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The Best and Worst Foods for a Healthy Smile

August 14, 2013


Healthy eating goes for more than just your body. It’s important to consider your smile when making your food choices. Certain foods can increase your risk of decay, while certain foods can help to protect your smile. At El Reno Family Dentistry, we want to inform our patients of these important food facts.

If you’re going to eat foods that contain a lot of sugar, it is best to eat them with your meal instead of as a snack. At meals, you produce more saliva than at other times, which helps to neutralize the acid and provide your smile a little more protection.

Tea is a better beverage choice than carbonated sodas, which contain a lot of sugar than can erode the enamel on your teeth. Both green and black teas contain polyphenols that interact with bacteria in plaque, helping to kill or at least prevent them from producing acid that can harm your teeth.

Fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber are also a great smile choice. Fiber helps to stimulate saliva production as well as help to clean your mouth. Saliva helps to neutralize acids in your mouth and stop them from harming your smile.

Your smile health can be impacted by the foods you’re eating and how they’re eating them. Keep these tips in mind and you’ll see how these simple tips can help to improve your smile. If you have any questions or want to know more, please give us a call.

Interested in learning more about general dentistry or scheduling your next appointment? Call us today at El Reno Family Dentistry. Our office is located in El Reno and serves patients from El Reno, Yukon, Minco, Calumet, Hinton, and other communities in the Canadian County.

Exciting Developments in Root Canal Therapy

July 18, 2013

Are you suffering from a painful tooth but avoiding visiting the dentist because you don’t want to hear the news that you need root canal therapy?  Today, the staff at El Reno Family Dentistry wants to share news about a scientific research study that may be of interest to you. According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, currently many scientists are developing a way to use stem cells to regenerate tooth tissue for better dental care.

Root canal therapy is used to restore a tooth that has decay that reached the inner pulp, resulting in an often painful infection. Traditionally this is accomplished by removing the decay, replacing it with a dental filling, and capping the tooth with a crown. The tooth will be restored but is now ‘dead’ inside because you’ve just removed all the living tissue.

What the scientists are working on is a way to get teeth stem cells to regrow dental pulp. This could then be placed inside the infected tooth, allowing it to function like a healthy tooth once again. The pulp tissue helps to detect future infections, so this would provide a even higher-quality dental restoration than the technology that currently exists.

If you have a tooth that is infected, we can help with root canal therapy. Please give us a call to stop the discomfort and allow us to restore your tooth to health. We hope that in the future, this important dental research will be translated into a new way of performing root canal therapy that will result in even healthier teeth.

Interested in learning more about general dentistry or scheduling your next appointment? Call us today at El Reno Family Dentistry. Our office is located in El Reno and serves patients from El Reno, Yukon, Minco, Calumet, Hinton, and other communities in the Canadian County.

Smile Bright This Summer

June 14, 2013

This summer, Grand Dental El Reno wants to make sure you keep your teeth healthy while enjoying all the fun this season has to offer. With a few simple tips, your smile will be shining brightly all summer long.

It’s important to remember that your teeth were designed to help you cut and tear apart food while eating it. They weren’t meant to be used as bottle openers, ice crushers, hangers, or scissors. Using your teeth for functions they just weren’t meant to perform can cause cracks or fractures that may be costly to repair.

Many times we associate summer with sugary treats such as sodas, ice cream or other treats. While these are all very enjoyable, remember to consume them in moderation. The sugar can prove to be harmful to your tooth enamel. If you must drink sodas, try to use a straw because it reduces the harm to your teeth. Swapping your soda for water is an even better solution.

Finally, don’t forget to come visit us for your regular dental checkup. Our caring staff will clean your teeth and remove any plaque or tartar that might be built up on your teeth. We’ll also check for signs of disease, decay or other damage. We’re here to help you with any questions or concerns you might have about your smile.

Take the time this summer to make a commitment to your dental health. With these small steps you can ensure you’ll have a healthy smile both this summer and all year long.

Interested in learning more about general dentistry or scheduling your next appointment? Call us today at Grand Dental El Reno! Our office is located in El Reno and serves patients from Minco, Calumet, Hinton, and other communities in the Canadian County.

 

Teeth Whitening for Your Brightest Smile in the New Year

January 21, 2013

Would you like a brighter smile? Come see us at Grand Dental El Reno to start out the New Year right and smile proudly once again!

One of the best ways to dramatically improve your smile is with teeth whitening. We have a variety of options to suit your unique teeth whitening needs. Come in for a consultation to find out which option or combination of options is the best for improving your smile.

We have in-office laser teeth whitening, which is a quick treatment, perfect for people on the go who want whiter teeth. For greater convenience, we also offer a take-home teeth whitening system. You’ll be given custom trays with professional-grade bleaching gel to allow you to whiten your teeth from the convenience of your own home.

For more permanent results, we offer LUMINEERS and porcelain veneers. As a popular cosmetic service, porcelain veneers are made of thin pieces of porcelain that are placed over the teeth to give you a whiter and brighter smile. LUMINEERS are a minimal-prep version of veneers. They look like natural teeth and are stain resistant!

Start out the New Year with the beautiful and dazzling smile of your dreams. We’d love to help brighten your smile today. Come visit Grand Dental El Reno today to have a smile consultation to figure out which whitening option is the best for your needs!

