Halloween will be here before you know it, and your family will have delicious confections in buckets! You might as well call it candy season because of the number of treats offered at every event this season. Everyone is in the mood to celebrate the change of season and indulge in their favorite spooky treats like candy corn, caramel apples, taffy, and more!

With some careful planning, you can help your family enjoy traditional ghoulish goodies without permanently damaging their teeth. Unfortunately, consuming a lot of candy often leads to cavities because sugar creates an environment in your mouth that is actively conducive to cavity formation, thanks to oral bacteria.

While some bacteria in the mouth are good and promote a healthy oral ecosystem, the rest are bad for you because they increase in number and thrive when you eat sugar. These bacteria then release harmful oral acids that weaken tooth enamel, allowing cavities to form.

Worst Candies for Teeth

While none of them are particularly good for you, some are worse than others. Avoid hard or chewy, sticky candy like the plague they are as these break down the protective tooth enamel layer:

• Taffy
• Hard-to-chew, sticky candy
• Jawbreakers
• Gummy candies
• Caramels and caramel apples
• Sour candies that are extra acidic

These sweets can also get trapped in between teeth. It makes it harder to clear this bacterial residue away. Normally, saliva works to wash away food particles except for between the teeth, so that is why you need to floss those spaces daily, especially after eating sweets. Fortunately, you have healthier options to protect your child’s teeth during the Halloween season!

Protecting Your Child’s Teeth

• Go through your child’s candy with them, take out the ones they can’t have (see list above), and donate those to your local fire department, homeless shelter, hospital, or senior citizen center. Giving also boosts your child’s self-esteem, makes them feel good about themselves while helping out their community and makes you feel better by protecting their smiles.
• Do not let your child graze on candies throughout the day. Offer them a particular time to enjoy their fun treats, and limit them to three pieces a day.
• Do not give your kids candy for their daily snacks. Stick to fruits and cheeses that are better for their teeth, and then allow some candy later.
• Soft candies that melt quickly are your kids’ (sort of) best friend. The fewer sugars and acids linger on their teeth, the better their teeth fare.
• October is not the time for your child to become lax on their daily oral hygiene habits. Now more than ever, they need to brush at least twice a day and floss at least once (preferably before bed, so no sugary residue sets up camp on their teeth while they sleep).
• Have your child wait half an hour before brushing after eating acidic foods and drinks. It allows the acid to wash away before brushing the enamel surface.
• Get sealants when your child sees the dentist. Sealants help the molars do much better by preventing cavities on those hard-to-reach and clean areas.
• Give your child access to plenty of water to refresh their mouth and body. Even rinsing with water after indulging in sweets can help wash away some sugar, so it doesn’t stick around on tooth surfaces.
• Limit candy treats to have with meals instead of randomly throughout the day. Chewing increases saliva production, which helps neutralize some of the oral acids, helping to wash away sugary food particles around their teeth.
• This Halloween, consider handing out fun toys instead of candy such as plastic spider rings, mini play-doh, stickers, or glow sticks.
• If your child has not seen the dentist yet for their next biannual dental cleaning and exam, fall is a great time to get their teeth cleaned and checked for potential developing problems.

Festive Family Halloween Fun

We hope these tooth-friendly tips help you and your child enjoy the frightful festivities while still taking good care of their “fangs.” Halloween is just the start of the holiday season. Dressing up in fun costumes, carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns, and decorating your home with skeletons, ghosts, bats, and witches hats are a fun time for everyone to enjoy Halloween!

The post Protect Your Family’s Smiles During Spooky Season! first appeared on Bella Dental.

September is National Gum Care Month, and it is a big deal for your oral health. Good oral health is the foundation to a healthy-looking, self-confident appearance when it comes to your smile. By ensuring healthy teeth and gums – because when it comes to tooth loss, it is not just from tooth decay and cavities – periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults! It is why your daily oral hygiene care (combined with regular dental checkups) is crucial to getting the healthy, beautiful smile you want and deserve.

Progressive Disease

As National Gum Care Month gets into full swing this month, we want to encourage you to get your biannual checkup and cleaning. If you have not already, book an appointment today. We can spot and stop gum disease in its tracks.

