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Lake Oconee Dentistry Blog

I Don’t Have My Toothbrush, But I Have Cheese!

January 12, 2012

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , , , — @ 7:27 pm

GOOD ORAL HEALTHCARE IS SOMETHING most of us are great at when we’re at home…However, most of us don’t bring along our toothbrush and floss when we’re out and about…

So, here are a few ways you can prevent cavities while you’re away from home…

Crunchy fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, cucumbers, and celery can help to mechanically clean food debris and bacteria from your teeth.

In addition, fruits such as cranberries, blueberries, and apples contain nutrients that decrease the stickiness of the bacteria that cause cavities. Green and black teas also contain minerals that can reduce the growth of bacteria on your teeth.

And best of all…Cheese. While the mechanism is not completely understood, numerous studies have shown that eating cheese after eating a sugary snack greatly reduces the damage to your teeth. Cheese tends to increase the amount of saliva in your mouth which helps keep cavities at bay. Cheese can also help neutralize the acid that bacteria produce. Calcium, phosphorous, and proteins in cheese may also help remineralize damaged tooth enamel. The best thing is that cheese just tastes so darn good.

So, at your neighbor’s next block party, hit up the cheese tray and fruit & veggie platters after you scarf down that chocolate cake and banana cream pie…Your oral health will thank you, and so will your dentist!The only thing better than a beautiful smile, is a beautiful smilethat’s healthy and cavity-free!Contact us if you have any additional questions, and don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook!

Reflections On A Career In Dentistry

January 5, 2012

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Comfort,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , , , — @ 12:18 am

CLEANING TEETH AND BRINGING PATIENTS SOUND ORAL HEALTH is not only our job here at Lake Oconee Dentistry, it is our passion. We love what we do every day—dentistry makes us happy…and we feel quite blessed to be able to say that!Dental work is a mix between science, management, engineering, and artistry. Each day is different and challenging.

Technological advances in the dental profession happen every day as techniques, materials used, and procedures become increasingly advanced. The opportunities to learn and improve are endless.But, best of all, the dental profession provides us all with the opportunity to help people and to make a difference in their lives. It may not seem like much, but the personal fulfillment that comes from being a dentist and helping people feel better about their smile and/or oral health is fantastic. Sometimes “feeling better” means “physically” better (if someone is uncomfortable or in pain). Sometimes “feeling better” means “emotionally” better (such as helping someone have the self confidence to smile again).

We want all of you to know how much we appreciate you, our valued patients. YOU are what make us smile.

We are also lucky here at Lake Oconee Dentistry to be able to work with such talented, great friends.

Some of you may be in the early early stages of choosing your own career paths—OR, you may have children or grandchildren who are making career decisions right now.

If we can ever be of help to you—or to somebody you care about—in answering questions about the varied careers in the dental profession, please let us know.

Thanks again for being friends of our dental practice.

In case you’re interested, attached below are a brochure AND a short video that will help you learn more about careers in dentistry.

(You can click directly on the brochure to read it or download it.)

By the way, we sure appreciate having you “Like” on our Facebook page. If you haven’t visited our page yet, simply click on the logo below. Thanks!

Happy New Year From Our Entire Team

December 28, 2011

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Comfort,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , — @ 8:00 pm

“OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW,”as they say.2012 is almost here!

How will you be celebrating the beginning of the new year? What are your resolutions for 2012?

Each country has their own unique way of ringing in the new year—and some even observe the holiday on a completely different date—but we are all unified in our desire to celebrate, reflect, renew, and find joy in the season.

Here are a few fun trivia facts about New Year’s celebrations around the world:– In Spain, it’s tradition to eat a grape with every chime of the clock at midnight. – In Ecuador, people publicly burn effigies representing people and events from the past year. Kinda wild! – The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah. – In Italy, people wear red underwear on New Year’s Day to bring good luck for the coming year. – The second new moon after the winter solstice determines the date of the Chinese New Year. – The Thai celebration of “Songkran” is a time for visiting families, bringing out statues of Buddha, and throwing water at passersby to wash away bad luck!

Here atLake Oconee Dentistrywe’re excited about the new year. As we reflect and renew, our thoughts turn to you, our valued patients and friends. Thank you. Thanks for the trust you place in our practice. Our commitment to you throughout this new year is to continue to provide you with the very best service possible.

Oh, and by the way…please remember not to open any celebratory bottles with your teeth! As much as we’d love to see you, we doubt that you want to spend New Year’s Day in Lake Oconee Dentistry evaluating your chipped tooth!

