THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS people chew gum. For some, perhaps it’s just a long-standing habit. But ever since a man named Thomas Adams invented chewing gum back in 1870 it’s been used to freshen breath and relieve nervousness too.

But did you know…

Chewing Sugarless Gum Can Help Prevent Cavities!

That’s right. Chewing sugarless gum can actually help fight cavities. Here are some facts:

1. Gum chewing stimulates saliva production which is your mouth’s natural cleaning and buffering agent—neutralizing acids released by the bacteria in plaque!

2. Gum chewing helps wash away food particles when brushing and flossing aren’t convenient.

3. For those who don’t naturally produce sufficient salivary flow, dry mouth can create lots of oral health problems. Chewing a piece of sugarless gum for 10 minutes each waking hour for about two weeks can help remedy the problem.

4. The sweetener Xylitol, used in many sugarless gums, inhibits the growth of particular kinds of bacteria known to cause cavities. Xylitol also makes it more difficult for bacteria to stick to your teeth.

Here’s a related message from the University of Nebraska Medical Center:

And Don’t Forget…

Brands of gum containing sugar can be harmful to your teeth. Although we don’t recommend it, if you absolutely prefer gum containing natural sugar rather than artificial sweeteners, chew it for at least 15 to 20 minutes so that your saliva can rinse away the sugar residue once you’ve chewed out all the sugar.

Remember, chewing gum does NOT replace regular brushing and flossing!

If you have any questions about this for our team, be sure to ask us! We love visiting about your oral health. You can also comment below and we’ll get right back to you, or leave a comment on our Facebook page.

Thanks for the trust you place in our practice. We appreciate you.

WHETHER IT’S DONE consciously or subconsciously, nail biting habits affect people of all ages. As you can imagine there are lots of possible reasons why people start biting their nails including anxiety, stress, boredom, compulsiveness, depression, etc. On the surface, nail biting may not seem like a big deal. However, fairly severe consequences can result in both oral and overall health problems.

Nail Biting’s Effects On Your Teeth

1. Nail biting can crack, chip and wear down teeth. Your front teeth are lot different than your back teeth in terms of functionality. They aren’t designed for gnawing or chewing.

2. Nail biting can shift tooth alignment and damage existing dental work.3. Nail biting risks gum tissue damage. Bitten nail pieces can easily tear into your gum tissue increasing the risk of gum disease and eventual tooth loss.

4. Nail biting can be expensive. The Academy of General Dentistry estimates that nail biters incur an additional $4,000 in future dental repairs.

Nail Biting’s Effects On Your Health

Think about the most germ-concentrated areas of your body—your mouth and hands. You can imagine what happens when those two areas are in constant contact. And when there are even tiny, tiny breaks in the skin, germs get a free hall pass to your bloodstream. Yuck.

Here are a few more very compelling reasons to stop from a prominent dermatologist at Derm TV:

Tips For Quitting

Maybe you’ve always wanted to quit, but it hasn’t worked yet. Here are a few tips:

• Keep your nails looking nice. It will help motivate you to leave them alone.
• Enlist friends. Sometimes it helps to have someone remind you when you’re biting.
• Notice your trigger(s). Anxious? Bored? Learn to deal with these emotions in other ways.
• Carry a nail file and clippers. If you crack a nail or snag it, you can make repairs without biting.
• Treat your nails. There are many awful tasting products—designed for this purpose—that you can put on your nails to really deter you.

Do You Have Any Helpful Quitting Ideas To Add?

Do you struggle with biting your nails? Does someone you love bite his or her nails? We hope the content of this post has helped. Let us know if there is anything else our team can do to help, or if you have other questions.

Do YOU have any tips for quitting? Share them below or connect with us on our Facebook page. We’re always excited to hear from you!

Thanks, as always, for being our valued patients and friends. We appreciate you!

WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL MEDIA we believe it’s the quality of the online relationships and content that matters—not the quantity. We’re a relationship-based business where our team members have personal relationships with you. Sometimes we don’t see you for six months! So, as part of our efforts to stay connected, we love Facebook. We love it because we believe it helps us serve you better.

Would You Consider Doing Us A Little Favor?

Occasionally we have patients express concern that they missed a cool, funny, or important post or promotion on our page. Very recently, new functionality has been added to our page that provides a way for you, our fans, to never miss these posts again.

Please go to our Facebook page and follow these simple instructions:

Our Promise To You, Our Valued Patients And Friends

To confirm our sincere thanks to you for opting-in to our post notifications we make this promise… We won’t bombard you with self-promotional posts or irrelevant dental gobbledegook. Each time before we post, we’ll continue to ask ourselves, “Will this be truly helpful, relevant, interesting, or fun for our patients?” When the answer is “yes” we’ll post it, and when the answer is “no” we won’t.

Two-Way Conversations That We Respect And Cherish

Social media allows us to better connect with you. We consider it a platform for dialogues, not monologues. We want you to always feel comfortable reaching out to us with questions and/or suggestions on how we can better serve you. Your feedback is appreciated and helpful!

We’re grateful to you. You make our work rewarding and enjoyable. Thanks for connecting with us and for helping our practice grow!

FOR AS LONG AS HUMANS HAVE CHEWED FOOD (that’s a long time) they’ve looked for efficient ways to rid themselves of bits and pieces caught between their teeth. It’s not just a modern dilemma. In fact, little grooves from ancient toothpicks have been found in prehistoric human teeth! But it wasn’t until more recently that we really figured out a good system. Flossing!

Dental Floss Is Awesome

You may not think about it very often but around our practice, we think modern dental floss is amazing stuff. Really. Some history buffs trace its origins to Dr. Levi Spear Parmly of New Orleans, who recommended that patients start using strands of silk to clear out the spaces between their teeth.

That was back in 1815. Since then, modern dentistry has learned just how powerful flossing is. It’s not JUST for removing annoying food particles between teeth.

Five Cool Reasons You Should Love Dental Floss

1. Dental floss is super handy!

Floss is great for tying up decorations, cutting dough for pastries, and it has even been used in a few infamous prison escapes (though of course, our team doesn’t recommend that).

2. Dental floss is a great value.

For just a few dollars you can prevent costly dental procedures down the road.

3. Dental floss helps your mouth feel cleaner and fights bad breath.

Flossing reaches more tooth surface and food debris than brushing alone.

4. Dental floss could save your teeth.

Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss. Flossing helps keep your gums healthy, and your teeth where they belong.

5. Dental floss could save your life.

We don’t mean to sound overly dramatic, but many health professionals believe that unhealthy gums can actually increase your risk for other major health issues including lung disorders, heart disease, and early-term labor.

Flossing Is Simple, And Makes Sense

Surprisingly, many people still don’t realize the benefits of flossing. Depending on which study you read, 60-90% of people don’t floss daily. If you’re one of them, we challenge you to do an experiment. Floss every day for three weeks. You will notice healthier gums and a cleaner mouth. After three weeks it will have become a habit and you’ll keep doing it because you love it.

Find a flossing system or type of floss that works for you. You can use waxed or unwaxed, flavored or not. If you don’t like putting your hands in your mouth, try floss picks.

Questions For Us?

If you have ANY questions about your oral health, or you’d like to share a story about how you’ve become a “floss believer”, let us know! Comment below, post on our Facebook page, or of course you can always call us.

Thanks again for being our valued patient and friend!