Gingivitis

Gum disease starts as gingivitis as bacterial infection sets into your gums. It happens if you don’t brush and floss that harmful oral bacteria away, so it builds up into plaque, a sticky bacterial film you can feel when running your tongue across your teeth. If left unchecked, gingivitis continues to thrive until it forms deep gum pockets where it deteriorates gum tissue from inflammation, bleeding, and pain. When gingivitis is found, treatment can be done, and your gums can heal. You might have gum disease if you see the following:

• Red, bleeding gums
• Gum pain
• Sour taste in your mouth
• Mouth sores that won’t heal

Periodontitis

If your gum is aggressive, your gum tissue recession steadily worsens. It can also happen in young people because of vitamin deficiency (rather than just bacterial infection). Any advancing gum disease needs treatment as early as possible to avoid losing your teeth to periodontitis. And it is not just because unhealthy teeth and gums make you look older or because replacing teeth is costly; it is because it affects your smile and your body! Gum inflammation travels through your bloodstream to cause additional inflammatory conditions in your body, including heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune issues.

So what can you do to ensure healthy gums?

Address oral bacteria build-up

Daily brushing, flossing and using an antibacterial mouthwash help minimize germs. Otherwise, they collect and harden from plaque into tartar or calculus. Do not neglect to brush or scrape your tongue every day because it is a large surface that can hold onto bacteria. Your routine dental checkups and cleanings help get rid of tartar and calculus using special instruments. We can even recommend some devices you can use to remove oral bacteria from your teeth and tongue.

Build up your body’s immune system

Help your body resist infection so it can’t strengthen and spread. You will need vitamin C to lower inflammation (which can cause red, bleeding gums). Eat fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, berries, and leafy greens. You can get Vitamin B12 from milk, eggs, and meat, as well as B12 from fortified bread, pasta, and cereals. Omega-3 fatty acids (flaxseed oil and fish are great sources) also fight inflammation and boost gum health. If your diet is restricted, you can also take supplements for vitamin C, B12, and Omega 3.

Seeking Help

If you have noticed that your gums are bleeding and regular, gentle flossing around the gum line and between teeth is not helping, you may need treatment. Depending on the stage of gum disease you are fighting, you may need to visit a dentist, periodontist, or endodontist to stop the bleeding and make sure your gums are not receding or leading to bone loss and tooth loss.

This year, do not let gum disease cause tooth loss in your smile. You can achieve healthy teeth and gums. Our experienced team is here to help ensure your smile and overall health are as healthy as possible!

The post September Is National Gum Care Month. Do You Know How To Protect Your Gums for a Healthier Smile? first appeared on Bella Dental.

Because of the pandemic (and occasionally dental anxiety just from going to the dentist), patients may find themselves tempted to skip a dental appointment or two, especially if they are not currently having any acute dental problems. But skipping those routine dental cleanings can also put one’s oral health and overall health at risk!

It is because tooth decay and gum disease can lead to serious issues like abscesses and infections, potentially requiring root canals. In particular, gum disease has been connected to rheumatoid arthritis, pneumonia, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Meanwhile, bruxism often arises from stress, and an unhealthy smile leads to poor self-confidence. Your mouth and body are intricately connected and require regular care for optimal health.

Bacterial Infection

The greatest oral issue stems from oral bacteria, which starts to form as soon as you eat or drink anything besides water. Brushing and flossing after you consume sugary and acidic foods and beverages – like sodas, juices, sports or energy drinks, tea, coffee, and alcohol – can help manage plaque formation and buildup but very few people take the time to do that.

And even if you do, brushing and flossing alone can’t reach and clean every surface in your mouth. It is where your professional dental cleanings come to the rescue. With the help of special tools, our hygienist removes hardened, calcified plaque (tartar or calculus) that you can’t clear away at home, especially in between teeth and around the gum line.

Removing calculus and bacteria protects your smile from cavities and gingivitis (gum disease), so you don’t suffer from bacterial infections like gum disease, which puts you at greater risk of tooth loss, heart conditions, and complications from diabetes. Oral bacteria also makes your breath smell bad and is off-putting to people in close contact.

What Happens at Your Biannual Dental Checkups?

Our skilled team’s goal is to catch and treat developing problems sooner rather than later, so they are easier, less invasive, and less costly to remedy. When you come in for your dental cleaning and exam, you can look forward to the following:

• Dental X-rays as needed
• Oral cancer screening
• Sticky plaque buildup and tartar removal
• Tooth stain removal by polishing enamel
• Screening for tooth decay and gum disease
• Checking every tooth for chips, cracks, cavities
• Evaluating your jaw and bite for abnormalities
• Ensuring that your current tooth restorations are in good shape
• Scheduling to treat any current issues
• Reviewing your at-home care if needed and recommending helpful products
• Giving you answers to your questions and concerns

Why Biannual Dental Exams?

