Pets Need Their Teeth Brushed Too!

DID YOU KNOW THAT FEBRUARY is Pet Dental Health Month? That’s right! Your pets need their teeth taken care of too! While their teeth don’t require quite as much attention as ours do, your pet’s teeth still need a little tender loving care to keep them healthy.

Brush Your Pet’s Teeth

Brushing our teeth removes plaque and prevents gum disease; the same goes for dogs and cats! Brushing your dog or cat’s teeth three to four times per week can prevent dental disease and extend their life. It can also save them a lot of pain and you a lot of money on veterinary visits!

Use The Right Toothpaste

It’s important not to use regular human toothpaste for your pet. Since dogs and cats can’t spit the toothpaste out, the high fluoride content can really upset their stomachs and can even be toxic. You can find toothpaste specifically made for pets that's not only safe, but appeals to their taste buds too!

Chew Toys Help Remove Plaque

Just as chewing sugarless gum after you eat helps increase saliva production and remove plaque, chew toys contribute to your pet’s dental health in between brushing sessions. Getting your pet a chew toy or hard bone can strengthen their teeth and gums as well as scrub plaque off of their teeth!

They Need Regular Checkups Just Like We Do

Biannual or annual visits to your veterinarian help keep your pet’s mouth and body healthy. When you come in to the dentist for your biannual visit, we not only clean your teeth, but check for signs of more serious conditions such as periodontal disease and oral cancer. Routine checkups for your pet are just as essential for their health.

A Healthy Mouth Makes A Healthy Pet

Sadly, statistics suggest that over 80 percent of dogs and cats have some degree of dental disease by the time they are three years old. Remember, a healthy mouth means a happy life. That goes for you and Sparky! If you have any questions about YOUR dental health, call us or come in!

                                  Take advantage of our FREE orthodontic consultation today!

We love our patients (and their pets)!

Our Hidden Superpower: Smiling!

SMILING AT SOMEONE can turn their whole day around. But have you ever thought about the impact the act of smiling has on YOU? Smiling is a hidden superpower that can change our lives for the better if we let it!

Smiling Has Numerous Health Benefits

Did you know that frequent smiling can actually make us healthier? Smiling reduces stress and increases health and mood enhancing hormone levels, such as endorphins. Smiling also helps to lower our blood pressure.

Perhaps even more surprising, smiling can extend our lifespan! A study conducted at Wayne State University in 2010 found that baseball players who smiled in their pictures lived seven years longer on average than those who weren’t smiling in their photos.

Smiling Makes Us Happy

While we generally think of smiling as the result of feeling happy, smiling, even when we don’t feel like it, can actually improve our mood and emotional disposition. In other words, pasting a smile on your face, even if you’re faking it, can make you feel happier!

Here’s why: when we cause our facial muscles to form a smile, our brain’s circuitry of emotion and happiness is activated—whether the smile is genuine or not! A study conducted in the UK found that one smile can provide the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 chocolate bars. What’s more, a smile can be as neurologically stimulating to your brain as receiving $25,000!

Smiling Helps Us Connect With People

One of our most primal instincts as human beings is to smile. Part of the joy of being around a newborn child is seeing them smile! Before they start smiling in the waking hours, they smile involuntarily in their sleep. 3-D ultrasounds show that developing babies even smile in the womb. Simply put, we’ve been smiling since before we were born!

And as it turns out, smiling is absolutely contagious! When we see another smile, it’s pretty hard not to smile ourselves. If you or I observe another person’s smile, mirror neurons will fire in our brain, giving us the sensation that we ourselves are smiling. So, smiling not only makes you feel good, but everyone around you as well!

We Love Your Smile!

Smiling has the power to get you through the good times and the bad! As your trusted dental professionals, we’re here to help you maintain a healthy, beautiful smile so that it can brighten your life and the lives of others. Remember, when in doubt, smile!

Thank you to our wonderful patients! We appreciate you!

