IT’S OFTEN SAID, and health studies agree, that breakfast may be the most important meal of the day. And by the way, breakfast affects our oral health too!

Popular Breakfast Choices Can Damage Smiles

Given our on-the-go lifestyles, breakfast can become an imbalanced, over-sugary meal! We don’t typically eat candy for breakfast—yet, we choose popular cereals and pastries that are full of sugar. These unhealthy breakfast choices can be damaging to our teeth and gums with multiplying effects if we’re not brushing and flossing after breakfast.

A Healthy, Balanced Breakfast Can Protect Your Smile

Your mouth, like your body, needs nutritious food to stay healthy. A balanced breakfast rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber, and healthy proteins can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay, early tooth loss, and gum disease.

Tips For A Smile-Friendly Breakfast

• Eat whole grains (oatmeal, whole wheat bread) instead of refined grains.
• Eat firm, ripe fruits and healthier vegetables.
• Drink water or unsweetened tea to strengthen tooth enamel and help prevent tooth decay.
• Use moderation with fruit juices and smoothies—they’re typically high in sugar and can be quite acidic.
• Consider dinner for breakfast! Chicken, fish, beans, cheese, etc.
• Eat high fiber cereals with less preservatives and added sugar.

Quick, Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast Kickstarts Your Day & Your Healthy Smile

Start eating breakfasts that protect your smile AND make you feel good (studies have found that breakfast affects your energy and focus). If you have ideas or recipes for healthy, balanced breakfasts, share them with us below or on Facebook!

Thank you for trusting us with your oral health! We appreciate you.

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE WORD “DENTIST” comes from “dent-” which is French for “tooth”? Funny thing is, we deal with a lot more than just teeth! That’s because the health of your teeth is so tightly connected to the health of your whole mouth (and even connected to the health of your whole body).

So, here are four fun facts about your mouth:

1. That Little Piece of Webbing

You know that little piece of webbing that connects the base of your mouth with the underside of your tongue? It’s called a frenulum. And, there’s another major one in your mouth. Can you think of where it is? That’s right… It connects your upper gums to your top lip.

2. The Oral Mucosa

There is a special kind of tissue that lines your entire mouth called the oral mucosa. In some places (like on the roof of your mouth) it’s mixed with keratin, which is a strong material also found in our fingernails.

3. Your Temporomandibular Joints

Your upper and lower jaw are connected by temporomandibular joints. Most of the joints in your body (for example, your elbow) only move in one direction. Your jaw, however, moves up and down, side to side, AND front to back! This helps our molars grind our food. Move your own jaw in a circle right now. Your pet cat (a carnivore) can’t do that nearly as well as a human!

4. Saliva Factories

We have three major pairs of salivary glands, and other small ones located throughout our mouths. Did you know that saliva does more than help us eat and clean our mouths? It also contains important minerals that reinforce our teeth.

Ten More Fun Facts About Teeth

Together, Let’s Keep Your Teeth AND Mouth Healthy

As your lifelong oral healthcare provider, we check more than just teeth. We’re very interested in your gum health, the alignment and balance of your jaw, and early signs of problems like oral cancer in the soft tissues of your mouth and throat.

Thank you for the trust you place in us. We deeply appreciate it.

Remember, if you ever have any questions about your teeth or mouth we’re here to help—so please ask us! We look forward to seeing you the next time you visit.

INTUITIVELY, YOU PROBABLY KNOW that better posture is good for your back, neck, etc. But what you may NOT know is that better posture is good for your oral health too! It’s true. Proper posture promotes a healthy smile and can help prevent potential problems with your jaw and teeth.

Poor Posture Can Place Harmful Pressure On Your Jaw

Simply stated, when we slouch our lower jaw is pushed farther forward and our skull sits farther back on our spinal column, which can cause our bite to be misaligned. When our teeth are improperly aligned, our jaw compensates to bring them together. Over time, this movement can stress our jaw joints and the associated muscles—and in some cases cause painful inflammation and/or damage to our teeth.

Good Posture’s Effects Are Far Reaching

Your teeth are an important part of an interconnected skeletal system. When misaligned, some studies show that the effects can even be as far reaching as the muscles in your pelvis and feet! Crazy, huh? Practicing good posture can not only help you maintain a healthy smile, but it can also help your whole body health.

Are You Practicing Good Posture?

Take a look at this short video to learn more about good posture:

Tips For Better Posture

• Lift your chest, pull your shoulder blades back and down
• Keep your stomach muscles tight
• If standing, your ears should line up with your shoulders, your hips with your knees, and your knees with your ankles
• If sitting, your hips should line up with your ears

If you have any questions about posture or its relationship to your oral health, please contact us. We’re here to help you stand up straight and smile with confidence!

Thank you for the trust you place in our practice.

BECAUSE IT USUALLY HAPPENS SPONTANEOUSLY, we don’t often think about smiling or laughing. However, they both really do make us feel better—and, studies continue to reveal more of their many benefits.

1. Smiling Evokes Trust

A recent study published in the Journal of Economic Psychology suggests that people may be as much as 10% more willing to trust someone who smiles.

2. Smiling Could Increase Your Net Worth

Some economists suggest that smiles may have real, monetary value! Another study found that smiling waitresses earn more tips (makes sense, right?).

3. Smiling Lifts Your Spirit And Those Around You

Life is full of ups and downs. Smiling can reduce distressing emotions and be an invaluable tool in moving forward with our heads held high. And equally important, grins and chuckles can calm and comfort those around us. Here’s an example of how someone else’s smile (laugh) can lift YOUR day… We dare you to watch this video without smiling:

4. Smiling May Help You Look Younger!

That elusive fountain of youth may not be found in surgeries or potions—rather, a study suggests that the path to looking younger may be found through our smiles.

Let’s Get You Smiling And Laughing More (or again)!

As your lifelong health partner, we’re concerned about your total health. We know that some people don’t reap the benefits of smiling and laughing because they’re embarrassed or self-conscious about their teeth. Are you one of those people? We’d like to help. We love visiting with our patients about their smiles. We want you to smile confidently!

Thanks for sharing our practice (and our blog) with your friends, neighbors, and coworkers. We appreciate your kind referrals!