First and foremost, why would you want to please your dentist? Well, if you don’t know, this person has the potential to make you weep for several days; he/she has in his/her control your teeth and your precious smile. Do not annoy him/her. In fact, try to keep him/her happy. If you are lucky, he/she may hand over a bonus candy along with the treatment. So, here’s our list of what you should do to keep your dentist happy.

Listen to him/her

Yes, at every moment. Listen to him/her whether he/she is asking you to visit again or take eat certain food, or instructing you to brush properly, or asking you to move your head/chin in a direction. Failure to follow any of his/her instructions, especially when he/she asks you to move your head/chin, may cost you dearly.

Eat what he/she asks you to

Along with giving you instructions on brushing, flossing, and post-treatment care, your dentist will prescribe to you certain foods. Snacking on these food may prove better than medication.

Do not miss appointments

Are you the kind who gives more importance to a lunch appointment with a friend than an appointment with your dentist? You may think that friendship is more important than a visit to the clinic, it is not. After all, a disappointed friend won’t give you pain; an angry dentist may.

Thank him/her

Thank him/her profusely. It may be his/her job, but if he/she does not do it sincerely, you are gone! So, thank him/her for the comfortable, painless experience at the clinic.

Greet him/her on Dentists’ Day

March 6 is Dentists’ Day. Call up, e-mail, or leave a message on Dentists’ Day. This is just another way of thanking him/her.

Happy smiling!

There used to be a time when the thought of visiting a dentist gave goose bumps to people. If you are wondering why I mention this in the past tense, let me tell you that technology has made the dental experience comfortable for patients. Let us look at what the technology has to offer at the dentist’s.

Electric Handpieces: The scariest sound at the dentist’s is that of a drill. You can find a number of people fidgeting nervously at a dental clinic’s lounge as the sound of a drill comes out of the inner chambers. How would you feel if the drilling experience becomes quieter and shorter? Electric handpieces help ease the drilling experience.

Cerec 3D: Cerec 3D is an advanced technology that helps restore teeth in a matter of minutes. It makes veneers, crowns, inlays and onlays quickly. The technology even reduces your visits to the dentist!

Intraoral Camera: As the name suggests, an intraoral camera is a camera that can be put inside your mouth to help you see the insides of your mouth. It helps get a clearer view of your mouth. See for yourself what goes inside your mouth.

Ultrasound: Ultrasound helps you get rid of plaque and tartar easily.

Digital X-Rays: Dental x-rays are now digital and hence easily accessible and mobile by being digital. Carry digital x-rays in your laptop, in your cell phone, or online all the time.

If you are in Minneapolis, visit the state-of-the-art Wayzata Dental Clinic. You may also like to try the smile spa for a relaxing and rejuvenating teeth whitening experience. A visit to the dentist is no longer about pain, noise, and discomfort; it has become a wholesome and relaxing experience, thanks to the technological advancements in dentistry.

Happy smiling!

Did you know that there are types of smiles? You may say, several. However, if your are classifying smiles in categories such as naughty smile, embarrassed smile, content smile, sweet smile etc., let us tell you that we are talking about technically-defined types of smiles. Yes, technically, smiles have been categorized into three types:

• The commissure smile: Most of us have the commissure smile, including Mel Gibson and Jennifer Aniston. In this type of smile, the muscles controlling the movement of the upper lip pull the upper lip to show the upper teeth.

• The cuspid smile: The cuspid smile is the next common smile type. Elvis Presley had that smile. Tom Cruise and Drew Barrymore too sport this smile. This smile typically forms a diamond shape with the lips.
• The complex smile: If Marilyn Monroe’s smile mesmerizes you, it ought to. She sported the complex smile, the rarest of the smile types. This smile displays both upper and lower teeth. The lower lip is typically pulled down in this smile. Julia Roberts and Will Smith wear this smile.

