Smiles for Life Campaign: March-July

It is time once again for our annual Smiles for Life campaign this spring to raise money for children’s charities. If you’ve been thinking of brightening your smile, why not help children in need at the same time – we will proudly donate 50% of our teeth whitening proceeds to Urban Promise in Camden and 50% to Garth Brooks’ Teammates for Kids Foundation.  Help us help others – thank you.

How are those New Year Resolutions coming along?

In addition to losing weight and quitting smoking, improving your dental health is a noble goal for the coming year.  Here are some simple tips that will help you toward your goal:

• Brush your teeth for a full two minutes twice a day.
• Clean in between your teeth every day, not just when something is caught.
• Cut down on your sugar intake.
• Maintain a regular schedule of dental visits.

Angels Give Us a Reason to Smile

This year’s Salvation Army Angel Tree drive, during the 2011 holiday season, was an overwhelming success. Our patients and the community visited our office and graciously donated many gifts to the Salvation Army for the benefit of families with children in need.  We are forever impressed with the kindness and generosity of our community. THANK YOU!

New Patients Welcome

The next time you are in our office, be sure to pick up some Dental Dollar$ Chips.  Hand chips out to family members or friends that you would like to refer as new patients to our office.  When that new patient comes for an appointment, both you and the new patient will be awarded $50 Dental Dollars to use toward dental treatment.  Everybody wins in our office!

Reminder : A New Year…A New Beginning for Dental Insurance

January marks a fresh start to a new calendar year.  For patients who have dental insurance and are interested in maximizing your benefits, now is a great time to call Casey so that he can best help you budget any needed dental treatment for 2012.

February is Children’s Dental Health Month

Did you know?

• The baby teeth actually begin their development at about the sixth week of life in the womb.
• The typical time frame for teething to begin is usually between six and nine months
• Clean, chilled, rubber teething ring, chilled pacifiers and cold foods keep your baby comfortable during  teething
• Prolonged thumb sucking (beyond the age of 4) can result in crooked teeth and an open bite
• Each jaw should have 10 baby teeth
• Permanent tooth buds are located below the baby teeth and are starting to form as they erupt, they  remove the roots of the baby teeth
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends just a small “smear” of  fluoridated toothpaste for children under 2, and that children 2-6 use only a pea-sized amount when brushing and no more than twice a day
• Fluoride use is mainly a concern up until the age of about 9, when enamel of the permanent teeth has developed
• Bottled water, juice and other beverages may contain fluoride-in varying amounts, the trouble is, there is no labeling requirement unless the fluoride has specifically been added
• Too much fluoride can lead to a condition called “enamel fluorosis” causing mottled or streaked appearance of the permanent teeth
• All children should learn to remove plaque that daily collects on teeth and is a major cause of tooth decay and gum disease
• Sharing utensils with your child, drinking out of the same glass, kissing your infant on the lips transfers your bacteria to your baby
• Baby teeth act as guides for the permanent successors, and when they are missing or lost, they are unable to maintain space required for the developing permanent tooth
• Early detection of orthodontic problems even as early as 7-9 years old, may reveal the need for  orthodontic treatment
• The most common injury in children of all ages is trauma to the upper front teeth, wear strong custom-made mouth guards