Cavities mean the following and should not be ignored:

• Toothaches
• Tooth sensitivity when you eat or drink hot, cold, acidic, or sweet foods and beverages
• Pitting or a hole in a tooth
• Painful abscess around a tooth

As tooth enamel weakens, cavities can accelerate from infection, whether it is inside the tooth, at the tooth root, or in the jawbone. The problem is an infection that spreads to nearby teeth. A cracked or fractured tooth can worsen whenever you bite down or chew hard food, and if the tooth completely breaks, you will know it from the pain. Your routine dental exams allow us to spot these kinds of issues early and treat them before they turn painful or expensive!

Daily Oral Hygiene Between Dental Cleanings

Your best protection in between dental cleanings and exams is to brush twice a day, floss at least once daily, and use an antibacterial mouthwash to kill germs if you want to keep tooth decay and gum disease from gaining a foothold. Drink plenty of water every day, eat a balanced diet, and limit unhealthy drinks and foods as much as you can.

While we are seeing more problems with patients coming back after skipping dental cleanings this past year, know that we will never make you feel bad about missing your dental appointments! Our team can expertly clean your teeth and check for developing problems so we can fix them early. We will also go over your daily routine to make sure you have the best tools possible to fill in any gaps so you can get back on track to a healthier, happier smile! Call now to schedule a dental cleaning and exam for yourself or your family members!

The post What Happens to Your Health and Smile When Putting Off Your Biannual Dental Cleanings and Exams? first appeared on Bella Dental.

Did you know that a big investment you can make in your overall health and self-confidence is to make sure you have a healthy smile? June 15th is National Smile Power Day, and it’s a great time to become more aware of the many benefits of having a healthy, confident smile wherever you go!

The Psychology and Physiology of Smiling

Did you know that when you smile, it can trigger your autonomic nervous system to release endorphins into your blood? It triggers your body to release dopamine and serotonin, which act as natural pain relievers. Smiling also reduces your blood pressure levels (thank the happy hormone for that), so it has the power to relieve stress, help you relax, boost your immune system, and, when done habitually, even increase your odds of living longer!

In addition, it also helps whoever sees it to feel that same “happy hormone!” Smiling can make whoever you smile at feel better while also boosting their morale and helping them feel more confident. Smiling can be contagious, and at least half of the folks you smile at will reward you with one back. Who knew a simple smile which can produce anywhere and anytime was this powerful? We agree with the Buddhist author, Thich Nhat Hanh, that “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

Did You Know?

• There are many different smiles, including the closed-lip smile, smirk smile, lop-sided smile, flirtatious smile, and open mouth smile.
• When it comes to learning facial expressions, a baby’s smile is one of the first ones they master!
• Smiling means the same thing anywhere you go in the world, which is why you often hear the familiar phrase, “When you smile, the world smiles with you!”
• Smiling people come across more confident and looking younger as the smiling facial muscles raise the face, making the cheeks, jowls, and neck look smoother.
• Women tend to smile more than 60 times a day while their male counterparts smile less than ten times a day!
• Most people think that having a bad-looking smile can harm their career goals.

Smile For Your Health and Success

No wonder smiling is such a good thing for your mental and physical well-being! It’s good for your social and career life, so smile more often. After all, it’s free so why not give the gift of a smile to others, brightening your day as well as theirs. This National Smile Power Day, why not share the hashtag #NationalSmilePowerDay in your online communications and tell a good joke or two. If you’re just not feeling the smile bug, try writing down some of the things you are grateful for onto some sticky notes and placing them around your home or office. Before you know it, you might catch yourself smiling!

Smile Boosting Tips

Your oral health is the first step to a more confident smile as it impacts your overall health. If not taken care of, you are at risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and bruxism (where you grind your teeth while you sleep). You will also want to brush with a good toothbrush, floss daily and visit our team twice a year for cleanings. Limit sugary foods and beverages, especially tooth-staining drinks like coffee, tea, and red wine. Drink enough water throughout the day to protect your smile and follow a balanced, nutritious diet so your teeth and gums get the nutrients they need to thrive.

We also recommend giving yourself the gift of a confident smile if you don’t already have one. Your dentist can be one of your best friends when it comes to reaching your smile goals. Give us a call if your smile needs some love, whether it’s just getting your next dental cleaning, a teeth whitening treatment, or a smile makeover. Our team is excited to help you smile!

The post Smile With Us on National Smile Power Day on June 15th! first appeared on Bella Dental.