The research on smile patterns has brought out very interesting facts. 61% people sport the commissure smile, 31% wear the cuspid smile, and 2% the complex smile. I am sure researchers had a tough time classifying billions of smiles into categories.

If your teeth are getting in your way of displaying a charming smile, visit your dentist for corrective treatment.

Happy smiling!

There used to be a time when the thought of visiting a dentist gave goose bumps to people. If you are wondering why I mention this in the past tense, let me tell you that technology has made the dental experience comfortable for patients. Let us look at what the technology has to offer at the dentist’s.

Electric Handpieces: The scariest sound at the dentist’s is that of a drill. You can find a number of people fidgeting nervously at a dental clinic’s lounge as the sound of a drill comes out of the inner chambers. How would you feel if the drilling experience becomes quieter and shorter? Electric handpieces help ease the drilling experience.

Cerec 3D: Cerec 3D is an advanced technology that helps restore teeth in a matter of minutes. It makes veneers, crowns, inlays and onlays quickly. The technology even reduces your visits to the dentist!

Intraoral Camera: As the name suggests, an intraoral camera is a camera that can be put inside your mouth to help you see the insides of your mouth. It helps get a clearer view of your mouth. See for yourself what goes inside your mouth.

Ultrasound: Ultrasound helps you get rid of plaque and tartar easily.

Digital X-Rays: Dental x-rays are now digital and hence easily accessible and mobile by being digital. Carry digital x-rays in your laptop, in your cell phone, or online all the time.

If you are in Minneapolis, visit the state-of-the-art Wayzata Dental Clinic. You may also like to try the smile spa for a relaxing and rejuvenating teeth whitening experience. A visit to the dentist is no longer about pain, noise, and discomfort; it has become a wholesome and relaxing experience, thanks to the technological advancements in dentistry.

Happy smiling!

While it is important to take care of your teeth regularly at home, you should pamper yourself by visiting the smile spa once in a while. If you are wondering what this spa is all about, this post will answer all your queries.

A smile spa is not a mere fancy concept but a glimpse of the future of pampering. All of us visit beauty salons or luxury spas regularly, even when we take care of our face, skin, and body at home. Yet, we need that special treatment, the feel of luxury, and the extra pampering at times. If you would like the same treatment for your mouth, visit the smile spa.

What is a smile spa?

A smile spa is a place at your dentist’s that works at improving your smile while you relax. A smile spa is a place that is designed to give you a better, whiter, more sparkling, and confident smile.

How does a smile spa help me?

A smile spa is not just about whitening your teeth, it is much more. This spa promises to give you a wholesome experience of relaxation and rejuvenation. Let us look at what the smile spa does for you:

• It whitens your teeth for a more radiant smile.
• It aims at giving you a painless experience with great results.
• It pampers you by making you comfortable with advantages like massages.

Where can I find a smile spa?

A smile spa can be found at state-of-the-art dental clinics. If you are in Minnesota, check out the luxurious smile spa at the Wayzata Dental Clinic.

Happy smiling!

Snacking does not need a time. People snack between meals, while waiting, in stress, or in celebration. No one needs a reason to snack. Yet, we all know that snacking may turn into bingeing if not kept in check. While obesity and related concerns are well associate with bingeing, we tend to forget that snacking adversely affects our teeth and gums too.

So, should you stop snacking? What about those desperate times when it’s not mealtime yet but you want food? As nutritionists and fitness experts suggest, grab a carrot or an apple instead of going for that bar of chocolate in your refrigerator or the pack of potato wafers on your table. Are there any suggested snacks to help protect teeth as well? There are quite a few and all are easily available. Check out the list below:

Fruits

• Pineapple
• Orange
• Pears
• Watermelon
• Muskmelon

When consuming fruit juices, make sure they have not been artificially sweetened. The natural sweetness of the fruits is enough even to appease your taste buds.

