KINDLE CONTEST

BEWARE OF AN ORANGE ONSLAUGHT!

October is almost upon us. In anticipation of all the events, we open October with:

WHAT IS A "KINDLE CONTEST" ?

It happens in October,

It involves Orange,

It involves a birthday,

And, it involves YOU!

The color is Orange, the color so favored by Dr. E.

The birthday (our Dr. E.),is happening in October.

The celebration,a 'birthday gift' to you, is a Kindle!

The good Dr. will explain:

"Look, this is my Kindle - I love using it. It is very cool. I can download free books from the library and read wherever and whenever I want! I can take it anywhere with me - even on my motorcycle or fishing."

"So, I started thinking about how much fun this Kindle is and then I thought of my patients, and then I thought how much fun it would be to share a Kindle with them."

"Then, I remembered my birthday is coming in October, and because I love Orange and October and my Kindle and my patients..."



"I want to give you a chance to win a Kindle! My birthday celebration gift to you. So just..."

"Refer a new patient to me, and I will drop a referral card into our drawing and at the end of October, I can give my new Kindle away."

"The suspense is killing me! "

"I hope to choose your card! "

"I think I may be having waaay too much fun!"



The Right Fit

Our office is comitted to caring for your teeth. However, as this video shows, some situations can be more challenging:

We just had to post this video, because it combines many things dear to the heart of Dr. Evans - fishing, friendship and teeth! Like these two friends, if you find yourself in this boat, please give us a call. We want to help you keep all your teeth where they belong!

EXCHANGING SMILES!

We always enjoy knowing "our work" has put a smile on your face - and when you let us know, that puts a smile on our face. So we share this (with permission) from one of our patients:

"Seriously, I can't thank you enough for my "new front teeth!!" I have noticed a huge difference in my smile and overall confidence, so again...thank you, thank you, thank you.   Annie"

Annie, we a so happy you are making the most of your new smile and thank you for taking the time to make us smile today.

If you have any questions about smile "repair", please contact our office to learn more about cosmetic dentistry.

Smile Spoilers

Spending our time with fun in the sun activities means quenching our thirst and eating summer foods. While enjoying this great benefit of summer, be sure to adjust your dental care to meet the lazy days of summer. This information was just posted on the Yahoo Website and has some great tips:


Smile Saving Habits - You can't always avoid enamel-eroding foods, so use these tips to minimize acid wear:


1. Avoid snacking in between meals to minimize acid attacks.


2. Don't swish or hold acidic beverages in your mouth. Sip them through a straw to reduce the amount of time the acids come into contact with your teeth.


3. Rinse your mouth with water or chew sugarless gum after meals to help neutralize acid attacks.


4. Consume high calcium milk or cheese before or with meals to help reharden enamel. Eating foods high in iron, such as liver or broccoli, may help as well.


5. If you do consume acidic foods or beverages, wait at least 30 minutes before brushing. This gives softened enamel a chance to reharden, so it is less prone to damage.


6. Brush with flouride toothpaste to help fortify enamel.


7. See your dentist for regular checkups and scheduled cleanings to help prevent tooth decay.


Healthy tooth enamel means healthy teeth. And enamel damage is irreversible. So take the time to protect those pearly whites. Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in your body, but some foods may be stronger.


Seven Smile Spoilers


Soft drinks - Guess what? Sugar is not the biggest culprit when it comes to the impact of a fizzy drink on teeth. These beverages - diet or not - strip minerals from tooth enamel because of their high acid content. We are talking corrosive acids like phosphoric, malic, citric and tartaric. And the flavor of the fizz matters. They all have an impact, but in a study, clear, citrus -flavored bubbly beverages dissolved enamel two to five times more than colas did.


Sports Drinks - Hydration during exercise is important, but reconsider guzzling sports drinks unless you are a true endurance athlete. In a study comparing the erosive effects of five different beverages,including juice and soda, sports drinks did the most harm. Their high concentration of strong acids produced the deepest enamel damage in teeth.


Sour Candy - Can't resist those SweeTarts and Sour Patch Kids? Try. In a study comparing regular chewy candy, hard candy, and licorice to their sour counterparts, sour varieties were significantly harder on tooth enamel. Candy manufacturers add more acids, or different kinds of acid, to sour candy varieties to give them that pucker factor. And it is those "tangy" acids that can create deep craters in your tooth enamel.


Energy Drinks - Need a liquid pick-me-up? Skip this tooth stripper. In the study comparing five beverages, energy drinks were second worst after sports drinks, mainly because the had little ability to buffer the acids in the beverage. And drinks like these are an especially bad idea for adolescents and young adults, whose tooth enamel is less mature and more porous.


Fruit Juices - Fruit juices, especially citrus, apple, and berry varieties, are loaded with the kinds of acids that wear down tooth enamel. Of course, juices also have some great-for-you qualities too, like vitamins and antioxidants. So don't write them off completely. Just drink them in moderation. Frequent fruit juice consumption has been linked to an increased risk of enamel erosion. As an extra measure, rinse afterward. And choose calcium-fortified juices that may pose less of a hazard to tooth enamel.


