Cool temperatures are here and fall colors are changing which means that Halloween is right around the corner! It’s the one time of year where costumes are the required dress code and sugary treats are the acceptable snacks throughout the day. From the iconic Hersey’s chocolate bar to the fall-favorite caramel apple, there are countless fan-favorites when it comes to Halloween treats, but they come with sneaky tricks on our teeth. Enjoying sweet snacks doesn’t have to be completely off-limits, but let’s take a look at how we can protect our teeth during this sugary holiday.

Make a Candy Plan

Having a candy bowl on the kitchen table or office desk may make for fun decor, but it’s not the smartest move when it comes to helping protect your teeth. Having candy in an easy-access place can lead to snacking on it throughout the day. This can lead to a sugary residue sitting on your teeth for hours. Over time, this leads to tooth decay.

Keep Brushing

The best way to fight against tooth decay is by maintaining a routine brushing schedule. This means brushing twice a day for at least two minutes at a time. Remember, it’s equally important to have a good toothbrush while brushing. A toothbrush with frayed bristles is worn out and won’t do a proper job of cleaning your teeth.

Limit Sticky Situations

The stickier the candy, the more it clings to your teeth. Items such as taffy, caramel, and gummies take longer to be washed away by saliva which results in sugar staying on your teeth for longer. Limiting the amount of super-sticky treats can help lower the risk of plaque build-up.

Visit Your Dentist

As always with any tooth concerns, make a trip to your dentist! Dr. Drew and Crew is here to provide top-tier service to all your dental-related needs. Give us a call today!

 

When you hear the word “dental hygiene,” you probably always think of those pearly white teeth. But our gums are equally as important when it comes to taking care of our oral health. Gums help protect the teeth, but the health of your gums can impact other health conditions you might have. This September, let’s take a closer look at how we can properly care for our gums. 

Gum Care

Maintaining a consistent dental hygiene routine is the best way to fight against gum disease! We strongly recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each and flossing your teeth thoroughly. Doing so will help keep your mouth fresh and clean while minimizing harmful bacteria that can sit on teeth and gums. Keep in mind that a more forceful brushing isn’t always better and can cause potential harm to gums. Brushing teeth and gums too aggressively can cause inflammation, damage, and bleeding of the gums. 

Gum Disease 

We took a look at how we can maintain good gum care which ultimately helps us fight gum disease. Gum diseases are caused by types of harmful bacteria that live in a film called “dental plaque.” If this plaque is not properly cleaned each day, the bacteria collected on the teeth right above and below the gum line can eventually harden into “tartar.” Once the oral bacteria reaches this level, it can only be professionally removed by a dentist. 

Gum Warning Signs

Even when we do our best to fight bacteria build-up, sometimes our gums need a little tender love and care from a dental professional. If you are experiencing any of the following, it’s probably a good time to make a special visit to the dentist to receive personalized care to keep your gums healthy!

• Your gums appear swollen and/or red in certain spots
• Your gums might feel tender when you brush them 
• You notice your gums are bleeding easily 
• You notice your gums are pulling away from your teeth 

Your complete oral health is important to us at Dr. Drew & Crew. If you are experiencing any gum discomfort or have questions, our team is here to help! 

 

Contact us today by calling: 479-242-3739

It’s no secret that we Americans love our soda. From enjoying a cold Coke on a hot summer day, ensuring the kids only have Sprite to avoid the added caffeine, to even drinking a diet-Dr. Pepper with breakfast, we have made soda a staple in our day-to-day life. The average American consumed 38.87 gallons of soda in a year. Looks like the soda companies will be in business for a while… and so will the tooth decay bugs! Unfortunately, this sugary, bubbly drink comes with quite a few consequences when consumed regularly and without extra care to our teeth.

The two main dental effects of drinking soda are erosion and cavities. Erosion takes place due to the acid found in soda. Once it hits the enamel of your teeth (the outermost protective layer of teeth), it reduces the surface hardness of the enamel. After this point, soda can continue to affect the next layer of the tooth (dentin) and even composite fillings. When this occurs, people can get cavities and even toothaches.

But even without erosion, the sugar in sodas leads directly to cavities. In liquified form, this sugar flows between teeth and around roots wreaking havoc to the teeth. Mouth germs love the sugar and use it to wage war on your teeth.

How do we prevent these things from occurring? Let’s look at a few ways that we can protect our teeth while still enjoying the bubbly drinks:

Drink Sodas with a Meal

Instead of bathing your teeth all day in a sugar bath, only drink sodas at mealtime. This way the mouth has a better chance of buffering the damage.

Use a Straw

One of the biggest helps against erosion and cavities while drinking soda is making the switch to only drinking it through a straw! Doing so helps keep the damaging acid and sugars away from your teeth.

Rinse Your Mouth with Water

After you’ve finished drinking your soda, swishing water around in your mouth can help wash away any remaining sugars and acids and stop them from attacking your teeth.

Drink Quickly

The longer you sip on that can of pop, the longer the sugar and acid have to sit and damage your teeth.