Interested in learning more about our teeth whitening options? Call us today at Grand Dental El Reno! Our office is located in El Reno and serves patients from Minco, Calument, Hinton, and other communities in the Canadian County.

DIAGNOdent: Laser Cavity Detection

January 7, 2013

Cavities are one of the most prevalent dental health conditions. No matter how well we brush and floss, they can still occur. The best treatment for cavities is early treatment. At Grand Dental El Reno, we use DIAGNOdent technology to help detect cavities in their infancy.

DIAGNOdent is a small, portable device that lets us detect cavities early, before any other detection method can catch them. This is a tremendous benefit because the earlier a cavity is found, the smaller it is and the easier it is to fill.

Here’s how it works. First, the DIAGNOdent laser will scan your teeth, using laser reflection to find imperfections. If there’s anything there, DIAGNOdent will alert us with an audible signal. Then, it will generate a numerical readout to give us an indication of the size of the cavity.

This tool is a great asset in our ongoing quest to provide our patients with the best dental care possible. We can’t wait to use it on your teeth!

Interested in learning more about DIAGNOdent technology, or wanting your teeth analyzed for cavities? Call us today at Grand Dental El Reno! Our office is located in El Reno and serves patients from Minco, Calument, Hinton, and other communities in the Canadian County.

Take Advantage of Your Dental Benefits While There’s Still Time

November 9, 2012

As 2012 comes to a close, so will the remaining dental benefits for many patients. So with the time you have left, why not use them while you have them?

One of the best ways to put your dental benefits to work for you is with a regular checkup and professional cleaning. Our doctors at Grand Dental in El Reno recommend having visits like these twice a year, or about every six months. Why so often? So we can keep an eye out for even small changes in how your smile is doing.

What kinds of changes?

Changes like tooth decay or gum disease. These are two of the most common oral health conditions patients may face, and when treatment is delayed, they can have a very negative impact on your oral and overall health. Regular checkups and professional cleanings are meant to provide you with preventive care and to alert you to conditions that need attention.

Another reason for using your benefits now is that caring for your smile may require multiple visits. To make sure you can fit those visits in between now and the end of the year, we need to see you as soon as possible.

Call our El Reno dental office to schedule your next visit. During your next visit, your doctor can answer your treatment questions, while our office team would be happy to address any insurance-related questions you might have. Our office is located in El Reno and serves patients from Minco, Calument, Hinton, and other communities in the Canadian County.

How Sugar Affects Your Smile

October 17, 2012

Halloween is almost here. That means another night of trick-or-treating is almost here too.  Typically, we think of Halloween and trick-or-treating as just a kid’s thing, but we shouldn’t lie—we adults like to sneak a piece (or two or three) of candy when we can.

And of course, our team doesn’t want to discourage that. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a piece of candy from time to time. But too much is bad for your health and your smile.

So instead of preaching against candy, we just want to spend some time briefly describing how sugar affects your smile. That way you can make informed decision this Halloween that are right for you and your children.

How Does Sugar Cause Cavities?

Despite what you might think, sugar itself doesn’t cause cavities. What it does, though, is create just the right environment for them to flourish.

When you eat or drink something high in sugar, a special type of bacteria in our mouths breaks down that sugar, converting it to acid. It’s this acid that’s responsible for damaging sensitive tooth enamel and causing what we know of as tooth decay and cavities.

Not all sweeteners are bad for your teeth, though. Xylitol is a natural sweetener found in fruits and vegetables. It has far fewer calories than traditional sugar, and instead of creating an acidic environment when broken down, it promotes a healthy pH that benefits teeth and gums. That’s why xylitol is often used in natural toothpastes and mouthwashes.

Enjoy Your Halloween

With all that said, we hope you and your family have a safe, fun-filled Halloween. Don’t worry about enjoying your favorite candy, but don’t overindulge either. Brush and floss after enjoying your treats, and give your smile extra support with a fluoride mouthwash. You can also substitute your standard Halloween treats with ones sweetened with xylitol.

And if it’s been more than six month since your last visit, call Grand Dental in El Reno. Regular exams and cleanings from our team are an important part of building a strong, healthy smile.

Conquer the Daily Grind with a Nightguard

September 20, 2012

As we said in our last post, a new school year is here, which brings to mind a familiar saying—back to the daily grind. That’s what the shift from summer vacation to the new fall semester can feel like for teachers, students, and parents.

But there’s another kind of daily grind we’d like to talk about today. This kind doesn’t have anything to do busy schedules, but it does share a connection with stress.

Bruxism is a serious condition involving the unconscious grinding of teeth. It’s often triggered by stress, with many patients who struggle with bruxism doing most of their grinding and clenching while they’re asleep rather than when they’re awake.

So why is this something to be concerned about? Because all that pressure and motion can, over time, cause your teeth and the muscles and tissues around your jaw to become injured.

There’s good news, though. You don’t have to just live with bruxism; you can treat it with a nightguard! Using a nightguard from Grand Dental in El Reno, you can sleep through the night without grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw. As a result, your oral health will be preserved and your symptoms will disappear.

Symptoms of bruxism include:

  • Sore jaw
  • Headaches
  • Earaches
  • TMJ dysfunction

If you think you might be struggling with bruxism, our doctors in El Reno would love to help. Call Grand Dental in El Reno today to reserve a visit. With a nightguard, we can help you eliminate uncomfortable systems to enjoy healthier teeth and gums.