Healthy Choice of the Week: GREEN TEA!

Healthy Choice of the Week: GREEN TEA!

Did you know, this drink (rich in antioxidants) contains compounds that appear to control inflammation and fight bacterial infection?


Research suggests that drinking Green Tea can aid in cavity prevention, gum health, prevent tooth loss, inhibit cancer growth, and give you better breath!


To get the maximum health and flavor benefits - make sure your green tea is brewed properly. Bringing filtered water to a boil, pour over tea leaves or a teabag and let it steep, covered, for 2-5 minutes (the longer the tea is steeped for, the higher antioxidant content).

Posture and Your Oral Health

We all know that good posture is important; it’s almost a universal fact. Still many people don’t realize that bad posture can affect your oral health.

People often ask how poor posture is connected to jaw joint pain. Improper posture places the spine in a position that causes stress to the jaw joint. Being slouched or hunched over causes the lower jaw to shift forward, causing the upper and lower teeth to not fit together properly, and pushing the skull back on the spinal column.

Continuing to slouch or hunch over will put stress on your muscles, joints and bones.  Which leads to inflammation in your muscles and joints followed up by pain.  Furthermore, bad posture often alternates the position of the facial muscles and will cause bumps and grooves on the upper and lower teeth.

So be sure to take steps to avoid these issues and practice perfect posture. Core Performance has provided 5 easy tips you can practice anywhere at anytime:

1. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down.
2. Elevate your chest.
3. Keep your tummy drawn up and in.
4. If you’re standing with perfect posture, your ears should be in line with your shoulders, your hips with your knees, and your knees with your ankles.
5. If you are seated, there should be a line between your ears and hips.

If you’re experiencing frequent headaches or pain in your lower jaw – please contact one of our offices!

• West Dearborn – (313) 908-5110
• Woodhaven – (734) 365-7720

Healthy Choice of the Week: CARROTS!

Healthy Choice of the Week: CARROTS!

 

Did you know Carrots contain Vitamin A, which is necessary for healthy tooth enamel.

Not to mention that eating raw carrots helps to stimulate your mouth's natural cleanser - your saliva. To keep your mouth feeling and looking its best - try this Carrot-Pineapple Ginger Salad from the AACD - containing several of our past healthy choices! (Pineapple and Ginger)

Carrot-Pineapple Ginger Salad
Ingredients:

• 2 - 3 large carrots, organic preferred
• 1 fresh pineapple peeled and cored (or 1, 14-ounce can crushed pineapple, organic preferred)
• ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated 

Directions:

1. Wash, peel and grate carrots to measure 2 cups.
2. Cut the pineapple in half and cut one half into chunks. Place the chunks in a blender and blend only until slightly smooth and still chunky.
3. Place the remaining uncut half of the pineapple in a glass mixing bowl. Using a sharp knife and a fork, slice the pineapple; continue to cut the pineapple into approximately 1/4” in size. This will ensure all the juice from the pineapple will be in the bowl to flavor the carrots.
4. In your mixing bowl with the pineapple tidbits, combine the grated carrots, blenderized pineapple, and grated ginger. Stir gently to mix flavors. Refrigerate in a glass container to chill, about an hour.

Serving Size: 6

Let us know how you've incorporated carrots into your meals this week on our Facebook page!

When Should Dental Care For Your Child Start?

Don’t wait until your little one has their first tooth, proper dental care beings before your baby’s first tooth arrives.

So what should you do before your child has teeth? You can run a damp washcloth over your child’s gums each day. This will help to remove harmful bacteria that are sticking around. When you start seeing teeth, use an infant toothbrush using water and a little bit of tooth paste. Around age 2, most children can spit after brushing. Make sure to supervise your child while they brush until they are around the age of 5.

Read more on child tooth car on KidsHealth.org. What do you do for your children’s teeth? Let us know on our Facebook page!

Did You Know? April Is Oral Cancer Awareness Month!

 

Every year, approximately 42,000 people in the United States alone, are diagnosed with oral cancer. It kills on person every hour of each day. Cancer is awful, but awareness can help you catch and prevent it early by getting screened.

Pre-cancer and early cases of cancer can be treated with high survival rates.

Risk factors for oral cancer include:

• Tobacco use
• Alcohol use
• Exposure to the human papilloma virus (the leading cause of oral cancer)

Early Indicators include:

• Red or white discolorations of the mouth
• A sore that doesn’t heal in 2 weeks
• Prolonged hoarseness

For more information about Oral Cancer, check out the full article HERE and visit The Oral Cancer Foundation. You can come in to either our Woodhaven or Dearborn office for a check up any time, please give us a call (313) 908-5110 or (734) 365-7720.

The Importance Of Wearing A Mouthguard While Playing Sports!

 

With winter sports underway, we wanted to remind our patients about the importance of wearing a mouthguard while you’re on the court or the field!  Below is some information on the importance of mouthguards!

In an ADA Press release, Advisor Matthew Messina said, “A properly fitted mouthguard is an important piece of athletic gear that can help protect your mouth, cushion blows that might otherwise cause broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue, face or jaw.”

In a 2007 study, it was determined that overall risk was 1.6 to 1.9 times greater without a proper fitting mouthguard.  This is proof that mouthguards are an effective safety feature in reducing injuries in sports.  “But you don’t have to be on the football field or in a hockey rink to benefit from properly fitted mouthguard.  Findings in sports dentistry show that even in non-contact sports, such as gymnastics, mouthguards will help protect participants, and many experts recommend that everyone – from children to adults- wear a mouthguard during any recreational activity that might pose a risk of injury to the mouth, including practice and training sessions.”, said Messina.

There are three main types of mouthguards:

Custom-fitted.  These mouthguards are custom-fitted for you personally by your dentist.  They are the best option for protecting teeth.

Stock.  Often, these mouthguards are factory formed.  They generally don’t fit your teeth well, but are less expensive.

Boil and form.  These mouthguards can be found in most drug or sporting goods stores.  You boil them in water, and then bite into them to form the mouthguard to your mouth.

If you have any questions regarding mouthguards or custom mouthguards, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (313) 908-5110 or (734) 365-7720.  Remember, if you haven’t done so yet, LIKE our Facebook and FOLLOW our Twitter for more information and updates!

Teeth Grinding: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments from All Brite Dental!

 

One of the most common dental problems among people is grinding teeth.  This can be due to people who clench and grind their teeth, also known as bruxism.  Constant teeth grinding could lead to damaging teeth and eventually other dental issues.

The biggest contributor to teeth grinding is stress, which may causes people to clench their teeth.  You might not notice that you grind your teeth because in most cases teeth grinding occurs during sleep.  Another cause of teeth grinding can be from physical changes from an abnormal bite or missing teeth.

Teeth grinding will wear and tear down your teeth.  If you consistently grind your teeth, over time you will wear away tooth enamel.  Tooth enamel is important because it is the outer covering material that protects the tooth from eroding and decay.  Chronic teeth grinding can lead to joint and jaw damage, sensitive teeth and tooth decay.

At All Brite Dental we will work with you to help prevent future chronic teeth grinding.  Each patient is different, so we will perform a detailed overall teeth inspection and offer a specific plan.  Most methods include wearing a mouthpiece at night to prevent future grinding.  Other tips to help you eliminate teeth grinding are cutting back on caffeine, alcohol, and chewing on items such as pencils and pens.

Please, give us a call today to schedule an appointment with one of our amazing dentists!  For more information and updates please LIKE our Facebook page LINKED HERE!