Wednesday, January 2, 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM OUR TEAM TO YOU!!! When you think about your New Year's resolutions...make sure to include your oral health! Check out this great article with some good starting points! FROM ARTICLE - Add Oral Health to the Top of Your 2013 List - Delta Dental of New Jersey With the New Year approaching, you've probably begun to think about setting some resolutions. New Year's resolutions often include goals for losing weight or living a healthier lifestyle, but why not make one (or many) of those resolutions to improve your dental health? For those who aspire to better their oral health in 2013, Delta Dental offers the following suggestions to help make these resolutions work. Resolution #1 – Brush and floss regularly. The daily routine of brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily is the foundation for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. The sooner you can brush following a meal, the better. The longer food stays stuck to your teeth, the more acid is produced that erodes tooth enamel. Make sure you are brushing and flossing correctly by checking out these brushing and flossing step-by-step videos. Resolution #2 – Visit a dentist in 2013. When was your last check-up? Dentists do more than just check and clean teeth. So don't delay making an appointment for the New Year. They can also check for signs of serious health problems like oral cancer and gum disease and alert patients to signs of potential medical conditions on up to 120 diseases. If you've been avoiding a check-up because you have a phobia of the dental chair, this video has tips to help you fight your fear of the dentist. Resolution #3 – Quit Smoking! Consuming products like cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco is arguably the single most destructive oral health habit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of the cases of severe gum disease in U.S. adults can be attributed to cigarette smoking, and the prevalence of gum disease is three times higher among smokers than non-smokers.1. To get started on the right foot, check out this video for some tips on how to quit smoking. Resolution #4 – Eat sweets in moderation. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle advised, "Moderation in all things" and that rings especially true for sweet snacks. Tooth decay occurs when sweets or simple carbohydrates like those in chips or crackers mix with bacteria in the sticky plaque that forms on your teeth to produce acid, potentially destroying tooth enamel. The more times during the day that your teeth are exposed to sugar, the longer the acids attack. Try incorporating healthy snacks that can help fight plaque and keep enamel strong. Resolution #5 – Wear a mouthguard when playing contact sports. Participating in a competitive adult sports league is a fun way to incorporate exercise into your schedule but there can be significant risk of contact with your teeth. There isn't sufficient evidence to suggest that mouthguards prevent concussions, but they do absorb and distribute forces that impact the mouth, teeth, face, and jaw when an athlete takes a hit to the face. Wearing a mouthguard can prevent chipped, fractured, displaced or dislodged teeth, fractured or displaced jaws, TMJ trauma, and lacerations to the lips and mouth that result from the edges of the teeth. Make it your New Year's resolution to take better care of your mouth and teeth. A healthier smile will give you confidence! So, when you're shopping for new workout clothes, don't forget to pick up a new toothbrush too!