Jul 20, 2021
With Independence Day celebrations kicking off the month of July, we felt inspired by all the patriotic colors! Eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods promotes healthy gums and teeth, and incorporating a little red, white, and blue into your diet is a fun way to support your oral health! We love sharing the ways in which a healthy diet is connected to a healthy mouth! Here are some foods that will help you celebrate America and celebrate oral health.
RED
What food immediately comes to mind when you think of red and summertime? Strawberries! These juicy delights are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants which support tissue growth and repair all over your body, including your mouth. Vitamin C also helps maintain the strength and structure of the dentin in your teeth. Strawberries contain malic acid as well, which naturally whitens the teeth. Load up your morning cereal and snack to your heart’s content with these summer beauties and your teeth will thank you!
WHITE
Get yourself to the dairy aisle and stock up on some cheese, milk, and yogurt for a snack that really packs an oral health punch! Beyond calcium, which supports strong teeth and bones, these dairy products have additional benefits for your mouth. Cheese contains casein, a protein that helps fortify tooth enamel. Also, chewing cheese helps increase saliva production which washes away the cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth. Meanwhile, drinking milk can lower the acid levels in your mouth, which in turn helps prevent tooth decay. The probiotics in yogurt protect your mouth from cavities, gum disease, and even bad breath. Sounds like a win, win, win!
BLUE
We’re going a little outside of the box for this color, and diving into the deep, blue ocean. The bounty of the sea is a wonderful addition to a healthy diet. Specifically, incorporating fish that are high in vitamin D is excellent for your oral health as they aid in calcium absorption. Fish such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon are also great sources of Omega-3s which have been shown to reduce gum disease. Holy mackerel!
Do you have any favorite red, white, and blue healthy snacks to share? Give us a shout on Facebook or let us know at your next appointment! We are here to support your oral health!
Happy Summer! 🙂
Dec 21, 2020
“Home for the Holidays” has a whole new meaning this year. Many of us are recalibrating our holiday celebrations to keep our loved ones and community safe. In the midst of all this change, let’s not forget our dental health commitment! To keep it simple for you, we put together our top 5 tips for keeping your teeth healthy and treating yourself right this holiday season.
1. Treat yourself to a new toothbrush!
When was the last time you replaced your toothbrush? We (and the ADA!) recommend you replace your toothbrush every three to four months or when the bristles become frayed. It’s also important to replace your toothbrush after an illness to ensure you don’t spread more germs. Our hygienists are fans of electric toothbrushes for top-notch brushing and frequently recommend them to patients. Sounds like the perfect stocking stuffer!
2. Treat your teeth and gums to a massage!
We’ve talked about this on our blog before, but it’s actually possible to brush too hard. Putting more elbow grease into your two minutes, twice-a-day doesn’t mean you’re doing a better job keeping your mouth healthy…in fact you could be damaging your tooth enamel or gums. Be gentle with your teeth and brush like you are giving them a nice massage. Find your moment of zen while you brush and your mouth will thank you!
3. Treat your whole body right!
Good oral health care doesn’t stop at the bathroom sink. It’s also important to incorporate a healthy diet and healthy habits into your oral health care regimen. The holidays are full of tempting sweets and goodies, but you’ll be treating your body and your teeth right when you make an effort to incorporate some crunchy veggies or fruit into your holiday nibbling. From leafy greens to carrots to apples, there are a lot of healthy snacks out there that help support a healthy mouth. Also, cheese lovers will rejoice to learn that they are supporting their teeth with a serving of calcium and Vitamin D!
4. Treat yourself to a new habit…flossing!
Get a jump start on the new year by adopting a new healthy habit that will support your oral health and your whole body: flossing! We probably don’t need to tell you again that flossing is not only a crucial part of your dental care but that it has also been linked to improving health conditions such as diabetes. There are other options for cleaning between your teeth beyond just traditional flossing, so you can figure out what works best for you. It doesn’t matter when you floss each day, just do it!
5. Treat yourself to a dental checkup with our compassionate team of dental professionals who care about you!
We are your partners in oral health and want to provide you with the absolute best oral health care possible. If you have put off your routine check up due to concerns about the virus, please call us at 207.781.5900. We can discuss your concerns and describe our health screening and COVID-19 protocols that are in place to protect both you as our patient and us as your provider.
Happy Holidays from our FDA family to yours! Stay safe and stay healthy!
Dec 17, 2020
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…to give back! Healthy smiles are one of the best gifts, and we believe that everyone should have access to oral health care. That’s why we work with Dental Lifeline and Dancing with the Dentists to help people in our community receive the dental care they need. If you haven’t heard of these two wonderful organizations, let us help you learn more about great work being done in oral health!
Dental Lifeline is a national charitable organization that was founded in 1974. Its mission is to improve the oral health of people with disabilities or who are elderly or medically fragile. Through its flagship program, Donated Dental Services (DDS), oral care is provided to people who cannot afford necessary treatments and cannot receive public aid. With its network of 15,000 dentists and 3,500 labs nationwide, the DDS program has provided $378 million in donated therapies and transformed the lives of 120,550 people.