The #1 reason we use social media tools is to stay connected with you. We want to know what you like about our practice. And when you see things that we can improve, we want your feedback and ideas. So be sure to connect with us on Facebook, and use the comment area below as needed.

From our entire team, we wish you the very best in 2012.

“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

I Don’t Have My Toothbrush, But I Have Cheese!

December 22, 2011

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , , , — @ 7:34 pm

HOLIDAY SHOPPING, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTIES, seasonal shows, and sledding are all fun winter activities. However, most of us don’t bring along our toothbrush and floss when we’re out and about…

So, here are a few ways you can prevent cavities while you’re away from home…

Crunchy fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, cucumbers, and celery can help to mechanically clean food debris and bacteria from your teeth.

In addition, fruits such as cranberries, blueberries, and apples contain nutrients that decrease the stickiness of the bacteria that cause cavities. Green and black teas also contain minerals that can reduce the growth of bacteria on your teeth.

And best of all…Cheese. While the mechanism is not completely understood, numerous studies have shown that eating cheese after eating a sugary snack greatly reduces the damage to your teeth. Cheese tends to increase the amount of saliva in your mouth which helps keep cavities at bay. Cheese can also help neutralize the acid that bacteria produce. Calcium, phosphorous, and proteins in cheese may also help remineralize damaged tooth enamel. The best thing is that cheese just tastes so darn good.

So, at your neighbor’s next holiday party, hit up the cheese tray and fruit & veggie platters after you scarf down that gingerbread parfait and pumpkin pie…Your oral health will thank you, and so will your dentist!The only thing better than a beautiful smile, is a beautiful smilethat’s healthy and cavity-free!Contact us if you have any additional questions, and don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook!

Interested In Whitening Your Smile? You’ve Come To The Right Place.

December 16, 2011

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Comfort,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — @ 7:22 pm

SMILE WHITENING HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR over the past few years, and for good reason!

There’s something remarkable about a smile that sparkles versus one that doesn’t. Who doesn’t want a whiter, and brighter smile to help make a statement? Teeth whitening is certainly one of the least invasive cosmetic dental procedures available, and although there are many different whitening processes available over the counter, none of those products will whiten your teeth as effectively as the products we can give you here at Lake Oconee Dentistry. Not to mention that most of them certainly can’t bring you the fast results you may be looking for!

If you happen to fall under the category of someone looking for high quality & fast results, go no further. Here at our practice we offer Zoom2! whitening, as seen on ABC’s Extreme Makeover, and it’s the best cosmetic teeth whitening available—nothing whitens better, or faster. With this gel + laser treatment, your teeth will get an average of 8 shades whiter in just45 minutes!

We’ll simply sit you down, cover your lips and gums so that only your teeth are showing, apply the Zoom! special whitening gel, and then apply the Zoom! light. Together, the light and gel will work together to penetrate your teeth and break up the stains and discolorations.

Zoom!’s effectiveness and safety have been clinically proven, and teeth whitening is one of the safest cosmetic dental procedures available.

Unfortunately, not ALL tooth discolorations are correctable. Since different types of whitening procedures work better for certain teeth, the tooth whitening process can be very effective for some, while others may not get their desired results. For example, if you’ve had bonding, veneers or tooth-colored fillings in your front teeth, there may be potential problems. Our office can advise you about which procedures will most likely give you the best results, so set up a consultation with Drs. Bradley and Dr. Boswell first.

Here at Lake Oconee Dentistry, we offer both in-house, and take-home whitening products, allowing us to design a plan that best fits your lifestyle, wants, and needs. If you choose bleaching trays, the process will start with an office visit to custom-fit the trays, but then most of the bleaching process can be done at home. You’ll wear the mouth trays for a designated amount of time and the bleaching agent surrounds your teeth as it works.

Don’t delay that whiter smile you’ve been wanting, ask us today about which technique would be best for you!

Oh, and don’t forget to become a fan of our Facebook page!! We look forward to seeing you there.

Are Dental X-Rays Safe?

December 9, 2011

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Comfort,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — @ 9:14 pm

MOST OF OUR PATIENTS KNOW THAT a visit to Lake Oconee Dentistry sometimes involves an x-ray or two. And though it’s true that discovering and treating oral problems before they get out of hand is best way to save unnecessary time, money, and pain, some people are skeptical about x-rays and have questions about their impact on health.

Well we have some good news for those of you with concerns—x-rays pose very little danger to your health…and the amount of radiation you receive during routine x-rays here at our practice is MUCH smaller than the amount you receive daily from natural radiation sources.

