EXCUSES FOR NOT BRUSHING OFTEN are all over the map!

Fortunately, proper brushing techniques don’t require a lot of time at all! Simply brush for two minutes, twice a day…that’s only 240 seconds total. If it really is a time issue you’re dealing with, set your alarm clock back 2 minutes. Your oral health is worth it and your smile will thank you!

Now, although two minutes really isn’t very long in the grand scheme of things, it can seem like a long time to brush your teeth if you’re used to a 20-second scrub. So, next time you’re in the bathroom brushing, bring along your phone and time yourself!

To properly brush your teeth, use gentle strokes and pay extra attention to your gum line, those hard-to-reach places, and the areas surrounding your fillings or crowns. If you concentrate on thoroughly cleaning each section of your mouth, those 2 minutes will fly by!

Here is a great video by Colgate that illustrates proper brushing techniques:

By the way, among the most interesting responses from that same survey suggested that pets crave toothbrushes as well as homework. But now that you’re motivated to take your brushing and flossing seriously, you won’t need to pretend like the dog ate your toothbrush! You’ll be a brushing pro.

If you have any additional questions about maintaining good oral hygiene, feel free to leave a comment below!

Oh, and be sure to Like us on Facebook and visit our website for additional information!

Request an appointment today.

EVEN THE MOST DILIGENT FLOSSERS AND BRUSHERS sometimes forget about the added benefits of mouthwash.

But don’t worry—even if you already brush, floss, AND rinse with mouthwash everyday, you’ll find this content useful. The affect that mouthwash has on your oral health is often dependent upon the type of mouthwash you use.

So, before we get into the do’s and don’ts of choosing a mouthwash, let’s talk a little bit about why we recommend it.

Not only can mouthwashes make our mouths feel and smell fresher, they help prevent cavities and periodontal disease. They also help reduce the amount of plaque and bacteria in our mouths. However, don’t let these facts fool you into depending on mouthwash alone! Brushing and flossing are still essential to our oral health as rinses cannot adequately remove food and plaque on their own—they simply help prevent plaque.

Now, what’s the key difference between all the varieties of mouthwashes? Frankly, some help more than others, and some may even contain ingredients that should probably be avoided. For example, fluoride helps prevents cavities, but sodium lauryl sulfate tends to dry and irritate mouths, especially if you suffer from canker sores.

Be careful when choosing your mouthwash, and feel free to ask Dr. Puig for a recommendation that will suit your specific dental needs!

Here’s a little cheat sheet of ingredients to look for that should help you in the meantime.

If you have any additional questions regarding mouthwashes or dentistry in general, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CURIOUS about all the odd facts dental professionals like Dr. Puig have floating around in their heads all day?

Did you know…

• Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in a human’s body.
• Toothbrush bristles were originally made from cow hair.
• A shark goes through about 40 SETS of teeth during its lifetime.
• A person’s teeth set is unique—much like their fingerprints. Even identical twins do not have exactly the same set of teeth. Did you know that your tongue print is also unique?
• The average woman smiles about 62 times a day! A man? Only 8!
• Kids laugh around 400 times a day. Adults… just 15.
• According to the Academy of General Dentistry, the average person only brushes for 45 to 70 seconds a day. The recommended amount of time is 2-3 minutes.
• People who are right-handed typically chew their food on the right side of their mouth. Left handers? The left side.
• 50% of people consider the smile the first facial feature they notice.
• 80% of people are not happy with their smile.
• 78% of Americans have had at least one cavity by age 17.
• 32% of Americans cite bad breath as the least attractive trait of a co-worker.
• According to the recent American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry survey, 92% of Americans believe that an attractive smile is an important social asset.

Well, there you have it! We hope you enjoyed those facts! It never hurts to know a little more about your smile. Contact us if you have any other dental-related questions or to set up an appointment!

Oh, and please “Like” us on Facebook too!

We look forward to seeing you during your next visit!

TROUBLE STICKING OUT YOUR TONGUE OR SPEAKING CORRECTLY? A FRENECTOMY MAY BE JUST THE SOLUTION FOR YOU….

