Did you know the state of your dental health can offer lots of clues about your overall health?  Dental health is very important and it most certainly has an impact on your overall health.  There have been thousands of reports in the last several years documenting the connection between a healthy mouth and a healthy body.  I have added a link to World Dental which explains the connection between the two in an easy to understand manner.  Please, take the time to read it then call us for a check up!    

I have decided to dedicate this blog to bringing us all back to the basics of practicing good dental habits, since doing so can keep us all healthier and happier for a long time to come!

Basic dental care involves brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, seeing your dentist and/or dental hygienist for regular checkups and cleanings, and eating a mouth-healthy diet.

First, brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste is essential.  Not only does brushing your teeth help prevent tooth decay, it also helps prevent gum disease, which is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults and has been linked to heart attacks and strokes. Removing tooth stains and avoiding bad breath are the added benefits of brushing your teeth.

You should always brush twice a day; in the morning and before bed, and floss (at least) once a day. Practice tongue cleaning. You can use a tongue cleaner or a soft-bristle toothbrush, stroking in a back-to-front direction. 

Be conscious of what you eat!  A mouth happy diet includes eating foods high in whole grains, lots vegetables and fruits, and dairy products.  You should avoid foods that contain a lot of sugar, since sugar helps plaque grow.  Diet soda is not an exception!   Although most people know that the sugars in non-diet soda can lead to cavities, few realize that diet soda can also increase dental problems.

Diet soda is actually more acidic than non-diet soda, and the acids in diet soda can soften your teeth, leading to plaque, enamel erosion, and cavities. Diet soda can be especially potent when you’re thirsty, because the lack of saliva can allow the diet soda to sit on your teeth and eat away at them.

Take these 3 suggestions to heart and you will not only be preventing tooth decay, but you will shorten the time needed at the dentist, save money and make it possible for your teeth to last a lifetime!

By utilizing the newest technology available, we are able to greatly reduce waste and save energy.  Oak Park Dental is proud to inform our patients of our commitment to “green” dentistry!

We offer digital radiography, also known as digital x-rays, which requires no chemical processing and creates no hazardous wastes.  The ability to accent and enhance digital x-rays also reduces the need for retakes, which equates to even less patient exposure to radiation.  A bonus for all of us!

We use LED lighting in all of our operatory lights, curing lights and loupe lights.  We use a steam sterilizer rather than a chemical system to sterilize each instrument.  This system cuts costs and environmental impacts associated with chemical supply disposal and offers the added benefit of improving our air quality. 

We also recycle not only your old metal crowns and fillings, but we even filter our suction to capture all the small bits of metal that go into it!

Last, but not at all least, since our front office uses practice management software that negates the need for that old paper chart, we do our share to lighten the environmental impact of paper consumption and waste.

We are proud of our environmentally conscious decisions to continually offer you the best technology available while trying to reduce our carbon footprint. 

Stay healthy Madison!