Exposure to tiny amounts of radiation is a natural component of life! Each year, the average United States citizen is exposed to about 360 mREM from common things like the earth itself, natural materials, cosmic radiation, and even from other people! In fact, the State Department of Health has set the yearly maximum safe radiation level at 5000 mREM.

Our dental x-rays only emit .30 mREM per unit…SO, even if you have a full mouth series taken, you’re still only being exposed to a mere 6 mREM! This means you’d have to have around 60 full-mouth series to really be at risk…and we promise we’ll never need to take that many in a year’s time!

X-rays are an important part of dental care, as we use them to diagnose problems that we might not otherwise be able to detect. We promise you’re in the best of hands here at our practice, so don’t let x-ray fears worry you.

If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding dental x-rays, please don’t hesitate to contact us!We would love to help put your mind at ease!

Oh, and don’t forget to join us on Facebook!

‘Tis The Season To Be Thankful!

November 25, 2011

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Comfort,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , , , — @ 6:09 pm

CAN YOU BELIEVE THANKSGIVING HAS ALREADY COME AND GONE!? Here at Lake Oconee Dentistry we love this time of year and the wonderful spirit it brings. A whole day dedicated to gratitude and humility—what an amazing holiday to participate in each year!

Here are a few, fun “Thanksgiving Facts” that you may not know:

  • Turkey contains an amino acid that makes you sleepy—however, it’s the combination of that AND all the carbs and fats we consume that leave us all napping on the couch after our Thanksgiving meals!
  • The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade actually wasn’t the first department store Thanksgiving parade. The Philadelphia department store, Gimbel’s, sponsored the first in 1920. However, the Macy’s parade was launched four years later, and soon became a Thanksgiving tradition when it was made even more popular by the movie “Miracle on 34th Street” which was released in 1947.
  • Domesticated turkeys are slow birds that can’t fly. Wild turkeys are smaller, more agile, much faster, and can fly short distances.
  • Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to his daughter suggesting that the wild turkey would be a more appropriate national symbol for the United States than the bald eagle, as it was more respectable, a true origin of native America, and a bird of courage.
  • In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the short, jerky movements of turkeys inspired a ballroom dance called the Turkey Trot.
  • Native Americans used cranberries, now a staple Thanksgiving dish, for cooking as well as medicinal purposes.
Pretty cool facts, huh? Now, on to more serious matters!

In honor of this beautiful season, and the attitude of thankfulness that spreads across the country, we want to let you know how grateful we are for all of you—our wonderful patients and friends. Where would we be without your loyalty and support?

So, thank you. Thanks for making us excited to come to work every day. Nothing makes us happier than seeing your smiling faces each day in Lake Oconee Dentistry. You inspire and motivate us—and we love serving you.

We hope you had the happiest of Thanksgivings—and don’t forget to floss and brush after all that leftover turkey and pie! (We had to throw in at least one plug for oral care!)

What are YOU thankful for this year? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a comment below or on our Facebook page!

Let Us Alleviate Your Dental Fears!

November 16, 2011

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Comfort,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , , — @ 10:10 am

WHAT MAKES A DENTAL VISITa feared chore? Why do thoughts of reclining plastic chairs and tiny handheld mirrors give some people the chills? Setting aside the high pitched, nails-on-chalkboard-sound one hears during a cleaning, what else do people worry about? Research shows that 10-20% of people avoid the dentist because of fear or anxiety, and 5-10% of people have an actual “dental phobia”—meaning they’ll avoid a visit to the dentist at just about any cost. Some people who have extreme dental anxiety have good reasons.Perhaps it has come from a previous negative experience with a procedure or dentist. Or maybe you just don’t like having the dentist in such close proximity to your face. Some people feel anxiety over the lack of control they have while they’re lying in the chair. WebMD talks about some ways to help this kind of anxiety.

Simply put, the best way to alleviate your fears is to tell Drs. Bradley and Dr. Boswell, or a team member, about your worries. 75% of dental patients have some level of fear—it’s very common so you don’t need to feel alone. Our goal here at Lake Oconee Dentistry isn’t to scare patients—it’s to help keep them healthy and strong! So, if you hate tight spaces or want to understand what we’re doing in your mouth, it’s OK to let us know. In fact, we WANT you to tell us. It helps us help you.

We’re happy to explain each dental tool before we use it, and give you extra chances to swish. We can even try to stop asking you questions while you have all that stuff in your mouth if it helps!

