Dr. Daniel Dernick DDS and the team at Smiles of Memorial are pleased to provide professional and caring dental services to their patients from Houston TX and the surrounding communities of the Memorial area in West Houston TX, the Energy Corridor, nearby the neighborhoods of Briarforest, Westchase, the suburb of Katy and the communities located near the Katy Freeway. Our dental services include: children's, cosmetic, general, preventive, restorative and sedation dentistry.
Showing posts with label preventive dental care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preventive dental care. Show all posts
Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by the ADA A healthy adult produces about three pints of saliva each day. It's not the kind of thing you would give thought to very often, but that saliva plays a very important role in maintaining your health. Saliva serves many purposes. It contains enzymes that aid in digestion. Saliva makes it easier to talk, a fact recognized by those who experience stage fright and the associated dry mouth while giving a presentation. Saliva also helps prevent tooth decay by washing away food and debris from the teeth and gums. It neutralizes damaging acids, enhances the ability to taste food and makes it easier to swallow. Minerals found in saliva also help repair microscopic tooth decay. Everyone, at some time or another, experiences dry mouth, also called "xerostomia." It can happen when you are nervous, upset or under stress or as a result of medication you take or other medical therapies. If dry mouth happens all or most of the time, however, it can be uncomfortable - and it can have serious consequences for your oral health. Drying irritates the soft tissues in the mouth, which can make them inflamed and more susceptible to infection. Without the cleansing effects of saliva, tooth decay and other oral health problems become much more common. Regular dental checkups are important. At each appointment, report any medications you are taking and other information about your health. An updated health history can help identify a cause for mouth dryness. To read the entire article visit Colgate.com. Smiles of Memorial Daniel Dernick, DDS 909 Dairy Ashford Rd #113 Houston, TX 77079 (281) 493-0061 SmilesofMemorial.com
Below is an excerpt from an article found on MouthHealthy.org Dentist Dr. Thomas Long has seen firsthand what can happen when “the puck stops here.” In addition to seeing everyday athletes in his private practice, Dr. Long (a former college hockey player himself) is the team dentist for the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes. No matter what sport or skill level, Dr. Long says athletes need to take care of their teeth both on and off the field. “Most athletes are careful about what they eat and their workout routine. Part of that routine should include taking care of your mouth and teeth every single day,” he says. "It would be a shame to miss practice or a game because you are in the dentist's office receiving treatment or recovering from a dental surgical procedure.” Here, Dr. Long shares his playbook for a healthy mouth.
Make a Mouthguard Part of Your Uniform
Sideline Sugary Sports Drinks
Brush, Floss, Rinse, Repeat
To read the entire article, including more detailed information on the three steps listed in Dr. Long's playbook for a health mouth, please visit MouthHealthy.org.
April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month Oral cancer can be fatal. But if detected early, it has a fantastic cure rate. Get your painless oral cancer screening today! Ask your dentist for an oral cancer screening. It could save your life!
Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was Reviewed by the Faculty of Columbia University College of Dental Medicine If you want to prevent cavities, how often you eat can be just as important as what you eat. That's because food affects your teeth and mouth long after you swallow. Eating cookies with dinner will do less harm to your teeth than eating them as a separate snack. Of course, overall poor nutrition can contribute to periodontal (gum) disease. It also can have other long-term effects on your mouth. Learning how food affects your oral health is the first step toward mouth-healthy eating. Immediate Effects of Food Changes begin in your mouth the minute you start to eat certain foods. Bacteria in your mouth make acids. The acids start the process that can lead to cavities. How does this happen? All carbohydrate foods eventually break down into simple sugars: glucose, fructose, maltose and lactose. Fermentable carbohydrates break down in the mouth. Other foods don't break down until they move further down the digestive tract. Fermentable carbohydrates work with bacteria to form acids that begin the decay process and eventually destroy teeth. They include the obvious sugary foods, such as cookies, cakes, soft drinks and candy. But they also include less obvious foods, such as bread, crackers, bananas and breakfast cereals. Certain bacteria on your teeth use the sugars from these foods and produce acids. The acids dissolve minerals inside the tooth enamel. The process is called demineralization. Teeth also can regain minerals. This natural process is called remineralization. Saliva helps minerals to build back up in teeth. So do fluoride and some foods. Dental decay begins inside the tooth enamel when minerals are being lost faster than they are being regained. To read the entire article visit Colgate.com. The remainder of the article details the following:
Your Dentist and Hygienist are your First Line of Defense Who else ever examines the inside of your mouth this closely? Oral cancer can be fatal. But if detected early the cure rate is astounding. Ask your dentist for a painless oral cancer screening today. It could save your life.
Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by Yolanda Eddis Healthy eating is essential for your overall health. Choosing foods and beverages that provide the right amount of energy and nutrients goes a long way toward maintaining not only a healthy body, but also a healthy mouth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer numerous nutrition resources, such as sample recipes, menus and educational tools that will guide you in picking out the right foods and drinks to consume. By knowing how to eat healthy, you can improve your physical and oral health, prevent disease and promote healthy growth and development for children and adolescents. What Is a Nutritious Diet? Eating a nutritious diet has many benefits. A well-balanced diet should include foods from the basic food groups and subgroups along with the right oils. Nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals are a staple of healthy diets, but it's also important to avoid eating too many or too few nutrients. In an effort to assist consumers to learn how to eat healthy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed the MyPlate website. MyPlate illustrates the five food groups, which include fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy, and provides several examples of each. Oils that come from different plants and fish are also recommended although they don't constitute a food group of their own. The selection of foods from these groups can be fresh, canned, frozen or dried. The site also recommends different ways to balance your caloric intake by increasing nutrients and decreasing the consumption of sugar and sodium in meals and snacks. To read the entire article visit Colgate.com. The remainder of the article details the following:
Oral cancer is a killer. Thousands die from it every year. Don’t be one of them. Ask your dentist for a painless oral cancer screening today! It could save your life.
You play to win, and that means playing hard, which increases your risk of accidentally damaging a tooth. In fact, within the United States an estimated 5 million teeth are knocked out or damaged every year. Wearing a mouthguard can help, but the one-size-fits-all guards found in stores are a sloppy fit, offer very little protection, and can make proper breathing during an active performance difficult. On the other hand, custom-made sports mouthguards fit well, protect well, and can be worn for any sport. As an added bonus, a custom guard will properly align your jaw and improve your breathing capacity during training. We offer custom mouthguards by PlaySafe™ and recommend them for a multitude of sports from acrobatics to football - from martial arts to wrestling. Smiles of Memorial Daniel Dernick, DDS 909 Dairy Ashford Rd #113 Houston, TX 77079 (281) 493-0061 SmilesofMemorial.com