Fruit - Ever seen someone suck on a slice of lemon or lime? Here is why that is a bad idea: fruits from the citrus family including oranges, lemons and limes contain enamel damaging acids. Berries do too. Still, you do not want to ditch fruit and all the benefits they confer. Just eat fruit with a meal to help minimize acid effects.


Vinegar - Vinegar turns up in lots of places; salad dressings, sauces, potato chips and pickles. And each one could spell trouble for tooth enamel. Ina a study, teenagers who frequently consumed vinegar containing foods had a 30-85% increased risk of enamel erosion compared with teens who did not consume those foods. Teens are more vulnerable to erosion because of less mature tooth enamel. But it is a good idea for people to be aware of the potential impact that vinegar can have. Vinegar is a low fat way to add flavor, but rinse afterward to protect your teeth.


By all means, our office wants you and your family to enjoy summer. However, if you have any questions about keeping your smile in it's best summer shape, please give us a call.

A NOTABLE NOTE

As we review our workday schedule each morning, we may determine the day as busy or really busy...however, as each patient arrives, Dr. Evans is very focused on caring for individual dental needs. He genuinely enjoys his time spent with each patient. This is evidenced by a letter recently received in our office:

"Dr. Evans and his staff are extremely competant, organized, friendly and very kind. From the desk to chairside, I have always been very happy with the care given and the results.

Thank you again,

Shellie (The one who doesn't mind going to the dentist now!)"

Thank you Shellie, for taking the time to make our day better. We hope all our patients don't mind visiting us and we will do our best to make each person feel comfortable and well taken care of when here.

SEALANT SEQUEL

More good news for Salt Lake City sealants from the Salt Lake Tribune:

BY CHI-CHI ZHANG, The Associated Press, published May 24 2011


Cavity prevention measures such as educating the public and sealant programs have helped Utah improve dental health options for children over the past year, according to a report released Tuesday.

Utah jumped from a D-grade in 2010 to a B this year by meeting five of the eight policy benchmarks aimed at improving children’s dental health, two more than in 2010, according to the report by the Pew Center on the States.

The study grades states based on access to sealant programs for underserved populations, the share of residents on fluoridated community water supplies, tracking data on children’s dental health, Medicaid-enrolled children getting dental care and the number of authorized primary care dental providers.

“Dental care is the most unmet health need among children,” said Shelly Gehshan, director of the Pew Children’s Dental Campaign. “The fact that no state met all eight of our benchmarks shows that even the A-states can do better. An ‘A’ does not stand for ‘all done.’”

The study found that efforts in Utah to implement programs at high-risk schools to help prevent cavities and to allow dental hygienists to place sealants without a dentist’s prior exam makes Utah one of 22 states that received higher grades than in 2010.

Dental sealants are plastic coatings applied to children’s molars to prevent cavities and have been known to decrease decay by up to 60 percent, according to Steven Steed, director of the Utah Oral Health Program with the Utah Department of health.

Twenty-three states made no improvements over the last year. Indiana, Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina and Rhode Island dropped in their performance, mostly driven by Medicaid reimbursement rates that have not kept up with a rise in dentists’ fees.

Despite economic challenges with funding, Steed said water fluoridation has been a cost-effective way for the state to improve children’s dental health, especially among underserved populations.

“We’re still facing challenges with getting more fluoridated water to those who need it and getting dentists to see children by the age of one,” said Steed. “We’d still like to see more dental care for the older population and more sealant programs for underserved children.”

If you are interested in sealants, please let us know. Summer is a great time to schedule a visit for an application.

DENTAL SEALS SAVE THE DAY!

The Seals have lately dominated the news. Here is another kind of seal that can come to the rescue:

Dental sealants act as a barrier, protecting the teeth against decay-causing bacteria. The sealants are usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (premolars and molars) where decay occurs most often.


A sealant is a plastic material that is usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth—premolars and molars. This plastic resin bonds into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces of back teeth. The sealant acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids.


Thorough brushing and flossing help remove food particles and plaque from smooth surfaces of teeth. But toothbrush bristles cannot reach all the way into the depressions and grooves to extract food and plaque. Sealants protect these vulnerable areas by "sealing out" plaque and food.


Sealants are easy for your dentist to apply, and it takes only a few minutes to seal each tooth. The teeth that will be sealed are cleaned. Then the chewing surfaces are roughened with an acid solution to help the sealant adhere to the tooth. The sealant is then 'painted' onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. Sometimes a special curing light is used to help the sealant harden.

 

As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and usually last several years before a reapplication is needed. During your regular dental visits, your dentist will check the condition of the sealants and reapply them when necessary.


The likelihood of developing pit and fissure decay begins early in life, so children and teenagers are obvious candidates. But adults can benefit from sealants as well.


Key ingredients in preventing tooth decay and maintaining a healthy mouth are twice-daily brushing with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste; cleaning between the teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaners; eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks; and visiting your dentist regularly. Ask Dr. Evans about whether sealants can put extra power behind your prevention program. 

**portions of this article were taken from the American Dental Association.