The food we eat can have a big impact on our teeth. It is obviously important to take good care of your smile by brushing and flossing but the things we eat can also affect our teeth. To keep those pearly whites bright snack on crunchy vegetables that do not get stuck in the teeth like carrots, broccoli and celery. Watermelon with its high water content helps to keep the teeth hydrated and free from debris as well. Pears are another good choice for crispness and water content. Crunchy nuts and seeds are full of protein and the crunch helps remove plaque from the teeth keeping them stain free. If you are looking for a natural tooth whitener go for strawberries. The malic acid in the berry is a natural tooth whitener. You can also try a paste of strawberries and baking on your pearly whites to brighten them.

Foods that are harmful to the teeth include dried fruits and raisins as they are very sticky after being dehydrated and promote tooth decay because they sit on the enamel. Saltine crackers are another poor choice. Remember that any sticky substance on the tooth will provide food for the bacteria that cause decay. Think of how your teeth feel after a banana, all sticky and covered with a film. That film gives fuel to the sugar bugs and if left on the tooth will allow it to start to break down. Acidic foods like pickles change the alkalinity of the mouth and promote enamel breakdown. Sugary sports drinks and sodas do the same thing. We are seeing an increase in cavities between the teeth in young adults and it is being attributed to the energy drinks which are mostly caffeine and sugar. Certainly not the best thing for your smile. Keep in mind that water is always the best choice for your smile it cleans the teeth and hydrates them to keep them healthy. If you opt for a different drink make sure you rinse with water after drinking it and don’t sip on something sugary all day. The worst thing you can do for your teeth is to constantly bath your enamel with demineralizing sugars and acids over the course of the day. This does not give the saliva a chance to do its job of cleaning the mouth and re-mineralizing the tooth structure and enamel breakdown occurs. Alcohol also reduces the saliva flow and promotes drying of the teeth and gums.

To keep your family smiling choose good snacks that not only taste good but are healthy. Fresh fruits and nuts will certainly keep that smile on their faces and not affect the teeth. I find my family prefers the healthy stuff anyway so that is what I offer. Trader Joe’s sells convenient packs of nuts that are great to throw in my bag if the kids or I get hungry. I also usually have lots of fruit poolside. Bowls of grapes and watermelon are sure to please the crowd at my house. I am even surprised when we have a BBQ and the fruit is empty but the chips are not. Everyone likes fruit. I even make a delicious fruit dip to go with cantaloupe, watermelon, bananas and strawberries. Just mix a bar of cream cheese, a jar of marshmallow fluff and 1/4 cup orange juce in the food processor and chill for an hour before serving with fruit. Enjoy the summer!

Tooth pain can occur in many forms, it can be isolated to one tooth, or many, it can be instigated by temperature (hot or cold) or when chewing. Let’s take a look at the most common instances of tooth pain.
There are two basic types of tooth pain.
– Sharp and Dull
Sharp tooth pain is caused by many factors.
– A broken cusp of a tooth
– Decay at the gumline
– A space between a crown/ filling at the gumline
– A filling or crown that is too high when chewing
– Grinding or clenching
– Cold temperatures
Sharp tooth pain rarely lingers, it is short duration and often instigated by the factors listed above. Sharp tooth pain relief is usually accomplished by repairing fractured cusp with a crown or onlay, adjusting the crown/ filling that is too high when biting, checking for and removing any decay or faulty crowns/ fillings at the gum line. Sharp tooth pain should always be evaluated because sharp tooth pain can lead to dull pain, which is discussed below.
Dull tooth pain is often more serious, and usually means the nerve inside the tooth has been irreversibly damaged.
Dull tooth pain is usually initiated with hot temperatures, hot coffee or soup.
It will tend to ache for a significant period of time.
It can wake you up in the middle of the night or just start to ache spontaneously. It can also be initiated by tapping on the tooth.
Dull tooth pain originates from the nerve/pulp of the tooth.
Tooth pain is often an indicator of a potentially serious problem that should be addressed by a dentist.

If you have kids, introducing them to new things can be fun, challenging, exciting, and frustrating at the same time. I have three children and with today’s technology I expect them to grow up without cavities. When I was a kid it was almost expected to have a cavity when we went to the dentist. Getting a filling was normal-hey we were happy if it was only one. Times have really changed. Today children can have the benefit of regular dental care and advancements like sealants, and electric toothbrushes.

To help your child grow up cavity free teach them that going to the dentist is fun. Regular dental care prevents problems and catches things early before the problems are major. I think it is best to bring the kids in early for a fun ride on the chair and toothbrush instruction. They come in at 2 or so and have an easy visit, get a new toothbrush and pick a prize out of the toy box. The first visit should be problem free so that it is a positive experience. It is great when the kids look forward to going to the dentist!

10 secrets for cavity free kids!

1. Clean baby’s mouth with a 2X2 gauze so that the gums and new teeth are clean and debris free. This will get baby used to the process and help in the future.

2. Start toothbrush at 18 months. They can play with the toothbrush and then you can actually brush their teeth for them. Toothpaste is not necessary to start. Introduce that when you know they can spit it out and not swallow it.

3. Regular Dental Checkup every 6 months.

4. Stop thumbsucking before permenant teeth come in. This is usually around 6 years old.

5. Have dental sealants placed on permenant molars and premolars.

6. Never put kids to bed with a bottle of juice or milk. If they need a bottle only fill with water.

7. Never dip a pacifier in anything sweet.

8. Help your child brush. Let them brush first then go over their teeth again.

9. Brush twice a day for 2 minutes.

10. Be a good role model. Let your kids see you brush and floss. Be a consistent dental patient, having your check up as well twice yearly.

I am pleased to introduce Dr Brent Call to our family dental practice here in the east valley. Dr Call will be joining the practice to assist in all aspects of implant dentistry and oral surgery. We no longer need to refer you out of the practice for these services. Since our patients are comfortable here we can perform these additional services in the setting you are already familiar with. Dr Call will be performing wisdom teeth extractions as well as implant placement. All aspects of oral surgery can now be addressed at Contemporary Dentistry.

Dr Call is a graduate of Oregon Health Science University in 2004. He completed his general practice residency at the University of Texas Health Science University in San Antonio. He is trained in implant surgery as well as IV sedation.
We are pleased to be able to offer these services in our office. Working with Dr Call on our dental implant cases will improve patient comfort and treatment outcome for our patients.

If you are interested in replacing a missing tooth with an implant or you need to have an extraction call Katie to get scheduled at 480-507-1807. If you have any questions regarding what is involved with dental implants let me know. I can be emailed at drkathyj@azdentistry.com or on my cell at 602-332-6202. Feel free to schedule a complimentary consult as well if you are interested.