Vegetables

• Spinach
• Carrots
• Tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Green beans
• Cucumbers

These vegetables should be consumed raw if you want to reap the benefits of them. Toss a salad with these vegetables for a tasty snack.

Dairy products

• Milk
• Yogurt
• Cheese – any low-fat variety
• Buttermilk
• Cottage Cheese

Go for the low-fat variety of milk, cheese, and yogurt for better results.

Non-vegetarian

• Salmon
• Sardines
• Chicken
• Boiled eggs

Meat and seafood are considered good for the teeth. However, make sure that you do not ruin their nutrition content by flavouring them too much. Do not over-cook the meat or spice it too much.

Others

• Almonds
• Sesame
• Whole wheat bread
• Tofu
• Sunflower seeds
• Plain popcorn

All sorts of nuts and seeds help keep your teeth healthy. So, munch on.

Consult your dentist for more food options.

Happy snacking and happy smiling!

If the title of this post has surprised you, let me mention that all of us are slowing treading the path leading to tooth decay. So, I thought, why not give you collated information to help you speed up the process.

• Smoke everyday. If you are smoking ten a day, you are almost there.
• Drink lots of coffee throughout the day.
• Drink sweetened drinks like tea, coffee, and aerated drinks throughout the day.
• Eat lots of sugary and starchy foods. Bacteria feed on the sugar in your mouth, producing lactic acids.
• Consume a lot of starchy carbohydrates and sweet food between meals. Help bacteria flourish by giving them food. The acids they produce erode the calcium in your teeth.
• Do not brush even two times a day. Why clean the mouth when there is no apparent problem.
• Do not floss everyday. Let traces of food stay between your teeth. The bacteria need food too!
• Do not brush before going to bed after your last meal. Let bacteria flourish while you are in deep sleep.
• Do not rinse your mouth after eating. Why take pains to clean your mouth when there is no apparent need!
• Ignore any toothache you encounter. Toothaches subside with time. Why take pains to visit a dentist!
• Do not use fluoride-based toothpaste or drink fluoride mixed water.
• Do not brush after meals. Why do they make such a fuss about brushing after meals?
• Do not drink water after consuming sweetened drinks. My thirst is quenched. Why do I need water?

I was just kidding!
For the ones who take the advice on this blog seriously, let me tell you that we were kidding. We do not want your teeth to decay. In fact, we advise you to do exactly the opposite of what is stated above if you want strong and sparkling teeth. Visit your dentist immediately in case of toothache or any other problem.

Happy smiling!

Is it not ironic that we pay little attention to our own dental hygiene being adults but expect our children to follow a stringent routine of dental care? The best way to make them follow a routine is by following a routine ourselves. Leading by example is the best policy when it comes to children.

Tooth problems are too painful for children to handle. We need to not only imbibe good oral hygiene habits in children but also take care of their diet.

Let us look at some oral care tips for children:

• Use fluoride-based toothpaste for brushing children’s teeth. Fluoride helps fight against plaque. It may need a bit of cajoling from you to make your child use a not-so-tasty toothpaste.
• Get your child to floss his/her teeth once everyday. Flossing helps clean the hard-to-reach places between teeth.
• Make your child brush before going to bed. Brushing before going to bed helps remove all traces of food from your mouth, thereby preventing any formation of plaque.
• Curb on your child’s consumption of sugary food. Children love sweets, so do bacteria. You need to keep a check on your child’s sugar intake.
• Dissuade you child from sucking his/her thumb or using a pacifier after the age of six. Prolonged sucking of thumb or pacifier may lead to misalignment of teeth.
• Provide food rich in calcium. Calcium makes teeth stronger. Feed your children dairy products and other calcium-rich foods like tofu, spinach, broccoli, almonds, sesame, salmon, and sardines.
• Take your child to a dentist regularly. Like your teeth, your child’s too need regular check-ups. Visiting your dentist a couple of times a year is a good idea.
• Seek expert help immediately if you notice any color change or plaque in your child’s teeth.

