughly, yet gently clean the top right, bottom right, top left and bottom left sections of your teeth.
- Holding your brush at a 45-degree angle will hit the high spots as well as the hard to reach ones, such as where tooth meets gum.
- Brush the inner surfaces of your teeth and your tongue for a thorough job.
- After brushing, be sure to rinse away all of the bacteria now floating around in your mouth. Rinse your toothbrush head as well.
- Change your toothbrush or brush head about every three months, or less if it begins to looked frayed. If it’s in bad shape, it won’t clean effectively.
- But before you begin brushing, make sure you floss! Flossing once a day helps keep bacteria from forming in those hard to reach places that are immune to brushes.
Find out even more about good brushing habits by visiting our website.
Would you like a one-on-one brushing demonstration? Just let your hygenist know during your next appointment, or call our office at 207.781.5900 to schedule an appointment. We’re here to help you help your teeth!
Aug 20, 2012
Almost everybody brushes their teeth, but only one in ten people are doing it effectively!
To that, we have to say a great big “YUCK!!” Imagine if only ten percent of the population showered correctly. That would be pretty gross. But according to researchers at The University of Gothenburg, ninety percent of the population does not brush their teeth in the right way!
Don’t worry!! Your friends at Falmouth Dental Arts are here to help you. So sit back and open wide as we present….
The Top Eight Toothbrushing Tips!
1. Size Matters!
Many people use a large toothbrush head thinking “the bigger the better.” But you can brush just as effectively if not more so with a smaller brush, especially if you have to strain your mouth to use a larger one.
According to dental consumer advisor Dr. Richard Price, “the more comfortable it is in your mouth and your hand, then the more likely you will use it and use it properly.”
2. It’s Good To Be A Softy!
It would seem to make sense that firmer bristles would clean your teeth better, but many times they just wind up damaging your sensitive gum tissue. The American Dental Association recommends a soft-bristled brush and we agree!
3. Don’t Do A Rush Job!
While most people spend fifteen seconds or so per round of brushing, a full two minutes is best. And to make sure you don’t play favorites, divide your mouth into four sections (upper right, lower right, etc..) and spend thirty seconds on each.
Some electric toothbrushes actually have timers, but you don’t need to be so fancy. Find a thirty second song and sing it to yourself for each mouth quarter. Or multitask by watching TV until the full two minutes is up.
4. What’s Your Angle?
While we typically picture toothbrushing to be a horizontal affair, that leaves out many important tooth surfaces, including the crucial area where the tooth meets the gum line. Aim your bristles at a forty-five degree angle and make sure they gently dip below the outer surface of your gums. This can get very tricky, and we recommend that you have one of the fantastic members of our dental hygiene team give you a full demonstration!
5. It’s An Inside Job!
The inner surfaces of the teeth are often overlooked, but just because they hide from daylight doesn’t mean you should neglect them! Take the time to brush all tooth surfaces, inside and out. Oh – don’t forget your tongue either!
6. Rinse-a-rama!
After you brush, loose bacteria are floating around in your mouth having a big old party. It’s time to finish them up with a rinse of mouthwash or even water. They’re on your toothbrush too, so it’s always a good idea to run that under the sink for a few seconds when you finish!
7. Forced Retirement
Many people get nostalgic over their old toothbrushes, but keeping them for too long is a big mistake!! Frayed bristles can’t clean correctly, and even worse – they harbor all kinds of nasty germs. The American Dental Association suggests changing your toothbrush every three to four months – but we think that may even be too long of an interval for many. When in doubt – toss it out!
8. And There’s One More Thing…..
Even though we are discussing toothbrushing, it just wouldn’t be complete without mentioning those tooth surfaces between your teeth – the ones that can’t be reached with a brush. Yes, that’s right – we all need to floss!! Daily flossing prevents cavities and helps to keep your gums in good shape.
At Falmouth Dental Arts, we want you to have strong healthy teeth and gums, fresh breath and a beautiful smile!! Please call us now at 207-781-5900 to schedule an appointment, ask any questions about keeping your teeth and gums nice and clean, or even to schedule a complimentary toothbrushing and flossing lesson! We are here for you!
Jul 19, 2012
No one likes to get their blood taken – it’s just not fun!! But it’s the only way that we can be tested for diabetes, anemia, cholesterol levels, and many other important health issues. Well, that may soon be changing!
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University are saying there may now be a much easier way to detect illness – spit!
Yes – good old saliva contains DNA, enzymes, hormones, proteins and lots of other good stuff that are making it a great candidate for medical testing. And best of all, it’s simple and painless to collect.
Recently, trials have been done with saliva to test for heart disease risk, HIV, hormone-related diseases, children’s performance in school, and even a woman’s ability to have good relationships with men based on their feelings for their fathers! (As strange as it may seem, that last one is based on levels of stress hormones found in saliva when women discuss relationship topics!!)
It’s tough to even compare the ease of spitting in a cup versus having a needle poked into your vein. As Dr. Steven Hirschfeld of The National Institutes of Health said,
“We like tests that are fast, inexpensive, and can be repeated multiple times.”
Saliva already has lots of jobs. It softens food as you chew it, making that grilled cheese sandwich much easier to swallow. It helps your tongue to taste things, is the first step in digestion, and it cleans the inside of your mouth and rinses your teeth. Most people produce one to two liters of saliva every day!!
If you feel like your mouth is always dry, be sure to let us know. It could be caused by medications, aging, or possibly a serious medical condition. And get prepared for the day when instead of someone saying “please roll up your sleeve for a blood test,” they simply ask you to spit in a cup!
If you have questions about dry mouth or any other dental issues, please remember that at Falmouth Dental Arts we are here for you! Please give us a call at 207-781-5900. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon!
May 18, 2012
Here’s an interesting quiz for you.
Who originally dispensed the famous recommendation to “see your dentist twice a year?”
We all know it’s true (or do we???) – so when and where do you think that bit of advice originated?
a) The American Dental Association in 1933
b) The world’s first dental college – The University of Maryland School of Dentistry in 1845
c) An article in The Journal of Oral Surgery by Dr. Henry Horseacre in 1909 entitled “Proper Protocol for Dental Cleanings.”
d) A radio ad for Pepsodent Toothpaste in 1929
Believe it or not, if you guessed “d” you are correct!
Most of us know the famous order to “see your dentist twice a year.” Some insurance companies even use that interval to define their standards for payment. But the fact is that phrase was developed with no scientific basis at all – and to sell toothpaste!
Another example of this logic was the ad campaign for Pear’s Soap in the late 1800s. The slogan “Have you used Pear’s soap today” ushered in the habit of daily bathing! And while that was certainly a good thing, the fact is that we are all different and to expect that everyone requires the same schedule for their health needs just doesn’t make sense.
When you wash your hair, do you “rinse and repeat?” Do you associate diamonds with engagement rings? Are you convinced that Volvo builds the safest cars? If so, you’ve been influenced by advertising, not necessarily facts. Don’t worry – we are all guilty of it!
At Falmouth Dental Arts, we don’t believe in a cookie cutter approach when your health is involved. In order to determine the correct dental treatment for you (including how often you should have your teeth cleaned) we perform a thorough examination, checking your teeth, gums, medical history, bite, jaw muscles and more. We even do an oral cancer screening at every check-up.
Everyone is different, so despite what the ad men from Pepsodent once said, let’s scientifically determine the correct schedule for your dental visits by looking at the facts, not an ad slogan. Then you can look forward to a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums – and keep smiling forever!
If you have any questions or you would like to schedule a visit, please call 1-207-781-5900 right away. We are here to help you!