By the way… Have you had a chance to “Like” our Facebook page yet? Here are three great reasons to do so:

1. Content That’s Relevant

Concise info and posts about your comfort, health, and appearance—things you’ll use and find interesting. Meaningful content at your fingertips without searching.

2. Take Advantage Of Exclusive Offers

Take advantage of promotions and offers ONLY available to our fans.

3. Being Part Of Our Practice Culture Is Easy And Fun

Fun? A dental practice… fun? YES! What’s cool about connecting with us is that it’s honest, transparent, and spontaneous. BE ASSURED you’re with the right dentist by getting to know us in this untraditional, and un-staged way. YOU’LL get to know our practice culture better, and WE’LL get to know YOU better too.

Just click on the logo below:

 

And, as always, THANKS for being our valued patient!

The Remarkable Benefits Of A Healthy Mouth

November 9, 2011

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Comfort,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , , — @ 11:20 am

GOOD NEWS! Taking care of our mouths actually improves our smiles! In fact, today’s research continues to connect the dots between your healthy mouth and your healthy body. Here at Lake Oconee Dentistry we know that it’s never too early to start teaching children about the importance of consistent dental care. Healthy habits learned at a young age pay off in the future!So, here are some of the ways that taking care of your teeth affects your body.Good oral health…– can boost your confidence and self-esteem

  • Gum disease and decaying teeth can lead to LOTS of problems—including an unsightly smile and foul breath. This can be so bad that your self-image is affected. If you keep your mouth healthy you’ll be much more inclined to smile!

– has been directly linked to lowering your risk of heart disease

  • Gum disease can cause inflammation that can be directly associated with cardiovascular problems.

– can preserve memory

  • Believe it or not, in recent studies show that adults with gingivitis actually performed worse on cognitive skills/memory tests than those without gum disease. Those with gingivitis are also more likely to have delayed verbal recall.

– reduces risks of inflammation and infection

  • Poor oral health is linked to the development of infection in other parts of the body. Eat a balanced diet, visit Drs. Bradley and Dr. Boswellregularly, and practice good oral hygiene to reduce bacteria and gingivitis.

– helps keep your blood sugar stable

  • Those with diabetes are more likely to develop gingivitis, making it more difficult to control sugar blood levels. Reducing your risk of gingivitis by protecting your oral health can help you regain better control of your blood sugar.

– helps pregnant women carry a baby to term

  • Gingivitis becomes a greater risk to women when they are pregnant. Unfortunately, there may be a connection to gum disease and pre-term infants, so be sure to visit Dr. Dentist as part of your prenatal care.

Well, there you have it. Keeping your mouth healthy really can improve your overall health and well-being. Feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions about the benefits of preventive care.

Oh, and don’t forget to join us on Facebooktoo! We look forward to connecting with you there!

Straighten Your Smile With Zero-Reduction Veneers

November 2, 2011

Filed under: Blog,Your Appearance,Your Comfort,Your Health — Tags: , , , , , , , — @ 11:05 am

FOR SOME OF US, THERE MAY BE A SIMPLER, YET EFFECTIVE way to have a drop-dead gorgeous smile. Here at Lake Oconee Dentistrywe offer a leading-edge “prepless” veneer solution that answers the concerns some people have had about smile makeovers.

Traditional veneers require a considerable amount of tooth reduction—that is, the size of your teeth must be reduced in order to “cap” or cover your teeth with a veneer. Unlike traditional veneers, our prepless veneers are extremely thin (generally about 0.2 to 0.4 mm) and require little to no reduction of your tooth enamel. Plus, they’re unbelievably strong!

Prepless veneers are also aesthetically pleasing because they block out undesirable colors and allow the beauty of the natural teeth to shine through. Because all of the color is built straight into the veneer instead of added onto the surface, Drs. Bradley and Dr. Boswell are able to make the most of the available space.

Though the simplicity of a prepless veneers procedure makes it one of the most appealing of our cosmetic dentistry options, it is not always the best solution for everyone. Because the veneers are so thin they are best suited for patients whose teeth are a little smaller or slightly spaced out. The only way to really determine if you are a good candidate for prepless veneers is to visit with Dr. David Bradley or Dr. Patti Bradley or Dr. Boswell And keep in mind… Individuals who clench and grind their teeth are typically not the best candidates for prepless veneers as those activities could cause the veneers to chip or crack.

If you are wondering whether or not prepless veneers are the solution for you thenset up a smile consultation today! Our doctors would love to go through your options with you.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

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