Thanksgiving Traditions

THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS COME in all shapes and sizes. From the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to breaking the wishbone to getting together with those wacky yet lovable relatives, traditions vary from family to family, and that includes the families of our practice’s team members!
 

Staying Mouth-Healthy During Thanksgiving

Enjoying traditions is one part of what makes Thanksgiving wonderful, but staying on top of our oral health is another! If you’re looking for ways to make your Thanksgiving dinner more mouth-healthy, you can find a few here. Don’t forget to keep brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing daily, and if it’s been a while since your last dental exam, we’d love to see you!

Tell Us About Your Favorite Thanksgiving Traditions!

Now that we’ve shared some of our favorite traditions and memories, we want to hear how your family celebrates Thanksgiving! Share a comment below or on Facebook to let us know about your unique traditions, or else tell us about them when you come in for your next appointment!

Our patients are what we’re most thankful for this year and every year!

How Diabetes Affects Oral Health

THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION estimates that 23.1 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes (whether it be type 1, type 2, or gestational). At least another 7 million remain undiagnosed, and that doesn’t include the additional millions who are considered pre-diabetic. But what does diabetes have to do with oral health? Unfortunately, quite a lot.

Diabetes And Gum Disease

Diabetes is a chronic disease that either means the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin (type 1) or that the body doesn’t use it effectively (type 2 and gestational), both of which cause elevated blood glucose. The most serious impact elevated blood glucose has on oral health is that it simultaneously weakens the immune system and provides more food for the bacteria that attack teeth and gums.

This two-pronged attack is why 22% of diabetics also have gum disease, whether in the early stages of inflammation (gingivitis) or in the advanced stages (periodontitis) that threaten the teeth, gums, and supporting bone. The bacteria that causes gum disease can also travel through the bloodstream and make it even harder to regulate blood sugar.

In addition to increasing the risk of gingivitis and periodontitis, uncontrolled diabetes can also lead to a variety of other oral health problems, such as:

• Dry mouth
• Burning mouth syndrome
• Impaired or slower healing
• Increased severity and frequency of infections
• Fungal infections
• Salivary gland enlargement

What You Can Do

Now for the good news: even with diabetes, good oral health is within reach. Even better: keeping your teeth and gums healthy will also make the diabetes easier to manage! Make sure to brush twice a day for two minutes with a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste, floss daily or use a water flosser or interdental brush, use a non-alcoholic mouthwash, and don’t smoke. Carefully regulating your sugar intake is a major factor as well.

The Dentist’s Role

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, the standard two dental exams per year may not be enough. To stay on the safe side, we recommend that you increase the number of yearly visits to three or four. It is also crucial for us to know how you and your doctor are working together to get it under control. Likewise, your doctor needs to know how we are working with you to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

We can help you win the fight for your dental health!

Frustrated With Flossing? Try Waterpik®!

FLOSSING IS A CRUCIAL element of our daily oral hygiene routine. A toothbrush simply cannot reach the plaque and food particles stuck between our teeth, so we need to floss to get at it. Simple brushing is even less effective on its own for those with braces, which introduce countless new hard-to-reach crevices where bacteria can hide.

As necessary as flossing is, it can still seem like a hassle at times. That’s why we’re so excited that old-fashioned flossing isn’t the only option. One of our favorite alternatives to traditional floss is the Waterpik® Water Flosser, the first powered interdental cleaner to earn the American Dental Association’s seal of approval.

How Waterpik Compares

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. What comments have you heard from patients about Waterpik products? How long does it take to use a Waterpik Water Flosser compared to traditional floss, and are Waterpik products worth the initial cost? What does your practice like about Waterpik products? Would you primarily recommend them for patients currently in braces, or would anyone benefit from them?)

Watch the video below to see how the Waterpik Water Flosser gives you a cleaner, healthier smile than brushing alone:

Get Your Own Waterpik Water Flosser!

(NOTE TO OUR CLIENTS: Please customize your blog post by providing your own content here. Do you offer Waterpik Water Flossers or deals on Waterpik products at your practice? Where can your patients find them, and what price range should they expect? Are there different models you’d recommend for patients in different situations? Maybe the countertop water flosser for home and a portable one for people who go on frequent overnight trips?)

Let Us Know How You Like It!

We’d love to hear how you like your Waterpik Water Flosser once you start using it, so make sure you let us know at your next appointment with us. Until then, don’t forget to brush twice a day and use the Waterpik to “floss” once a day!

Keep cleaning those gorgeous pearly whites!