Throughout the month we’ll be sharing some useful and helpful information about children’s dental health and to kick it off, here is a short video by our fantastic hygienists Sunshine and Sara, on what your child can expect when they visit us.

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1. Eat Plenty of fruits and vegetables

Poor nutrition can affect the entire immune system, increasing susceptibility to many common oral disorders, including gum (periodontal) disease.

2. Quit smoking

Using tobacco can harm your mouth in a number of ways, increasing your risk for tooth discoloration, cavities, gum recession, gum disease and throat, lung and oral cancer.

3. Limit your alcohol intake

According to the Academy of General Dentistry, those who smoke, eat poorly and consume excessive alcohol also have increased gum recession (periodontal pocketing).4. Brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day.

4. Brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day

Brushing and flossing protect your teeth from decay and gum disease, which is caused by your teeth’s most persistent enemy, plaque – a sticky, colorless, invisible film of harmful bacteria that builds up on your teeth every day.

5. See your favorite Mesa Dentist (that’s us!) for regular check ups

By seeing your dentist at least twice a year, you can help prevent any dental health problems before they cause discomfort or require more comprehensive or expensive treatment.

Not Using the Right Toothbrush

Consider the size of your mouth when picking a toothbrush, says Richard H. Price, DMD, the consumer advisor for the American Dental Association. “If you are straining to open wide enough to let the brush in, the brush is probably too big,” he says. ”The handle has to be comfortable. The more comfortable it is in your mouth and your hand, then the more likely you will use it and use it properly”.

Not Picking the Right Bristle

Some toothbrushes have angled bristles, others straight. So is one type better? It’s more related to technique than the way the bristles come out. Bristles that are too stiff can aggravate the gums, therefore the ADA recommends a soft-bristled brush, sturdy enough to remove plaque but not hard enough to damage the teeth when used properly.

Not Brushing Often Enough or Long Enough

Softly brushing your teeth at least twice a day is recommended, too much time between brushings, bacterial plaque will build up, boosting the risk of gum inflammation and other problems. Brushing should last at least two minutes (three minutes is even better!); divide your mouth into quadrants and spend 30 seconds a quadrant.

Brushing Too Often or Too Hard

Excessive brushing could expose the root of the tooth to irritation, and that could in turn irritate the gums. Brushing vigorously can also erode tooth enamel. The trick is to brush very gently for two to three minutes, twice a day.

Not Brushing Correctly

Aim your bristles at the gumline at a 45-degree angle and do short strokes or vibrations. Softly brush up and down your teeth, not across your teeth. The strokes should be vertical, not horizontal.  Be sure to brush outer and inner tooth surfaces, the chewing surfaces, and your tongue.

Starting in the Same Place Each Time

Many people start brushing the same part of their mouth over and over, dentists find.  Start in a different place so that you don’t get ‘lazy’ in the same area of your mouth, sometimes by the time you get to the last quadrant of your mouth, you’re bored with brushing and don’t do a proper job!

Skipping Inner Tooth Surfaces

Most people forget to brush the inner surfaces of teeth – the surface that your tongue presses against. The most commonly skipped area is the inner surface of the front teeth.

Not Following Up With a Rinse

Bacteria can grow on an un-rinsed toothbrush. Then, the next time you brush your teeth, you may actually put old bacteria back in your mouth, says Laurence Rifkin, DDS.  Rinsing the toothbrush after you brush will help remove any leftover toothpaste, too.

Not Letting the Toothbrush Dry

If you have a toothbrush that’s perpetually moist it’s a breeding ground for bacteria. And then next time you brush, that bacteria is entering your mouth and body. So after you’ve finished brushing give that toothbrush a good shake to get rid it off excess water.

Not Changing the Toothbrush Often Enough

The American Dental Association recommends a new brush every three or four months, or even sooner if the bristles look frayed.  But rather than go by a strict timeline, a visual inspection of the bristles is better. Once the bristles lose their normal flexibility and start to break apart, change your toothbrush.

By making in a change in just one or two of these areas will make a difference to your oral (and overall!) health.

(Source: WebMD)

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1. To prevent tooth decay Dental plaque can cause cavities if it’s left between teeth. When mixed with sugar, the bacteria that live in plaque can start the process of tooth decay. This is why it’s bad for plaque to be left in your mouth. Brushing alone does not clean in between teeth, only dental floss can remove plaque in those areas.

2. To prevent gum disease Gingivitis (inflammation of gums) is the first stage of gum disease (periodontal disease). It is caused by an accumulation of plaque around gums and between teeth. Plaque also contains bacteria that are harmful for the gums. Flossing is therefore important to remove all plaque accumulated after a meal.

3. To prevent halitosis Dental plaque is one of the causes of halitosis, and if it’s left between your teeth, it will generate a bad smell in your mouth. This odour comes from the metabolism of the bacteria contained in plaque. Bad breath can also be caused by gum disease and tooth decay which are also primarily caused by plaque.

4. To prevent tartar build-up Tartar is actually dental plaque that has become hard from the saliva’s calcifying action. Good oral hygiene measures, which include brushing and flossing, can slow down the accumulation of tartar, but does not actually remove it. Some people produce tartar more than others. Regular dental cleanings are recommended to remove tartar.

