Diet Impacts Tooth Health Your mouth is essential for chewing and swallowing your food. The mouth is the first point of contact with all the nutrients your body needs. What you put in your mouth impacts both your oral and general health. What is a cavity? Cavities form when the bacteria in the mouth eat the available sugars and produce acid, which breaks down the outer layer, the enamel, of the tooth. Cavities often develop between the teeth and in...

As we go back to school, we need to be mindful of our daily routines. Having routines will help establish healthy habits, including good oral health. Did you know that cavities are one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood in the United States, possibly leading to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning? Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t (CDC, 2019). The good news is that...

Healthy Snacks for a Healthy Mouth Sometimes eating between meals must happen. It is recommended to limit eating and drinking sugary drinks between meals. Most people choose foods like sweets and chips for snacks. These choices can weaken the teeth and cause cavities. Also, nutritious, acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits can have acidic effects on tooth enamel. Try to eat them as part of a meal, and not as a stand-alone snack. Here are some nutritious snack choices:...

Foods & Drinks to Avoid for a Healthy Mouth While some food may seem harmless, if you eat too many and the constant exposure to sugar can be harmful to your teeth. Here are 6 different foods and drinks that should be cautiously consumed. Hard Candies: Constant exposure to sugar and the hardness of the candy could cause a dental emergency such as a broken or chipped tooth. Alternative is sugarless gum Ice: Chewing on ice can also leave you...

Energy drinks, shakes, smoothies, and fruit juices – sounds healthy, right? Such beverages are often considered part of a healthy lifestyle, and some of them do contain a lot of nutritious ingredients. But they also tend to have a low pH, meaning that they are acidic, and may cause erosion of the teeth – simply put, it wears them down.    Since these beverages often come in big containers, consuming these types of drinks may include a longer period of...

A good toothbrush is important to your daily oral health care routine. Dental plaque finds areas to hide in your mouth, for example, around crowded teeth or along the gumline. Dental plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. It must be removed regularly, or it can cause gum inflammation, cavities, and bad breath. This month we are celebrating Dental Hygiene Month, as well as offering some tips and tricks for better brushing.   Every...

Orthodontic Care Orthodontic treatment involves different appliances and devices to correct the bite and straighten your teeth. When teeth are aligned, they are also easier to clean. After your teeth have been moved into the proper position, a retainer will be used to prevent any future shifting. People may need orthodontic treatment for different reasons. To correct crooked, crowded, or misaligned teeth Correcting malocclusion, or a bad bite, to address jaw pain or discomfort when chewing by properly distributing biting...

Did you know that brushing alone only removes about 60% of the plaque on your teeth? The rest of the plaque is found BETWEEN your teeth. Dental plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. It must be removed regularly, or it can cause gum inflammation, cavities, and bad breath. Your toothbrush only cleans 3 of the 5 surfaces on your teeth, leaving 2 surfaces between the teeth ignored. Cleaning between the teeth, also known...