Happy smiling!

• Do not skip any tooth or parts of your teeth while brushing. Bacteria can flourish in places you do not clean regularly.
• Do not vigorously rub your tongue with the brush. Apply gentle moves to clean your tongue.
• Do not eat sugary food especially before going to bed. Bacteria love sweet; keep your mouth clean before going to bed.
• Do not forget to brush your teeth before going to bed. Do not eat anything after you have brushed your teeth. The bacteria in the residual food inside your mouth play up while you are sleeping. Make sure you do not have any food residue in your mouth when you go to sleep.
• Do not skip rinsing your mouth every time you eat or drink anything. Rinsing your mouth with plain water, better with a good mouthwash helps keep your mouth clean and moist.
• Do not ignore any pain in your teeth and gums. Do not wait for a problem to aggravate to visit your dentist. See your dentist as soon as you see the early signs of a problem.
• Do not avoid daily flossing. Most of us find excuses for not flossing. We find it too troublesome. However, for healthy teeth, it is important that you floss once everyday. You may fix a flossing time everyday, even if it is in the latter half of the day.
• Do not keep your mouth dry. Saliva keeps your mouth moist. Try to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to make sure your mouth is not bereft of saliva.
• Do not use a tattered toothbrush. Invest in a soft-bristled toothbrush when you see your toothbrush wearing out. In fact, start changing your toothbrush every three months for better dental care.
• Do not eat too much of sugary food. Avoid indulging in sugary food, carbonated drinks etc.
• Do not restrict yourself to home remedies if you develop an oral ailment. Do not ignore any symptom of tooth or gum disease. Seek expert help as soon as you can.
• Do not hesitate to visit your dentist for correcting uneven or chipped teeth and whitening stained, yellow teeth.

Happy smiling!

How often have you found yourself browsing through tips on oral hygiene and care? More often than not, you will find that your search yields results that you already know. Let’ look at some dental care tips you may already know.

• Brush after each meal or at least twice a day. Brushing after a meal helps remove any food particles left inside our mouth. It helps in the prevention of plaque.
• Brush for at least 2-3 minutes. Some of us brush in a jiffy. It is important that you brush your teeth thoroughly to prevent any bacterial growth.
• Brush after having starchy or fatty meals. Starchy, sugary, or fatty foods affect the teeth adversely. Try cleaning your mouth after every such intake.
• Floss once a day. While regular brushing helps remove food and plaque off the surface of our teeth, flossing helps remove them from places beyond the reach of a toothbrush. Flossing removes any food or plaque from between the teeth. There are two types of floss available in the market: waxed and regular. If regular floss does not reach between the teeth, use waxed floss.
• Use fluoride-based toothpaste. Fluoride is extremely affective in the removal of plaque off our teeth. Some states have fluoride in their water. Drinking and rinsing with such water are good for your teeth.
• Brush your teeth before going to bed. While we sleep, bacteria become active in our mouths. It is important to remove all traces of food from the mouth to prevent plaque.
• Go for a dental check-up every six months. Even if you think your teeth and gums are fine, go for a check-up regularly. Your dentist will help remove any build-up of plaque or tartar, apart from giving you good oral and dental advice.
• Eat healthy, balanced meals. A balanced diet is not only good for your skin, hair, and your overall health, but also for the pearly whites inside your mouth.
• Rinse your mouth after meals. Use a mouthwash if you cannot brush after every meal. A mouthwash is not only a refreshing solution, but also a cleansing agent. Invest in a good quality mouthwash.
• Brush your tongue periodically. Make it a habit to clean your tongue by brushing. You may not need a fancy tongue cleaner to do the job; a toothbrush works just fine.
• Change your toothbrush immediately if the bristles have worn out. Otherwise, make it a habit to change your brush every quarter.
• Get professional help for uneven, chipped, or stained teeth. Your dentist can help you with the shape, structure, and look of your teeth.

Happy smiling!