5. To reduce the risk of heart disease As mentioned earlier, the mouth is an entry point to harmful bacteria that may eventually reach the body organs, including cardiac tissue. Dental plaque, which contains dangerous bacteria, must be therefore eliminated to prevent those micro-organisms to reach the heart through the blood stream and cause heart disease complications.

6. To avoid the complications of diabetes There is scientific evidence that people who suffer from diabetes can have their condition complicated by gum disease. Diabetics usually have a weaker immune system and take more time to fight inflammations and infections, including the ones that start in the mouth. That’s why oral hygiene, which includes daily brushing and flossing, is very important to prevent diseases, or disease complications, such as diabetes.

Amazing what a little piece of string can do, right?

(Source: Healthblog.net)

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Jenny, our hygiene assistant – she is most thankful for her family and how supportive of her they are!

Crystal, our insurance coordinator – is thankful for everything in her life but she is most thankful to Mountain View for giving her the opportunity to be part of our team. (We are pretty lucky to have her as well!)

Chassity, our Hygiene/Patient coordinator – is thankful for each breath she is given, “Every day is not promised to us, it is a gift, that is why it is called The Present!”

Brandy, our lead hygiene assistant – “For family, friends & getting married soon! We just bought our first house!! Also, I love my job and so thankful for the great staff that makes it that much more enjoyable.”

Annette, Dr. Guffey’s assistant – thankful for my beautiful family and life!

Dr. Temp – ” I am most thankful for my family and the competent & caring people that I work with.”

Joe, Dr. Guffey’s assistant – thankful for his family & friends love and support

Sara, our hygienist – ” I am thankful for my family and the joy they bring to me!”

Kelly, our Treatment coordinator – “I am thankful that my father is still with us for this holiday & that his health is improving day by day”

Yvette, our Office Manager – “I am most thankful for everything! I have a wonderful family, a great job with fantastic team & great bosses!”

Brice & Michelle, Dr. Temps assistant team – Michelle: “I am very thankful for my family & my WORK family & I can’t wait to eat turkey!”, Brice: “I am very thankful for my life & this opportunity with the Mountain View team!”

We want to thank YOU, our amazing patients, friends and family. You make our days so much brighter!

And thank you to the team of people that make our office such a fantastic place to be every day. You guys are awesome!!

THANK YOU,
Dr. Guffey & the Mountain View family.

Here is the good Doctor himself with some great advice for all you Halloween candy lovers out there:

We also want to say THANK YOU to Brooke who is part of the hygiene team here – we couldn’t convince her to take a turn in front of the camera…yet!

Thank you for all you do ladies, Mountain View Family Dentist Mesa wouldn’t be the same without you. And we know our patients agree

We want to start by saying we don’t really mind which you use, just as long as you’re brushing correctly twice a day.

Using an electric toothbrush takes some getting used to because the action isn’t all controlled by your hand. Instead, the bristles move on their own to give your teeth a deep cleaning.  An electric toothbrush is ideal if you have poor manual dexterity, or if you have little motivation to brush your teeth.

Here at Mountain View Family Dentist we see so many patient who have experienced this very thing.  As it’s such a common occurrence we wanted to share a few tips so you know what to do:

First step – call us (480.745.1739)! The sooner you get that tooth looked at the better otherwise your tooth could be damaged further or become infected, possibly causing you to end up losing the tooth.

In the meantime, try the following self-care measures:

• If the tooth is painful, take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Rinse your mouth with salt water.
• If the break has caused a sharp or jagged edge, cover it with a piece of wax, paraffin, or chewing gum to keep it from cutting your tongue or the inside of your lip or cheek.
• If you must eat, eat soft foods and avoid biting down on the broken tooth.

Treatment for a broken or chipped tooth will depend on how severely it is damaged. If only a small piece of enamel broke off, the repair can usually be done simply in one office visit. A badly damaged or broken tooth may require a more lengthy procedure.

Your teeth are strong but sometimes that piece of candy is stronger!  We highly recommend not eating toffee and such like, not only are they usually full of sugar but they can do serious damage to your mouth.

Stick to grapes, a much safer snack

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(Source: WebMD)

The ultimate travel accessory, the USB connected DiamondClean Sonic toothbrush runs off a 2.0 W Lithium-polymer battery and comes in a handy USB charging case that hooks up to a laptop or wall socket.

Its makers are calling it the “iPod of toothbrushes”. Philips DiamondClean HX 9332 comes with Sonicare’s best cleaning technology: “Up to 31,000 brush strokes per minute, removes up to 100% more plaque” and promises to “improve gum health in 2 weeks”.

It also whitens teeth, has five cleaning modes and a 2 minute timer – the recommended cleaning time by dentists – with a Quadpacer 30-second interval timer that encourages even brushing.

DiamondClean boasts lasting  time of 42 2-minute brushings or 3 weeks and has a snap head brush for easy removal.

However, high tech teeth doesn’t come cheap and retails for about $219 plus shipping.