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Month: January 2018

  • What You Don’t Know About Sleep and Oral Health

    We all know brushing before bed is the key to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. You may be surprised to learn, though, that what happens after you brush can make a huge difference as well. Sleep quality has a massive impact on oral health, in regards to both periodontal disease and bad breath.

    A study commissioned by the Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, led by Dr. Muneo Tanaka, sought to examine the influence of lifestyle factors on gum disease. They observed 219 patients over the course of four years, monitoring hours of sleep, hours of work, exercise, alcohol use, smoking, eating breakfast, overall diet, and physical and mental stress. When the results came back, only smoking was a bigger risk factor than lack of sleep. Those patients who had seven to eight hours of sleep fared much better than those with six or fewer.

    “This study points out to patients that there are lifestyle factors other than brushing and flossing that may affect their oral health,” says Preston D. Miller Jr., DDS, president of the American Academy of Periodontology.

    “It is also important to keep these in mind as the body of evidence linking oral disease with systemic diseases continues to grow, because ultimately, these factors might impact a patient’s overall health.” This connection is especially strong with periodontal disease. Heart surgeons have found the very same bacteria in clogged arteries as those in gums.

    Why does sleep matter so much? Well, it’s the time when your body restores itself. Your body needs to recover after strenuous exercise in order to get the most out of a workout, and the same is true for your mouth. At night, you’re more likely to breathe through your nose, which allows your mouth to produce more regenerative saliva. A good night’s sleep also lowers stress levels and regulates blood sugar.

    To make sure you’re getting the highest quality sleep, it’s important to establish a routine. The more your body clock can acclimate to a pattern of expected sleep, the less likely you will be to wake up in the middle of the night. Avoid eating right before bed, especially after you’ve brushed and flossed. Also, limit your screen time before bed to ensure a good night’s rest.

    Oral health is only one of the many benefits of getting more (and better) sleep. Rest up for increased focus, better memory, and brighter moods.

  • Floss Your Way to a Brighter 2018

    I’m guessing you’re probably thinking about your New Year’s resolutions right now. As you finalize your list of goals for the year, may I humbly suggest devoting one to doing something that can dramatically improve your oral health? You might assume I’m going to tell you to cut out sugar, but what I have in mind isn’t that drastic. Instead, it’s a simple, long-standing part of oral care that too many people ignore: flossing.

    Brushing without flossing is like washing your hands without scrubbing between your fingers. Even the most high-tech, expensive toothbrushes will not dislodge all of the plaque and bacteria from between your teeth.

    Flossing helps prevent bad breath and gum disease. Given that gum disease has been linked to conditions ranging from heart disease to diabetes, resolving to floss will benefit your overall health.

    Now that you know just how important flossing is, how can you make sure you do it regularly? To start, put floss in a readily available location. If you watch TV before bed, put some floss on your nightstand or next to the couch. You can also stick a few floss picks in your purse, so you have them in a pinch. Another great tactic is to stick a Post-it note on your bathroom mirror that reads, “FLOSS!”

    If you’re not a regular flosser, try to begin by flossing at least two or three times per week. From there, work your way up until you’re flossing once daily. Flossing after every brushing session is awesome, but once-daily flossing is enough to prevent the build up of nasty substances between your teeth.

    There’s no specific type or brand of floss that works best. Decide which you are most likely to use and go with that. Flossing may not be a dramatic resolution, but it can make a big difference when it comes to your oral health.

  • Want to See Better Report Cards in 2018?

    Make Reading A Family Resolution

    Every parent wants to see their child do well in school, and there’s one fun activity that benefits students of all ages: reading. In a world with so much stimulation, however, it can be difficult to motivate kids to put down a screen and pick up a book. New Year’s resolutions are the perfect opportunity to make reading a priority. Here are a few tips to make 2018 the year your kids become bookworms.

    Make It a Family Resolution

    There’s no better motivator than solidarity! Plus, we’re guessing everyone in your household could stand to read a little more. You don’t have to read the same books or set identical goals, but it’s a lot more fun when everyone participates. Schedule weekly reading discussions so everyone can share the cool stories they’ve read. Stack your completed books in your house somewhere as a monument to all the knowledge your family has gained.

    Set Reward Milestones

    Positive reinforcement will propel your kids to keep reading long after the calendars have turned. For a certain number of books completed or hours spent reading, offer them a prize. You can even create a big end goal to really cement those reading habits. Better yet, set a combined goal that the entire family can work toward. Don’t be afraid to pull out all the stops. If your kids know that reading one book per week through June means an extra-special summer vacation, their enthusiasm won’t wane come spring.

    Use Reading Apps

    Goodreads is a social network for bibliophiles. You can find recommendations, share ratings, and create lists of both completed and to-be-read books. Users also create reading lists based on topic, genre, decade, and more. With over 2 billion books added, you’ll never run out of inspiration. Biblionasium offers the same services, but it’s designed specifically for children. Talk to other parents and create a network of friends and classmates. After all, nothing is cooler to a kid than what their friends are doing.

    Avid readers tend to do better academically from kindergarten through college. In fact, a study from the Journal of Education and Practice found that reading comprehension predicted success in other subjects more than any other factor. If you want to see improved report cards, make a reading resolution for your entire household.

  • From Roller Coasters to New Technology

    Looking Forward to 2018

    We recently returned from Disneyland, and I don’t think my kids will ever be the same again. It was a lot of work for Meredith and me, but it was worth it to see the sheer delight on the faces of our kids. I even had the chance to enjoy a few rides myself, and I particularly enjoyed the California Screamin’ roller coaster. I guess the thrill of flying through the air on a ride is something you never outgrow.

    The trip was a great experience to cap off 2017, and now it’s time to turn our attention toward the new year. For my family, the biggest goal is to find a home in Eagle in 2018. Don’t get me wrong; we love our current home and neighbors in Meridian, but we’d like to find a long-term residence a little closer to the practice before the kids get too settled. We’re still in the early stages, but it’s definitely something we’re excited about. Hopefully, I’ll have more to report on that front a little later in the year.

    At the office, we unwrapped one heck of a Christmas present recently. A new 3-D imaging device arrived recently, and we’ve already gotten a lot of use out of it. The technical name for the machine is a cone beam dental CT scanner, but I won’t bore you with any of the specs. In short, the machine offers a chance to take a much more dynamic look at teeth than simple X-rays.

    “From little things, like freshening up furniture and decor, to larger investments, like our CT scanner, we think improving the practice should be a yearlong initiative, not just a New Year’s resolution.”

    Dental technology is always advancing, and imaging is one the places where the advancement has been biggest. I can’t tell you how much more information we have as the result of enhanced imaging. In the past, when we went to put in an implant or perform a root canal, we had some information going in. Once we got under the surface, however, we could expect to encounter some surprises. Now, the picture is much clearer — literally. Not only does better imaging allow the team to have a more solid game plan before a procedure, but it also lets us explain procedures to patients with the help of sophisticated visual aids.

    In the coming months, we’ll be on the lookout for more ways to improve the practice. From little things, like freshening up furniture and decor, to larger investments, like our CT scanner, we think improving the practice should be a yearlong initiative, not just a New Year’s resolution. I’m lucky to have a team that never fails to suggest great ideas. I’m thankful for that, because I don’t always have the best eye for decoration. If you need proof of that, ask Meredith! I’m sure she’ll be able to confirm it.

    I hope you have a wonderful 2018. The year may be just getting underway, but I’m already feeling like it’s going to be a great one. Thank you to all of our wonderful patients for making 2017 such a great year for Eagle Dental Care. I’m sure this year will be even better.

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