Our beloved Dr. Knock envisioned Dancing with the Dentists and drew from his local dental network to build a ballroom dancing competition that generated funds for several local charities. Our very own Dr. Brunacini and his wife, Jenny, won the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy in Season 1! Dancing with the Dentists Season 4 will take place in 2022, and will feature 10 courageous dental professionals on the ballroom floor, showing off their moves to raise money for The Root Cellar and Dental Lifeline. A fun competition that also makes a real impact, Dancing with the Dentists raised over $40,000 for charity at their last event!
We have also worked with Dentists Who Care for ME and look forward to continuing to support their great work when they are able to hold the next event for their services.
Giving back and caring about our community has never felt more important. 2020 has been full of challenges, to say the least. This holiday season, we also look forward to supporting our local business community. As a locally-owned small business, we feel grateful to be a part of such a conscientious and kind community. We’re all in this together!
We wish you a wonderful and safe holiday season! Thank you for being a part of the FDA Family!
*Image courtesy of www.shutterstock.com
Dec 20, 2019
Still looking for the perfect stocking stuffer, guaranteed to make someone smile? Falmouth Dental Arts wants that “Thank You!” Smile to be extra healthy, so we polled our staff for their Top Five tooth-related presents.
1. Electric Toothbrush: You’ve most likely heard by now that electric toothbrushes are more effective at cleaning your teeth than a standard manual toothbrush. Another benefit to the electric brushes is built-in timers to ensure proper brushing time. They’re fun for kids, safe for gums, and help people with braces or other oral appliances clean better!
We recommend Oral B or Sonicare models.
2. Waterpik: If you’ve always wanted to replicate the refreshing feel of the dentist’s waterpik at home, now is your chance! Waterpiks are easy to use, and are shown to be more effective than traditional string floss at reducing gingivitis and removing plaque.
We recommend the cordless travel Waterpik; it’s less expensive, more convenient, and mobile!
3. Shower Flosser: another member of the oral irrigation family, the shower flosser takes water-picking to new levels. An easy-to-install attachment connects the flosser to your shower head so that you’re able to combine your flossing and showering time–at last!
4. Woven Floss: If you’re not ready to invest in an oral irrigation system or just prefer the tradition of flossing, our staff recommends purchasing a woven floss. Made of microfibers, woven flosses expand between teeth to provide a deeper clean. However, the microfiber technology still allows the floss to fit intotight gaps without shredding. Gentle and soft on sensitive gums, woven floss does it all!
5. ACT Restoring Mouthwash: After you’ve finished brushing with your new electric toothbrush and have wrapped up whatever flossing method you prefer, a cool swish of minty mouthwash is just what the dentist ordered. Dr. Brunacini and Dr. Karagiorgos prefer ACT Restoring mouthwash for its anti-cavity power.
Any one of these five items makes for a fantastic, practical, and thoughtful gift for your loved one–or give your own teeth a little love this holiday season with a present to you, from you. If you’re lucky enough to give or receive a dental-related present this year, please share it on Falmouth Dental Arts’ Facebook page!
If you had one too many candy canes and need to schedule a post-holiday cleaning, please call our office at 207.781.5900.
Dec 7, 2016
Following routine oral care responsibilities during the holiday season can prove to be challenging. This is the time of year when sugary, delicious sweets are a staple at every holiday party and gathering you attend. It’s a time of tasty meals and sweet drinks. The holiday season is when the threat of cavities becomes all too real. To help you mind your dental hygiene, we’ve put together some oral health tips anyone can successfully follow. At Falmouth Dental Arts, we want your teeth to be clean, cavity-free, and happy!
- Eat your sugars all at once. Too much sugar consumed in one sitting can be overwhelming for your taste buds, but it’s actually in the best interest of your teeth to do so. If you’re going to eat sugary desserts during the holidays, do your best to eat them in one sitting. Stretching out the consumption of sugarcoated treats will only expose your teeth to risk of cavities longer. With long exposure comes the chance for the bacteria in sugars to produce acid and eat away at your enamel. Do your teeth a favor and limit your teeth to one brief taste of sugars.
- Maintain your routine. Even during the holiday season when our lives are busy with hosting holiday parties and traveling to see family and friends, it’s critical to maintain your dental hygiene routine. Brushing your teeth should be a priority at least twice a day, but try for three if you’re consuming more food than usual. You don’t want food particles to get lodged between your teeth this holiday. Be as thorough with brushing and flossing as possible.
- Aim for the best teeth-friendly treats. If you’re attending holiday parties with buffets and feasts, try to aim for food types your teeth will love. Options including cheeses, meats, or nuts are great choices that will help protect your enamel. These foods are known to neutralize acids and provide the calcium and phosphorus needed to keep minerals in your teeth.
- Avoid the worst foods for your teeth. If possible, try to avoid foods like candy, cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, chips, or dried fruits. These foods are known to contain sugars that will produce bacteria and acid on your teeth. Keep your dental hygiene a number one priority by avoiding these cavity-causing foods.
Maintaining optimal dental care during the holidays is a challenge we all face. Tasty desserts and warm bread may call to our taste buds, but if you indulge try to do so in moderation. Long exposure to these foods may cause you a cavity or two. Do your best to make smart, healthy food choices during the holidays. Above all else, remember to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash after meals.
If you have any questions about how best to maintain healthy teeth and gums this holiday season, please give us a call at 207-781-5900. Happy holidays!