Learn to Like Water

Try weaning off sodas. Cut down to one soda a week, and learn to like water. Or tea… without sugar. If you don’t like tea without sugar, you either have had bad tea or simply don’t like tea. Again, try water. You’ll like it!

Stay Up to Date on Your Cleanings!

If you are someone who drinks soda regularly, it is vital that you continually come in to see your friends at Dr. Drew and Crew so we can help your teeth stay healthy and strong.

There are a lot of things that might have been put on pause or postponed recently. As we start to slowly reintegrate some of the regular tasks, routines, and appointments, prioritizing the most important items can be an efficient way to ensure the necessities are being taken care of. Have you taken a look as to where your routine dental check-ups fall on that list? If you’ve skipped a recent visit, here are some important reasons to come in and see us sooner rather than later!

Benefits of Routine Check-Ups

Staying up to date with your regular check-ups help keep your teeth and gums healthy while also preventing future oral issues. Consist check-ups gives your dentist and hygienist the ability to catch potential issues early on, ultimately helping reduce the amount of pain, difficulty, or cost to fix a problem. Routine check-ups are composed of two major parts: the cleaning and the examination.

The Cleaning

You may be thinking, “if I’m brushing and flossing in my day-to-day routine, does having a routine cleaning by a licensed hygienist or dentist necessary to have this frequently?” The answer: Absolutely! Although it is important to brush, floss, and clean your gums on a day-to-day basis, there are a couple of pivotal items during a dentist-office cleaning that helps protect your teeth and gums on a higher level. Removing tartar (also known as calculus, and not the math kind either) can only be achieved with a professional cleaning that uses a series of metal hand tools to clean the teeth above and below the gum line. Along with this cleaning, your teeth are polished to help remove remaining plaque and stains on the tooth surface.

The Examination

During the examination portion of your visit, both dentist and hygienist will check for cavities and gum disease and screen for oral disease and cancers. All of these are checked to look for any signs of trouble. This can include swelling, redness, irritation, and more! The important thing to remember is that a lot of underlying issues can only be detected by a professional dentist, which makes the need for regular check-ups vital for your oral health.

As a reminder, Dr. Drew and Crew is continuing to follow the CDC’s Universal Suggested guidelines and providing a safe environment for patients. Please review the safety measures our clinic has in place and call us if you have any questions or concerns!

We look forward to seeing you for your check-up soon!

Healthy oral hygiene can be challenging whenever routine is changed, and there’s no doubt that a “normal routine” looks vastly different these days. Throw summertime into the mix and it may feel as though there is hardly any routine at all! As challenging as it might be for us adults to stay consistent in daily practices, it can be even more challenging for children and teens who are experiencing a whole new type of “summer schedule.” When it comes to the inconsistent schedules of summer, having your kids stay on top of their oral hygiene schedule will help prevent issues down the road.

So how do I make sure my kids – and myself – keep good oral health?
We have a couple of tips to keep in mind!

Stay Hydrated with H2O
During the hot months, it’s easy to crave the fizzy, bubbly, sugary drinks throughout the day. Even though these treats taste good at the moment, they cause more harm than good. Sugary drinks contain acids that soften the enamel of the teeth and increase the risk of cavities and tooth decay. Reaching for water throughout the day keeps your body hydrated while also fighting dry mouth, promotes a cleaner mouth, causes fresher breath, and helps develop stronger teeth.

Don’t Skip on Nighttime Brushing
Whether you’re camping, visiting family, getting home late from the lake, or any other activity leading to a late-night of exhaustion, don’t skip on the brushing. It may take a little more effort to get everyone’s teeth brushed before heading to bed, but our old nemesis tooth decay keeps looking to attack teeth whether you’re tired or not. By maintaining a faithful bed-time brushing routine, you’ll instill a habit that’ll be difficult to break no matter what the day had in store!

Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Drew!
Did you miss a regularly-scheduled check-up in the past couple of months while we were under COVID-19 closure? Come see us now! We are open, with restrictions, and want to help you maintain that beautiful smile. Our dedicated, friendly staff is ready to serve the needs of you and your family. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Call us today! 479.242.3739

We are reopening! And we cannot wait to see those pearly whites. 

Beginning May 18, our clinic will begin seeing patients with a few restrictions and guidelines. During these times, Dr. Drew and Crew’s top priority continues to be the health and safety of our patients and team members. Every day, we routinely follow the CDC’s Universal Precaution guidelines, including strict surface disinfection and personal protective measures. In addition, our clinic is implementing the following: 

• When you arrive for your scheduled appointment, please call the clinic and remain in your vehicle.
• One of our team members will call you when your chair is ready. 
• Wearing a face mask is encouraged. 

We are excited to begin seeing our wonderful patients again! We also understand that this time can pose a variety of questions. If you have any concerns or questions regarding your upcoming appointment, we encourage you to call our office: 479-242-3739.

We ask for your patience as we adjust to seeing patients at a more frequent rate. During this time and all times, please continue to maintain a healthy oral routine at home to help fight against tooth decay! We look forward to seeing you again soon. 

 

Dr. Drew and Crew