Health Benefits Of Straight Teeth

HAVING STRAIGHT TEETH isn’t just about looks! Did you know that there are several health benefits to having straight teeth? So, if you’re wondering whether or not to get braces, don’t just think about the aesthetic benefits. Think about all the things your straight teeth will do to improve your health!

Straight Teeth Are Easier To Clean

It’s difficult to get into the nooks and crannies between teeth when they are crooked or crowded, making flossing and brushing more difficult. Overlapping teeth can even trap food particles, leading to plaque buildup and a higher risk of tooth decay. Straight teeth allow for easier brushing and flossing and thus, less plaque!

Crooked Teeth May Cause More Frequent Headaches

Headaches and neck pain are much more common in those with crooked teeth. This is because crooked teeth place stress on the gums and bone structure that support teeth. Jaw misalignment, which can be corrected by orthodontic treatment, is also a big contributor to chronic headaches as well as face or neck pain.

Eating Is Easier With Straight Teeth

Did you know that crooked or crowded teeth may compromise chewing? Misaligned and crowded teeth often reduce the effective surface area available for chewing food. This can place unnecessary stress on your jaw which can lead to pain and discomfort.

Crooked teeth can also cause abnormal tooth wear. Tooth on tooth pressure, especially when uneven, can cause cracks and chips in teeth. Such wear and tear over time can be detrimental to tooth enamel and may require special treatment to repair.

Your Overall Health Is Also Benefited

Put simply, straight teeth make keeping your pearly whites clean much easier and more manageable. Better oral hygiene prevents gum disease and tooth decay. Decreased plaque also reduces your risk for bigger health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Straight Smile, Healthy You!

Not only do straight teeth improve your oral and overall health, a corrected smile is shown to improve self-esteem and confidence—which in turn leads to various other health benefits. So remember, your braces do more than just beautify your smile, they’re giving rise to a healthier, happier you!

Call our office today to setup a FREE Orthodontic consultation. We want you to have a healthy smile and ultimately a healthier you! We look forward to seeing you!

Thank you for your continued loyalty to our practice!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

February Is Children’s Dental Health Month

In honor of Children’s Dental Health Month, we’re spreading the word about children’s dental health.

YOU Can Help Little Ones Have Healthier Smiles!

1. Encourage them to brush for two full minutes. Pick a song about two minutes long and sing it to them during brushing time.
2. Set reminders to brush twice a day. Brushing after breakfast and just before bed are the best times for preventing bacteria growth from food.
3. Show them flossing is fun, not harmful. Be gentle at first when doing it for them. A bad experience can stop them from flossing on their own.
4. Be persistent. Don’t let fussy children off the hook. Be motivating! Kids may gladly brush for a sticker or star if you make it an activity.
5. Set their first dental appointment before age 1. Having positive dental experiences early will make dental visits easier and less frightening when older.

YOU can identify orthodontic problems early!

Below are signs from American Association of Orthodontics that indicate the need for orthodontic attention: 

1. early or late loss of baby teeth
2. difficulty in chewing or biting
3. breathing through the mouth
4. thumb-sucking
5. crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
6. jaws that are too far forward or back
7. biting the cheek or biting in to the roof of the mouth
8. protruding teeth
9. upper and lower teeth that don't meet or meet in an abnormal way
10. an unbalanced facial appearance 
11. grinding or clenching of the teeth 

According to The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), it is recommended, ". . . that your child get a check-up with an orthodontist at the first recognition of the existence of an orthodontic problem, but no later than age 7. . .some orthodontic problems may be easier to correct if they're found early." 

https://www.mylifemysmile.org/why-you-should-get-orthodontic-treatment

Call our office today to setup a FREE consultation. We look forward to seeing you!

Help Us Spread The Word!

Share this message with your friends and family, and especially with the children in your life. If you have any questions about children’s dental health, don’t hesitate to ask us!

Thanks for being our valued patients and friends

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.