The muscles of the lips and cheeks are attached to the gums by a piece of soft tissue called a frenum. Sometimes, a frenum can be attached too high on the gums, resulting in recession or spaces between the teeth, and even preventing baby teeth from coming through. Unfortunately, the problems don’t end there. For many, this condition also interferes with speech, causes limited tongue mobility and results in severe discomfort. Dr. Puig can help!

How many of you recently saw The King’s Speech? In the film, King George VI deals with a speech impediment caused by a large frenum that limits his tongue movement, forcing him to enlist the help of a speech therapist.

Learn more about the movie by clicking image below:

And here is the actual recording of King George VI!

Dr. Puig Could Have Helped King George VI…

What if we told you that those years and years of speech therapy could have been replaced by a 5-10 minute procedure from Dr. Puig?! Well, it’s true!

Frenectomies are simple procedures where either part, or all of the frenum is removed in order to return the mouth to a healthy balance. Recovery time is usually within minutes, and never more than a few days. Too bad King George VI didn’t have Dr. Puig in his life.

If you experience pain when stretching your tongue, or are struggling with speech problems, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’d love to help you say goodbye to those speech impediments for life!

Also, don’t forget to follow us on our Facebook Page to keep up with everything going on in our practice! We look forward to connecting with you there.

DR. ELENA PUIG, DMD HELPS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS through Give Back a Smile…

Orlando, FL (January 10, 2012)—More than five million individuals are affected by domestic violence each year in the U.S. and Canada, and local dentist Dr. Puig is helping heal the effects by participating in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation’s (AACDCF) Give Back a Smile (GBAS) program. Dr. Puig is one of many volunteer dentists involved with GBAS, which is available to restore the damaged smiles of eligible adult survivors of intimate partner violence.

“One in four women will experience intimate partner violence in her lifetime. Chances are, you know someone who’s been affected,” said Dr. Puig. “GBAS has restored the smiles of more than 1,000 intimate partner violence survivors to date, and we’re looking to help even more. If you know of someone who has suffered injuries to the smile-zone at the hands of a former intimate partner or spouse, please contact GBAS.”

GBAS volunteer dentists provide smile-zone restoration treatment at no charge to eligible adult survivors of intimate partner violence. Survivors apply for services through GBAS, and must make an appointment with a counselor, domestic violence advocate, social worker or therapist to complete the advocate section of the GBAS application.

GBAS conducts the initial review of the application, and the volunteer dentist makes the final determination of eligibility. GBAS will connect initially qualified applicants with a local GBAS volunteer, who then provides treatment at no charge. All applicants must fulfill certain criteria established by GBAS.

If you or someone you know could be helped by GBAS, or you know someone who would like to get involved in the program, please visit the GBAS website or call toll-free 800.773.4227 for more information.

HAVE YOU RECENTLY VISITED WITH a friend or coworker and had a flash of silver catch your eye?

Fortunately, today’s advances in dentistry and oral health awareness are causing these silver alloy fillings to gradually become thing of the past. Here at Dynamic Smile Design we now offer you, our valued patients, beautiful white composite fillings that match your teeth. When you open wide and visit with people, your fillings will no longer draw unwanted attention. In fact, it’s practically impossible to even tell the fillings are there!

If you still have silver amalgam fillings from your past, we recommend that you consider having them replaced—and not just because of their less aesthetically-pleasing appearance. Silver amalgam fillings don’t bond as well to teeth—in order to make sure the filling is held in place, it has to be prepared with “undercuts” that can weaken the tooth structure and result in fractures. Amalgam fillings can also corrode over time as they swell and expand, putting you at risk for cracks. Additional problems can also occur as moisture and bacteria leak through microscopic spaces that develop between the tooth and the filling over time. Often, if not given immediate attention, this can cause a tooth to decay completely and/or break.

White composite fillings don’t require undercuts in your teeth, making them much more proficient in bonding, and definitely superior. In fact, such fillings can actually help strengthen teeth. And of course they’re much more aesthetically pleasing.

Still have questions about silver amalgam fillings and what to do about them? Set up an appointment with us. We’d love to go over all the options with you.

And don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook so we can stay connected with you!